BIHAR:JAP personnel participate in a tug-of-war at the Raising Day Function in Ranchi

FROM THE TELEGRAPH  BY RAJ KUMAR NEWS SHARED BY AARDEE

JAP personnel participate in a tug-of-war at the Raising Day Function in Ranchi on Monday. Picture by Prashant Mitra Ranchi, Jan. 12: Jawans were ready to fight a war of sorts and spectators cheered them on. The first battalion of the Jharkhand Armed Police-1 showed their might in a tug of war to mark the 129th Raising Day of the battalion. Divided into two groups of 22 members each, the competition began at 9.30am. To make the battle interesting, retired jawans led by Subedar Dharam Prasad Limbu formed one group while those in service came together as their opponents. Subedar Deepeshwar Chhetri led them. It was easy to distinguish between them on the battlefield, too. The retired jawans were were in colourful civil clothes while the serving jawans were in their khakis. On the whistle of state director-general of police V.D. Ram, the two groups began tugging at the rope. Here experience proved handy and within 30 seconds, the retired jawans were declared the winners. The spectators, including several IPS officers and family members of JAP jawans, had a fun time cheering their men on. “Old is gold,” a young lady from the Nepal House was heard saying when the retired JAP jawans won the contest. Earlier in the day, children presented a cultural programme while the jawans participated in a march past. JAP-1 commandant Tadasha Mishra highlighted the glorious history of the battalion. “The battalion was honoured with Purvi Sitara Medal after the 1971 war and it has worked in Bengal, Madhya Pradesh, Punjab, Hyderabad, Jammu and Kashmir, Nagaland and Dehra Dun. It has provided weapon training to the Nefa tribe of Assam and is now busy fighting Naxalites in the state. Four companies of the battalion are providing security to VIPs of the state,” she said. The battalion was raised in 1880 with the name of New Reserve Police Force. It became Bengal Military Police in 1892. In 1905, it was named the Gorkha Military Police. And after Independence, it was called the Bihar Military Police (BMP). Recently in 2000, it was renamed the Jharkhand Armed Police-1, she said.

NEPAL: After Buddha, Nepal stung by terror claims about last king

FROM GULF TIMES

KATHMANDU: After the controversy over Bollywood kungfu comedy Chandni Chowk to China, which wrongly claimed the Buddha was born in India, the Himalayan republic has been stung anew by Indian media reports that a suspended Indian soldier was allegedly involved in a terror plot to establish a Hindu state with help from Nepal’s last king Gyanendra Bir Bikram Shah.

“We are not surprised that Indian intelligence agencies and media have been propagating groundless reports about Nepal,” Nepali weekly Jana Aastha Wednesday said.

The report came after a section of the Indian media published the alleged transcript of a conversation between Lt Col. Shrikanth Prasad Purohit, an Indian Army officer arrested last year on suspicion that he was involved in a series of terror attacks in west India.

The Maharashtra Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) released a 4,500-page chargesheet against the suspended army officer and 10 other people, alleging they had wanted to form a Hindu state and had enlisted the support of Nepal’s last king Gyanendra, who was deposed officially last year.

The chargesheet includes transcripts of a conversation between Purohit and two other men that were allegedly stored in the laptop of one of them.

“Let me also tell you our meeting had been fixed with King Gyanendra on June 24, 2006 and then in 2007,” Purohit allegedly said during the conversation. ” … the king had accepted the proposal … 20 people from my side will train as officers there (in Nepal) every six months … I’ll get 40 persons every year … I’ll get 400 soldiers.”

The army officer also allegedly said he had asked the king to buy AK-47 rifles, for which his group would foot the bill. “The king has accepted …,” the officer allegedly said.

BHUTAN: Bhutan cricket dreams big

FROM KUENSEL NEWSPAPER

By Tandin Wangchuk

The senior cricket team in Thailand

28 January, 2009 -Bhutan made it to the ‘Elite Cricket Group’ and would face some of the bigger cricket playing nations in Asia although Bhutan lost to Oman in the finals of the ACC challenge trophy in Thailand on January 21.

The senior Bhutanese cricket team would fly to the United Arab Emirates later this year for the ACC Twenty20 Cup and would compete against teams from Nepal, Hongkong, Afghanistan and others. It would be the first time for Bhutan to play the twenty20 format of the game, say team members.

Bhutan Under-19 team also made it to the elite group after reaching the finals of the U-19 challenge trophy last year. “Our dream to play in the next U-19 World Cup would depend on our performance when we reach Kuwait in March,” said the team captain, Jigme Singye.

Jigme Singye said that Bhutan had a good team and was hoping to beat bigger teams. “We look forward to play in the next world cup.”

A former player, Damber Singh Gurung, who is coaching the Bhutanese team said: “Our boys have done exceptionally well for the past two years and have received positive feedback from many people. Bhutan’s future looks bright and would be able to play higher levels of cricket.”

However, he said that lack of facilities such as a proper pitch (ground) and harsh playing conditions have hampered the growth of the sport but many boys and girls have shown interest in the game.

BHUTAN: Soil borne disease kills wild pigs

FROM KUENSEL NEWSPAPER

By Nima Wangdi

The boar found dead in Kuenzangdrak being examined by veterinary officials

28 January, 2009 -An outbreak of clostridial infection (a soil borne disease) was responsible for the death of 17 wild pigs in Bumthang in recent weeks, according to veterinary doctors in Bathpalathang, Bumthang.

A team of officials from the Regional Veterinary Laboratory (RVL) conducted postmortem on a lone black boar (changpha) after villagers reported the death in Kuenzangdrak, Tang on January 14.

Six wild pigs were reported dead in Tang and 11 in Chokhortoe, alarming farmers who consumed the meat. Postmortem report showed that there were no prominent injuries or wounds other than a slightly swollen preputial region (testicle area), which suggested clostridial infection.

Regional laboratory officer, Doctor R B Gurung said that they collected various samples for laboratory analysis and found that the carcass of the boar weighing around 100 kilograms was intact and appeared healthy during the postmortem.

Laboratory officials said that test conducted on a piece of dry meat from the wild pigs found in Chokhortoe revealed similar organism. “These organism cause disease condition called Malignant Edema among pigs,” said Dr Gurung.

He said these soil borne organisms infect animals through broken skin or any open wound on the body. “As it is a contagious disease, it can spread to other susceptible population of wild pigs,” he added.

Meanwhile, around 300 people in Chokhortoe had consumed the meat of the dead pigs after they found them dead in the forest. Dzongkhag medical officer, Dr Nima Wangchuk who conducted medical check up in Chokhortoe said that the villagers were still under incubation although no symptoms were reported as of now.

Adivasi team leaves for Kolkata for talks with Buddha

FROM THE STATESMAN

JALPAIGURI, Jan. 28: An Akhil Bhartiya Adivasi Bikash Parishad team left for Kolkata today for a dialogue with chief minister Mr Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee tomorrow vis a vis the recent hostilities with the Gorkha Janmukti Morcha (GJM) in the Dooars.

According to the Terai-Dooars Coordination Committee of the Akhil Bhartiya Adivashi Bikash Parishad secretary Mr Rajesh Lakra seven representatives from the Dooars and three from the Terai would attend the meeting with the CM. Three state committee representatives would conclude the team, he added.

“Although we have primarily prepared a 16-point charter of demands, the state committee would prepare the final document,” he said. According to him, the body’s state president Mr Birsha Tirkey visited the Dooars recently and took stock of the post clash situation. “The findings would be placed before the chief minister,” he said. The Adivasi leader made it clear that his organization was against the GJM holding political rallies and conventions in the Dooars. “The state government should not permit the GJM to hold its political programmes in the Dooars as it could lead to further trouble,” he said. “We are against the GJM’s proposal to include the Dooars and Terai in its proposed Gorkhaland map. If the state government allows the GJMM to promote the proposal in the Dooars and Terai, it would be responsible for the outcome,” Mr Lakra alerted.

DARJEELING HILLS: Orange on cinchona plot

FROM THE TELEGRAPH

Darjeeling, Jan. 28: The directorate of cinchona and medicinal plantation has decided to diversify into products like orange and rubber. The move is expected to make cinchona plantation, the largest public sector unit in the hills, profitable.

Spread over an area of 26,000 acres, the cinchona plantation covers Mungpoo, Latpanchar, Rongo and Munsong and has been running at an annual loss of about Rs 24 crore.

“There has always been a talk on the need to diversify into other products. The state government has now prepared a specific plan for diversification which would help the plantation make a turnover of about Rs 40-50 crore in the next five years,” said Gyan Chandra Subba, director, cinchona and other medicinal plantations.

In fact McKinsey, a US- based consultancy firm, had advised for diversification as early as 2001. “We have now got written instructions for diversification,” Subba said.

Under the proposed plan, the plantation will concentrate cultivating cinchona over an area of 7,000 acre. “We will earmark 1,500 acre for bamboo, 200 for ipecac, 100 for tissue cultivation, 350 for rubber, and 1000 for oranges,” said Subba over the phone from Calcutta.

The plantation provides sustenance to about 40,000 hill people but with the industry running at a loss for two decades, the state government has decided to rework its production plans.

“In the next five years, we are hoping to earn about Rs 10 crore from the sale of oranges along with about Rs 7 crore from cinchona. If things work according to plans, the plantation will get back its lost glory,” said Subba.

SILIGURI: Tea draft to tap new energy sources

BY AVIJIT SINHA

Siliguri, Jan. 28: The West Bengal Green Energy Development Corporation, in association with the Tea Board of India, has decided to draft a package to promote the use of renewable and eco-friendly energy sources in the tea estates of north India.

The corporation hopes such a package would help curb pollution and promote conservation of orthodox fuel and energy sources like coal, diesel and electricity.

The decision to formulate the programme aimed at developing the practice of using renewable energy in gardens was taken at a meeting attended by the officials of the tea board and the corporation and secretary of the Union ministry of new and renewable energy Deepak Gupta in Calcutta on January 23.

“In the package, there will be proposals for development of micro-hydel projects in the tea plantations, use of energy generated from leaves and dry biomass instead of diesel, wood, coal and electricity in brew processing units,” S.P. Gon Choudhuri, the managing director of the corporation, said over the phone from Calcutta today.

“If the tea gardens in the Terai and the Dooars, which get good sunlight, can use machines fitted to solar panels to dry processed tealeaves, the existing resources will be saved and pollution will be mitigated to a large extent,” said Choudhuri.

According to him, implementation of these proposals in tea estates can reduce the use of orthodox energy resources and fuels upto 60 per cent and will substantially cut down overheads.

DOOARS TERAI: R-Day prize for garden girls

FROM THE TELEGRAPH

An NCC cadet lights a candle in memory of the Mumbai terror victims in Malda on Republic Day. (Surajit Roy)

Jaigaon, Jan. 28: The girls of Chengmari Tea Estate High School in Nagrakata returned today with the second prize for the Republic Day march-past in Calcutta after vying with 15 other institutions from across the state.

The headmaster of the school, Shibkumar Jha, said his institution was the only one from Jalpaiguri district to participate in the march-past, taking the salute from governor Gopalkrishna Gandhi. “We had sent 60 girls, with three teachers accompanying them, to take part in the march-past a month ago. They were put up at the Salt Lake stadium and trained in marching skill by jawans of the Eastern Command at the Maidan,” the headmaster said. He added that Basantapur Jhareswari Bani Bhaban School, West Midnapore, had topped the competition.

He said the marchers were led by Saroja Majhi, a Class IX student who stays with her parents in Rangamati tea garden.

“We became runners-up although we participated for the first time. We were happy to show off our skills to the governor,” said Saroja.

The girls were presented with a gleaming trophy and certificates by Brigadier P.K. Sanyal of the Eastern Command.

“We were stunned by the vastness of the city and we were very glad that we had an opportunity to see Calcutta, something we had never dreamed of,” she said.

The chairman of the school management committee, D.S. Parmar, who is also the manager of the tea estate, said almost all the 2,000 students were the children of garden workers. “I am proud that they brought glory to the school despite the little opportunities they have.”

SILIGURI: Dooars & rest of Bengal to figure in talks

FROM THE TELEGRAPH

Siliguri, Jan. 28: The Akhil Bharatiya Adivasi Vikash Parishad will not only discuss the recent ethnic clashes in the Dooars in its first meeting with the government tomorrow but voice concern about other “common” problems being faced by the tribals of Bengal as well.

A 15-member delegation of the party will meet chief minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee at Writers’ Buildings in Calcutta.

“Our talks will not be limited to the problems faced by different tribes in the Dooars during the Gorkhaland movement. Other key points like the protests at Lalgarh, Bankura and Purulia will also be raised,” Birsa Tirkey, the state president of the Parishad, said over the phone from Calcutta today. “The Dooars issue will definitely be discussed in the meeting, but the stress will be on matters related to tribals leaving their homes in fear in south Bengal districts.”

The Parishad delegation will comprise leaders from the Terai and Dooars, Midnapore and Bankura.

“The crisis arising out of Gorkha Janmukti Morcha (GJM)’s movement in the Dooars or the police highhandedness in Midnapore, Bankura and Purulia are area-specific,” Tirkey said. “But issues like economic backwardness, lack of education, health facilities and employment, which the tribal population faces everyday, are common. We will place a charter of demands and ask the government to intervene.”

SILIGURI: Four Nepal residents arrested

FROM THE TELEGRAPH

Siliguri, Jan. 28: The SSB arrested four residents of Nepal and seized a sophisticated firearm and currency notes of three countries from them at Panitanki on the border this afternoon. Another accomplice of the arrested persons, however, managed to escape.

Officials of the SSB’s 22nd Battalion, which apprehended the foreign nationals, suspect that the gang was involved in peddling drugs including sedative and cough syrup in the border area.

“The arrested persons are Bikash Karki of Birtamore, Debiram Pahari and Tekram Pahari of Dhulabari in Jhapa district and Indraprasad Upaddhaya of Odalbari in Morang district of Nepal,” said an SSB official.

Local people had spotted a Maruti van plying recklessly on Mechi Bridge (that connects both the countries) at Panitanki, 40km from here, and intercepted it. “The four came out of the vehicle and there was an altercation with the residents who informed our guards,” the official said.

In the melee, one of the men, who was in the vehicle, escaped. “We have identified him and will arrest him soon,” he said.

ALIPURDUAR: Halfway to meet Bimal, tribals turn back – Adivasi leaders stop bus on way to hill camp

FROM THE TELEGRAPH

A makeshift camp of the Gorkha Janmukti Morcha in Gorubathan. Picture by Chinlop Fudong Lepcha

Alipurduar, Jan. 28: The Akhil Bharatiya Adivasi Vikash Parishad today forced a busload of garden workers on their way to Gorubathan to register with the Gorkhaland Personnel to turn back and return to Kalchini.

The private bus with nearly 50  Gorkha Janmukti Morcha (GJM) supporters from the Dooars on board was stopped at Old Hasimara, 40km from here, around 11am.

The supporters – 30 of them were Adivasis and the rest Gorkhas – were from Bhatpara Tea Estate in Kalchini.

“We were on our way to meet Morcha  president Bimal Gurung. Some of us had wanted to register with the special cell, the GLP. But the Parishad stopped us midway,” said Ranthu Baraik, a 25-year-old garden worker who was on the bus.

Raju Barla, the secretary of the state organising committee of the Parishad, said his outfit had prior information about the bus.

“Based on that, we reached Old Hasimara. We brought down the Adivasis from the vehicle. I told them that the GLP is not any government force and that they should not join it. I warned them that they would be given arms in the future to organise anti-social activities in the Dooars. The Adivasis realised that they had been misled and said they would like to go back.”

After the bus was stopped, there was an altercation with the Morcha supporters and the Parishad members.

A police force from Hasimara outpost reached the spot along with Rajendra Prasad Sun Das, the block development officer of Kalchini. “The BDO intervened and asked the Adivasis to go back. We had told the Morcha leaders to restrict their movement to the hills and leave the Dooars out. We will act if we get information like this in the future,” said Barla.