VIDEO FEATURE: Prashant Tamang – Asarai Mahinama ( Official video ) – HQ ( 2009 )

SIKKIM: Sikkim remains cut off for fourth successive day

FROM PRESS TRUST OF INDIA

Gangtok, Jul 17 (PTI) Sikkim remained cut off from other parts of the country for the fourth successive day today due to the blockade of the National Highway 31A by the Gorkha JanaMukti Morcha (GJM) as part of its agitation for a separate Gorkhaland statehood demand.

The movement of traffic between Sikkim and Siliguri through the NH-31A has been a bare minimum barring those of the army and the emergency services like ambulances, the police officials manning the inter-state border check post at Rangpo told PTI here.

However, Sikkim may get a breather from the ongoing strike as the GJM was understood to have decided to relax the blockade for 12 hours from 6 AM to 6 PM tomorrow apparently for the convenience of the local people and transportation of essential supplies, official sources said.

NATIONAL: HC asks Centre to place before it report on Sino-India war

FROM THE HINDU

NEWS SHARED BY AARDEE

New Delhi: The Delhi High Court on Thursday directed the government to place before it the report of Lt Gen Henderson Brooks on the reasons behind 1962 Sino-India war to decide whether it could be made public.

Justice Sanjiv Khanna issued notice to the government and asked it to file its response on a petition filed by noted journalist Kuldip Nayar, seeking the court’’s direction to the Centre to disclose the report.

Advocate Rajiv Nayar, appearing for the petitioner, contended that the report was more that 45 years old and it could not remain classified.

“It is now 43 years old and should have been formally available in the Archives of India some 30 years after it was submitted to the Government of India. I hope I can use my right under Right to Information to get copy,” the petition said, adding that in the US, the papers relating to Vietnam were made public.

The Court after hearing his arguments asked the government to file the report in a sealed envelope and posted the matter for further hearing on October 22.

NEW DELHI: Strategic importance of Gorkhaland stressed by Jaswant Singh

FROM NEWS TRACK INDIA

New Delhi/Siliguri, July 17 (ANI): Jaswant Singh, who successfully contested in the elections to Lok Sabha from Darjeeling as a candidate of the BJP with the support of the Gorkha Janmukti Morcha (GJM) has said that the Centre should realise the strategic importance of Gorkhaland.

He noted that this region shares international borders with Bangladesh, Bhutan, China and Nepal.

“The demand is for a small state within the country, within India and within the territorial limits. It is very important to remember that it is the only district in the country which actually adjoins three international borders and is very close to the fourth,” Singh said while releasing a book ‘Why Gorkhaland?’ in New Delhi last evening.

Singh added that the BJP has always been in favour of small states like the Gorkhaland in West Bengal and Telangana in Andhra Pradesh.

In Siliguri, the GJM continued the blockade of National Highway 31-A on Thursday.

Consequently, hundreds of vehicles were stranded along the road leading to the foothills with the drivers unaware as to when this blockade will end.

However, the GJM activists said that only vehicles of the defence forces and other emergency services will be allowed to ply on the highway from Sikkim until their demand is heard by the Central and State Governments.

BENGAL: West Bengal paying for not having fiscal discipline law – CAG

FROM PRESS TRUST OF INDIA

NEWS SHARED BY AARDEE

West Bengal lost Rs 546.68 crore in 2007-08 for not having its own fiscal responsibilty law, which mandates fiscal discipline, according to the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG).

The March 2008 CAG report noted that the state could not take debt relief of Rs 546.68 crore (Rs 237.50 crore on account of annual instalment and Rs 309.18 crore interest) in 2007-08.

These benefits are offered by the Centre against timely repayment of loans and for achieving fiscal targets. The state has been missing such benefits since 2005.

The report also stated that overall fiscal liabilities of the state increased 50 per cent from Rs 89,388 crore in 2003-04 to Rs 1,34,402 crore in 2007-08.

The state’s revenue deficit has reached 2.91 per cent and 4.07 per cent fiscal deficit.

DARJEELING HILLS: Gorkha bandh – Darjeeling tea industry at a loss of Rs 1 cr/day

FROM BUSINESS STANDARD

NEWS SHARED BY AARDEE

The Gorkha Janmukti Morcha’s indefinite bandh since July 13 has seriously hit the tea industry in the region causing a whopping loss of Rs 1 crore daily.

“The industry (is) incurring a loss of Rs 1 crore daily and a few gardens (have) started considering closure,” Secretary of the Darjeeling Tea Association Sandeep Mukherjee said.

Stating that it would be difficult to produce even 50 per cent of last year’s yield of 9.5 million kg of Darjeeling tea this year, Mukherjee said that it would also adversely affect India’s credibility in the international market.

“If we fail to supply international buyers they will shift to other countries like Nepal and China. They are not concerned about our problems,” he added.

“The industry from the beginning of this fiscal has been plagued with problems one after another and the GJM bandh is the last nail in the coffin. If the bandh is not immediately called off many gardens would have no option but to close,” he shared.

NATIONAL: ‘One rank, one pension’ for officers, too

FROM THE TRIBUNE

NEWS SHARED BY AARDEE

Defence Minister A K Antony today clarified in the Lok Sabha that “one rank, one pension” recommendation of the Cabinet Secretary-led panel had been accepted by the government for jawans as well as officers.

The government has accepted recommendations of the panel on “one rank, one pension” and other related matters concerning the armed forces, the Lok Sabha was informed today.

The decision is now nearer to the goal of “one rank, one pension” demand of nearly 1.5 million personnel, Antony said during question hour.

The total financial implications on account of benefits to the personnel would be Rs 2,144 crore, the minister said..

The committee has recommended inclusion of Classification Allowance for the Personnel Below Officer Rank (PBOR) from January 1, 2006, and removal of linkage of full pensions with 33 years from the same date, he said.

The committee also recommended revision of pension of Lt Generals after carrying out a separate pay scale for them, bringing parity between pension pre and post October 10, 1997, for PBOR pensioners and further improving PBOR pensions based on award of Group of Ministers in 2006.

With regard to the separate pay commission, the minister said it had been agreed, and as and when necessary it would be set up in the future.

SIKKIM: Removal of Bhandari from SPCC presidentship sought

FROM SIKKIM EXPRESS

GANGTOK, July 16: Former AICC member MD Joshi today forwarded a representation to the Congress president Sonia Gandhi demanding that removal of Nar Bahadur Bhandari from his post as the president of Sikkim Pradesh Congress Committee (SPCC).

Mr. Joshi sought the axe on Mr. Bhandari as he had ‘completely failed to lead the party and failed to achieve any target in the two elections and one Panchayat election’.

Mr. Joshi has also alleged that the SPCC president has dual citizenship of both India and Nepal. He has submitted a photocopy of the then SPCC president Karma Topden’s allegations against Mr. Bhandari leveled in 1999.

SIKKIM: Heli-services fully booked till next week

FROM SIKKIM EXPRESS

GANGTOK, July 16: The frequency of flights of the Sikkim-Bagdogra helicopter service has been increased due to the closure of National Highway 31A connecting Sikkim with Siliguri after the GJMM called an indefinite bandh in the Darjeeling hills. .

According to ticketing personals at the Sikkim Tourism Development Corporation (STDC), the service provider, the chopper has now started doing on an average five trips daily between Bagdogra and Sikkim. It is also learnt that the services of the 5 seater chopper has been fully booked till next week.

Considering the weather condition in Gangtok, the Rangpo mining helipad is being used to connect Sikkim with Bagdogra.

The STDC Chief Executive Officer LB Chettri said that the seats would be provided on priority basis. Emergency trips for medical treatments and students’ admission are our main concerns, he said.

Mr. Chettri further informed that as time saving measures, the Rangpo mining helipad is being used instead of the operational helipads in Gangtok and Gyalsing. ‘The daily service starting at 9 am would continue until sunset, he said.

It is also informed that the STDC has been scouting for private heli service providers to meet the ongoing connectivity crisis.

SIKKIM: Sikkim MPs raises bandh issue in Parliament Chidambaram assures that NH 31A will be opened shortly

FROM SIKKIM EXPRESS

GANGTOK, July 16: With Sikkim affected for the third consecutive day due to the indefinite Darjeeling bandh, the two MPs of Sikkim-Lok Sabha member PD Rai and Rajya Sabha member OT Lepcha-today raised the issue with Union Home Minister P Chidambaram at New Delhi.

The duo reiterated the hardships faced by the people of Sikkim during the bandh and requested the Union Home Minister to enhance the helicopter services to Sikkim immediately to tide over emergencies. They also sensitized the Union Home Minister about the steps being taken by the Sikkim Government.

A copy of the statements raised by Mr. Rai during the Zero Hour in the Parliament yesterday was also submitted to the Union Minister who gave the Sikkim MPs a patient hearing.

Mr. Chidambaram updated the MPs on the present situation which he said was being watched very carefully by the Union Home Ministry. He assured the MPs that the National Highway 31A will be opened shortly.

Mr. Chidambaram informed that Darjeeling MP Jaswant Singh has left for Darjeeling for urgent consultations and the Ministry was in touch with him as well.

Yesterday, Mr. Rai raised the problems of Sikkim during the Zero Hour where he demanded the immediate intervention to the situation. He also brought to the notice of the House the pain that the people of Sikkim have to bear with every blockage of NH 31A which is the lifeline and only access to the landlocked State of Sikkim.

“It is also a shame that this highway, which is a strategic asset, has not been widened to even a two lane in over 35 years. Blockages due to landslides are also not infrequent”, said Mr. Rai. He said that the sad part is that the NH 31A is closed down on account of agitations in West Bengal ever since 1987.

“If we calculate the loss of business and costs paid by our people and visitors on account of rise in prices this will be colossal. I will bring this number to the notice of this house in due course. Mental anguish of the people of Sikkim, however, cannot be measured in terms of just money”, Mr. Rai.

PHOTO FEATURE: Why Gorkhaland? Booklet release

More Photos…

THE HIMALAYAN BEACON [BEACON ONLINE] EXCLUSIVE

DARJEELING HILLS: GJM President promises relief measures

THE HIMALAYAN BEACON [BEACON ONLINE] EXCLUSIVE

BY BARUN ROY

Gorkha Janmukti Morcha President Bimal Gurung (c) with the party Central Committee leaders during the press conference at Darjeeling. Photo by Himalaya Darpan

Darjeeling: Gorkha Janmukti Morcha President Bimal Gurung has promised relief measures for the people during the period of indefinite strike. Addressing a press conference at Darjeeling yesterday, he said, “We are committed towards apply as less a pressure upon the people as we can. We understand that there has been and will be problems for the layman, however, certain things hardships must be borne for Gorkhaland. However, again we are opening up relief centres for the people in towns and villages. The people who work in tea gardens have been the ones mostly hit. Our party is in the process of opening relief camps for them and if needed will supply them with rations and other essential goods. We are also allowing SP, DSP, IC, SDO and DMs to ply in their vehicles. On 18th of July, vehicles with SK number will be allowed to ply through the National Highway 31 A for a period of 12 hours.

ASSAM: Gorkha student body to move EC over ‘D’ voters issue

FROM ASSAM TRIBUNE

UDALGURI: The BTAD region committee of All Assam Gorkha Students’ Union is ready to move the Election Commission over the D voters issue saying that the problem of D voters in the aboriginal Gorkha community is rising which has hurt the sentiment of the community that has made immense contribution in nation building activities. This was announced by Ramesh Dahal, the newly elected general secretary of the students’ body BTAD unit in a press meet recently.

The BTAD region AAGSU also observed that the students’ organisation which formally got united with the All Assam Nepali Students’ Union (AANSU) on March 15 last at Gauhati University under the name and style of All Assam Gorkha Students’ Union (AAGSU) has great tasks ahead of it to deal with in the days to come.

The press meet was also addressed by Madhab Chetry, president of the BTAD region committee of the students’ organisation. When asked about its relation and differences with All Gorkha Students’ Union, the AAGSU president said that there is no existence of the All Gorkha Students’ Union in Assam. It has its existence in Darjeeling. “It was formed by some dissidents of the AAGSU who were expelled from the organisation on various grounds, he added.

It is to be noted that the history of the students’ organisation started in Assam in 1946 with formation of Tezpur Gorkha Students’ Association. Again in 1952, some enthusiastic Nepali-speaking students of undivided Darrang district formally formed Darrang District Nepali Students’ Union, which ultimately gave birth to All Assam Nepali Students’ Union (AANSU) in 1976.

NAGALAND: Gorkha Public Panchayat, Kohima (GPPK) observed Bhanu Jayanti

FROM MORUNG EXPRESS

Dimapur, July 16 (MExN): The Gorkha Public Panchayat, Kohima (GPPK) on July 13 celebrated the 195th birth anniversary of Aadi Kabi Bhanu Bhakta Acharya at Gorkha Public Panchayat Hall, Kohima. Bharat Kumar Thapa, Deputy Secretary, NBSE, Kohima was the Chief Guest while B. B Gurung, president, Nagaland Gorkha Association the guest of honour and Sakhol Angami, member Upper Chandmari, KMC was the special guest. GPPK, general secretary P. K Thapa in a press release also said that the successful candidates in HSLC, HSSLC and Literary competition 2009 were felicitated during the occasion.

DARJEELING HILLS: GJM bandh in Darjeeling continues

FROM THE HINDU

BY MARCUS DAM

It will be relaxed for 12 hours on Saturday along NH 31A linking Sikkim to the plains

People wait at a Sikkim bus terminal on Thursday on the fourth day of the Darjeeling bandh which has cut off Sikkim from the plains.

KOLKATA: The bandh in the Darjeeling hills that entered its fourth day will continue indefinitely until the Gorkha Janamukti Morcha (GJM) receives a positive response from the Centre and the West Bengal government to its demand for a separate Gorkhaland, GJM leaders said on Thursday.

“There is no question of calling off the bandh otherwise,” GJM assistant general secretary Benoy Tamang, told The Hindu over telephone from Darjeeling.

GJM president Bimal Gurung, had earlier asked the people of the region to be prepared for a protracted bandh.

“Mr Gurung, however, announced that the bandh would be relaxed on Saturday for 12 hours from 6 a.m. along National Highway 31A that links Sikkim to the plains, to enable only vehicles registered in that State to pass through,” Mr. Tamang said.

The GJM leadership reiterated that it is willing to sit for tripartite talks on condition that “they be held at the political level and with the single agenda of Gorkhaland.”

“We also demand that the next round of tripartite talks that has been proposed for August 24 be held by August 7 — the last day of Parliament’s monsoon session,” Mr Tamang said.

Normal life continued to remain affected in the sub-divisions of Darjeeling, Kurseong and Kalimpong. Vehicles did not run and shops, commercial establishments and schools remained closed.

Mr. Gurung will be releasing a document titled “Why Gorkhaland,” prepared by the GJM’s “study forum” at a meeting of intellectuals, heads of educational institutions and minority communities in Darjeeling on Friday.

DARJEELING HILLS: Cop-out in Hills: GJM boys rule streets, police indoors

FROM INDIAN EXPRESS

Even as the indefinite shutdown of the Darjeeling Hills called by the Gorkha Janamukti Morcha entered its third day, police continued to stay off the streets while Gorkhaland Personnel (GLP), a special cadre raised by the GJM as part of its youth wing, patrolled the streets to enforce the bandh.

Raised during the latter part of 2008, the GLP’s strength, according to sources in the district administration, is around 6,000. The GJM sources put the figure at 11,000.

Comprising youths of both sexes, the GLP is trained in unarmed combat by ex-servicemen affiliated to the GJM, and given rigorous physical training, mostly by former jawans and officers of Gorkha regiments.

The GJM, as part of its bandh call to press for its demands that include shifting our of IG (North Bengal) K L Tamta, has demanded that except for the SP, the state police should not venture out during the bandh.

Senior police officers said the police in Darjeeling were doing just that. “It’s not that we’re obeying their diktat. We don’t want to give them another excuse for agitation. If our men venture out in official vehicles and are stopped by bandh enforcers, including the GLP, we will not listen to them. It could lead to a confrontation and a fresh flashpoint. We don’t want that. It’s better to wait and watch,” police sources said, adding that in case any untoward incidents take place, the police will be deployed immediately.

Sources said GLP inductees were being trained openly in many places, including Garubathan on the Darjeeling-Jalpaiguri district border where the GJM leadership had camped for several weeks in a bid to hold pro-Gorkhaland rallies in the Dooars.

“From a simple security point of view, so many trained cadres could pose a law and order problem if there is a confrontation with the police,” a senior police officer said.

NEW DELHI: GJM spurns Centre’s talks offer, wants Buddha, PC on table

FROM INDIAN EXPRESS

Snubbing the Centre’s offer of holding the third round of tripartite talks on August 24 in Delhi, the Gorkha Janamukti Morcha said further talks should be held at the political level, and should be “fruitful”.

On Wednesday, the Union home secretary had requested the GJM to call off the ongoing indefinite bandh. The two rounds of talks held in September and December last year involved the Union home secretary and the Bengal chief secretary, besides the Morcha representatives.

“We don’t want secretary-level talks anymore. We have received a letter specifying the date for the next round of talks. The dialogue henceforth should be political and involve the West Bengal Chief Minister and the Union Home Minister. We feel the secretary-level talks have not produced any favourable results,” senior GJM leader Amar Lama said, adding that general secretary Roshan Giri and leader Harka Bahadur Chettri were in Delhi and would likely be meeting Union Home Minister P Chidambaram on Thursday.

“The Darjeeling MP, Jaswant Singh, is facilitating our endeavour. In fact, a lot of what is going on in Delhi is at his initiative,” Lama said while ruling out calling off the ongoing bandh.

Lama said there was no need for guardians of students of residential hill schools to worry.

All schools and colleges in the Hills have closed down since the bandh began. “There is no problem with schools. We have not asked guardians to take their wards out of Darjeeling. We know there are many reputed schools here with students coming from even Thailand. They (parents) have nothing to worry about,” he said.

TEA NEWS: Darjeeling tea production hit by strike action

FROM ALL ABOUT TEA

By Andrew Gadsden

Strikes could hamper tea production in Darjeeling Tea production in India’s Darjeeling hills could be cut by as much as 20% after new separatist protests by ethnic Nepalis in the West Bengal state broke out.

Officials fear it will also hamper tourism after an all-out strike, called by the regionally based political party Gorkha Janmukti Morcha (GJM), began on Monday (July 13, 2009).

The GJM is demanding a separate state and fairer treatment for Darjeeling’s Nepali-speaking Gorkha community – a Gorkhaland – and for police officials to be shifted out of Darjeeling.

It said a third round of tripartite talks would take place in Delhi on August 24 with the GJM delegation led by the party’s General Secretary Roshan Giri in New Delhi, but these would not stop the strike action.

The Times of India reported the strike had “crippled” life in three hill sub-divisions as all shops and business establishments remained closed.

No one had turned up for work either in the state or central government offices. Tea gardens in Kalimpong were also not functioning.

Gorkha protests have hit Darjeeling since 2008, but this year’s round is targeting tea production during the harvest season.

Action was suspended when elections to the Indian parliament were called.

The GJM backed a candidate of India’s Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) – former foreign minister Jaswant Singh – in the elections.

Mr Singh won the Darjeeling parliament seat with a huge margin in a state where his party otherwise fared poorly.

SIKKIM: Sikkim to take up highway blockade issue with Centre

FROM PRESS TRUST OF INDIA

Gangtok, July 16 (PTI) Perturbed by frequent blockades of the NH-31A that connects Sikkim’s state capital with Siliguri in West Bengal, Chief Minister Pawan Kumar Chamling today said he will take up the matter with the Centre.

Chamling, who left for New Delhi today, said he would explain to the Centre about the acute problems faced by the people of the border state due to frequent shutdown of the highway by agitators in West Bengal in spite of a Supreme Court directive, official sources told PTI here.

The chief minister will try to convince the Centre for speedy execution of an alternative highway project so that the state does not get cut off in terms of communication and connectivity for any reason, they said.

BOOKLET: WHY GORKHALAND?

THE HIMALAYAN BEACON [BEACON ONLINE] EXCLUSIVE

OUT OF THE BOX: The team to tame Thorthormi

340 men leave shortly as part of the Lunana lake mitigation project

FROM KUENSEL NEWSPAPER

By Phuntsho Namgay

16 July, 2009 - For the next three months, Sangay Tenzin, a Thimphu taxi driver, will live on dry vegetables, dal and rice and spend most of the time in knee-deep ice-cold water.

He will leave for Lunana soon as a part of the Thorthormi mitigation operation team. The thought of the climb to Lunana, the harsh weather and strenuous labour, Sangay says, sends chills down his spine, but the 5-foot 4-inch bachelor is not deterred. He is all set for Operation Thorthormi.

About 340 men, who passed the physical test required to register for the Lunana project, will meet at Goen Damji on July 28. They will proceed to Lunana to manually lower the Thorthormi lake. These men will excavate key spots around the lake for three months to reduce the threat of glacial lake outburst floods.

This lake-lowering team includes farmers, taxi drivers, unemployed youth and some, who left their jobs or took extraordinary leave, drawn by the prospects of the money. They will be paid Nu 15,000 a month, excluding the Nu 6,000 for the 10-day trip. The department of geology and mines is also providing insurance of Nu 108,000 for each of the 340 or so men.

The money is good but, as the men prepare for the trip, there is both excitement and anxiety. “If I can earn Nu 45,000 in 3 months, it is equivalent to 15 months of my present salary,” says Kinley, who works as a daily wage earner in a private company. “It is risky, but I think it’s worth the risk,” says the recently married young man, adding that his wife is still worried.

BENGAL: Unrest in the State capital

A bus set on fire by Congress supporters on Howrah bridge yesterday. Photo by Biplab Bhattacherjee (The Statesman)

DOOARS TERAI: Bison gores three, dies of exhaustion

FROM THE TELEGRAPH

The bison near the pump set at Chhakamari on Thursday. Picture by Anirban Choudhury

Alipurduar, July 16: A bison gored three persons and damaged four houses in a forest village in Madarihat before dying from exhaustion this morning.

Forest department sources said the animal had entered Chhakamari village, around 55km form here, and first attacked Sukra Oraon, who working in his paddy field. Sikra was flung up in the air and he suffered serious injuries on the leg. He was taken to the health centre at Madarihat and later shifted to the district hospital in Jalpaiguri.

With a large number of villagers trying to chase it away, the bison began running around aimlessly as stones rained down on it.

The sources said the animal had entered Aswininagar and Pradhannagar, some 3km from the forest edge, and damaged four huts and mowed down fences.

Fulmani Oraon, who had stepped out of her house hearing the commotion and Abul Kalam were gored by the animal. They were taken to the Birpara hospital for treatment.

After that, the bison upset a pump set in the house of Banisesh Ekka and slipped and fell in the diesel that leaked out of the tank. With the ground becoming slippery, the bison kept falling down. By the time the foresters started the preparations to tranquillise the bison, it had died from exhaustion and shock around 8.30am.

DARJEELING HILLS: Schools plan to curtail holidays

FROM THE TELEGRAPH

BY VIVEK CHHETRI

Darjeeling, July 16: Many educational institutions in the hills are looking at curtailing vacations and scrapping other extra-curricular activities to make up for the loss of school days because of the strike.

With the Gorkha Janmukti Morcha refusing to budge from its stand, there are possibilities of the strikes lingering on for quite sometime.

“If the strike prolongs, we have to think of some contingency plans such as curtailing our vacations and cancelling some of our extra curricular activities to ensure that the syllabus is covered,” said Fr Kinley Tshering, general secretary, All Heads of Educational Institutes of Darjeeling.

If the strike carries on for sometime, the schools are thinking of holding classes well into December. Normally, the hill schools close for the three-month winter vacation from December 1 only to reopen in the middle of March.

“We could think of holding classes in December also,” said Fr Kinley. The other option of curtailing extra-curricular activities will not, however, be welcomed by the students as the hill schools have a very strong traditional of inter-school activities in which even the teachers get involved.

Other schools were of the opinion that they would start holding classes on Saturday — which normally is either a half holiday or a full holiday— once the strike ends.

SILIGURI: Less buses block home rush

FROM THE TELEGRAPH

BY MRINALINI SHARMA

A long queue at the SNT bus terminus in Siliguri on Thursday. Picture by Kundan Yolmo

Siliguri, July 16: Nearly 1,000 people and just 10 buses to take them to Sikkim.

That was the situation today at the Sikkim Nationalised Transport (SNT) bus terminus off Hill Cart Road here during the hours of relaxation.

The Gorkha Janmukti Morcha has granted relief for SNT buses to take the stranded people of the Himalayan state back home. “The relief came after senior officials of the SNT had approached the Morcha leadership,” said Buddha Rai, the public relations officer of the SNT.

Patients, students, tourists, traders and common people of Sikkim formed the major part of the crowd that swarmed the terminus campus, either standing in a queue in front of the closed counters or squatting inside the shed since dawn, hoping for tickets.

They got ecstatic when the ticket counters opened around 12:30pm, nearly seven hours after standing in the queue under the sun.

“I have been standing here since 5am to get tickets for myself and my ailing daughter,” said D.M. Gautam of Rabong, the first woman in the queue at the counter. “I had taken her to Calcutta for treatment but got stuck here on my way back.”

The situation is not unique today. The stranded people have been thronging the terminus since Tuesday when the Morcha began its indefinite strike, blocking NH31A, Sikkim’s lifeline with rest of the country.

A group of eight students from Nepal, who arrived in Siliguri yesterday, were among the stranded passengers. But they are afraid of missing the admission deadline at Sikkim Manipal University (SMU). “We have come all the way from Dharan to get admitted to SMU. It will be bad if we get stuck here and miss the deadline,” Ranjeeta Limbu said.