DARJEELING HILLS: DGHC Offices to open from today

DGHC Temporary Employees Association to declare agitational programme soon! 

THE HIMALAYAN BEACON [BEACON ONLINE] EXCLUSIVE

BY BARUN ROY

DARJEELING: Offices of Darjeeling Gorkha Hill Council opened today after remaining closed since the 6th of November. Darjeeling Gorkha Hill Council which presently employs more than 6,000 workers, all in contract or temporary basis, is reeling from the demand of ‘permanent jobs’ by the workers. Janmukti Asthahi Karmachari Sanghathan (Janmukti Temporary Workers Union) a labour union affiliated to Gorkha Janmukti Morcha had called for ‘pen down’ from the 6th of November. However, on the 9th of November Gorkha Janmukti Morcha, in order to offer more concentrated support to the Union’s movement, declared for ‘indefinite strike at the offices of Darjeeling Gorkha Hill Council.’ 

“We have taken back the indefinite strike from 26th November to 7th December. We had also suspended our ‘pen down’ movement from the 22nd of November,” said Machendra Subba, Vice President, Janmukti Temproary Workers Union. He requested all the DGHC employees to attend their duty from today. 

Inquired about the future ‘course of action’ of the union, Subba said, “We have been meeting with our leaders at the High Command of the Party (Gorkha Janmukti Morcha). If the Government keeps on with its stubborn attitude we might have to take some stern action.  However, what that course of action might is not yet fixed and we have been discussing it with our leaders at the party. In the next four or five years something might come out from theese meetings.” 

It may be noted that a Tripartite Meeting between Darjeeling Gorkha Hill Council Caretaker Bihari Lal Meena, Principal Secretary Rajesh Pandey, Gorkha Janmukti Morcha and Janmukti Temporary Workers Union had taken place at the DGHC Secretariat Lal Kothi on the 7th of June this year. In the said meeting the DGHC Caretaker Meena had said that it would take at least one year to inspect the papers of each individual DGHC employee and offer them permanent jobs. Meena has also declared raising the salary of the employees by 1000 Rupees. 

Speaking on the said meeting Machendra Subba said, “No one knows what happened to those promises.” 

When inquired about the promises made on the 7th of June, DGHC Caretaker Meena said, “We have sent all the documents and details to the Hill Affairs Department at Kolkata. All the decision on this matter will be taken by the State Government.”

DARJEELING HILLS: Youths arrested for raising fund in the name of Gorkha Janmukti Morcha

THE HIMALAYAN BEACON [BEACON ONLINE] EXCLUSIVE

BY BARUN ROY

DARJEELING: Two youths have been handed over to the police authorities after they were found raising money from the traders and general people at the market. “Both the individuals were caught asking money in the name of Gorkha Janmukti Morcha by our cadres and handed over to the police,” said Gorkha Janmukti Morcha Darjeeling Town Committee President Dinesh Gurung. 

Gurung, who is also the Vice Chairman of Darjeeling Municipality identified the individuals as Ganesh Rai and Laxman Rai, both of residents of Lebong valley. Gurung further said that it was the effeciency of Gorkha Janmukti Morcha Town Committee cadres at “these two swindlers were arrested.” Gurung warned saying, “If any one is found raising money in the name of Gorkha Janmukti Morcha, Gorkha Janmukti Morcha Town Committee and Gorkha Janmukti Yuva Morcha will take stern action against such people. We will not allow anyone to tarnish the image of the party.” 

DARJEELING HILLS: “I request all parties to be patient for the Tripartite meeting to be successful” State Home Secretary

THE HIMALAYAN BEACON [BEACON ONLINE] EXCLUSIVE

BY ANIL ROY FROM SILIGURI

State Home Secretary Ashok Mohan Chakraborty interacting with the media. Photo by Himalaya Darpan

SILIGURI: State Home Secetary Ashok Mohan Chakraborty has said that the State Government is waiting for the Tripartite Meeting to resolve the Gorkhaland issue. Speaking to the media at Siliguri yesterday, he said, “All parties are requested to be patient and improve the environment so that the Tripartite Meetings is held in an amicable manner and it is successful.”

However, the State Home Secretary opined, “The resolution of the problems faced by Darjeeling Hills cannot be solved through one or two Tripartite Meetings. It will take time. However, the Tripartite Meeting is a welcomed development since things can only be resolved through fruitful dialogue.”

When asked about the deployment additional security forces in the hills, he said, “It is not possible presently, to send additional security forces to the hills. The six companies of Central Reserve Police Force and five companies of State Combat Troops of the state have been deployed in other states for the election.” 

Responding to queries on problems faced by the people in Darjeeling Hills and Dooars Terai including Siliguri vis-a-vis vehicle registration, Chakraborty said, “The State Government is thinking of opening a Regional Transport Authority (RTA) office at Siliguri. However, this might take some more time.”

The State Home Secretary had arrived at Siliguri to attend a crucial meeting organised to assess the situation in the tribal areas of Dooars Terai. “The agitation started by the tribal population of Lalgardh has raised concern at Writers Buildings that the tribes of Dooars Terai may join in with their brethern at Lalgardh,” said a source from Writers Building.

PHOTO FEATURE: Students continue with relay hunger strike

St. Roberts High School students participating in relay hungerstrike at Chowrasta, Darjeeling under the banner of Gorkha Janmukti Vidyarthi Morcha. Photo by Himalaya Darpan

Mirik College students participating in relay hungerstrike at Mirik under the banner of Gorkha Janmukti Vidyarthi Morcha. Photo by Himalaya Darpan

 

Kalimpong College students participating in relay hungerstrike at Kalimpong under the banner of Gorkha Janmukti Vidyarthi Morcha. Photo by Himalaya Darpan

SILIGURI: Veteran Communist leader and Siliguri Mayor dies

 

Communist leaders from Darjeeling Hills and Dooars Terai paying homage to Siliguri Mayor Bikash Ghosh who died of cardia arrest yesterday. Photo by Himalaya Darpan

RESEARCH PAPERS: Development of Tourism in Darjeeling Town: Some Issues

From Gorkhapedia, the free online Gorkha encyclopedia that any one can edit

BY SOMDATTA DAS

DEPARTMENT OF GEOGRAPHY, CHANDERNAGORE COLLEGE, CHANDERNAGORE

ABSTRACT: Darjeeling town is an important mature tourist centre of West Bengal. Tourism dominates the economy of this town. Several factors influence Darjeeling’s ability to expand and sustain tourism. These factors are related with the characteristics of the twon itself as well as the nature, activity and experience of the tourists. Thorough analysis of these factors reveals that the future of tourism in Darjeeling town is not at all satisfactory. Measures should immediately be taken to retain Darjeeling’s image as an attractive tourist spot as far as possible. 

Introduction

Obersvation of undersirable social and environmental impacts of tourism has led some researchers to speculate whether there exists a carrying capacity for tourists destinations. But later it is realised that carrying capacity is one of the most difficult concepts to put into practice. In fact, it is very hard to understand what the true carrying capacity is until it has been exceeded. Yet regardless of empirical validity of the notion of carrying capacity, attention must be paid by the planners to the ability of the area to absorb tourism in relation to the possibilities of environmental and social degradation. In this paper an attempt has been made to highlight some of the factors which influence Darjeeling town’s ability to expand and sustain tourism. 

Geographical Characteristics of the area

Physical features and processes

Darjeeling town lies in the hilly area of Darjeeling District. The district consists of a portion of ridges and deep valeys of Lower Himalayas. Five great hill ranges radiate from a central point at Ghoom, a saddle 2212 metres in elevation, situated in the north west of Senchal. Darjeeling town is situated on one of these five ranges – Darjeeling – Jalapahar range. This range extends northward from Ghoom, at first rising abruptly to a height of 2366 metres, then gradually decreasing to 2100 metres at Chowrasta of Darjeeling twon and again rising to 2149 metres at Observatory Hill. 

Physical set up of Darjeeling Hill area is such that erosion and landslide are very common in this area. Darjeeling hills with high ridges and deep valleys experience extremely high erosion rate due to high relative relief and considerable slope ranging from 30 degrees to 70 degrees. Within the twon, the are above Lebong Cart Road especially between ‘bazaar’ and kutchary’ is very steep. High altitude also to some extent is responsible for high erosion rate as water restores great potential energy at high level. 

Darjeeling receives huge amount of rainfall. During rainy season (june to September) heavy rainfall of long duration (3 to 4 days) take place here. The rain water flows downhill as surface water or seeps into the soil as subsurface water. The surface runoff is responsible for accelerated erosion and undercutting of steep slope which result in landslides. Water seepage into the soil makes it viscous and in many cases the soil slides down the mountain slope. 

The Darjeeling Jalapahar range possesses a synclinal structure. On both sides of this range synclinal limbs are exposed to the surface. Surface runoff, rivulets and streams cut across the dip of the synclinal beds has created a situation which is favourable for landslides. In fact occurrence of landslide is more in this zone than in the central part of synclinal trough. Landslides of this area may also be regarded as a part of normal process of slope retreat. 

Occurrence of inversion of relief due to thrusting and complicated geological structure is common in Darjeeling Hills. In many places hard hard igneous rocks are found to lie above weak sedimentary beds, erosion of which leads to a situation which is favourable for landslide. 

The geological structure of the are is unstable. The Himalayas have not attained their maximum elevation but are still rising. The rivers especially the Teesta (Tista), the Jaldhaka and the Balasan bear proofs of recent rejuvenation due to uplift of their watershed. 

Physically the area is not at all resistant enough to bear excessive pressure exerted by human being. Uncontrolled tourism expansion in Darjeeling town has greatly accentuated the problems of this fragile environment. Tourism expansion has let to development of a large number of hotels and other tourist accommodations and market complexes. Some of them are high rise, some are situated on steep slopes. Some have developed totally ignoring the laws of municipality and in many instances they are causing blockage of natural drainage. Use of polybags is a major cause behind the choking of the existing drainage line and it is the tourists who find it more convenient to use polybags than the local people. Number of temporary shops on roadside drains increases greatly during tourist season which makes it very difficult to maintain and clear the choked – drains. Also traffic movement through the road and load on vehicle greatly increase during tourist season. All these are assisting the landslide to take place more frequently than before.

ASSAM/SIKKIM: Assam Govt announces ex-gratia for slain journalist

FROM ZEE NEWS.COM

Guwahati, Nov 25: Assam Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi on Tuesday announced an ex-gratia grant of Rs three lakh for the family of Jagajit Saikia, a journalist with a local daily who was killed on Saturday.

Gogoi said Saikia’s wife would be given a government job.

Asserting his government was concerned about the lives of both journalists and citizens, Gogoi assured that the culprits would be nabbed soon.

Saikia was the Kokrajhar correspondent of Assamese daily Aamar Asom.

Meanwhile, journalists here demanded a CBI inquiry into Saikia’s killing, besides insurance and a special law for their protection in the state, where 20 scribes have been killed in the past 17 years.

The journalists held a meeting at the Guwahati Press Club and took out a procession to the Deputy Commissioner’s office to submit a memorandum to President Pratibha Patil.

Similar protests were also held in Dibrugarh, Tinsukia, Jorhat, Sonitpur, Sibsagar, Lakhimpur, Dhemaji, Kamrup (rural) and other districts.

In Kokrajhar, the ’shradha’ of Saikia was held where former chief minister and AGP leader Prafulla Kumar Mahanta and his wife Jayashree, were present.

The Assam Press Correspondents Union there sent a memorandum to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Gogoi demanding Rs 10 lakh as ex-gratia for Saikia’s family, a government job to a member of his family and security for journalists.

In a message to the Guwahati Press Club, Editors Guild president Rajdeep Sardesai said “The Editors Guild has noted with increasing dismay the spate of violent incidents involving journalists in the northeast and has brought this to the notice of the Union Home ministry.”

Kolkata Press Club Secretary Sudhir Karmakar, Sikkim Press Club Secretary Bhim Rawat, Agartala Press Club Secretary Prana Sarkar, Shillong Press Club President David Laipphnang, All Manipur Working Journalists Union President S Hemant and Reporters Without Borders also condemned the killing.

Sikkim scribes condemn killing in NE

The members of Press Club of Sikkim (PCS) condemned the murder of two journalists in Manipur and Assam by unidentified persons, its Publicity Secretary Homnath Dabari said.

PCS members, at an emegency meeting here, described the murder of the journalists as an attack on the freedom of press. They demanded strong action against the culprits by the governments of Manipur and Assam.

Journalists in Sikkim demanded protection for the mediapersons who have been working in the two states.

They also held a condolence meeting in the state capital here in the memory of Rishikanta and Saika.

DARJEELING HILLS: Gorkha soldier key to nabbing teenage killer Kohli

FROM THE INDEPENDENT

BY TERRI JUDD

Amid the heat and humidity of the monsoon season, Hannah Foster’s parents sat in a packed room at the Press Club in Delhi and pleaded with the Indian media to help track down their daughter’s killer.

“We come to you in desperation, seeking help… Every parent in India will share our anguish at the cruel loss of a loved and loving daughter,” said Trevor Foster, as he sat beside his wife Hilary, on that day more than four years ago. Sixteen months after their 17-year-old Hannah had been kidnapped, raped and murdered, this personal mission 4,000 miles across the world was, Hampshire detectives secretly feared, futile.

Maninder Pal Singh Kohli, 41, the key suspect who yesterday was finally convicted, had fled four days after the killing to his native Chandigarh in Punjab, and then continued to travel, adopting various aliases. Hampshire officers questioned whether he would really be found in the vast country. Neither the family nor the police could have anticipated how swiftly the story would captivate India. Days later, on the other side of India from Chandigarh, in the poor farming community of Kalimpong, West Bengal, five people spotted Kohli’s picture in a newspaper and contacted police. Among them was a former British Army Gorkha soldier, Roshan Gurung, who would be a key witness at the trial.

It was just one hurdle surmounted by Hannah’s parents, a cardiac nurse and an auditor, in their journey to see the man who took away their “precious and fragile” daughter put behind bars. The Fosters refused to back down, despite Hilary’s battle with breast cancer, Kohli’s refusal to return to the UK, and frustrations of the Indian legal system.

INTERNATIONAL: Maninderpal Singh Kohli gets life term for Hannah rape, murder

FROM THE TIMES OF INDIA

Maninderpal Singh Kohli, who was handed down a life sentence for the rape and murder of British schoolgirl Hannah Foster, is escorted by Delhi police officers to Tihar Jail from Patiala Court in New Delhi. (AFP file)

LONDON: Ending years of legal tussle and a prolonged manhunt across India, Maninderpal Singh Kohli was on Tuesday sentenced to life imprisonment by a court here after convicting him of the rape-and-murder of 17-year-old British schoolgirl Hannah Foster in 2003. ( Watch )

Amid dramatic scenes at Winchester Crown court, 41-year-old Kohli was convicted by a jury of bundling the teenager into the back of his van, raping and strangling her before dumping her body in a ditch.

The sensational case had hit headlines in Britain and India where Kohli, a father of two, had fled after committing the murder in Southampton in 2003.

He changed his name there but was finally apprehended in Darjeeling and extradited to Britain in July 2007 following a media campaign orchestrated by Hannah’s parents and the Hampshire police.

Kohli had claimed he was innocent and that he had been abducted, blindfolded and tied up on the night of Hannah’s death and forced to have sex with the teenager.

During the six-week trial, he painted a picture of himself as a victim of a revenge attack orchestrated by his former colleague. Kohli said he owed his colleague 16,000 pounds and had an affair with his wife.

Foster was walking a short distance home after a night out when she disappeared in March 2003. Kohli snatched the teenager from a street yards from her home in Southampton after she had spent an evening with friends.

Kohli had initially made a full confession to Indian police, claiming he wanted to unburden himself and pay for his crimes. But within days he withdrew it and put up a protracted legal fight against his extradition.

His arrival back in Britain in July last year made him the first man to be extradited from India.

DARJEELING HILLS: Gorkhaland activists burn down forest office after elephant attack

FROM INDIA GAZETTE.COM

Gorkha Janamukti Morcha (GJM) supporters burnt down a portion of the forest beat office at Kalabari in West Bengal’s Darjeeling district after one of their leaders was attacked and injured by a wild elephant here Monday night, the police said Tuesday.

Three rooms of the beat office were gutted while the mob also beat up a forest guard, said district forest officer Kurseong Y.T. Aden.

Three fire tenders were sent to control the fire, he said.

Trouble erupted after GJM leader Hari Prasad Nirola was attacked by a wild elephant just outside his home at Nipania village.

Hearing his cries, about 100 to 150 GJM activists rushed to the scene, and turned their wrath on the nearby beat office.

Seeing the mob, the seven forest guards in the office tried to flee, but one of them was caught and thrashed by the attackers.

Police complaints have been lodged against eight people at the Naxalbari police station. But no one has been arrested so far, Aden said.

Meanwhile, state Home Secretary Ashok Mohan Chakraborty told reporters here that there was a need for restoration of peace before the second round of the tripartite meeting on the Gorkhaland issue in New Delhi.

‘So everybody has to be restrained, including the GJM,’ Chakraborty said.

The date of the second tripartite talks was yet to be decided, the home secretary said, but hoped it would be successful.

The GJM has threatened to intensify its agitation if the tripartite meet did not yield any positive results.

‘But I don’t think one or two meetings can solve the problem. We have to keep the dialogue process going. The problem has to be solved across the table,’ the top bureaucrat said.

He termed as ‘unfortunate’ the forcible closure of the Darjeeling Gorkha Hill Council (DGHC) office in Darjeeling by the GJM, which is agitating for a separate Gorkhaland state to be curved out of the Darjeeling hill sub-division and parts of Dooars and adjoining areas.

SPORTS: Another gold cup tourney in Sikkim

FROM SIKKIM REPORTER

BY JANUKA SHARMA

Chakung MLA and Minister for Sports and Youth Affairs,P. S. Tamang. Photo by Sikkim Reporter

Gangtok: Chakung Sports Association (CSA) will organize for the first time Late L.D. Kazi Memorial Gold Cup Open football tournament from December 1to 14 at Chakung Sr. Secondary School Ground, West Sikkim. This is informed in a press conference at Palzor Stadium on Monday by Chakung MLA and Minister for Sports and Youth Affairs, Mr. P. S. Tamang. This tournament is being held for the encouragement of upcoming players, he said.

He informed, total 16 teams will participate in the knockout tournament – eight from Sikkim and eight from other places like Darjeeling, Kurseong and Nepal. On the inaugural day the committee expects the Indian football captain Bhaichung Bhutia to be present.

National players from Sikkim, Nirmal Chettri, Sanju Pradhan and Shyam Thapa, coach of Mohan Bagan, SAIL will also be present at the tournament. The cup is made of 10 tolla gold with silver. Rs.2 lakhs cash with cup for winner and Rs. 1 lakhs for runner up, are the prizes. Cash prizes are financed by Jal Power Corporation Ltd, it is informed.

 

SIKKIM: Sikkim Working Journalists Association formed

FROM SIKKIM EXPRESS

GANGTOK, November 24: Working journalists in Sikkim today have constituted a body for protecting their interests and rights. The body, Sikkim Working Journalists Association (SWJA) was formed during a meeting of several journalists working in local papers today here at Press Club of Sikkim.

The meeting was chaired under the presidentship of PTI correspondent Kundan Kumar and after much deliberations, the name of the body and its adhoc executive body was nominated.

Bhim Rawat was nominated as the president of the adhoc executive body of SWJA while Dilli Ram Dulal, Pooran Tamang, Deepak Sharma and Madhu Sharma were nominated as vice presidents.

Bijoy Gurung was nominated as the general secretary of SWJA while Homnath Davari is the publicity secretary. Chetan Gazmer and Visnu Neopany were selected as joint secretaries.

Januka Sharma was nominated as the general secretary while Kundan Kumar is the advisor. Five members-Prabin Khaling, Mingma Bhutia, Shekar Khawas, Rupesh Sharma and Sagar Chettri-are also on the adhoc executive body.

SIKKIM: Dates of army recruitment rally for Sikkim natives announced

FROM SIKKIM EXPRESS

GANGTOK, November 24: Dates of army recruitment rally for Sikkim natives have been announced from December 10 to 15, 2008.

Three venues in Sikkim have been selected for the recruitment rally. The recruitment rally in Gangtok will be held at Paljor Stadium from December 10 to 12 while the venue for technical categories to be held from December 13 to 15 are Government Polytechnic grounds, Bardang and Football Ground at Jorethang.

In a press release issued today, CK Sood, Colonel, Director Recruiting, North Bengal & Sikkim has said that the State Government must help deploy police force at the rally venue for six days. He has not only requested medical team to be made available during the conduct of the PFT but also asked the government to ensure adequate briefing to the participants either by organising a tour to all district headquarters to tap candidates in grassroot level or conduct a coordinating conference a week before the actual dates.

All schools are also informed through the Director, Education and eligible candidates registered with Employment exchange are also informed through the Director, Employment, Mr Sood said in the release.

For administrative arrangements for the conduct of rally and stay of screening team, HQ 17 Mtn. Div. is requested to make all arrangements as discussed earlier. “A liaison officer from the office of DM, East Gangtok and DM, South Namchi be also detailed,” he added.

SPORTS: Sikkim govt ready to discuss on Bhaichung’s academy

FROM SIKKIM EXPRESS

GANGTOK, November 24: Sikkim government is ready to deliberate on its star son and national football team captain Bhaichung Bhutia’s proposal for setting up a football academy.

“Let Bhaichung come forward with his proposal, we will discuss officially about it”, said State sports minister PS Tamang told reporters here.

On November 17 during a programme here at Paljor Stadium, Bhaichung had said that he wants to set up a football academy after retirement to nurture promising football talents. His only condition was that he would require a 40 acre land for his proposed academy be it in Sikkim or any other States.

On this proposal and pre-condition of 40 acre land, Mr. Tamang said that it may be difficult to find such flat sites in this Hill state like those found in plain areas. But there are some one or two suitable lands in the State, he said.

 

SPORTS: Sonam Palden Bhutia first ‘Level II cricket coach’ from NE

FROM SIKKIM EXPRESS

GANGTOK, November 24: Sikkim’s Sonam Palden Bhutia has become the first person from the entire Northeast region to receive the Level II cricket coaching certificate from National Cricket Academy (NCA) under Board of Control for Cricket of India (BCCI).

Mr Bhutia had passed the Level II course of coaches conducted by NCA under BCCI at Kolkata from August 14 to 20.

State sports minister PS Tamang handed the certificate to Mr. Bhutia of his knowledge and ability to coach cricket at this level today here at Paljor Stadium.

Mr. Tamang is also the president of Sikkim Cricket Assocaition.

Another Sikkimese cricketer, Sudarshan VP had passed the top level coaching course from NCA.

Taking more firm steps towards cricket promotion in the State, Sikkim Cricket Association (SCA) is presently organizing a NCA level A course for BCCI affiliate members of Northeast region. Twelve coaching aspirants from Sikkim and five each from Manipur and Nagaland are attending this course being held at Paljor Stadium here.

Sikkim is an associate member of BCCI.

NCA chief coordinator Dr K Suratwala is heading this camp. He said that the objective of this course is to develop cricket in Northeast in a systematic manner.

SIKKIM: Sikkim gets a management institute – SMIM foundation stone laid by Narayan Murthy

FROM SIKKIM EXPRESS

Chairman of Infosys Technologies and industrialist NR Narayan Murthy laying the foundation stone of the Sikkim Manipal Institute of Management (SMIM) at 5th Mile, Tadong. Photo by Sikkim Express.

GANGTOK, November 24: The founder Chairman of Infosys Technologies and world famous industrialist NR Narayan Murthy today laid the foundation stone of the Sikkim Manipal Institute of Management (SMIM) here at 5th Mile, Tadong.

His wife Sudha Murthy, Dr Ramdas Pai, the founder of Manipal group, Sanjiv Chachra, GOC 17th Mountain division, Dr K Jayakumar, accompanied Mr. Murthy in the stone laying ceremony.

The six-storied college of management is being built at an extended area of 1.8 acres with 300 seating capacity.

Ajay Jha, the HOD of the department of Management of Manipal informed SMIM will be a constituent college of Sikkim Manipal University. The new campus would provide state of art facilities in Sikkim for management education and offer management training to equip young people with the knowledge and skills which would help them make meaningful contribution to the industries and organizations they choose to serve, Mr. Jha added.

The institute will also offer consultancy in areas such as competency mapping, assessment of skills, competency, leadership development, operations management many more. The college construction is expected to be completed by 2010. Presently, there are 56 students pursuing their education on BBA course introduced this year by the Manipal group.

In a brief interaction with SIKKIM EXPRESS, Mr Murthy said that the way Manipal University has enhanced education in Sikkim is laudable. “We hope the new management college would provide holistic education and training management disciplines,” he said.

SIKKIM: Writting on the wall – 1000 (HIV positives) and counting

 FROM SIKKIM EXPRESS

A screaming hoarding at the wall near Lal Bazaar Flyover in Gangtok shouting to people that HIV/AIDS is here in Sikkim. According to conservative estimates of HIV Sentinel Surveillance 2007 there are 1000 people living with HIV/AIDS in Sikkim. Till date, there are 120 confirmed HIV cases in the State. Photo by Sikkim Express

DARJEELING HILLS: Home secy holds meeting with GJMM

FROM THE STATESMAN

SILIGURI, Nov. 25: The State home secretary, Mr Ashok Mohan Chakrabarty called upon the GJMM leadership today to allow the district administration and the Darjeeling Hill Council to carry on with the developmental activities in the Darjeeling hills.

Mr Chakravarty held a review meeting on the law and order situation with the senior administrative and police officials of the district. The district magistrate, the additional district magistrate, the inspector general of police, North Bengal, the district superintendent of police and others attended in the hour-long closed door meeting at the SLG Circuit House. The home secretary, however, refused to divulge the details of the meeting.

Dwelling upon the continuing unrest in the hills he said that the state administration was aware about the gravity of the situation. “It is unfortunate that all development work in the district has come to a halt due to the ongoing non-cooperation movement by the agitating hill-based outfit. Several important work like road repairs and drinking water supply has been severely affected,” he said.

When asked whether the state government will continue to keep a low profile if the GJMM agitation turns violent in the future, the home secretary said that the state government hoped that the proposed second round of tripartite negotiation will yield positive results and the situation will not turn volatile.

On whether the state government apprehended that the tribal unrest in south Bengal would spill over in the hitherto peaceful northern part of the state, Mr Chakravarty answered in the negative. “The grievances of the tribal community in the region are being addressed. The tribal representatives will meet the Jalpaiguri divisional commissioner Mr BL Meena on 6 December to apprise him of the development related problems being encountered by the community,” he said.

DARJEELING HILLS: Time for Darjeeling face-lift

FROM THE STATESMAN

DARJEELING, Nov. 25: The Darjeeling Municipality will set up a Town Planning Committee to give a face-lift to the town considering its growing population.

“A 10-member cell will be formed headed by the civic body chairman to look into all aspects of town planning. It will also have the DM and the SP in the advisory body,” informed the chairman, Mr Pemba Tshering Ola. Most of the civic services like sewage, water distribution system and land use of Darjeeling fail to meet the requirements of the 1.5 lakh odd population in town that excludes the floating population.

Moreover, in the past 20 years the landscape has become congested in the absence of any regulation to check construction.

The civic body has already begun the dismantling of illegal buildings flouting the permissible limit of 13.5 m in height.

The committee, likely to be formed in January next year, will work envisioning the town’s population 30 to 40 years ahead. Apart from the administrative heads, the municipality will collaborate with local engineers, architects, experts and the people in general. “We have already written to the Ahmedabad School of Structures to help us in the matter. A team that specialises in hill town planning will probably be sent to Darjeeling,” Mr Ola said.

The civic body will dismantle 30 to 35 old buildings under its purview to construct modern multi-purpose buildings that will also have parking spaces and water harvesting system targeted at solving the traffic problem and water crisis in town.

DARJEELING HILLS: Mission Dooars for Bimal’s wife – Morcha harps on Gorkha-Adivasi unity – Agitation stalled growth: Home secy

FROM THE TELEGRAPH

Asha Gurung

Darjeeling, Nov. 25: If Bimal Gurung is trying to reach out to statehood supporters in every nook and corner of the hills, his wife Asha is on a mission to unite various voices in the Dooars that supports the Gorkhaland movement.

Realising the importance of the need to garner the support of the Adivasis in the Dooars, Asha and her entourage are currently conducting a door-to-door campaign in the region.

“We came to the Dooars on November 21 and will stay till the 30th. We are on a whirlwind tour, trying to convince the other communities the need for Gorkhaland. We have been able to bring the Adivasis and the Gorkhas together and instead of organising public meetings, we are going from door to door,” said Asha, whose husband had founded the Gorkha Janmukti Morcha last year, from Makrapara in middle Dooars over the phone. The Morcha wants the Dooars to be part of Gorkhaland.

Although Asha does not have a political background, she has been actively involved in party affairs ever since its formation. In fact, soon after the Morcha had been formed, Asha had camped in the Dooars for a month to mobilise support for the new party.

“The response from the region has been tremendous this time around. They had been betrayed by Subash Ghisingh in 1986 and many of them were sceptical about our intentions. We have convinced them that our party will never let them down,” said Asha, a central committee member of the party.

Since October, the Morcha has taken active interest in the Dooars, especially after the Akhil Bharatiya Adivasi Parisad (ABAP) started opposing the statehood demand. “We have met a lot of ABAP supporters in the Dooars and they have started supporting our demand. We are looking at holding some more meetings with the ABAP leaders,” said Binay Tamang, the media and publicity secretary of the Morcha, who returned to Darjeeling on Saturday after a 21-day tour of the Dooars. Tamang was part of the team, which consisted of R.P. Waiba, Ram Bhujel and Kamal Sharma.

Tamang said the unity of the Gorkhas and the Adivasis was a decisive factor in achieving the statehood. “Since 1904, when the first tea gardens were set up in the Dooars, the two community have been living together. The living standards of both the communities are still very low. The Adivasis are a majority in the Dooars, followed by the Gorkhas,” said Tamang.

DARJEELING HILLS: Land deal inked

FROM THE TELEGRAPH

Kalimpong, Nov. 25: The Kalimpong Municipality today formally set in motion the process of acquiring 8.25 acres of land at Lower Bhalukhop to construct a permanent waste management facility.

The land will be purchased at Rs 2 lakh per acre from the villagers. An adjoining wasteland, spread over 1.75 acres and owned by the state land and land reforms department, will also be acquired for the Rs 2.39-crore dumpyard.

The municipal authorities and villagers inked an agreement on the terms and conditions of the deal in the presence of Kalimpong subdivisional officer P.T. Sherpa.

According to the agreement, garbage collected from the town will be treated in a scientific manner so as to avoid causing any health hazard to the people living in the vicinity. Even the transportation of solid waste will be carried out in a scientific manner.

The agreement also states that the villagers will be given preferences in jobs arising in the facility. “Please understand that we agreed to sell our land in the larger interest of the residents of Kalimpong, but not at the cost of our safety,” said Binod Rai, a villager.

DARJEELING HILLS: ‘More talks needed’

FROM THE TELEGRAPH

Siliguri, Nov. 25: State home secretary Asok Mohan Chakrabarti today said two round of tripartite talks were not enough to resolve the Gorkhaland issue and that development in the hills had come to a halt because of the movement of Gorkha Janmukti Morcha.

“It is true that because of the movement and present state of affairs in the hills, development and administrative works have taken a backseat,” said Chakrabarti, who held a high-level meeting at the circuit house here this morning. “As the DGHC is the primary body for the execution of schemes, the indefinite strike at its offices has affected work.”

Asked about the second round of tripartite talks, he said: “We are waiting for it. Several issues have to be dealt with during the talks and all of them cannot be addressed in one or two meetings. A few more rounds would be necessary.”

The meeting today discussed the consolidation of the tribals under organisations like Akhil Bharatiya Adivasi Vikash Parishad to demand Sixth Schedule status for the Dooars.

“The government has come to know that people representing the tribes will submit a memorandum to the divisional commissioner in Jalpaiguri on December 1. The district magistrate of Jalpaiguri has been instructed to look into demands associated with the implementation of development schemes,” the home secretary said.

The state government, he said, has sought six companies of extra paramilitary forces from the Centre.

SIKKIM: Relics reach Rabong shrine – Thai delegation announces Rs 20 lakh aid

BY PEMA LEYDA SHANGDEPRA

The relics being taken to Karma Thekchenling monastery in Rabong on Tuesday. Picture by Pema Leyda Shangdepra

Rabong (South Sikkim), Nov. 25: Thirteen relics of the Buddha, brought from 12 countries, were handed over to the Sakyamuni project by a team of Thai monks, led by a high priest, here this morning.

A 2km long procession with traditional sherbang reception was led from the Rabong Bazaar to the Mane Chokerling Complex, where the hand-over ceremony was held at the new Karma Thekchenling monastery.

The Thai delegation also announced 1.5 million Thai Bhat (equivalent to Rs 20 lakh) for the project today. Jamnian Chonsakhorn Seelasettho, who led the team, handed over Rs 2 lakh in cash to the minister today and he will transfer the rest of the amount to the account of the project later.

A large number of devotees reached this subdivisional town in South Sikkim to join the procession and witness the ceremony. The Thai team had reached Rabong late in the evening yesterday with the most precious relics to be kept near the statue of Buddha after its completion next year.

The relics had been offered by Somdet Phra Nyanasaamvara, the 19th Supreme Patriarch of Thailand.

Following a request, a high Thai priest, Phra Kristada, in Bangkok had agreed to be the representative of the Sakyamuni project for securing the relics from all Buddhist countries in Southeast Asia. The relics were collected from Thailand, Myanmar, Japan, South Korea, Cambodia, Laos, Taiwan, Vietnam, and Buddhist temples in California (USA), Germany, Lumbini in Nepal and Bodhgaya in India.

Sikkim urban development minister D.D. Bhutia and Goshir Gyaltshab Rimpoche, a regent and second in head of the Kagyu sect of Buddhism after the Karmapa, received the relics at the solemn ceremony held in the main hall of the shrine.