KURSEONG: Gorkha leader’s alleged killers thrash co-actvists in court

FROM THAINDIAN

Siliguri (West Bengal), Jan 2 (IANS) Five Gorkha Janamukti Morcha (GJM) activists, accused of murdering Morcha leader Subodh Pradhan, were pulled out of the prison van and beaten up on the way to court Friday at West Bengal’s Kurseong town, the police said.”Five GJM supporters, who were arrested Thursday night for murdering Pradhan, were to be produced at the Kurseong court Friday. But as soon as the prison van entered the court premise, other party activists unlocked the vehicle door, pulled the men out and started beating them,” District Police Superintendent Rahul Srivastava told reporters.

“One out of the five men managed to escape after receiving a few punches, but the other four were seriously injured. They have been admitted to North Bengal Medical College and Hospital with fatal head, chest, abdominal and back injuries,” Srivastava said.

“The mob even broke the glass and window panes of the prison van and set the vehicle on fire,” he said.

Srivastava said a number of policemen present at court failed to control the mob.

“We were anticipating this kind of an incident and had even written to higher authorities for additional forces. But they did not respond,” the officer said.

GJM general secretary Roshan Giri, meanwhile, said the party activists didn’t murder Pradhan or attack the five men.

“GJM is a strong believer of non-violence. Neither did our activists murder Pradhan Wednesday night, nor did they attack the five men Friday. It’s the public who reacted and took law into their hands in both the cases. Nevertheless, we are investigating the matter,” Giri said.

Pradhan, GJM unit convenor of Pankhabari town, was stabbed to death and his six friends were beaten up allegedly by about 20 GJM supporters after an altercation at a guest house in Kurseong’s Rohini area Wednesday night.

PHOTO FEATURE: Burnt houses at Kurseong

Houses were blaged by fire in kurseong on 1st January at night around 10pm five houses were totally burnt fire was started from one of the shop which happen to be a wholesale shop including Prashad Medical Hall, Utensil Shop nearby Prashad medical and few residential houses were partially damaged, Photographs was taken this morning by Nandan Pradhan

 

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KURSEONG: Bandh like situation in Kurseong

FROM INDIPIA

A bandh like situation prevails in Kurseong in Darjeeling hills today following a clash at Rohini in which a Gorkha Janmukti Morcha (GJM) leader was killed and 26 houses including a tourist bungalow were torched.

Shops and business establishments did not open shutters though no bandh was called there, SDO Kurseong Dibyendu Das said. GJM leader Subodh Pradhan was lynched and a few others injured and in retaliation the Rohini Tourist bungalow and 25 houses of the villagers were set ablaze yesterday.

The trouble started when Pradhan and some men broke into the tourist lodge run by Darjeeling Gorkha Hill Council (DGHC), and the caretaker informed the villagers. The villagers attacked them and Pradhan died on the spot. The arson came as a retaliatory attack by GJM activists.

GJM workers were now being assembled in hundreds with the information that five persons arrested in this connection would be produced at Kurseong court during the day. According to Das, huge security arrangements have been made to tackle any untoward situation.

PHOTO FEATURE: NEW YEAR AT ROHINI

Police Personnel moving around Rohini after the clash. Photo by Himalaya Darpan

Houses ransacked and raged to the ground in Rohini. Photo by Himalaya Darpan

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Everest Industries Limited, an IS/ISO 9001:2000 company has an established presence over 75 years with 05 manufacturing plants and wide dealers/distributionnetwork all over India. In addition to manufacturing of Fiber cemented products, the Everest Industries Limited is also in the business of designing, manufacturing and erection of Pre-engineered Building. Everest Industries provides complete solutions of buildings.

We are looking for young & dynamic top-notch, hard core Finance professionals for our Project Accounts.

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JoBTitle:Assistant Manager/Deputy Manager Finance

Experience 5 – 10 Years 

Skills: Purchase accounting /payroll accounting , Internal Audit, Cost Audit

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1. Accounting, Finance, Treasury & Taxation (Direct & Indirect) VAT rules, systems and procedures including statutory compliances there under.
2. Preparation, analysis and interpretation of Final Accounts, relevant statements and periodic MIS reports on monthly basis.
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4. Liaisning with Govt. Deptt. And statutory compliance under various Accounting and Taxation Laws.
5. Coordination in inter & intra department accounting processes.
6. Implementing effective Internal Audit, Cost Audit and Fund management.
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10. Purchase accounting /payroll accounting//Budget.

JOB OPENINGS: PLANT ENGINEER (UTILITY) Job -Sankaramangalam,Chavara, Kollam, Kerala, India, The Kerala Minerals And Metals Limited

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PLANT ENGINEER (UTILITY)   [ Job Code  :  KMML/2  ]

Salary :  17077.00
No of Vacancies :  ONE
Last Date :  15-Jan-2009
Job Description  :
Candidates should possess B.Tech in Mechanical/Electrical Engineering with valid Boiler Operation Engineers Proficiency Certificate with a minimum of 5 years experience in executive level in operation of coal/oil-fired boilers of heating area of not less than 1800 sq. mts, should be capable of controlling a section and able to handle the problems of Boiler Plant and Water treatment and /or compressed Air Station. In the case of non-availability of adequate number of eligible and suitable candidates as per the requirements prescribed above, the following relaxation may be considered.

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(Including widows of defence personnel for Tech and Non-Tech entry)

Last date for receipt of application: 18th Feb 2009

Applications are invited from unmarried female, issueless widow, issueless divorcee and widows of Defence Personnel’s (with/without children) for grant of Commission to the Indian Army. Minimum educational qualifications, vacancies, age and percentage are as given below:-

Technical Entry: Total Vacancies – 38

Qualification	Age Limits	Born between	Percentage	Entry/ Code	Colour of application
BE/BTech Civil Engg	20-27 yrs	From 02 Oct 82 to 01 Oct 89	Pass	01	Yellow
BE/BTech Computer Science Engg./IT	do	do	do	02	do
BE/BTech Tele-Communication	do	do	do	03	do
BE/BTech Electronics	do	do	do	04	do
BE/BTech Electrical	do	do	do	05	do
BE/BTech Mechanical	do	do	do	06	do
BE/BTech Chemical	do	do	do	07	do

Entry for widows of Defence personnel with four (04) years relaxation: Vacancy-01

Graduate in any discipline	-	-	Pass	11	White
BE/BTech in streams as notified above	-	-	Pass	12	do

Note: Final distribution of vacancies for different category of qualifications will be decided by Army HQs based on requirement.

(a) Candidates studying in the final year/semester, of Technical Degree examination, (BE/BTech) can also apply but they will be required to submit proof of passing to Recruiting Directorate (Women Entry), West Block-III, R.K. Puram New Delhi-110066 latest by 16 Aug 2009 positively. (A certificate from the Principal/head of the institution must be attached with application form stating that the final results will be declared before the aforementioned date.) Candidates studying in the final year/semester must note that acceptability or otherwise of applicant depends on submitting certificate from the principal. In case they fail to submit the proof of having passed the said degree latest by 16 Aug 2009 candidature will be cancelled notwithstanding performance in SSB.
Please also note that no such provision exists whereby your candidature can be considered for next course.
(b) Ante Date Seniority: Two years ante date seniority will be applicable for Women Officers having recognized Engineering degree (BE/B.Tech).
(c) These vacancies are tentative and may be changed depending on availability of training slots.

DARJEELING HILLS: GJM men on the rampage

FROM TIMES OF INDIA 

DARJEELING: Gorkha Janmukti Morcha (GJM) supporters went berserk on Thursday, a day after Subodh Pradhan, leader of the party’s teachers’ front,  was killed in the Darjeeling Gorkha Hill Council (DGHC) guest house at Rohini, about 20 km from Darjeeling. Angry GJM supporters raided the small hamlet on Thursday and set 20 homes on fire, including the DGHC guest house. They also forced a five-hour shutdown in Kurseong town, the home turf of the slain GJM leader, from 1 pm to 6 pm on Thursday.

Police rounded up Bimal Diyali and Rajen Suncheri, both security guards of the guest house, and three others Bikash Diyali, Krishna Bahadur Diyali and Normal Diyali based on a police complaint by Pradhan’s associates, who were also injured.

Even as police ruled out any political motive behind the incident and described it as a clash between GJM leaders and the security guards on duty at the Rohini DGHC guest house, GJM pointed fingers at rival GNLF. “It is the handiwork of the GNLF, as the five arrested so far had only recently joined our party. We want police to arrest others involved in the attack,” said Benoy Tamang, press and publicity secretary of GJM.

SILIGURI: Forward Bloc to hold peace rally

FROM THE STATESMAN

SILIGURI, Jan.1: Darjeeling district Forward Bloc would observe 23 January as anti imperialism and peace day coinciding with Netaji’s birthday. Announcing this, the party’s district secretary Mr Smritish Bhattacharya said that his party would hold rallies and poster exhibitions to convince the people of the danger of surrendering to the forces of imperialism in the name of economic development,” he said.

The FB leader further said that this apart, his party would appeal to the people to maintain peace and amity in view of the separate statehood movement being spearheaded in the hills.

BENGAL: CM happy with Delhi stand

FROM THE TELEGRAPH

A woman in Rohini stares at what had once been her house. Morcha supporters had burnt it down on Thursday. Picture by Kundan Yolmo

Kolkata, Jan.1: Chief minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee is happy that the Centre has toughened its stand on the Gorkha Janmukti Morcha’s agitation for Gorkhaland.

Briefing Left Front allies today on the deliberations at the tripartite meeting on Darjeeling held in Delhi a few days ago, Bhattacharjee said the state was not alone and the Centre, too, had opposed arbitrary tax collection and forcible renaming of government offices.

“Delhi endorsed what we have been asking Morcha leadership not to do – the illegal tax collection in the name of Gorkhaland or non-payment of state tax and electricity bills, smearing the number plates of cars carrying West Bengal registration numbers or changing the signboards at government office,” Bhattacharjee was quoted as saying.

According to the leaders of the allies, the chief minister was happy that the Centre has asked the Morcha not to try to spread its wings in the Dooars and Siliguri in its bid to include those areas in the separate state that it is asking for.

“Delhi also felt that the efforts to spread the agitation to the plains and tribal areas would have serious repercussions and destabilise the entire region,” a cabinet colleague of Bhattacharjee quoted him as saying.

NATIONAL: Gorkhaland stalemate in Delhi

FROM TIMES OF INDIA

DELHI: The second round of the tripartite meeting over the Gorkhaland issue remained inconclusive with the Centre and the state government on Monday remaining non-committal on the separate statehood for Gorkhas.

Officials in the home ministry hinted that acceding to the demand might not be possible, adding the government would try to convince the Gorkhas at the next meeting about accepting “more powers for Darjeeling Hills under special status”.

All the parties, including Gorkha Janmukti Morcha (GJM) agreed to another round of talks over the issue soon. General secretary of the GJM Roshan Giri, however, told TOI after the meeting that “the Gorkhas would not accept anything less than statehood”.

Union home secretary Madhukar Gupta told reporters that the talks were held in a cordial atmosphere. “Whatever decision is taken, it will be in national interest, keeping in mind the aspirations of the people,” he said.

 

DARJEELING HILLS: Gorkha leader killed, houses burnt in West Bengal hills

FROM THAINDIAN

NEWS SHARED BY ANANT DHAMALA

Siliguri (West Bengal), Jan 1 (IANS) Houses were ransacked and set ablaze, roads blockaded and shops shut down Thursday in Kurseong town of West Bengal by Gorkha Janamukti Morcha (GJM) activists after one of its members was killed in an intra-party clash, the police said.GJM unit convenor of Pankhabari town Subodh Pradhan, 45, along with his six friends, went to attend a cultural programme at Simulbari area in Kurseong Wednesday night. They decided to put up at a nearby guest house as it was late night.

“But the caretaker didn’t let them in as they were drunk. An altercation started and in the heat of the moment Pradhan and his friends beat up the caretaker. He called the locals, who incidentally were GJM activists too, for help,” sub-divisional police officer (SDPO) Rakesh Singh told reporters Thursday.

“A scuffle started between the two groups – Pradhan and his six friends, and about 20 locals. One of the locals stabbed Pradhan with a ‘kukri’ (chopper) and he died on the spot. Six of his friends were hospitalised with serious injuries,” Singh said.

Following Wednesday night’s incident, Pradhan’s supporters ransacked the guest house and set it on fire.

“Pradhan’s supporters ransacked Rohini Guest House and five other houses, and set them ablaze Thursday. They blockaded all roads at Kurseong and shut down all shops. We have deployed commando-combat force comprising specially trained police personnel in the area.”

“There is no political colour in the murder. It’s just an incident,” Singh said.

Meanwhile, GJM spokesperson Benoy Tamang Thursday evening said there are possibilities that it was not an intra-party incident but a well-planned murder.

“Pradhan was with GJM for years. But the activists who murdered him joined us only two-three months back. It is possible that there is foul play in Pradhan’s murder… it may be the handiwork of our rival Gorkha National Liberation Front (GNLF),” Tamang said.

ROHINI: Morcha leader lynched

FROM THE TELEGRAPH

A file picture of the DGHC rest house in Rohini before it was burnt after the ransack.

Rohini, Jan. 1: A Gorkha Janmukti Morcha leader was beaten to death by a mob almost an hour after midnight when seven members of the party spearheading the Gorkhaland movement in the hills broke into a DGHC rest house.

In retaliation, Morcha supporters swooped down on Rohini from Kurseong, 45km from the hill town, this afternoon and set fire to 20 houses. A truck was also torched and even the rest house was not spared. It was set on fire around 12.30pm.

The Morcha has blamed former GNLF supporters for the attack. “In their heart they were still with the GNLF and bore a grudge against our leaders,” said Binay Tamang, the media and publicity secretary of the party said in Darjeeling today.

The DGHC rest house in Rohini after it was burnt and ransacked. Picture by Kundan Yolmo

The body of Subodh Pradhan, the convener of the Giddapahar unit of the Morcha, was found in the bungalow by police early this morning. He had died on the spot. Of the six, while Ramesh Gurung and Shyam Rai had escaped with bruises, four others – Azam Pradhan, Kalyan Subba, Anup Chhetri, Suraj Subba – were taken to North Bengal Medical College and Hospital in Siliguri by the police. Ramesh and Shyam who were initially admitted to the Sukna health centre were later shifted to NBMCH.

From his hospital bed, Azam said: “We had been to Simulbari and had decided to stay back at Rohini for the night. Since we could not find the guards, we broke the locks and entered the bungalow. We decided to buy a new lock in the morning and hand it over to the guards.”

After about an hour, some people, including the guards, reached the bungalow. “They went on abusing us without any provocation. When we protested, around 100-150 people entered the campus and pounced on us. We were helpless and had to bear the beating,” said Suraj Subba, the general secretary of the tea workers’ union of the Morcha. “Subodh, who tried to resist, was attacked with the wooden rods fixed to the beds. They hurled stones and bricks at us, dragged us out and kicked us around. Some others stood guard with khukuris,” he said.

DARJEELING HILLS: Leaderless GNLF blamed for attack

FROM THE TELEGRAPH

A deserted Kurseong town. Picture by Vivek Singh

Jan. 1: The Gorkha Janmukti Morcha has blamed the GNLF – a party now virtually leaderless – for orchestrating the attack at Rohini in Kurseong last night.

None of the prominent GNLF leaders are currently in town. Most of them were forced to leave after the Morcha was launched in October 2007.

“It is learnt that the attackers were led by Krishna Diyali, who was a former GNLF gram panchayat member from Rohini and had surrendered to the Morcha  only a few months ago. It seems the group was forced to surrender under compulsion following the GNLF’s loss of face before the public. We now realise that in their hearts they were still with the GNLF and it seems that they bore a grudge against our leaders,” said Binay Tamang, the media and publicity secretary of the Morcha.

One of the injured, Suraj Subba, is the vice-president of the Darjeeling Hill Terai Dooars Plantation Labour Union – a Morcha  affiliate. Subodh Pradhan, who died on the spot, was the convener of the Giddhapahar-Pankhabari unit of the Morcha.

“Our leaders had gone to Rohini on party related work but they were attacked without any provocation. This proves that the attack was pre-planned,” said Tamang.

In February last year, Pradhan’s motorcycle and his car had been burnt at Pankhabari soon after he joined the Morcha . It was then alleged that the GNLF was behind the attack. At that time, Subash Ghisingh’s party was not yet a spent force.

“It is clear that that the police and the intelligence have failed. K.L. Tamta (IG, north Bengal) must be made accountable,” said Tamang raking up the party’s old demand for transfer of the officer.

DARJEELING HILLS: Darjeeling’s loss is Dooars’ gain

FROM THE STATESMAN

JALPAIGURI, Jan.1: The Dooars area is overflowing with tourists this winters. Unable to go to the Darjeeling hills due to the prevailing political situation, tourists are making a beeline for the Dooars in large numbers making it difficult for the tour operators to handle the situation.

According to several tour operators, providing proper accommodation to the tourists this season has become a major problem. “Tourists are arriving in abundance. The arrivals are particularly heavy at the Garumara, Chapramari and Raja Bhatkhawa forests. The Dooars attract a large number of tourists in the winters but this year it is particularly heavy given the political situation in Darjeeling hills,” said Mr Tapas Dey a Jalpaiguri based tour operator.

According to him, all the private and government lodges are booked to capacity till the first week of January. “We could not accommodate a number of others,” he added. According to him again, the tourists come to visit both the hills and the Dooars as a circuit but most have chosen to give the hills a wide berth this season due to the political situation in the hills.

The manager in-charge, West Bengal Tourism in Siliguri Mrs Kajol Chakraborty said that they too have chalked out their packages, matching the tourists’ demand. “We have four tour packages – Holaog- Chilapata, Jaldapara- Chilapata, Siliguri- Garumara- Dooars tea plantations and Siliguri-Kalimpong – Lava and Lolegaon, of which we are not finding enough tourists for the last one. Another flow of tourists would begin in the last week of January but we are not hopeful of getting many visitors to the hills,” she, said.

SIKKIM: Sikkim’s success story in 2008

FROM THE STATESMAN

GANGTOK, Jan. 1: The state of Sikkim made several major accomplishments in the year that has just gone by.

To begin with, on 26 January 2008, two IPS officers of the state were awarded the President’s Police Medal for distinguished service and Indian Police Medal for meritorious service respectively.

The election department under the instructions from the Election Commission of India completed the summary revision of electoral rolls of 32 Assembly constituents and photo identity cards of 89 per cent of the voters. International flower show 2008 Sikkim for promoting commercial floriculture in the state was organized by the state horticulture department with participation from 22 international organisations.

Mr. Balmiki Prasad Singh was sworn in as the 15th Governor of Sikkim. Exemption from income tax for the Sikkim subject certificate holders made effective besides the extension of Central income tax to rest of the people in the state. A regional administrative centre was set up at Karfectar in South Sikkim. The Bhutia literary centre was set up in Gangtok and the 17th Mountain Division of the Indian army planted 5,400 saplings as an afforestration drive at the Libing helipad and military station near Gangtok.

SIKKIM: Sikkim lays stress on growth of cash crops

FROM THE TELEGRAPH

GANGTOK, Jan. 1: Cash crop development has assumed desired heights in the state of Sikkim, guaranteeing sustainable livelihood, ensuring employment generation and generating income for the rural masses in the state, claims the state Horticulture and Cash Crops Development department.

The department of Horticulture encouraged farmers to grow off-season vegetables. The programmes of the department in the critical areas like pest and disease management, efforts to deal with decline of large cardamom and orange production have been successful.

Technology mission launched by the Centre provided financial assistance for the development increasing production and productivity of Sikkim Mandarin Orange Passion fruit. Commercial exploitation of these fruits was emphasised. The farmers were provided community nurseries, seedlings and reading material on latest vegetable production technologies.

The potato production programme was undertaken for seeds and table purposes in two different seasons of Kharif and Rabi. Almost 18,000 farmers depend on large cardamom, ginger, turmeric and cherry paper, which are the principal cash crops of the state.