GJM parallel meeting calls for creation of Gorkhaland

FROM SAHARA SAMAY

Darjeeling, June 17: A parallel meeting called by the Gorkha Janamukti Morcha here today passed a resolution demanding creation of a separate state of Gorkhaland.

The meeting asked the Central government to create “a separate state of Gorkhaland comprising areas of Darjeeling and contiguous areas of Dooars,” GJM president Bimal Gurung said.

The meeting came ahead of an all-party meeting called by state Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee in Kolkata today to discuss the Darjeeling issue.

GJM central committee member D K Pradhan claimed the meeting was attended by 13 parties including BJP, Indian National Congress, Trinamool Congress, CPI, All-India Gorkha League, Sikkim National Front, Indian Muslim League, GNLF-C, a breakway group of GNLF, CPRM, a breakway group of CPI-M and Hill Congress.

However, Congress and Trinamool Congress sources in Kolkata today said that they had not authorised any party man to attend the meeting.

Trinamool general secretary Partha Chatterjee said Gopal Singh Chhetri, who attended the meeting claiming himself to be a Trinamool repressentative was not authorised by the party.

Controversy to statements made by leaders at the All Party meeting

By Barun Roy

A Beacon Online Exclusive

Darjeeling: G. S. Yonzon, District Secretary, Bharatiya Janata Party has claimed that he has been in contact with his leaders in Delhi who have convinced him that the BJP will work towards the formation of Gorkhaland after winning the Lok Sabha Elections. Observers here contested the statement saying that if such a thing was a reality then Advani or Sushma Swaraj should come out in the open and speak out about their support to the Gorkhaland. At the same time, the District Pradesh Congress committee told reporters that no individual by the name Nukul Chettri was a member of the Congress Party and whatever, he had said at the All Party Meeting held in Darjeeling was not the opinion of the party and the Congress Party did not attest to it. Nukul Chettri, Darjeeling Congress Party leader had stated at the meeting that the Congress Leaders in Delhi were amicable to the issue of Gorkhaland. While the local Congress leaders have been in favour of Gorkhaland, their counterparts were not in Siliguri and Kolkata were not in favour of Gorkhaland, political commentators suggested.

Darjeeling bandh impact: Exams cancelled, brisk business in markets

FROM SIFY NEWS

Siliguri: The indefinite bandh in Darjeeling announced by the Gorkha Janmukti Morcha (GJM) from the eve of June 16, 2008, has led to a lot of repercussions. While some of them have avowed their support for statehood for the Gorkhas, a lot others have taken objection to the demand.

Jana Jagaran, an apolitical outfit that has recently surfaced in Siliguri, soon plans to launch a signature campaign in the Dooars against the Gorkhaland demand. According to the joint secretary of the outfit, Ashok Hore, the Jana Jagaran has finalised three branch units to be opened in the Dooars and once the branch committees are formed, the signature campaign against the Gorkhaland demand would begin.

“We have finalised three branch units to come up at Metely, Nagrakata and Malbazar and the mass signature campaign would be simultaneously initiated at the three Dooars locations in next three-four days,” Hore said.

Meanwhile, the Sikkim government has sent SOS messages to the Centre and the Bengal government to ensure that the national highway connecting the hill state with the rest of the country was not blocked because of the Darjeeling turmoil.

In view of the bandh, the GJM, itself, has asked the North Bengal University to defer its ongoing exams. Citing earlier instances of exam postponement during the bandhs called by the Left Front and the Trinamul Congress early this month, GJM has asked the varsity to take a call on that soon..

Sikkim Facing Blockade Over Darjeeling Agitation

By Santosh Kumar Agarwal at Ground Report

NH 31A, the only link of Sikkim with the rest of the country is facing a threat of blockade by Gorkha Janamukti Morcha (GJM), as a spillover of the Darjeeling statehood agitation. Chief Secretary of Sikkim, N.D.Chingapa sent urgent messages to the Chief Secretary of West Bengal and Cabinet Secretary of Central Government to ensure that the life line to the state, NH 31A is kept open through out the GJM agitations. This followed an earlier request by the Chief Minister Pawan Kumar Chamling made to the Prime Minister on the same issue.

Chingapa said that the Sikkim government has instructed its officials to keep in touch with their counterparts in Darjeeling and Siliguri and also hinted that if the situation becomes unmanageable, Sikkim would have to seek army deployment to clear the blockade threatened by the GJM.

A senior Government official said, “As a part of emergency measures, the state’s food and civil supplies department has been geared up to ration Petrol and LPG and also stock up food-grains and already reasonable quantity has been stocked during the relaxation period allowed by GJM. But that of course can not last for ever. Let us hope that the Bandh does not stretch long enough to out last our stocks.”

GJM leaders has made it clear earlier that as the NH 31A passes through the Hill Council areas, they would block it as a part of the agitations and use this ‘Sikkim Factor’ to push the Centre into calling them for talks. Bimal Gurung has told a rally in Kalingpong that the High Way (NH 31A) would indeed be blocked until Sikkim spoke up (in favour).

RELATED STORIES:

1. GJM shutdown paralyses Darjeeling Hills, cuts off Sikkim [India ENews]




2. Sikkim Facing Blockade Over Darjeeling Agitation [Ground Report]

All Party meeting ends with unanimous call for opening dialogue with the Centre for Gorkhaland

A BEACON ONLINE EXCLUSIVE

By Barun Roy

Darjeeling, June 17: An all party meeting called by Gorkha Janmukti Morcha at Gymkhana came to an end today around 2 pm with all parties unanimously calling for opening dialogue with the Central Government on the issue of Gorkhaland. The parties also resolved to stick to the demand of Gorkhaland and not veer to any other ‘trifle concessions” made by the Government of West Bengal. The All Party meeting was attended by Gorkha Janmukti Morcha (GJM), Communist Party of Revolutionary Marxists (CPRM), Indian National Congress, Bharatiya Janata Party, Trinamul Congress, National Congress Party, Gorkha National Congress, Sikkim Rastriya Congress among others. The Gorkha National Liberation Front and the Communist Party of India Marxists were not invited. The All India Gorkha League (AIGL) remain conspicuous of its absence. Corridor murmurs at the All Party Meeting held that the All India Gorkha League absence was due to GJM and AIGL rivalry. The Gorkha League President Madan Tamang had been only yesterday stopped by the Gorkha Janmukti Nari Morcha (Gorkha People’s Liberation Women’s Front) from addressing the people at the Gitange Dara, at Chowk Bazaar, Darjeeling. The meeting was attended by Bimal Gurung, President, Gorkha Janmukti Morcha, Roshan Giri, General Secretary, Gorkha Janmukti Morcha, Ratna Bahadur Rai, General Secretary, Communist of the Revolutionary Marxists, D. K. Bomzan, President, Sikkim Rastriya Congress,  Dr. G. S. Yonzon, Bharatiya Janata Party

“State govt has nothing to do with GJM demand” Buddhadeb

FROM THE ECONOMIC TIMES

KOLKATA: West Bengal chief minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee told state cabinet colleagues on Monday that “his government had no role to play, in so far as the demand for separate statehood raised by the Gorkha Janamukti Morcha (GJM) is concerned”.

He, however, added, “We are keeping close tabs on the law and order situation in the hills amid the ongoing agitation.”

Mr Bhattacharjee, while chairing a cabinet core committee meeting at Writers’ Buildings on Monday, told team members that his government was in constant touch with the Centre and had kept it in the loop on the developments in the hills, north of Siliguri.

Mr Bhattacharjee’s comments come on the eve of an all-party meeting on Tuesday where GJM’s agitation would be discussed. The GJM, on the other hand, has given an indefinite bandh call in the Hills from Monday. During the core committee meeting, the chief minister and his cabinet colleagues had also discussed several aspects relating to the GJM sponsored bandh in the hills and attempted to chalk out a formula on how to tackle the situation developed out of the indefinite bandh.

Though the schools and colleges have been exempted from the purview of the indefinite bandh, normal life in the Darjeeling hills is bound to get disrupted by the GJM agitation.

Meanwhile, Mr Bhattacharjee’s decision not to invite the GJM at Tuesday’s all-party meeting evoked mixed reactions in political circles in West Bengal. The chief minister did not invite the GJM as the newly formed outfit was not a recognised political party in the state.

Principal opposition party Trinamool Congress had announced earlier that it will not attend the all-party meeting as it had been convened without involving the GJM, which is currently spearheading the agitation in the hills.

Darjeeling Hills Closure in Perspective!

Shops closed at Darjeeling

Photo by Barun Roy

Darjeeling Hills Shuts down once again

Normal life in the three hill sub-divisions of Darjeeling district has been paralysed with the resumption of the indefinite strike called by Gorkha Janmukti Morcha (GJM) starting yesterday evening at 6 pm. The Gorkha Janmukti Morcha has called for the closure to press for their demand for the separate state of Gorkhaland. [Inset: Fear of 45 days continuous closure, a horse owner abandons his horse. The abandoned horse trodes along the vacant clubside, the heart of Darjeeling Town. Photo by Barun Roy]

Shops, markets, business establishments, banks and post offices are closed and vehicles have remained off the roads. The National highway 31A linking Sikkim’s capital Gangtok with Siliguri passing through Kalimpong sub-division has also been blocked by GJM activists, virtually cutting off the Himalayan state from the rest of the country, officials said.

All state and central Government office are also closed and the world famous Darjeeling Himalayan Railway, Toy Train, a major tourist attraction, is not allowed to run. However, Tea Gardens, Schools and Colleges are open as they are out of the purview of the bandh.

“Waste disposal must be allowed”, Darjeeling Citizens

A Heap of Waste remains scattered at Toong Soong road near Chowrasta. The Citizens believe that waste disposal services should be lifted from the purview of the indefinite closure.

Photo By Barun Roy

W Bengal CM rejects demand for Gorkhaland

FROM IANS

KOLKATA: West Bengal Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee yesterday rejected demands for a separate Gorkhaland state, as the hill areas of the state shut down in response to a call by the Gorkha Janamukti Morcha (GJM).

The GJM’s chief also warned people to stock up on essential supplies for 45 days. [Insete: Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee. Source: NDTV]

The demand for Gorkhaland may be raised at an all-party meeting to be held today, but West Bengal government will not even consider it, Bhattacharjee said here yesterday.

“We are open to all possible negotiations with other parties and the GJM to restore peace and democratic atmosphere in Darjeeling district. If any party wants Gorkhaland, it can place the demand at the meeting.

But we will not consider it,” the chief minister said after a cabinet meeting.  “We are always ready to help the GJM on issues other than Gorkhaland,” Bhattacharjee said.

Meanwhile, an indefinite shutdown called by the GJM, fighting for a separate Gorkhaland state in northern West Bengal, began with a call from the party chief that people should stock up on food and essential supplies for 45 days.

“The shutdown has started. Our workers are picketing several roads,” GJM general secretary Roshan Giri said.

The shutdown will not affect work in the tea gardens and cinchona plantations, Giri said. School and college examinations will also be allowed to take place, he added.

The shutdown started at 6pm in Darjeeling, Kurseong and Kalimpong.
Giri said GJM president Bimal Gurung has asked the people in the hills to stock up food and essential supplies that could last up to 45 days.

“But that does not mean that we are calling a 45-day shutdown. Ours is an indefinite agitation,” he said.

The GJM has exempted the plains areas of the district – Silguri, Dooars and Terai – from the shutdown, but a conflict seemed to be brewing between the party and the administration over the GJM’s decision to conduct relay hunger strikes in these areas.

“The administration is trying to scuttle the hunger strike by banning assembly of more than four people in parts of Siliguri and Dooars. We will not be cowed down by these moves,” Giri said.  Siliguri sub-divisional officer Smita Pandey said with the prohibitory orders in force in three police station areas in and around Siliguri, “nobody will be allowed to participate in hunger strike.” “And nobody has sought permission for us for any such agitation also,” she said.

Earlier in the day, people rushed to stock up on supplies and trucks snaked up the hills to carry essential goods ahead of the shutdown.

“It is highly imperative that the Government of India commissions a thorough and serious research study on the large-scale influx of Bangladeshi immigrants” says eminent scholar Vimal Khawas

By Vimal Khawas at Beacon Online

The Gorkhas of Darjeeling Hills and its adjoining Terai/Dooars have often been lamented as ‘foreigners’ by different categories of mainstream Indian population notably Politicians and Journalists at different points of time. With the onset of second phase of Gorkhaland Movement, a section of Bengali politicians, Bengali journalists and general Bengali mass [including some academicians] have deeply and seriously invoked the term ‘foreigners’ in the context of the Gorkhas settled in and around the Darjeeling Hills and its Terai. [Inset: Vimal Khawas]

More importantly, following a series of meetings across the geographical milieu of Terai areas of Darjeeling-Jalpaiguri, such terminology has increasingly found place among the critics of Gorkhaland. Of great importance to us at this point of time is, therefore, a serious search for the historical documents that highlight various pertinent issues relevant to the Gorkhas of Darjeeling and its adjoining Dooars.

One such crucial and critical historical document is the report on the Darjeeling Terai Settlement. The report authored by the then Settlement Officer Shri Sasi Bhusan Duttt and published by Bengal Secretariat Press, Calcutta in 1898 throws significant light on the various facets of Society and Economy of Darjeeling Terai at the end of the 19th Century.

Two very important aspects highlighted by the report need critical examination by the Indian Gorkhas and the Government of India, if not the Government of West Bengal. These important aspects include: 1) The Geographical Extent of Darjeeling Terai at the end of the 19th Century and 2) The composition of population in Darjeeling Terai.

1. Geographical Extent of Darjeeling Terai at the end of 19th Century

The aforementioned report says, “The tract under settlement is the plain portion of the district of Darjeeling locally known as the Darjeeling Terai, extending from the foot of the mountainous tract to the northern border of the Purnea district. It lies between 26o 30′ 48″ and 26 o 49′ 45″ north latitude and between 88 o 8′ 51″ and 88 o 29′east longitude. It forms a trapezoid with a length from North to South of 18 miles and a breadth East to West of 16 miles, containing a total area, according to present survey, of 229.95 square miles, or 147,170.19 acres, exclusive of forest lands which form no part of this settlement. It is bounded on the North by hill portion of the district, South by Purnea district, East by Jalpaiguri district, and West by the independent State of Nepal”.

2. Demography of Darjeeling Terai at the end of 19th Century.

Khukuri call sparks row

From the Statesman News Service

SILIGURI, June 16: The Gorkha Jana Mukti Morcha president, Mr Bimal Gurung, has directed party cadres to carry khukuri (traditional Nepali/Gorkha weapon) with them while participating in the ‘final battle’ for realising a separate Gorkhaland state. [Inset: An individual holding a Khukuri]

Mr Gurung gave the call at a meeting of party cadres at Tribeni in Kalimpong sub-division yesterday. The move is significant as since inception in October 2007, the GJMM has been persistently maintaining that the revived Gorkhaland movement would be carried out in a peaceful manner and the new hill party would never resort to violence like the Gorkhaland movement of the 1980s that caused around 1,200 deaths.

But Mr Gurung’s instruction to the GJMM cadres for getting equipped with khukuri has compelled the local administration to sit up. “So far, there has been no violence in the Darjeeling Hills with regard to the statehood movement and the police are following a no-confrontation policy. But if the GJMM cadres start carrying the khukuri to public meetings and rallies, the police would surely act as per the law,” the IGP, north Bengal, Mr Kumdan Lal Tamta, said.

Both the GJMM general secretary, Mr Roshan Giri, and its press and publicity secretary, Mr Binoy Tamang, however, said that Mr Gurung’s instruction to party cadres for carrying khukuri should not be interpreted as shift towards violence.

Breaking Laws in Darjeeling Hills is Easy!

Apparently breaking laws in Darjeeling Hills is easy simply because it goes unpunished. This multi storied building now housing a bank, computer institute and private residential flats stands on a public toilet and waste dumping grounds. The waste is further seen scattered all over the road. Who is guilty – Darjeeling Municipality, the owner of the Building or the People themselves? Photo by Barun Roy

Smash and Grab – The Times of India Editorial Today!

Just when the Gujjars have been persuaded to sit down for talks with the Rajasthan government, in a different corner of the country Gorkhas have virtually cut off the Darjeeling hills from the rest of India.

While the two agitations are about different things — the Gujjars want scheduled tribe status, the Gorkhas are demanding a separate state — both have been speaking a common language.

It’s the language of violence. The Gujjars uprooted train tracks and blockaded roads; the Gorkhas enforced an indefinite bandh in the hills through violence and intimidation.

This is a disturbing trend in the development of Indian democracy. If you want yourself to be heard, all you’ve got to do is break a few windows and burn some buses.

The logic is simple. The more violent the protest, the more disruption it will cause and it will force the state to take notice and possibly bend to the protesters’ demands.

Often such agitations are cloaked in Gandhian language, such as bandhs and hartals. But we must not confuse today’s protests with Mahatma Gandhi’s politics.

His unique methods of protest were directed at an imperial and foreign regime. That was what gave his calls for hartal and civil disobedience moral legitimacy.

Such methods must not, however, be replicated in a constitutional democracy. There is a double standard in the way many of India’s intellectuals look at violent movements.

For instance, the Naxalites, who are active in several districts in the country, are often held up as do-gooders who have taken up the gun to fight for the rights of the poor.

Nothing is further from the truth. The Naxalites must be treated as terrorists who not only refuse to abide by the norms of the Indian Constitution, they actually want to throw it out.

Indeed, they are no different from, say, Hindu fanatics who unleashed riots in Gujarat in 2002 or Islamic radicals who have orchestrated terror attacks in recent times.

All these are direct attacks on India’s Constitution and must be treated as such. The government cannot afford to give in to violent protests.

It must make clear to the Gujjars and the Gorkhas that taking a violent route will automatically shut down any chance of their grievances being considered.

And if they continue in their violent ways, the Indian state must come down hard on them. Unless firm action is taken, more and more groups are likely to resort to violence to press their demands.

It must be impressed upon disaffected groups that there will be zero tolerance for violence. Only then might they opt for the legitimate means of peaceful protest and dialogue that are available to all citizens.

Two-day bandh hits IT retail

As the IT sector in Bengal steps into a new realm of prosperity, the political situation pulls down the tempo writes Avishek Rakshit

Just when the indu­strial resurgence was taking over the zeal in West Bengal, political decisions seem to be halting the progress. The Communist Party of India (CPI Marxist) called a 12-hour bandh in West Bengal to protest the rise in petroleum prices on, June 5. The decision was taken suddenly by the Politburo and came as a shock across the business community in Bengal, predominantly in the IT sector. [Inset: A Computer Shoppe]

To add fuel to the fire, the Opposition in Bengal, led by Trinamool Congress (TMC), also called for a 12-hour bandh on the same issue. “The Left is supporting the Central Government. They are calling for a bandh despite knowing about the price hike beforehand! But our bandh is a true bandh,” commented Mamata Banerjee, Leader of Opposition and TMC supremo.

Although Buddhadeb Bhattacharya, the Chief Minister, assured that the IT hub of the state-Sector V, would not be affected by the bandh, attendance was poor during the two days in Sector V. “In the previous bandh also, the Chief Minister assured that IT would be left out of the decision, but it didn’t turn out to be so. My vehicle was attacked by bandh supporters and I suffered a head injury. This time, I am not risking going to office,” said a software professional working in Sector V.

Darjeeling Statehood : Low Key Resumption of Agitation.

By Santosh Kumar Agarwal   at Ground Report

Darjeeling Statehood movement resumes today the 16^th June’08 at 6.00 PM, although it was supposed to restart from Saturday morning, but for the ‘tit for tat’ policy this time by the people of plains who confronted Gorkha Janamukti Morch (GJM) head on and forcibly stopped essential supplies to hills resulting in a further delay in resuming the agitation by GJM by another 60 hours. Apprehending the mood of the people, Bimal Gurung adopted a much softer line this time by issuing directives to exempt plains from the ambit of the indefinite strike apart from exempting schools, colleges, news media, various essential services, tea gardens and even sinkona gardens in the hills. In view of the ensuing indefinite Bandh, about 100 truck-loads of essentials were sent to hills from Siliguri on Sunday, the 15^th June.

The state government, on the other hand, did not invite GJM in the ‘all party’ meeting to be held on 17^th June, but extended invitation to them for talks on 18^th June at the government level in Calcutta. However Gurung has expressed his unwillingness to attend this meeting, but is ready to sit with the central leaders, if invited without any pre-conditions. Mamata Banerjee of Trinamul Congress has, as usual, refused to attend the ‘all party’ meeting on the plea that GJM should have been invited. She however reiterated that she does not want Bengal to be divided but stressed the need of stepping up development in the hills by creating a separate secretariat for the north Bengal region and giving more powers to the Hill Council.

Bengal Minister Subhas Chakarabarty calls Gorkhas foreigners

KOLKATA: The Left Front’s call for restraint to the people of the plains and the Hills of north Bengal perhaps doesn’t apply to CPM state secretariat member and maverick transport minister Subhas Chakarabarty. [Inset: Subhas Chakarabarty]

Calling the Gorkhas “foreigners”, he ignored the Front’s appeal for calm, and instead added fuel to the fire raging in the Hills, close on the heels of the ugly ethnic clashes in Siliguri.

Speaking to a private TV channel on Monday, Chakrabarty didn’t even spare West Bengal chief minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee and colleague, state urban development minister Asok Bhattacharya, for the impasse in the Hills, though he did later try to soften the blow on the CM while speaking to reporters at the Writer’s Building in Kolkata.

Chakrabarty sounded rather like leaders of outfits like Amra Bangali and Janjagaran Mancha that had stalled ration supply to the Hills during the bandh on June 12.

He held that democracy was not a one-way traffic. If Bimal Gurung’s Gorkha Janmukti Morcha refused to see reason in a democracy, others could also pay back in the same coin by snapping fuel supply to Darjeeling, he said.

“Will it be a good thing if petrol and diesel supply is stopped to Darjeeling? Can they run the vehicles then?” Asked how and why this question would arise in the first place, the minister said: “This is an unjustified demand and agitation. Is it the right thing to do?”

The minister said this a day before the all-party meeting on Tuesday, where the CM is expected to take a soft approach harping on efforts to bring back peace in Darjeeling, Dooars and Siliguri.

GJM determined to close NH31A – Sikkim to be Hit!

Siliguri: Gorkha Janamukti Morcha (GJM) press secretary Benoy Tamang on Monday said they were going to close the National Highway 31-A “at all cost”. The GJM`s decision to block the arterial National Highway 31-A, which connects Siliguri to Sikkim, will cut off the Himalayan state from the plains. The highway will be blocked Monday at 6:00 pm when the bandh resumes, says GJM. [Inset: One the way to Sikkim. The picture shows a car been driven through the Sukna Road.]

Darjeeling Superintendent of Police Rahul Srivastava said this was a “matter of concern” as all essential commodities including foodstuff are supplied to Sikkim from Siliguri via Kalimpong across the Teesta river.

He said the police and the administration are thinking of ways to maintain the supply. According to reports from Darjeeling, hours before the indefinite bandh called by the GJM resumes at 6:00 pm in the Hills on Monday, thousands of people in the hill towns were out making last-minute purchases of essential commodities. Most of the shops which had stocked enough commodities during the 60-hour relaxation had already run out of supplies, making the buyers desperate. Mr. Srivastava, said that the police had made “leak-proof” security arrangements to maintain law and order. The six companies of CRPF, which are on stand-by in Siliguri, will be deployed in the hills if the situation demanded, he said. The decision by the GJM to exempt schools and colleges from the bandh‘s purview has been lauded by people and school authorities alike, though most parents are wary of sending their children back to school. GJM on Sunday announced that it would spare Dooars and Siliguri during the bandh, but relay hunger strikes would be undertaken at selected spots from Monday. Tea gardens and cinchona plantations in Kalimpong have also been exempted from the bandh. Hours ahead of second phase strike, Gorkha Janmukti Morcha (GJM) president Bimal Gurung today sought intervention of the Centre for resolving the crisis in theDarjeeling Hills of West Bengal.

Four hydel power projects in Dzongu scrapped – ACT withdraws indefinite hunger strike

Relay hunger strike to continue till “sanctity and rich biodiversity of Dzongu is fully protected”

By YISHEY D

GANGTOK, June 15: Dawa Tshering Lepcha and Tenzing Lepcha yesterday withdrew from the 96th day of the second phase of their indefinite hunger strike following the State Government’s move to scrap four mega hydro electric power projects in Dzongu in North Sikkim. According to a letter dated June 12, 2008 addressed to the ACT (Affected Citizens of Teesta) president Athup Lepcha, the Principal Chief Engineer cum Secretary of the State Power and Energy Department, P Wangchen said that the four projects were scrapped by the State Government “taking into consideration the sentiment of the local people and the need to conserve the environment.”

The scrapped hydel power projects are Rangyong (141 MW), Lingza (120 MW), Ringpi (90 MW) and Rukel (33 MW), all located in Dzongu in North Sikkim. The State Government has scrapped both the Rangyong and Lingzya hydel power projects, which they had initially signed MoUs with private developers while no definite proposals were made for Ringpi and Rukel power projects, both located inside the Khangchendzonga National Park in Dzongu. “The government took a conscious decision not to allot these projects to any developer to conserve the environment and ecology of the area,” the letter pointed out.

“This is the victory of the people of Sikkim. The scrapping of the four projects is a positive step towards protection of Sikkim, its nature and environment,” said ACT chief coordinator, Tseten Lepcha while addressing a press conference yesterday. Referring to the initiative of the Chungthang Gram Panchayat committee for having taken just and bold step to establish an effective communication between the Government and the people, due to which this development has taken place, ACT chief coordinator expressed gratitude to Chief Minister Pawan Chamling for his personal intervention in considering the wishes of the people of Dzongu.

Sikkimese Chief Minister lays foundation stone of 1200 MW Teesta Stage III power project in Chungthang

FROM SIKKIM EXPRESS

By NIRMAL MANGAR

CHUNGTHANG, June 15: The Chief Minister, Pawan Chamling, has welcomed and appreciated the decision of the Affected Citizens of Teesta (ACT) to withdraw their indefinite hunger strike. He was speaking at the foundation stone laying ceremony of the 1200 MW Teesta Stage III hydro electric project here today. While stating that the main aim of the State Government is to bring about economic and infrastructure development through hydel power plants, the Chief Minister said the Panan hydro electric power project in Dzongu would not be scrapped. [Inset: Dr. Pawan Chamling at the foundation stone laying ceremony of the 1200 MW Teesta Stage III hydro electric project. Photo by Sikkim Express]

“The other four projects located in Dzongu, which was supposed to be implemented, stands scrapped,” he said. Speaking on the Teesta Stage III project, Mr. Chamling said that a two-storied building would be constructed for those people whose land has been acquired by the government for the power project here. “The project on completion would supply 12% free power to the State Government for the first 15 years and 15% free thereafter. Full ownership would be transferred to the government after 35 years, which would significantly contribute towards GDP revenues and overall development of the State,” Mr. Chamling said.

He further said that the power project will bring in economic boom for the people.

Madan Tamang not allowed to address the people at Darjeeling yesterday

Madan Tamang, President All India Gorkha League (AIGL) was not allowed to address the people at Chowk Bazaar, Darjeeling yesterday by the Gorkha Janmukti Nari Morcha. While the Nari Morcha blocked AIGL President’s way to the dias at Gitange Dara as seen in the picture, when asked why they were doing so, Prof. Rumba the chief convener of the Gorkha Janmukti Nari Morcha said that they were not stopping him (Madan Tamang) from addressing the people, in fact they had themselves come to hear his speech and had thus sat on the stairs of the Gitange Dara. Photo by Himalaya Darpan

FB, CPI urge GJMM to withdraw shutdown

From The Statesman News Service

SILIGURI, June 16: Two Left Front constituents, the CPI and the Forward Bloc have appealed to the Gorkha Jan Mukti Morcha leadership to withdraw the proposed 45-day shutdown at the Hills starting this evening and asked the administration to curb all kinds of rowdyism in the plains and the Hills with an iron hand.  Striking a different note, the RSP slammed the CPI-M and the Congress for the developing situation in the Darjeeling district and refused to join the chorus regarding the bandh withdrawal appeal. [Inset: Forward Bloc Party Flag]

The CPI state secretary Mr Manju Kumar Majumder said that the GJMM should withdraw the proposed Hill shutdown to pave way for an amicable settlement to the Hill tangle through negotiation. Mr Asoke Ghosh, the Forward Bloc state secretary, also made the same appeal. But the RSP state committee member Mr Binay Chakravarty declined to join the other Left parties in this appeal and criticised the Centre and the state government for keeping the Hill imbroglio alive for petty political interests.

Indefinite Strike resumes in Darjeeling Hills

DARJEELING, June 17: With the indefinite bandh to resume from 6 p.m. today, Darjeeling went on a shopping spree again. “There is a rumour that the Hills will shutdown for 2 months so we are trying to stock up all necessary items. Food stuff is not a problem but it will be difficult to get vegetables,” said Ms Bhawana Limbu, who had come out for last minute shopping. The calm crowd of the day turned frenetic as evening approached. Some people scurried homeward with grocery while others thronged the shops trying their best to secure all items in their shopping list. [Inset: People on a shopping spree at Darjeeling.]

Shopkeepers were busy clearing all stocks available with them. “We are trying to clear all the vegetables by selling them at subsidised rates” said Ms Maya Tamang, a green grocer. Towards the evening, shops downed shutters and vehicles packed with passengers made way in and out of the town trying to meet the 6 p.m. deadline. “I made a single trip to Siliguri to drop some passengers and returned just in time to meet the deadline,” said Dinesh Lama, a driver. Meanwhile, the Gorkha Janmukti Morcha called all-party meeting at Gymkhana tomorrow. “We intend to review the current political situation of the hills and develop a suitable strategy to attain the Gorkhaland demand. All parties except the GNLF and the CPI-M are invited to the meeting,” informed central committee member, Mr Binay Tamang.

RELATED STORIES:

1. Strike resumes in the Hills [The Statesman]

2. Indefinite shutdown begins in Darjeeling hills [India ENews]

3. Darjeeling closed [Sify News]

4. India tea region strike resumes [BBC]

5. North Bengal Bandh Cripples Life [Sulekha.com]

6. GJM bandh: Life paralysed in Darjeeling hills [Deccan Herald]

Monks observe silver jubilee of Buddhist institute in Sikkim

From Statesman News Service

GANGTOK, June 16: Over 5,000 monks congregated today to observe the silver jubilee celebration of the Karma Shri Nalanda Institute, an institute for Buddhist higher studies institute located at Rumtek about 24 km from Gangtok. The institute is affiliated to the Sampuranand Sanskrit University, Varanasi. Monks from Nepal, Bhutan and different parts of the country have assembled to observe the 25th anniversary celebrations of the institute. [Inset:Lamas celebrating the silver jubilee celeberations at Rumtek]

A two-day celebration to commemorate the event began yesterday and continued today at the institute’s main hall with recitation of prayers in Sanskrit and Tibetan by Rinpoches (gurus) and monks. Messages from the Governor Mr Sudarshan Agarwal, Chief Minister Mr Pawan Chamling and other great Rinpoche’s including the Dalai Lama and the 17th Karmapa Orgyen Trinley Dorji were read out in the hall. The caretaker of the monastery Goshir Gyaltshab Rimpoche and also the director of Nalanda Institute presided over the function along with the Speaker of the State Legislative Assembly, Mr DN Thakarpa as chief guest of the function.

Bengal’s aid sought for functioning of NH31A

FROM THE TELEGRAPH

By Bappaditya Paul

SILIGURI, June 16: The landlocked northeastern state of Sikkim is depending on the West Bengal government for keeping the National Highway 31A functional during the Gorkha Jan Mukti Morcha sponsored indefinite shutdown in the Darjeeling hills that resumed at 6 p.m. this evening following a five-day relaxation. The NH 31A is the only road link to Sikkim from the plains of West Bengal passing through the Kalimpong sub-division in the Darjeeling hills.

The GJMM has announced that its cadres would picket near the Coronation Bridge at Sevoke, at Rambhi and Rongpo on the NH 31A during the bandh, which in effect would halt movement of traffic to and from Sikkim as well. The mountain state therefore faces the threat of a scarcity in essential commodities and food items, as Sikkim is dependent on supplies from Siliguri and other areas of north Bengal.

About 120 lorry load of food grains, vegetables and other essential commodities climb up to Sikkim from Siliguri every day on an average to feed the near 7.5 lakh population in the neighbouring state.  “If the NH 31A remains closed for a prolonged period, we would be subjected to a difficult situation and people in the remote areas of Sikkim would be on the verge of starvation,” said a senior Sikkim police official, unwilling to be quoted on protocol grounds.