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NEPAL: Festival of snakes being celebrated in Nepal

FROM CHINA VIEW

KATHMANDU, July 26 (Xinhua) — Hindu devotees in Nepal are celebrating the Naag Panchami, a festival of snakes across the country worshipping the serpent deity with great reverence on Sunday.

The festival is celebrated every year on the fifth day of the waxing moon in the Nepali month of Shrawan, according to the Lunar Calendar. The Shrawan month begins from July 16 to Aug. 16.

On the occasion, devotees paste pictures of Naag (serpent deity)above the main gate of houses, with the belief that houses will be protected from lightning and fire and the family from snakes and scorpions.

Offerings of milk, ghee, sweets, water and rice are also made at the sites of snake holes. Devotees consider themselves lucky if snakes drink offered milks.

In Hinduism, the Naag is considered as divine and the divine serpents are believed to be a guardian of the ground.

Devotees are thronging to several temples in the capital Kathmandu including Naag Bahal in Patan, Basukithan in Pashupatinath and Naag Pokhari in Naxal to pay homage to the serpent deity.

SIKKIM: SIKITEX 09 to be held in Sept

FROM SIKKIM EXPRESS

GANGTOK, July 25: The State Information & Technology department has announced its plans to host a two day IT fair cum exhibition ‘SIKITEX 09’ this September in tune with the State government’s priority on information technology.

With a view to make Sikkim a favorite IT destination, the ‘SIKITEX 09’ will be organized at Chintan Bhavan on September 17 and 18.

The broad objective of organizing this event is to bridge the gap between the companies and the customers of all segments.

‘SIKITEX 09’ will provide market exposure to various companies and enable them to set up business in Sikkim, it is informed.

SIKKIM: Sikkim University gears up for anniversary celebrations

FROM SIKKIM EXPRESS

GANGTOK, July 25: Sikkim University has just completed two years and as part of its Foundation Day celebrations, the University is organizing a month long socio-cultural and academic programme starting from the July 27.

Participants from various schools and colleges from both within and outside Sikkim have been invited to take part in this month long programme.

The Foundation Day celebrations will start with an Inter College debate. Students of the affiliated colleges of Sikkim University will take part in this competition. The topic for the debate would be “Economic Development is more important than protection of the Environment’ and will be held at Sikkim Government College, Tadong, at 9.30 am. Padmashree GS Lama will be the Chief Guest and Sonam Wangdi, former Chief Secretary will chair the proceedings.

This will be followed by a SPIC MACAY programme on August 2, where Ms Malabika Sen, a well known Kathak exponent will perform. CB Karki, Minister, Department for Rural Management and Developments and Cooperation Departments will be the Chief Guest.

On August 10, there will be a day long Seminar on the theme- Higher Education : Problems & Prospects. NK Pradhan, Minister Human Resource Development Department, will be the Chief Guest.

‘Sawaney Jhari’ an Inter College Cultural show will be presented before a selected audience on the August 8. Neeru Sewa, Minister, Industry, Commerce and Information and Public Relations, will be the Chief Guest.

SIKKIM: HRD warns to shut down non-registered private schools in the State Private education schools given one month deadline for registration

FROM SIKKIM EXPRESS

GANGTOK, July 25: The State Human Resource Development (HRD) department has warned to close down private schools in the State that have not bothered to register themselves with the department.

According to reports, the HRD department yesterday issued a notification in this effect where it has threatened to bar the private educational institutions that have not done the registrations formalities.

As per the department, the private schools in the State have to register themselves in accordance to the Sikkim Education Rules 2008 which had been enforced from October 1 last year.

The department has reminded the private schools to register themselves with the State government as many private schools have not registered themselves. The department has given a deadline of one month to the errant private schools to get the registration done or the department warned that such schools will be declared illegal.

If the private schools who have not registered themselves fail to do so within the given deadline, the department said that it will shut down such ‘illegal’ private schools immediately.

As per the 2008 rules for streamlining private educational institutions in the State, the schools have to showcase the necessary infrastructure like land, classroom specifications, play ground and other facilities which will be scrutinized by the HRD officials. The registration certificate is given only if the HRD is satisfied with the infrastructure and quality of the applicant private school.

SIKKIM: White Paper by aggrieved locals claims deep rot in SMU Locals alleges discrimination, wonders what GoS is doing

FROM SIKKIM EXPRESS

GANGTOK, July 25: A motley group of stakeholders has taken out their version of a ‘white paper’ addressed to Chief Minister Pawan Chamling elaborating ‘what’ Sikkim Manipal University had promised and ‘where’ those promises stand now.

In a well documented submission, the ‘aggrieved and concerned Sikkimese People’ pointed out the Sikkim Manipal University of Health, Medical & Technologies Sciences (SMUHMTS) had been established by an Act of Sikkim government had been quoted in the Act as ‘University shall safeguard the interests of the local people of the State’.

“However, the desired commitments that have to be fulfilled did not turn up to the aspirations, satisfaction and expectation of the people of the land of Sikkim and the State government”, said the aggrieved stakeholders in its 28 paged dossier requesting the intervention of the Chief Minister.

The appraisal submitted by the group has been indexed in three sections – background, appraisal on grievances and the necessity of involvement by State government.

In the second section, the stakeholders have tore into three core grievances-health care facilities, reservation of seats and employment. Here, as per their submissions, there were no provisions for free treatment including drugs to BPL patients at the Central Referral Hospital (CRH) until recently.

“Presently most of the BPL patient parties being illiterate are required to state their poor status in writing, begging for their right to get free treatment at the hospital which could otherwise be provided on production of BPL card simply. The free treatments to BPL patient are then provided by granting certain percentage of concession in investigation and procedure. As far as medicines are concerned, it has to be purchased on tagged MRP”, reads the document suggesting there could have been a separate counter to deal with and facilitate the services of BPL at CRH.

Another grievance was that the reservation of seats has been provided with the concession given only in tuition fee to the extent of only 50 percent. The fee other than tuition fee together amounts heavy for the aspirants from Sikkim to pursue courses of MBBS, BTech, etc and the amount to be paid as fee itself becomes unbearable, the document states.

TODAY’S VIDEO PICK: “PARISTHITI”

VIDEO REPORT: Darjeeling Bandh!

VIDEO FEATURE: Nepali Songs

VIDEO FEATURE: Nepali songs

PHOTO FEATURE: Rock formation

A rock formation found in Sikkim. Photo by Himalaya Darpan

PHOTO FEATURE: Relay Hunger Strike resumes

Members of Gorkha Janmukti Morcha observe relay hunger strike before Matey Police Station in Western Dooars. Photo by Himalaya Darpan

JOB OPENINGS: UNION PUBLIC SERVICE COMMISSION VACANCY – SCIENTIFIC OFFICER / TECHNICAL OFFICER / WELFARE ADMINISTRATOR / FODDER AGRONOMISTS

Union Public Service Commission (UPSC)

UPSC Advt. No, 14/2009

Job Description :

UPSC invites application on prescribed forms for various posts in various Government of India Ministries and Departments in the prescribed format. The post are :

Fodder Agronomists : 02 posts in Regional Station for Forage Production and Demonstration, Ministry of Agriculture, Department of Animal Husbandry, Dairying & Fisheries

Pay : Rs.8000-13500

Age Limit: 30 years.

Sr. Scientific Officer Gr.I : 03 posts (ST-1, PH-1) in Engineering discipline in the Directorate General of Quality Assurance, Department of Quality Production, Defence Quality Assurance Service, Ministry of Defense

Pay : Rs.10000-

Age Limit: 40 years.

Junior Technical Officers (Gentex – Mechanical) : 02 posts in DGQA, Department 0f Defence Production & Supplies, Ministry of Defence

Pay : Rs.9300-34800 grade pay Rs.4600

Age Limit: 30 years.

Welfare Administrators : 03 posts (OBC-1) in Labour Welfare Department, Ministry of Labour & Employment

Pay : Rs.9300-34800 Grade Pay Rs.4200

Age : 30 years.

SIKKIM: RAILWAYS TO REACH RANGPO BY DEC 2015

FROM SIKKIM EXPRES

GANGTOK (PIB): The Railways have set a target of December 2015 for the completion of Sevoke-Rangpo rail project for which plan outlay has been fixed at Rs 10 crore in 2009-10.

The final location survey contract has already been awarded.

In a written reply in the Rajya Sabha, Minister of State in the Ministry of Railways, E Ahamed informed about the sections that have been completed during the last five years in North East States. These are Samuktala-New Bongaigaon of New Jalpaiguri-New Bongaigaon Gauge Conversion (61 kms), Alipurduar-Bamanhat Gauge Conversion (80 kms), Manu-Agartala of Kumarghat-Agartala New Line (89 kms) and Senchoa-Silghat Gauge Conversion (62 kms).

In all, 16 projects fully/partly in North Eastern Region are in progress which includes New Maynaguri-Jogighopa, Sevoke-Rangpo. Gauge conversion is also on which includes New Jalpaiguri-Siliguri-New Bongaigaon

DARJEELING HILLS: GJM relaxes bandh in Hills, rivals strike back, put up 4-hr blockade

FROM INDIAN EXPRESS

Even as the Gorkha Janmukti Morcha relaxed its ongoing indefinite strike in the Darjeeling Hills for 12 hours on Saturday to enable people to stock up on essential commodities, anti-Gorkhaland organisations based in the foothills resorted to a blockade of all roads leading to the Hills for nearly four hours, demanding that the tripartite talks with the GJM involving the state and Central governments be called off immediately.

The road blockades were set up at Darjeeling More and Khaprail More in Siliguri by anti-Gorkhaland outfits Amra Bangalee, Bangla O Bangla Bhasha Bachao Committee and the Akhil Bharatiya Adivasi Vikas Parishad (ABAVP). Amra Bangalee Darjeeling district secretary Shambu Shatrudhar said the protesters were opposed to talks being held over possible division of Bengal for a separate Gorkhaland.

“Why should there be any talk of creating Gorkhaland? We want the talks to be called off immediately. We’re also demanding that no more strikes be called and the ongoing strike be withdrawn immediately. Every few months, the GJM calls a strike that cripples the region. People in the Hills face tremendous problems. Schools remain closed. Business in the plains and foothills gets affected,” Shatrudhar said.

He added that their blockade was withdrawn today after requests from the district administration. “Our blockade was only on roads leading to Darjeeling. We left the Sikkim road open. We are planning more intensive agitation before August 11, the date set for the third round of tripartite talks.”

Meanwhile, in the Dooars region of the neighbouring Jalpaiguri district, the GJM began relay hunger-strikes at three places — in front of police stations at Meteli, Banaghat and Birpara – to demand a compensation of Rs 2 lakh each for their supporters whose property was damaged during the GJM-ABAVP clashes in the Dooars in January this year.