SIKKIM: Sikkim Govt seeks to increase assembly strength to 40

FROM THE HINDU

Gangtok (PTI): The Sikkim Democratic Front (SDF) government on Monday introduced a resolution in the house seeking an expansion of its strength from 32 to 40 for accomodation of all communities.

The resolution, which was introduced in the House by Chief Minister Pawan Kumar Chamling, proposed that the strength of the state legislature be increased to 40 for deciding the representation for all communities, including Limboo and Tamang in proportion to their population.

With the existing reservation of seats for the Bhutia and Lepcha people at 12 being a sensitive issue, the resolution specifically recommended that the reserved B-L and sanghs (monasteries) at one should not be disturbed.

The proposed resolution, after endorsement by the House, will be forwarded to the Centre for necessary action.

The resolution follows Union Home ministry’s letter in September this year asking the state government to send a consensual resolution from the legislature outlining the category-wise reservation of seats to strethen its case for increase in the strength of the state legislature.

NATIONAL: Darjeeling tea estates to get AEZ status

FROM ECONOMIC TIMES

KOLKATA: Come January 1, 2009, some 87 tea estates in Darjeeling are poised to get the agri-export zone (AEZ) status. This will enable them to

access a number of central and state government incentive schemes to improve productivity and enhance export revenues through value addition.

The move comes at a time when the Darjeeling tea industry, whose revenues solely depend on exports, is trying to find ways to make a headway into export markets in the backdrop of the global financial meltdown.

The first flush and second flush Darjeeling teas fetch premium prices in world markets, while the rains teas, which come later in the season, generally do not find ways in global markets.

The muscatel flavour of second flush teas attract buyers from Japan, the US and North America. The first flush teas are generally bought by the European countries.

“The Tea Board of India and West Bengal Industrial Development Corp will sign the MoU by the month end for declaring Darjeeling tea region as an AEZ. A steering committee will be formed, which will be headed by the chief secretary of the state. This committee will be responsible for implementing the AEZ scheme for Darjeeling tea,” a senior Tea Board official told ET.

The decision was taken by state commerce and industry secretary Sabyasachi Sen at a meeting on Monday, which was attended by the Tea Board chairman Basudeb Banerjee and Darjeeling Tea Association chairman Sanjay Bansal.The Union commerce ministry is also planning to set up a tea park for Darjeeling teas in Kolkata in a 10 acre plot owned by Kolkata Port Trust (KoPT). For this, Tea Board has held a round of talks with officials of KoPT.

ESSAYS: Kalimpong in 50s- Life was Like that

By Col (Retd) Mani K Gahatraj

History is lived forward,
We know the end before we consider the beginning,
But we can never really know,
What it was in the begning!

-Wedge wood, William the Silent

The wheel of time moves slowly but surely churning events and people across the labyrinth of past, present and future. Ever since the begning of time itself, as minutes, hours, days, weeks, months, years and centuries roll on and move continuously, towards infinity, beyond the barriers of space and time, the past keeps moving away further and further, getting dimmer and dimmer from the rusty and faded memories of humans; when finally a point is reached when zillions of single events that would have occurred in some person’s life, alive and kicking at a time and place, would be memories or stories years later, albeit in distorted version. These memories perhaps blink for one last time in the rusty and fading grey cells of old and infirm before it is consigned into the dustbin of life when the life itself is extinguished forever. However, chronicles of events written in the begning of known and unknown civilizations have stayed on defying the vagaries of change and have lived to tell its tale to a future generation unknown and unconceived.

It is in this kind of context of unstoppable time and space that when I survey the hustle and bustle of life in Kalimpong of today amidst the concrete jungle of crowded town buildings and fancy shops, amidst the cyber cafes and whiz-buzz gizmos of technologies, amidst the razzle-dazzle and hip-hop fashion of the 21st century, my not so faded memories take me back to my own “boyish” times of the 50s, the Kalimpong of midnight children as my generation were born during the period of great Indian Independence Era within the four walls of our parent’s bedrooms as “Home Deliveries” were the order of the day, those days.

The Impression of a School Boy.

Early 50s were the end of the British Era and the beginning of independent India. In my memories as a school boy, Kalimpong was a laid back and sleepy little village town, unimaginable to the generation of today. Those were the days of peace and tranquility; the hills were beautiful, not at all populated and polluted, only dotted with beautiful villas, cottages, thatched huts and small buildings unlike the concrete jungle of today. I used to see roses, geraniums, chrysanthemums, gladioli and orchids flowers spraying riot of colors from the home gardens, balconies and verandahs. Along the countryside were green terraced paddy and corn fields, while smoke puffing thatched huts surrounded by colorful flower and vegetable gardens were perfect balance of tranquility and peace. Lingering but pleasant presence of British legacy, as visible with many “white people” still around town specially in missionary schools and hospitals who lived in their English and Scottish cottages in Mission Compound over the town, Dr Graham’s Homes, St Augustine’s School and St Joseph’s Convent and St Philomena School in 8th Mile area. Today’s famous Swiss cheese available in my friend Pran’s Larks, was pioneered by the Swish Missionaries in 7th Mile area before I was born. It would be almost impossible for the TV, internet, laptop, cell phone and ipod generation of today to even remotely fathom the ways of the world of Kalimpong of 50s and 60s. In those days the Main road used to be almost silent except for the movement of school children during the mornings and late afternoons. The crowded and congested Main Roads of today where Maruties, Traveras, Santros, Sumos, Boleros and Scorpios wheeze past every minute, there used to ply just few Morris, Austins, Hillmen, Landrovers and old Ford and Chevrolet trucks alongside bullock carts, horses and mules.

NEPAL: Publishers, editors to hold protest

FROM SOUTH ASIAN MEDIA NEWS NET

KATHMANDU: The Media Society and Editors’ Alliance in a joint statement has strongly condemned the attack by Maoist workers on Himalmedia, and will launch a protest programme beginning with blank editorials in all member newspapers, television and radio news programs on Tuesday.

The protest editorials will appear on Annapurna Post, The Himalayan Times, The Kathmandu Post, Kantipur, Nepal Samacharpatra, Rajdhani, Himalaya Times, Image Channel TV, Image News FM, Nepal, Kantipur TV, Kantipur FM, myrepublica.com, dainikee.com, e-Kantipur, Newsfront, Nepali Times and Himal Khabarpatrika.

“This is the first in a series of escalating protests that our media companies will launch if the current organised attacks on us by groups affiliated to the ruling party are not stopped immediately,” the statement said.

“We feel the attack on Himalmedia and other media houses represent a serious threat to press freedom, democracy and pluralism in this country, and it is ironical that it should be perpetrated by a group affiliated to a party that won the election and leads the government,” it added.

The Media Society and Editors’ Alliance group the publishers and owners of most of Nepal’s major national newspapers and magazines, tv stations and radio and a meeting on Monday took serious note of the escalation of violent attacks on media.
The raid on Himalmedia on Sunday, in which 12 people were injured, was the latest in a series of attacks and threats against newspapers, TV stations and radio all over the country in the past.

NEW DELHI: BGP holds massive rally on Gorkhaland demand

FROM SIKKIM REPORTER

A BGP Rally in New Delhi. Photo by Sikkim Reporter

New Delhi: To press for the creation of a separate state of Gorkhaland for the Indian Gorkhas, the Bharatiya Gorkha Parisangh organised a massive congregation of Gorkhas from all over India at Jantar Mantar in New Delhi on Sunday.

Participating with the Bharatiya Gorkha Parisangh at the rally were political parties like the Communist Party of Revolutionary Marxists, the Sikkim Prajatantrik Congress and the Gorkha Democratic Front of Uttarakhand and the National Federation of Small States.

Representatives of 22 states of India offered soil and water from their states at the statue of Shaheed Durga Malla of the INA installed at Jantar Mantar. The soil and water were used to plant saplings that will now travel to the 22 states to be replanted at important Gorkha landmarks there.

Among the large number of Gorkhas at Jantar Mantar were retired armed officials, bureaucrats, academics, professionals, cultural and literary icons and artistes.

SIKKIM: Winter fests all over the State envisaged

FROM SIKKIM REPORTER

BY DB RAI

Gangtok: “After Sikkim Democratic Front came in power, the tourism in the State has flourished. We want to make tourism round the year by encouraging such Winter Tourism fests in every part of the State”, said Health Minister Mr.Hissey Lachungpa at the inauguration of Assamlingzey 2008 Winter Village Fest held at Assamlingzey Senior Secondary School ground on Sunday.

Mr. Lachungpa further said under the able guidance of chief minister Pawan Chamling, all communities of the State got patronization of the government by official recognition of their languages. “The State government has not only given recognition to these languages but has also recommended recognition of Bhutia, Lepcha and Limbu languages in Eighth schedule of the Indian constitution,” he said. He asked the people not to be swayed buy communal provocation from some “outsiders”.

For local educated unemployed youths, he said Assamlingzey being close to Gangtok has the scope of many private English schools to be run profitably by the local unemployed youths. “I have seen that most of the youths educated in Assamlingzey are getting the advantage of proximity to Gangtok to run private schools”, he said. He hoped next year the village tourism fest would be better than this year.

Area MLA Mr.Kunga Zampo Bhutia said this is first village fest in this constituency. He urged the people to make true the dream of chief minister Pawan Chamling by following his advise to make Sikkim a tourist destination state. He mentioned the SDF government’s skill development training for youths, horticulture training for farmers and loans for local entrepreneurs as the available incentives.

DARJEELING: Happy New Year bridge at Gok selected as GLP training centre

FROM SIKKIM EXPRESS

Darjeeling: The upcoming training of Gorkhaland Personnel (GLP) will begin from January 7 at Happy New Year bridge located at Goke, announced Gorkha Janmukti Morcha (GJM) chief Bimal Gurung on Saturday here during a programme organized by All India Gorkha Ex-Servicemen Association.

Four hundred volunteers will be trained during the first phase of the training exercise.

“The programme will be conducted as per democratic norms and only physical training will be given. No kukhri training will be given”, said the GJM president in his address.

It may be added here that former DGHC chairman and GNLF supermo Subash Ghisingh had inaugurated the Happy New Year bridge at Gok on January 1, 2005. Despite the enthusiasm among the youths here towards GLP, the GJM chief said that the youths should be serious towards GLP and must be ready to lay down their lives if needed be.

SIKKIM: Three arrested in fake ration card racket

FROM SIKKIM EXPRESS

GANGTOK, December 21: Three persons so far have been arrested by Gangtok police who busted an illegal fake ration card racket nexus on last Friday that involves businessmen and local providers.

Acting on several leads, Sadar police had conducted a sting operation last week where a cop in plainclothes had been deputed to act as a customer for a fake ration card. The operation was a total success and one Sanjay Prasad from Lal Bazaar Khangchendzonga shopping complex was nabbed red handed.

Police was aware that Prasad was involved in selling fake ration cards as Rs. 6000 each without documents and irrespective of the nationality of the customer involved. The moment he handed the card to the decoy, Sadar police jumped upon him. The team was lead by Sadar police station OC Chundi Chopel and second OC PI Tshering Sherpa.

Later in the evening, police also arrested another co-accused Ratan Agarwal of Children Park located near Sadar police station.

Police then launched raids in several parts of the capital on Saturday and arrested one Franchis Khawas said to be working at SiBin, located at Tadong.
All the three persons have been booked under section 418/420/465/468/34 of the Indian Penal Code by police who is probing deep into the racket. It is speculated that there could be many hands involved in this racket and the arrested people were merely fronts.

SIKKIM: Sikkim University International Conference concludes

De-securitizing issues must for sub-regionalism:

Prof Lama

FROM SIKKIM EXPRESS

GANGTOK, December 21: Sikkim University Vice Chancellor Prof Mahendra P Lama today proposed four key approaches as a way forward towards sub-regionalism of South Asia.

The four strategies are core approach, reversed policy process, de-securitizing the issues and educational education linkages.

In a passionate address during the valedictory session of the four day international conference on ‘Sub-regionalism approach to regional integration of South Asia-prospects and opportunities’ here at The Royal Plaza, Prof Lama highlighted the need for serious thinking towards sub-regionalism as existing architectures like SAARC has not yielded any meaningful achievements towards this region.

Sikkim University had organized the seminar which saw participation of several delegates from India, China, Bhutan and Nepal.

The first strategy is to have a core approach with core institutions, agendas and intellectuals in place, said Prof Lama. Policy process must change from periphery to Centre and not as now. ‘Leaders from the periphery places must determine the agenda and not the far flung Centre. Give a role to the Northeast people’, he said.

SIKKIM: Winter session of Assembly starts

FROM THE STATESMAN

GANGTOK, Dec. 22: The two-day winter session of the Seventh Legislative Assembly in Sikkim started today with an obituary reference to the Prime Minister VP Singh, Late Princess Pema Yapshi Phunkhang, sister of the ruler of Namgyal dynasty of Sikkim and a condolence message on terrorist attacks in Mumbai, by the speaker Mr DN Thakarpa. This was followed by a two-minute silence to condole the dead.

The Sikkim chief minister, Mr Pawan Chamling, who is also the minister-in-charge, state home department introduced the Sikkim Police (Amendment) Bill’ 08 and the Sikkim Tenants, Domestic and Professional Helps (Compulsory Verification) Bill’ 08.

The chief minister also proposed the Government Resolution on the reservation of seats for the newly added Scheduled Tribes (Limboos and Tamangs) in the Sikkim Legislative Assembly. The Bills and Resolutions would be discussed on 23 December.

DARJEELING HILLS: Hills expects snow fall soon!

FROM THE STATESMAN

SILIGURI, Dec. 22: The Darjeeling Hills could experience snowfall next week, says weathermen.

“Smarting under a cold spell, the Darjeeling  Hills could have its date with western disturbances, which play a pivotal role in intensifying cold to the freezing point, next week,” said Dr Subir Sarkar the weather specialist at North Bengal University.

Dr Sarkar predicted that the upper ridges of the Darjeeling  hills would have the current winter’s first snowfall by this month’s end. “With the expected arrival of the western disturbance by next week, the town along with the upper ridges could enjoy an icy embrace. The mercury would dip apace in the plains too, bringing in its train the much-coveted cold spell,” he said. Explaining the relative warm winter in the plains so far in this season he said that frequent low-pressure formations impeding the onset of the western disturbances were principally instrumental in the feeling of warmth in the middle of winter. “A few spells of drizzle accompanied with icy northern winds would cause the mercury to dip considerably,” he said.

SIKKIM: Workshop

FROM THE STATESMAN

GANGTOK, Dec. 22: The department of roads and bridges, Government of Sikkim, organised a two-day capacity building training, for the educated unemployed youth of the state last week. Inaugurating the programme, Mr KB Rai, advisor, roads and bridges at the Sahitya Parishad Bhawan, said that training and capacity building of the youth was the need of the hour. “Considering the future of the state’s youth, Sikkim has so far organised the maximum number of capacity building training workshops in the country,” he said.

Training on safe handling of explosives was imparted to the youths from all the 32 Assembly constituencies of Sikkim. A resource personnel from an oil company explained storage, handling and proper use of explosives for departmental road construction works at the workshop.

SILIGURI: Jumbo blocks highway for 40 minutes

FROM THE TELEGRAPH

The elephant after it was driven back into Mahananda Wildlife Sanctuary. A Telegraph picture

Siliguri, Dec. 22: For 40 minutes today, a tusker blocked NH55, ignoring the long line of vehicles that had queued up on both sides of the huge divide and the 300 passengers who stood in awe of it.

It was around 1pm when the full grown male jumbo sauntered up to the national highway – that connects Siliguri to Darjeeling - from the fringes of Mahananda Wildlife Sanctuary near the Sukna army camp.

The driver of a jeep – one of the vehicles that was passing by at that time – remembers coming to a screeching halt. “I had just come down from the hills and about to increase speed when suddenly the elephant materialised out of the roadside forest. I pressed the brake and then reversed the car back to a safe distance,” the driver said.

Kanchan Banerjee, the range officer of the Sukna Wildlife Squad, said the animal was in mast (in heat) and a bit drowsy. “Hundreds of people had come out of their vehicles, shouting enthusiastically. Several others came from the nearby market and localities around Sukna to have a glimpse of the animal. The elephant stood on the middle of the road, snorting and occasionally raising its trunk,” said Banerjee, recollecting the sight that first met his eyes when he arrived 20 minutes after 1pm.

While the local people appeared curious but calm, there was no restraining the tourists. Most of them were returning to Siliguri from the hills.

“This is the first time that I have seen a wild elephant, that too in the middle of the road!” yelled Dhriti Bhowmik, a young woman from Barrackpore in South 24-Paraganas. She came out, approached a few steps but went back when the driver reprimanded her that the elephant might charge at the vehicles.

Finally, like many others, she found a safe seat atop the Tavera she was travelling. The elephant could be clearly seen and Dhriti clicked on for what she said was a real “wild picture”.

Her brother Angshu managed to get on to the roof of another vehicle with a handy-cam.

DARJEELING: Hospital in blood report goof-up

FROM THE TELEGRAPH

The district hospital in Darjeeling. (Suman Tamang)

Darjeeling, Dec. 22: The Darjeeling district hospital has been caught napping, with its employees furnishing wrong blood test reports to two HIV positive persons within a month.

While Pravin Rai (name changed) was given a report by the hospital authorities on November 22 stating that his blood group is AB(+), another HIV positive patient, Subin Subba (name changed), was also handed a report on December 12 that said he, too, belonged to the AB(+) group, instead of the O(+), which is his actual category.

The two HIV positive patients had been taken by Shankar Foundation, a network of people living with HIV/Aids, for transfusion of blood at the district hospital.

“HIV positive people need to change their blood at a regular interval as the haemoglobin count becomes less. This is why we had taken two of our members to the hospital for blood transfusion,” said Shanker Mani Rai, the president of the Foundation.

Since Rai, the HIV patient, knew that his blood group was A(+) and not as shown in the hospital report, the Foundation members decided to conduct two independent tests in Darjeeling. “The report given by Planter’s Hospital and Bharosha Diagnostic Centre confirmed that Rai belonged to A(+) group.”

Even if an individual is aware of his blood group, it is mandatory to conduct a test before the transfusion.

DOOARS TERAI: Hill student protest off

FROM THE TELEGRAPH

A Gorkha Janmukti Vidyarthi Morcha Torch Rally. Photo by The Telegraph

Darjeeling, Dec. 22: The Gorkha Janmukti Vidyarthi Morcha has decided to withdraw its agitation programme to shut down all educational institutions within the area that it wants as part of Gorkhaland.

The shutdown was to have started from tomorrow if police failed to arrest those named in the FIR after the attack on Dhanraj Thapa, the brother of a Gorkha Janmukti Morcha leader in the Dooars, by December 22.

“Since the prime accused Sukra Oraon (who is also the gram panchayat pradhan of Bandapani) has surrendered before the court, we decided to withdraw the strike,” said Amrit Yonzone, the vice-president of the Vidyarthi Morcha, the student wing of the Morcha.

The students will, however, go down to the Dooars on January 3 to hold a meeting and strengthen their units there. “From the first week of January, we will also hold awareness campaigns throughout Gorkhaland to apprise the people of the statehood demand,” said Yonzone.

In Darjeeling today, the Morcha brought out a torch rally around 5.30pm.

The torch procession will be brought out daily to press for the statehood demand, the Morcha had announced on Friday.

Last week, the Morcha had served a series of ultimatum on the state government. One among them was the arrest of the accused named in the FIRs filed by the party after the Kalchini clashes. The deadline for the ultimatum, too, was the 22nd of this month. The hill outfit had threatened to skip the tripartite talks scheduled at the end of this month and call a 72-hour general strike if no actions were taken.

SILIGURI: Self-taught driver kills two, hits three

FROM THE TELEGRAPH

Surinder Rajak, who lost his son Akash, with daughter Sanjana. The girl was also hit by the killer WagonR (below) parked at the Pradhanangar police station. Pictures by Kundan Yolmo

Siliguri, Dec. 22: A 10-year-old boy and a woman were run over by a car on a school ground in Netajinagar this afternoon. The owner of the WagonR, who was learning to drive on his own, fled leaving the car behind.

The dead woman has been identified as 45-year-old Pania Rajak. Both she and the boy, Akash Rajak, were from the same locality but were not related to each other.

Following the accident, the vehicle (WB74 N 3056) had also rammed into three other persons of the same area, who suffered minor injuries. Among the injured were Akash’s siblings.

Police, quoting eyewitnesses said, it appears that the owner of the vehicle, a 35-year-old Ananta Debnath, was the learner. However, it is yet to be ascertained if Debnath had a learner’s licence.

“We have already seized the car. The owner of the car seems to have been learning to drive. The vehicle’s registration number is that of a brand new car. Whoever may have been at the wheel, action will be taken,” said Swapan Ghosh, the inspector-in-charge of Pradhanagar police station.

Ramnaresh Thakur said it was around 12.30pm when he saw the vehicle enter the grounds of Tribal Hindi School, which does not have a boundary wall. “At that time classes were on and fortunately there were hardly any students outside. Suddenly the vehicle speeded recklessly towards another corner of the ground and hit Pania and then the boy,” Thakur said.

Next in the vehicle’s line were Mohammad Raju, a 21-year-old ice-cream vendor, and Suraj Rajak, 12, and Sanjana, 6, Akash’s siblings. “When it stopped, the driver ran away and we rushed the injured to a local nursing home in the same vehicle with another driver,” the witness said.

Thakur said he had recognised Debnath, the owner of the car, driving it. “We know the man, he lives nearby and has some business,” he said.