Kurseong College and Pushparani High School participate in hunger strike at Kurseong – A Photo Feature by Nandan Pradhan

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STUDENTS FROM KURSEONG COLLEGE

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1. INDIRA CHETTRI – 1ST YEAR

2. SONAM LHAMU LAMA – 1ST YEAR

3. SAMIKCHA CHETTRI – 2ND YEAR

4. CHOSANG LAMA – 2ND YEAR

5. SABNAM CHETTRI – 2ND YEAR

6. BINITA CHETTRI – 1ST YEAR

7. PRIYANKA SHARMA – 1ST YEAR

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STUDENTS FROM PUSHPARANI ROY MEMORIAL H.S.SCHOOL

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1. LAYLA SUBBA – CLASS 12

2. PRITILA SUBBA – CLASS 12

3. RITU THAPA – CLASS 12

4. MEGHNA MUKHIA – CLASS 12

5 ROSA MARIA TAMANG – CLASS 12

6. KAJOL LAVER – CLASS 12

7. JAMUNA LEPCHA – CLASS 12

8. SANJAMIKA CHETTRI – CLASS 12

9. NURKIT LEPCHA – CLASS 11

10. SUPRINA MANGRATI – CLASS 11

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Ghising tears down GJM flag at his residence

FROM INDIAN EXPRESS

Siliguri, June 30: Former undisputed leader of the Gorkhaland movement in Darjeeling hills Subash Ghising has torn down a flag of the Gorkha Janmukti Morcha (GJM) at his residence where he is cocooned these days. [Inset: Subash Ghisingh with his body guards. Photo by Barun Roy]

Ghising had repeatedly asked security men posted at his Zakir Hussain Road residence to take away the flag which GJM supporters had hoisted replacing his Gorkha National Liberation Front’s.

However, the security men refrained from doing so in order not to anger the GJM. Ghising, leader of the GNLF, has reportedly been sidelined by the GJM which is fighting for the same cause.

Sunday morning, the 72-year-old GNLF chief came out of his house and tore down the flag, eyewitnesses said.

Three weeks ago a group of ex-servicemen reportedly replaced the only GNLF flag fluttering at his residence with a GJM flag, signalling the end of Ghising’s undisputed leadership of the popular Gorkhaland movement.

GJM president Bimal Gurung, when contacted, laughed away Ghising’s “antic” act, saying, “Bechara bahut frustrated hai (the fellow is very frustrated). However, we are not taking it seriously at all. We have no time to spare to think or discuss the activities of a joker.” Some reacted to Ghising’s act by saying that it was only he ‘who has the courage to remove the GJM flag’.

“A sleeping tiger should not be ignored. Ghising is not finished yet,” reacted another person on condition of anonymity.

Hundreds throng India gate to sign Manekshaw condolence book

FROM PRESS TRUST OF INDIA

New Delhi, June 30 (PTI) Hundreds of people thronged to India Gate today to sign the condolence book to mark their grief on the passing away of the country’s first Field Marshal SHFJ Manekshaw.

The condolence book was placed next to the martyr’s memorial at India Gate and Defence Minister A K Antony led the nation and was the first to sign the condolence book in which he described Manekshaw as the “Marshal who led from the front”.

The country’s sole surviving Marshal Arjan Singh, who is the Marshal of the Air Force, was next and he termed Manekshaw as one of the leading field commanders in India’s history.

The three service Chiefs, Admiral Sureesh Mehta, who is also the Chairman of Chiefs of Staff, General Deepak Kapoor and Air Chief Marshal F H Major also signed the condolence book.

Other distinguished people who had lined up to sign the book which was placed at Martyr’s Memorial at 0900 hours included former service Chiefs, Principal Staff officers at the Army, Navy and Air Headquarters, Defence attaches, politicians, Members of Parliament and others.

Landslide in Kurseong village, 59 families shifted

FROM PRESS TRUST OF INDIA

Siliguri, June 30 (PTI) Heavy rains have triggered landslides at Upper Mamring village of Kurseong in Darjeeling district necessitating evacuation of quarters of 59 families. Kurseong relief officer Asha Mukhia said large rocks were displaced following yesterday’s landslide.

“Some of the rocks were hanging dangerously at many places posing serious threat to houses. Apprehending danger, 59 families were shifted to Lower Marming, where temporary sheds have been constructed,” she said.

The relief department was providing the families with food and relief materials, she said.

The landslide has affected the Kurseong-Mamring link road restricting movement of traffic, Mukhia said. PTI

Security tightened at CPM leader’s house in the hills

FROM THE TELEGRAPH

Siliguri, June 30 (PTI) Security has been beefed up at the Darjeeling residence of district CPI(M) secretary S P Lepcha following an alleged threat to his family to leave the hills or face dire consequences, police said.

Darjeeling superintendent of police Rahul Srivastav said that the police had received a complaint from the CPI(M).

“But there was no no specific allegation against anybody in the complaint”, he said.

CPI(M) state committee member Jibes Sarkar told newsmen that GJM activists had been threatening CPI(M) party leaders in the hills.

The GJM activists had been asking them to leave the hills and were giving calls for social boycott, Sarkar said.

DGHC casual workers postpone ‘fast unto death’

FROM PRESS TRUST OF INDIA

Siliguri, June 30 (PTI) Seven casual workers of Darjeeling Gorkha Hill Council (DGHC) who were on a fast unto death under the banner of ‘Janamukti Asthayee Karmachari Sangathan (JAKS) since June 28 have postponed their movement until further orders.

Matindra Subba, president of the Sangathan, affiliated to Gorkha Janmukti Morcha (GJM), told PTI over phone that the decision for postponing the movement was taken on the basis of an official order in which the DGHC authorities made it clear that the process of regularisation of all DGHC casual workers were under process.

All casual workers would continue to work till the regularisation process was completed, Subba said.

Casual employees from Darjeeling, Kurseong and Kalimpong and Mirik had taken part in the fast demanding regularisation of service of around 8,000 casual workers employed by the DGHC on a six month renewable contract.

Subba also said that the movement would be resumed if the process of regularisation was delayed unnecessarily. PTI UBR DC MM SD 06301554 DEL

Via Darjeeling Movie Review

By Martin D’Souza, Bollywood Trade News Network

This movie is an experiment that has come out with flying colours. It intrigues, involves and thrills you as a viewer. You are not just a mute spectator but are as actively involved, as the friends are who are discussing the missing link in the plot. At the end, it does not give you all the answers but leaves you with a lingering feeling or what if, or why this… Director Arindam Nandy ends the movie cleverly as Sonali Kulkarni goes to open the door for Vinay Pathak with a smile on her face. No easy answers here. But if you have engrossed yourself in the proceedings, you can draw an easy conclusion. But I’m sure every viewer will have his or hers.

So what is the plot? Ankur (Kay Kay Menon) and Rimli (Sonali Kulkarni) are on their honeymoon in Darjeeling. On the day they have to return home, Ankur has a fight with the rash hotel driver. He comes in fuming even as the hotel manager tries to pacify him. Rimli is upset because Ankur lost his cool. She then asks him to prolong their honeymoon at the place. Though he initially agrees he tells her they cannot prolong because he has an important meeting coming up. Cut to Ankur switching on the television set and Rimli going in for her shower. The phone rings and the next thing you know is that Ankur has disappeared from his hotel room.

Rimli goes berserk, she request the hotel authorities to call the cops. In comes Robin Datt (Vinay Pathak). Questions flow, Rimli is asked to think with a clear head. The rash driver is called in for questioning and in the process we are told that Rimli was being stalked by a man.

Student Hungerstrikers at Mirik and Kalimpong

At Mirik

At Kalimpong

GJM Central Committee Members Attend Rally at Kurseong

GJM Central Committee members including Professor Rumba (Convenor, Gorkha Janmukti Nari Morcha) attending a rally at Kurseong

“GL Plates – Gorkhaland Already?” A Citizen

“We will struggle till the end”, Gorkha Janmukti Vidyarthi Morcha

“I am a bridge between the people of Darjeeling Hills and the Centre”, Dawa Narbula

Dawa Narbula in Darjeeling

Houses brought down due to damage caused by land slide

Three houses behind the Darjeeling District Hospital had to be dismantled due to the damage caused by Landslide.

Boulders threaten village near Kurseong

Boulders dislodged by landslide threaten Upper Mamring, a village near Kurseong. Photo: HB

The Paradox of our Age

Photographed at Tibetan Refugee Self Help Centre, Darjeeling. Photo by Retlaw Snellac

Opening doors

FROM THE STATESMAN

With some major groups making an attempt to kick off hydel-power plants in Siliguri, industrialisation is slowly moving towards making the town a progressive industrial hub, writes Swaati Chaudhury

West Bengal has lately been awash with big-ticket investment proposals and industrial development is happening all across the state. Siliguri is also opening its doors for new-age industrial investments and a slew of investors and Information Technology barons are eyeing the town with a plethora of hope. Let us have a glance at Kolkata’s Shyam Group that has made major breakthroughs in the arena of non-conventional power and has stepped ahead to bring industrialisation in and around Siliguri. Emphasising on consolidating the infrastructure industry of North Bengal, the organisation has made a bold attempt to kick off a hydel-power plant on river Chel near Siliguri and has received the consent of West Bengal Renewable Energy Development Agency. It has made a proposed investment of Rs 500 crore to boost the industrial growth of the region. The 6MW non-conventional power plant is expected to be commissioned by the end of next year. Comments B Bhushan Agarwal, vice-chairman cum managing director, Shyam Group, “We are setting up two hydel-power plants in Siliguri and plan to diversify more on hydel projects in the region. The town will also have a cement plant. We are eyeing to enter the real estate turf in Siliguri for which we are conducting feasibility study. The town of Siliguri has a lot of potential and is on the growth binge. It forms a significant part of Bengal keeping with its economy, location and foreign relations.” Apart from being the gateway to the north-east region of India, industrial experts predict that Siliguri will form a significant connecting link with south-east Asian countries with brisk trade activities in the future years.

A resolve to restore the charm of the Hills…

FROM THE STATESMAN

DARJEELING, June 29: After the recent spate of bandhs that crippled the tourism sector of Darjeeling, hotel owners are now adamant on reviving the charm of the Hill town.  “Most people of the Hills are in some way or the other dependant on tourism for their bread and butter. Tourist guides, potters, hawkers and drivers were worst hit by the bandh,but we are quite well off compared to them. Our efforts will benefit everybody in the fraternity”, Mr. Sangay Bhutia, President of Darjeeling Hotel Owners Association said. “Tourist influx is always low during the monsoons and mainly foreigners and other Indian tourists prefer to visit Darjeeling. For starters we are offering discounts in the services we offer. Thereafter depending on their influx we will plan other programmes for their entertainment”, Mr Bhutia stated.

The main thrust though will be for the next season beginning from September. Colourful Darjeeling will be the main theme of the seasonand the festive flavour will work wonders for the town.  Despite the strikes and disturbances in the adjacent areas or the negative publicity from ministers coupled with the hype of the media, members of the Darjeeling tourism fraternity are determined to uphold its charm and beauty.

Negligence alleged in Kanu Sanyal’s treatment

FROM THE STATESMAN

SILIGURI, June 29: Naxalite leader Mr Kanu Sanyal, under treatment at the North Bengal Medical College and Hospital in Siliguri following a cerebral attack on 26 June was being deprived of proper medical attention, the CPI-ML state committee alleged today. “We have read in the newspapers that the state urban development minister Mr Asok Bhattacharya has assured special medical care for Mr Sanyal and has also reportedly instructed the NBMCH authorities to ensure the same. But in reality, Mr Sanyal is not been given proper attention attention. Infact, he does not even have a nurse to attend him round the clock and monitor his fragile condition,” Mr Basu said. Meanwhile the NBMCH authorities were not available for comment. On being questioned, the urban development minister Mr Asok Bhattachrya, who also happens to be the chairman of the NBMCH Rogi Kalyan Samity acted immediately and brought the matter to the notice of the NBMCH Principal. “I have instructed the Principal to immediately appoint a nursing staff to take care of Mr Sanyal and also to assign a junior doctor to monitor his health conditions round the clock,” the minister said. [Inset: Kanu Sanyal. Source: Wikipedia]

Timber smuggler surrenders to foresters

FROM THE TELEGRAPH

Siliguri, June 29: Shyamal Hajra, who is wanted in several cases of timber smuggling across north Bengal as well as Kerala, surrendered to officials of the Baikunthapur forest division today.

“We have been looking for Hajra for the last four-five years. Finally, he has surrendered,” said Sailesh Anand, the divisional forest officer (DFO) of the division.

Hajra, a resident of Dakuapara near Jalpaiguri town, gave himself up at the Belakoba range office of the forest division, about 30km from here.

“The 35-year-old was one of the 10-member gang that operates a racket mainly from the Dooars to Siliguri and its surrounding areas. The others members live in Siliguri, Shibmandir, Sevoke and different places in the area,” Anand said.

Hajra, who was a driver in the gang, and the other members used to collect timber from the Dooars and store them in Siliguri, Sevoke and its surrounding areas, before dispatching the consignments to Bihar.

The DFO, however, did not reveal the names of the other members of the gang for the sake of investigation.

Paper drive to clear plastic

FROM THE TELEGRAPH

BY RAJEEV RAVIDAS

Kalimpong, June 29: The Kalimpong Municipality will seek the help of self-help groups (SHGs) and traders to promote the use of carry bags made from environment-friendly material like paper and jute in lieu of the banned polythene bags.

The civic body’s health officer S.B Zimba will hold a meeting with members of SHGs tomorrow and urge them to start manufacturing paper bags (locally called thungas). “We will take the help of the Kalimpong Chamber of Commerce to market the thungas,” said Zimba.

“We are taking these initiatives since we believe we cannot solve the plastic problem just by imposing a ban on its use. The people must be provided with alternatives to plastic carry bags,” he said.

The indiscriminate use of plastic in the town is borne out by the fact that plastic are the major component of solid waste that has been accumulating on the streets since Monday after residents stopped the civic body from depositing trash in the dumping ground in Lower Bhalukhop.

Tribal body opposes new state

FROM THE TELEGRAPH

Jaigaon, June 29: A pan-Indian organisation of tribal communities has objected to the inclusion of the Terai and Dooars in the new state demanded by the Gorkha Janmukti Morcha.

The state leadership of the Akhil Bharatiya Adivasi Vikash Parishad announced this today while forming its Nagrakata local committee. More than 5,000 people from tribal communities had gathered at Nagrakata Hindi Madhyamik School to hear their leaders speak.

The general secretary of the parishad’s state committee, Tejkumar Toppo, cautioned the gathering that the demand for the inclusion of the Himalayan foothills in Gorkhaland should not be allowed to gather momentum.

“There has been a wind blowing in the Dooars and the Terai that these areas would be included in a so-called Gorkhaland. Let me tell you, do not allow this wind to turn into a storm,” Toppo said.

“We cannot understand why these two regions are being included in the proposed Gorkhaland, as 75 per cent of the population here comprises people from tribal communities,” said that parishad’s state president, Birsa Tirkey.

“We are not bothered whether or not the Bengal government allows the division of the state. We will oppose the demand to include the Terai and the Dooars in Gorkhaland,” Tirkey added.

The parishad leaders pointed out that when the Darjeeling Gorkha Hill Council was formed in 1988, tribes like the Lepchas and the Bhutias were neglected.

They added that the parishad was not against the Gorkhas.

“Our struggle is against the central and state governments whose lopsided policies are still having no effect on the uplift of the tribal communities,” Tirkey said.

Efforts to contact the Morcha’s Dooars committee members, Madhukar Thapa and Vinod Ghatani, on their mobile phones proved fruitless.

Morcha lines up all-faith meets

FROM THE TELEGRAPH

Bimal Gurung: Keeping the faith

Darjeeling, June 29: The Gorkha Janmukti Morcha has decided to organise a series of all-faith meetings in the hills from July 7 to strengthen the demand for Gorkhaland.

The decision was taken after members of minority communities met the party’s central committee leaders, including its president Bimal Gurung, today.

“The meeting will start at Chowrastha in Darjeeling from July 7. Each community will also take turn to hold prayer meetings,” said D.K. Pradhan, a central committee member of the Morcha.

Some churches in Darjeeling have already started organising prayer meetings in support of Gorkhaland, said sources.

“We have decided to hold such congregations because we, too, want peace in the region. But this is a part of our agitation as well,” Pradhan said.

Surya Man Lepcha, the chief adviser to the Lepcha Youth Association in Darjeeling, said: “Bimal Gurung has told us that he would let us know the schedule of the meetings in a couple of days. Members of all minority groups and faiths were present at today’s meeting.”

Apart from the All Gorkha Minority Forum, members of the Rai, Newar, Bhutia communities as well as representatives of Christians and Muslims attended the meeting.

Why not Himachal, wonder Puja early birds

FROM THE TELEGRAPH

A file picture of an empty street in Kurseong. Frequents shutdowns drive tourists away from the hills and force them to explore new destinations like Himachal Pradesh.

Siliguri, June 29: If Darjeeling and Sikkim draw fewer tourists this Puja, some of the missing faces may be found in Himachal Pradesh and Arunachal Pradesh.

With a few days to go before bookings for the Puja season start (reservations begin three months in advance), tour operators say the number of queries about Himachal and Arunachal has gone up.

“Himachal, which has been gaining popularity over the years with its infrastructure and peaceful environment, is a clear winner among Puja tourists,” said Suddhabrata Deb, the secretary of the Travel Agents’ Association of Bengal.

“Sikkim, despite being one of the favourites, is losing out because of the turmoil in Darjeeling. Kumaon and Garhwal Hills of Himachal Pradesh come as obvious alternatives among hill destinations,” he added.

Deb said over 90 per cent of the 70-odd stalls at a tourism fair in Calcutta, which ended today, had on offer tour packages to Himachal Pradesh and saw “excellent” response. The three-day festival was organised by Ananda Bazar Patrika, in association with the West Bengal Tourism Department, and supported by the Travel Agents’ Association of Bengal.

Suspect tea enters market

FROM THE TELEGRAPH

BY ANURADHA SHARMA

Siliguri, June 29: Around 9,000 packages of tea that had been lying in Central Warehousing Corporation’s godowns in Matigara for more than two years and are feared to be unfit for human consumption have been pumped into circulation.

Each package weighs 22-35kg, which puts the total figure to approximately 2.56 lakh kg of tea.

Another 41,000 packages of the same tea will soon be lifted from the warehouses because a private bank is auctioning off most of the stock, which was mortgaged and later confiscated after the owners failed to pay up loans amounting to crores of rupees.

Sources in the tea industry said the entire consignment was damaged and would pose health risks if consumed.

The stock has been under the scanner ever since the Tea Board of India ordered a portion of it — 2.54 lakh kg to be precise —to be destroyed because samples of the tea did not conform to the standards outlined by the Prevention of Food Adulteration Act.

The samples were seized during a joint raid at the two warehouses at Paribahanagar and Matigara by the health department and the tea board in July last year. Later, the Tea Board tested the samples.

“Specific orders were sent to destroy the tea according to the Tea Waste Control Order,” said H.N. Dwibedi, a consultant to the tea board. “But none of the owners of the stocks could be located. The notices sent in their given addresses came back. The addresses were false.”

Boulders hang over hill village – Administration begins evacuation

FROM THE TELEGRAPH

The hillside overlooking Upper Mamring Bustee that crumbled following rain on Saturday night, blocking the road and putting 59 houses at risk.

Kurseong June 29: Boulders set loose by a landslide on the hill overlooking Upper Mamring Bustee have blocked the main approach road to the village and put at risk 59 houses.

A 12-metre-high boulder got stuck just above the village, around 20 meters from the first house today. The administration has started evacuating the families under threat.

“A large portion of the hillside overlooking the village, located 21km from Kurseong town, crumbled, probably because of the rain last night. We will evacuate all the people from the 59 houses because the boulders are a big threat at the moment. If it rains late in the evening or at night, the boulders may crash down on the houses, giving no chance to the villagers to even run away,” said Manish Verma, the block development officer of Kurseong.

Verma added that 12 big boulders are perched precariously above the village. The road that directly connects the village to Kurseong town has been blocked at two points.

The evacuated people are being shifted to temporary shelters set up at the primary school and on a small ground on the other side of the village.