DARJEELING HILLS: GJM delegation leaves for talks in Delhi

FROM THE HINDU

SILIGURI (WB): A 17-member delegation of Gorkha Janmukti Morcha (GJM) led by General Secretary, Roshan Giri left Darjeeling this morning to Delhi to take part in the second round of tripartite talks on December 29.

Giri said that they would hold talks on ‘Gorkhaland’ issue only as GJM leadership was not interested to discuss other issue including development in Darjeeling  Hills. The future course of agitation would depend on the outcome of the meeting.

The delegation also had a plan to meet the Union Home Minister, Mr P Chidambaram. Meanwhile, Janachetana Manch opposing Gorkhaland has called a 24-hour bandh on December 29 in West Bengal in protest against Centre’s decision to hold tripartite talks with GJM and demanding identification of infiltrators from Nepal since independence. – PTI

 

SIKKIM: An year of bonanza for Sikkim

FROM THE HINDU

Gangtok (PTI): Sikkim’s persistent prayer for improved infrastructure and better connectivity with the rest of the country finally got answered this year with the Centre approving the construction of an airport and a broad gauge rail link as border trade through Nathu La also did robust business.

The Centre approved a Rs 1,339-crore rail link (52.7 km) from Sevoke in West Bengal to Rangpo near Sikkim and granted Rs 360 crore for construction of a green field airport at Pakyong district.

The proposed airport will be constructed in the next two years while the rail line is likely to fructify by 2016.

On the economic front, border trade through Nathu La did a robust business of Rs 96 crore, a near treble increase since last year, with Indian traders accounting for 98 per cent of the turnover through export of goods.

But for the ban on the export of non-Basmati rice, the business by the Indian traders could have been much higher.

The low import figure of about Rs two lakh from China did raise serious question about the long-term prospect of the bilateral border trade through the ‘Silk Route’ with the state government and local traders seeking a wholesale review of the items on the trade list of the two countries.

PHOTO FEATURE: A waterfalls at Bhagsu

A waterfalls at Bhagsu. Photo by Joe Burton

NEPAL: “UNMIN” Quit Nepal!

By Dirgha Raj Prasai

Dirgha Raj Prasai

From the very beginning, Nepal is respectfully following the objectives of UN. May be the UN, as an organization, is working for peace in Nepal . But, at present, Nepalese people are confused by the suspicious activities of UNMIN (UN representatives). As we all know that, the main objective of UNMIN is to establish peace in Nepal , but in the contrary what we have here is “The Team of Representatives-UNMIN” who has been found exercising against the peace process in Nepal . We are totally puzzled, whether UNMIN is here to establish peace or confuse people. We really don’t understand, “What is the interest of UNMIN and America in Nepal ?” Is it only for their own interest to destroy China, calling it free-Tibet? If not, why UNMIN is instigating civil war in Nepal ?

As we know, Nepal  is positioned between two big nations, ‘China and India’. Although, Nepal  is close to India in terms of culture and geography, Nepal  has always been victimized by Indian imperialism. As we have open border between Nepal & India, we always suffer from Indian intrusion. The infamous Indian intelligence agency ‘RAW’ is working and implementing its grand design to make Nepal  and Nepalese suffer more. If Nepal  becomes unstable and disturbed land it will even affect the unity of India. If this Anarchy rages, it will go uncontrolled beyond this country and may also affect India. We Nepalese people request India not to interfere and victimize Nepal , as they were found involved in abolishing Monarchy. The Monarchy and Parliamentary Democracy is a factor for the stability of Nepal  and is a media for good relationship between India and China. The only way would be the acceptance and restoration of benevolent and people-oriented monarchy to establish peace and save Nepal’s sovereignty.

PHOTO FEATURE: No go for Madan Tamang!

 

Gorkha Janmukti Yuva Morcha and Gorkha Janmukti Nari Morcha cadres lay seize over Gitangee Dara stopping All India Gorkha League from holding a political meeting there yesterday. Photos by Himalaya Darpan

 

KOLKATA: This vacation, tourists turn their back on Hills

FROM INDIAN EXPRESS

Kolkata: The simmering tension and frequent bandhs in Darjeeling  hills have forced Bengal tourists to explore new destinations-beaches in south India and deserts in Rajasthan.

Once a prime destination for a large number of Bengali families to spend this time of the year, Darjeeling wears a deserted look. On Friday, government offices in the Hills re-opened after a three week shutdown, but the unrest has already damaged the local tourism industry. State Tourism Minister Manabendra Mukherjee said the political turmoil in the Hills has “adversely” affected the tourism industry.

Tour operators say booking for Darjeeling  has gone down by 90 per cent, with most of the hotels in the Hills, including in Kurseong  and Kalimgpong, remaining closed.

“Around this time last year, most hotels had 80 per cent occupancy. This year many hotels are closed while others are giving heavy discounts to attract tourists. People are looking for small jobs in Siliguri or are doing business like car rentals,” says G Tashi, a hotel owner in Darjeeling .

Tourists are now heading to Visakhapatnam, Kanyakumari and even Jaipur.

“Usually we get a lot of bookings for Darjeeling  this time of the year. But this year we have conducted tours for Vizag and Kanyakumari instead. In the past five months, we have done bookings for just two parties in Darjeeling ,” says Basanti Chakraborty of AC Travels and Tour.

The increased cost to visit far off places in the country has not affected the tour plans of several families. “A five-day trip to the Hills costs about Rs 5,500 for a couple, while a six-day trip to Vizag costs Rs 9,645. But still our customers are not complaining,” says Mridul Banerjee of Banerjee Special, a tour operator that organises special tours and bookings.

Other places in the state which are getting preference from tourists are Digha, Jaldapara and Mukutmanipur.

“People want to relax during the holidays with their families. No one wants to go to a disturbed area,” Banerjee adds.

Few passengers for Darjeeling  train this Christmas

Following the turmoil in the Hills, the Darjeeling Himalayan Railway (DHR) is witnessing a drop in passenger bookings. The heritage train, around for over 126 years, makes two trips everyday- one from New Jalpaiguri to Darjeeling   and return and another from New Jalpaiguri to Kurseong and return.

SIKKIM: Thousands trapped in -150 snowstorm in Sikkim

FROM TIMES OF INDIA

GANGTOK: A trip to the snow-laden Changu Lake turned into a nightmare for more than 3, 500 tourists including hundreds of children on Friday. They were trapped in snowstorm conditions with the temperature dipping to minus 15 degrees at a killing altitude of 13,300 feet before the army pulled them to safety.

The majority of those trapped were from Bengal. Hundreds fell ill, shivering in the icy cold as their vehicles remained stranded near Changu and Baba Mandir for hours. Clad in just jackets and scarves, the holidayers were hardly prepared, mentally or physically, to encounter a blizzard.

The army rescued them and took them to military camps, where warm soup and loads of blankets helped revive most of them. Many had to be admitted to the army medical units for treatment.

In the morning, there was little indication of what was to come. Tourists flocked to the Changu Lake by the hundreds as they do every day. With winter setting in, there was the added attraction of seeing the lake under glittering snow-covered peaks. The tourists got more than what they had asked for.

It started with a heavy shower. The temperature plummeted sharply. The skies seemed to turn clear for a moment but suddenly, heavy snowfall started near the India-China border, 35 km from Gangtok. Roads went under a couple of feet of snow in no time. Over 450 vehicles were immediately trapped.

Local guides assured them that the weather would clear up, but it only got worse. More snow fell. More vehicles got stranded in the higher reaches. What compounded the torture was wind chill. With the mercury dropping to minus 10 and continuing southward, the wind picked up, cutting into exposed skin, finding its way past windscreens, locked car doors and inside jackets.

SIKKIM: Self immolation if justice is denied

FROM THE STATESMAN

GANGTOK, Dec. 26: A senior advocate of the Supreme Court and former MLA from Sikkim Mr Nar Bahadur Khatiwara threatened self immolation “if not given justice”. The threat comes following a notice issued by the District Collector, East on 24 December asking Mr Khatiwara to vacate a plot of land. The plot of land in question was gifted to Mr Khatiwara by his foster father, late Kazi Lhendup Dorjee, the first chief minister of Sikkim.

The land measuring 0.35 acres is situated at the heart of the town and its present market value is approximately Rs 2.15 crore. Mr Khatiwara, said that the concerned authorities have sealed most of the rooms in the premises. Mr Khatiwara, the right hand man of late Lhendup Dorjee, who led the democratic movement in Sikkim, alleged that injustice was being meted out to him to avenge his accomplishments during the movement from 1973 to 1975 as the movement had led to the merger of the erstwhile Protectorate state of Sikkim with the Indian Union as a state.

SIKKIM: Sikkim rail survey by 2009

FROM THE TELEGRAPH

Acharia in Jalpaiguri on Friday. (Biplab Basak)

Siliguri, Dec. 26: The parliamentary standing committee on railways will ask the government to complete the survey and begin the work for extending rail links to Sikkim and Bhutan by 2009, its chairman Basudev Acharia said here today.

“We want the survey to be completed by next year, followed by construction,” Acharia said in Jalpaiguri.

The railway projects and proposals related to north Bengal, Sikkim, parts of Bihar and the North-east will be discussed in a three-day meeting of the railway board scheduled at the Northeast Frontier Railway headquarters in Maligaon in February first week, officials said.

According to Acharia, the railway is planning to run fast short distance Mainline Electric Multiple Unit trains between north Bengal and Assam. “Until the electrification (in some areas) is completed, diesel engines will be used to run these trains. We also have proposals to run a Calcutta-bound and a Delhi-bound train from Haldibari which will be discussed at the board’s meeting.”

On using the Chilahati rail route in Cooch Behar district that would reduce the travelling time by four hours from New Jalpaiguri to Calcutta, Acharia said: “We have worked on the plan to reopen the route through Bangladesh that used to exist earlier. It will not only help residents of north Bengal but people of Tripura as well. But the Bangladesh government is not ready with the proposal. We will approach the neighbouring country through the external affairs ministry.”

DARJEELING: Morcha edges out ABGL from venue – Permission in pocket, Madan Tamang’s party gives way

FROM THE TELEGRAPH

The Morcha supporters assembling for the meeting in Chowk Bazar. Picture by Suman Tamang

Darjeeling , Dec. 26: Hundreds of supporters of the Gorkha Janmukti Yuva and Nari Morcha today brought out a procession in town around 10.30am while others climbed up the stairs to the podium at Chowk Bazar to put up posters against anti-Gorkhaland for-ces.

The ABGL leaders did not turn up for their scheduled public meeting, which was supposed to start at 11am with the Morcha supporters refusing to budge from Gitangey Dara, the podium. The Morcha later held a public meeting there.

A police official had said on Wednesday that the Morcha had been allowed to bring out a procession but not given any “mike permission”. The official had also said ABGL had been given permission for a public meeting.

Today, ABGL president Madan Tamang blamed the state government for orchestrating the entire show.

“The administration called me up last evening and requested me to postpone our public meeting to prevent law and order problem. This morning, the administration allowed a party which had no permission to hold a public meeting. Is this the democracy that Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee believes in?” said Tamang. However, he did not say who had called him up last evening. “The government is responsible for everything.”