Czech scientist’s bail rejected

FROM PRESS TRUST OF INDIA

Siliguri (WB)(PTI): Amidst an outcry by the international scientific community over the arrest of a Czech entomologist for collecting insects from a national park in Darjeeling, a court on Monday refused him bail.

Czech entomologist Petr Svacha and compatriot Emil Kusera, who were produced before the judicial magistrate yesterday, were denied bail and remanded to judicial custody for 14 days on the charge of collecting beetles, butterflies and moths from Singalila National Park in Darjeeling on June 22.

The legal advisor to the two Czech nationals, Advocate Taranga Pandit, said on Tuesday that the two – Svacha (52) and Emil Kusera (51) – moved their own bail petitions as the lawyers had been boycotting the court for the last one week in protest against the Siliguri Bar Association’s demand for shifting a few courts from Darjeeling to Siliguri.

However, Pandit said that he was planning to visit the High Court to move once again the bail petitions of the Czech nationals at the earliest.

Earlier, a few hundred entomologists from all over the world on e-mails had requested the Prime Minister and West Bengal Chief Minister to release the duo considering their age and the fact that they had collected the insects for ‘research’ purpose.

Gorkha agitation in North Bengal hits hospitality business

From HospitalityBizIndia

By Satarupa Chakraborty | Darjeeling

The recent Gorkha Janamukti Morcha-led Gorkha agitation in North Bengal has led to a substantial drop in the state’s tourism and hospitality trade. The Gorkha’s demand for a separate state (Gorkhaland) has greatly affected five million tourism businesses in Darjeeling. Over 100 Darjeeling hotels and others in neighbouring states remain vacant, even in the current peak tourist season.

On the political unrest affecting the flourishing tourism and allied trades, Manab Mukherjee, Tourism Minister, West Bengal, comments, “The unfortunate civil disorder has made the tourism and hospitality industries, which are the prime revenue generating trades in the region, receive a major setback. Although it is difficult to comment on the exact loss, Darjeeling has witnessed a big slash in its entire economy.” The protests and the movements have been called off till July 5, 2008 and the agitation is expected to resume thereafter.

Panchwati Holiday Resorts, a Kolkata-based hospitality group with three properties in Bengal and Orissa, planned to launch hospitality properties in the state by March end. The projects have been postponed for an indefinite period of time. Anshul Sharma, General Manager, Panchwati Holiday Resorts Ltd, says, “Earlier, we had plans to start a passenger amenities centre, along with a 45 room hotel at Sevok Road in Siliguri. All the plans have been postponed as of now, since hotels are vacant even in this ideal season to visit Darjeeling.” Presently, many hospitality majors who are at mid-project stages in the Tea Tourism Circuits and Eastern Dooars are calling off their ongoing projects. T V N Rao, Managing Director, West Bengal Tourism Development Corporation, says, “Darjeeling, the prime location of tea tourism and the gateway of seven select tea tourism circuits, is experiencing massive losses. Tea Tourism, which is one of the State Tourism’s USPs and a major tourism product of the state, has attracted hospitality giants across India to launch projects.” However, the recent unrest will postpone these projects, which will affect the state’s tourism and hospitality opportunities.

Vinaey Malhotra, Managing Committee Member of Hotel and Restaurant Association of Eastern India (HRAEI) and Managing Director, Viramma Group (which has resorts in Siliguri and Darjeeling), says, “In previous years, during this season, we earned around Rs 2 Lakh per month from both properties. The income this year is not even Rs 2000. I do not see any betterment of the situation in the next two months. This agitation has rendered a long-term loss, not only in the district, but in entire North Bengal and the North East, especially in terms of earning foreign exchange.” Malhotra opines that it is time for the Centre to intervene, in order to save this Rs 5 million industry.

The Gorkha protests were supposed to begin in July, but the agitation started much earlier. This has affected the peak tourist season in North Bengal. The political turmoil has also led to poor communication and transportation systems; the GJM has demanded a ‘GL’ (Gorkhaland) quote on their vehicles instead of the ‘WB’ (West Bengal) already in place. “This season is followed up by the monsoon season, when there is no business opportunity for hoteliers. We plan to set up a different local association of hotels in Darjeeling to deal with the aftermath of the agitation in the hospitality industry,” informs Malhotra.

Trouble in Darjeeling as India’s Gorkha people campaign for new state

FROM AFP

DARJEELING, India (AFP) — Leaders of the ethnic Nepali-speaking minority in India’s mountainous and tea-rich northeast have started month-long prayers to press for their own federal state. Ethnic Gorkhas — who number more than a million in the eastern state of West Bengal — have been demanding a separate state within India for decades, and renewed their movement last year under a new leader. More than a thousand people poured into the main square in the tea-producing and scenic town of Darjeeling, where the Gorkhas are concentrated, to join in the prayers on the first day on Monday.

“We want a peaceful protest. These prayers will give power to our movement,” said Bimal Gurung, the chief of the Gorkha People’s Liberation Front, who floated the idea. Separate prayers will be held for various castes among the Gorkhas and for other communities in the region, wedged between Nepal and Bhutan and overlooked by Kanchenjunga, the world’s third highest mountain. Many locals believe the gods will fulfil their wishes after the West Bengal government rejected demands for a separate Gorkhaland state last month.
“We don’t want any violence. That’s why we pray to our gods for our Gorkhaland,” said N.K Kumai, one of the organisers of the prayers.

Last month, an indefinite strike in Darjeeling hills hit tourism and its famous tea industry — the mainstays of the local economy — as activists ratcheted up the pressure. The strike was called off temporarily and has now been postponed to August to facilitate school exams and the prayers.

Kalka-Shimla Railway is now a World Heritage Site

FROM PRESS TRUST OF INDIA

New Delhi, July 8 (PTI) The Kalka-Shimla Railway, considered an engineering marvel of the 19th century, has become a World Heritage Site with the UN approving it for inclusion in the World Heritage List.

Acknowledging its outstanding universal value, the Committee of the United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) in its meeting yesterday in Quebec in Canada granted the inscription of the 96-km-long Kalka-Shimla Railway (KSR) as World Heritage Site.

The decision to include the railway in the heritage list was taken by the UNESCO’s heritage committee on Monday in Quebec, Indian Railways Executive Director Rajesh Aggarwal told PTI.

A special feature of this line is multi-arch galleries which have been built instead of conventional bridges.

The committee meeting began on July 2 to consider the nominations which include 13 natural and 34 cultural sites.

Welcoming the decision, Railway Board Member R K Rao said the decision is a boost for the Railways as well as tourism in the country.

“We have taken all possible steps to ensure its inscription and we were expecting it,” he said.

With the KSR getting the UNESCO nod, Indian Railways now have World Heritage Sites in all the four regions in the country with Darjeeling Himalayan Railway in the east, Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminal in the west and Nilgiri Mountain Railway in the south.

GJM writes to Buddhadeb for tripartite talks in Delhi

FROM PRESS TRUST OF INDIA

Siliguri, June 8 (PTI) The Gorkha Janamukti Morcha today wrote to West Bengal Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee requesting him to take the initiative for tripartite talks in New Delhi at the earliest.

The letter by GJM President Bimal Gurung was in reply to Bhattacharjee’s letter of July 5 in which he had agreed to tripartite talks as desired by the GJM.

Bhattacharjee had specifically mentioned that further talks with the state government was needed prior to the tripartite talks and had requested Gurung to let the state government know about GJM’s decision.

Gurung in his letter did not mention bipartite talks and instead, said that he was “delighted” with Bhattacharjee agreeing to tripartite talks He also enclosed Union Home minister Shivraj Patil’s letter to the GJM leadership stating that he had no objection to a tripartite meeting, but the state government should take the initiative for the proposed talks.

Six arrested for attack on journalists in Gangtok

Gangtok, Jul 8 (PTI) In a major breakthrough in the brutal attack on a group of journalists on Friday last, the Sikkim police today arrested six persons, including the alleged mastermind Tinku Prasad.

Prasad was nabbed from a hideout at Siliguri in West Bengal, while other five – Suraj Gurung, Ashish Subba, Milan Rai, Roshan Gurung and Rupesh Gurung were nabbed from various parts of the Himalayan state, DIG Akshaya Sachdeva told reporters here.

The police team recovered a khukri, two daggers, five masks, four cell phones, gloves, motorcycle chain and a haul of drugs from their possession, Sachdeva said.

Following the arrest, the agitating media persons withdraw their protest, particularly their decision to boycott news coverage of government functions, including tomorrow’s swearing-in ceremony of the new Governor B P Singh, General Secretary of the Press Club of Sikkim Bhim Rawat said.

However, they will continue with their symbolic protest on the issue.

The media persons demanded compensation and medical expense from the state government for the injured journalists. PTI KDK PR SCY 07081708 DEL

Why are communists popular in West Bengal and Kerala ?

THROUGH COMMENT AT BEACON ONLINE

By Sumita Ghosh

Inspite of economic policies that have destroyed industry in the two states , leaving the populations with no choice but to migrate to other states or out of the country to earn a livelihood , communists still win every election. In West Bengal in particular , the communists are breaking all sort of records and even demolishing the dreaded incumbency syndrome by winning all elections held over the last 3 decades.

I have never been to West Bengal , but saw a BBC program which focussed on the rural areas just a few miles away from Kolkata , the poverty of the people was heartbreaking. Also seen pictures of people in rural Bengal living on the brink of starvation. Massive proportion of the population of Bengal lives well under the poverty line. Closer to Bihar than the rest of India. Other poor states like Rajasthan , MP and even UP have shown remarkable improvement in eradicating poverty to an extent over the recent past, but Bengal has been a huge failure on this front.

Heard gory stories of a Mamta Banerjee led Trinamul Congress supporter having his hands cut off by leftist goondas. Also of stories of massive petty corruption in railways , where a naive TC gets getting beaten out of his life if he demands certain passengers to show their tickets. Muslim dominated colonies that get free electricity and never have to pay any bill of any sort. Married hindu women who get molested at will by the leftist and muslim goons and police and public simply looks the other way.

Managers of factories and tea plantations who get burnt alive in their office by labor trade union members. 90% (just a guess) of factories closed down as a result of militant leftist trade unionism , which basically demands all pay and no work as a fundamental right.

Recently by opposing the US-India defence partnership and organising massive protests against the joint air exercises conducted by the air forces of the two countries in West Bengal , the communists have shown their intent to target India’s vital strategic interests and relationships. So much hatred for US is inexplicable when US is giving India its hand in friendship and emerged as India’s most important trading partner. The communists never protest so much when Chinese or Pakistani head of states visit India….neither have they ever raised a voice in support of the Kashmiri Pandits who were ethnically cleansed from the Kashmir Valley. Worse – I have read reports from a leftist columnist shedding tears over the (muslim) Kashmiris , deamding their right for self-determination and contemptuously referring to our brave Indian soldiers as ‘goondas’ and ‘rapists’.

Muslim fundamentalism and separatism has already peaked in both states and is a huge risk to India’s national security and territorial integrity. But the biggest shame is how this serious problem – a demographic war declared by muslims on India not only gets a wink from the ruling leftist government (or the equally culpable ruling Congress govt. in Kerala) , but is infact actively encouraged – because of the massive muslim vote blocks consituted by the massive influx from Bangladesh. An asset during election time.

In Kerala , muslims return from a sojurn in the Gulf , many newly converted to the fanatical cult of Wahabbi Islam , turning otherwise ordinary men into fervent anti-national terrorists , bent upon creating a dar-ul-islam (Nation of Islam) out of dar-ul-harb (Nation of War).

These are massive problems that we as Indians have to contend with. The recent furore over the Ganguly issue in West Bengal shows how far removed from reality our people are in that state. Reflects poorly on their sense of priorities. Their state is under attack. Our nation is under attack. Our collective survival depends on how fast we recognise this threat and fight back. First step towards that goal is to exercise our democratic right and vote out the anti-national communists.

Girls participate actively in Gorkhaland Personnel Recuirtment

Photo by Himalaya Darpan

Panorama is of the Sulaiman Range in western Pakistan

Today’s panorama is of the Sulaiman Range in western Pakistan, looking
northwest towards Afghanistan’s Kandahar district. I am sending this
image despite the technical imperfection contained in the original
Landsat 7 data. Normally I try to work around such problems, but in
this case there is no hope for a quick fix.

Dr. William A. Bowen
California Geographical Survey
Northridge, CA 91326

Kolkata tea traders face shortage in warehousing space

FROM THE HINDU BUSINESS LINE

Kolkata: The members of Calcutta Tea Traders Association (CTTA) are facing shortage in warehousing space, according to its Chairman, Mr Azam Monem.

Addressing the 115th annual general meeting of the association here on Monday, Mr Monem said the available registered warehousing space for storage of auction teas was 13.5 lakh sq ft but the requirement was for an additional six lakh sq ft.

Historically, most of the registered space was situated on land owned by Kolkata Port Trust and three warehouses in the port area had been sealed since September 2006 following legal action by KoPT against tenants and warehouses for not updating to revised lease rentals.

With the port’s request for further upward revision of the rentals currently before the Tariff Authority for Major Ports, it would no longer be possible to carry out tea warehousing within the port area unless the CTTA’s schedule of charges was also revised, which again would push up the transaction cost.

‘Stop exports of tea not meeting quality standards’ A. Roy Chowdhury

FROM THE HINDU BUSINESS LINE

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Kolkata: Mr Jairam Ramesh, Union Minister of State for Commerce, on Monday urged the Tea Board to invoke its regulatory powers to stop exports of tea not conforming to quantity obligation and quality standards.

Addressing the 115th annual general meeting of the Calcutta Tea Traders Association here, Mr Ramesh said that his intervention into payments problems relating to tea exports to Iraq revealed that several Indian exporters, including a public sector firm and some top private sector exporters, defaulted in quantity and quality. “I’ve asked Tea Board to call for explanation from these firms,” he said.

But then the problem was not limited only to exports to Iraq; he said pointing out that there were complaints from other countries such as Libya and Russia. Also it was not restricted to tea alone. “We had problems with regard to tobacco and other export items,” he observed.

Mr Basudeb Banerjee, Chairman of Tea Board, said certain benchmark would be laid down not only for exports of tea but also for its imports, which with zero duty were allowed only for exports. “The long-term interest of the industry must not be sacrificed for short-term profits,” Mr Banerjee observed..

Gorkha soldiers threaten stir

FROM THE HINDUSTAN TIMES / NEPAL SECTION

By Anirban Roy

Kathmandu : Former Gorkha soldiers who served in the Indian and British armies, have threatened to launch a countrywide protest against the Maoist decision to close down the centres at which the soldiers are recruited.

One of the primary demands of the Maoists in Nepal has been to immediately stop recruitment of the Gorkha soldiers by foreign countries which they consider demeaning for Nepal. There have been reports that the former guerrillas, now in power, may force closure of the recruitment centres.

“This will be a suicidal decision of the Maoists,” Gopalman Gurung, former mayor of Lekhnath Municipality said while speaking at an event organised by Nepal-India Friendship Association in Pokhara. Gurung said people were highly disappointed with the Maoists decision which have long been a major source of employment for the Nepalese and pumped much needed funds into Nepal’s economy. The Maoists, however, have been insisting that the Nepal government should ensure the youths respectable jobs in their own country. Gurung warned that over 50,000 ex-Gorkha soldiers would take to the streets across Nepal if the recruitment centres were closed. There were plans to organise protest programmes in Kathmandu, Pokhara, Butwal and other cities against the Maoist announcement, he said.

After the Anglo-Nepali war of 1814-16, the army of the East India Company started recruiting soldiers from certain tribal communities in Nepal, who later became legendary as Gorkha soldiers, a practice which still continues.

“Freedom of Press is vital for the survival of Democracy” Press fraternity Darjeeling Hills and Sikkim

All Photos by Himalaya Darpan

Morcha cold to Buddha talks – CM thanks hill party for bandh breather, but ice doesn’t melt

FROM THE TELEGRAPH

Darjeeling, July 7: Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee has again called the Gorkha Janmukti Morcha for talks in Calcutta and the hill outfit is again likely to spurn the offer.

The Morcha leadership received a letter from the chief minister here last evening.

“We had made it clear after the last meeting at Writers’ Buildings on June 27 that we are interested only in talks with Delhi, which the state government will attend,” a senior Morcha leader said.

The party refused to react formally to the letter. It will do so tomorrow.

“Thank you for your letter dated 5 July, 2008, regarding the proposal for a tripartite meeting to discuss your demand,” the chief minister wrote.

“I accept your proposal for a tripartite meeting to discuss your demand. However, I am of the view that it will be fruitful if a meeting at a bipartite level between your organisation and the state government is held to arrive at a possible solution before going for the discussion at the tripartite level.”

The Morcha had written to Bhattacharjee on Saturday, pressing for tripartite talks.

The prompt reply suggests the chief minister’s eagerness to have cordial relations with the Morcha. “I am grateful that your party has decided not to resort to bandhs for the time being,” Bhattacharjee wrote.

A New Gorkhaland State: How Justified is the Demand?

A PRESS TRUST OF INDIA FEATURE

By Saumitra Mohan

The famed and famous honeymoon haunt of Darjeeling is again in the news, this time for a wrong reason. The Gorkha Jan Mukti Morcha (GJMM) almost barred the District Magistrate and the Superintendent of Police from entering Darjeeling recently thereby forcing both the DM and SP to cool their heels in Siliguri for almost five days before they were finally allowed in. GJMM’s decision followed skirmishes between the police and its supporters in Siliguri where the latter were demonstrating to press their demand for a new Gorkhaland state.

During the said skirmish, many policemen and GJMM supporters including ex-servicemen were badly injured. The government wisely decided against advising DM and SP to force their way into the district so as not to precipitate things further. The wisdom somewhere also emanated from the way things turned out in recent past in such far flung places as Singur, Nandigram, Cochbehar and Dinhata in West Bengal.

However, GJMM’s decision to bar DM and SP from entering the district has been roundly denounced by all and sundry. One of their key allies in the ongoing movement, CPI (ML) has castigated the GJMM’s barring of DM and SP out of the district. Referring to GJMM’s recent ban on the entry of DM and SP to Darjeeling, Mr. Kanu Sanyal, the General Secretary of CPI (ML) said, ‘This is an entirely irresponsible act’, further adding that such irresponsible moves can actually spoil the statehood movement.

Identity Struggle

FROM LANKA BUSINESS ONLINE

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Trouble in tea land as India’s Gorkhas campaign for new state

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DARJEELING, July 8, 2008 (AFP) – Leaders of the ethnic Nepali-speaking minority in India’s mountainous and tea-rich northeast have started month-long prayers to press for their own federal state.

Ethnic Gorkhas — who number more than a million in the eastern state of West Bengal — have been demanding a separate state within India for decades, and renewed their movement last year under a new leader.More than a thousand people poured into the main square in the tea-producing and scenic town of Darjeeling, where the Gorkhas are concentrated, to join in the prayers on the first day on Monday.

“We want a peaceful protest. These prayers will give power to our movement,” said Bimal Gurung, the chief of the Gorkha People’s Liberation Front, who floated the idea.

Separate prayers will be held for various castes among the Gorkhas and for other communities in the region, wedged between Nepal and Bhutan and overlooked by Kanchenjunga, the world’s third highest mountain.

Many locals believe the gods will fulfil their wishes after the West Bengal government rejected demands for a separate Gorkhaland state last month.

“We don’t want any violence. That’s why we pray to our gods for our Gorkhaland,” said N.K Kumai, one of the organisers of the prayers.

A leopard’s soujourn at Mirik Monastery

A leopard relaxes at the precints of a Kalimpong Mirik Monastery

Photo by Rekha Lama [Himalaya Darpan]

“Flowers of Blessing”

Gorkha Janmukti Morcha President Bimal Gurung accepting the flowers offered to him by Tuluk Karma Wangchuk, the once spiritual Guru of Subash Ghisingh

Photo by Himalaya Darpan

Gorkha Janmukti Morcha President Bimal Gurung with his GL registered car

Photo by Himalaya Darpan

Sikkim Akademi observes 6th anniversary

FROM SIKKIM EXPRESS

GANGTOK, July 06: The 6th anniversary of the Sikkim Akademi was marked with the seminar on ‘Problems, challenges and the present state of children literature in Nepali” at the Nepali Sahitya Parishad Bhawan here today. During the event, two books titled ‘Ak Adshisray Sapna’ written by Kapil Mani Adhikari and ‘Bal Darpan’ by Bhim Pradhan were released by KN Rai, Minister of the State Rural Management and Development Department.

Gita Upadhyay, Honorary Fellow of Sikkim Akademi was also felicitated in recognition for her contribution towards the upliftment of Nepali Literature.  Appreciating the endeavour of Sikkim Akademi, the chief guest urged them to create an environment where Nepali language could be enhanced thereby inculcating the art of literary works among the students. To achieve this at first instance, the mentor and the elite society should shoulder the responsibility, he said. “In the era of advanced technology, children are more focused in high tech entertainment and has become computer savvy consequently losing its grip on culture, tradition and language,” Mr. Rai added.

The minister also advised the younger generation to cultivate the habit of reading and writing in all local dialects including Nepali, Bhutia, Lepcha, Limboo etc in all private or government schools. Sikkim Akademi should conduct motivational work in the form of organising essay competitions and other related programmes, the chief guest further said. Later in the day, Dr. Ganesh Nepal, Charamani Bandu and other renowned literary individuals deliberated on children literature. Also present in the occasion were PL Sharma, Secretary, Administration, Sikkim Akademi and other literary figures.

Journalists take out rally in Gangtok to protect attack on fellow scribes

FROM SIKKIM EXPRESS

GANGTOK, July 06: Journalists affiliated to various organizations yesterday picketed outside the Police Headquarters here in protest against the assault on local journalists on July 4 and sought swift action to bring the culprits to book. The journalists also took out a silent rally from the Press Club of Sikkim here and marched through the Mahatma Gandhi Marg to the Central Referral Hospital in Tadong demanding strong action against the culprits. The media persons wore black armbands and carried banners and hoardings condemning the attack and seeking an assurance from the State government that the right of expression of the media would be protected.

The rally saw a huge participation from all the working journalists from local and national newspapers including representatives from news agencies, publishers and editors.  Later, a group of journalist headed by president of the Press Club, CD Rai met with the Director General of Police, C M Ravindran and Deputy Inspector General of Police (DIG), range, Akshay Sachdeva. The team not only demanded immediate arrest of the culprits but also assured to cooperate with the Police. While assuring to do their best to nab the assailants, the DGP said that a special investigating team has been formed by the Sikkim Police headed by SP East to carry out the investigation. Earlier in the day, the DGP and DIG Range visited the spot of crime and met the injured journalists in the Hospital.

A meeting was also held at office of the Press Club today, which was attended by working journalists, editors and the entire publishers of all the local dailies and the local cable television. The Press Club unanimously decided to submit a memorandum to the DGP and State Home Secretary on July 7 demanding that suspected accused involved in the Friday night attack at Hamro Prajasakhti office which has been named by the victims be detained for interrogations by the investigating team of Sikkim Police within 24 hours of submitting the letter.

Divine strength

FROM THE STATESMAN

Darjeeling: After the bandh politics, the GJM has now switched to a religious mode to attain Gorkhaland. It is invoking the deities to strengthen the Gorkhaland movement through the Khas Bharatiya Hitkari Sammelan, an association of Nepali Brahmins and Kshatriyas. The KBHS commenced a one month-long prayer service at the Mall today. The session began with a Shakti Puja. “Politics is dominating all spheres of our life but the issue of Gorkhaland is a social issue, a question of our identity. The Shakti Puja is our contribution towards the movement for a separate state initiated by Mr Bimal Gurung”, Mr RP Niroulla, chairman of KBHS said. “The Lord is witness to the fact that our territory extends from Sandakphu in the north to Sunkosh in the east and the Mechi in the west. We pledge before him that we will get our territories back,” Mr Niroulla said.The ambience was complete with hymns and chants as people from the Terai, Dooars and Darjeeling came down to attend the holy rituals.

GJMM replace vehicle number plates

FROM THE STATESMAN

DARJEELING, July 7: The Gorkha Janmukti Morcha today went ahead with its pre-planned programme of replacing vehicle number plates bearing the initials WB with GL depicting Gorkhaland and also closed down offices across the Hills, while the administration chose to remain silent on the issue. [Inset: A motorcycle with a GL Registration Number. Photo from Beacon Archives]

The programme comes following the non-cooperation movement of the GJM in defiance of the West Bengal government’s authority. “This is our home rule and we shall abide by it. If the administration wants to take action against us it can go ahead,” said party president Mr Bimal Gurung. Government vehicles are next in line for putting up such plates before the civilians switch over from WB to GL number plates in the third phase. “It is compulsory for the government vehicles to fix GL plates in the next phase and the people will do it ,” the leader announced.

Nathu La trade in a lurch

FROM THE STATESMAN

GANGTOK, July 7: Trade with China through Nathu La is on the wane since the border trade recommenced on 19 May. Indian traders are apathetic towards the trade, as the trade list has not been revised. “Presently we are exporting utensils, blankets, copper, tea, spices and tinned-food which has limited scope in Chinese markets,” said Mr Anil Kumar Gupta, general secretary of Indo-China Traders Association (ICTA). “We had drawn the state government and the Centre’s attention on the issue urging them to revise the trade list but our efforts have gone in vain,” he added. [Inset: File Picture of Sikkim Chief Minister arriving at Nathu La for the Nathu La Border Trade Reopening Ceremony on July 6, 2006. Photo by Sarkaritel.com]

Rs 5 lakh tea aid for small clusters

FROM THE TELEGRAPH

Siliguri, July 7: The Tea Board of India has decided to extend financial help in the form of subsidies to self-help groups (SHG) of small growers to encourage the formation of these clusters.

The highest ceiling of such assistance has been fixed at Rs 5 lakh for each SHG, which must have at least 50 growers as members. The total area of plantation should not be less than 50 acres, or 20 hectares.

“Considering the emergence of the small tea sector, we decided to help the groups rather than individual growers and promote the development of such clusters,” said G. Boriah, director (tea development) of the Tea Board, over the phone from Calcutta. “Groups that meet a few conditions laid down by us are eligible to apply for the subsidies.”

At present, there are 2.60 lakh small growers across the country of which 15,000 are from north Bengal districts where 41 such SHGs have been formed so far.

According to the Tea Board’s scheme, 100 per cent subsidy will be available for a corpus fund meant for fertilisers, pesticides and sprayers. The highest limit for this fund will be Rs 10,000 per hectare for each year. The limit for the construction of a storage or godown would be Rs 50,000. Construction of leaf collection sheds and purchase of leaf weighing scales, plastic crates or nylon bags for carrying leaf and pruning machine would be met from this fund too.