BHAGSU: Wastage of public funds in Bhagsunag

FROM THE TRIBUNE

BY LALIT MOHAN

NEWS SHARED BY JTM

Labourers break cemented tiles near Bhagsunag Temple.

BHAGSU: Development funds received under various schemes are being wasted here. These days, the district administration has started development works around the Bhagsunag temple area.

The cemented stairs of the temple, which were made of tiles and were in good shape, are being dismantled, a move which has left many perplexed.

Members of local NGOs allege that the money is being wasted. They say where is the need to reconstruct the stairs which were in good condition.

The tiles were serving their purpose and could have easily lasted many more years. However, by breaking the tiles to do something new in the peak tourist season, the authorities have just created inconvenience for the tourists, besides wasting public money.

The locals said instead of breaking the tiles, the district administration could have installed lights on the path or created other facilities on priority. Besides, the location of toilets in the lower area and their poor condition is perilous for tourists. Senior citizens visiting the Bhagsunag area have to climb many stairs to reach the toilets. So, instead of breaking the tiles, the district administration should have concentrated on creating a ramp to the toilets and improving the facilities.

Besides, there is a need of dustbin along the tract to the Bhagsu waterfall as a large number of tourists visit the site and generally throw the waste in a nullah. There is also a scope for solar lights along the tract.

The Bhagsunag temple development authority has recently envisaged a plan to revamp the entire area. It has also planned to renovate the old wooden inn near the temple area. It has also been planned to replace the old dome of the temple with traditional Hindu temple-type roof. The logic of the district administration for the alteration is that it would create more space in the temple.

Moon Walk: A tribute to Michael Jackson

BY JYOTI THAPA MANI

PHOTO DEDICATION BY SUDARSHAN TAMANG

[Please note: This article has been republished since our fellow blogger Sudarshan has himelf designed and shared with us this fantastic photo as a dedication to the indomitable MJ. This article was originally published on June 26, 2009]

Six feet tall, lean, lithe, handsome adult Michael Jackson stormed into our world on his own in the 80s. Before that he was charming child singer with his brothers Jackson Five. The brothers wore the same dresses, swayed and sang in perfect harmony. Though dressed alike in full sleeved shirts and buttoned waistcoats, Michael stood out as the leader of the performance amongst his elder brothers. He sang like a dream along with his very pleasant smiling face and the Afro hair.

Once he struck on his own as THE Michael Jackson, he became an international icon, the next big thing after Elvis Presley. This time, a black one. Michael displayed an extraordinary talent of dancing and the world went berserk over the first high energy singer-performer who danced over the stage, unlike the earlier ones for whom the microphone was an important stage crutch. While Elvis hugged the microphone and slithered his body around it in ways that made his fans go crazy, for Michael the entire stage was his arena. He jumped, moved and used every inch of the stage like no one had ever before. His music compositions were enthralling and his dancing was out of the world. When he did his moon walking steps we all watched unbelievably. When he did his break dancing, we were in awe of how a body could move like this. It also gave thousands of youngsters a ‘break’ in adopting steps which were more expressive, non-conventional and individualistic than the earlier Western styles of fox trot or Rock and Roll, beyond the world of the common boy or girl anywhere in the world. In ‘Thriller’, the mesmerizing idea of ghoulish figures rising from their graves and dancing with Michael was just mind-blowing and the jerky dance steps introduced were hypnotic. Whatever he did, the world followed. Soon many youngsters even from third world countries picked up the steps and had fun. He also set trends with his clothes, later to hide his illness but that too became a style. They were really unique. Black and silver never looked as groovy as when Michael sported it. I have never seen anyone look so good in tight leather pants and black hats with streaming black hair as Michael did. The black ankle length pants with white socks and black shoes were perfect. The black jacket with a white sleeveless under was perfect. The white and silver gloves were perfect. Many criticized his military epaulette dress style, but I found them very creative and have not come across any other pop star with such an individual signature style. In his video ‘Black or white’ his unburdened basics of just black trousers and billowing soft white shirt was perfect. The shots in Brazil and with Red Indians were perfect. Michael worked hard at uniting people across the world with his songs ‘We are the world’. Despite what people what might say, his number ‘The way you make me feel’ with Naomi Campbell was the most heterosexual sensuous song and video that I had ever seen.

NEPAL: Nepal plunges into politics of languages

FROM ASIA TIMES

By Dhruba Adhikary

KATHMANDU - The issue of official language(s) has never been as sensitive in Nepal as it is now. While the interim statute maintains the continuity of Nepali, in Devnagari script, as the language of official communication, some members of the 601-strong Constituent Assembly want to add 11 more languages to the list, giving them the same status, while others are advocating for the addition of Hindi.

Otherwise, the members will resort to writing “notes of dissent”, unwittingly using an English expression to press their point. One contention is that since Nepal is now a republic, it should adopt a language policy to de-link the country’s monarchical past.

If all 11 languages gain equal status with Nepali as demanded, that will still leave Nepal’s 60 other languages and dialects, which are spoken by just 1% of the population in a country of over 25 million people, off the list.

But does Nepal have the required resource-base to have a dozen official languages? Yes, it is possible, said commentator Shyam Shrestha. Since democracy requires equality, the state should be prepared to pay a concomitant price for it, he said in a recent newspaper article.

Countries often cited for their liberal language policies are Switzerland, Canada, India and South Africa. Post-apartheid South Africa, for example, has accepted 11 languages to address some ethnic communities. But with the passage of time, English, although fifth on the list, has emerged as the most preferred language there. Efforts to promote Afrikaans as the first language have not produced encouraging results.

SIKKIM: Contempt of court petition against DoP special secretary, IGP

FROM SIKKIM EXPRESS

GANGTOK, July 7: Deputy Superintendent of Police (Vigilance) Adup Tshering Bhutia has filed contempt of court petition against Department of Personnel (DoP) special secretary CL Sharma and OH Subba, Inspector General of Police cum Sikkim Establishment Committee.

In his petition, Mr. Bhutia has alleged the above duo of violating the order of the Sikkim High Court passed on May 22, 2007 and of indulging in willful disobedience of the interim stay order of the High Court.

The High Court in its interim stay order of May 2007 had restrained all the State respondents, their servants, officers, employees and agents from any manner giving any effect to the said notification dated November 14, 2006. The court had further said that the notification can be treated as provisional note and in any event the description of writ petitioner as officiating in the said notification shall be given no effect whatsoever.

Mr. Bhutia in his contempt of court petition said that the Sikkim High Court in its interim stay order has put halt in passing any further orders for promotion on officiating basis or regular basis. Hence the interim stay order is binding as all authorities of the government as the order is the law of land, he said. 

SIKKIM: ACT writes to Jairam Ramesh, requests implementation of Carrying Capacity Report

FROM SIKKIM EXPRESS

GANGTOK, July 7: Requesting the Union Minister for Environment (Independent Charge), Jairam Ramesh for immediate implementation of carrying capacity report, the Affected Citizens of Teesta (ACT) has demanded withdrawal of the environmental site orders given to Polyplex Pvt Ltd for 99MW Bimkyong HEP, 99MW Tangchi Hydro Electric Project and 90MW Bop HEP and other projects planned in areas located above Chungthang in North Sikkim.

As per the finding/recommendation of the studies conducted by Centre for Inter-disciplinary Studies of Mountain & Hill Environment, Delhi University, Delhi (CISME), the MOEF had written to the Sikkim Government that no hydro electric projects above Chungthang, North Sikkim will be considered for environment clearance, ACT vice president/chief coordinator Tseten Lepcha said in the letter dated July 7, 2009 addressed to Mr Ramesh.

He added that the private developers are carrying out their survey operation in these areas even after such explicit orders. “If the companies are permitted to continue their work, later on they will claim that lot of resources have been invested and as such these projects have to be cleared, causing tremendous damage to the ecology and the people here,” reads the letter. 

SIKKIM: Rs. 6664.67 lakhs pumped to inject tourism growth in South Sikkim Poor progress for Rs. 2,249 lakhs Samdrupste ropeway project

FROM SIKKIM EXPRESS

GANGTOK, July 07: An astronomical amount of Rs. 6664.67 lakhs has been invested in 28 tourism related infrastructure projects in South Sikkim by the State tourism department since 2005, an official document points out reflecting the State government’s determination to decongest the cogging tourism traffic of East and North districts to other hitherto unexplored areas of the Himalayan State.

Out of these 28 projects, 18 projects are centrally sponsored schemes while the rest are funded either jointly by State and Centre or by State plan only.

Works for five projects are already completed. These are Indian Centre for Adventure & Eco-tourism constructed at the cost of Rs. 541.15 lakhs at Chemchey, footpath at Namthang, Guru Rinpoche Stupa at Rangrang, renovation of TIC at Jorethang and Melli.

However, the ambitious project constructing a ropeway from PWD bungalow to Samdruptse via rock garden in Namchi is not progressing smoothly. The project is worth Rs. 2,249 lakhs which is funded jointly by the Centre and State government. Works had commenced from November, 2006 and has a poor progress. The project was scheduled to be completed on June this year but has completed only 15 percent.

Tender notices for four projects have also been issued. These projects are construction of Yatri-Niwas at Assangthang in South Sikkim (Rs. 383.12 lakhs), construction of tourist infrastructure at Temi-Tarku (Rs. 303.06 lakhs), construction of tourist infrastructure at Damthang (Rs. 366.43 lakhs), construction of tourist infrastructure at Tiffindara and children park at Namchi (Rs. 295.53 lakhs).

Files have also been processed for four centrally sponsored schemes in the South district. The proposed projects are development of village tourism at Rong, Mainram Bhangjang Jaubari and tourist infrastructure at Jorethang.

Finishing works are also going on for construction of Phase II of Indian Centre for Adventure and Eco-Tourism at Chemchey (Rs. 369.27 lakhs) and Lepcha Heritage Centre at Yangyang.

SIKKIM: New steel bridge for Lanco project

FROM SIKKIM EXPRESS

GANGTOK, July 07: A spanking new 135 metres steel bridge of Lanco power project over the Teesta River at Tarkhola was thrown open for traffic today by SK Mittal, CEO of Lanco Energy ltd.

The new bridge connects the power house site and tunnel site of Lanco Energy Ltd which is developing a 500 MW hydel power project in the area.

Earlier, the existing Bailey bridge had been washed away by a rampaging Teesta on May 27. The River had also washed away the materials of the bridge.

Since the washing away of the bridge, works had begun for a new strong bridge in the site by local contractor MP Agarwal of Namchi. The new 135 metres steel bridge has been constructed in record time.

JALPAIGURI: Chattrey Subba launches hunger strike from jail

FROM SIKKIM EXPRESS

DARJEELING: Chattrey Subba, the prime accused in the ambush incident on GNLF leader Subash Ghisingh has launched a hunger strike from Jalpaiguri Jail where he is presently locked up.

Five other co-accused persons are also on the hunger strike along with Mr. Subba. All of them have completed 8 years in prison during trail after being accused of attacking Mr. Ghisingh.

During their imprisonment of 8 years, the trail has not reached its conclusion. Around 75 witnesses have already recorded their statements in the court during the trail.

It may be recalled that Mr. Ghisingh had been ambushed with firearms at Saath Ghoomti near Kurseong on February 10, 2001 when he was returning to Darjeeling. He was the DGHC chairman at that time.

Police later picked up Mr. Subba and thirteen others in connection with the incident. Out of them, six were later released while two were granted bail leaving Mr. Subba and five others to languish in jail during the lengthy trail.

The family members of the jailed persons are living a life of hardship and their financial position is not stable.

VIDEO FEATURE: Singing talent from Sikkim

BLOGS: The Prince and I – The Story of Apa Pant

FROM www.rememberthemasters.org

When the Dalai Lama and the Tibetan delegation crossed the Sikkim border in November 1956, they were welcomed by the Chogyal of Sikkim, Tashi Namgyal and the Indian representative in Sikkim, Apa Pant. For the following three months Apa Pant was in charge of organizing the Dalai Lama’s journey through India, visiting pilgrimage places, but also enabling the Tibetan leader to solicit foreign support for his people under siege.

HH Dalai Lama together with Chogyal Tashi Namgyal
in Gangtok 1957 [PDI]

Some thirty years later my mother presented me with a little book entitled ‘Das Sonnengebet’ (Sun Prayer). I was just about to develop an interest for all things exotic, so I decided to give the seemingly simple yoga exercises a try. For several months I continued to practice the Surya Namaskars and then I must have moved on to something else that was equally exciting and new, but the flavors of discipline and sanity that came with performing a regular exercise stayed with me for much longer.

Just recently, when researching Jamyang Khyentse Chökyi Lodrö’s students in Sikkim, I found that Apa Pant had not only been the highest Indian political officer in Sikkim at the time, but also that he was an ardent practitioner of the Surya Namaskar. This stirred my memory and I phoned my mother to send me the book. Unbelievably she still found it sitting on some dusty shelf.

Sure enough the same Apa Pant who had requested Jamyang Khyentse again and again for the ultimate instruction on how to meditate (as described in chapter 5 of Sogyal Rinpoche’s Tibetan Book of Living and Dying) was the author whose instructions for yogic exercise I had followed with great curiosity many years before I even knew anything about Tibetan Buddhism.

NATIONAL: He blew the whistle on the Kargil intruders

FROM THE HINDU

Batalik: He may have lost his yak, but this poor shepherd who was first to inform the Army about Pakistani intrusion in Kargil in 1999, feels the service he has done to the country matters more to him.

Recounting his experience, Tashi Namgyal told PTI, “I had gone to search for my yak on the top of the Banju hill in the Batalik and while looking through my binoculars, I saw six Pakistani soldiers patrolling the area.

“I immediately rushed to inform the nearest Indian Army post about the intrusion. I am proud of this as it matters so much for a person like me.”

He did not find his yak, but says the Army “more than compensated” for the loss. “I got a lot of support from the Army at that time, and their formations here still recognise my contribution,” he said. Apart from the one-time award of Rs. 50,000 by 8 Mountain Division commander in 1999, he has since been getting regular monetary help from the Army.

“All the commanders in the area have helped me whenever I was in a crisis,” he said.

“Three years after the war, I had found the body of a 1/11 Gorkha Rifles soldier on Kukarthang ridge, which helped the soldier’s family in getting the compensation,” he said, adding he also helped in retrieving the body of Major M. Sarvanan of 1 Bihar Regiment.

NEPAL: Royalists celebrate as Nepal’s last king conquers family curse

When the pro-democracy movement started in 2006, everyone said that once the king was ousted, there would be peace and progress,” said Durga Shrestha, who had been appointed minister for women, children and social welfare after the king staged a coup with the help of the army in 2005 and declared himself head of government. “Now it’s been a year since the king is gone. But where is peace and prosperity? Things are even worse with the parties fighting for power and not caring for the people. “The Maoists, who abolished monarchy, formed the government after acquiring majority in the house. But look at how long their government lasted. Just nine months. And now, people have already begun counting the days, not even months, till the next government falls.” The deposed king himself echoed the sentiments of his subjects in the message he issued on the occasion of his birthday.

FROM JAN SAMACHAR

BY SUDESHNA SARKAR

Thousands of men, women and children, dressed in their finery, flocked to celebrate Nepal’s last king Gyanendra’s 62nd birthday as drummers rolled out thundering beats and dancers wearing traditional masks leapt up in the air, creating a carnival-like spectacle.

One year after he was stripped of his crown and turned out of his ancestral palace, the deposed king looked relaxed and benign as he talked smilingly with followers who plied him with bouquets and khadas – traditional Buddhist scarves of silk – expressing their desire for the restoration of monarchy.

Attendants at Nirmal Niwas, the imposing red-brick mansion in Kathmandu where Gyanendra had lived before he became king in 2001 after the assassination of his elder brother Birendra, said the crowds had started pouring in at 10.30 a.m. braving first showers and then scorching heat.

The former king, gracious in adversity, would be receiving tributes from followers till late in the evening, officials said.

Though Nepal’s lawmakers voted overwhelmingly last year to abolish monarchy, it did not quench the ardour of royalists who said the rapidly deteriorating law and order situation and the growing skirmishes between the political parties proved that Nepal would not get peace by jettisoning its crown.

“When the pro-democracy movement started in 2006, everyone said that once the king was ousted, there would be peace and progress,” said Durga Shrestha, who had been appointed minister for women, children and social welfare after the king staged a coup with the help of the army in 2005 and declared himself head of government.

“Now it’s been a year since the king is gone. But where is peace and prosperity? Things are even worse with the parties fighting for power and not caring for the people.

NEPAL: Peace process to end in 6 months – PM

FROM SOUTH ASIAN MEDIA NET

KATHMANDU: Prime Minster Madhav Kumar Nepal said that the special committee to supervise, integrate and rehabilitate the Maoist army combatants will be reconstituted and the peace process will be completed within 3-6 months time. He said this during a meeting with Karin Landgren, UNMIN chief, on Tuesday.

“The prime minister told the UNMIN chief that the government will accord highest priority to conclusion of the peace process within 3 to 6 months. The process will start from reconstitution of the special committee,” Rajan Bhattarai, the prime minister´s foreign affairs advisor said.

The committee will start its work by releasing minors from the cantonments. Maoist Chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal had also told Landgren about the need to expedite the release of minors at his meeting with Landgren on Monday.

The 8-member special committee was first formed by the then Maoist government.

Bhattarai also informed that Landgren, who left Kathmandu Tuesday for New York, was assured during the meeting that the differences between the political parties will now be highly minimized. The prime minister said that the peace process will be given continuity on the basis of consensus among the major parties, Bhattarai further said.

Landgren is scheduled to attend the quarterly briefing at the UN Security Council on July 13, following which the UN Secretary General will be releasing his report. The extension of UNMIN´s term in Nepal will also be finalized by the Security Council.

BHUTAN: Bhutan wins one, then loses two

FROM KUENSEL NEWSPAPER

BY PHUNTSHO WANGDI

7 July, 2009: After an impressive victory over Qatar, Bhutan lost two consecutive matches to Iran and Thailand in the AFC Women’s 20 Twenty Championship.

On Sunday, Bhutan lost to Thailand by 83 runs. Bhutan won the toss and chose to field at the Bayuemas Oval. Thailand made 116 for 5 off 20 overs, while Bhutan was all out for 33 in 18.1 overs. Bhutan’s A Gurung had got two wickets for 12 and Sonam Choden two for 24. Thailand’s Sornnarin Tippoch, player of the match, gave the Bhutanese eves a difficult time with her commanding batting.

On July 4, Bhutan lost to Iran by 19 runs. Iran won the toss and chose to bat. They made 134 for 6 off 20 overs. Bhutan could manage only 115 for 4 off 20 overs. This was on the back of an impressive win over Qatar a day before.

On July 3, Bhutan had chosen to bat and made 110 for 9 in 20 overs. The margin was not much, but D Darjee’s two wickets in the first over and Sonam Choki’s two more in the third over helped Bhutan win the game by 43 runs.

UNIVERSITY WATCH: NBU to go for semesters

FROM THE STATESMAN

SILIGURI, 7 JULY: The Vice Chancellor, North Bengal University, Prof Arunava Basumajumder has hinted that the university would go for an introduction of the semester system in the under-graduate courses depending upon the building of the required infrastructure.

“We have already introduced the semester system at the post graduate level from the session 2008-09.

Now we are thinking in terms of introducing it at the UG levels too, though the faculty and other related infrastructure are not yet ready for the switch over,” he said.

Underscoring the importance of the switch over at the UG levels, the VC said that the university should move to the semester system at all levels from the Post graduate down to the Higher Secondary.

“For the system involving assessment restructuring is recognised everywhere as one perfectly in tune with the modern times.

The state education department is thinking in terms of introducing a uniform syllabus from the HS to the PG levels all over the state.

DARJEELING HILLS: GNLF, GJMM activists allege assault, FIR lodged at Mirik

FROM THE STATESMAN

SILIGURI, 7 JULY: A Panighatta based GNLF leader, Mr Rajen Mukhia today alleged that some GJMM activists assaulted a number of his party supporters, all residents of Panighatta, in Mirik today. The victims had gone to Mirik to collect papers related to a tender floated by a dairy farm. “We would not tolerate such atrocities on us and would retaliate, if necessary,” Mr Mukhia warned. The victims lodged an FIR at the Mirik police station.

Recounting the incident, Mr Mukhia said that about six persons, GNLF supporters all had been to Mirik this morning from Panighatta to collect tender papers. “A group of GJMM supporters snatched the papers and assaulted them in addition to damaging the vehicle they were traveling.”

He threatened to retaliate if the administration remained partisan towards the GJMM.

Mr Ranjan Rai, Mr Bivas Tamang, Mr Anil Chettri, victims of the incident have lodged FIR at the Mirik police station today demanding arrest of those involved in the alleged atrocities on them. The authority of the Mirik police station confirmed the complaint.

DOOARS TERAI: RSP to lead tea workers’ stir

FROM THE STATESMAN

JALPAIGURI, 7 JULY: The RSP Jalpaiguri district leadership started for Kolkata today with about 1,200 tea workers of the Dooars based tea estates for a sit-in- demonstration in front of the State Assembly tomorrow. The agitators would also submit a memorandum to chief minister Mr Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee on the problems prevailing in the tea plantations and dogging the workers.

According to the RSP Kalchini block committee secretary, Mr Ganesh Lama, the party MLA of Alipurduar, Mr Nirmal Das and the RSP Alipurduar MP, Mr Manohar Tirkey, would also join the programme in Kolkata.

“Representatives of all the tea plantations of Dooars including the locked ones would participate in tomorrow’s programme.

Reopening of the locked plantations, sufficient supply of potable drinking water in every tea estate and similar other crucial issues figure in our list of demands,” Mr Lama said.

Meanwhile, the Jalpaiguri district magistrate, Mrs Vandana Yadav, today held a tripartite meeting with the former and new management and the workers’ unions of Chinchula Tea Estate at Banarhat block about the reopening of the plantation.

A month ago the state chief secretary, Mr Ashok Mohan Chakraborty had assured the Akhil Bhartiya Adivasi Vikas Parishad leadership reopening of three locked tea plantations in the Dooars and Chinchula is one of them.

Mr Surajit Bakshi, one of the three new managing directors of the Tea Estate, claimed that they purchased the plantation from its former owner, Mr Subhranshu Bhoumick today.

SIKKIM: Sikkim on a tree planting spree

FROM THE STATESMAN

GANGTOK, 7 JULY: The Sikkim state government has appealed to every one of its six lakh population to spare at least 10 minutes of their busy schedule on 15 July in planting a tree. The mass programme would begin at 10.30 am. The appeal is in keeping with the state government’s ‘green initiative’ and to make the people environmentally conscious.

To make the unique programme ‘Ten Minutes to Greenery’ effective and successful, plantation would be carried out in all towns, villages, office premises, public premises, schools compound, government offices, public sector undertakings, premises of the Army and Paramilitary Forces and private land of individuals so that every individual participates in the unique plantation programme.

The incomparable programme comes as an inaugural form of the fourth phase of the state ‘green mission’ for the protection of the green wealth of the State.

The state government had launched the ‘Green Mission’ in 2006 to integrate the people with nature and their natural surrounding. The mission also envisages raising seedlings and developing ornamental plants in vacant land.

DOOARS TERAI: Challenged and waiting for 4 hours

FROM THE TELEGRAPH

Physically challenged patients demonstrate in front of acting superintendent Aveek Sarkar. Picture by Anirban Choudhury

Alipurduar, July 7: More than 150 physically challenged people waiting for four hours for a check-up were turned away from the subdivisional hospital here today.

The Dooars Pratibandi Samiti, an organisation for the physically challenged, had brought 350 members to the hospital after fixing an appointment. All of them had arrived at 9am for a check-up after which they would be given a certificate saying that they are physically challenged.

“But at 1pm, the doctors shut the counters. There were around 150 persons left. We had been told to come today. It is not that we came all of a sudden or without any appointment. These people need the certificates. Even doctors are biased towards those who are physically impaired,” said Nayan Das, the president of Kumagram Block committee of the Pratibandi Samity.

Some of the patients, Das said, had come from places as far as Kumargram, 60km from here, Kamakhyaguri, 30km away and Barobisha, 34km from here.

Enraged, the patients demonstrated for an hour before the superintendent of the hospital, who promised them another date next Tuesday.

“He should have told us that earlier. It is difficult for these poor people to come twice. For us too it is tough arranging for the transport for so many people again. We will complain to the higher authorities,” said Das.

KALIMPONG: Morcha feelers on timber ban

FROM THE TELEGRAPH

BY RAJEEV RAVIDAS

Kalimpong, July 7: The Gorkha Janmukti Morcha is not averse to holding talks with the forest department on lifting of the ban on timber movement in the hills.

However, party insiders feel that the talks will be restricted to the movement of the felled logs, and not on fresh felling. The Morcha, they said, is firm on not allowing any fresh felling of trees in the hills.

The Morcha ban on timber trade has been on for more than a year. The Kalimpong division of the West Bengal Forest Development Corporation, which earns between Rs 9 crore and Rs 12 crore a year from timber trade, has borne the brunt of the ban as it has not been able to generate any revenue last year.

Harka Bahadur Chhetri, the newly appointed spokesperson of the Morcha, has, however, stressed the need to take an informed stand on the timber trade. “A fact-finding team could go into the issue and submit a detailed report to the party president. Thereafter, we should leave it to his wisdom,” he said.

Chhetri may have been alluding to unconfirmed reports that, despite the ban, timber is still being clandestinely moved from places in the foothills and the plains. This is being done in collusion with a section of Morcha leaders and supporters engaged in the trade. The hill party had imposed the ban as part of its non-cooperation movement in support of Gorkhaland.

GUWAHATI: Abducted in Guwahati, freed in Nepal

FROM THE TELEGRAPH

Guwahati, July 7: An employee of Oil India Limited (OIL) has claimed that unidentified men kidnapped him from here on July 2, took him to a hideout in Nepal via Siliguri and then set him free after realising it to be a case of mistaken identity.

Rajen Gogoi, 47, who went missing on July 2 but returned safely last night, told police that he was abducted by two unknown men from near Standard Chartered Bank in Guwahati but released unharmed on Sunday night somewhere in Nepal after they realised that they had picked up the “wrong” person.

According to Gogoi, the abductors had targeted another person but ended up kidnapping him.

The police said according to his statement, he was walking down GNB Road towards Ambari when two men accosted him near the bank and forced him into a Maruti 800 car and sped away.

Gogoi said the incident occurred around 5pm on Thursday. “The abductors then drove overnight and reached Siliguri the next morning. They changed vehicles and switched to a jeep near the railway station and drove to Nepal,” a police officer quoting Gogoi said.

The officer said the abductors then took the victim to their hideout somewhere in Nepal and held him captive there. “After sometime, a third person appeared and told the abductors that they had picked up the wrong person. He said Gogoi was not the one he wanted,” he said.

Thereafter, the kidnappers freed him at Bharatpur in Nepal on Sunday evening. “Gogoi spent the night at a hotel in Bharatpur.

DOOARS TERAI: Garden workers make manager stand for 6 hrs

FROM THE TELEGRAPH

Siliguri, July 7: The general manager of Kamala Tea Estate was today forced to stand on road for more than six hours by the workers demanding the immediate payment of their dues.

The protest was started by more than 150 women under the banner of Mahila Samiti around 7.30am with a demonstration in front of the garden office. The estate is located 30km from Siliguri.

The women said their provident fund and gratuity had been due for nine years and they had not been getting rationed items for many months.

“When I came to know about the demonstration, I sent a peon to the labourers and invited them for a dialogue. But they were unwilling to relent and went on with the agitation,” said the general manager, R.P. Singh.

“Around 8.30am, the women entered the factory and stalled the operations there. By that time, more workers, including men, had joined the protest,” he added.

As the entire estate work had come to a complete halt, Singh came out of the office to see the labourers at 9am.

“As I stood on the garden road, they insisted that I make a commitment on clearing their dues on the spot. I told them that talks could be held with the leaders of trade unions and it was difficult for me to give any assurance, standing on the road. I asked them to stop the agitation and come to the negotiating table,” said Singh. “But my pleas went unheeded and the labourers did not allow me to leave,” he added.

The manager told the crowd that if any decision on the demands was to be taken, he needed the permission of the owners.

As the gherao continued, Phansidewa police reached the spot and kept a close watch on the situation.

DARJEELING HILLS: Track caves in, toy trains hit – One month to restore Darjeeling-Njp service

FROM THE TELEGRAPH

A stretch of the toy train track that caved in near Gayabari. Picture by Kundan Yolmo

Siliguri, July 7: Weather has again played spoilsport for the Darjeeling Himalayan Railway (DHR).

Less than a month after the toy train track damaged by Cyclone Aila had been repaired, soil erosion took place at two spots between Gayabari and Mahanadi on Friday, stalling the service between New Jalpaiguri Station and Darjeeling.

The authorities said it would take more than a month to repair the track.

Gayabari is 36km from Siliguri and Mahanadi is further 3km above.

The cyclone on May 26 had caused rubble from the hillsides to cover the track at 50 spots on the 80-km long route. But this time, earth underneath the track has eroded at two spots. While at one place, 20 metres of the track caved in completely, at another spot, soil beneath a stretch of 17 metres eroded.

“The NJP-Darjeeling service was disrupted last Wednesday because the rubble from above had scattered on the tracks at the Chunbhatti Loop near Tindharia (25km from Siliguri). The track was cleared immediately and the service was resumed on Thursday. But the heavy rain on the day after triggered major landslides beneath the tracks between Gayabari and Mahanadi stations,” Subrata Nath, the director of DHR, said today.

“The NJP-Darjeeling service has been halted completely since Friday and it will take more than one month to restore the track to the original shape,” he added.

“The Cyclone Aila had brought debris and trees onto the track and they were removed in 10 days. But more than a month will be needed to complete the repair this time,” said Nath. 

SILIGURI: Director held for lewd clip spread – Actress’ semi-nude shots for Bengali film screen test being circulated among cellphone users

FROM THE TELEGRAPH

Mirik: The smut scene spot?

Siliguri, July 7: An obscene video clip featuring a regional movie actress is doing the rounds in Siliguri and its suburbs.

The 28-year-old actress has complained to police that the scenes were shot by Rakesh Mitra in the name of the screen test for a Bengali movie and were then spread without her consent.

Mitra, who had produced and directed movies in Nepali and other languages, was arrested and produced in the additional chief judicial magistrate’s court here today. He was granted bail.

Sources said the actress, who resides on the outskirts of Siliguri, had been approached by Mitra who introduced himself as a film producer-cum-director.

“I have acted in a number of regional films and appeared in some video albums. I was planning to venture into Bengali movies when Mitra approached me with an offer,” the actress said in her complaint with Pradhannagar police yesterday. “He told me that he was making a Bengali film and wanted to cast me in it.”

She accepted the offer and went to Mirik on a two-day trip for the screen test. “At a lodge there, Mitra said he would like to take some close-ups of mine on bed. The shots, he had said, would be used in the proposed film if I was selected,” said the actress. “I agreed to the proposal and posed semi-nude in front of the camera.”