Sikkim No.1 Dance

RANGPO-14TH APRIL12
Dance no i competition organised by badhai cha creation in association with proud to be sikkimese and basibiyalo Singtam started from today at Singtam nepali dharmaasala.inagurated by mr saran Pradhan Singtam nagar Panchayat president was attended by councillor mr anita tamang ,basibiyalo founder Mr. Mohan Pradhan neeraj,programme chairman Mrs. indra kumari Pradhan was specially present in the programme .organising committee president Mr. Praveen Pradhan talking with this correspondent asked that the main concept to organise competition is to provide good platform to the hidden talents of the state. the competition is organised in two category .junior level is for 7 to 14 years and for senior its more than 14 years .today the junior level competition is organising and tomorrow senior category competitions shall held. it’s an auditions round and on may month the final round shall held .top three finalist in junior category shall receive an attractive certificate along with cash prize of rs 5000,3000 and 1000 and in senior category top three finalist shall receive rs 8000,5000 and 3000.today in junior category eighty participants has performed and for tomorrow more than seventy participants has already enrolled their names .

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Whiff of CPM revival plan in May 1 meet

Darjeeling, April 13: The CPM has decided to organise May Day celebrations in Darjeeling after four years, an indication that the party is trying to make a comeback in the hills when other outfits opposed to the Gorkha Janmukti Morcha have become inactive.

The CPM had last celebrated May Day in the district headquarters in 2007 after which the party did not organise any event to mark the day following the emergence of the Morcha as a political power in the Darjeeling hills.

Saman Pathak, a former Rajya Sabha member of the CPM, today said: “We had actually wanted to hold a public meeting in Darjeeling on May 1. But we learnt that other political parties had also plans to hold meetings at Chowk Bazar and as it was difficult to get permission for the use of the public address system, we have decided to organise an indoor meeting at the Gorkha Dukha Niwarak Sammelan Hall.”

The CPRM has obtained permission to organise the May Day function at Chowk Bazar. The Morcha affiliated Janmukti Unorganised Sector Labour Union, also plans to organise an event on May 1. Police said they would give permission to all parties to hold May Day events at different locations in town.

K.B. Wattar, the district secretariat member of the CPM, said after the 2007 May Day meeting in Darjeeling, the party had restricted itself to organising low-key functions at other places in the hills.

The CPM’s decision is seen as an indication that the party now feels that the atmosphere in the hills is conducive to resume its political activities after the Morcha agreed to the formation of the Gorkhaland Territorial Administration.

“In the past, the Morcha was riding high on the emotional issue of identity and statehood. It was difficult for other parties to organise any event. Since, the emotional factor has in a way waned with the party agreeing to form the GTA, we think we can restart our activities,” said a CPM leader.

Wattar, in fact, today talked of the CPM’s plan to consolidate its strength in tea gardens. “We have some presence in 21 (of the 87) tea gardens in the hills now. The party has started a membership drive in another 10 gardens. Our target is to form units in at least 50 per cent of the estates.”

During the May Day celebration, the CPM will speak on issues like granting land rights (patta) to garden workers and demand that all tea planters start the construction of houses for labourers.

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Eye on record in descent - ‘Death zone’ glide beckons everest climber

Darjeeling, April 13: The principal of Himalayan Mountaineering Institute in Darjeeling has set an ambitious target of becoming the first Indian to paraglide from the “death zone” of Mt Everest to reach a base camp around 9,000ft below after scaling the peak next month.

The region beyond 26,000ft is known as the “death zone” as it is one of the most challenging stretches to cover on the mountain. The area has very little oxygen and low atmospheric pressure, about a third of that in the sea level.

According to mountaineers, it takes more than 12 hours to trek 1.72km in the stretch.

An 11-member team led by HMI principal Col. Neeraj Rana will scale Mt Everest next month and during the descent, Rana will paraglide to the base camp at 17,700 feet.

“Our expedition has been cleared by the ministry of external affairs and we plan to leave for Kathmandu on April 14. The team comprises 11 members, five of whom are army instructors and five others are civilian instructors at the HMI,” Rana said over the phone from Delhi.

The group is scheduled to reach a camp on the base of Mt Everest on April 29 after trekking for more than eight days from Namchi Bazaar in Nepal.


The HMI team on Mt Makalu in May 2009. File picture
Rana said the main objective of the expedition was to train the instructors. “We plan to conduct a training session for four-five days at Khambu glacier after reaching the base camp,” said the climber in the mid 40s.

During the ascent, the team will set up camp I at 20, 336ft, followed by camp II at 22, 304ft, camp III at 24,600ft and camp IV at 26,000ft.

“Camp IV will be in the death zone. During our descent, I plan to paraglide for 20-23 minutes from there to the base camp (at 17,700ft). I believe this would be an Indian record. No Indian has attempted to paraglide from this altitude in the Everest,” Rana said.

The first man to achieve the feat was Jean Marc Boivin from France who had paraglided from the Everest on September 26, 1988.

Rana said his team planned to scale Mt Everest during the “window period”.

“The window period for climbing the Everest is usually considered between May 17 and May 25. But this year given the climatic conditions prevailing in the Himalayas, the window period will probably get delayed by about a week.”

He added that the “window period” was the most favourable time to scale the mountain.

Rana holds the world record of being the first person to paraglide from an altitude of 22,468 to 18,000 feet in Mt Makalu on May 12, 2009.

The cost of the Everest expedition by the group stands at Rs 1.5 crore, Rana said.(Telegraph)

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Paila baisakh with grand traditional programme at Majhitar

RANGPO-13TH APRIL12
Sarwamanya Majhitar samaj east Sikkim welcomed nepali new year 2069 or paila baisakh with grand traditional programme at Majhitar. Programme started with the lighting of diyo by the hand of Mr. raj k shresta renewed writer as a chief guest ,Mr. Mohan Pradhan neeraj basibiyalo Singtam founder ,Mr. Praveen Pradhan president spark ngo,mr sheetal Pradhan editor proud to be sikkimese ,social worker Mr. p anand Thapa ,Mr. hement Thapa as a special guest of the programme. between colourful cultural programme performed by Majhitar junior high school, new vision school,sarwamanya samaj and several other ngo,club associations and school grand sovayatra was organised at the Majhitar which moves from upper Majhitar to lower Majhitar ,smit and return back to upper Majhitar .shrinking water bottles provided by the organising committee and rasoi ghar has make relief in this hot climate for all the participants of sovayatra. Musical nite was also organised by the committee was performed by renewed artist Mr. ganga mukhia ,zee tv sa rey ga ma pa artist miss prakiti giri,miss sushma dahal,north east key super star winner miss remanti rai and mimicry Mr. Mahindra bagdas from kalimpong.

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Seal on school seats for poor Court allows sole exception

SAMANWAYA RAUTRAY

New Delhi, April 12: All schools, barring unaided minority institutions, will have to set aside 25 per cent of their seats for disadvantaged sections in the neighbourhood, the Supreme Court ruled today. The top court settled the question by upholding the relevant clause in the right to education law, saying that “advancement of education is a recognised head of charity” and rejecting a slew of petitions filed by several unaided schools. Since the act deals with children up to 14 years of age, the 25 per cent rule will cover Classes I to VIII. The 2:1 judgment, delivered by a three-judge bench headed by Chief Justice of India S.H. Kapadia, means the 25 per cent rule will also apply to aided minority institutions. “…We hold that the Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education Act, 2009, is constitutionally valid,” the Chief Justice said, reading out the majority judgment. The court listed the categories that will come under the purview of the law: Schools established, owned or controlled by the appropriate government or a local authority Aided schools, including aided minority schools, receiving aid or grants from the appropriate government or the local authority to meet the whole or part of their expenses Unaided non-minority schools not receiving any kind of aid or grants from the appropriate government or the local authority to meet their expenses. However, the court clarified the clause would infringe on the fundamental freedom guaranteed to unaided minority schools under Article 30(1) of the Constitution and would not apply to such schools. The bench said the judgment would operate from today, which means the rule would kick in from the academic year 2012-13. However, any admissions given under the 25 per cent rule by unaided minority schools prior to the pronouncement of the judgment shall not be reopened, the bench clarified. The bench rejected the contention of the petitioner schools that the clause infringed on their right to practise or profess a trade, occupation or business under Article 19(1)(g). The rights under Article 19 can be subjected to reasonable restrictions, the court said. The right to education act cannot be said to be an unreasonable restriction on this right, the court said, adding that unaffordability cannot stand in way of access to education. The bench rejected the contention that the clause would impinge on the autonomy guaranteed to minority institutions under Article 30. The court voiced concern that the act applied only to day scholars and not to boarders. “There are boarding schools and orphanages in several parts of India. The act can only apply to day scholars. It cannot be extended to boarders. To put the matter beyond doubt, we recommend that appropriate guidelines be issued under Section 35 of the act clarifying the above position.” The bench urged states to use the act’s provisions to re-organise financial outflow at the micro level by weeding out non-performing, under-performing or non-compliant schools receiving grant-in-aid and ensuring that only institutes that fulfil norms and standards can continue. The court said this was needed to achieve the objective of the act to not only give free and compulsory education to the children in the neighbourhood school but also provide quality education. However, in his dissenting judgment, Justice K.S. Radhakrishnan said the state could not abdicate its obligation to give effect to socio-economic rights of citizens to non-state actors. While praising the intent of promoting social inclusiveness, he disagreed with the way the state was trying to achieve its means. Explaining the rationale of upholding 25 per cent seats for weaker and disadvantaged sections in private unaided schools and aided minority schools, Justices Kapadia and Swatanter Kumar, who upheld the act, lauded its intent. “The act has been enacted keeping in mind the crucial role of universal elementary education for strengthening the social fabric of democracy through provision of equal opportunities to all,” the court said.

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MLA removed from NBSTC top post

AVIJIT SINHA AND MAIN UDDIN CHISTI

(From top) Rabindranath Ghosh, C Murugan, Gautam Deb April 12: The Mamata Banerjee-government today threw its weight behind a bureaucrat and removed a Trinamul MLA from the top post of a cash-strapped transport corporation to ensure its smooth functioning. North Bengal development minister Gautam Deb has replaced Rabindranath Ghosh as the chairperson of the North Bengal State Transport Corporation. The replacement of Ghosh, the Cooch Behar district president of Trinamul Congress and the MLA from Natabari, comes days after his tussle with managing director C. Murugan came to the fore. The MLA had been accused of pressuring Murugan to revoke the order transferring some employees who are members of a Trinamul union. Additional district magistrate Murugan had been given the additional charge of the NBSTC in December, five months after Ghosh took over as chairperson of the corporation that runs nearly 500 buses across the state. “Murugan had drawn up a list of some employees and officials to be transferred to which Ghosh had objected. Being the chairperson of the NBSTC, he also asked the MD to revoke the order and created pressure on him,” an NBSTC source said. Murugan, however, stuck to his decision. He had told The Telegraph on Monday that he would carry out the transfers. Murugan, NBSTC sources said, had also asked Ghosh not to interfere in the day-to-day functioning of the corporation. The MD is the functional executive head of a corporation. The chairman’s instructions are not binding on him. But on Tuesday Murugan had to face the wrath of a section of the staff, all members of a Trinamul backed employees’ union. They took out a procession in Cooch Behar town, the headquarters of the NBSTC, demanding that he be removed for “not complying with the chairman’s order” to scrap the transfers. Ghosh had said earlier this week that he would meet transport minister Madan Mitra to apprise him of Murugan’s defiance. The meeting took place yesterday, followed by an order that Deb would replace the Natabari MLA as the NBSTC chairperson. “All I can say is that as a government we are interested in the smooth functioning of all institutions. Gautam Deb is a cabinet minister from north Bengal who is also in charge of the region’s development. So it is in fitness of things that he heads the NBSTC,” minister Mitra said today. Ghosh, who claimed that he came to know about his replacement from journalists, said: “I tried my best to revive the NBSTC. No official communication has reached me so far and I have only come to know about the replacement from the media.” He added that he would not like to comment further on the issue. Sources in the NBSTC said of the 705 buses owned by the corporation, only 498 operate. In total, 3,075 employees serve in the ailing NBSTC. “Over 100 contractual workers who were inducted during the Left government’s rule have been retrenched. Employees and pensioners get their salaries and pensions irregularly because of a funds stringency,” a source said. “Most of them get salaries in instalments or once in two months.” Deb, who was in Jalpaiguri this afternoon, said: “I have been informed that I will have to work as the chairman of the NBSTC. I have nothing more to say on the issue, except that I will put in my best efforts to revive the transport corporation.”

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National leaders of Marwari yuva manch in Sikkim

RANGPO-12TH APRIL12
All India Marwari yuvaa manch national president Mr. lalit Gandhi along with his four members teams named Mr. atul jhawar national vice president,mr sanjay Sharma prantiya president paschim bangal and dr sanjay Agarwal ex secretary national is coming to Sikkim on two days visit. According to spokesperson Mr. bikash Agarwal the main target and aim of the visit is to look and meeting with the Marwari community residing in the Sikkim also want to meet and encourage to the members of three branches of Marwari yuva manch in the state. .the team shall reach Sikkim on 14th April and shall first visit and meet with the members of Marwari yuva manch jorthang and then shall proceed to look the Sikkim main spiritual tourist place char dham at namchi .in the afternoon the team shall meet with the members ofMYM of Rangpo and Singtam at Singtam Marwari dharmasala.special programme is also organised at Singtam Marwari dharmasala .

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Inter Milan tips await 4 - Sikkim boys to get soccer training in calcutta

NIRMAL MANGAR

Players of Martam Secondary School who emerged winners in the tournament in Gangtok on Tuesday. (Prabin Khaling) Gangtok, April 11: Four Under-15 boys from Sikkim have been chosen for football training under the tutelage of Inter Milan coaches in Calcutta. They will be among 32 students from across the country to undergo the training and 16 of them will be taken to Italy where they can brush up their skills by playing with Inter Milan stars. Bijay Subba of Sichey Secondary school, Dipendra Rai of Tashi Namgyal Senior Secondary, Karma Loday Lepcha of Tashi Namgyal Academy and Machung Tshering Bhutia from Machoong Senior Secondary School — all institutions are in East Sikkim — were selected for Tata Tea Jaago Re Inter Milan Soccer Stars yesterday. The selection was made by Jamshid Nassiri, a former international footballer from Iran, in competitions held at the Tashi Namgyal Academy ground here. Three hundred and fifty students from 35 schools had participated in the contest. “The four boys will be among the 32 talented footballers from 15 states in the country to receive training in Calcutta towards the end of this month. They will be coached by experts from Inter Milan and some Indian clubs. Sixteen of them will be chosen for further training at Inter Milan. They will get a chance to play with the members of Inter Milan and represent India in an internal tournament,” said Nassiri. The four boys selected for the training in Calcutta. Picture by Prabin Khaling The head scout admitted that it was not an easy task to pick the best four from among the 350 students. “Every aspect of football was kept in mind during the selection as it was really difficult to spot the best four performers,” said Nassiri. For Dipendra Rai, it was a dream come true. “I am very happy to get selected. My dream of meeting international players is eventually coming true. I thank my school and parents for their consistent support,” he told The Telegraph. The organisers can select a minimum of one player and a maximum of four from a zone for the Calcutta training. The four Sikkim children were chosen in the matches between the 35 schools. The schools were divided into two categories, with 17 teams in Pool A and 18 in Pool B. In the final, Martam Secondary School (East Sikkim) defeated Penlong Senior Secondary School (North Sikkim) 2-0 to clinch a berth in the National Championship, which is also part of Tata Tea Jaago Re. “The victory is a great confidence booster for aspiring footballers in our school. We managed to win the tournament despite the absence of proper sport infrastructure,” said Martam school coach Bikash Chettri. His boys will be joining 14 other schools from different zones in the country in the National Championship starting on April 27 in Shillong. United Sikkim win United Sikkim Football Club defeated ONGC 2-1 on Wednesday to reach the third spot in the points table of the second division I-League being held at Paljor Stadium in Gangtok. Babatunde John Oladels and Daniel Bidemi scored the goals for the home side in the first half, while ONGC pulled one goal back in second half through a penalty. ONGC lost its striker Alhassan Abubakar in the 45th minute when he hit Romen Singh of the United Sikkim in the face with the elbow. The ONGC had to play the second half with only 10 men. Despite the defeat, the Mumbai team is the table topper with 20 points, closely followed by Mohammedan Sporting with 19 points. United Sikkim is in the third position with 18 points. All the three clubs have two more matches to play and two of them will qualify for the I-League senior division.

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Gurung in Nepal award dilemma - Morcha puts bailout ball in Centre’s court, seeks consent

VIVEK CHHETRI

Gurung Darjeeling, April 11: A Nepal-based culture group’s decision to felicitate Bimal Gurung in Kathmandu has put the Gorkha Janmukti Morcha in a spot as the party’s statehood agitation had centred on a separate identity for Indian Gorkhas. Receiving an award from a neighbouring country like Nepal would not have raised eyebrows in case of any other Indian citizen. But the Morcha, like the GNLF, had always justified its statehood agitation on the grounds that Nepalese or Gorkhas living in India needed a separate identity distinct from the citizens of Nepal. Under the circumstances, the party is planning to write to the ministry of home affairs to bail Gurung out of his dilemma — to accept or not to accept the award. “We have decided to write to the ministry of home affairs before deciding on attending the programme,” said Morcha general secretary Roshan Giri. Sources in the external affairs ministry said only bureaucrats and persons holding public offices needed the Centre’s permission to accept a foreign award. Gurung neither holds a public office nor is he a government employee. Asked why Gurung wants to attend the felicitation at the end of this month when there was a controversy, a Morcha source said the party chief did not want to be “discourteous”, especially when the President of Nepal will be conferring the award. The Morcha’s hunt for an opportunity to wriggle out of its awards dilemma has a parallel in Mamata Banerjee. The Bengal chief minister, too, had found an excuse in Delhi for not visiting Bangladesh when it would have been embarrassing for her after she refused to go ahead with the Teesta water sharing treaty. On November 15 last year, Bangladesh foreign minister Dipu Moni met Mamata at the Writers’ Buildings and invited her to visit Dhaka either in December or in March. “If my schedule permits, I'll gladly go,” Mamata had then said. But sources in Writers’ said since Mamata was not inclined to visit Bangladesh after the Teesta water treaty fiasco, she referred the invitation to the external affairs and the home ministries. The MEA informally told her to go ahead with the visit, but did not do so in writing. This provided Mamata with an excuse not to visit Dhaka. The Kathmandu-based Himali Sanskriti Samua has decided to felicitate Gurung on April 28 at the Rastriya Sabha Griya at Brikutimandap in Kathmandu. “The felicitation will be held to honour Bimal Gurung for upholding the culture of the Nepali community through his cultural movement,” said Giri. Gurung, as part of a cultural movement, had made it compulsory for all hill communities to wear their traditional dresses in the first year of the three-year statehood agitation that started in 2007. The diktat was imposed during the month-long tourist season in October to show the visitors that the hills were different from the rest of Bengal and the Gorkhas had an identity of their own. There were also instances of party cadres smearing black paint on those who did not adhere to the Morcha diktat. But from the second year, the Morcha scaled down the “compulsory” dressing-up to an “appeal” and the culture movement fizzled out after some time. The award will be conferred by the President of Nepal, Ram Baran Yadav, Giri said. “Although the letter written by D.P. Gurung, president of Sanskriti Samua, does not mention who will give the award, we were verbally communicated that the President of Nepal would be conferring it,” said Giri. Since the GNLF started its statehood demand in the eighties, hill leaders espousing the cause of Gorkhaland had always distanced themselves from Nepal. Any move seen as cosying up to Nepal will not go down well in the hills. GNLF president Subash Ghisingh had on July 27, 1988, burnt copies of the Indo-Nepal Friendship Treaty (of 1950) to underline the identity of the Indian Gorkhas. Article VII of the treaty states: “The Government of India and Nepal agree to grant, on reciprocal basis, to the nationals of one country in the territories of the other the same privileges in the matter of residence, ownership of property, participation in trade and commerce, movement and privileges of a similar nature.” The GNLF had wanted this clause to be scrapped as it felt the rights given to the citizens of Nepal — a country contiguous to Darjeeling — under this treaty were blurring the distinction between them and the Indian Gorkhas. Ghisingh had started describing the Nepali-speaking people here as Gorkhas to differentiate between them and the Nepali-speaking people of the neighbouring country. He had also demanded that the Nepali language be termed as Gorkhali while being included in the Eighth Schedule of the Constitution. In 1992, the government recognised both Nepali and Gorkhali and included them in the Eighth Schedule.(T T)

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मोर्चाविरोधी शक्तिहरु संगठित र आक्रमक बन्न थालेका छन

11अप्रेल(कालेबुङ):- जीटीएमा तराई डूवर्सका मौजाहरुको अन्तर्भुक्तिको विरोधमा यी क्षेत्रका मोर्चाविरोधी शक्तिहरु संगठित र आक्रमक बन्न थालेका छन। तराई डूवर्सका मोर्चाबिरोधी छब्बीसवटा संगठनहरुको संयुक्त मञ्च जोइन्ट एक्शन कमिटिले हिजो यी क्षेत्रहरुमा बन्द डाकेर राज्य सरकारलाई आफ्नो असन्तुष्टि जाहेर गर्ने काम गरेको छ। आदिवासी विकास परिषद, जनजागरण मञ्च, बङ्ला ओ बङ्ला भाषा बचाऊ समिति, केपीपी, इन्टकजस्ता उग्रजातिवादी संगठनहरु मिलेर डाकिएको बन्दले हिजो तराईडूवर्स र सिलगडीको जनजीवन प्रभावित पारेको थियो। तराई डूवर्सका शहरी अनि अर्ध शहरी क्षेत्रहरुमा बन्दको व्यापक प्रभाव देखिए पनि डूवर्सका चियाकमानहरुमा भने कामकाज सुचारु रुपले चलेको थियो। बन्दको अवधीमा यी क्षेत्रहरुमा कुनै अप्रिय घटनाहरु भएन तथापि सिलगडीमा बन्दको समर्थनमा सडकमा ओर्लेका 7 जना पिकेटरहरुलाई पुलिसले कब्जामा लिएको थियो तर साझँसम्म तिनीहरुलाई रिहा गरियो। बन्दको अबधीमा तराई डूवर्स अनि सिलगडी क्षेत्रका व्यापारिक, बित्तिय अनि शैक्षिक संस्थानहरु बन्द रहे तर सरकारी कार्यालयहरु भने खुला थिए। सरकारी कार्यालयहरुमा कर्मचारीहरुको उपस्थिति धेरै कम थियो। यता, बन्दको कारण यात्रीवाहक बाहनहरुको चलाचल पनि ठप्प रहेको थियो तर उत्तरबंग राज्य परिवहन निगमका बसहरुलगायत केही अटोरिक्शा र निजी बाहनहरुको चलाचल सुचारु रहेको थियो। जोइंट एक्सन कमिटिले आगामी 22 अप्रेलमा बैठक गरेर आफ्नो आन्दोलनको नयाँ रुपरेखा तय गर्ने घोषणा गरेको छ। जीटीएमा तराई डूवर्सका क्षेत्रहरु सामेल गर्न मोर्चा हाई पावर कमिटिको रिपोर्टमाथि आश गरेर बसेको छ भने अर्कोतिर समतलका मोर्चा बिरोधीशक्तिहरु आफ्नो सम्पूर्ण उर्जा लगाएर तराई डूवर्सका क्षेत्रहरु अन्तर्भुक्त हुन नदिने चेष्टामा लागिपरेका छन। मोर्चाबिरोधी यी शक्तिहरुलाई परोक्षरुपले राज्य सरकारको सहयोग रहेको कुरालाई नकार्न सकिँदैन। किनभने राज्यमा बन्द डाक्ने कुनै पनि शक्तिको उग्र रुपले आलोचना गर्ने मुख्यमंत्री ममता बेनर्जीले यस बन्दको बिरोधमा कुनै बयानबाजी गरेकी छैन भने राज्य सरकार र तृणमूल कंग्रेसकै आह्वानमा दुइ दिनको प्रस्तावित बन्दलाई जोइंट एक्सन कमिटिले घटाएर एक दिन गर्ने निर्णय लिएको थियो।

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दुइवाटा शव एकसाथ उद्धार गरिएको घटनाको आज दोस्रो दिन पनि मामिला पुलिसको निम्ति रहस्य नै बनेको छ

11 अप्रेल(कालेबुङ):- दार्जीलिङ शहर संलग्न क्षेत्रबाट 39 बर्षीय महिला अनि 45 बर्षीय पुरुषको शव एकसाथ उद्धार गरिएको घटनाको आज दोस्रो दिन पनि यो मामिला पुलिसको निम्ति रहस्य नै बनेको छ। हिजो दार्जीलिङ शहरनजिक लोचनगरको एउटा झोडाबाट केही दूरीको अन्तरालमा दुइवटा शव उद्धार गरेको थियो। यी शवहरु सिँहमारीको भोटेगाँऊ निवासी 45 बर्षीय किशन छेत्री अनि कागझोडाको गान्धी रोड निवासी रुपा तामाङको रहेको चिन्हित भएकोछ। पुलिसले आफ्नो आरम्भिक चरणको जाँचमा मृतकहरुबीच अबैध प्रेमसम्बन्ध रहेको तथ्य फेला पारे पनि यस काण्डको रहस्योदघाटन गर्न सकेको छैन। मृतकहरु दुवै बिबाहित थिए भने उनीहरु केही दिनदेखि आ आफ्नो घरबाट हराएका थिए। हिजो बिहान स्थानीय मानिसहरुले लोचनगरको झोडामा बिहान साडे सातबजीतिर महिलाको शव देखेर पुलिसलाई सुचित गरेका थिए। पुलिस दल घटनास्थलमा आएर उक्त महिलाको शव उद्धार गरेको बाह्र घण्टा बित्दा नबित्दै त्यसकै केही मुन्तिर किशन छेत्रीको शव पनि फेला परेको थियो। मृतकहरुको शरीरका कुनै प्रकारको बाहिरी चोट वा प्रहार गरेको निशान पाइएको छैन। किशनको शव भने खुट्टामा तार बेहिरिएको अवस्थामा पाइएको पुलिसको भनाई छ। दुवैबटा शवहरुको पोष्टमार्टम रिपोर्ट आएपछि मात्र पुलिसले आफ्नो जाँचकार्यलाई प्रभावी ढंगले अघि बढाउन सक्ने छ। मृतक महिला रुपा तामाङका पति राम तामाङले पत्नीको शव चिन्हित गरे। उनले पुलिसलाई दिएको जानकारी अनुसार मृतक महिला गत शुक्रबारदेखि घरबाट निखोज भएकी थिइन। दार्जीलिङ सदर पुलिसले यस मामिलाको छानबीन जारी राखेको छ। सदर थानाका प्रभारी लोपसाङ भुटियाले घटनाबारे थप जानकारी दिएका छन।

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Rangpo consumers of nationalised banks are too much aggressive

RANGPO-10TH APRIL12
Rangpo consumers of nationalised banks are too much aggressive that they are going to ready for taking action against the worst banking service of the area. There are three nationalised banks located in the heart of the town which have their ATM service facility are state bank of india,axis bank and HDFC .but none of any three banks are succeeded to satisfy the customers .there thinking are limited only to open new accounts and to convince for invest in mutual funds and insurance policies. The big board and banners and posters are pested in every banks regarding customers service satisfaction but the posters are only for decoration. some of the customers who is working in industrial and education sector has decided to return their company account as due to the worst service for their own money they has to go to the ATM counter for more than five times .link fail ,network problem ,out of service are the regular language used by the banks management .just at 5.30 pm one Rongli residents person was seen going from one atm to another atm searching for amount stopping ambulance as one of the family members was in critical condition and he needs money .though he has money but in ATM card. what a co incident

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icds centre at sakhukhani was inaugurated

RANGPO-11TH APRIL12
Newly constructed icds centre at sakhukhani was inaugurated today in a small function organised today. the programme was attended by CDPO rural icds projects JE&WD/WCDD government of Sikkim Singtam Mrs. y Pradhan,mr A C Tamang supervisor ,asha ,AWWS,awhs,ward Panchayat ,senior citizens ,delegates from several ngo .clubs ,association ,farmers club etc.during the programme the main objectives and services of icds scheme was imparted to the community along with schemes implemented by the division. Immunization programme along with village health and maturation day was also conducted at the newly inaugurated icds centre.MPNW west Pandam phsc provide a brief details of immunization and water borne diseases and its care and prevention.IFA tablets and calcium tablets were distributed to the mothers and adolescent girls.

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Music maestro’s classes and stage for Sikkim lady

NIRMAL MANGAR

The choir performs in Mumbai. File picture Gangtok, April 10: Tshering Leezum Bhutia missed a chance to achieve her academic ambition, but that helped her find a place in the world of music, her childhood calling. The 25-year-old woman from Gangtok has already performed with A.R. Rahman in five metros and is about to complete her diploma in vocals from the KM Music Conservatory, set up by the music maestro in Chennai. Tshering is said to be the first singer from the Northeast to get admission to the conservatory. This wouldn’t have been possible if she had got admission to a college in Bangalore to pursue MBBS in 2009. Mumbai, New Delhi, Calcutta, Chennai and Bangalore were the five cities where the concert titled Classic Incantations was staged in the second half of January. The choir was composed of 28 people, including the Mozart of Madras, students of the music academy and members of German film orchestra Babelsberg. Rahman’s popular songs from Indian and Hollywood films featured in each show that lasted for three hours. The composition of the concert was specially arranged by Matt Dunkley of United Kingdom, a long-time collaborator of the maestro. “The experience was different. There are not many orchestras in India. We got an opportunity to sing with one of the best orchestras in the world,” said Tshering, who is here for a short break. She is the daughter of Ganzey and Gayatri Bhutia from Development Area in Gangtok. Tshering (second from right) with other members of the choir in Mumbai. File picture The singer became a part of the choir after passing an audition at the institute. “Rahman is very humble. He used to meet us and give advice before the show. He would encourage students and say he was also learning everyday,” said Tshering, who will complete her diploma in June. She will go to Middlesex University in England in September to pursue a degree in music. KM Music Conservatory is affiliated to Middlesex University. The woman said music was her childhood passion and she wouldn’t have been able to make a career out of it if she had made it to a medical college in Bangalore in 2009. “I wanted to study MBBS. As I couldn’t find a berth in a medical college in Bangalore, I was compelled to take admission to an engineering institute. I was not interested in engineering and in my second year, I went for auditions in the KM Music Conservatory and got admission. I was interested in singing since my childhood and used to work with bands here.” All was not well initially when it came to lessons. “At first, most of us struggled in western classics. Some students had studied Hindustani classical music earlier. I still have difficulty in Hindustani classical music,” she said. Tshering has given background vocals for six songs in Rashid Ali’s album in November. She released her debut album Kina Kina in Nepali last year.(Telegraph)

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Oakland victim’s body arrives

Tshering Rinzing Bhutia

Gangtok, April 10: The body of Tshering Rinzing Bhutia, who was among the seven killed in a California college by a gunman on a shooting rampage earlier this month, will reach Sikkim tomorrow.

Jamyang Namgyal, the 38-year-old victim’s elder brother, said the coffin carrying the embalmed body reached Delhi airport around 3.10pm today.

“The body has been received by a cousin, Karma Bhutia. He will bring the body tomorrow on a flight that is scheduled to arrive in Bagdogra around 12.10pm. I will be there along with other family members to receive the body and bring it to our home in Geyzing. His last rites will take place there on Friday,” the brother said.

The body of the nursing student had been despatched from California on Sunday. “The coffin travelled from California to Atlanta and Chicago and reached Delhi today.”

He said the US government had told another cousin, Karma Sonam Bhutia, who was handed over the body in Oakland, that it had to be despatched as continuous embalming cannot preserve it.

Namgyal said the family had been told by the US authorities that their request for shouldering the embalming and transport cost was being considered. The family had been told that it would take $ 10,000 (Rs 5 lakh) to transport the body to India and the US government would bear half the cost. The other half would have to be borne by the family.

“We have borne the cost as suggested but we have been assured that our request will be considered. Tshering Rinzing was supposed to be home in June and he had told us that he was on the verge of getting American citizenship. He had a Green Card there,” he said.

Namgyal said his brother had gone to the US in 2005.

Tshering Rinzing was killed in a small Christian university in Oakland on April 2. The alleged killer was identified as a 43-year-old Korean-American, One L. Goh. A former student of the university, Goh surrendered to police at a grocery store several miles from the shooting spot. Goh had stolen keys from Bhutia and had taken his car.(Telegraph)

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Will ATM remain suspended for 365 Days?

SANJAY AGARWAL-RANGPO-9TH APRIL12
Bragging & boasting to have installed ATM services throughout the state by the financial institution is another thing which definitely endures common people but what next...?
The next is that the ATMs are all out-of-order the very time one requires using it for immediate dispensing money.
This is the stern case of Rangpo, a place which is an Educational as well as the industrial hub of the state. The bank management is seen only serious to open the new account not in quality service. after the industrial development the industries has opened all manpower accounts in banks and every month the salary is automatically deposited by the company in the manpower account .the salaried persons has the time for purchasing in holidays and Sunday only but specially in that days the ATM service providers put the board regarding network disturbance ,link fail etc.the account holders are too much aggressive that if the banks management shall not take the matter seriously they has to face the consumers protest . well as Industrial Hub of the state.
The patience of customers have flayed again and again but no sign of correction is observed even though media and people continuously throttle the authority of respective banks

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खण्ड विकाश अधिकारीको स्थांतरणमा सिक्किम प्रजातांत्रिक मोर्चाको अपति

संजय अगरवाल-रंग्पो-९ अप्रेल १२ ।
खण्ड विकास अधिकारी पुर्षोत्तम प्रधानको स्थान्तरण सम्बन्दमा सिक्किम प्रजातान्त्रिक मोर्चाका पाण्डमका युवा कार्यकर्ताहरुले घोर आपत्ति व्यक्त गर्दछन । मुख्यमंत्री ग्रामीण आवास योजना अन्तर्गत निर्मित पाँच खम्बे घरले जुन विराट रुप लियो त्यसको व्यापक असर अनि सीधा कारवाई खण्ड विकास अधिकारी माथि गरिनु न्याएसंगत नभएकोले, पार्टी कार्यकर्ता आफ्नो गुनासो मुख्यमन्त्री समक्ष पेश गर्न चाहान्छन । यो गम्भीर समस्या ठुलो आकार लिंदै आज समस्त सिक्किममा चर्चाको विषय बन्न गएको छ तर कुनै प्रारम्भिक जांच बिनै पुरोषोत्तम प्रधानलाई डुगाको खण्ड विकास अधिकारी पदबाट फेरी पुरानो स्थानमा स्थान्तरित गरिनु वहाँको सम्पूर्ण सेवा भावना माथि चोट पुराउनु हो । थालारम सापकोटाको हाजिरीमा निर्मित भएको यो भवनको निर्माण सम्बन्दमा आर्थिक सहयोग खण्ड विकास अधिकारी मार्फत भएता पनि आज पुरोषोत्तम प्रधानलाई पनि अन्धकारमा राखी यो कु कृत्य निर्माण कार्यमा संग्लग्न व्यक्तिहरुले गरे । विगतका योजनाहरुमा पनि यस्ता धेरै कार्य भए तर वहाँको गेरजिम्मेदराना कार्य कैले देखा परेन र आज यो कार्यको प्रतिदिन निगरानी गर्ने पार्टीका वार्ड पंचायत माथि किन पार्टी हाइकमानले सक्त कारवाई गरेन । यो पुर्षोत्तम प्रधानको समर्थन होइन तर एस्ता कु कृत्य गरेर एस. डी. एफ. पार्टीको छबि धमिलयाउने रोगहरुको पार्टीबाट निस्काशन गरि दिने हाम्रो आग्रह अनि विन्ती हो । एक पंचयात वार्डमा १० मोडल घर बनिने सरकारी योजना निरंतर चली रहेको छ तेसरी नै १२ वटा ग्राम पंचयात युनिटमा कुल १७० वटा घर निर्माण भई रहेको छ । बी. डी. ओ. ले यी घरहरुको निर्माण सम्बन्दमा प्रारम्भिक निरक्षण गरि कार्यको रिपोर्ट पेश गर्छन । तर प्रारम्भ देखी अन्त सम्म कार्यको निरन्तर जांच गरि बी. डी. ओ. लाई पनि रिपोर्ट पेश गर्ने दायित्व वार्ड पंचयात साथै वरिष्ट एवं कनिष्ट अभियन्ताको बन्छ । खण्ड विकास अधिकारी श्री पुर्षोत्तम प्रधानको कार्यकालमा पाण्डम भेगमा धेरै विकास योजनाहरु सार्थक भए तर अरु व्यक्तिहरुको लापरवाईले गर्दा आज सीधा वहाँ माथि बज्रपात हुनु समस्त जनताको मनोभावना माथि चोट पुग्नु हो । सम्माननीय मुख्यमन्त्री महोदयको सिक्किम निर्माणको सपनालाई चकनाचुर पर्ने केही चुनिंदा व्यक्तिहरु छन् जो पार्टी भित्रै छन् । हाम्रो प्रार्थना, हाम्रो निवेदन अनि हाम्रो विन्ती छ मुख्यमंत्री महोदयलाई की श्री पुर्षोत्तम प्रधान को असल चरित्र अनि वहाँको निस्वार्थ सेवा भावनाको सम्मान गरि दियाजावोस साथै येस्तो कु कृत्य गरि सिक्किम प्रजातान्त्रिक मोर्चाको छवी बर्बाद गर्ने कार्यकर्ताहरुलाई कड़ा भन्दा कड़ा कारवाई गरि दियाजावोस ।

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corruption in chief minister rural housing scheme in west Pandam

RANGPO-10TH APRIL12
After coming in print media about corruption in chief minister rural housing scheme in west Pandam constituency the public demand is raising day by day to seize the power of area Panchayat member. after the five post modal house print in several newspaper it was the one of the main issue in the central executive member meeting of Sikkim democratic front ruling party and Panchayat sammelan held on 30th march. in this issue BDO Duga Mr. purusotam Pradhan was also transferred .but according to the news though bdo is answerable for the issue but the elected Panchayat has received right and responsibility to look into the development and quality of the work done in the area. the Panchayat member of the said area has to walk everyday from nearby area .why he has not shown till the five post was seen .it is clearly proved that Panchayat member is also involved with the contractor in the illegal works of the CMRHS.the local resident has strongly demanded to seized the work of the Panchayat of the area .it is also learnt that Panchayat there was a close agreement between contractor and Panchayat regarding the profit may be distribute in 50 -50.in other side congress member Mr. jagdish century also asked that transfer of a bdo is completely wrong as the main culprits are left by the department .

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गोर्खा संग्रहालयको निर्माण गरिने

9 अप्रेल(कालेबुङ):- गोर्खा सैनिकहरुको वीरतासँग जोडिएको स्मृतिचिन्ह र पदकहरुको संरक्षण गर्न दार्जीलिङमा गोर्खा संग्रहालयको निर्माण गरिने भएको छ। दार्जीलिङको बतासे लूपनजिक निर्माण गरिने संग्रहालय भवनको शिलान्यास हिजो दार्जीलिङका सांसद जसवंत सिंहको बाहुलीबाट सम्पन्न गरियो। सांसदले यसको निम्ति आफ्नो कोषबाट पच्चिस लाख रुपियाँ प्रदान गरेका छन। आइतबार सम्पन्न शिलान्यासको कार्यक्रममा सांसद जसयवंत सिंहलगायत नगरपालिका अध्यक्ष अमरसिंह राई, गोर्खा सैनिक स्मृतिचिन्ह समितिका पदाधिकारीहरुको उपस्थिति थियो। गोर्खा सैनिक मात्र नभएर ब्रिटिश अनि भारतीय सेनासँग सम्बन्धित स्मृतिचिन्हहरु पनि प्रदर्शनी गरिने यस भवनको कूल निर्माण लागत एक करोड रुपियाँ अनुमान गरिएको छ। सेनासँग सम्बन्धित सरसामाग्रीहरु जोगाड गर्न चासो राख्ने दार्जीलिङका हेमंत प्रधानले ब्यक्तिगत प्रयासमा बिगत चार दशकदेखि बिभिन्न पदक, फोटो र अन्य सामग्रीहरु संग्रह गरेका छन। उनका यही सामग्रीहरु गोर्खा संग्रहालयमा प्रदर्शनी गरिनेछ भने व्यक्तिगत तौरमा प्रदान गरिएका स्मृतिचिन्हहरु पनि यहाँ राखिनेछ।

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-कालेबुङ शहरमा बालश्रमको बढ्दो सञ्जालमाथि नियञ्त्रण बनाउन महकुमा प्रशासनले एउटा उद्धार टोली गठन गरेको

10 अप्रेल(कालेबुङ):-कालेबुङ शहरमा बालश्रमको बढ्दो सञ्जालमाथि नियञ्त्रण बनाउन महकुमा प्रशासनले एउटा उद्धार टोली गठन गरेको छ। महकुमा कार्यालयमा सोमबार सम्पन्न बैठक पछि टोलीको गठन गरिएको छ। महकुमा प्रशासन, कालेबुङ थाना, श्रम विभाग, नगरपालिका प्रशासन अनि गैरसरकारी संगठनका प्रतिनिधिहरु उपस्थित रहेको बैठकमा कालेबुङ शहरमा लगातार बृद्धि भइ रहेको बालश्रमको क्रियाकलापबारे चिन्ता प्रकट गरिएको थियो। राज्यको मुख्यालयबाट पठाइएको सरकारी आदेश अनुसार पहाडमा पनि बालमजदुरहरुको हकहित र सुरक्षाको निम्ति उद्धार टोली गठन गर्ने पहल गरिएको हो। कालेबुङ महकुमा कार्यालयका अधिकारी टि एन शेर्पाले उद्धार टोली गठन गरिएको जानकारी दिदैँ यसले अब आफ्नो कार्य शुरु गर्ने बताएका छन। बालअधिकारको क्षेत्रमा काम गर्ने स्थानीय गैर सरकारी संगठन बालसुरक्षा अभियानले शहरी क्षेत्रमा बालमजदुरहरुको अवस्थाबारे आरम्भिक चरणको सर्वेक्षण पूरा गरेपछि उद्धार टोलीले आफ्नो कार्वाही थाल्ने उनको भनाई छ। शहरका व्यापारिक अनि होटल र चियापसलहरुबाट उद्धार गरिएका नानीहरुलाई सरकारी प्रावधान अनुसार पुनर्वास, शिक्षा अनि बित्तिय सहयोग गरिने शेर्पाले बताएका छन।

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Low-cost stores in 5 hospitals - Round-the-clock counters approved

MRINALINI SHARMA

North Bengal Medical College and Hospital, which will get a low-cost drug store Siliguri, April 9: The state government has decided to open low-cost medicine stores in five hospitals in north Bengal where drugs would be available even at half the market price. The round-the-clock Jan Aushadhi Kendras or counters that will sell unbranded generic drugs will be the first in the region and will also cater for patients outside the state-run hospitals. The five stores, among the 20 that has been approved across the state, would be opened at North Bengal Medical College and Hospital, Malda Medical College and Hospital and the district hospitals at Jalpaiguri, Raiganj and Darjeeling. “Jan Aushadhi Kendra is a central scheme to promote generic unbranded medicines with the help of state governments. The scheme has been successfully implemented in Punjab and Haryana. The Bengal government has passed an order to open such outlets in 20 more hospitals. We received a copy of the order last week,” said NBMCH principal Anup Kumar Roy. In government hospitals, free medicine is given only to patients who are admitted. According to an official of the health department, the central government has identified five sick PSU drug manufacturing companies to supply generic drugs at lower prices. Roy said the new medicine counters in the state will be run by Gluconate India Private Limited. “Drugs will be available by their generic names like cetirizine and paracetamol and not brand names. The medicines would be available to patients at one third to half the retail price in the drug stores. For instance, if the price of a strip of paracetamol is Rs 20 outside, it will be available for Rs 10. Anti-cancer and important combination drugs, medical consumables and orthopaedic and cardiovascular implants will also be available at the stores. Medicines would be given not only to those who are hospitalised but anyone with a valid prescription,” Roy added. The state has three Jan Aushadhi Kendras, one each at MR Bangur Hospital and NRS Medical College and Hospital in Calcutta and at the Howrah district hospital. “We have kept three rooms ready with power and water supply. A team from the state health department will inspect the rooms and choose one for the store. We hope to open the counter at NBMCH in the next five months,” said Roy. District health officials said the orders have reached the hospitals in Darjeeling, Malda, Jalpaiguri and Raiganj.

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In Sikkim, health data a click away

NIRMAL MANGAR
Gangtok, April 9: Health details of all Sikkim residents will soon be a click away with the launch of smart cards that could be read by bar code machines to be installed at primary health centres and district hospitals across the state.

“Sikkim is the first state in the country to introduce health card. The cards will store a person’s complete details, including blood sugar level, body mass index and blood pressure level. Initially, people can access their health profile at their local primary health centres or district hospitals. Later, all the PHCs and the district hospitals will be linked to the main server so that the health data can be accessed in any part of Sikkim,” said P.M. Pradhan, the additional director in the health department.

The launch of the cards was inaugurated by health minister D.N. Takarpa here on World Health Day on Saturday. The cards are being issued as part of the Chief Minister’s Annual Health and Total Health Check up for Healthy Sikkim launched in 2010.

Pradhan said 3,65,130 lakh people in Sikkim possessing voter identity cards or domicile certificates would be provided with the health cards by the end of this year.

“The cards will be read by a bar code machine that will be installed at each of 25 the primary health centres and district hospitals. The data will be updated at the annual medical check-ups,” said the health official.

The software to read the cards has been developed by the National Informatics Centre, Sikkim. “It took almost eight months to develop the software which we have tentatively named CATCH information system. We will hold a training next week for the medical officers and other staff in the health department. They will be taught how to operate the software to know the health details of a patient,” R.K. Pradhan, the senior system analyst at the NIC, told The Telegraph.

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meeting of Majhitar Samaj kalayan Samity

9TH APRIL 2012-
a day long monthly meeting of Majhitar Samaj kalayan Samity was organized at the premises of the house of Shri Purna Kumar Majhi, treasurer of the Samity on 8th April 2012.The main objective of the meeting was to analyze the progress & problem of the samity along with making a strategy for future course of action.
The meeting was presided over by the president of Samity Smt. Maya Century & attended by Shri Tika Ram Pradhan, youth president Biswa Gurung H.B Chhetri,D.K Pradhan, P.K Majhi,Ashok Pradhan,Dr. D.S Tewari, Ranjana Subba,Kalpana & other office bearer & members of the samity.The meeting started with the welcome address by Shri A.K Pradhan,wherin he also informed people for maintaining accountiblity,group involvement & decentralization of power & these are crucial in such organization. After this Dr. D. S Tewari deliberated on future course of action. He informed that the Tannery road is also by pass for SMIT Students, lecturers & other delegates coming to this university, so black toping & drainage system construction is the need of the hour. He also aware people to be more environments friendly while in living heterogeneous society like hours. In this context he informed people to observe world environment day on 5th May 2012 at Samity level, with the objective to aware people as regards to balance ecosystem & ecotourism. After this president of the samity informed the house regarding the resolution urgent to resolve by the house at that time. Accordingly the house resolves the following points which are felt necessary for straight away execution.

1- Street light from Dip Hotel to SMIT gate is felt very imperative. & demand has to be placed in the office of Power & Energy Department.
2- Some people residing in & around Rod factory found Tuberculosis positive as per the record of Distt. Hospital singtam, accordingly they are under medication (D.O.T), so the samity felt urgent to guide them to complete the course of medicine & also took the responsibility to aware others to keep away from infected zone/person.
3- The House resolved to appeal Nagar Panchayat to initiate action for developing proper drainage system in lower Majhitar.
4- The House also resolved to request area MLA for Tannery Road carpeting

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Panel orders boy back in class

NIRMAL MANGAR

Gangtok, April 8: The Sikkim State Child Rights Commission has directed Holy Cross School to take back a Class IV student who had been issued a transfer certificate last month on health grounds. The commission also directed the school authorities not to call any student “mentally disoriented” without medical endorsement. The 11-year-old boy will be attending school from Tuesday, commission sources said. School principal Sister Jessy Mathew had labelled the boy of “unsound mind” while issuing a transfer certificate within a month of the start of the new session, insisting that he should study in special schools. The commission had summoned principal Mathew and six members of the school disciplinary committee for a hearing yesterday. During the two-hour session, the commission sought the expert opinion of Dr B.P. Dhakal, the general secretary of the Spastic Society of Sikkim, on the mental state of the child whom he was told to examine. The committee concluded that the boy was “normal” and should be allowed to continue with his studies in the same school. Dhakal is a doctor with the government-run Sir Thutob Namgayal Memorial Hospital in Gangtok. “After listening to both the sides, the commission ordered the school to take back the student. We had Dr B.P. Dhakal to interact with the child. He confirmed that the child had no complications,” said commission chairperson Manita Pradhan. “The doctor said the child was completely fit for mainstream schooling. The child was asked several questions by the doctor on addition, subtraction, names of the (days of the) week by the doctor and he answered the questions promptly,” Pradhan said. The TC was challenged by the boy’s grandmother Shila Devi Rai on April 5 before the commission. She had argued that no doctor had been consulted to declare the child unfit for school. She had also said the boy had been a student of the school for three years and had been promoted to Class IV with good marks. During that time, the authorities had not raised any questions on the child’s health. Principal Mathew had told The Telegraph earlier that the child was “mentally disoriented and mentally unsound. He beats up other students and disturbs the class. The disciplinary committee summoned the boy’s grandmother who took the child away from school”. Shila Devi said she was happy with the decision of the commission whose orders are binding on all Sikkim schools, but feared that the child may be discriminated against when he joined class. “I am very happy that my grandson will go to the same school. I thank the commission for delivering justice to him. However, I fear that he may get discriminated in the school,” she said. In case such a thing happens, the boy’s guardian can lodge another complaint with the commission, sources said. “The school has to comply with the order of the commission. If it fails, a complaint would be lodged with the police. Right to Education is a fundamental right and no one can violate the basic rights of a child,” said an official from the social welfare department. The school authorities refused to talk to The Telegraph after the hearing.(The Telegraph)

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‘Goodwill’ gesture in partial strike - Partha stresses on bandh-free protest, points to land panel

AVIJIT SINHA

Ministers Gautam Deb and Partha Chatterjee (right) at the office of the north Bengal development department in Siliguri on Sunday. Picture by Kundan Yolmo Siliguri, April 8: An anti-hill forum in the Dooars-Terai has scaled down a two-day shutdown to a 24-hour general strike as a “goodwill” gesture after a meeting with industries minister Partha Chatterjee, saying it expected the government to reciprocate. The forum also said the strike has been partially withdrawn — and will now be observed in Darjeeling and Jalpaiguri districts on April 10 — keeping in mind the interest of the business community, specially shopkeepers before the Bengali New Year. Chatterjee, who acted as an emissary of chief minister Mamata Banerjee, urged the forum to refrain from strikes, specially when there were options to make submissions before the government committee looking into the Gorkha Janmukti Morcha’s demand for plains territory to be made part of the hill set-up. “Calling general strikes over the hill issue had become a regular feature in this region. The state government, through its initiatives, could successfully bring the region out of this phase that had deterred development in north Bengal,” the industries minister said. “We have asked the organisations to make submissions before the high-powered committee which has not yet made its recommendations on territory. The joint forum and its constituents can resort to other forms of agitation but they must refrain from strikes, which affect the economy of a region,” he added. The Dooars-Terai Joint Action Committee, a forum of 26 organisations including the Akhil Bharatiya Adivasi Vikas Parishad, Intuc and KPP, is opposed to the Morcha demand to bring Gorkha-dominated mouzas in the foothills under the to-be-formed Gorkhaland Territorial Administration (GTA). Asked after the meeting if he would ask the Morcha too to withdraw its 48-hour strike starting April 18, the minister said: “We will talk to everybody as the state government does not want development to be affected because of strikes.” Another joint action committee led by the Morcha and the John Barla-faction of the Adivasi Vikas Parishad has called the strike to protest the plains forum’s demand. Chatterjee was accompanied by north Bengal development minister Gautam Deb in the first meeting that the government held with the plains outfits opposed to the Morcha. The almost-back-to-back 96-hour bandh calls had made the business community apprehensive and it was looking forward to government intervention. The forum, which had earlier said it would not withdraw the strike till the government gave in writing that not an inch of land from the Dooars and Terai would be added to the GTA, softened today. “Although no concrete assurance has been given by the state, we have decided to partially withdraw the strike and will observe it on April 10 in deference to the minister,” committee convener, the KPP’s Atul Roy said. “Rallies in support of the strike would be held in Siliguri, Nagrakata and Jalpaiguri tomorrow. But we hope the government will reciprocate our goodwill gesture. If the state shows no sign of meeting our demands, then we will decide our next course of action on April 16.” Sources present at the meeting said the forum was also under pressure from traders. “We had to relent a bit as this is the time traders look forward to, ahead of the New Year (April 14) and the Chaitra sale,” said a source. Chatterjee will meet tour operators and the business community tomorrow.(The Telegraph)

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