KOLKATA: Chief minister Mamata Banerjee is likely to visit the Hills on May 14 to hold talks with Gorkha Janmukti Morcha (GJM) leaders and sort out all issues regarding the Gorkhaland Territorial Administration (GTA). She also has plans to meet the members of the Lepcha Development Board (LDB) and find out the present state of its functioning.
During Mamata's visit to the Hills in March, the GJM leaders had accused her of dictating terms to the GTA and some GJM supporters had even protested against her in a government programme
. GJM had also criticized her for forming the development council for the Lepchas against their will. It might be mentioned that after coming to power a tripartite agreement in July 2011 was signed by representatives of the Centre, state government and GJM to bring peace. Right now when the tourism season is setting in, Mamata wants to show the GJM leaders that during peace time tourism can flourish.
Officials said that in order to improve the relationship with GJM, she is planning her Hills trip at a time when GNLF is also gaining grounds in some parts of the Hills.
A tripartite meeting is likely to take place on May 13 in Darjeeling, where the Centre, state and GJM will hold talks for smooth functioning of the GTA. Moreover, the three-tier panchayat which is yet to gain the constitutional status is going to be discussed at the meeting where state home secretary Basudeb Banerjee will also be present. Also, problems related to the functioning of fair-price shops in the subdivisional hospitals of Darjeeling will be discussed. Already there is a demand for a medical college in the hills and that too will be discussed.
GJM leaders have also demanded a separate school service commission and college service commission for recruiting Hills people and a recruitment agency for hiring Group B, C and D staff.
On Tuesday, GJM leaders led by secretary Roshan Giri met chief secretary Sanjay Mitra and home secretary Basudeb Banerjee at the Writers' Buildings to discuss the progress on the formation of Gorkhaland Territorial Administration (GTA).
After the meeting, Giri said that they held talks on a host of issues, including the cases on some GJM leaders and funds for infrastructure development. "Several GJM workers are still carrying the cases that were charged on them during the agitation and that these cases have to be withdrawn. The chief minister will be informed in detail about the matter.
Earlier one time fund of about Rs 575 crore was asked to the state government for developing the infrastructure but the fund is yet to be sanctioned. The matter will be discussed in the review committee meeting to be held soon.
A total of 13 mouzas were transferred to GTA but the schools, colleges, primary health centers and many other offices falling in these mouzas are yet to be transferred to GTA. Also, 30 departments are yet to be transfered to GTA and the process should be expedited.(http://www.darjeelingtimes.com/)
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।
2 May 2013
1 May 2013
GTA seeks Rs 575cr from state, Delhi - Review meeting to discuss demand for cash for hill body’s infrastructure
April 30: A GTA Sabha delegation visiting Calcutta today demanded Rs 575 crore from the Centre and the state government to put in place the administrative infrastructure of the hill body.
The demand for the funds was placed at a meeting between the six-member delegation of the hill autonomous body and state chief secretary Sanjay Mitra and home secretary Basudeb Banerjee.
The GTA memorandum of agreement signed by the Gorkha Janmukti Morcha and the central and state governments to establish the GTA has a provision for a one-time financial assistance to set up the administrative infrastructure.
“The Centre and the state had agreed to grant a one-time financial assistance to set up GTA secretariat building, Sabha house and offices and quarters for both members and officials of the GTA in the memorandum of agreement. Today, we submitted a proposal from the GTA to the state government saying we would need Rs 575 crore for the project,” Morcha general secretary Roshan Giri said over phone after the meeting.
The provision in the GTA memorandum of agreement reads: “The Government of India/ State Government will provide one time financial assistance required for development of administrative infrastructure viz., GTA Sabha House, Secretariat Complex and the residential quarters for the elected members of GTA and the senior officers.”
Giri, who led the Morcha delegation, also said the demand for Rs 575 crore had already been conveyed to the Centre.
“The chief secretary was of the opinion that since the Centre, too, had to bear the expenses as per the agreement, the matter should be discussed at the next review meeting, which is scheduled to be held in Darjeeling in mid-May,” said Giri.
The review meetings, attended by GTA members and officials of the state government and the Union home ministry, are held to look into the functioning of the hill body.
The last review meeting was held in Delhi on December 26, 2012.
During today’s meeting, the state government assured the Morcha delegation that R.D. Meena, the new principal secretary of the GTA, would take charge in the first week of May.
“We have been told to send a proposal through the principal secretary once he assumes charge for setting up a subordinate selection board, which will be responsible for carrying out recruitment in the GTA,” Giri said.
The board will take care of the recruitment of Group B, C and D employees of the GTA and there is a provision for the same in the MoA.
“The Bengal government will also issue a notification soon on setting up a separate school service and college service commissions for the GTA area,” said Giri.
The delegation also asked the government to transfer the administration of 18 mouzas in the Terai to the GTA completely.
“The state government has mentioned that it will ensure that transfer of schools, panchayat offices and health centres from the 18 Terai mouzas which have been brought under the GTA will take place soon,” said Giri.
Demand to arrest fraud firm bosses
Siliguri, April 30: Agents of a Siliguri-based fraud deposit company that shut down last month have demanded the arrest of four directors, alleging that the administration was focusing more on pursuing the officials of Saradha Group.
According to the agents of Annex Infrastructure India Limited, although the company’s managing director Prasenjit Majumdar — a resident of Ghugumali on the outskirts of Siliguri — was arrested from North 24-Parganas last week, four other directors, also from Siliguri and the adjoining areas, are still at large.
“We know that Saradha Group is a bigger company but investors and agents of Annex have also lost lakhs. Prasenjit Majumdar, the managing director, was arrested with Rs 73 lakh. But the other four directors have not been arrested despite FIRs against them,” said agent Mrinal Chakraborty.
Sources said there are more than 20,000 agents of the firm across the state and more than 5,000 are from Siliguri.
Cong skips SMC meet
Siliguri, April 30: The Congress today abstained from the monthly board meeting of the Siliguri Municipal Corporation, alleging that the session had been convened by the chairman without consulting the mayor.
But a source in the Congress said the party had skipped the meeting as no projects could be proposed or taken up for discussion because of a state government order that asked the SMC commissioner to approve only bills on regular expenditure in the current financial quarter.
The meeting couldn’t be held today because of lack of quorum. Along with Congress councillors, Left members also abstained from the meeting.
“The chairman (Nantu paul) acted in a biased manner and fixed the meeting without consulting us. It is a clear violation of the convention followed at the corporation. That is why our 14 councillors have abstained from the meeting,” said Congress mayor Gangotri Datta.
But a Congress councillor, who didn’t wish to be named, said: “As the state municipal affairs department on April 8 issued an order that confiscated the financial powers of the mayor, deputy mayor and the member mayor-in-councils, the board meeting was not of much relevance. The commissioner has been asked to exercise the financial powers under 16 heads that deal with regular expenditure. With our hands tied, how can we propose and implement projects?”
When 12 of 15 Trinamul councillors reached the SMC conference hall this afternoon to attend the meeting, they found all chairs empty.
The Left has 17 councillors who boycotted the meeting to protest Nantu Paul’s continuance as the chairman after he left the Congress and joined Trinamul
30 Apr 2013
Cameras to monitor police stations
VIVEK CHHETRI
Darjeeling, April 29: Darjeeling police have decided to install three closed-circuit TV cameras in each of the 14 police stations under them by next month to help senior officers monitor work round the clock through cellphones or any other device with Internet.
The system of keeping tabs on police stations by senior officers when they are on the move is the first of its kind in the state.
At a time when the GNLF has decided to increase its political activities in the hills, raising possibilities of political skirmishes, the new system is expected to come in handy in effectively controlling law and order in the region.
“We have decided to install the system in all 14 police stations (in the district) so that senior officers can monitor all activities even when they are on the move. Cameras will also be installed outside the police stations,” said Kunal Aggarwal, the superintendent of police, Darjeeling.
“We can also video chat not only with the police officers but also the public,” Aggarwal said.
Two CCTVs would be installed inside each police station, one would be set up outside.
Rakesh Sharma, CEO, Digitech, a Siliguri-based computer firm which is installing the CCTVs, has said the system is likely to be operational by the end of the week.
“Three CCTVs will be installed in each police station, two inside and one outside. These are all-weather cameras with night visions,” he said.
The videos captured by the CCTVs will be connected to a digital video recorder (DVR) that will support Internet connections.
“Every DVR will have its own Internet protocol (IP) address. One can type in the IP address of a particular police station and access the videos from any medium like cellphones, tabs, laptops and desktops that have Internet connections,” said Sharma.
Apart from the IP address, the network administrator will have a password that would be made available to the district police chief. Once the officer keys in the IP address assigned to a police station and the password that is recognised by the administrator, he can access the information from the DVRs.
The password can be changed by the administrator at any point of time and the SP would give the password to the officers he wants to.
Recordings of 30 days can be stored in the DVRs.
The project cost has been estimated at Rs 7 lakh.
“Once we finish installing the system, we will train the police personnel for a day or two to familiarise them with the technology,” Sharma said.
Additional director-general of police (law and order), Banibrata Basu, said the initiative was first of its kind in the state.
“There are a number of police stations in the state where CCTVs are installed. But keeping surveillance on police stations by a superior when he or she is on the move is the first of its kind. It will help us investigate allegations like policemen not registering complaints or staying away from duty,” he said from Calcutta.
Chopper rides
Siliguri, April 29: North Bengal development minister Gautam Deb today announced that Pawan Hans would soon introduce helicopter services between Cooch Behar and Calcutta via Bagdogra.
“We are determined to improve connectivity across north Bengal. As part of it, the state government will soon sign an MoU with Pawan Hans which in turn will operate helicopter services between Calcutta and Cooch Behar. The good news for the residents of Siliguri is that they can also avail themselves of this service as it would be via Bagdogra. The service would be introduced soon,” Deb said at a citizens’ convention organised by Trinamul here today.
He also said the state government was planning to set up a Hindi-medium college on the outskirts of Siliguri.
“The first Hindi-medium college of the state will start functioning at Birpara in the Dooars from the next academic session. The college would, in due course, shift to a permanent building planned in Banarhat. The state government has (also) decided to open another Hindi-medium college in the Terai to cater for the Hindi-speaking students living on the outskirts of Siliguri,” Deb said.
He attended the convention today to hear problems faced by Siliguri residents and suggestions to solve them.
“A series of proposals and problems like traffic congestion, improvement of tourism infrastructure and opening of health care and educational institutes has come to me through today’s convention. After two months, most likely at June end, we will convene another convention where I would present an “action taken report” and elaborate how much we could implement the proposals and mitigate the problems,” Deb said.
Fever check
Siliguri, April 29: The Darjeeling district health department has started a fever surveillance programme from last week to keep a track on vector-borne diseases like dengue, Japanese encephalitis, black fever, malaria and chikungunya in the risk-prone areas of the district.
According to district health officials, the step is a part of a preventive programme launched earlier this month to check the outbreak of diseases in the district. The risk-prone areas of Siliguri subdivision are Matigara, Phansidewa, Naxalbari-Khoribari and Siliguri. The other areas are Sukna under Kurseong subdivision and Gorubathan and Rambhi in Kalimpong subdivision.
“We have asked the health officials to monitor patients who come with fever to the health centres. Our aim is to prevent an outbreak,” said Subir Bhowmik, the district chief medical officer of health.
“These are just precautionary measures and people need not be alarmed ,” the CMOH added.
Airport theft turns glare on cameras - Spotlight on cctv for law and order & trace of stolen car
Siliguri, April 29: An SUV theft from the parking lot of Bagdogra airport yesterday has raised doubts about CCTV surveillance at the facility which is a security installation.
C.K. Shrestha, whose car was stolen, today alleged that when his family wanted to see CCTV footage to see the exit gate of the airport and check who had driven away the car, the airport authorities said they could not provide him with such footage.
He alleged that the airport authorities told his son Yash that the CCTV cameras on the premises were out of order when he wished to see the footage between 1pm and 2pm.
However, K. Bhowmik, the director of the Bagdogra airport, denied the charge that the CCTV cameras were not working.
“We have met the person concerned whose car was stolen from the parking lot and promised all necessary steps. It is not correct that CCTV cameras were not functioning at the airport,” Bhowmik said.
Bhowmik refused to say today if the cameras at the exit gate and the parking lot were working, citing security reasons.
Shrestha, a resident of Kalimpong and a former national working president of the Bharatiya Gorkha Parisangh, said: “It is surprising that CCTV cameras are not working at the airport. This is what we were told when we met the AAI officials yesterday. They told them that we want to see the footage captured by cameras of the time when the SUV was parked. I have lodged a written complaint with the airport director today…. We will wait for another 24 hours and in case no information about our vehicle reaches to us, we will be forced to take the legal course.”
Shrestha said his son Yash Kishore, daughter-in-law Neetu and grandson Advait had gone to drop his daughter Priyadarshini at the airport around 1pm yesterday.
They left the white-coloured Mahindra Bolero (SK-01P-2949) at the parking lot and went inside to see Priyadarshini off. When they returned, they could not find the SUV at the parking lot. Yash looked all over the parking area and also inquired with the parking fee collectors if they had seen anybody drive away with the SUV.
“All the parking fee collectors said they had seen nobody drive away an SUV. But that is unbelievable because none of the cars is supposed to leave the parking space without paying the fee…. We suspect foul play,” said Shrestha.
Yash filed a complaint at the Bagdogra police station.
Sources at the airport said the facility has 26 cameras, most of which are installed inside the airport.
A source at the airport said: “Recently, we received 40-42 more CCTV cameras which would be put in several locations to strengthen the vigilance. Installation of these cameras is in progress.”
29 Apr 2013
Hills list fresh demands
Darjeeling, April 28: The Gorkha Janmukti Morcha has decided to seek the reorganisation of subdivisions and blocks in the hills and a change in the name and profile of the board that deals with primary schools in the GTA Sabha area.
The two demands, which are not part of any understanding reached between the state government and the Morcha, will be placed before the Bengal chief secretary when a party delegation meets him on April 30.
“We have prepared a list of 14 issues that we would like to discuss with the chief secretary and the education minister on April 30,” Morcha general secretary Roshan Giri told The Telegraph.
Sources in the Morcha said the delegation would be led by Giri.
“We want a reorganisation of subdivisions and blocks in the GTA area. Some of the blocks are very big and their bifurcation is important for the smooth functioning of the GTA. Once the government starts the process of the reorganisation, we will place our exact demands on the number of subdivisions and blocks that need to be created,” said a Morcha leader.
At the moment, the GTA area comprises eight blocks that form three subdivisions — Darjeeling, Kalimpong and Kurseong.
A source said the Morcha delegation would also demand that the district primary school board be renamed the GTA Primary Council and more offices be created under the body.
“We want the whole set-up of the administration of primary schools to be changed. The district primary school board has an office only in Darjeeling. The board should be renamed the GTA Primary Council and there should be sub-offices in other hill towns also. The sub-offices can take care of the recruitment of teachers and other matters, while the council will act as an apex body,” said the source.
The hills have 774 primary schools which are currently governed by the board under the GTA.
The revamp of the subdivisions and the creation of the GTA primary council are not mentioned in the memorandum of agreement signed by the Morcha, state government and the Centre and the subsequent act passed by the Assembly for the formation of the GTA.
Morcha sources said the two additional demands were necessary for the smooth functioning of the GTA.
The delegation will also seek permission to fill up 1,040 vacant posts in the Sishu Siksha Kendras and an additional 62 vacancies in the Madhyamik Siksha Kendras.
The Morcha will ask the government to set up separate school and college service commissions in the hills and start the process to amend the Constitution to put in place a three-tier panchayat system in the region.
Another demand is the complete transfer of 16 mouzas in the Terai to the GTA. “The GTA elections were conduced in these mouzas. But so far, only land has been transferred to the GTA. These areas are still under the Siliguri Mahakuma Parishad and people are facing a lot of inconveniences because of this. We want a complete transfer of the entire administration of the 16 mouzas to the GTA,” said the source.
How Richard Gere found the path to Buddhism - Actor recounts his first meeting with Dalai Lama and the virtues of practising Dharma
The following is the transcript of the lecture delivered by actor Richard Gere on Buddhism in the West and My Personal Experience at Manan Kendra in Gangtok on April 26.
It is a great honour for me to be here, it is my pleasure to be with the Sogyal Rimpoche here. It would be better if there is a dialogue and lots of interactions with me.
Please ask questions and set the direction of the conversations to the next level on Buddhism.
Sogyal Rimpoche. who is a good friend of mine, has been a very good person as he has introduced me with so many great masters and extraordinary teachers in Asia and other countries.
He is a very simple human being with a vast knowledge on Buddhism. Me talking about Buddhism in front of him would be a little embarrassing, I would feel myself as a parrot as I can only recite what I have learnt. But to be frank, I am not a great practitioner. But one thing is that I have truly generated respect and love for Dharma.
With the practising of the Dharma for the last forty years every day is a learning day and teaches me new things.
One may not see the instant changes in oneself once we start practising Buddhism Dharma, it is a time taking process and the real change comes slowly. You will come across through the periods when there is no progress but still you have to be working through.
And frankly saying I haven’t practised Dharma under two circumstances. One when I was too drunk and other when I was too sick. But the thing is that no matter what be the situation one should meditate and practise every day.
I started my practice with the Zen Buddhists who are very strict and the practice is monitored very carefully and it was a great pleasure to start the practice under such monitoring.
Today I have been told to speak on the development of Buddhism in the West. I don’t know much about that but I am from the West and I will tell you how it developed with me.
This is my first visit to Sikkim but there is an affirmity that I have roamed these mountains as well, I felt very comfortable, relaxed and eased here. This is a very natural place and I want to come back here again and again.
When I was a young man in my twenties I was a confused man and I tried to figure out why I was confused and I had left college when I was nineteen to become an actor and I was very anxious to get started with my life and I was quite lucky to get started early.
I worked in repertory theatres and was travelling most of the USA, Europe and earning. But there was still a sense inside me that there is something incomplete.
Something which I would call a distress which I wanted to know for long, about the truth. I thought maybe it was a period young people went through, a recognisable period and pretty quickly it was Buddhism that spoke to me when I was searching the answers in the books. I happened to read some books on Buddhism, I find them interesting and divulge it.
The sense of practising the Dharma gave me an immense happiness and console.
The most ideal thing I learnt during the practice was to surrender completely to the teacher (master).
I will now tell you about my first meeting with His Holiness the Dalai Lama.
It was during the monsoon and for several weeks I had an audience with His Holiness.
I met His Holiness the Dalai Lama at Dharamshala in India. I was told by the people at his office that I can spend a week’s time visiting the Tibetan camps and monasteries at Dharamshala before meeting the Dalai Lama. A week later I got an opportunity to meet him. We started out with a little small talk and his brother introduced me as an acclaimed actor of Hollywood His Holiness then he said: “Oh, so you're an actor?”
He thought about that a second, and then he said: “So when you do this acting and you're angry, are you really angry? When you're acting sad, are you really sad? When you cry, are you really crying?”
I gave him some kind of actor answer, like it was more effective if you really believed in the emotion that you were portraying. He looked very deeply into my eyes and just started laughing hysterically. He was laughing at the idea that I would believe emotions are real, that I would work very hard to believe in anger and hatred and sadness and pain and suffering.
I realised His Holiness’s practise is powerful and powerful in the field of compassion as well and that was the feeling I had. He was so complete, searching for a deep experience to know wisdom and compassion.
In Tibetan Buddhism I feel there are many things which teach you to be compassionate, In Sikkim too I feel that there is something extremely deep, powerful and non-violent.
So that was how I started practising Tibetan Buddhism which has been a practice for the last, I don’t know, may be thirty five years.
We are so fortunate to live in the time of His Holiness, the living Buddha whom we can see and touch and feel the depth of the possibilities of human beings.
So this more or less is my story. The Buddhism which first came to the West is the Japanese Buddhism not the Chinese.
In the fifties, sixties when disaster fell on Tibet and His Holiness and other lamas left, and one of my teachers Chungla Rinponche came to the US in the 1960s.
Little by little Tibetan Buddhism not only came to the USA but also reinterpreted itself. Tibetans have an extraordinary way of becoming comfortable pretty much with Dharma and allowing it to find its own place. The skill required in Dharma is also the skill of communication to talk and to interact about the culture which is meaningful to them.
In ’60, 70 and 80s the Tibetan Dharma spread in the world, it was due to disaster which happened in Tibet. The Dharma that was in Tibet for 1,500 years was now in the world. And we in the West are the recipients of their tragedy in many ways.
It was a great experience for me to find my ways in life through Dharma and I find that here there is a strong Buddhist culture with so many historic monasteries.
I am born Christian and the Christianity which I knew was incapable of answering my questions such as what am I? Why does the world exist? Do I exist? What is my purpose? Where have these men around me come from? And the answers which I used to get wasn’t enough for me. Buddhism is not afraid to at least attempt to answer these questions.
I had a very clear feeling that I’d always been in meditation, that I’d never left meditation. That it was a much more substantial reality than what we normally take to be reality. That was very clear to me even then, but it’s taken me this long in my life to bring it out into the world more, through more time practising, watching my mind, trying to generate Bodhisatva.
There could be no greater gift than introduce someone to Dharma.
I have been fascinated by the lovely people and the practise of Buddhism in Sikkim and would love to come back with my wife and two children in future.
Thank You
Assurance on Saradha schools
Siliguri, April 28: Minister Gautam Deb today said he would urge chief minister Mamata Banerjee and state education minister Bratya Basu to see that studies of over 900 students of two schools owned by the Saradha Group were not affected.
“The two Lincolns High Schools have over 900 students. As the schools are of the Saradha Group, the guardians are apprehensive about the future of their children. As it is an educational institution and not a realty property of the group, I would take up the issue with the chief minister and the state education minister in Calcutta. We would like to assure the guardians that the state government would see to it that studies of the students are not affected because of punitive actions taken against the group and people associated with it,” Deb said here today.
The campuses of the Lincolns High Schools are at Karaibari, 12km from here, and Milanpally in the town.
The Karaibari school has classes from I to XII and Milanpally from KG to Class VIII. The Karaibari school is affiliated to the ICSE board.
“We are concerned about our children. In the middle of the academic session, it would be a problem to shift them to other schools. The students are also worried,” a guardian said last week.
Debendralal Brahmin, a Siliguri resident, said his sister’s family owns the land and building of the school at Milanpally. “My sister’s family owns the 17.5-cottah plot and the two-storied building in Milanpally where the school runs,” Brahmin said. “Ever since the school was opened by the erstwhile owner N.N. Paul (he sold it to Saradha Group in November, 2010), he had been paying the rent till February.”
“The last lease agreement was signed in 2006 for 10 years. The school is supposed to pay Rs 27,000 as the monthly rent. But we have not yet received the rent for March. The money is supposed to be paid on the sixth of each month,” Brahmin said.
When told that the Saradha Group runs the school now he said: “No formal communication was made to us about the change of ownership. We plan to talk to the school authorities soon.”
हिमालय पिपल्स च्यानलको प्रसारणमा गोजमुमोले प्रतिबन्ध लगाएपछि निक्कै दिनदेखि चुलिएको यस पत्रकारितमाथिको विवादलाई केन्द्र गर्दै आज गोजमुमो केन्द्रिय सह-सचिव एवं सभासद् विनय तामाङ्गले मुख खोलेका छन्
कालेबुङ, 28 अप्रेल।
हिमालय पिपल्स च्यानलको प्रसारणमा गोजमुमोले प्रतिबन्ध लगाएपछि निक्कै दिनदेखि चुलिएको यस पत्रकारितमाथिको विवादलाई केन्द्र गर्दै आज गोजमुमो केन्द्रिय सह-सचिव एवं सभासद् विनय तामाङ्गले मुख खोलेका छन्। जर्नलिष्ट एसोसिएसन अफ् कालेबुङको स्थापना दिवस कार्यक्रमलाई सम्बोधन गर्दै उनले केही पत्रकारहरूले राजनैतिक स्वार्थप्रेरित भएर काम गर्ने गरेका छन् भन्ने आशय पोखेका छन्। ‘पत्रकारिता गणतन्त्रको चौथौ स्तम्भ हो। यसलार्ई राजनीतिदेखि अक्षुण राख्नुपर्छ। पत्रकारितामा संलग्न व्यक्तिहरू राजनीति प्ररेत छन् भने चाहेर पनि समाज स्वच्छ हुन सक्दैन’-विनय तामाङ्गले भने। आफू कोलकातामा छँदा पत्र-पत्रिकामा प्रकाशित भएको समाचार सम्बन्धमा आफूले स्पष्टिकरण दिनैपर्ने भएकोले यो मञ्च सही रहेको उनले बताए। ‘पत्रकारहरू भनेको समाजको ऐना हुन्। तर ऐना नै चर्किएको छ भने सही रुपले प्रतिविम्भित हुन सक्दैन। यसैले ऐना चर्किएको हुनुहुँदैन’-उनले भने। उनले अझ आरोप लगाएअनुसार, कुनै पनि मिडियाहाउस निष्पक्ष अनि स्वतन्त्र छ भनेर किटान गर्न सकिँदैन। गोजमुमोको आन्दोलनकालमा पनि कतिपय बङ्गाल च्यानलहरूको यस्तो उदाहरण दिइसकेको बताए। ‘राष्ट्रिय स्तरका मिडियाहरूलाई पनि प्रत्यक्ष वा परोक्ष रुपमा कर्पोरेट हाउसहरूले सहयोग गर्ने गरेको छ। कर्पोरेट हाउसको उद्देश्य पनि कहीँ गएर राजनीतिसित नै ठोक्किन्छ’-तामाङ्गले भने। पत्रकारिता देशको चौथो स्तम्भ भनिएपनि धेरै कर्मीहरू कुनै न कुनै दलसित संलग्न भएर नै काम गर्ने गरेको आशय उनले पोखेका छन् कालेबुङ पत्रकारिताको क्षेत्रमा उर्वर रहेकोमा उनले सरहाना गरे। ‘पत्रकारिता क्षेत्रमा कालेबुङमा बेग्लै स्थान छ। तर यसको अर्थ दार्जीलिङ अनि खरसाङमा पत्रकारिता छैन भन्ने होइन। यहॉं पत्रकारहरू इच्छाशक्तिले खडा भएका छन्। समाजलाई दिनुपर्ने कुराहरू पनि दिइरेहेका छन्। तर उनीहरूलाई मार्गदर्शनको आवश्यकता छ’-उनले भने। उनले अझ भनेअनुसार, जीटीए दागोपापको तुलनामा अधिक क्षमतावान व्यवस्था हो। धेरै विभागहरू जीटीएमा पर्छ। जसमा सूचना अनि प्रसारण विभाग आफै हेरिरहेका छन्। यही विभागलाई सरकारले दिएको क्षमताअनुसार जीटीए क्षेत्रभरिका केबलहरू चल्नुपर्छ भनी उनले बताए। केबलमा प्रसारण हुने समाचार एवं व्यवसायिक कार्यक्रमहरूको निम्ति विभागले अहिले नै नियमहरू बनाएको छैन। तर अब चॉंडै मई महिनातिर सम्पूर्ण केबल ओपरेटरहरूसित सभा गरेर विभागीय निमय बनिएपछि त्यही नियमभित्र केबल प्रसारण हुने पनि तामाङ्गले बताए। यसबाहेक जीटीए क्षेत्रमा एफएम सञ्चाल गर्ने प्रक्रिया पनि चलिरहेको अनि सेटलाइट च्यानको निम्ति पनि केन्द्र सरकारले सम्भवत् जुलाई महिनामा एनओसी दिनसक्ने विश्वास उनले व्यक्त गरे।
धिरेन अनि बलरामको संयुक्त गजल सङ्ग्रह ‘मनको मझेरीमा’को -लोकार्पण
कालेबुङ, 27 अप्रेल।
धिरेन सङ्घर्ष अनि बलराम राईको संयुक्त गजल सङ्ग्रह ‘मनको मझेरीमा’ नामक पुस्तक कालेबुङ पत्रकार सम्मेलन भवनमा आज लोकार्पण भयो। कार्यक्रममा अतिथिहरूको रुपमा उपस्थित कथाकार सञ्जय विष्ट, कवि सुधिर छेत्री अनि गजलकार एवं समिक्षक शैलेन्द्र शमदर्शीको बाहुलीबाट पुस्तक लोकार्पण गरिएको हो। ‘मनको मझेरीमा’-पुस्तक धिरेन सङ्घर्षको तेस्रो कृति हो भने बलराम राईको यो प्रथम कृति हो। यस कार्यक्रममा गलजकार सङ्घर्ष अनि राई दुवैले आफ्नो कुराहरू राख्दै गजल बाचन गरेका थिए। ‘नेपाली साहित्य लेखन परम्परामा गजल लेखनको महत्व छुट्टै। यसले पाठकलाई प्रचुर रस प्रदान गर्नसक्छ अनि यो विधामा कलम चलाउनेहरू निक्कै कम रहेकोले नै मैले गजल लेख्ने प्रयास गरेको हुँ’-बलराम राईले भने। अर्कोतिर धिरेन सङ्घर्षले भने, गजल लेखन धेरै गाह्रो विधा हो। गजल लेख्दा धेरै नियम पालन गर्नुपर्ने भएकाले अग्रजहरूको सहल्लाहअनुसार गजलहरू नियमबद्ध रुपमा नै रचना गर्ने प्रयास गरेका छौं। पत्रकार प्रज्जवल छेत्रीले स्वागत भाषण राखेको कार्यक्रममा गजलकार सुवास श्रेष्ठले दुवै पुस्तक रचनाकारको परिचायक भाषण राख्दै पुस्तकमा समावेश गजलहरू केलाएका थिए। ‘मनको मझेरीमा’-पुस्तकमा दुवै रचनाकारले खुबै आकर्षक ढङ्गमा गजलहरू कोरेका छन् जहॉं गजलका नियमहरू पनि असल रुपमा पालन गरिएको छ’-श्रेष्ठले भने। मुख्य रुपले उपस्थित कथाकार सञ्जय विष्टले गजल विधामा यी दुवै युवाहरूले चलाएको कलमलाई सराहनीय बताए। ‘शुरुमा कोही पनि तिखारिएका हुँदैन्। तर लेखनलाई निरन्तरता दिनुपर्छ। भविष्यमा युवा दुइ युवाका गजल लेखनले धेरै पाठकहरूलाई तान्नसकोस्’-उनले भने। गजल समीक्षक शैलेन्द्र समदर्शीले गजल लेखनबारे समीक्षात्मक वक्तव्य प्रस्तुत गरेका थिए। यसरी नै कवि सुधिर छेत्रीले गजल विधा नेपालीको मौलिकता होइन भन्नु नहुने भन्दै साहित्यमा अब कुनै पनि विधा मौलिकता नरहेर ग्लोबल भइसकेको बताए। प्रदिप लोहागुण अनि अमिर बस्नेतको कविता वाचन साथै सुवास श्रेष्ठको गजल गायनले कार्यक्रमको रौनकता बढाएको थियो। पत्रकार अनिल तेलैजाले सञ्चालन गरेको कार्यक्रममा पत्रकारहरू छेवाङ योञ्जन, याम तामाङ्ग, नरेद्र तामङ्ग, ललिता प्रसाद आदिको विशेष उपस्थिति थियो।
जीटीए प्रमुख विमल गुरुङद्वारा तीनवटा महत्वपूर्ण परियोजनाहरूको शिलान्याश
कालेबुङ, 27 अप्रेल।
कालेबुङमा आज जीटीएबाट तीनवटा महत्वपूर्ण परियोजनाहरूको शिलान्यास गरिएको छ। यहॉंको विवादित नोभेल्टी सिनेमा परिसरअनि मेलाग्राउण्डनजिक निर्माण गरिने दुइवटा कारपार्किङ कम्प्लेक्स साथै डेलो टुरिष्ट लजको अतिरिक्त नयॉं विल्डिङ् निर्माण योजनाको आज शिलान्याश गरिएको हो। रिमोटकन्ट्रोलको माध्यबाट उनको आज यी तीनवटा परियोजनाहरूको शिलान्याश गरेका हुन्। शिलान्यास गरे। चारतले मॉं सन्तोषी भेहिकल पार्किङ कम्प्लेक्सको भूमिपुजन गरेपछि नोभेल्टा परिसरबाट नै उनले यी तीनवटा मेघा परियोजनाहरुको शिलान्यास गरे। यसअवधी जीटीए उपप्रमुख कर्णेल रमेश आले, सभासद रोशन गिरी, विधायक डा. हर्कबहादुर छेत्री, ज्योति कुमार राई लगायत कालेबुङका सभासदहरुको उपस्थिति थियो। कालेबुङवासीको टार्फिक व्यवस्था सुदृढ गर्न यो दुइवटा बहुतल्ले कार पार्किङको निर्माण गरिने अनि डेलो टुरिष्ट लजको अतिरिक्त भवनको निर्माण गरेर जीटीएले पर्यटन विकासमा पनि सहायता पुर्याउने उद्देय राखेको छ। नोभेल्टी हल परिसरमा निर्माण गरिने चारतले पार्किङ कम्प्लेक्सको निर्माणलागत 17 करोड रुपियॉं जीटीएको अनुमोदन गरेको छ साथै यहॉं मोठ पच्चिसवटा बस, 169 वटा साना गाडी अनि 54 वटा दुइचक्के वाहनको पार्किङ सुविधा उपलब्ध हुने बताइएको छ। यसरी नै मेलाग्राउण्डनजिकमा गरिने तीनतल्ले कार पार्किङ कम्प्लेक्समा 75 वटा साना गाडीहरु पार्किङ गर्न सकिनेछ। यसरी नै डेलोस्थित टुरिष्ट लजको नयॉं अतिरिक्त भवनको निर्माणको निम्ति उन्नाइस लाख तीन हजार चौरासी रुपियॉं अनुमोदन गरिएको छ। आज जीटीए प्रमुख विमल गुरुङले यी परियोजनाहरूको निर्माण चॉंडै शुरु गर्ने निर्देश पनि दिएका छन्। नोभेल्टा परिसरमा मल्टी कार पार्किङ क्म्प्लेक्स बनाउने योजना अहिलेदखिको होइन। तर यहॉं कम्पलेक्स् बनाइँदै लगभग 53 परिवार विस्थापित हुने भएकाले उनीहरूले आफ्नो ठाउँ खाली गर्न अस्वीकार गर्दै आइरहेको थिए। तर यसैबीच आज जीटीएद्वारा शिलान्यास गरिएको छ। यी विस्थापित परिवारको पुनर्वासको प्रबन्ध जीटीएले गरिदिने भएको छ। यस परियोजनाका कारण बिस्तापित हुने परिवारहरुलाई पुर्नवास गराइदिने भन्दै गुरुङले नआत्तिने सुझाउ दिएका छन्। आज उनले परियोजनाले प्रभावित हुने परिवारमध्ये छ जनालाई नगरपालिकाद्वारा निर्मित मल्टी कम्प्लेक्समा व्यापारिक प्रतिष्ठान सञ्चालन गर्न चाबी पनि प्रदान गरका छन्। कालेबुङवासीहरुलाई धेरभन्दा धेर सुुविधाहरू उपबल्ध गराउने बचन दिँदै उनले विस्थापितहरुलाई दिएको बचन पूरा गर्ने बताएका छन्।
शरीरमा आगो झोसेर 16 वर्षीय किशोरीद्वारा आत्माहत्या
कालेबुङ, 27 अप्रेल।
आज बेलुकी लगभग 5 बजीतिर यहॉंको भालुखोपस्थित मुर्दाघरमा गएर शरीरभरि मट्टितेर छर्केर एकजना किशोरीले आत्माहत्या गरेकी छन्। आत्मादाह गर्ने किशोरी 16 वर्षीय रक्षा छेत्री रम्बी निवासी हुन्। घटनाअनुसार केही दिनदेखि उनी भालुखोपस्थित आफन्तको घरमा बस्नेगर्थिन्। आज दिउँसो उनी मट्टितेल ल्याउनको निम्ति राशिन दोकान गएकी थिइन्। तर यसैबीच राशिन दोकानबाट घरतर्फ फर्किँदै गर्दा उनले राशिन दोकनबाट ल्याएको मट्टितेल आफ्नै शरीरमा हालेर आफैलाई आगो लगाकी हुन्। शरीरमा आगो दन्किएपछि उनी धेरै जोडले कराउन पुगेकी थिइन्। केही टाडामा घॉंस काटिरहेका एक व्यक्तिले उनको आवाज सुनेपछि युवक घटनास्थलमा पुगेपनि धेरै अबेर भइसकेको थियो। यसैबीच दमकललाई सम्पर्क गरिएको भएपनि युवतीको मृत्यु भइसकेको बताइएको छ। पुलिसले घटनास्थलमा पुगेर हेर्दा युवतीको मृत्यु भइसकेको थियो भने उनकै फोन भेटेपछि मात्र मृतक युवतीको पहिचान हुनसकेको हो। युवतीको शव पोष्टमोर्टमको निम्ति कालेबुङ महकुमा अस्पताल पठाइएको छ भने आत्माहत्याको कारण खुल्न सकेको छैन।
कालेबुङको विकास अनि पूर्वाधारहरूको निर्माण गर्न जीटीएले 66 करोड रुपिँया खर्च गर्ने
प्रज्ज्वल छेत्री
कालेबुङ, 27 अप्रेल।
कालेबुङमा नयॉं पूर्वाधारहरूको निर्माण अनि विकासमूलक परियोजनाहरूको निम्ति जीटीएले लगभग 66 करोड रुपिँया खर्च गर्ने तय गरेको छ। जीटीएमार्फत कालेबुङमा अघिबाटै शुरु भइसकेको अनि हुनलागेको धेरै परियोजनाहरूको निमित्त उक्त राशीको अनुमोदन प्रक्रिया चलिरहेको जीटीए पर्यटन विभागका कार्यकारी निर्देशक सोनाम भोटियाले बताएका हुन्। यहॉंको नोभेल्टी परिसरमा आयोजित आजको विभागीय कार्यक्रममा उनले यसबारे जानकारी गराउँदै विस्तृत रिपोर्ट पेश गरेका हुन्। कालेबुङको निम्ति जीटीएमार्फत गरिने विकासमूलक परियोजना अनि निर्माणलागतबारे उनले आज रिपोर्ट पेश गरेका थिए। उनीअनुसार, आज नोभेल्टी परिसरमा शिलान्यास भएको मॉं सन्तोषी भेहिकल पार्किङ कम्प्लेक्स कालेबुङको निम्ति सबैभन्दा महत्वपूर्ण विकास कार्य हो। यस परियोजनाको निम्ति जीटीएले 17 करोड रुपियॉं अनुमोदन गरेको छ। भोटियाअनुसार, यस परियोजनाको कारण विस्तापित हुनसक्ने लगभग 50 परिवारको व्यवस्थापानको निम्ति अझ दुइचार करोड रुपिँया बढाइनेछ। यसरी नै, कफेरको सरकारी लज डॉंफे-मुनालको आधुनिकीकरणको निम्ति एक करोड सात लाख राज्य सरकारले प्रदान गर्नेछ। गोरुबथानस्थित दालिनगढीको पुनर्निर्माण गर्न 90 लाख, चेलखोलाको सुन्दरीकरणको निम्ति 75 लाख, लाभानजिक रहेको पर्यटनस्थल रिकीसुमको पूर्वाधार निर्माणको निम्ति 76 लाख, डेलो टुरिष्ट लजको बिजुलीसजावटको निम्ति 14 लाख रुपियॉं अनुमोदन भएको छ। ‘कालेबुङमा धेरैवटा नयॉं परियोजनाहरु निर्माण गर्ने जीटीएको सोच छ। ‘कालेबुङमा शुरु भइसेकेको निम्ति शुरु हुनलागेको विकासका योजनाहरू पूर्ण गर्न लगभग 66 करोड रुपिँया खर्च हुनेछ’-निर्देशक सोनाम भोटियाले भने। आज जारी गरिएको तथ्याङ्कअनुसार, रेलीमा पर्यटन विकासको पूर्वाधार निर्माण गर्न वाटर किङ्गडमको निम्ति आठ करोडको बजेट छुट्टाइएको छ भने लाभाको नोकडॉंडा, कालेबुङ र चित्रेको पर्यटन स्वागत केन्द्र(टीआरसी), टिस्टानजिक त्रिवेणीको विभागीय लज, लाभाको छाङ्गे फल्स, मूलखर्क आदि स्थलहरुको पूर्वाधार विकास, आधुनिकीकरण, सुन्दरीकरण र मरम्मतसम्भारको निम्ति जीटीएले करोडौं रुपियॉं खर्च गर्ने भएको छ। अर्कोतिर, जीटीए पर्यटन विभागका मेम्बर अन ड्युटी दावा लेप्चाले भने, कालेबुङमा यी परियोजनाहरुको निर्माण कार्य पूरा भए यो क्षेत्र आकर्षक पर्यटनस्थलको रुपमा स्थापित हुनेछ। यी योजनाहरुको निर्माणले कालेबुङबासीलाई सुखसुविधा मात्र प्रदान गर्दैन तर कालेबुङको नयॉं परिचय हुने विश्वास पनि उनले प्रकट गरेका छन्। यी परियोजनाहरू आम नागरिक अनि विभागको मैत्रीपूर्ण सम्बन्धमा मात्र साकार हुने भएकोले सबैले सहयोग पुर्याउनेपर्ने पनि उनले आह्वान गरेका छन्।
