| BIJOY GURUNG |
Gangtok, Feb. 9: The Supreme Court has directed the Sikkim government to give comprehensive publicity to measures taken by the state to implement guidelines framed by the court to tackle sexual harassment of women at workplaces. Justice G.S. Singhvi and Justice Sudhansu Jyoti Mukhopadhyay asked the Sikkim government to comply with the norms laid down by the Supreme Court in the 1997 Vishakha and in the 1999 Medha Kotwal Lele cases. The court in its February 3 order said the government would have to publish the measures taken in Sikkim dailies with maximum circulation within two months. It said wide publicity should also be given through Doordarshan. The social welfare department and the legal service authority of Sikkim were also directed to give publicity to notifications and orders issued by the state not only for government departments but also for private companies. The court was responding to a petition filed by a resident of Sikkim. The lady — a victim of sexual harassment at her workplace (a public sector bank in Gangtok) — had filed a case in the chief judicial magistrate’s court here on March 1, 2008. But with the police investigation not helping much, she moved Sikkim High Court on April 27, 2010. The woman’s counsel, Doma T. Bhutia, said a petition was moved in the apex court after the high court dismissed the case on September 29, 2010, when the government submitted that it would bring in an “appropriate legislation” to comply with the apex court order on the Vishakha case. “Sexual harassment at workplaces is one of the biggest concerns for working women in Sikkim where a lot of private sector enterprises like pharmaceutical factories, hotels with casinos and power projects have come up. There is low awareness among women of the legal remedies for sexual harassment,” Bhutia said. The guidelines issued by the apex court in the Vishakha case had directed that complaint committees headed by women with involvement of a third party be formed in both private and public sector undertakings. The third party can either be an NGO or any other body familiar with the issue. The committees were to submit annual reports to the government and action taken by the department concerned. On January 2, the Supreme Court directed Sikkim chief secretary Karma Gyasto to file an affidavit detailing the steps taken by the government to implement the Vishakha case guidelines. The affidavit was submitted on January 30 with the government listing a comprehensive list of complaint committees. “There were no committees before that,” said Bhutia. A senior government official refused comment on the order and said the state was yet to receive a copy of it.(Telegraph) |
शिक्षक प्रमुखको लापारवाहीको कारण बेहाल अवस्थामा चम्पामाया प्रथमिक पाठशाला
पहाड़को प्रथमिक पाठशालाहरु एका एक बन्द हुनुमा सरकार पक्ष दोषी छ कि शिक्षक-शिक्षिकाहरुको लापारवाही? किन दार्जीलिङ पहाड़को शैक्षिक स्तर दिनोदिन खस्किन्दै गइरहेको छ? प्रथमिक शिक्षा बाल-बालिकाहरुको निम्ति महत्तवपूर्ण हुँदा-हुँदै पनि किन आजसम्म पहाड़को शिक्षा व्यवस्थामा सुधार आउन सकिरहेको छैन?
राजनीति गर्दिनँ भन्नु पनि अर्को राजनीति होः हर्कबहादुर छेत्री
मेरो अधिकारक्षेत्रभित्र पाँच बर्षको लागि जनताको हितको काम गर् भनेर मलाई भोट हालेको हो नि। मलाई थाहा छ यसले जनताको धेरै हित हुन्छ। यसले जनताको हितसँगै पार्टीको पनि हित हुन्छ, आन्दोलनलाई पनि सहयोग पुर्याउँछ भनेपछि एकदम निसंकोच भनेर अघि बढ्न सक्छु म। म त्यही काम गर्दैछु।
बघिनी फेरि पुरानै खोरमा
‘समयले मानिसलाई कहाँ कहाँ पुर्याउँछ,,,,,,’ कुनै समय रेडियो नेपालबाट बजिरहने यो चर्चित गीतले मान्छेको जीवनमा प्रणयसम्बन्धको आरोह अवरोहले पार्ने प्रभावलाई सुन्दर ढंगले व्याख्या गरेको छ। यो लोकप्रिय गीतको यही एक हरफ कुनै राजनीतिकर्मीको जीवनसँग गाँसेर हेर्दा के उत्तर पाइएला?
साहित्य अनि सर्जकलाई माया गर्ने घिसिङ
80 को दशकमा देशभरिका गोर्खाहरूलाई जातित्वको भावना उत्पन्न गराउने प्रथम नेता सुवास घिसिङको निधनले अहिले घड़ी सम्पूर्ण दार्जीलिङ पहाड़ नै स्तब्ध बनेको छ। गोर्खाहरूका हित अनि अस्तित्वका निम्ति छुट्टै राज्यको बहस लिएर सुवास धिसिङले त्यसताक पहाड़का प्रत्येक गाँऊहरूको भ्रमण गरेका थिए। 22 जुन 1936 सालमा मिरिकको मञ्जु चियाबगानमा जन्म लिएरका सुवास घिसिङले आफ्नो तर्क राख्न एकलै जनसभा गर्थे। घिसिङले सम्पूर्ण गोर्खाहरूलाई एकै शुत्रमा बाँध्न "गोर्खाल्याण्ड" शब्दको जन्म गरेका थिए।
निराश छन् विधायक डा. छेत्री
“बजट सत्रमा के कुराहरू उठान गर्नु पर्ने भन्नेबारे हामीले जीटीएबाट कहिले फिडब्याक पाएका छैनौं” डा छेत्रीले भने। डा हर्कबहादुर छेत्री मोर्चाका प्रवक्ता हुन् अनि कालेबुङका जनप्रतिनिधि। दुइवटा महत्वपूर्ण पदमा बसेका डा छेत्रीलाई अहिलेसम्म जीटीएको बैठकमा निम्ताइएको छैन, पार्टीको राजनैतिक लाइनबारे उनीसँग चर्चा र छलफल नगरिएको त झन कति भयो, उनैलाई हेक्का छैन।
11 Feb 2012
SC order to Sikkim on office abuse
Morcha counters Partha claim on wage - Government still pays Rs 67 to workers in three hill tea gardens, says Kurseong MLA
| VIVEK CHHETRI |
Darjeeling, Feb. 9: Kurseong MLA Rohit Sharma today rejected the industries minister’s claim that workers in three government-owned tea gardens in the Darjeeling hills were being paid revised wages since April 1 last year. The trade union of the Gorkha Janmukti Morcha had yesterday threatened to launch a fast and halt the dispatch of tea from the three hill estates if the wages were not increased from Rs 67 to Rs 90. Minister Partha Chatterjee expressed surprise over the threat and said the government was paying the increased wages. Chatterjee had also said he had told Sharma about the disbursal of the revised pay. But the Morcha MLA today stood his ground and said the labourers continued to receive only Rs 67 a day. “It is true that I had met Partha Chatterjee in Calcutta almost two months ago and handed over to him the details. The state government owes an accumulated amount of over Rs 7 crore to the workers as they are not getting the revised wages, we are certain about that. During our meeting, the minister promised me that he would solve the problem immediately (but he didn’t),” Sharma said over the phone from Calcutta. The West Bengal Tea Development Corporation, (WBTDC), a state government undertaking, runs Pandam, Rangaroon and Rangmuk-Cedar tea gardens in the hills. The three estates have a combined workforce of around 2,300. The threat to launch the fast and halt the tea dispatch was issued by the Darjeeling Terai Dooars Plantation Union, an affiliate of the Morcha. The government had played an active role in increasing the wage from Rs 67 to Rs 90 in the Darjeeling tea industry with effect from April 1 last year. The Morcha union said yesterday that although the wage deal had been brokered by the government, workers of the three plantations run by the WBTDC were still paid Rs 67. The agreements with the workers had been signed separately by the Darjeeling Tea Association and the Indian Tea Association on behalf of the garden owners. Most of the tea gardens in the hills are affiliated to either of the associations. Although the government plantations are not members of the DTA or the ITA, they generally implement the pacts inked by the two associations. When told about the Morcha union’s agitation threat, Chatterjee had expressed surprise yesterday. “Who said we are not giving them the revised wages? We are giving them the revised wages. I have conveyed this to Kurseong MLA Rohit Sharma. This kind of threat is not acceptable,” said the minister. The MLA was today doubtful if the government could clear the dues as the WBTDC was not in good financial condition. But he saw a ray of hope for the workers as Chatterjee had promised to come to the hills and sort out the problem. “I had a conversation with the minister in Calcutta a few days back. He said he would be in Kalimpong on February 11 and asked me to meet him there and sort out the matter. I won’t be able to meet him as I will be travelling to Hyderabad. I have told our party’s trade union leaders to meet the minister in Kalimpong. I think that there is a possibility of a solution being reached in Kalimpong. We are keeping our fingers crossed,” said Sharma.(Telegraph) |
10 Feb 2012
Road Accidents on National Highways in Hilly States
 The number of road accidents on National Highways particularly in Hilly States throughout the country decreased marginally for the years 2007 and 2008 but again increased during the year 2009. However, the number of road accidents in Himachal Pradesh has shown decreasing trend during the same period. Road accident data is compiled in the Ministry of Road Transport & Highways in a format developed as per the Asia Pacific Road Accident Database (APRAD) project of United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia Pacific (UNESCAP). In this format, specific NH-wise data of road accidents is not compiled. The safety of road users is primarily the responsibility of the concerned State Governments. However, Ministry of Road Transport & Highways has taken certain steps to enhance safety of road users including those in hilly areas. Some of the important steps taken by this Ministry in this regard are indicated below: i. Road safety included as an integral part of road design at planning stage. ii. Various steps to enhance road safety such as road furniture, road markings/road signs, introduction of Highway Traffic Management System using Intelligent Transport System, enhancement of discipline among contractors during construction, road safety audit on selected stretches, have been undertaken by National Highways Authority of India(NHAI). iii. Refresher training to Heavy Motor Vehicle drivers in the unorganized sector is being implemented by the Ministry since 1997-98 under Plan activities. iv. Model Institutes of Driving Training & Research are being set up in the States as a Central Sector Scheme. v. Publicity campaign on road safety awareness is being carried out regularly both through the audio-visual and print media. vi. Tightening of safety standards of vehicles like Seat Belts, Power-steering, rear view Mirror etc. in alignment with Global Technical Regulation. vii. Providing cranes and ambulances to various State Governments/NGOs under National Highway Accident Relief Service Scheme. NHAI also provides ambulances at a distance of 50 Km. on each of its completed stretches of National Highways under its Operation & Maintenance contracts. viii. Widening and improvements of National Highways from 2 lanes to 4 lanes and 4 lanes to 6 lanes etc. ix. Providing road safety kits to Schools/Transport/Police authorities for better awakening and consciousness of road safety issues. x. Celebration of Road Safety week (1st – 7th January) every year across the country involving important stakeholders, to emphasise its importance and publicise various road safety issues. ROAD ACCIDENTS IN HILLY STATES
| ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
