Today’s Beacon Online Exclusive Wallpaper

Bamboo Water Carriers

Bamboo Water Carriers on the wall of a Pedong House. Pedong is a small town surrounded by villages in the Kalimpong subdivision. Photo by Barun Roy

Time to go to the market to eke out a living!

An old lady preparing to go to the market to sell vegetables.

Photo by Himalaya Darpan

Gorkhaland Personnel Recruitment Drive

Gorkha Janmukti Women and Youth fronts raid liquor shops

A BEACON ONLINE EXCLUSIVE

KURSEONG, June 22: In a spurt of social activism, the Gorkha Janmukti Yuva Morch [Gorkha People's Liberation Youth Front] and Gorkha Janmukti Nari Morcha [Gorkha People's Liberation Women Front] raided illegal liquor shops. These shops were operating despite the indefinite strike going on in the hills. The Janmukti activists seized and destroyed liquor bottles. The operation was headed by Prabha Cehttri, the Joint Secretary of the Gorkha Janmukti Nari Morcha. The Kurseong Sub Divisional Officer, Dibyendu Das said that he was not aware of such an incident but added that it should be considered as an awareness initiative.

Sikkim CM hints at IT exemption

FROM THE STATESMAN

GANGTOK, June 22: The state chief minister, Mr Pawan Chamling, assured the business community of income tax exemption. However, the people from Sikkim people having proper identification has been exempted from income tax except some businessmen of the state who doesn’t have their identification and thus, are bound to pay income tax. “This is the fault of the businessmen who came here long ago and didn’t collect proper documents for their identification from the king that time (during monarchy till 1975),” Mr Chamling said. “There is no need to panic. We will talk to the Center for the tax exemption,” he added. He said, no any businessman has ever been seen to be working for the development of the state despite making profit from their business. They are also not conscious about their social rights. “The entire businessmen community should show their commitment for the development of the state,” he said. The issue of the income tax exemption gave rise to a chaotic situation in the state specially among the business community after chief minister along with other cabinet members passed the resolution on income tax exemption under the Income Tax Act, 1961 and repealed the Sikkim Income Tax Manual, 1948, in the recently held monsoon session of Assembly in Gangtok. However, the passed resolution exempted tax from the people who have proper identification of their being from Sikkim. The Sikkim Chamber of Commerce (SCC) had submitted various memorandums to the chief minister for reconsideration. The CM had assured them verbally. The CM was addressing a gathering observing ‘Kranti Diwas’ today.

Gorkhaland: Centre won’t intervene

FROM THE STATESMAN

COOCH BEHAR, June 22: Union minister and state Congress president Mr Priya Ranjan Dasmunshi made it clear that the Centre will not intervene directly on the ongoing Gorkhaland issue. There are Constitutional obligations too. At the same time he said that the Centre is eager to help the state government in solving any internal problem of this state. The Union minister said the Congress has political differences with the CPI-M but it is not in favour of any further division of Bengal. It will not hesitate to extend a helping hand to the state government to maintain the integrity of Bengal. Mr Dasmunshi came to Mekhliganj today to campaign in favour of the Congress candidates for the ensuing municipal election. He addressed a gathering there. During his address he alleged that the state government failed to use funds for different developmental schemes in the municipalities including Mekhliganj. On his way to Alipurduar from Mekhliganj to address another election meeting, the Union minister talked with media persons in Cooch Behar at the residence of the chairman of Cooch Behar Municipality, Mr Biren Kundu.

DM visits landslide affected areas

FROM THE STATESMAN

KURSEONG, June 22: Yesterday, the Darjeeling DM, Mr Rajesh Pandey along with the Kurseong SDO Mr Dibyendu Das and the Kurseong municipal officials visited the landslide affected areas in Kurseong. Mr Pandey assured that the Kurseong sub divisional relief authorities and the Kurseong municipality authorities should submit proper report, following which the district administration would provide proper assistance, for the restoration, of the landslides affected area and victims, accordingly to government norms.
Notably, due to the incessant rainfall during the past few days, a number of minor and major landslides occurred at several places in Kurseong sub division which is, till now, the highest landslide affected area in the whole of the district.

Asok urges empowerment of ADM, Siliguri

FROM THE STATESMAN

SILIGURI, June 22: In view of the ongoing indefinite shutdown in the Darjeeling hills which has stopped the functioning of the district collectorate there, the CPI-M has urged the state government to empower the ADM Siliguri to discharge some of the Siliguri-specific duties of the district magistrate. According to the state urban development minister and the CPI-M MLA from Siliguri, Mr Asok Bhattacharya, a delegation of the party from north Bengal has placed the demand to the chief minister in Kolkata yesterday. “The shutdown in Darjeeling has literally paralysed the functioning of the motor vehicles department, the treasury and other important offices in Siliguri, which need to do transaction with the district head offices in Darjeeling. The functioning of the district court too has come to a standstill. All these are resulting in the sufferings of the common people in the hills and hence, we have urged the CM to empower the ADM Siliguri with additional powers to discharge the Siliguri-specific duties, at least for the time being,” Mr Bhattcharya said. As per the minister, the CM has assured looking into the matter with urgency. Meanwhile, the district CPI-M has initiated a leaflet campaign against the Gorkha Jan Mukti Morcha’s demand for a separate Gorkhaland state and its alleged bid to create a rift between the hills and the plains.

Steam ‘sights’ on sale for track cause

FROM THE TELEGRAPH

A T-shirt put on sale by the DHRS. (Kundan Yolmo)

Siliguri, June 22: “If You Are Marraid Divoce Speed”.

Very soon British homes will have magnets with warnings like this on fridges. If you are wondering why the British need such a caveat in the cosy comfort of their homes, think closer home.

These are roadside warnings for drivers on NH55 that connects Siliguri with Darjeeling and, obviously, a source of humour for the steam enthusiasts taking the dream ride on the Darjeeling Himalayan Railway, running parallel to or criss-crossing the road.

Members of the UK-based Darjeeling Himalayan Railway Society have reproduced these warnings in fridge magnets, which they intend to sell as souvenirs to heritage lovers to raise money for the uplift of the people residing along the Toy Train track.

“Better Be Late Than Dead Never”, “Don’t Gossip Let him Drive” and “Hurry-Burry Spoils The Curry” are some other signs reproduced in the magnets. A set of four has been priced at £2.00.

“There seems to be an insatiable demand for everything relating to the DHR,” David Barrie, the chairman of the DHRS, said in an email from London. “I think this is because it is a spectacular journey — these little Victorian engines clawing their way up to Darjeeling, puffing their way through the streets, hanging into the side of the hill. You see, the DHR appeals to everyone, not just train enthusiasts. The scenery, the warm and friendly welcome by the local people; all add up to a unique experience. There is truly no other railway like it,” the email read.

Dooars road plea to fight bandh

FROM THE TELEGRAPH

Siliguri, June 22: Leaders of seven trade and voluntary organisations from the Dooars, representing about 15 lakh people today met urban development minister Asok Bhattacharya and sought an alternative route to the region from Siliguri.

Led by secretary of the Dooars East West Corridor Movement Committee, Pravat Dey, they said NH31, the lifeline to towns like Oodlabari, Malbazar, Chalsa, Nagrakata and the surrounding suburbs, had been blockaded by Gorkha Janmukti Morcha supporters at Sevoke Bazar for almost a week.

“This continuous blockade has not only cut off supplies but also affected the economy of these places as well. The prolonged agitation is testing the tolerance of the people and the consolidated grievance may erupt any time,” Dey warned. “Such indefinite road blockade on an important highway is absurd in any civilised society.”

“We met the minister and urged him to open an alternative route from Siliguri to the Dooars along the Teesta Barrage which will meet NH31 at Oodlabari. A road already exists and light trucks can ply on it,” Dey said.

A second route that crosses the Teesta before reaching Sevoke Bazar was also proposed, which would entail the construction of a road bridge parallel to the railway bridge.

Morcha gun at Sundas

FROM THE TELEGRAPH

Members of the Sangathan gherao Sundas’s house on Relli Road on Sunday. Picture by Chinlop Fudong Lepcha

Kalimpong, June 22: The Janmukti Asthai Karmachari Sangathan turned its gun at CPM leader Tara Sundas by laying a siege to his house on Relli Road here today to protest against his party’s anti-Gorkhaland stance.

Over 1,000 member of the Sangathan, an outfit owing allegiance to the Gorkha Janmukti Morcha, marched in a procession to Sundas’s house, shouting slogans against the CPM for allegedly trying to give a bad name to the democratic movement for Gorkhaland led by the hill party.

“Anti-Gorkhaland CPM leave the hills”, shouted the protesters.

The Sangathan members had also gheraoed the residence of Dawa Pakhrin, the president of the GNLF’s Kalimpong branch, on Friday. Some of them had also entered his compound and replaced the green GNLF flag with the Morcha’s flag.

SOS gone, army now on Chamling lips

FROM THE TELEGRAPH

Chamling: Tough talk

Gangtok, June 22: Digressing from its regular SOS to the Centre and the Bengal government to remove blockades set up by the Gorkha Janmukti Morcha on NH31A, Sikkim chief minister Pawan Chamling today said deploying the army was now an option.

However, Chamling’s remark comes on a day when Morcha president Bimal Gurung announced a relaxation in the indefinite strike from today till 6am on Wednesday.

At the end of the speech delivered on the Sampoorna Kranti Divas (which commemorates the SDF’s first agitation against the Nar Bahadur Bhandari government in 1993 on this day), Chamling said he had this morning asked Union home minister Shivraj Patil over the phone to ensure that foodgrain, petrol, diesel, LPG and other essential commodities were allowed entry into the hill state.

“I told the Union home minister that he should adopt any means, whether it is deploying the army or a para-military force, to open up the highway, and he agreed,” Chamling said.

According to the chief minister, Sikkim has a stock of foodgrain to last a fortnight. But stocks of other items were running low. He said the state had petrol for two days and a week’s stock of LPG. “I will not allow the Sikkimese to go hungry for whatever happens on the other side,” Chamling said. Today was the sixth day that the Morcha supporters blocked the NH31A that connects Sikkim to the rest of the country, at Rangpo. The picketers, however, are letting through, students, patients and trucks carrying LPG.

Bullet-riddled carcass found

FROM THE TELEGRAPH

The carcass of the elephant on the Nepal side of the border on Sunday. Picture by Kundan Yolmo

Siliguri, June 22: The body of a female elephant was found at Bamundangi on the India-Nepal border today. The animal, suspected to have died of bullet injuries, was the second to have been allegedly killed by residents of the area located in Nepal in less than a week.

Foresters say the villagers on the other side of the border had perhaps shot the full-grown elephant dead last night while chasing a herd away. The carcass was lying on the Nepal side till 9pm today.

Wildlife NGOs have condemned the repeated deaths of elephants in the border region and have asked the Indian government to take it up with Nepal.

“We have not seen the carcass yet and no post-mortem has been done so far. It is difficult for to ascertain the cause of the death. All we can say on the basis of reports placed by NGOs who visited the spot is that the pachyderm died of bullet injuries,” said Sumita Ghatak, the divisional forest officer (wildlife-I) of Darjeeling Forest Division.

On Wednesday night, the electrocuted body of a three-and-a-half-year-old elephant calf had been found on the bed of the Mechi near the border. Foresters alleged that the residents of Bamundangi had tapped a power line illegally from a high-tension wire and laid it on the ground or a fence to prevent the pachydersm from entering into their villages.

Foresters catch foreigners with beetle

FROM THE TELEGRAPH

Darjeeling, June 22: Two persons from Czech Republic were arrested with hundreds of live beetles, butterflies and larvae from the Srikhola-Rimbick area, about 90km from Darjeeling, today.

A tip-off spurred forest officials to pick up the two, who identified themselves as Petro Sevacha (51) and Emil Kusera (52). They were later handed over to police.

“They had been in the area for the past three to four days and we were finding their movement very suspicious. We had been keeping a track on them and finally arrested them from the Srikhola-Rimbick area this afternoon,” said A. Lepcha, the range officer of Singalila (north).

More than 200 live beetles and an equal number of butterflies and larvae were recovered from the two foreigners along with tools used for trapping, said Lepcha.

Singalila National Park boasts of a rich bio-diversity, which have protected status.

According to forest officers, tiger beetle, which is in great demand for traditional medicines in China, Japan and in Latin American countries, fetches between Rs 6,000 and Rs 7,000 in the international market.

Growth within state contour

FROM THE TELEGRAPH

Transporters load a Darjeeling-bound jeep in Siliguri on Sunday after Morcha announced a relief. Picture by Kundan Yolmo

Siliguri, June 22: A high-level and autonomous body fully empowered to bring about an economic, social, cultural, linguistic and infrastructure development of the Darjeeling hills within the framework of the state is what is required to replace the provisions of the shelved Sixth Schedule, the district CPM leadership has emphasised.

A leaflet issued today for distribution among the people in the plains and the hills as well as adjoining districts stressed the need to fight all types of separatist and anti-unity forces, which had created strife and violence in Siliguri.

“This sort of situation is highly unwelcome and those who retaliated by calling a bandh here to oppose the Gorkha Janmukti Morcha are equally responsible,” said senior party leader Asok Bhattacharya while releasing the leaflets, printed in Nepali and Bengali.

“We recognise the need of the Gorkha people in the hills to establish and maintain their identity and social structure. We will suggest to the state government to extend all help for the development of their language and culture, but without creating a separate state,” he said.

Breather again but protests pour in – Run in rain to be part of ‘unarmed’ cell

FROM THE TELEGRAPH

Darjeeling, June 22: Hundreds of volunteers from Darjeeling today braved a torrential rain to enrol as members of Gorkhaland Personnel (GLP), a special unit of the Gorkha Janmukti Morcha. [Inset: Women at a recruitment camp in Darjeeling for Gorkhaland Personnel, a volunteer force that will eventually take part in the Gorkha Janmukti Morcha’s programmes and protests. The Morcha has suspended the indefinite bandh till 6am on Wednesday. However, schools, tea gardens and cinchona plantations will be included in the shutdown when it resumes. (Suman Tamang) ]

At Lebong Race Course ground, 7km from here, Morcha workers were virtually at a loss trying to control the participants, who had responded to the party’s call for voluntary services, which would include barring the entry of “anti-social elements and security for leaders”.

Documents like pass certificates of Class VIII, proof of residence and character certificates issued by local Morcha leaders, were verified before the volunteers were made to run a few laps of the ground within a stipulated time of four minutes for boys and two minutes for girls.

Binay Tamang, one of the co-ordinators of today’s recruitment drive, said the GLP would work like the RSS and stressed that it was not an “armed” force. “But they will ensure that no anti-social elements get into our party. They will also provide security to our leaders.”