संक्रमित स्थिति र केही विचारहरू....

विजय दशमीको हार्दिक मंगलमय शुभकामना

2011-10-03T20:15:00.000-07:00

विजय दशमीको हार्दिक मंगलमय शुभकामना

Blogger Buzz: Blogger integrates with Amazon Associates

2010-05-12T08:38:00.000-07:00

Blogger Buzz: Blogger integrates with Amazon Associates

हाम्रो छाङ्गु ?

2010-01-28T07:13:00.001-08:00

;">छाङ्गु झील प्रदुशणले सकिन लागेको छ। सुक्दै गएको झील को एक पाटो।

Modi gives positive assurance on Gorkhaland representation submitted by BGP

2009-10-22T03:06:00.000-07:00

GANGTOK, October 21: Gujarat Chief Minister and BJP stalwart Narendra Modi has expressed his confidence over the realization of separate State of Gorkhaland demand, a perennial aspiration of the 1.25 crore Indian Gorkhas.

The BJP heavyweight leader had expressed the above confidence when Bharatiya Gorkha Parisangh (BGP) national executive committee member Prabin Khaling submitted a representation on the Gorkhaland demand to him at Gangtok.

The representation containing copies on the century old Gorkhaland demand and the national perspective on the demand was submitted to Mr. Modi during his recent tour of Sikkim.

Representing BGP, Mr. Khaling briefed the Gujarat Chief Minister about BGP which is spread over 22 States of the country and is an apolitical body considered to be the apex body of the 12.5 million Indian Gorkhas. The BGP requested him to not to limit the Gorkhaland demand as a demand of the Gorkhas of Darjeeling and Dooars region only but consider the issue as the ‘national identity’ demand of the 12.5 million Gorkhas spread all over the country including Sikkim.

After giving a patient hearing, Mr. Modi opined that Gorkhaland will happen one day and gave a positive response to the BGP representation, it is informed.

DENZONG

2009-07-09T02:23:00.000-07:00

Paddy field of North Sikkim.

BGP IS NOT A POLITICAL THREAT – D.K. BHANDARI

2009-06-02T20:25:00.000-07:00

Siliguri,3 June: Bharatiya Gorkha Parisangh (BGP) should not be taken as a political threat since this apolitical and social body has nothing to do with politics. Its aim is not to compete with any political outfit but to work for unification of the Indian Gorkhas for the cause of their social, cultural, literary and linguistic development. This is a known fact that this national organization has not caused harm to any organization rather it has directly or indirectly helped them out through different means. The organization has been able to make the national leaders aware of the problems facing the Gorkhas in India in terms of their identity crisis. It has also been successful to shift the paradigm by taking Gorkha’s problems in Delhi durbar from regional level. The BGP is the sympathizer of political parties that are carrying out various activities and movements at their own level to draw the attention of concerned authorities about the demand of Gorkhas.
The above statements were made by Smt. D.K. Bhandari, Chairperson, BGP at Mangal Maity Bhawan, Siliguri on 31st May while addressing a large number of National Executive members of the organization gathered from various parts of the country. Referring to the present movement of Gorkhaland being spearheaded by different political parties in Darjeeling hills, Smt. Bhandari recalled the Nepali language movement and stated that only political efforts are not enough to get a demand materialized. According to her, the Nepali language was recognized at the social level backed by the political strength. She stated that it has now become necessary to bring all the national parties into confidence towards the demand of a separate state of Indian Gorkhas. A national consensus is to be brought to fulfill this demand and for this purpose efforts should be made from all walks of Gorkha society in India, she added. She also appealed other regional Gorkha bodies to come forward to realize the goal of a separate state.
Addressing the gathering, C.K. Shrestha, Working President of the organization highlighted the achievements of the BGP at national and regional levels. He said that a few organizations have been hijacking the programmes and strategies of the BGP and now the BGP workers should claim such programmes as their brainchild. Due to the absence of assertiveness the BGP workers have become faceless in the present Gorkha society despite their tremendous contribution towards the cause of Gorkhas in India, he stated. He also claimed that the national leaders are aware of the role of BGP to shift the demand of separate state from state to central level. Talking about the demand of Gorkhaland, he said that the BGP is of the view that this issue should not be addressed by any single political party to fulfill vested interest but it is to be addressed by the nation itself considering the injustice the Gorkhas have been facing since last several years despite their selfless contribution towards the independence, security, building and development of this nation. According to him, the demand of Gorkhaland is related with the identity crisis of over 1.25 million Gorkhas in India and it should be discussed at national level by all the national leaders as the Gorkhas do not want sympathy from anybody. He also stated that the nationalism is the first priority of the Gorkhas in India and they would never blackmail the nation to fulfill their demand. He also appealed the BGP workers to understand the views of other organizations working for similar causes and not over-react on them.
Sukhman Moktan, Secretary General highlighted the organizational achievements of the BGP in the last three years. He disclosed that the new central committee of the BGP would be formed in October this year during the Maha-Adhiveshan of the organization which will be held at Siliguri. According to him, the new committee will have to face more challenges in various aspects in view of the present political situation. Referring the prevailing national trend of youth’s involvement in political sphere, Moktan opined that the BGP should ensure participation of more youths in its future course of action and also highlighted the necessity of bringing the ideology of the BGP at grass root level. He claimed that the BGP has been able to make Indian Gorkhas aware about the unification at national level by way of organizing leadership building workshops in different parts of the country. He suggested that the BGP should now prepare a list of whole time workers and utilize their services in organizational affairs.
About the demand of Gorkhaland, Moktan disclosed that the BGP central leadership has decided to camp at New Delhi during the month June-July and hold discussion with the present UPA Govt. and opposition parties as well about the seven point charter of demands of the organization which tops the creation of a separate state for Indian Gorkhas. He also directed the office bearers of state and district level committees of the BGP particularly from Darjeeling, Sikkim, Dooars areas to keep themselves in readiness to rush for New Delhi in a short notice to hold discussion with the national leaders about the long pending demands of the organization.
Madhav Karki, Councillor. Bodoland Territorial Council suggested the BGP leaders to form a political cell of the organization to look after the related subjects including demand of Gorkhaland and viewed that the Gorkhas should now field their own candidates from respective constituencies in future elections. B.B.Chhetri (President, Meghalaya State Committee) also echoed his view and emphasized on the need of an effective cell to sort out the political issues.
Col (Retd) D.R. Gurung, Chairman, Financial Committee suggested that transparency should be maintained in the organizational transactions. He also disclosed that a large number of BGP workers are now working in political parties and they must bear courage to oppose any anti-BGP move of their parties. Gurung, who is heading Bharatiya Gorkha Bhutpurva Sainik Morcha, Siliguri claimed that he had challenged the party leaders who had framed unnecessary charges against the BGP leadership circle in the recent past. Gurung also requested the BGP central leaders to make him free from the organizational burden as he is now engaged in political activities.
The meeting was followed by an interactive session which was conducted by Munish Tamang, Secretary, Central Programme Cell, New Delhi.
The other leaders to address the meeting were Rudra Adhikari, Treasurer, Buddhiman Pradhan, Joint Secretary General (Admin), B.B. Chhetri (President, Meghalaya State), Nityananda Upadhyaya (Secretary, Assam State), Binod Bishta (Secretary, Manipur State), S. Pandey (Secretary, Sikkim State), Shivlal Alley (Secretary, Uttarakhand State), Jiwan Gurung (Secretary, Darjeeling), C.K. Pradhan, Dy. S.P (Retd) (President, Kalimpong), Binod Prakash Sharma (Secretary, Kurseong), K.N. Pradhan (President, Siliguri) and Arun Acharya (Social Worker). They highlighted the organizational activities and achievements of the BGP in respective areas and also discussed about the future course of action of the organization. Other prominent BGP leaders present in the meeting were Smt. Latika Joshi (Vice President), Bhupendra Adhikari (Secretary, Zone IV), Dr. Raja Singh Limboo (Member, Policy Making Body), Col (Retd) S.K. Mukhia (Office Secretary, Siliguri), Brig (Retd) N.B. S. Bishta (President, Uttarakhand State), S.K. Chhetri (President, Mangal Maity). Apart from them, the social thinkers of Darjeeling, Kalimpong, Sikkim, Dooars, Siliguri were also present in the meeting as observers.
This was the last National Executive meeting of the present central committee of the BGP as its term is going to be expired in October this year and a new central committee is to be formed then.

MEDIA AND GAME

2009-05-14T20:26:00.000-07:00

Army vehicle crush one girl to death

2009-05-05T08:31:00.000-07:00

Gangtok,05 May : An army heavy vehicle crushed an 18 year old girl to death while seriously injuring another girl at 2nd Mile, Chandmari above Gangtok today morning.

The victim, Nari Maya Gurung was killed at the spot while her sister Susang Gurung (19) was seriously injured, said police. The girl has sustained injuries in her head and has been rushed to Central Referral Hospital here.

However, there are slim chances of her survival, it was informed.

Police has taken the army driver into custody. Police are investigating whether the accident was due to a break-fail or the vehicle was overspeeding.

National level women football championships from this August.

2009-05-05T08:25:00.000-07:00

Gangtok, 05 May: Sikkim, the home State of Indian football team captain Bhaichung Bhutia is gearing up to organize and host the first ever national level women football championships this August.

We are organizing the All India Women Football Tournament in the month of August, said Menla Ethenpa, general secretary of Sikkim Football Association (SFA), the organizers.

SFA will be inviting the top four women football team graded by the All India Football Federation (AIFF) to participate in this maiden tournament, said Mr. Ethenpa. At least two teams from Sikkim and other teams from the neighbouring areas of Darjeeling district will be featuring in the tournament.

“Bhutan has also expressed its interest to participate in the tournament”, said Mr. Ethenpa.

Though AIFF has been organized national level women football championships, the endeavor by SFA should be first in the nation.

By inviting the top women football teams in the tournament, we want to inspire and promote the upcoming women footballers of Sikkim, said the SFA general secretary adding the tournament will be an annual event.

The finals of the tournament are scheduled on August 15.

The proposed All India Women Football Tournament by SFA has taken the football calendar in Sikkim to three events.

The first event, Chogyal Sir Tashi Namgyal Memorial Cup organized by SFA began from today at Paljor Stadium.

In the first match, Namchi based Siniolchu club defeated Young Star football club by 2 goals to one.

There are 16 teams participating in this knockout men’s football tournament, which is an annual feature. Apart from six teams from Sikkim, teams from Kolkata, Delhi and neighbouring Darjeeling district also feature in this event.

The Chogyal Sir Tashi Namgyal Memorial Cup also known as Independence Cup used to be held during the month of August. It was shifted to May to make room for the proposed All India Women Football Tournament to be held on August.

After these two events, the showpiece football tournament of Sikkim, All India Governor’s Gold Cup is scheduled to be held during the month of September-October later this year.

Border trade through Old Silk rout Resume from Monday

2009-05-05T08:09:00.000-07:00

Nathula,04 April:

The Nathua border trade for the fourth consecutive year today started today with a low key participation from the Indian traders.

However sixty Chinese traders in the first day crossed the border to operate their business for this year.

The border reopened at 11am in the morning. On other side none of the Indian traders could cross the border due to non availability of the travel pass.

Amidst slight drizzling of snow fall Ujwal Gurung, the Director of Commerce and Industries Department, Sumitra Pradhan, the Deputy Secretary offered khadas to the traders at the Nathula post.

Later both the traders accorded each other a warm welcome at Sherathang Mart hoping for a more business prosperity this year.

‘We are not pretty happy with the response from the Indian traders on first day’ said Kesang Diki, an official from Trade and Commerce (TAR) from the Chinese region.

While interacting with the media she said, as usual the revision of the lists of items is the major factor in which the business transactions will depend this year.

‘India desperately needs to come up with more infrastructure facilities for the smooth trade, she pointed out.

Pretty dismayed with the non-availability of the travel pass the Indian traders also expressed their dissatisfaction even for not reaching up to Nathula border.

‘ Understanding the urgency we request the concerned authority to kindly issue the pass as earliest as possible’ Anil Kumar Gupta, the General Secretary of Indo-China border trade association told the reporters.

On other hand Ujwal Gurung, the Director of the concerned department informed the Ministry of Commerce and Industries Department has already sanctioned Rs. Cores for the construction of a high class mart at Sherathang and the work would be soon commenced.

‘Also the construction work of parking yard, cafeteria would be soon accomplished’ he added.

Stating that the matter of revision of lists of items still lies in the Ministry he said, Mani Shanker Iyer, the Chairman of NEC has already placed a proposal to declare Nathula trade as open trade under Most Favored Nation ( MFN).

Nathula Trade which was reopened in the year 2006 had a total export of Rs 10 lakhs, 27 lakhs and 97 lakhs for the year past three successive years .

While the import were merely Rs 10 lakhs, 7 lakhs and 1 lakhs.

Nathu La trade to resume on Monday

2009-05-03T06:25:00.001-07:00

Nathula, 3 May : The fourth edition of the annual Sino-Indian border trade at Nathu La, one of the three trading border posts between China and India, will resume on Monday after a six-month long winter break.
Apart Nathu La, the other two border trade check posts are Shipkila in Himachal Pradesh and Lipulekh (or Lipulech) in Uttarakhand.
Sealed by India after the 1962 Sino-Indian War, Nathu La was re-opened in 2006 following numerous bilateral trade agreements.
Currently, agreements between the two nations limit trade across the pass to 29 types of goods from India and 15 from the Chinese side.
The annual border trade is restricted for participation of the traders from Sikkim and Tibet Autonomous Region (TAR) only.
Under the bilateral agreement, the Indian traders visit Renguingang mart in TAR to buy goods from there, while their counterparts from across the border come to Sherathang Mart in Sikkim for trading purpose.
The traders of the two countries are issued Import-Export Code Number (IEC) and security passes by their respective authorities to enable them to visit the trade marts.
In spite of various restrictions put on for trading through Nathu La, the total value of the traded goods last year stood at Rs.9.6 million.
The Government of Sikkim will organize a function at Sherathang Mart on Monday to mark the formal inauguration of the fourth edition of the bilateral border trade.
Official delegations and traders of the two countries will attend the function.
The Sikkim Chamber of Commerce and the Indo-Chinese Traders Association of Sikkim (ICTAS) have urged the governments of the two countries for an urgent revision of the goods on the trade list to add commercial value to the business.
Most of the items listed in the schedule are obsolete and lack commercial value

Rahul can't understand Sikkim in mere 20 minutes: Chamling

2009-04-27T21:10:00.000-07:00

Gangtok,27 April¬:Coming down heavily on Rahul Gandhi for his caustic observation about Sikkim, Chief Minister Pawan Kumar Chamling today said the Congress General Secretary cannot understand the Himalayan state and its local issues in barely 20 minutes.
"He does not understand Sikkim and the issues of the state. One cannot comprehend the issues in 20 minutes," Chamling told reporters here in reply to a question about Gandhi's comments on the state of affairs in the Himalayan State, two days back.

Chamling said the 39 year-old MP's assessment that the state government had failed to fully utilise about Rs 5,500 crore granted by the Centre in past years and could not implement the central schemes like NREGA, were not true.

Sikkim has been one of the states to fully utilize the Central funds and implement the Central schemes, he claimed.

On the impact of Gandhi's electioneering in Sikkim, Chamling said the SDF has been firmly entrenched in the state politically and could not be adversely affected by the campaigning by the national leaders of other parties.

Youth must come forward in politics: Rahul Gandi

2009-04-27T20:55:00.000-07:00

Gangtok, 25Apr il: AICC general secretary Rahul Gandhi today said called upon the youths to come forward in active politics in order to change the present quality of politics in the nation.

“Unless the youths come forward to politics, then politics will not change. We have to maintain a uniform perspective in the nation”, said Mr. Gandhi while addressing a Congress election rally here at Paljor Stadium packed with thousands of Congress supporters.

In his brief address, the Congress youth leader spoke about his target of encouraging more youths towards politics through the youth wing of Congress.

“I always meet youths from Northeast States wherever I go in the nation. I am very happy and proud that they are coming ahead especially in service sector”, said Mr. Gandhi.

Maintaining that Congress party and his family shares special attachment with Sikkim and other parts of the Northeast region, Mr. Gandhi made an emotional statement by appealing the people to carry on the old ties. My family has a big space for Northeast region in our hearts and these old ties must be carried forward, he said.
Speaking on the context of Sikkim, the young Gandhi scion reminded the people that he had fallen in love with Sikkim when he was 18 years of age. “I had stayed in Gangtok during a month course at Sonam Gyatso Mountaineering Institute and I have toured all over the beautiful State of Sikkim. The tourism potential of Sikkim is unmatched in the nation and we will provide all possible help from the Centre to Sikkim”, he said
.
Reminding that the Centre has been sending huge funds for the development of Sikkim and Sikkimese people, Mr. Gandhi said that Central funds have not reached the people of Sikkim. “We have send Rs. 5,500 crores to Sikkim and sanctioned several big schemes like Mid Day meal and NREGA for the Sikkimese people. But it is unfortunate that these funds and programmes have not reached to the people here”, said he said.
“We must change this and if people are not happy then you can change the government here in Sikkim during the elections”, said Mr. Gandhi.

While assuring that the Congress party will give attention to the pending local issues of Sikkim, Mr. Gandhi underlined the need to establish a proper educational institute. “We will see that quality education reaches to you. We will keep on sending money to Sikkim”, he said.

Mr. Gandhi also assured all possible help from Centre to solve the problem of 30,000 unemployed educated youths in Sikkim. We will spare no efforts to solve the unemployment problem in Sikkim, he said. The voice of small States like Sikkim must be heard and we will listen, he said.
The Congress youth leader concluded his brief speech by promise to return to Sikkim again to continue with his goal of encourage more youths to politics and Congress party.

no alternative’ of the SDF party in the forthcoming Assembly elections in Sikkim:Chamling

2009-04-19T08:00:00.001-07:00

Gangtok,19 April: Claiming that even the opposition political parties have already ‘conceded defeat’, Sikkim Democratic Front (SDF) president and Chief Minister Pawan Chamling today claimed that there is ‘no alternative’ of the SDF party in the forthcoming Assembly elections in Sikkim.

“Actions speak louder than words. People must judge SDF by our works and performances in the last 15 years while casting their votes. If there is a better party which has better programmes for Sikkim than us, vote for them. But there is no better party than SDF right now”, said Mr. Chamling in an election campaign meeting at Paljor Stadium here in Gangtok.

“There is no alternative of SDF party and I am confident that people will elect a conscious party and leader to government in coming elections”, said Mr. Chamling.

Stating that SDF faces no hurdles in the coming elections, the party president claimed that even the opposition parties have already conceded defeated. “The workers of the opposition parties have already given up only, only their leaders are fooling people with baseless issues. The opposition leaders have no issues or morality and people must be careful of such destructive forces”, he said.

Downsizing the opposition parties as non-entities in Sikkim, Mr. Chamling said that the main issues of Sikkim are being overshadowed by baseless issues. Our main issue is development of Sikkim while unfortunately the opposition parties are trying to suppress the real issues with baseless issues, he said appealing the people about their crucial responsibility in the forthcoming elections.

“People must vote for establishing a people’s government and realize the importance of capable leadership to lead Sikkim in the 21st century. Don’t go after the date-expired opposition parties. Today only SDF party is the only party in Sikkim which is capable to fulfill and realize the dreams, aspirations and hopes of the Sikkimese people”, said Mr. Chamling. He added that the victory of SDF will not only be the victory of the party but ‘it will be the victory for the Sikkimese people’. Sikkim and Sikkimese people must win, he said.

“After we came to power in 1994, SDF has restored the pride and freedom of Sikkimese people. Give another mandate to us by casting your votes to SDF on April 30. There is no bigger court than people’s court. We have always respected the mandate given to us and never betrayed the people”, said Mr. Chamling.

Sikkim goes to polls on April 30. Elections to the 32 Assembly constituencies and lone Lok Sabha seat will be held simultaneously.

Peace and Spring

2009-04-10T08:10:00.000-07:00

The pigeons play in Spring Sun at Singtam Bazar.

In the name of God

2009-04-10T08:06:00.000-07:00

On the occasion of Good Friday Participant of Catholics in mass at Saint Thomas Church Gangtok.

EC censures IPR Secretary for violating model code of conduct

2009-04-10T07:57:00.000-07:00

Gangtok, April 10: The Information and Public Relations (IPR)
Secretary MG Miran has been censured by the Election Commission for
his failure to prevent the release of an
advertisement containing the achievements of the State government,
which it said, amounted to the violation of the model code of conduct.

The Deputy Election Commissioner JP Prakash told reporters in New
Delhi that the poll panel has censured the IPR Secretary for his
failure to prevent the release of the advertisement to the media which
contained publicity to the achievements of the state government.
The Chief Secretary has been asked to ensure that such mistakes on the
part of the state government officials should not be repeated in
future.

The opposition political parties had lodged a strong complaint in this
regard to the Election Commissioner Naveen Chawla who had visited the
state last week to review the poll prepareness for the forthcoming
assembly and parliamentary polls in Sikkim.
Chawla had called for a ‘zero tolerance’ to the violations of the
model code of conduct.

CHAMLING BEGINS SDF ELECTION CAMPAIGN ON DEVELOPMENTAL PLANK

2009-04-10T07:50:00.001-07:00

Jorthang 9 April: With the release of Party Manifesto for upcoming assembly and parliamentary election in Sikkim, the ruling Sikkim Democratic Front Party today started its election campaign from Jorethang South Sikkim where the Party President Dr. Pawan Chamling released the party manifesto and also addressed the huge gathering gathered here from different corners of the state. The programme was started with the welcome address of former Minister for RM&DD KN Rai who was also the convenor of today’s public meeting. It was followed by the speech of Lok Sabha candidate of SDF party PD Rai where he said that the party and its President Dr. Chamling has provided him with the great responsibilities to serve the state and nation and stated that he will work according to the party manifesto and the advice of Dr. Chamling which according to home will be the most beneficial for the common people of Sikkim. He further said that he will strongly raise the voice at Parliament for the common people of Sikkim. He said that he will work according to the will of party and the need of poor and common people.
Addressing the huge gathering at public ground Jorethang SDF party President Dr. Pawan Chamling stated that SDF government has done unexpected development in the state during its tenure of 15 years and also informed about its further agendas for the development of the state and its people. Here Dr. Chamling said that SDF after its formation of next government in Sikkim will focus on Education, Tourism and Health Sectors. He further stated that the main aim of the government was to build the strong society and state as a whole and said that more than 100 crores (10%) of the budget will be set aside for the human resource development in Sikkim. Under this amount the educated youths of the state will be provided with the trainings of skill development inside the country and abroad.
He further informed that in next term of SDF government all the adhoc teachers of the state will be regularised while the entire Muster Roll employees will be regularised in their respective departments. According to Dr Chamling the next SDF government will focus on the education sector and assured to make all the government educational institutes of Sikkim as capable and good as Public schools. “SDF government wants to make the youths not only educated for degree but also a capable and skilled one”, he said. He further assured that Government will provide 100% financial assistance to the students who will get admitted in the top 20 universities of World and also assured of all possible help for those students who want to take admission in the renowned schools, colleges and the universities of the country.
Talking upon the health sector Dr. Chamling said that the government will provide thorough check up once in a year along with the health insurance to the poor people in free of cost.
In tourism sector Chamling said that his next government will focus upon the tourism sectors where the promotion of village tourism along with cultural and traditional tourism will be given the priorities, he added.
He reminded the people of central tax exemption for the Sikkemese during the 15 years of SDF government and promised to exempt the business community of Sikkim with this direct tax in the next tenure of SDF government.
Talking upon the job opportunity in Sikkim he said that he will never promise like other parties that the SDF government will provide all the educated youths of Sikkim with the government jobs but assured to provide all the jobs inside the state to the educated youths of Sikkim. Almost all the villages of Sikkim has been linked with the vehicular roads and the state has witnessed unexpected infrastructural development during the tenure of SDF government and now the SDF government in its next tenure will work for the qualitative development in Sikkim under which all the developments will be maintained and repaired qualitatively.
At present Sikkim is witnessing 30 thousand crores worth working capital in Sikkim from the developmental works like power projects and other industrial projects.
Here he denied to utter the name of any opposition parties and told the gathering to compare the present SDF government with of earlier. He also reminded the people with the number of pro poor schemes being introduced by the SDF government and urged the people to give one more chance to make Sikkim of his dream. Stating the SDF as the party of poor, Dr. Chamling said that once again people will vote for SDF not because of face and communal feelings but due to the works which the SDF government has done in last 15 years and because of the pro people agendas of the party. “I can understand the pain and problems of my people”, he added. Opposition parties in Sikkim were not going to win even a single constituency in upcoming election, Chamling lauded.
The main attraction of today’s launching of SDF’s election campaign at Jorethang was the joining of Sikkim Progressive Party President Sher Hang Subba in SDF along with his 1100 supporters. He was welcomed by the SDF party president Dr. Pawan Chamling. During the meeting Chamling briefed the gathering about the declarations of the party which it has made in party manifesto. The meeting was also attended by Salghari-Zoom SDF candidate Madan Cintury and the other candidates of the party while almost all the former MLAs and Ministers also gave their presence.
Chamling will address the party election campaign at6 Soreng and Mangelbarey, West Sikkim on 10th April 2009.

EC assures free and fair elections in Sikkim

2009-04-02T07:28:00.000-07:00

Gangtok, 2 April: Election Commissioner Navin B. Chawla today assured the political parties here that the Election Commission will take all necessary measures for conduct of a free and fair assembly and parliamentary polls in Sikkim.
Sikkim goes to poll on April 30.

The high level ECI team is in Sikkim for a two day visit to take an assessment of the preparations for the upcoming Assembly and Lok Sabha elections in the State.
During an hour long meeting with the representatives of the recognized national and regional political parties on an individual basis at Tashiling Secretariat, the EC told the political parties that all necessary measures will be put into place for the conduct of the Assembly and Parliamentary polls in the Himalayan State.

Mr. Chawla is accompanied by deputy Election Commissioner R. Balakrishnan and legal advisor SK Mandiratha.

The parties attending the meet were the ruling Sikkim Democratic Front (SDF), Congress, BJP, CPIM and NCP. Each party was given ten minutes to meet the ECI team individually for submitting their views and grievances.

While, the representatives of the ruling Sikkim Democratic Front (SDF) in their meeting with the Central Election officials were reported to have expressed satisfaction with the arrangements for the forthcoming polls, the opposition parties expressed their concerns about the fairness of the ongoing poll process in the state.

Expressing their concerns on a wide range of electoral process, the opposition parties demanded that the poll panel should take preventive measures to assuage their fears.
The EC assured the opposition parties that he will look into the specific charges.

The poll panel team will meet the top civil and police officers, including the Chief Secretary ND Chingapa, Director General of Police (DGP) CM Ravindran and Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) TT Dorji tomorrow next to review poll preparedness for the forthcoming polls.

SNPP, SJP forms ‘United Sikkimese Alliance’

2009-04-02T07:22:00.000-07:00

GANGTOK, 2 April : Two regional parties, Sikkim National Peoples Party (SNPP) and Sikkim Janekta Party (SJP) today formed an electoral alliance ‘United Sikkimese Alliance (USA)’ for the forthcoming Assembly elections in Sikkim.

Announcing the alliance today in a press meet here in Gangtok, SNPP president Biraj Adikhari said that the alliance has been formed ‘respecting the sentiments of the people’.
“Forget the common people of Sikkim, even NGOs are calling the opposition parties to unitedly fight the coming elections so as to ensure a one to one fight against the ruling Sikkim Democratic Front (SDF) party”, said Mr. Adikhari.

“We tried our best to convince the other regional and national parties to set up a united front in the coming elections so that our votes are not distributed ensuring an easy victory for the SDF”, said Mr. Adikhari, who has been nominated as the convener of the newly floated alliance ‘USA’. Though, today only two regional parties are in USA, we are in dialogue with the two more political parties, he said.

“The door is open for other parties to join USA unconditionally”, said Mr. Adikhari. The main objective is to prevent vote distribution of the opposition parties, he added.
SJP president Basant Rai said that ‘USA’ has been formed to answer the call of the people who want a united Opposition in the State. “Though we new parties but we are trying to show the way to the other opposition parties that an electoral alliance is possible to achieve objective of ousting the ruling SDF party from the government”, he said.

“USA will try to field candidates in all the 32 Assembly seats in the coming elections. We will work out our candidates in our own strongholds and jointly campaign”, said Mr. Adikhari. He explained that while SNPP will be concentrating in North and East districts, SJP will be given charge of election campaigning in South and West districts. In some areas, both the parties will jointly campaign, he said.

The list of USA candidates will be declared within the next four-five days and we are hopeful that two more political parties will join us, said Mr. Adikhari. He also said that alliance will work out a manifesto with a common minimum programme.
“We have agreed on some points like restoration of Nepali seats in the Assembly and unemployment issue to be included in the common minimum programme”, said Mr. Adikhari.

I have a long political experience which I can use to serve Public of Sikkim: Koirala

2009-04-02T07:17:00.000-07:00

Gangtok,2 April : Thirty nine year old Punya Prasad Koirala from CPIM party has achieved the distinction of becoming the first person to file his nomination for the upcoming Assembly elections in Sikkim.

The CPIM candidate formally submitted his nominations today to the Assistant Returning Officer Yashoda Bhandari for East district here at the East district administrative office. Today was the date from which nomination process for the upcoming Assembly and Lok Sabha elections begin. Last date of filing nominations is April 9.

Mr. Koirala, a founder member of CPIM party in Sikkim, filed his nominations from the Namcheybong constituency in East district.

“Today is the historic day in my life as it is for the first time in my 21 years of political career that I am standing for an election. I have the full support of my party”, said Mr. Koirala while speaking to media after submitting his nomination papers.

Mr. Koirala is associated with CPIM party for the last 19 years and is a founder member of the party in Sikkim.

“I hope that the people from Namcheybong constituency will understand that I have a long political experience which I can use to serve them”, said Mr. Koirala.
Sikkim CPIM State Committee secretary Balaram Adikhari said that the party will be fielding more candidates till the last date of filing of nominations. We will field more candidates than the last 2004 elections, he said.

CPIM had field only one candidate during the 2004 elections from Chakung constituency in West Sikkim. The candidate Kul Man Mukhiya however was routed in the elections and had to forfeit his security deposit

State government and central government should protect our right: Biraj Adhikari

2009-03-28T06:20:00.000-07:00

Gangtok,28 March(Press release):The party held its public meeting at Rhenock on Haat Day today. The meeting was addressed by the president Shri Biraj Adhikari, The working president Shri Tseten D. Lepcha , Treasurer Shri Delay Namgyal, Youth Convener Shri Cheong Bhutia and the General Secretary Shri Tikendra Sharma.

The president in his speech stressed on the fact that the party stands by its demand that if the state government and the Central government do not protect article 371f, then the party stands firm on its demand of reversal to the 35th amendment and grant of associate state status. He also lamented the fact that the existence of the article in the constitution in the present state is an insult to the Sikkimese people who are being fooled about protection which does not exist in reality and the letter and spirit. He also elaborated on the fact that the present rate of influx is damaging the future of the coming generations and at present the state of our youth has detiorated beyond repair. The president also talked about the party manifesto and elaborated the sad condition of our education system and how our younger generation has basically become directionless because of this.

Shri Delay Kazi explained why it was necessary to open SNPP, as the Sikkimese people had lost their identity and their right to self determination. He explained that while all the protection put into the constitution was to ensure that our identity is preserved, but unfortunately our own Governments have been violating it continuously.
Shri Tseten Lepcha also addressed the meeting where he explained the reasons for the party’s stand regarding the continuation of central service officers and said that now our own children are ready to take up these jobs and we do not need them any more.

EVM familiarization, mock poll conducted by Election dept for political parties

2009-03-28T05:44:00.000-07:00

GANGTOK, March 28: State Election department today conducted a State level EVM familiarization programme and a mock poll for the recognized and registered political parties of the State here at Chintan Bhavan.

“The familiarization programme and mock poll are being conducted so that the political parties are comfortable wit the EVMs”, said Chief Electoral Officer TT Dorji at the outset of the programme.

The daylong programme was conducted to familiarize the candidates and members of the political parties on the preparation and use of EVMs during the elections.
Representatives from Sikkim Democratic Front, Sikkim Pradesh Congress Committee, BJP, CPIM, Nationalist Congress Party and Sikkim Himali Rajya Parishad attended the programme.

“After the EVM demonstration exercise is complete, we will also conduct an interactive session today in the second part. The political parties can clear doubts over nomination process and other aspects of the electoral processes”, said Mr. Dorji. He informed that all the EVMs in the State have been tested and certified.

“The second testing will be conducted after the final list of candidates is done and we will invite all the candidates or send their representatives to witness the testing. After this, the EVMs will be transferred to strong rooms with guards where the political parties can also send their representatives”, said Mr. Dorji.

After the initial briefing, joint CEO CP Dhakal gave an elaborate live demonstration on the preparations and use of EVMs during voting. He informed that the EVMs had been earlier used during the 2004 Assembly-Parliamentary elections and 2007 Panchayat elections.

Detailing the elaborate fool proof security measures of the EVMs where checking is conducted at several levels, Mr. Dhakal said that even the polling officers will have to certify the EVMs.

“Voting on April 30 will begin from 7 am and conclude at 4 am. The booth level agents of the political parties will have to be present at their respective booths before 7 am and only ten minutes will be given after this”, said Mr. Dhakal. The booth level agent must be a local of that particular polling booth area, he said.

The joint CEO also informed that passports, driver’s license and other identity cards can be allowed to use if the voter does not have an electoral voter identity card.
On the sidelines of the programme, Mr. Dhakal told Media that the State election department has completed 80 percent of its preparations for the upcoming Assembly and Lok Sabha elections in Sikkim.
“As far as preparations for the forthcoming elections in Sikkim are concerned, we have completed 80 percent of works”, said Mr. Dhakal.

Sikkim goes to polls on April 3. Elections for the 32 Assembly seats and lone Lok Sabha seat in the State will be held simultaneously on this day.
The department also said that it is examining complaints regarding violation of code of conduct from various political parties.
We have received around 10 complaints and most of them have been reported to the Election Commission of India, said DK Pradhan, additional secretary of the department

यसपालीको चुनाउमा छाताको करङ होइन जनताले डण्ठी नै फेर्ने छनः भण्डारी

2009-03-22T08:30:00.000-07:00

गान्तोक,22 मार्च। सिक्किम प्रदेश कंग्रेसका अध्यक्ष तथा पूर्व मुख्यमन्त्री नरबहादुर भण्डारीले आफ्नो निर्वाचन क्षेत्र सिङ्गताम-खाम्दोङमा पहिलो चुनावी जनसभालाई सम्बोधन गर्दै आगामी विधानसभा चुनाउमा सिक्किममा अनि लोकसभा चुनाउमा दिल्लीमा कंग्रेसको सरकार बनिने ठोकुवा गर्दै जनतालाई कंग्रेसको सरकार आएमा हुने फाइदा र योजनाहरूको विस्तृत जानकारी दिए।

सिङ्गताम खाम्दोङ निर्वाचन क्षेत्रको सुमिक आरीटारमा आइतबार आयोजित जनसभामा भण्डारीले अपार जनसमुहलाई सम्बोधन गर्दै भने,हामीले जनताले रोजेका प्रतिनिधिलाई टिकट दिएर जनताको काम गराउन चुनाउमा खडा गराएका छौ। यसपालीको चुनाउले विगत 15 वर्षदेखि एसडीएफ सरकारको तानाशाहामा पेलिएका सिक्किमे जनताले कंग्रेसको जनमुखी सरकार गठन पछि छुट्कारा पाउनेछन्।

उनले चुनावी मिठासले भरिएका पार्टीका रणनीति जनतासमक्ष राख्दै विकास र साहुलिय़तका पोका खोले। भण्डारीले आगामी सरकार कुनै पनि अवस्थामा कंग्रेसको हुने जनतामा विश्वास दिलाउदै कंग्रेसको सरकारमा गरीब जनतालाई 3 रूपियाँ किलो चामल, घर-घरमा ऱङ्गीन टेलिभिजन, गाँउलेहरूलाई बिजुली र पानी निःशुल्क, स्नातकतह सम्मको शिक्षा तथा स्वास्थ्य उपचार निशुल्क गरिने घोषणा गरे।

यसका साथै वर्तमान एसडीएफ सरकारले पर्यावरण बचाउने उद्देश्यले सिक्किमको वन जङ्गलहरूलमा पशु चरणमाथिको पाबन्दी,वनविभागको जमीनमा बस्ने जनतालाई उनीहरूको घडेरी सुनिश्चित गर्ने, राज्यभरि कुनै रोड परमिट र शुल्क विना नै वहानहरू चलाचल गर्ने सुविधा आदिको घोषणा जनता समक्ष गरे।

राज्यको वर्तमान सरकारले वर्ष 2006मा सरकारी कर्मचारीहरूको वेतन वृद्धि भएर पनि अहिले सम्म वेतनआयोग राखेर पैसा भुक्तान गर्ने नसकेको आरोप लगाउँदै उनले सरकारी कर्मचारीहरूको हितमा कंग्रेस सरकार गठन हुने दावी गरे। उनले भने साना ओहोदामा रहेका कर्मचारीहरूको पदोन्नती हुँदैन तर हाम्रो सरकारमा तलबमा उन्नती गर्छौ। होमगार्डले पनि हाम्रो सरकारमा सात हजार रूपियाँ तलब पाउने छ।

वेरोजगार समस्या समाधानको निम्ति पनि सरकारले नीति बनाएको बताउँदै भण्डारीले सरकार गठन भएको एक वर्षमा 10 हजार बेरोजगारहरूलाई नोकरी प्रदान गर्ने तथा पाँच वर्षभित्रमा राज्यबाट बोरेदगार मुक्त पार्ने जनताको अघि सङ्कल्प गरे।यसका साथै सरकारले घर-घरमा सर्वेक्षण गरेर नोकरी नभएको घरमा छानेर नोकरी प्रदान गर्ने बताए।

एसडीएफ सरकारमा तयार पारिएक प्रोफेसर बी के रोयबर्मन आयोगको प्रतिवेदन अब काम नलाग्ने बताउँदै भण्डारीले भने सिक्किमे जनता आयोगको प्रतिवेदन काम लाग्छ अब दिल्लीमा गएर अस्ति त्यो रोय बर्मनको प्रतिवेदन सकिदिएका छौ अब चल्दैन,यसको कुरा नगरे हुन्छ। यसै गरी राज्यको विधान सभामा सिक्किमे भोटे लाप्चेको निम्ति आरक्षीत 13 वटा आसन कुनै हालतमा नमेटिने बताउँदै उनले भने, सिक्किममा भण्डारी भएसम्म कसैले भोटे-लाप्चेको 13वटा आसन खोस्न पाँउदैन, भारतको सर्वोच्च न्यायालयमा लडेर हामीले ल्याएको आसनमा कसैको केही चल्दैन।

यसका साथै केही दिन अघि मुख्यमन्त्री पवन चामलिङले आफ्नो चिन्ह छाताको करङ स्वरूप रहेका विधायक र मन्त्रीहरू यसपालीको चुनाउमा जनताले परिवर्तन गर्ने माग गरेको बताउँदै छाताको डण्ठी राम्रै छ करङ फेर्ने मन्तव्य दिएका थिए। उनको उक्त मन्तव्यलाई भण्डारीले भने, जनताले एसडीएफको छाताको करङ होइन डण्ठी नै फेर्ने विचार गरीसकेका छन्। यसपाली छाताको डण्ठी र करङ केही रहदैन।

एसएनपीपीको सरकार आएपछि 32वटै समष्टिबाट आर्थीक शरणार्थीहरूलाई लखेट्ने छौः बिराज

2009-03-22T08:26:00.000-07:00

गान्तोक,22 मार्च। सिक्किमको माटो र यसका निवासी सिक्किमेलाई कसैले हेप्न पाउँदैन। सिक्किमको हरेक काम कुरामा सिक्किमेलाई पहिले प्राथमिकता दिनु पर्छ। हामी सिक्किमे देश दिने मान्छे हो कसैसित डराउने काम छैन। हामीले आफ्नो निम्ति गर्व गर्नु पर्ने समय आएको छ। यदि हामीले सिक्किमको हरेक कुरामा स्वाभिमान र गर्व गर्न सकेनौ भने मास्सिएर जानेछौं ।

हामीलाई कसैले भारतीय हुन सिकाउनु पर्दैन, देश दिएर भारतमा गएका हौं हाम्रो सुरक्षाको निम्ति भारत सरकारले के गर्यो सिक्किमको छोरोले देशलाई प्रश्न गर्ने दिए आएको छ। यसप्रकारको मन्तव्य सिक्किमलाई सम्बद्ध राज्यको दर्जा दिनु पर्ने माग गर्दै गठी सिक्किम नेशनल पिपल्स पार्टी (एसएनपीपी)-का अध्यक्ष बिराज आधिकारीले व्यक्त गरेका हुन्।

आइतबार सिंगतामामा आयोजित एसएनपीपीको आत्मा अवलोकन अभियानको दोस्रो जनसभामा उनले सिक्किम भारतमा विलय हुन अगाडी 1973 मा सिक्किमलाई राज शासनको एकतन्त्री राज, भोटे-लाप्चे र नेपालीको राजनैतिक अधिकारबाट प्यारेटी पद्धति हाटाउन र प्रजातन्त्र स्थापित गर्ने जनक्रान्ति भएको अनि भारतको 22औं अङ्गको रूपमा अन्तरभुक्त भएको बताउँदै भारतको अङ्ग भएको 35 वर्ष बितिसक्दा पनि जनताले आन्दोलन गरेर चाहेको प्रजातन्त्र र राजनैतिक अधिकार तथा बहुसङ्ख्यक नेपालीले विधान सभामा आसन आरक्षीत पाउन नसक्नुले सिक्किमे मूलका नागरिकहरूको अस्तित्व सङ्कटमा रहेको दावी गरे।

सिक्किममा राज्य सरकार सञ्चालनमा पुगेका हरेक पार्टीले केवल व्याक्तिगत स्वार्थको निम्तिमात्र कार्य गर्ने गरेको कारण आज आएर सिक्किमको हरेक थोक गैरसिक्किमेको हातमा गइसकेको अधिकारीले बताए। उनले सिक्किममा रहेको पुराना कानुनको सुरक्षा गर्ने प्रावधान रहेको संविधानका धारा 371 एफलाई बारम्बार व्याक्तिगत स्वार्थको निम्ति तोड्ने कार्य भएको बताउदै उनले भने।, एसएनपीपीले 371 एफको सुरक्षा गर्नु पर्छ भनेर बारम्बार भने पछि अहिले सबैले यसको विषयमा बोल्न थालेको छ। तर हाम्रो पार्टीले सप्रमाण 184 पल्ट यो धारा उलङ्घन भएको जानकारी दिएको छ।

आगामी चुनाउबारे पार्टीले कुनै भोटमाग्ने प्रक्रिया लिएर यसप्रकारको जनसभा नडाकेको तर पहिले सिक्किमको हित र सिक्किमको सुरक्षा गरेर मात्र एसएनपीपीले चुनाउमा जाने फसेला गरेको उनले बताए। अधिकारीले भने पहिले सिक्किमको सुरक्षा त बलियो बनाउँ त्यसपछि भोट मागौला हामी यसपालीको चुनाउ भन्दा पन्ध्र दिन पहिले मात्र जनतामा गएर भोट माग्छौ, हामीलाई जित्नु र हार्नुसित कुनै मतलब छैन तर सिक्किमेको अधिकार अरूले खोस्छ भने हामी चुप लाग्दैनौं।

उनले भारत सरकार र वर्तमान एसडीएफ सरकारलाई पनि चेतावनी दिँदै भने हामीले हाम्रो देश दिएर भारतीय भयौं तर सबै भारतीय जस्तो सिक्किमे होइन हाम्रो विशेषता अर्कै छ। हामीले सिक्किम भारतमा विलय गराउदा बिहारको जिल्ला बनाउनु र बङ्गलादेशी , नेपाली र भोटाङको आर्थीक शरणार्थी पाल्ने उद्देश्य राखेका थिएनौं। भारत सरकारले जवाफ दिनु पर्छ सिक्किमको सुरक्षा गर्न सक्दैन भने संविधानको 35औं संसोधन अन्तर्गत सिक्किमलाई सम्बद्ध राज्यको दर्जा दिनुपर्छ।

राज्यमा भित्रिएका विभिन्न निजी कम्पनीहरूले स्थानीयहरूलाई कुनै प्राथमिकता नदिएको आरोप लगाउँदै सिक्किमा व्यापकरूपमा निर्माण भएका तथा निर्माणाधिक जलविद्युत परियोजनाहरूले सिक्किमको अस्तित्व समाप्त पार्न लागेको बताए। उनले भने तिस्ता नदी हाम्रो गंगा हो भारतलाई देश दिएर हाम्रो विश्वासको गङ्गा सुकाउने अधिकार कसले दियो यदि हाम्रो सरकार आएको खण्डमा सबै जलविद्युत परियोजनाहरूमा बलास्टीङ लगाएर भत्काईदिनेछौ।

यसै गरी उनले उत्तर जिल्लाको जङ्गुमा प्रस्तावित पनाङ परियोजनाको विरोध गर्ने आन्दोलनकारीहरूलाई सरकारले कुनै पत्तो नदिएको तथा सिक्किमको सबैभन्दा सोझा जाति लेप्चाहरूको बासभूमी र सिक्किमको आत्मा मानिने जङ्गुमा 6 हजार लेप्चाहरूको भूमीमा 12 हजार गैर सिक्किमे मजदुरहरू भित्र्याएर लेप्चा संस्कृति र परम्पराको विनाश गर्ने राज्य अनि केन्द्र सरकारले षड्यन्त्र गरेको आरोप लगाए। यसका साथै एसएनपीपीको सरकार गठन भएपछि सिक्किमको 32 वटै निर्वाचन क्षेत्रबाट गैर सिक्किमे व्यापारी र आर्थीक शरणार्थीहरूलाई खेदुवा लगाउने बिराज अधिकारीले जनताको सामु प्रण गरे।

यसै गरी पार्टीका कार्यकारी अध्यक्ष छितेन दोर्जी लेप्चाले आफ्नो सम्बोधनमा राज्यमा बड्दो अनुप्रवेशमाथि रोक लगाउने तथा यसले राज्यका मुल मालिक सिक्किमेलाई कमरा- कमारीको दर्जामा पुर्याइरहेको भए पनि राज्य सरकारले सिक्किमको अस्तित्व समाप्त गर्ने तत्वहरूलाई प्रश्रय दिएको दवी गरे। उनले भने सिक्किममा गरीबले अहिले 35 किलो बीपीएल चामल किन्न सक्ने स्थितिमा छैन तर यहाँ सिक्किम सब्जेक्ट नभएका बाहिरबाट आएकाहरूले एक नम्बर ठेकादार भएर अरबौं रूपियाँको ठेकादारी गर्दैछ।

गरीब जनताको हातमा काम नभएर आत्महत्या गर्दैछन्। सिक्किमको सबै आर्थीक व्यावस्था गैर सिक्किमेको हातमा दिएर वर्तमान एसडीएफ सरकारले जनतालाई मागी खाने र मधेशबाट आएका व्यापारीहरूको घरमा नोकर बनाएर राख्ने अवस्थामा पु्रय़ाएका आरोप लगाए। सिक्किमेलाई अब पनि सुरक्षीत पार्न नसकिए मणीपुर र नागाल्याण्डमा जस्तो बन्दुक उठाउने अवस्था यहाँ पनि सिर्जना हुन्छ, उनले थपे।

अर्कोतिर पार्टीका कोषाध्यक्ष दिल्ले नामग्याल काजीले आफ्नो सम्बोधनमा भने, जनता जाग्नु पर्छ। सिक्किम आमाको माटोको ऋण तिर्न अब सबै जनता सचेत भएर अब हक र अधिकार सुनिश्चित गराउ एक हुनु पर्छ। उनले अझ भने,हामीले सिक्किमको माटोको सुरक्षाको कुरा गर्दै छौं जनताको हक र हितको कुरा गर्दा बीबी गुरुङ जस्ता देश बेचुवाले हामीलाई देशद्रोही भन्छन्।

तर जनताले बुझ्नु पर्छ सिक्किममा सबै भन्दा पहिले भ्रष्टाचारको बीउ छर्ने बीबी गुरुङ हो। उनले राजाको पालामा पार्षद हुँदा पश्चिम सिक्किमको पक्की गाँउ पाठशालाको पैसा धाँधली गरेपछि सिक्किममा भ्रष्टाचार शुरु भएको हो। अब जनताको नाममा आएको पैसा सिक्किम कै जनताले पाउनु पर्छ भन्दा देशद्रोही र पृथकतावादी भन्ने कसैको अधिकार छैन्। उनले सिक्किमे जनतालाई सुभोकको बाँदरलाई जस्तै वर्तमान सरकारले मागी खाने बनाएको आरोप लगाए। सभालाई महासचिव टकेन्द्र शर्मा, एस टी भोटिया अनि अरूण पालले पनि सम्बोधन गरेका थिए।

One evening at new Market,Gangtok

2009-03-21T06:37:00.000-07:00

Khai Mitha Kura Gara Rat Tashay Dhalkindai Cha.............! Gaulay Bura haru M.G Marg ma Sajh Ko Ramilo Ma.

Mero Sikkim

2009-03-21T06:35:00.000-07:00

Night View of Gangtok Town

Sikkim Flower Festival 2009,inaugurated

2009-03-21T06:22:00.000-07:00

Gangtok March 21: Governor Mr. B.P Singh along with the First Lady Mrs. Karuna Singh formally inaugurated the Sikkim Flower Festival 2009 at White Memorial Hall Complex, organized by Sikkim Flower Festival Committee, Gangtok.

Mr. Singh and the First Lady along with the other dignitaries also visited the flower pavilion and the exhibits during the inaugural function.

“We‘re delighted to be here, inaugurating this orchid festival is a matter of joy having company of orchids is memory to be cherished, I thank the organizers for organizing this festival where flowers are smiling and one should hear them whisper to enrich one’s sense of beauty and living in harmony with nature” stated the Governor

Minister Horticulture Mr. Somnath Poudyal, Minister Mr. K.N Rai, M.P Mr. Nakul Das Rai, Chief Secretary Mr. N.D Chingapa, DGP Mr. C.M Ravindran, HODs of various department along with the students from the various schools from the capital attended the inaugural function.

The flower festival is also open for the general public to take a look at the exotic species of orchids and other flower in this exhibition.

Gandhi Shilpa Bazar, Inaugurated

2009-03-21T06:21:00.001-07:00

Gangtok March 21: Sikkim Handloom and Handicrafts Development Corporation Ltd, like every year organized a Ghandhi Shilpa Bazaar at Kanchanjunga Shopping Complex here in the capital Chief Secretary Mr. N.D Chingapa officially, inaugurated 10days long Gandhi Silpha Bazaar by cutting the ribbon.

He also visited around 125 stalls displayed by the artist of different states of the country.

The Bazaar is sponsored by the Office of Development Commissioner Handicraft and Handloom, Ministry of Textile, Government of India.

Chief Secretary during his visit appreciated the work and display items and suggested that artists should maintain the originality of costumes and culture of different community of India with authenticity.

HODs of various departments and Director DHH along with Ms. N.L Pillai Dy Director North East region, Guwahati and Sr Asst Director Mr. V. Kumar from Guwahati representing from Ministry of Textile were also present on the inaugural function.

The Gandhi Silpha Bazaar also have 150 crafts persons from all over the country under one roof who are also giving live demonstrations of their skills.
IPR NEWS SERVICE

AT NORKHIL

2009-03-16T05:01:00.000-07:00

Chang, Prabin And Prashant at Gangtok on Monday

No respite from forest fires for Sikkim

2009-03-16T04:58:00.000-07:00

Gangtok, Mar 16 : There seems no respite from bush fires in Sikkim since the past five days with forest fires at six more areas of the State reported today.
The biggest of them all has been reported at Tareybhir under Fambong Lho Wildlife Sanctuary in East Sikkim.
Bush fires had been reported from this sanctuary at Tareybhir yesterday night.
According to forest officials, fires have erupted from various patches of this 51.76 sq. km sanctuary. The fire at the moment is limited to destroying ground grass and low lying trees. There has been no loss of wildlife so far.
Over fifty staff from forest department and members of EDCs and JFMCs along with local people and staff from fire services are battling to control this raging forest fire, it is informed.
Forest personnel have controlled the fire that took place at Assam Lingzey reserve forest and Ranka today.
However, they are still struggling to control the forest fires at Rangpo Sittey reserve forest and Pabing in South Sikkim.
Since last Friday, Sikkim has been reeling under a rash of forest fires thanks to continuous dry spell and human negligence and mischief.
Till today, the total of forest fires in Sikkim has reached almost 40 damaging hundreds of hectares of ground cover and low lying plants and trees.
Apart from reserve forests and private holdings, bush fires had also taken place at the famous Barsey Rhododendron Sanctuary where affecting around 200 hectares.

Congress promisesCongress promises seat reservation for Limboo-Tamang seat reservation for Limboo-Tamang

2009-03-16T04:57:00.000-07:00

Geyzing ( West Sikkim), Mar 15 Congress today promised to reserve seats for Limboo and Tamang communities in the state legislature if comes to power in the coming assembly and Lok Sabha polls in Sikkim.
"The rightful claims of Limboo and Tamang communities would be considered by giving reservation in state legislature under ST category," Sikkim Pradesh Congress Committee (SPCC) President Nar Bahadur Bhandari said at a public meeting here.
Seeking to woo the voters of the two ST communities in Sikkim&aposs West district, former chief minister Bhandari asked Pawan Kumar Chamling-led Sikkim Democratic Front (SDF) government to explain its failure to reserve seats for the two communities.
The SPCC president also promised to create more jobs and provide free and better healthcare at the doorstep across the state.
He also vowed to waive tax on Sikkimese people in a reference to the extension of Central direct taxes to the Himalayan state last year.

Total voters in Sikkim – 2,97580 , 8135 names deleted from East, 2183 names deleted from South

2009-03-13T23:57:00.000-07:00

GANGTOK, March 14: State Election Office has completed the process of publication of State electoral rolls and the final total of voters stands at 2,97,580.

As per the official website of the State Election Office, a total of 8135 names have been deleted from the electoral rolls of East district with 1170 names deleted from the Gangtok (BL) constituency alone. Shyari (BL) constituency comes a close second with 1077 deletions and Khamdong-Singtam constituency stands at third with 869 deletions.

There have been 2,183 deletions of names from the electoral rolls in South district. Namthang-Rateypani has the highest deletion with 417 names in the South district
.
No information has been provided for West and North districts so far.
Meanwhile, the State Election Office is overseeing hectic preparations to conduct peaceful, free and fair elections for the Sikkim Legislative Assembly and for the lone Lok Sabha seat from the State.

Joint Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) CP Dhakal said that all the polling booths in the State have now been finalized. He said that the number of polling booths in the State has increased to 493 now which were 445 during the last election.

Process of publication of State electoral rolls has been completed while the appointment of Presiding and Polling Officers is going on, said Mr. Dhakal.

Training for Presiding Officer of South District will be held on the March 18 at Namchi.
Meanwhile, the EVMs which were destroyed in a fire in Gangtok recently have now been replaced by new ones.
The Joint CEO said that there is no dearth of EVMs in the State as 500 additional EVMs have been procured from Nagaland. He said that the first level checking of these new EVMs will start from Monday and will be undertaken by four engineers from the Kolkata office of the Electronic Corporation of India
.
A meeting of all political parties has been called at Chintan Bhawan in Gangtok on next Tuesday to discuss the election related issues.

SNPP charges election officials of flouting model code

2009-03-13T23:55:00.000-07:00

Gangtok , Mar 13 The opposition Sikkim National People&aposs Party (SNPP) today charged the officials of the state election department of violating the model code of conduct by attending the"lavish"wedding ceremony of Chief Minister Pawan Kumar Chamling&aposs eldest daughter at Namchi last night.

"The state election department officials have committed impropriety by attending the wedding function of the Chief Minister&aposs daughter and the same amounted to the violation of the model code of conduct," SNPP President Biraj Adhikari said in a statement here.

Even as the election process was underway in Sikkim, the officials of election department as also others were at attendance at the family function of Chamling, who also heads the ruling Sikkim Democratic Front, he said.

Adhikari asked Chamling to declare the expenses incurred on the wedding and sought to know if the amount will be included in election-related expenses of the ruling party.

The SNPP President said that his party has constituted a committee under working president Tseten Dorjee Lachungpa to inquire into the details of the attendence of government officials at the wedding held in Namchi, Chamling&aposs hometown in South District, last night.

Sikkim Government organizes skiing training program to promotes tourism

2009-03-12T03:29:00.000-07:00

Yumthang (North Sikkim), Mar 11 : The Sikkim Tourism Department (STD) has organised a 15-days basic course on snow skiing to promote tourism in the state.

The course is also aimed to generate employment opportunities for the local youths.

For the second consecutive year, with the help of Sikkim Tourism Department, the Sikkim Mountaineering Association (SMA) in association with Blue Sky Tours and Travels has organised this 15-day basic course on snow skiing for the educated and unemployed youth in the state.

The course, in which 25 youngsters are undergoing the art of skiing, was commenced on March 3 and it will culminate on March 16.

After the success of the skiing course, the Tourism Department is hopeful of enhancing the tourism potential in several other areas of the state as well.

If these youngsters properly learn skiing in Sikkim then there is a lot of scope in self employment. Last time when we organised seven to eight day course then we got a very good response from tourist. Even these guys can earn more than rupees 1000 a day. So I hope such course will give boost self-employment, Officer on Special Duty, Sikkim Tourism Department, Kazi Sherpa said.

The trainees at the camp are on high spirit after the completion of the course.

We can make our future in tourism by guiding tourists. We can also participate at the national Skiing championship as well,” said Mohan Vishwakarma, a trainee.

The principle of NCP is for creation of smaller States : Sangma

2009-03-09T10:31:00.001-07:00

Jorethang (South Sikkim), March 9: NCP in charge for Northeastern States PA Sangma today said that party’s strength at the Parliament will be doubled this time.
The party will also be fielding 9 candidates for the upcoming Lok Sabha elections from the eight Northeast States.
Mr. Sangma’s daughter, Agatha Sangma has been retained by the party from the Tura constituency of Meghalaya.
“I will contest from the Tura seat where I had been the MP for the last 9 months”, said Miss Sangma.
Speaking to media here at Jorethang, Mr. Sangma said that the party will be putting candidates from Assam, Manipur, Meghayala, Arunachal Pradesh and Sikkim.
“I will also meeting the leaders of Kamtapur Peoples Party and Gorkha Janmukti Morcha at Siliguri tomorrow to explore the possibilities to put up NCP candidates from the three Lok Sabha constituencies of North Bengal”, said Mr. Sangma.
Regarding the questions where the party is in favour of Gorkhaland, Mr. Sangma said that NCP since its inception was in favour of creation of smaller States in the country.
“The principle of NCP is for creation of smaller States and I will be meeting the leaders of Gorkha Janmukti Morcha and Kamtapur Peoples Party tomorrow. Something definite will come out from tomorrow’s meeting”, said Mr. Sangma.

Rahul Gandhi on April 19, Sonia Gandhi on April 26

2009-03-09T10:26:00.001-07:00

GANGTOK, March 9: AICC president Sonia Gandhi and general secretary Rahul Gandhi is set to visit Sikkim next month to woo the electorate here and supplementing Nar Bahadur Bhandari’s pitch for a Congress mandate in Sikkim in ‘national interest’.
While the Congress youth leader will be addressing a party meet at Paljor Stadium on April 19, Mrs. Gandhi will campaign in Sikkim on April 26.
The SPCC president indicated today in a press meet that a host of Central leaders including the above two star campaigners are set to descend in Sikkim to pitchfork the prospects of the party among the Sikkimese electorate.
“Both Mrs. Gandhi and her son agreed to my request to campaign in Sikkim”, said Mr Bhandari while launching the election campaign of SPCC during the party workers meeting at the party head office here at Gangtok.
The SPCC president linked national security with the outcome of the Assembly polls in Sikkim and appealed a mandate from the people in ‘national interest’ keeping in view of the strategic location of the Himalayan State.
“Sikkim's strategic location with three international borders surrounding it can be safeguarded properly only if the governments at the Centre and in the State share symmetry and in the border State's context the electorate must give a mandate to the Congress”, said Mr. Bhandari.
The party president claimed that Sikkim will get its maiden duly elected Congress government this time ever since it joined the Indian Union in 1975.
Congress led UPA retaining power in Centre is a foregone conclusion and now the onus lies on the Sikkimese people to restore democracy, a clean and transparent government in Sikkim, said Mr. Bhandari. He added that there is full support and blessing of Mrs. Gandhi to ensure Sikkim becomes a Congress State.
Earlier, addressing an impressive public meeting at the party office, the SPCC chief slammed the SDF government for ‘its failure in all fronts’. The poverty rate has gone up in the State while rural infrastructures are in shambles, he said. The Centre should send a fact finding team to assess the so-called developments in Sikkim during the 15 years of SDF government, he said.
On the electoral strategy for the assembly polls, Mr. Bhandari said that the Congress will launch a statewide campaign starting with a public meeting at Geyzing in West Sikkim on March 13.
Introducing the party candidates for the Lok Sabha and Assembly elections, Mr. Bhandari said that priority has been given to youth, educated, social, experienced and people friendly persons while ensuring representation to all the sections of the society in selection of candidates.
The party had already announced its candidates for 30 seats in the 32 seat Assembly.
Speaking on this context, Mr. Bhandari said that candidates from Rhenock, Chujachen and Temi-Tarku will be replaced by new candidates.
Congress Lok Sabha candidate KN.Upreti claimed that the Congress led UPA government is once again coming to power at the Centre. So a Congress government in the State with a Lok Sabha member too from the same party will be far more capable of facilitating necessary constitutional and legal amendments in the Parliament to meet out the pending issues, he said.
Congress Sangha candidate Acharya Tshering Lama claimed that the Roy Burman Commission Report is going to be suicidal for the SDF Party in the next elections as this is ‘divisive and anti-Sikkimese’ in nature.

Ekta Puja at Kabi Longtsok

2009-03-07T23:38:00.000-08:00

Puja for Peace and Harmoney of Sikkimese People organised by Youth of Sikkim

Water supply in Gangtok, ajoining areas disrupted

2009-03-07T23:21:00.000-08:00

Gangtok,March 08: A vulnerable area around 100 m away from the Ratheychu water source located in the upper regions of East Sikkim sank in yesterday night snapping apart the main pipes and distributing the water supply to Gangtok.
The affected area is a sinking zone and had sunk in following a mild rainfall yesterday night.
Ratheychu located in upper regions is the only water source for Gangtok and adjoining regions. Around 36 million gallons of water from this source is distributed to the residents of Gangtok on a daily basis.
All the six main pipes have been damaged in the slide and the pipes are covered under huge rocks, said PS Basnet, secretary, State water security and public health engineering department.

Justice Saikia takes over as Sikkim HC Chief Justice

2009-03-07T02:26:00.001-08:00

Gangtok, March 07: Justice Aftab Hussain Saikia on Saturday took over as the Chief Justice of Sikkim High Court.

Governor B.P. Singh administered the oath of office at a function held at Raj Bhawan this morning.

Chief Minister Pawan Kumar Chamling, council of ministers and officials of the state government and Sikkim High Court were present at the swearing in ceremony.

Justice Saikia was the senior most judge of the Guwahati High Court.

UDF urges EC to take stern action against SDF

2009-03-06T02:13:00.000-08:00

Gangtok, March 06:The United Democratic Front (UDF), a representative body of the Opposition parties, on Friday urged the Election Commission to take stern action against the Sikkim Democratic Front (SDF) for violating the model code of conduct by allegedly spending Rs. 5 crore on the foundation day celebrations of the ruling party two days ago.

The SDF spent over Rs. Five crore and mobilised about 10,000 vehicles for its foundation day function at Rangpo on March 4, 2009, which amounted to a flagrant violation of the model code of conduct put in place for the forthcoming assembly and parliamentary polls in Sikkim, the UDF Chief Coordinator K N Upreti said in a release on Friday.

Stating that the spending of public money and the use of official machinery and vehicles tantamounted to a clear violation of the model code of conduct, Upreti urged the Election Commission to take stern action against the ruling party for allegedly flouting the norms in this regard.

The UDF leader also alleged that the ruling party activists were defacing buildings by painting banners and posters of the SDF for electoral purposes, which he claimed, was yet another example of violation of the model code of conduct.

India’s 29th State?

2009-03-03T05:06:00.000-08:00

Subash Devkota
Nearly a quarter-century after the first movement, the renewed agitation for a Gorkhaland state has reawakened old hopesOn the afternoon of 5 January, the simmering politics of Darjeeling were set aboil by the news that Gorkha Janamukti Morcha (GJMM, Gorkha People’s Liberation Front) President Bimal Gurung, accompanied by five supporters, had suddenly left the hills for New Delhi. This news was especially unexpected because a 17-member team, led by Front General-Secretary Roshan Giri, had returned to Darjeeling just three days earlier after holding a second round of trilateral talks with the Centre and the West Bengal government in New Delhi. Neither Gurung nor Giri had indicated that a third round was imminent. After holding informal discussions with senior Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leaders in New Delhi, Gurung himself spoke to the media on 7 January, clearing up the mystery. “We have come to thank the BJP for their support for a separate Gorkhaland,” he said, “and to ask the other parties for their support.” No trilateral talks had taken place.
The Morcha, which has said it plans to establish a new state of Gorkhaland by March 2010, is proceeding with a two-pronged strategy of dialogue and agitation. In the current context, the party leadership understands the importance of the upcoming Lok Sabha elections – which must take place by this May – and the government that is formed thereafter, in deciding the future of Gorkhaland. In light of this reality, Giri’s statement that Gurung and his team travelled to New Delhi “to try and secure a two-thirds vote for Gorkhaland in the post-election Parliament” is quite believable. But considering the large number of Nepali speakers in the Darjeeling Hills and the Duars, some suggest that Gurung may have been negotiating with the national parties, promising to deliver a substantial Nepali-speaking vote in return for support for Gorkhaland.
Meanwhile, closer to home, the pressure remained high. From 7-27 January, as a part of its agitation strategy, the Morcha forced the closure of government offices in Darjeeling, Kurseong and Kalimpong. On the other hand, in the Siliguri plains and the Duars, the agitation has been unable to achieve similar results. However, there have been clashes between Morcha supports and other communities, with police often called upon to control the situation. In fact, four people were killed in the Duars in early February during one such quarrel.

New idol
Under Subash Ghising’s leadership, the first Gorkhaland movement began in 1988, lasting for 28 months and claiming 1300 lives. That this agitation ended with the creation of the Ghising-headed Darjeeling Gorkha Hill Council (DGHC), with its limited administrative powers, left not only the Nepali speakers of Siliguri and the Duars (who were not included in the DGHC) dissatisfied, but also those in Darjeeling itself. In his 21 years as the DGHC supremo, Ghising never once raised the demand for Gorkhaland, despite public promises to do so. Instead, he went so far as to accept the central and state governments’ offer to implement the Sixth Schedule, the controversial provision of the Indian Constitution that deals with devolution and autonomy. The Sixth Schedule had already been proven ineffectual in several states of the Northeast.
Ghising’s decline and the parallel rise of the Morcha and Bimal Gurung were the result of two factors. First, Ghising’s decision to accept Sixth Schedule status for the DGHC created an atmosphere of opposition in Darjeeling. Second, Ghising misjudged the public mood when Darjeeling united in its support for Prashant Tamang, the Indian citizen of Nepali origin who ultimately won the 2007 season of “Indian Idol”. Ghising not only ignored those supporting Tamang, but mocked the entire vote-by-SMS system, saying “A medal cannot be bought; it must be won.” In contrast, Gurung and his supporters worked tirelessly to ensure a win for Tamang.
Gurung had been a supporter of Ghising since 1986, in addition to being an elected councillor on the Hill Council. But after seeing the political climate turn against Ghising, he established his own party, the GJMM, in October 2007. Thereafter, the people’s belief in the Morcha and Gurung was heightened by two factors. First, just five months after the party was established, it was able to make the implementation of the Sixth Schedule – which the Lok Sabha was on the verge of accepting – into a pending matter through agitation at home and negotiation in New Delhi. And second, it was able to remove Ghising from his longtime post on the DGHC.
Gurung may come across as less than intellectual, but he remains the single most influential of the GJMM leaders. And for its part, the GJMM’s agitations have reawakened long-dormant hopes of a separate Gorkhaland state within the Republic of India. Under Gurung’s leadership, the ongoing agitation has been posited as different from that of 1986-88, particularly in its presentation as a democratic and Gandhi-esque non-violent endeavour. As a consequence, the adamantly anti-Gorkhaland Calcutta government has been unable to find sufficient reason to suppress the agitation.
In Siliguri and the Duars plains, where the Nepali-speaking population is a minority, the Morcha has also attempted to bring other communities into the Gorkhaland movement. According to Siliguri-based journalist Ashok Prashant, this effort has secured the agitation the silent support of resident Bengali intellectuals. (A notable exception, though, remains the refugees who entered the area after the creation of Bangladesh in 1971.) In the Duars, Sadri speakers – the largest tribe in the area, originally from Jharkhand – have tossed their lot behind the Gorkhaland demand. Indeed, two such tribal leaders were part of the team that travelled to New Delhi for trilateral talks in late December.
At the same time, however, while the Morcha has tried to conduct a non-violent and non-communal agitation, some groups from the Bengali community have been accused of instigating communal activities in the bazaars of Siliguri and the Duars. This has dangerously increased the likelihood of ethnic clashes in the plains. These groups, which are said to have the blessings of the long-ruling Communist Party of India (Marxist), have adopted a strategy of planning actions to coincide with the rallies and meets called by the Morcha. This alleged effort to instigate communal violence has, however, been unsuccessful. Whenever such a clash has seemed likely, the Morcha has called off its programmes.
This is a critical decision, says the vice-chancellor of Sikkim University, Mahendra P Lama. “The agitation for a separate Gorkhaland can reach fruition only if it be kept from becoming communal,” he said. “If the West Bengal government is successful in its attempt to excite the agitation into communalism, the movement will not receive any sympathy from the Centre.” Instead of using ethnicity and language to build broad-based support for Gorkhaland in the plains, Lama says, the movement should take up a slogan of social and economic progress. Indeed, the idea of a separate state where the local population can progress is likely to be attractive to the plains people, whose concerns have not seemed a priority for the Calcutta government.

Historical legacy
In the Darjeeling Hills, Nepali speakers account for 90 percent of the one million-strong population. On the other hand, in Siliguri, which has a population of around 850,000, there are only 100,000 Nepali speakers. Similarly, in the adjacent Duars, there are 300,000 Nepali speakers in a total population of 800,000. Based on these figures, the Nepali-speaking population would not be an absolute majority in the area that is proposed for Gorkhaland. But this is nonetheless the area being demanded by the movement, because both Siliguri and the Duars have both been historically linked to the hills. Furthermore, in practical terms, Gorkhaland would start life economically crippled without a section in the plains.
In 1835, the seventh king of Sikkim gave Darjeeling and Kurseong to the British for purposes of ‘rest and relaxation’. A century later, when India gained Independence, there was confusion as to exactly who ruled the area. In this vein, Nepali-speakers subsequently argue that the area was not a part of West Bengal before 1947. Furthermore, according to resident Badrinarayan Pradhan, the British rented Kalimpong and the Duars from Bhutan. Indeed, it is said that India itself used to pay Bhutan a yearly fee for the area. Further south, the Siliguri area is said to have been cleared and resettled by Nepali-speakers. The Morcha has marshalled this history during negotiations with Calcutta and the Centre.
Local observers are optimistic about the creation of Gorkhaland for a number of other reasons, including geo-strategic positioning. First, they claim the new state would effectively prevent the entrance of Bangladeshi refugees into India, a good way to endear Gorkhaland to New Delhi policymakers. Second, with the demand for the creation of smaller states (for instance, Uttaranchal and Jharkhand) having been fulfilled in the last decade, there is less reason now to deny the creation of Gorkhaland than when Ghising was demanding it. Finally, the demand for Gorkhaland is based on the same principle – that of having an administrative area based on ethnic/tribal/linguistic lines – that New Delhi has long accepted for the Northeast. Mahendra Lama also believes that the fact that the Gorkhaland movement revived after 23 years only goes to show that the demand had never truly died. The Gorkhaland dream could also come true, he continues, as a result of the Centre’s desire to prevent disruption in the sensitive ‘chicken’s neck’ area linking the Indian mainland to the Northeast.
Still, many locals believe that the chances of either the state government or the Centre acceding to demands for Gorkhaland remain slim. This is because of the many undercurrents and demands that would come to the fore once it became clear that New Delhi was positive on the demand. Besides, Calcutta’s bickering politicians would likely unite on this one agenda. On the other hand, there are many who believe that parties such as the BJP, which seeks to weaken the understanding that has been held for a long time between the CPI (M) and New Delhi, will extend their support to Gorkhaland. If the CPI (M) remains an influential actor in New Delhi following the Lok Sabha elections scheduled for April-May, the Gorkhaland movement will have to bear with unfavourable opposition. But if the BJP were to score well, things would possibly be more congenial.
Those in the movement, meanwhile, maintain that regardless of what kind of government is formed in the power capital post-May, they will step up pressure to bring the agitation to its logical conclusion. One of the Morcha’s pressure tactics includes asking the state assemblies in the 22 states with significant Nepali-speaking populations to pass bills in support of Gorkhaland. As a less extreme alternative, these states could be asked to pass bills simply saying that the creation of Gorkhaland would not have any negative consequence.
Even if Gorkhaland is created, most believe that the new state will probably not encompass an area as large as the one demanded by the Morcha. They state that as the agitation reaches a decisive stage, the Morcha will have to make some compromises. The belief is that, of the 48 wards in the Siliguri municipality, the Morcha will have to be satisfied with getting some seven wards that lie north of the Mahananda River. In the Duars, the Morcha may have to be content with even less, getting only the Mal-mateli and Islampur areas. As the election fever builds countrywide, it remains to be seen whether the GJMM and its leader are able to maintain the kind of momentum needed to use the election outcome in the battle of mind and territory with Calcutta.

212 EVMs damaged in fire in Gangtok

2009-03-03T04:19:00.000-08:00

Gangtok March 03: m A major fire gutted 212 electronic voting machines (EVMs) kept in a strongroom inside the Paljor Stadium in Sikkim.

A total of 212 EVMs worth Rs 24 lakh, meant for use in the April 30 Lok Sabha polls to be held simultaneously with the assembly polls, were damaged in the blaze which broke out due to a short circuit on Monday midnight, the Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) T T Dorjee told Media here.

The EVMs, badly damaged in the flames, would be replaced, he said. The remaining EVMs, kept in other strong rooms, have been shifted to the office premises of the District Collector (DC), East.

A magisterial inquiry has been ordered into the incident to be conducted by the Additional District Magistrate (ADM) Yashoda Bhandari who will submit a report within seven days, the CEO said.

The power department officials, fire brigade and police authorities have also been asked to submit their report in the matter.

A group of school students from Sikkim call on Chidambaram

2009-03-03T04:15:00.000-08:00

Gangtok,March 03:A group of school students from the border State of Sikkim met the Union Home Minister Shri P.Chidambaram today. The Indo-Tibetan Border Police Force (ITBP) had arranged an excursion of these students under the civic action and border area development programme. In his interaction, Shri P.Chidambaram exhorted the students to work hard, study well and enter the various disciplines of public life and be an instrument in elevating the State of Sikkim and the country to higher level of development.

The students shared their experiences with the Home Minister and sought his esteemed advice.

DG ITBP, Shri Vikram Srivastava introduced these Boys with Home Minister. He said “Today’s interaction will definitely have a permanent inspiring effect on these Boys. I hope this will help in shaping the destiny of these fortunate Boys.” DG ITBP informed that such tour of students will continue from remote villages of border area of North-East Region. (PIB)

BHUMI PUJAN CEREMONY HELD FOR DEVELOPMENT OF NEW GREEN FIELD AIRPORT AT PAKYONG, SIKKIM

2009-03-01T00:19:00.000-08:00

Gangtok 28 Feb:Bhumi Pujan ceremony was held today at Pakyong, East district of Sikkim which was attended by the Hon’ble Governor of Sikkim, Shri B P Singh, Union Minister of State ( Independent Charge) for Civil Aviation Shri Praful Patel and Chief Minister of Sikkim Dr Pawan Kumar Chamling.

Airport Authority of India has taken up this project at Pakyong in Sikkim, which is 30 km from the capital Gangtok, for operation of ATR 72 type of aircraft. The development works include construction of New Terminal Building, runaway and apron with link taxi-track, fire station, technical block-cum-control tower and other associated works at an estimated cost of Rs 310 crores.

Addressing the gathering, Union Minister of State ( Independent Charge) for Civil Aviation, Shri Praful Patel said that after the airport at Pakyong is operative, it is expected that the number of tourists in Sikkim will grow further. He also said, not only that, this airport can be used for sending its perishable products which requires urgent transportation to other parts of the country as well as abroad. He also assured that constant monitoring will be done to complete this project with the time frame.

Speaking on the occasion, Chief Minister of Sikkim Pawan Kumar Chamling hoped that this will solve the issue of road blockade due to landslide during rainy season and other causes. With the construction of airport at Pakyong, sector like tourism and floriculture will get a major boost. He assured full co-operation from State Government in this matter.

The Chief Guest, Hon’ble Governor of Sikkim Shri B P Singh speaking on the occasion said the State with three international frontiers is connected to the nearest railroad and airport in West Bengal by a single lane National Highway 31 A which is often closed by landslides during the monsoons and frequent political disturbances in the neighbouring areas outside Sikkim. Now with the construction of a Green Field Airport at Pakyong people from Gangtok especially for those who are going and coming for education, medical treatment, pilgrimage etc will be benefited. He also said that tourism which is crucial for employment and revenue generation in Sikkim will get a boost.

Among others, the Speaker of Sikkim Legislative Assembly, Shri D N Thakarpa, Minister for Water Security and Public Health Engineering and Transport, Shri Menlom Lepcha and officials from Central and State Government were also present on the occasion. (PIB)

KN Uperti has been declared as the MP candidate of Congress

2009-02-27T03:30:00.000-08:00

Gangtok, Feb 27: Former minister KN Uperti has been declared as the MP candidate of Congress party for the lone Lok Sabha seat of Sikkim for the forthcoming General Elections.
Party in charge for Sikkim and AICC working committee member Luizinho Faleriaro said today in a press meet that Mr. Uperti’s name has been recommended as the Sikkim Pradesh Congress Committee (SPCC)’s choice as the MP candidate.

Mr. Uperti’s endorsement is a mere formality as only his name has been recommended to the party high command.
It may be recalled that Local Media had reported yesterday that Mr. Uperti had been the most probable choice of Congress for the MP ticket.

Congress has also decided to retain Acharya Tshering Lama as the party’s candidate for the Sangha seat for the upcoming Sikkim Assembly elections.
“SPCC is in the process of selecting candidates for the remaining 31 Assembly seats. Weight age will be given to educated, dynamic and local youths for the tickets”, said Mr. Faleriaro.

Recently given charge of Congress units of Sikkim, Meghalaya and Mizoram, Mr. Faleriaro who is the former Chief Minister of Goa had arrived yesterday in Gangtok to oversee the SPCC’s preparations for the forthcoming Assembly and Lok Sabha elections. He was accompanied by AICC secretary Major Ved Prakash.
Mr. Faleriaro said that the candidates will be declared soon in the first week of March.

SPCC president Nar Bahadur Bhandari added that the party will give tickets to candidates who are from that particular constituency which they will contest as part of its ‘sons of soil’ policy. “We will follow the policy of Samisti Putra”, he said.

The SPCC president will be reaching Delhi on March 3 with the final list of the candidates and the decision will be taken the next day. We will contest on all the 32 seats, he said.
Expressing his confidence that Congress will form governments both at the Centre and Sikkim, Mr. Faleriaro promised that the party will deliver ‘income tax exemption to all Sikkimese people’.

“Presently the exemption from paying income taxes is going to only 30 percent of people in Sikkim. We will like to get the balance of the population to get similar relief. Others non-exempted should also get same benefits”, said Mr. Faleriaro.

“I am taking this issue with the party high command and Union Ministry of Finance”, said Mr. Faleriaro. His assurances over Income Tax issue sets the tone on which the party will campaign in the forthcoming elections.
One of the major reasons for the optimism shown by the Congress leader to stake claim here was the special attention given by the Congress led UPA government to Sikkim in the past five years. “Sikkim has been in the heart of Congress party”, he said.

Mr. Faleriaro said that UPA government has sanctioned more than Rs. 2000 crores for the infrastructural development of Sikkim in the last 3 months. The UPA has sanctioned Rs. 336 crores for the Pakyong airport, over Rs. 410 crores for roads and more than Rs. 1400 crores for rail links, he said. A lot of money has been given for Sikkim in the past five years for the development and empowerment of the Sikkimese people by UPA government, he said.

“We appeal the Sikkimese people to vote for Congress because the party will form the government in the Centre this time also and the party has very close ties with Sikkimese people”, said Mr. Faleriaro.

Sikkim records 4.5 lakh domestic and 25, 000 foreign tourist footfall in 2008

2009-02-27T03:28:00.001-08:00

Gangtok, Feb 27: Even as Sikkim has bagged a national award for tourism as the Best State for tourism related programmes on Tuesday, this Himalayan State has also recorded a phenomenal growth in terms of flow of tourists in 2008.

Sikkim bagged the annual award as the Best State for tourism related programmes from the Union ministry of tourism on February 24.

The award was received by the State tourism secretary SBS Bhadauria from Union Home minister P Chidambaram in the presence of Union Tourism minister Ambika Soni at the awards function held in New Delhi.

Speaking to media here today, Mr. Bhadauria said that this was the 14th major award won by Sikkim in the field of tourism in the last decade and it was the dedication and enthusiasm of the State government that had been instrumental in achieving the goals. “The award proves Sikkim has been firmly placed in the global tourism scene and we have created our own brand called Sikkim”, he said.

The secretary said that some 4.5 lakh domestic tourists and 23,000 foreign tourists visited the state in 2008. He said this was about 25 per cent increase from that of the previous year. In the previous year some 3.8 domestic tourists and 18,000 foreigners had visited Sikkim.

Despite the bandhs and the disturbances in the neighbouring regions, this was a record for the state, Mr. Bhadauria said. He also said that as per the analysis, the quality of tourism had also increased manifolds and there was now ‘no off-season’ with visitors coming to the State throughout the year.

The secretary claimed that Sikkim today was the most sought after destination for domestic as well as foreign tourists coming to the country and had made significant presence in the tourism map. The destinations and infrastructure have been developed to a great extent within a short period of time making Sikkim greatly attractive to the visitors, he added.

Mr. Bhadauria informed that a State tourism policy was in the final stages of preparation and the final policy would be put forward to the government in the first quarter of the coming fiscal year. The draft tourism policy would comprise of a normal tourism policy for the state and a separate tourism policy for village tourism. “The tourism in the state is moving and progressing in a cautious manner so that there are no ills associated, he said.

It is to be mentioned here that Sikkim has bagged the best tourism performing State in the North east for six consecutive years in the past from the union ministry.

Recently Sikkim have also bagged the best eco-tourism destination, most picturesque destination, best community based tourism, emerging tourism state, best tourism state for adventure from reputed organizations at the national level.

Girl’s hostel of Engineering and Post Harvest Technology inaugurated

2009-02-26T07:42:00.000-08:00

GANGTOK, February 26: State Agriculture Minister Somnath Poudyal today stressed the need for agricultural education in the wake of globalisation and free trade policy.
Inaugurating a girl’s hostel of the College of Engineering and Post Harvest Technology in Marchak, few kilometres from here, Mr Poudyal also said that the State Government was very positive to the idea of having a Central Agriculture University (CAU) in Sikkim. “The State Government is exploring the possibility of providing more land within the premises of the existing College for the proposed University, he added.
Stating competitiveness is the central theme and competence the catchword in free market, the minister said that the establishment of the College of Post Harvest Technology is a new milestone in the present context of agriculture development in Sikkim.

At the same time, he expressed sadness over less research linkage in the agriculture development initiatives. “Research and education are two wheels to balance and take agriculture development further, he said. Mr Poudyal insisted for more research works and urged the institute to design hill specific machinery and farm implements to address the problems being faced by the farmers.
In the same vein, the state agriculture minister proudly informed about Sikkim’s good business of Rs 15 cores proffered in the last season by simply selling 15,000 metric ton of seasonal tomatoes.

The Vice Chancellor of CAU SN Puri said the present land is not enough to cater the infrastructure services of the college. “We would really appreciate if the state government could provide us with more land for the agriculture college infrastructure,” he said. The VC also congratulated the institute and its faculty for being acknowledged as one of the best performing colleges in the country. “We are in the process of making an ace agriculturist who would be in a high demand in the days to come,” he added. Mr Puri further informed that Rs 30 cores would be demanded in the 11th Five Year Plan for the up-gradation of the college.

Former Agriculture Minister TM Rai said, the college would definitely prove to be a boon not only for the Sikkimese students but also for the students of North- Eastern Region.

Earlier, while placing his welcome speech, PK Srivastva, the dean of the college made special request with the state government to extend the pedestal pathway up to the college premises, to construct speed breakers near the college and to declare the college belt as the agro-industrial zone. He also informed that the college would start its new course on Food Processing from the coming session.

The girl’s hostel built at a cost of Rs 4 cores has all the ultra modern facilities.
In the evening programme, the college students showcased various cultural shows.

Prof MS Swaminathan appointed as Chancellor of Sikkim University

2009-02-26T00:17:00.000-08:00

GANGTOK, Feb. 25: Acclaimed agriculture scientist Prof MS Swaminathan also known as the ‘Father of the Green Revolution in India’ has been announced by Sikkim University as its Chancellor.
Sikkim University, the 23rd university in India, announced the appointment of Prof MS Swaminathan as its Chancellor today in a press statement.
“A trained plant geneticist, Professor Swaminathan’s advocacy of sustainable agricultural has led to an ever green revolution making him an acknowledged world leader in the field of sustainable food security”, said Sikkim University.
Prof Swaminathan is currently a Rajya Sabha member of Parliament, to which position he was nominated by the Government of India in recognition of his outstanding scientific contribution in the field of agriculture. He also the UNESCO -Cousteau Chair in Ecotechnology at the M. S. Swaminathan Research Foundation in Chennai, India. He is the chairman of the National Commission on Agriculture, Food and Nutrition Security of India (National Commission on Farmers).
Among the endless list of awards received by Prof Swaminathan are the Ramon Magsaysay Award for Community Leadership in 1971, the Albert Einstein World Science Award in 1986, the first World Food Prize in 1987 and Volvo and Tyler Prize for Environment, the Indira Gandhi Prize for Peace, Disarmament and Development in 2000 and the Franklin D Roosevelt four Freedoms Medal and the Mahatma Gandhi Prize of Unescoin 2000.
Prof Swaminathan is currently spearheading a movement to bridge the Digital divide called, "Mission 2007: Every Village a Knowledge Centre". He was born in August 7, 1925, in Kumbakonam, Tamilnadu.
Prof Swaminathan’s stated vision is to rid the world of hunger and poverty and is an advocate of sustainable development, especially using environmentally sustainable agriculture, sustainable food security and the preservation of biodiversity. He has been listed by TIME magazine as the twenty most influential Asians of the 20th Century and one of the three from India, the other two being Mahatma Gandhi and Rabindranath Tagore.
Prof. Swaminathan has been described by the United Nations Environment Programme as ‘the father of Economics Ecology’ and by Javier Perez de Cuellar, Secretary General of the United Nations as ‘a living Legend who will go into the annals of history as a world scientist of rare distinctions’. He was Chairman of the UN Science Advisory Committee set up in 1980 to take follow-up actions on the Vienna Plan fo Action. He also served as President of the Pugwash Conferences on Science and World Affairs (2002-07) and present President of the National Academy of Agricultural Aciences(2005-07).

No anti-incumbency, only pro-incumbency in SDF: Chamling

2009-02-24T06:27:00.000-08:00

GANGTOK, Feb 24: On the threshold of the eighth Sikkim Assembly elections, Chief Minister Pawan Chamling today said that there is no ‘anti-incumbency’ factor in his Sikkim Democratic Front (SDF) party.
“The grassroots support of the SDF party is growing regularly. SDF had won 19 seats in its first term, 25 seats in the second term and 31 seats in the third term and our grassroots support base in expanding. This shows that there is no anti-incumbency. Instead we have pro-incumbency”, said the Chief Minister on concluding day of the Seventh Sikkim Assembly session.

‘Money and muscle power should not be allowed to dominate elections’
Reminding the elections is round the corner, Mr. Chamling appealed all that the elections should be held in a peaceful manner like previous years. “Nobody should be disturbed due to elections and anti-social and communal elements should not be allowed to take advantage”, he said. Money and muscle power should not be allowed to dominate the election process, he added.
The Chief Minister said that his SDF party will contest in all the 32 Assembly seats and the single Lok Sabha seat in the coming State and General elections. “SDF party will fully observe the rules and guidelines of the election process as the party abides by the Constitution of India and Election Commission of India”, he said pledging his commitment to ensure a democratic and peaceful elections.

‘SDF successful in removing fear psychosis among Sikkimese people’
Among the highlights of his government during these 15 years starting from December 1994, the Chief Minister singled out the inclusion of Sikkim into the North East Council and reopening of Nathu La border trade as the biggest achievements.
“We have also been successful in restoring democracy in Sikkim and removing the fear psychosis among the people of Sikkim”, said Mr. Chamling. Today, Sikkim has turned into an oasis of peace and unmatched development under 15 years of SDF rule, he added.
The Chief Minister reminded that 15 years ago, ‘there was only one man’s rule and no democracy in Sikkim. We have restored democracy and gave back the lost confidence and self respect to the Sikkimese people, he said.
“Before we came to power in December, 1994 there were only two classes of people in Sikkim - rich and poor. However, we have uplifted the poor and created a middle class of people. There were 41 percent people under BPL earlier and now there is only 19 percent exists”, said Mr. Chamling.
Other achievements highlighted by the Chief Minister was Sikkim Central University, works done in the environmental front, rail link up to Rangpo, sanction of an alternative highway and works being initiated for Pakyong airport.
The Union Civil Aviation minister is visiting Pakyong to do the bhomi puja for the airport on December 27, Mr. Chamling informed. He said that though the airstrip will cater only to 50 seater aircraft for the moment, it will definitely boost tourism in Sikkim. We will pursue to have the Pakyong airport made into a full fledged airport, he said.

‘Income Tax exemption: Few business community members are working against the interests of Sikkim’
The Chief Minister expressed his anguish over the activities of a section of the business community of the State over the Income Tax exemption issue.
“Some business community members are trying to mislead the Center over this issue and working against the interests of Sikkim and Sikkimese people. They have approached the Central leaders and officials of Finance Ministry and saying that the business community has been discriminated in Sikkim”, said Mr. Chamling at the House.
“It is very painful to hear such nonsense”, said Mr. Chamling added that it was one of the major achievements of SDF government to exempt Sikkimese people with Sikkim Subject certificates from the purview of Income Tax.
“Even 38 families of old business community with Sikkim Subject certificates is exempted along with other Sikkimese people with Sikkim Subject certificates from income taxes”, said Mr. Chamling. We have managed to get Sikkimese people with subjects exempted from income taxes and now we have geared up to have similar exempt the old business community and old government employees, he said.
“Yet some of the business community members are trying to mislead the Centre claiming discrimination. They are working against the interests of Sikkim and Sikkimese people”, said Mr. Chamling. He expressed his commitment to work for the old business community and old government employees.
However, they must understand that the Centre will review this demand on the larger picture concerning the country, said Mr. Chamling.
.

Achyra vs Chamling in Sikkim Assembly

2009-02-24T06:22:00.000-08:00

GANGTOK, Feb 24: Despite pitted against 31 MLAs of the Sikkim Democratic Front (SDF) party, lone opposition MLA Acharya Tshering Lama had been rattling the ruling party in the State Assembly over these five years,
On several occasions, the Sangha MLA had crossed swords with the Leader of the House Chief Minister Pawan Chamling and had on one occasion staged a black flag protest coupled with ‘search for democracy with a torchlight’ antic in the Assembly.
Acharaya Lama maintained his temperament today also, the final day of the Seventh Assembly though in much soft note.
Participating in the dissuasions during the proceedings of the House, the Sangha MLA expressed his torment over his raised issues being washed away by the overwhelming odds of the 31 MLAs of the ruling party.
“I tried my best to raise the issues of the people during my five year stint in the Assembly. I was present in all the sessions for the people as I was the only opposition MLA except for one occasion when I had some urgent work”, said Acharya Lama. However, all the issues raised by me in the House was overturned into a mess of untruth by brute majority of the ruling party and all my demands were overlooked, he added.
The Sangha MLA also raised the issue of ‘Satyagraha’ by Affected Citizens of Teesta and the arrest of one senior monk and several Lepchas from Dzongu by police.
Having raised his issues, Acharya Tshering Lama departed from the Assembly as usual without awaiting a response in the post-lunch session.
Dzongu MLA Sonam Gyatso Lepcha was the first to react to the comments passed by the lone Sangha MLA.
“Since this issue concerns Dzongu which is my constituency, I want to clarify that the Lepchas from Dzongu have not been thrown in the jail by the Chief Minister. They were jailed as per the rules and laws of the land”, said Mr. Lepcha. Over the arrest of the monk as raised by Acharya Lama, it is better that the particular monk should not be involved in activities unbecoming of his stature as a monk, he said.
In the post lunch session, the Chief Minister touched on the allegations raised by the Sangha MLA.
“Acharya Lama has only leveled charges against the State government in these 5 years in the Assembly. For five years, he has consistently spoken negatively and never touched a positive note”, countered Mr. Chamling.
Over the demands raised by the Sangha MLA which also includes a Sangha seat in the Parliament, the Chief Minister advised him to first understand which demands falls under the State list, concurrent list and Central list ‘instead of merely accusing the State government to fulfill his duties as an opposition member’.
Stating that Acharya Lama was twisting issues to mislead the people, the Chief Minister expressed his bewilderment over the demand for a Sangha seat in the Parliament. ‘How can the Chief Minister do such thing which is not under the Constitution? I have to follow the Constitution which also protects the old laws of Sikkim and so there is a Sangha seat in the Sikkim’, he said.
“He is not coming back in the next Assembly and tried his best to mislead the people in the final sitting of this Assembly”, Mr. Chamling said adding that the Sangha MLA was also trying to send a wrong message over the arrest of one monk from Dzongu in the recent Lingzya incident.
“If any monk has been arrested then it has been done as per law and law will take its own course. Nobody is above law and if anyone breaks the law then he has to face the law”, clarified Mr. Chamling on the monk arrest issue raised by the Sangha MLA.
Commenting on the ‘Satyagrahis’ argument presented by Acharya Lama to the protests of Affected Citizens of Teesta, Mr. Chamling categorically ruled out the use of ‘Satyagrahis’ nomenclature.
“They are not Satyagrahis as there in favour of false things. We want to develop Sikkim and make it an affluent State. They are trying to set up roadblocks to the development of Sikkim and Sikkimese people. They are against Sikkim and Sikkimese people”, said Mr. Chamling.
“Under no circumstances, we will compromise with them in the larger interests of Sikkimese people and Sikkim. We will not accept blackmail tactics in the name of North Sikkim people. We won’t compromise with the reactionary elements”.
The Chief Minister said that hydel power has changed the developmental dimension of Sikkim.

Are We Lucky?

2009-02-22T04:25:00.000-08:00

Gurudongmar Ko Sundarta, Prakriti Ko Najik Bashnu ko Maza Arkoi Chaina Ta...

SHRP to put up candidates in all 32 Assembly seats I will contest from Soreng: Dr. Subba

2009-02-22T04:14:00.000-08:00

GANGTOK, Feb 22: Sikkim Himali Rajya Parishad (SHRP) president Dr. AD Subba today announced that he will contest from the Soreng-Chakung constituency, a seat where even the Sikkim Pradesh Congress Committee (SPCC) chief Nar Bahadur Bhandari is reportedly very keen on.

There are also two SDF party heavyweights, RB Subba and PS Golay who had represented the people from Soreng and Chakung constituencies from 2004 elections.

Mr. Subba had defeated his nearest rival Ashok Tsong by 3,862 while Mr. Golay had been elected from Soreng constituency by defeating his nearest rival Satish Mohan Pradhan by 6501 votes, the highest margin in the 2004 elections.

Now as per the new delimitation report, parts of these areas have been merged in a single Soreng-Chakung constituency.

"I will contest from Soreng. It has been decided as per the people's demand", said the SHRP president today in a press meet here at Gangtok.

Dr. Subba also said that the party has finalized its candidates for 23 Assembly seats for the upcoming elections. There are four women in the selected candidates and we want to have around 10 women candidates in all the 32 seats, he said.

"We have selected 23 candidates so far and will finally put our party candidates for all the 32 seats", the SHRP president.

Dr. Subba's determination to have his party candidates in all the 32 Assembly seats in the coming elections sends jarring notes in the unity chorus of United Democratic Front (UDF).

The UDF had been formed on February 15 by leaders of State units of Congress, CPIM and BJP along with SHRP and Sikkim Gorkha Prajatantrik Party (SGPP). The objective of UDF was to ensure 'free and fair elections' besides reaching a 'tactical understanding' among its members.

It has also been announced that the upcoming elections will be a straight contest between SDF and UDF.

However, the SHRP chief's determination to go ahead with his party candidates in all the 32 Assembly seats does not match with the latent aspirations of UDF.

Regarding this, Dr. Subba tried to his best to play safe.

"UDF's main agenda is to ensure free and fair elections and to have a tactical understanding. I will put forward all my party's 32 candidates and after that, we will see it with UDF", said Dr. Subba.

The party's president also justified for contesting in all the 32 Assembly seats.

"If I don't fit candidates in all the 32 seats, it will be a sign of SHRP's incompetence", Dr. Subba rationalized. He added that people have been demanding 'candidates' from SHRP.

"I have already appointed in-charges for 19 constituencies and have directed them to go on a public contact mission in their designated areas. If people select them only, they will be party candidates", Dr. Subba said.

The next list of party incharges will be fixed this Tuesday during a high level meeting of the party, the SHRP president said. He also claimed that several Panchayats belonging to the ruling SDF party have joined SHRP.

"Some of them are uncontested Panchayats and they have pledged support to SHRP in writing", said Dr. Subba. But we have not exposed their names and we are actively working underground to woo other Panchayats and SDF members, he added.

No internal differences in SHRP: Dr. Subba

2009-02-22T04:10:00.000-08:00

GANGTOK, Feb 22: Sikkim Himali Rajya Parishad (SHRP) president Dr. AD Subba today denied any 'internal party differences' and said that nobody should be blamed for aborted rally on February 19.

SHRP had planned a protest rally on February 19 at Gangtok but had to be aborted due to, as claimed by its party general secretary, 'groupism' among the party leaders. The embarrassment due to the grounding of the rally was compounded later in the same afternoon when six SHRP worker were arrested by Gangtok police for allegedly pelting the vehicle of Chief Minister's political secretary KT Gyalsten with bricks.

Speaking at a press meet today here at the party head office, Dr. Subba went at length to clarify that the rally had not been called off due to the reasons specified by his general secretary but for 'three other main reasons'.

"The main reason for the calling off the rally was that I was not present. I had to go outside Sikkim for urgent party works. I was also informed by my people from South and West districts that they would not join the rally in my absence. If there is no party president, they said that they will not join other leaders in the rally", said SHRP president.

"Another reason was that that the party had received information that some supporters of the ruling Sikkim Democratic Front (SDF) party will be joining the rally posing as SHRP members and then attack the police with marble pellets fired from catapults. They wanted to assault the police during the rally so that police then retaliated and arrest all the SHRP leaders", said Dr. Subba.

"The third reason was over the boiling emotions prevailing on members of our party from North district. Sixty percent of our hardcore supporters and leaders from North Sikkim are presently arrested by police. The remaining forty percent are seething with rage and anything may have happened in the rally. Judging their emotional rage and the above two main reasons, I immediately called the party senior vice president TB Thatal and directed him to call off the rally", concluded Dr. Subba.

Commenting on the reasons given by the party general secretary Tara Shrestha over the derailment of the rally, the SHRP president stressed that no groupism exists in the party and everybody is working in a disciplined manner.

It may be recalled that Mr. Shrestha had blamed some senior party leaders for the rally farce. He had also demanded the resignation of such party functionaries on moral grounds.

However, Dr. Subba softened the allegations of his general secretary cum spokesperson as 'purely personal statements'. His (Mr. Shrestha) statements are purely personal and does not reflect the views of the party or the party president, he said.

"Mr. Shrestha was not present at the party office in Tadong on that day. How could he have made such statements without informing the party president? There is no question of anybody being expelled or submitting resignations", said Dr. Subbba. He also added that no disciplinary action will be taken against Mr. Shrestha.

Over the allegations hurled on his party workers for assaulting Mr. Gyalsten on February 19, Dr. Subba said that it has not been proved that it was SHRP members who had actually thrown bricks. How could our party youths do this from the party office?, he countered.

We want back paper policy :SRC

2009-02-20T06:11:00.000-08:00

Gangtok, Feb 20: Voicing their demands in an amendment on the back paper policy of Sikkim University the College students today took out a huge protest rally in the capital

Although the schedule time for the rally was fixed at 11 am in the morning today the delay in the procurement of the permission for the rally almost made it to start in the late evening.

The rally organized under the banner of Student's Representative Council (SRC) of Tadong Government College kicked off from the premises of Sikkim Government College till the office of the Sikkim University located at 6th Mile.

The students of first, second and third year carrying pla cards, banners and the shouting the slogans headed towards the office of the Sikkim University. Also the rally was joined by the members of Akhil Bharitya Vidhayatri Parishad (ABVP), Sikkim chapter.

The rally saw the participation of almost three hundred students of Sikkim Government College (Tadong), Namchi College and Rhenock Government College.

'We had a meeting with the vice-chancellor today but could not meet him' told Tamding Lachenpa while talking with the reporters today.

To make sure nothing goes wrong during the rally the police and the SAP Jawans were deputed on the spot.

'Special circumstances in Sikkim must be understood: BJP leader on UDF

2009-02-19T04:26:00.000-08:00

Gangtok, Feb 19: BJP party in-charge for Northeastern States Harendra Pratap today said that the party does not have any 'problems' in sharing an alliance in Sikkim with other parties, whether national or regional, for the forthcoming Assembly elections.
"We must understand the special circumstances that prevail in Sikkim where the national opposition parties do not even record 3 percent votes in the elections and the Sikkim Democratic Front (SDF) has won around 70 percent votes", said Mr. Pratap in a press meet.
Commenting on the recent formation of United Democratic Front (UDF) by State units of Congress, BJP and CPIM along with two regional parties, Sikkim Gorkha Prajatantrik Party (SGPP) and Sikkim Himali Rajya Parishad (SHRP), the BJP leader said the alliance is understandable considering the 'special circumstances that prevail in Sikkim where the opposition leaders are not allowed to stand up'.
It may be added here that UDF had been formed by the above parties to 'ensure a free and fair election' and also to reach a 'tactical understanding' in the coming Assembly elections.
"We don't have any problems (on the alliance) but the problem is with other parties (CPIM and Congress). We don't believe in untouchablity", stated Mr. Pratap adding realistically that BJP cannot contest on all the 32 Assembly seats in the forthcoming elections. He also accused the ruling SDF party of suppressing the opposition parties and concluded that a united approach from the opposition parties is a necessity.
"We do not have any objections if the leaders of the State units form a united election strategy in Sikkim. They should form a strategy where they should support candidates unitedly instead of contesting against each other", said Mr. Pratap. Alliance is one thing but common political strategy is another thing, he said.
However, the BJP leader also said that the leaders of the State units should not be seen in one platform. We don't want leaders of CPIM, BJP and Congress sharing space in one platform, he said. And there is no question of seat sharing either, he said.

BJP has completed all formalities against dual citizenship of Chamling: Harendra Pratap

2009-02-19T04:20:00.000-08:00

Gangtok, Feb 19: BJP in charge for NE States, Harendra Pratap today claimed that the party has officially submitted the 'dual citizenship documents of Chief Minister Pawan Chamling' to the Governor and State Electoral Office here in Gangtok.
"We have presented the dual citizenship documents of Chief Minister Pawan Chamling to the Governor and State Chief Electoral Officer here in Gangtok. The party has thus fulfilled all its preliminary requirements and will be soon approaching the Supreme Court on this issue", said Mr. Pratap during a press meet here in Gangtok.
The BJP leader said that it was important for the party to go through the above channels including Ministry of Home Affairs and Ministry of External Affairs before placing the issue before the Supreme Court.
The BJP party has been alleging that Chief Minister Pawan Chamling holds dual citizenships of India and Nepal and thus should be disqualified from his constitutional post.
Now we have completed the formalities, we will approach the court before the coming Sikkim Assembly elections, said Mr. Pratap.
"We also highlight our concerns to the Governor regarding the ongoing agitation by Lepchas in Dzongu, North Sikkim against the mega hydel power projects. He has assured to use his Constitutional powers to address the issue", said Mr. Pratap. He added that BJP does not favour any mega power project in Dzongu, the last hold of the ethnic Lepcha tribes.
"Dzongu must be saved considering the special emotional attachment of the Lepchas and its immense ecological values to the fragile Himalayan mountains", said Mr. Pratap.
The BJP leader also vowed to bring all the culprits to book behind the recent assault on its State unit executive member once NDA comes to power after this Lok Sabha elections.
The party member Padam Sharma who had first raised the 'dual citizenship' allegations against the Chief Minister had been brutally attacked by a masked gang in Siliguri town of West Bengal on February 16.
"The West Bengal police may come to a conclusion in the attack on our party member. But if it does not, once NDA comes to power, BJP will make it sure that all those involved in the attack are exposed and arrested. We will not spare anyone", said Mr. Pratap.

RS 271.50 LAKHS RELEASED UNDER NATIONAL SOCIAL ASSISTANCE PROGRAMME TO SIKKIM TILL DECEMBER, 2008

2009-02-19T04:18:00.000-08:00

Gangtok , Feb19: The Government of India has decided to expand the National Social Assistance Programme (NSAP) to include two pension schemes to be known as ' Indira Gandhi National Widow Pension Scheme' (IGNAPS) and 'Indira Gandhi National Disability Pension Scheme (IGNDPS) in addition to the existing Indira Gandhi National Old Age Pension Scheme (IGNOAPS). Addressing media persons in New Delhi today today Union Rural Development Minister Dr. Raghuvansh Prasad Singh said under the eligibility criteria for coverage under these new pension schemes the Widows who are between 40-64 years and belonging to a household below the poverty line according to the criteria prescribed by the Government of India and Persons with severe or multiple disabilities between 18-64 years and belonging to a household below the poverty line according to the criteria prescribed by the Govt. of India will be covered.

The Minister said the decision to expend the scope of NSAP was taken in view of the fact that pension is provided not only to the aged but also to the widows and persons with severe or multiple disability. The justification for including persons with severe or multiple disability is that they can not avail of wage or self employment schemes. In he case of widows, some minimal income security is essential to enable them to live a life of dignity as also to enable them to look after their children, if any. Expansion of NSAP to include these two categories already find mention in the 11th Five Year Plan document. Also the Ministry has launched the NSAP-MIS which will capture database of beneficiaries under all pension schemes. The MIS will ensure that transparency is built into the scheme.

The central assistance for pension under the new schemes will be Rs. 200/- per month per beneficiary. The State Governments are urged to contribute at least an equal amount so that beneficiaries receive pension at the rate of Rs.400 or more per month, as in the case of IGNOAPS. Further pension amount has to be credited into the Bank or Post Office Account of the beneficiary. The new schemes are estimated to benefit 4404289 widows and 1556004 persons with severe or multiple disability. The additional fund requirement would be Rs. 1057.03 crore for widow pension scheme and Rs. 373.44 crore for disability pension scheme.

Dr. Singh said the two new schemes come into force with immediate effect. However, before giving effect to the Schemes, States are required to to take the following action:-

(i) to identify all eligible beneficiaries as per the eligibility criteria

(ii) to place the database of eligible beneficiaries in the public domain/ website

(iii) to ensure that accounts are opened by the beneficiaries

He said states have been advised to operationalise the new schemes of IGNWPS and IGNOAPS out of the funds released under NSAP for the year 2008-09.

No. of beneficiaries reported by Sikkim during 2008-09 under IGNOAPS is 15169 , release of funds Rs 271.50 lakhs & Rate of Pension under IGNOAPS RS 400/- per month per beneficiary which includes Central Assistance. (PIB)

People who love you will understand: Bhaichung

2009-02-16T05:41:00.000-08:00

Gangtok, Feb 16 :India's football captain Bhaichung Bhutia is so tied up with back-to-back matches that he hardly has time to celebrate Valentine's Day. "I may have thought about doing something, but I have a match the next day. So I don't think I will be doing anything even if I wanted to," he says.
Bhaichung says that he takes his work very seriously and it is not the time to indulge in partying or eating out if he has a match the next day.
"People who love you will understand your cause. My wife will always be there with me. If I can't take her out on Valentine's Day because I have a match the next day, I am sure she will understand. I have not been able to do anything on Valentine's Day for a long time now," he adds.
Bhaichung married his long-time girlfriend Madhuri Tipnis on December 27, 2004, at his native village in Tinkitam in Sikkim. Madhuri used to be an air-hostess before she got married and the couple lived together in his Kolkata apartment for four years before they decided to tie the knot

Prakriti Giri to Host “Radio Show” in North Bengal & Sikkim

2009-02-13T01:41:00.000-08:00

Gangtok, Feb 13 (Press Release): Keeping with the promise to entertain their valued listeners in North
Bengal & Sikkim, Nine on 91.9 FM is very happy to announce the launch of
their two new shows.

Prakriti Giri, the top 3 finalist of “Star Voice of India, Chote Ustad”
fame can be heard in North Bengal & Sikkim from the 15th of February
2009.The show is highly inter-active wherein Miss Giri will entertain her
fans and listeners with interesting aspects of her own journey as a singer
and her accomplishments at the CHOTE USTAD show on Star Plus.

Nine FM is the launch pad for Prakriti’s new avatar as a Radio Jockey.
“Nine FM has always encouraged local talents. Nine has taken this move in
order to provide a platform for young prodigies to showcase their talent.
Prakriti Giri will introduce young talents of North Bengal & Sikkim in the
show” said Mr. Bobby Gupta, CEO, Nine FM.

“This is my second opportunity to reach the heart of music lovers. Being
passionate about music, I am very excited to host a musical program. I am
thankful to Nine FM for supporting me to carry my musical journey
forward”, said Prakriti Giri.

Our second offering is a new show dedicated to Bollywood Music “ SANGEET
KE RANG NINE FM KE SANG” hosted by our own home grown RJ Sudeep, which
will be on-air every Sunday from 11am-1pm starting from February 15th
2009.The theme of the show will basically be all time Bollywood Hits ,
primarily from the 90’s and all time evergreen hits.

Nine FM promises to continue with their endeavor to entertain their
listeners as well as provide them a platform to voice their concerns,
hopes and aspirations. This has been possible because of the love and
support we have received from our listeners.

ACT seeks bail for its underage members Also to lodge a FIR against Himagri company against violation of old laws

2009-02-12T03:58:00.001-08:00

GANGTOK, Feb 12: Affected Citizens of Teesta (ACT) today
submitted bail applications for the three of its underage members in
the court of Chief Judicial Magistrate here at Gangtok.
Three underage students had been arrested by North district police
along with 40 other members of ACT in the recent Lingzya incident. The
underage members had been forwarded to Juvenile Home while other
members have been sent to judicial custody at Rongyek Jail.
In a press statement, ACT said that all the arrested innocent Lepchas
of Dzongu do not want to seek bail but demand unconditional release.
However, in view of the fact that many innocent under aged students
have been arrested and as the future of these student are of top most
importance in our agenda, said ACT while moving for bail today.
ACT also stood by its stand that the Panan power project developers
were engaging in illegal activities at Dzongu. It said that Sikkim
Power Development Corporation (SPDC) had initiated the land
acquisition in Dzongu on behalf of Himagiri company for the Panan
power project as per a government notification dated 1-6-2007.
"However, according to another notification dated 24-6-2008, the above
notification had lapsed on 1-6-2008 and as such the proper process of
land acquisition has not been completed by the District Collector and
so the physical occupation of landed property in Dzongu by Himagri
Hydro Energy Pvt ltd is violating the law under section 447 of IPC and
also violating the provisions of the notification No-3069 dated
24-3-1958 and 665/PS dated 27-9-1954", said ACT.
ACT will also file an FIR in Mangan police station in this regard to
take action against the general manager of the Himagiri Hydro Energy
Ltd and other companies working in Dzongu 'for the violation of the
above old laws'.
The body added that the State government through power department and
ACT had started the dialogue process after the withdrawal of
indefinite hunger strike and scarping of four mega power projects in
Dzongu last year.
"However, after the first meeting, the State government never bothered
to call for talks nor reported to the organization about the decision
of the Govt on the discussion held in that meeting", said ACT. This is
neglecting the voices of the indigenous aborigines of the State, it
said.
"ACT therefore believes that the government of Sikkim is not
interested in the welfare of people nor upholds the democratic values
of the country", the release issued by ACT chief coordinator Tseten
Lepcha states.

Porcupine hunting triggers minor fire at Raj Bhavan forest

2009-02-12T03:32:00.000-08:00

GANGTOK, Feb12: A minor bush fire broke out at the border forest
surroundings of Raj Bhavan today afternoon.
The fire which broke out around 3:30 pm was immediately dowsed by East
district forest personnel, Gangtok fire services, local police and
ITBP personnel of Raj Bhavan in a short span of time.
Considering the continuing dry spell in the State that has left ground
forest cover smoldering with heat, the fire could have spread further
up the hill. However, quick response from the local authorities
averted a bigger fire.
Some portion of the ground cover of the forest was razed in the fire.
During the fire fighting process, the DFO (Territorial-East), RO
(Territorial-East) stumbled on some still burning sacks that had been
stuffed inside the underground holes burrowed by porcupines. This was
the chief reason for the outbreak of the bush fire.
Some local persons may have put the burning sacks in the entry points
of these holes so that the ensuing smoke flush out the porcupines out
of their holes and hunt them.
One person has been detained by the forest officials for questioning.

Air Show

2009-02-12T03:29:00.000-08:00

Surya Kiran - Aerobatic team of Indian Air Force performing at Aero India-2009 inaugural show, at Air Force Station, Yelahanka, in Bengaluru on February 11, 2009. (PIB)

Forest minister exposes people's failure to back govt's ban on plastics

2009-02-11T05:01:00.000-08:00

Gangtok, Feb 11: State forest minister SB Subedi today rued the lack of people's response towards the State government's environment protection policies including the ban on plastic use.
Speaking at the inaugural session of the day long 'National Environment Awareness Campaign-2008-09' held on the theme of 'Climatic Changes' held here at the Forest Secretariat, the forest minister expressed his concern over the widespread use and dumping of plastic products in jhoras and road sides by the people.
"For the protection of environment, the State government has set many policies like ban of plastics in the State. But has the ban really taken place? We see plastics dumped in jhoras and road sides", said Mr. Subedi.
The forest minister put the blame on the people who have not shouldered their responsibility or are not actually aware of the government's policy of the ban on plastics. "People can at least burn the plastics they have used and not dump in jhoras", he said.
Mr. Subedi was equally concerned over the message that will be received by tourists when they see dumping and use of plastics in Sikkim. 'During big forums in Delhi and other parts of the nation, people praise Sikkim for banning plastics. But when they come here, they may find widespread use of plastics here and we must be very serious in implementing this ban', he said.
The forest minister appealed the NGOs in assisting the State government to sensitize the people over the objectives of plastic ban. Around 29 NGOs working in the field of environment protection had participated in today's workshop organized by the State forest department.
"I am very happy to see many NGOs coming forward to spread awareness among the people over environment protection. People actually listen to NGOs rather than politicians. People do not give credit to politicians", said Mr. Subedi.
Continuing his call for social responsibility, Mr. Subedi added that forest fires that have taken recently in the State were due to the carelessness or mischief of the few people.
"The State government is trying its best to prevent forest fires but due to carelessness or plain mischief of the people, forest fires have taken recently in the State", he said.
Highlighting the extensive planting done during the State Green Mission in the past 3 years, the forest minister said that the department is considering to present awards to the best Gram Panchayats in the mission after a proper assessment. He also directed the State Pollution Control Board (SPCB) to set up units in bazaar areas with the business community for keeping the bazaar areas clean and hygienic.
"It will also give a good message to the tourists coming to Sikkim. The reputation of Sikkim as a clean State is already there and we must strengthen it", said Mr. Subedi.
While concluding his address, Mr. Subedi strongly expressed his commitment towards environment protection.
"I have received valuable experiences during my five year stint as the forest minister. I have already announced that when I retire from my political life I will dedicate rest of my life towards protection of environment. Serving the people as a forest minister has also given me new enthusiasm to work for environment", said Mr. Subedi.
Earlier in his address, State forest secretary ST Lachungpa appealed the NGOs not to depend only on financial grants but to brand itself by working dedicatedly in their chosen fields. Once an NGO establishes itself then funding will not be a problem, he said.
The forest secretary said that it's the duty of the entire Sikkimese population to protect its Himalayan ecology. If we protect it, we will not only benefit but those living in the plain areas will also benefit, he said.
Highlighting the climatic changes, Mr. Lachungpa said there had been no visible snowfall in the traditional areas of the State which was due to climatic changes.
Later during the workshop, the attending NGOs from all four districts of the State were presented funds for their works done in environment protection fields.

ACT activists sent to 11 days of judicial custody

2009-02-10T05:02:00.000-08:00

Gangtok, Feb 10: Forty one members of Affected Citizens were sent
to judicial custody at Rongyek Jail today by Chief Judicial Magistrate
(East and North) for a period of 11 days. Those sent to judicial
custody includes ACT general secretary Dawa Lepcha, member Tenzing
Lepcha, Sangha of Dzongu president Ligdem Lepcha and Concerned Lepchas
of Sikkim president Gyatso Lepcha.
The ACT members had been produced before the CJM today here in Gangtok
after their three day police remand at Mangan police station ended
today. They have been arrested on charges of unlawful assembly,
rioting and theft of explosives at the dam site of the controversial
280 MW Panan power project at Lingzya, Upper Dzongu, North Sikkim on
February 7.
The arrested ACT members did not file any bail applications, it is
learnt and rather chose to go to jail. It is also informed that the
ACT members may restore to hunger strike at the jail itself to
highlight their demand for the scrapping of the mega power projects
proposed in the Lepcha reserve of Dzongu.
Three other arrested ACT members, Sonam Lepcha, Ligden Lepcha and
Tshering Lepcha have been sent to juvenile home in Gangtok as they
were under 18 years of age.
Other ACT leaders like Tseten Lepcha and Sherap Lepcha were present at
the District Court (East and North) today here to express their
solidarity with their arrested members.

Sikkim Annual Plan 2009-10 finalised

2009-02-10T02:41:00.000-08:00

Gangtok,Feb.10:The Annual Plan for Sikkim for the year 2009-10 was finalized at New Delhi on Monday at a meeting between Deputy Chairman, Planning Commission Shri Montek Singh Ahluwalia and Chief Minister of Sikkim, Shri Pawan Chamling. The Plan outlay was agreed at Rs.1045 crores. This includes additional Central assistance of Rs.82.70 crores for projects of special importance to the State.

In his opening remarks, Mr. Ahluwalia complimented the State for performance in the social sector. He said in terms of human development indicators, Sikkim’s position was quite good as compared to majority of States. The Gross State Domestic Product increased by 84 per cent while per capita GSDP increased by 60 per cent during the period 1999-2000 to 2007-08. He also appreciated State’s performance in plan realization. He said the State should focus on high-end tourism and develop adequate accommodation for these tourists.

It was pointed out that State has comparative advantage in horticulture and floriculture sectors and should make optimum use of Central initiatives for these sectors. Hydel generation should be given high priority as it would not only generate revenue but also create employment opportunities. The State was also told to vigorously pursue public/private-partnership in tourism hydel generation and floriculture. The State was advised to work towards improving quality of education and reducing drop out rates. Thrust should also be on providing clean drinking water and proper sanitation facilities in both rural and urban areas. Briefing the Commission on plan performance, Mr. Chamling said that efforts are on to improve infrastructure. He thanked Union Government for facilitating Greenfield Airport at Pakyong and approval of rail-link to Sikkim. He said hydel potential available is being tapped and by 2012 more than 5000MW of electricity would be generated.

The State plans to declare Sikkim as total organic State by 2015. Education is being given priority and by the end of next year two more degree colleges will be started. A comprehensive educational loan scheme has been launched to facilitate students securing admission in reputed Universities. To drive maximum advantage through national mission on climate change, Sikkim State Council on Climate Change has been set up.
(PIB)

Chamling at New Delhi

2009-02-09T05:34:00.000-08:00

The Chief Minister of Sikkim, Shri Pawan Chamling meeting the Deputy Chairman, Planning Commission, Dr. Montek Singh Ahluwalia to finalize annual plan 2009-10 of the State, in New Delhi on February 09, 2009.

Forty one members of Affected Citizens of Teesta (ACT) from Dzongu have been arrested

2009-02-09T05:18:00.000-08:00

Gangtok, Feb 09: Forty one members of Affected Citizens of Teesta (ACT) from Dzongu have been arrested by North Sikkim police on charges of arson and rioting at the project damsite of the controversial Panan hydel power project.
The arrests were made on the complaint of Himagiri hydroengery private limited, project developers of the 280 MW Panan hydel project. There are 8 ladies among the arrested lot.
The district administration informed that the arrests were made on the complaint since the accused persons vandalized the project site, destroyed machinery and also tried to set fire, destroy the magazine stores containing explosives and stole explosives from the site after criminal trespass. The incident took place at the project dam site at Lingzya in Upper Dzongu yesterday on the occasion of the 600th day of the relay hunger strike by ACT going at BL house in Gangtok.
According to the project developers, more than 50 lakhs worth equipments have been destroyed by ACT supporters. The project developers are also claiming the missing of some explosive items – 298 boxes of electronic detonators, 88.75 kgs of gelatin and 1000 m of cordex wire from the spot.
Following the complaint, a team led by Mangan police station PI Rajesh Tamang arrested 43 ACT members. Two were released later as they were minors.
The arrested includes ACT general secretary Dawa Lepcha, Tenzing Lepcha, Sangha of Dzongu president Ligden Lama and Concerned Lepchas of Sikkim president Gyatso Lepcha.
The ACT members have been charged under 6 different sections 143 of the IPC for being members of unlawful assembly and section 147 for rioting, 149 for offence committed by unlawful assembly, 436 for arson and fire mischief, 379 for theft of explosives and 447 criminal trespasses.
Police said that ACT had no permission to stage the rally and a huge ACT group had gathered at Lingdong, Upper Dzongu and approached Lingzya where the incident occurred as they entered the dam site and engaged in unlawful activity.
The arrested persons were produced before the court of the district magistrate North and they were remanded to three days police custody for investigations. 'Investigations are still on', police said.
On the other hand, ACT members accused the project developers of engaging in illegal works after the land acquisition terms have elapsed. The Panan area is an isolated area and to store explosives in these areas are strictly prohibited, they said.
Meanwhile, ACT in a press statement has condemned the 'arbitrary arrests of innocent Lepchas from Dzongu' and accused the police of restoring to third degree interrogation methods.
In the press statement released by ACT chief coordinator Tseten Lepcha, the body has demanded 'immediate and unconditional release' of its members.
ACT also demanded an investigation into the links between the promoters of Panan hydel power project, their primary

Bill for seeking 80 per cent reservation for sikkimes still pending

2009-02-08T03:37:00.000-08:00

Gangtok Feb 8: A bill seeking 80 per cent employment for locals is still pending with President Pratibha Patil after the former governor of state referred it to her.

The bill is still pending with the President for consideration, Assembly Secretariat officials told Media.

Former governor Sudarshan Agarwal had referred the bill to the President for consideration about six months ago. Exercising his discretionary powers, Agarwal chose not to dispose of the Sikkim Promotion of Local Employment Bill (Bill No 18 of 2008) after having refused to give his assent to an identical bill (bill no 9 of 2008) which had proposed to reserve 95 per cent employment for the locals.

He stated that it was in contravention of Articles 14, 15 and 19(1)(g) of the Constitution and the guidelines laid down by the Supreme Court with regard to the upper limit prescribed for the purpose of reservation.

The former governor, whose tenure came to an end in July last year, forwarded the bill to the President for consideration under Clause 2 of Article 254 of the constitution before demitting office.

The Chamling Government was last year forced to withdraw the bill seeking 95 per cent reservation of employment for locals after it was not approved by the then governor.

The state government, however, introduced a new draft legislation seeking to reserve 80 per cent employment for the local people during another session of the state assembly and got it passed unanimously by a voice vote.

The legislation on promotion of local employment had proposed to percolate the benefits of reservation in employment to all sections of the society in Sikkim.

It proposed to reserve employment at 10 per cent each for the wards of the traders/old settlers and the floating population, besides seeking to reserve 80 per cent jobs strictly for locals having Sikkim Subject Certificate or Certificate of Identification.

While the state government may not have succeeded in ensuring job reservation, it has ensured 50 per cent membership for locals in all associations, organisations, clubs, societies and voluntary organisations and also on the panels of the board of directors of the companies registered in Sikkim.

The new Governor B P Singh gave his assent to two legislations, Registration of Companies (Amendment) Bill, 2008 (Bill No 30 of 2008) and Sikkim Regulation of Societies, Associations and Other Voluntary Organisations (Amendment) Bill, 2008 (Bill No. 31 of 2008).

ACT activist demolished a temporary shed of Panan hydel power project

2009-02-07T05:26:00.000-08:00

Gangtok, Feb 07: Frustrated local youths from Dzongu under the banner of Affected Citizens of Teesta (ACT) demolished a temporary shed of Panan hydel power project employees today at Rongyong in Dzongu, North Sikkim as the relay hunger strike of the anti-hydel project body entered its 600th day.
Other project related items were also vandalized.
Around 50 youths including several ladies waving ACT flags and 'anti-hydel' banners had taken out a rally in the Dzongu area on the 600th day of its ongoing relay hunger strike here at BL house.
The ACT rally reached Rongyong dam site of the proposed 280 MW Panan hydel power project near Lingzay when some of its members tore apart the provisional shelter of the project labourers. The labourers were also told to leave the site as they had 'illegally' stayed back, it is informed.
Today's incident marks the growing unrest and frustrations among the ACT youths over the inaction from the government side over their agitation against the controversial Panan project.

National Highway 31A blocked by GJM; Sikkim cut off

2009-02-07T05:21:00.000-08:00

Gangtok ,Feb 07: Sikkim was cut off from the rest of the country when Gorkha Jan Mukti Morcha (GJM) activists blocked the National Highway 31A early on Saturday as part of their 24-hour strike in the Darjeeling Hills region.

Vehicular traffic between Sikkim and Siliguri via the NH-31A has been totally paralysed since early morning, police officials at Rangpo inter-state border checkpost told PTI here.

Only a few vehicles belonging to the military forces, press persons and some ambulances were seen on the streets on the NH 31A, officials said.

The GJM had called for the strike in the Darjeeling Hills region to protest against "injustice to the adivasis in the state and police atrocities on them at Lalgarh in particular".

Arms and ammunition dumped in Sikkim: Biraj

2009-02-07T05:01:00.000-08:00

Gangtok, Feb 07: The opposition Sikkim National Peoples Party (SNPP) on Thursday alleged that a large quantity of arms and ammunition belonging to Maoists of Nepal have been dumped in Sikkim.

"We have specific information that two tonne of gelatin sticks have been dumped in forest areas of West District and 200 automatic weapons, including AK series in areas of South District by Nepal-based Maoists, SNPP President Biraj Adhikari told reporters here.

He alleged that the police had knowledge of the matter, but chose to look the other way.

Sikkim today is firmly positioned to attain self-sufficiency: Chamling

2009-02-05T00:36:00.000-08:00

Gangtok, Feb 5: Stating that the Commission for Review of Environment and Social Sector Policies, Plans and Programmes for Human Development (CRESP-HuD) of Sikkim is the first such commission on human development in India, Chief Minister Pawan Chamling today the commission has greatly enhanced the State government's perception in the overall socio-economic condition of Sikkimese people.
"The findings made by this Commission under Prof Roy Burman has greatly enhanced the level of our understanding to ascertain the overall impact made in the socio-economic condition of our people", said the Chief Minister today during the first meeting of the commission here at Chintan Bhavan, Gangtok.
Stating the basic objectives of human development, Mr. Chamling said that the State government has recorded greater participation by people in community activities and in decision making processes at various levels over the last 15 years.
The Chief Minister pointed out that a previous advisory committee had been tasked to prepare a manual containing human development messages and agenda in Sikkim. Vision documents of 161 out of 166 Gram Panchayat Units (GPU) have been prepared, he said.
Based on the indications of the GPU level, vision documents gazette notification have been issued abolishing Guardian Officer (Panchayat Mitra) attached to Panchayat bodies, said Mr. Chamling adding that this is an indication of the maturity attained by the local bodies in their functions.
Similarly, quick studies have been made of a dozen industries, entrepreneurial development schemes, primary health centres, primary and secondary schools, organic farming, planting pathology of large cardamom on an epidemic scale and selected public sector undertakings, said the Chief Minister. "The tentative findings have been communicated to the concerned line departments for intensive action research leading to reformulation of policies and action agenda.
Despite Sikkim entering into the planning process in the late seventies, the Chief Minister asserted that the State is heading towards self-sufficiency in every sphere.
"Sikkim today is firmly positioned to attain self-sufficiency in every sphere of activities. With more than 31 percent of plan allocation to social sector and 20 percent to education, our intention is crystal clear", said Mr. Chamling.
The only challenge with us is even distribution of economic benefits to all sections of population and a balanced and comprehensive growth that is both sustainable and which ensures the greatest happiness to the greatest number of people, said the Chief Minister. He expressed his confidence that the CRESP-HuD will help the Sikkim government to realize this dream into reality.

Sikkim talents screened for Amol Palekar's new film

2009-02-05T00:33:00.000-08:00

Gangtok, February 5: Sikkim is finally heading towards hypnotizing bollywood as actor turned producer-director Amol Palekar is in the city to explore new talents for his next film.

The film maker will audition local talents for his new venture.

He arrived here on Sunday with his team. He is also expected to spend the rest of the week touring various locations in the state.

The last time when Sikkim’s mesmerizing splendour got noticed in a classic movie was ‘Jewel Thief’ in 1967 where some portions of the movie was shot here featuring evergreen hero Dev Anand.

All details have been kept under tight wraps until he begins shooting sometime in March-April, the best season to capture the spirit and beauty of this hill State.

Matching his screen persona where he had delivered several hits like Golmaal and some serious art films, the actor of yesteryears likes to maintain a low profile and remains tightlipped about his forthcoming project despite much coaxing from media.

However, it has been learnt that the feature film will be based on Sikkim and the entire movie will be shot here in the state to project as well as promote it to the outside world.

''Palekar will be scouting for probable locations'', a senior government official said.

Mr Palekar also called on Chief Minister Pawan Chamling yesterday and is said to have discussed the film project. The duo had met earlier in regard to this project and had detailed discussions. The Chief Minister was keen to help the director.

Mr Palekar also toned down the speculations surrounding the purpose of his visit as he told media yesterday, ''we are here for the preliminary aspects and nothing had been finalized so far. We will let you know the developments soon.'' Accompanying him, his wife was more spontaneous. She said that they had been in Sikkim almost seven times over the past few years and were captivated by the state's natural beauty.

''Sikkim is beautiful and very different from all other places,'' she said.

The visiting group had also been auditioning for a probable child artiste from Sikkim for the movie.

State`s tourism department is handling Palekar’s itinerary in Sikkim. He had also held discussions with Tourism secretary SBS Bhaduria and other senior tourism officials regarding the project.

He along with his group is expected to visit Namchi, Rinchenpong and other areas in West and South Sikkim from today.

Chamling was out to win the next assembly polls with money: Tshong

2009-02-01T01:57:00.000-08:00

Gangtok , 1 February: Opposition parties have charged Chief Minister Pawan Kumar Chamling with distributing money to the people to secure their votes in the upcoming assembly polls and asked the Election Commission to probe the matter.

"We have authentic information from people that the chief minister is distributing cash among the voters to extend their support to the ruling Sikkim Democratic Front (SDF) in the forthcoming assembly polls in the state,"NCP state president Ashok ChongTshong told reporters here today.

He said Chamling has been visiting villages in person with only his trusted men where he distributed cash starting from Rs 20,000 to the villagers and seeking assurance from them that they would vote for the SDF.

Chong demanded immediate action by Election Commission to prevent Chamling, also SDF president from buying voters.

The NCP Chief said, as Chamling was out to win the next assembly polls with money power, free and fair polls were not not possible under the present dispensation.

The Centre should consider imposing President&aposs rule in the state till the assembly polls, he said.

Sikkim Pradesh Congress Committee president and former Chief Minister Nar Bahadur Bhandari echoed Chong&aposs accusation against Chamling, saying the Congress has drawn the attention of the EC and the Centre about the"brazen misuse"of official machinery and money power by the ruling SDF and demanded that assembly polls be conducted under President&aposs rule.

BJP state unit vice-president Padam Bahadur Chhetri, who earlier accused Chamling of holding dual nationality, claimed that the use of money power has been a common practice during the SDF rule.

Mountaineer George joins an elite BandMountaineer George joins an elite Band

2009-01-31T04:33:00.000-08:00

Gangtok,31 January
IT HAS been a long time coming, but the remarkable life of a north Hampshire mountaineer is finally receiving the recognition it deserves.

George Band, who turns 80 on Monday, was in the party that first conquered Mount Everest.

And with colleague Joe Brown, he was the first to scale the world’s third highest mountain, Kangchenjunga, which is considered a more difficult climb.

Through his career in the oil industry, he played a considerable part in the development of the British North Sea oil fields.

And now he is not resting on his laurels as he leads fundraising efforts that are helping to transform the lives of the people in the Himalayan Mountains.

As previously reported in The Gazette, Mr Band was awarded an OBE in the Queen’s New Years honours for his charity work and mountaineering feats.

Born in Taiwan and raised in Cheshire, he first became interested in mountaineering while on holiday in North Wales as a teenager.

He said: “I saw these guys on ropes tackling a face, and I thought ‘gosh, that looks exciting. I would like to try some of that’.”

A National Service posting in Yorkshire gave him a chance. He then went on to join Cambridge University’s mountaineering club and spent three summers climbing in the Alps.

He applied for the Everest expedition and was one of two climbers with no Himalayan experience picked for the attempt.

Mr Band was a member of a small advance party that found a way through the Khumbu Icefall to enable the team to establish the camps higher up Everest from which Sir Edmund Hillary and Sherpa Tenzing Norgay mounted their assault on the peak.

“It’s like a football team. One or two people can score the goals but they can only do it if the whole team is backing them up,” he said.

Two years later, he and Manchester builder Joe Brown became the meta-phorical goal-scorers when they became the first to the top of Kangchenjunga – a 28,169ft peak.

The duo were part of a reconnaissance party aiming for a feature called the Great Shelf.

“If we made that, it would be easier for a couple of thousand feet and it wasn’t far from the summit. We thought if can get there, we can have a bash,” he said. “We took sufficient oxygen to launch an attempt and we succeeded – which was very satisfying.”

They stopped a few feet below the summit to honour an agreement with the people of Sikkim, who regarded it as sacred.

Mr Band said: “Kangchenjunga was my best mountaineering feat because it’s considered more difficult than Everest.”

After Kangchenjunga, Mr Band undertook several more mountaineering expeditions but mainly focused on a career in the oil industry.

But he carried on climbing in his spare time and went on to head up several mountaineering organisations, including being president of the Alpine Club.

In 2003, he took over chairmanship of the Himalayan Trust UK, from another veteran of the Everest expedition, George Lowe.

“It was the least I could do,” said Mr Band. “We were an extended family and we are here to improve the lot of the Sherpas.”

The charity has built schools, trained the people to run them, and has also provided two hospitals and 13 health clinics.

Following its success in the area around Everest, the UK trust has extended its work to new regions, including the Kangchenjunga region.

Now, the fundraising efforts and a lifetime of achievement have brought Mr Band some well-earned official recognition with the award of the OBE.

“It was a pleasant surprise to suddenly find that your efforts have been recognised,” he said.

Gorkah party membder arrested in Gyalshing for holding meeting without permission

2009-01-25T03:20:00.000-08:00

Gangtok, Jan. 25: Six members of the regional outfit Sikkim Gorkha
Parajatantrik party were detained by the West district police for
holding a public meeting without prior written permission from the
police at Gyalshing bazaar the west district headquarters.
The arrests were made this morning when the members of the party
started using a public address system and started giving political
speeches. They were also distributing written materials.
K. B. Rai, the general secretary of the Gorkha party and six other
members of the party Thendup Sherpa, Yamlal Dangal, Mani Kumar Rai,
Bikash Thatal, Birkha Bahadur Rai were arrested.
Speaking to the Telegraph superintendent of police (West) Ruchika
Rishi confirmed that they were detained by the Gyalshing police since
they did not have the requisite permission to hold the meeting which
is mandatory.
Any political party or organization should apply in writing for
permission from the police to organize a public meeting or use the
public address system.
They have been detained under section 160 of the Sikkim police act for
violating or disobeying orders, directions under the said act.
According to sections 156, 157 and 158 of the police act, permission
is required to hold public meeting after applying in written.
Meanwhile, the president of the party G. M. Rai told reporters that
they were denied their fundamental right on the eve of the republic
day claiming that this showed there was no democracy in Sikkim. He
said their freedom of speech under article 19 had been violated and
accused the police of a clampdown on the party.
He also said there was no derogatory or any violation in the printed
mater being distributed. The police said the arrests were not based on
the distribution of the pamphlet but for not having the required
permission.

If Cong comes to power it will arrest Chamling: Bhandari

2009-01-24T05:35:00.000-08:00

Gangtok24 January: Sikkim Pradesh Congress Committee (SPCC) president Nar Bahadur Bhandari on Saturday joined forces with the BJP in alleging that Chief Minister Pawan Kumar Chamling has obtained dual citizenship, including one from Nepal, and claimed that the Congress party, if elected to power, will prosecute him under the provisions of the law.

"The Congress party, if it comes to power after the assembly polls due later this year, will arrest and prosecute Chamling for commission of a serious crime like carrying dual nationality," Bhandari, a former chief minister told reporters here.

Echoing the BJP's contention against the incumbent Chief Minister as "factually true" on the basis of the relevant documents made public by the senior saffron party leader Harendra Pratap, Bhandari hoped that the Union Home ministry and the Election Commission will investigate the matter to its logical conclusion.

Bhandari expressed his consternation at the silence of Chamling after such a serious charge of dual nationality has been made against him and said the latter has lent credence to the allegation by keeping mum on the issue till date.

The senior Congress leader, however, made it clear that his party will not make the dual nationality charge againt Chamling an electoral issue during the forthcoming assembl polls due April/May this year.

There are many skeletons in the cupboards of the Chamling governemnt which the Congress will raise during electioneering seeking the mandate for a change of guard in Sikkim, he said.

Referring to the upcoming assembly polls in Sikkim, the former Chief Minister demanded that the polls be held under the President's rule as a "free, fair and transparent election was not not likely to take place under the Chamling regime."

"No assembly polls held in the Himalayan state since 1994 took place in a fair manner as the civil and police brass brazenly sided with the ruling Sikkim Democratic Front in ensuring successive mandate for the ruling party in 1999 and 2004 assembly polls," he alleged.

The former Chief Minister hoped that the Election Commission will take cognizance of the "electoral malpractices" committed by the SDF government in the past and make appropriate arrangement for conduct of a free, fair and transparent polls in Sikkim this time.

On the rumours doing the rounds in Sikkim that he was being considered for the Governor's post by the party high command, Bhandari vowed never to leave Sikkim for any assignment outside the state and admitted that Chamling had indeed tried to convince the top congress leaders to make him a Governor in view of his seniority.

"I will never make life easy for Chamling and stay put in Sikkim for public service," Bhandari said and pledged to form the first-ever full-fledged Congress government in the state after the assembly polls.

Red Panda now in soft toys

2009-01-24T05:14:00.000-08:00

By Shivadeep Rai

Gangtok 24January: People can now take home the state animal of Sikkim Red Panda in the form of soft toys. Towards the promotion of Red Panda, the state animal of Sikkim, Directorate of Handlooms and Handicrafts (DHH) has initiated making red panda soft toys at its soft toy production unit. One can take home different kinds of red panda soft toys in the form of bags, pillow etc from the DHH’s sales emporium. The soft toys making in DHH was set off from August 2005. Besides red panda, there is lot more animals in soft toys including bear and dogs.

KS Bhutia, Additional General Manager of Sikkim Handlooms and Handicrafts Development Corporation (SH&HDC) informed that the soft toy production unit in DHH has its tie-up with ITMT (a private limited soft toys company) in Kolkata. The finished soft toys produced in the DHH are being marketed across Sikkim, Delhi, Assam, Darjeeling, Kalimpong, Bagdogra and other places through SH&HDC. Bhutia informed that they sold soft toys basically red panda amounting to Rs 95,000 from the sales emporium in the month of October, 2008. The price of the soft toys ranges from Rs 30 to Rs 5000. Bhutia said we are basically focusing on making red panda soft toys for the reason that it is our state animal as well as its demand is very high.

The monthly production of soft toys in the production unit at DHH is 60-70 thousand in an approx, informed PR Ghimiray, Assistant Director for the Training Centre. Presently, 20 women in daily wage system are employed in soft toy production unit for making the soft toys. All of them are trained from ITMT. Ghimiray said that ITMT provides four months training in making soft toys for the students of Sikkim as per the provision of MoU. ITMT also provides DHH with the raw materials for making the soft toys. Ghimiray told that they will start providing training in making soft toys to the students of Sikkim at DHH by this year instead of sending them to Kolkata. He said that the demand for red panda soft toys is very high in the market though the supply is not satisfactory as compared to its demand.

Nationality charges against Chamling false: Nepali weekly

2009-01-21T07:09:00.000-08:00

Gangtok, Jan 21 : As the chief minister of an Indian state became the latest high-profile public figure to become embroiled in a controversy over his nationality, a Nepali weekly here took up cudgels on his behalf Wednesday, calling the documents tabled by his critics fake and an attack on Nepal’s sovereignty and integrity.After singer Udit Narayan Jha and Nepali Minister Ram Chandra Jha, Pawan Chamling, chief minister of India’s northeastern Sikkim state, is in the eye of a storm over his nationality. The opposition Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) this month asked India’s Election Commission to sack him on the ground that Chamling is allegedly a foreigner who comes from neighbouring Nepal.
In a bid to discredit Chamling, who is also chief of the Sikkim Democratic Front party, the local BJP leadership in Sikkim has distributed documents to the media to establish that Chamling also holds Nepali citizenship.
The documents include photocopies of Chamling’s alleged Nepali citizenship certificate, the inclusion of his family’s names in Nepal’s census list and receipts to show he paid house tax - Rs.10 - in Nepal.
With the BJP threatening it is going to court with its claim, Nepal’s Jana Aastha weekly Wednesday took up the cause of the beleaguered Indian minister, saying the bid to drag him into a controversy by calling him a Nepali was also an attempt to malign Nepalis.
According to the weekly, the citizenship certificate distributed by the BJP is fake. The certificate reportedly says the Indian minister was born in Sanischare village in eastern Nepal’s tea garden district of Ilam.
The census document, which says Chamling as well as his wife Tikamaya, son Vijay, daughter Sheela and daughter-in-law Vinita are residents of Budhbare village in Ilam, is dated 2008.
However, both Budhbare and Sanishchare are in Jhapa district and not Ilam, as claimed by the documents and in 2008, there was no local development authority in Nepal due to the political changes to issue such documents, the weekly said.
It has also quoted the district administration official concerned as saying that the citizenship code in the documents is wrong.
With Chamling’s opponents in Sikkim, the National People’s Party, jumping into the fray and calling a Sikkim shutdown next Monday as well as clamouring for the chief minister’s resignation, the weekly said the nationality issue was whipped up as Chamling was expanding his sphere of influence in New Delhi.
“The fake documents about Nepal raise questions about how the BJP obtained them,” the weekly said. “Nepal’s sovereignty and the integrity of Nepalis have also been dragged into the dispute.”
It is also asking Nepal’s foreign affairs ministry to seek a clarification as to how the Indian party obtained “fake” Nepali documents.
Since the “fake” documents bear the signature of a Nepali district administration official, it is Nepal’s duty to initiate an investigation to find out how the forgery was done, the weekly said.

965 chickens culled on second day of culling operations

2009-01-21T07:05:00.000-08:00

Gangtok, Jan 21: A total of 965 chickens were culled today at the bird flu hit areas of Ravangla subdivision in South Sikkim.

Culling operations by nine Rapid Response Teams (RRTs) constitution members from district administration, State Animal husbandry department and other line departments had begun from yesterday at 3 kms radius from the epicenter of the bird flu hit areas of the subdivision.

“A total 965 chickens were culled today out of which 722 were adult chickens and 243 were chicks”, said South district collector D Anandan.

Today’s tally takes the total number of culled birds to 2125.

Mr. Anandan informed that today’s culling took place in 157 households at bird flu hit areas of Golitar, 14th Mile and Hospital Area of Ravangla. A total of 611 eggs were also destroyed today by the RRTs.

Immediate compensation as per the rates fixed by the State government was paid to the farmers whose chickens were culled. The State government had announced compensation of Rs. Rs. 100 per fully grown chicken and Rs. 15 per chick.

The culling operations are going smoothly and we expect to finish in a couple of days, said the DC.

A medical team of Union Health Ministry has reached the spot and is assisting the State authorities into micro planning and containment measures. The team is surveying the affected areas, said the DC.

The Union Ministry has supplied 6000 capsules of Oseltamivir, 5000 three layered surgical masks, 100 Personal Protective Equipments and 100 N-95 masks and the situation is being monitored on a daily basis, informs a PIB release.

The bird flu outbreak in Ravangla had been confirmed on January 18.

गोर्खाल्यण्डको आन्दोलनमा सिक्किमले आफ्नो गाँस काटेर सहयोग गर्नु पर्छः डा एडी

2009-01-19T00:19:00.000-08:00

गान्तोक, 19 जनवरी। गोर्खाल्याण्डको आन्दोलनलाई सिक्किमेले आफ्नो छिमेकीको आन्दोलन मात्र नठानेर 1986को दशकमा जस्तै आफ्नो भागबाट पस्केको भातको आधा भाग आन्दोलनकारीहरूलाई दिएर समर्थन गर्ने दिन आएको तथा आफ्नो दाज्यु-भाइले अधिकार पाउँछ भने त्यसमा सहयोग गर्नु पर्ने सिक्किमेको कर्तव्य रहेको सिक्किम हिमाली राज्य पार्टी (सिहिराप)-ले घोषणा गरेको छ। छुट्टै राज्य गोर्खाल्यण्डको आन्दोलनकारीहरूमाथि डुवर्स र सालुगढामा भएको बर्बरतापूर्ण कार्वाहीप्रति सिक्किमको विपक्षी दल सिहिरापले भत्सर्ना जनाउँदै केन्द्र र राज्य सरकारले चाँडो भन्दा चाँडो समस्याको समाधान गर्नु पर्ने माग गरेकोछ।

पार्टी मुख्यालयमा आईतबार डाकिएको पत्रकार सम्मेलनलाई सम्बोधन गर्दै पार्टी अध्यक्ष डा. ए डी सुब्बाले भने, आज बिमल गुरङको नेतृत्वमा गोर्खाल्याण्डको आन्दोलन अहिंसात्मक ढङ्गमा संचालन भइरहेको छ तर केन्द्र र राज्य सरकारले यसलाई अहिंसात्मकरूप मै समाधान गरेन भने स्थिति बिग्रेर जाने छ। डुवर्स र सालुगढामा जो भयो त्यो नहुनु पर्ने थियो अब बङ्गाल र केन्द्र सरकारले चाँडो फैसला दिनु पर्छ, उनले भने।
डा.सुब्बाले गोर्खाल्याण्ड मुद्दामा पवन चामलिङको नतृत्वमा रहेको एसडीएफ सरकार र मुख्यमन्त्री चामलिङ स्वयं इमान्दार नरहेको आरोप लगाउदै भने, सुबास घिसिङसित चामलिङको बैमनश्यता थियो र बिमल गुरूङलाई घिसिङलाई हटाउने बेलामा सहयोग गर्छु भन्नेले घिसिङलाई हटाएर आन्दोलन थाले पछि बाटो रोक्यो भनेर खेताला लगाएर सुपरिम कोर्टमा मुद्दा हल्यो यसैले स्पष्ट हुन्छ गोर्खाल्यण्डबारे मुख्यमन्त्री चामलिङ इमान्दार छैन भन्ने कुरा ।

उनले अझ भने गोर्खाल्याण्डको प्रस्ताव विधानसभामा पारित गर्छु भनेर गोजमुमो खोलिनु भन्दा पहिले दार्जीलिह भ्रमणमा जाँदा चामलिङले दिएको बचन किन पुरा गरेन? यदि गोर्खाल्यण्डको निम्ति चामलिङ सांच्चै इमान्दार छ भने अहिले आन्दोलनले हिसांत्मक रूप लिइसकेको छ। यसलाई रोक्न किन कडा कदम चाल्दैन, सुपरिमकोर्टबाट किन मुद्दा फिर्ता गर्दैन? उनले प्रश्नहरुको ओइरो लगाए।

यसरी नै सिहिरापका प्रवक्ता तथा महासचिव तारा श्रेष्ठले भने, आफ्नो समुदायको मान्छेले केही पाउन केही गुमाउनु पर्छ भने सिक्किम तयार छ। युगौसम्म बाटो बन्द भएर आन्दोलन चलिरहनु भन्दा केही समय बाटो बन्द गरेर आन्दोलन चर्काएर लक्ष्यमा पुग्नु बेश हो यसमा सिक्किमेले मुद्दा हाल्ने र विरोध गर्ने काम छैन्, उनले थपे।

आन्दोलनको बारेमा सिक्किम सरकारको भूमिका इमान्दार हुनु पर्ने विषयमा नै जोड दिंदै श्रेष्टले भने आन्दोलन उग्र हुँदै छ य़समा सिक्किम सरकारको भूमिका इमान्दार हुनुपर्छ दोहोरो मापदण्ड राखेर कुरा गर्नु हुँदैन। सिक्किमको मुख्यमन्त्री प्रति छिमेकीको ठूलो आशा छ तर उनी आफै यसमा इमान्दार छैनन्. उनले भने।

सिक्किमको मौलिक कला काठको मुखौटो निर्माणमा कलाकारहरूको अभाव

2009-01-19T00:11:00.000-08:00

गान्तोक,19जनवरी।सिक्किमको हस्त शिल्प र हथकर्घा उत्पादनमा छुट्टै विशेषता बोक्ने विधा हो काठको मुखौटो बनाउने कला । बौद्धवादसित सम्बन्धित यसप्रकारको काष्ठकला सिक्किमको परम्परासित जोडिएको महाकाला र कंचनजंघाको मुखौटो बनाउने प्रचलन परापूर्वकालदेखिको भए पनि अहिले यो कलालाई धानेर राख्ने शिल्पीहरूको न्यूनताले अस्तित्वमा सङ्कट आउने स्थिति देखिएको छ। यही क्रम निरन्तर रहेमा कुनै दिन केवल सङ्ग्राहलयमा मात्र सिमित हुने अवस्था नरहला भन्न सकिन्न।
राज्य कै प्रथम मुखौटो बनाउने कलाकार उत्तर सिक्किमको तिङचिम निवासी एक भोटिया परिवारका तीन पुस्ताले यो भार बहन गरिरहेको छ आजपर्यन्त। तर अब उसोको पुस्ताले यही कलालाई निरन्तरता दिने कुरामा बाबु-बाजेबाट विरासतमा सिकेको कलाको एकमात्र शिक्षक डुडूक भोटिया यसो भन्छन्, मेरो बाजेले तिब्बत जाँदा 1940 तिर कागजमा जेङ्गा र माहाकालाको मुखौटो बनाएको देखी सिक्किममा आएर काठको मुखौटो सिक्किमे परम्परामा ढालेर बनाउन शुरू गरे।उनले शुरू गरेको सो कार्यलाई मेरो पिताले 1964 देखि निरन्तरता दिए। तर मैले 1977 सालदेखि यो कला सिकेको हुँ जो आजसम्म बचाएर ऱाखेको छु। तर मेरो आउँदो पुस्ताले यो सिक्ला भन्ने उति विश्वास छैन, छोराहरू सबै बाहिर पढ्ने भए कला सिक्न साधना चाहिन्छ घरमा बस्नु पऱ्यो।

विशेष रूपमा गुम्पाको निम्ति बनाइने यी मुखौटो 55 प्रकारको हुने गरेरेको डुडुक बताउँछन्। जसमा विशेष रूपले महाकाला र कंचनजंघाको महत्व छुट्टै मानिन्छ, यसका साथै बाह्र राशी जसलाई सिक्किमे बौद्धबादमा लोखोर चुनी भनिन्छ त्यसको अर्कै महत्व छ। गुम्बाहरूमा विभिन्न पर्वहरूमा नृत्य गर्दा सो मुखौटो लगाएर विभिन्न प्राणी र परलौकिक अनुहारलाई प्रस्तुत गरिन्छ। महाकाला जो तिब्बतबाट आफ्नो बाजेले कागजमा बनाउने कलाबाट काठमा उतारे भने रचंनजघाको मुखौटो भने मौलिक रूपमा सिक्किमकै सिर्जना हुनसक्ने उनी थप्छन्। यद्यपी महाकालामा तिब्बती प्रभाव रहेको भएपनि सिक्किमे बौद्ध परम्पराको पवित्र पर्व पाङ्ल्हाब सोलमा यी दुबै मुखौटो लगाएर नृत्य (छाम) गरिने हुनाले सिक्कमको मौलिक उपज भएको छ।

सरकारले गान्तोक स्थित हस्त शिल्प तथा हथकर्घा निदेशालयमा विगत 1992देखि डुडुक कै प्रशिक्षणमा मुखौटो निर्माण गर्ने कलाकारहरूको उत्पादनको निम्ति युवाहरूलाई भत्ता समेत दिएर प्रशिक्षण दिने गरेको छ। तर यहाँ केवल तीन वर्षको मात्र प्रशिक्षण दिइने भएकोले मुखौटोको 55 प्रकार कलालाई भने प्रसिक्षणार्थीहरूले छिचोल्न सक्दैनन् जसले गर्दा अहिले सम्म बाचेको 55 प्रकारको मुखौटो भविष्यमा सिमित बन्न जाने डुडुकको भनाइ छ।
गुम्बामा प्रयोग गरिने यी मुखौटोहरू अहिले विश्वस्तरमा सिक्किमे कलाको एउटा परिचय बनिसकेको छ। यसै कला मार्फत प्रशिक्षक डुडुकले 1992,94,97,99मा राष्ट्रीय स्तरको पुरस्कार टेक्सटाइल मन्त्रालय भारत सरकारबाट प्राप्त गरिसकेका छन्। यसरी नै राज्यस्तरको पुरस्कारले पनि उनी सम्मानीत भएका छन्।
परम्परा र सिक्किमको चिन्हारी बचाउने क्रममा एक्लो परिवार तिन पुस्तादेखि लागि परेको छ। सरकारले दिएको प्रशिक्षणबाट केवल व्यावसायीक मुखौटो उत्पादकहरू नि्स्केका छन् तर सैद्धान्तिक रूपमा 55 प्रकारकै मुखौटो बनाउन सिक्नको निम्ति 3 वर्षको समयसिमा छोटो हुने गरेको उनी बताउँछन् उनले आफ्नो पिताबाट 9 वर्षको उमेर देखि प्रशिक्षण लिएर 21 वर्षमामात्र सफल बनेको अनुभावले नै यो कला व्यावसायीक भन्दा पनि साधना हो भन्ने पुष्टि हुन्छ। छोटो अवधीमा केवल दुइ तीन प्रकारको मुखौटो बनाउने कला सिक्ने सकिने तर बाँकि कला त्यसै मरेर जाने डर उनलाई छ।

महाकाला र कंचनजङ्घामा पनि विबिन्न प्रकारको रङर भेद रहेको उनी बताउँछन् जसमा महाकालाको 6 प्रकार तथा कंचनजङ्घाको एकै रङ हुने जानकारी दिन्छन्। सिक्किमे मौलिकताको प्रसङ्गमा सबै मुखौटो आध्यत्मिक तथा परलौकिक संसारलाई लिएर रचना गरिने बताउदे सबै प्रकारको कलामा तीनवटा आँखा रहनु सिक्किमे कलाको विशेषता रहेको जानकारी गराए।

विशेष अवसरहरूमा गुम्बामा नाचिने छाम(नृत्य) हरूमा प्रयोग गरिने मुखौटोहरूको सेट 55 वटाको हुने गर्छ सो तयार गर्ने क्षमता कमै कलाकारहरूमा रहेको छ। जसले गर्दा भविष्यमा सिक्किमे मुकौटो(मास्क) कला लोप हुने संकेत स्पष्ट छ। यति मात्र होइन हाल सरकारी प्रशिक्षणमा वल एकजना युवामात्र प्रशिक्षण लिइरहेका थिए।

युवा वर्गले यो कलालाई महत्वको साथमा सिक्न सके अर्थौउत्पादन पनि मनग्गे हुने डुडुकको भनाइ छ। प्रति मुखौटो 3 सय देखि 20 हजार रूपियाँ सम्ममा बिक्री हुन्छ। विदेशमा झन यसको माग धेरै छ तर स्थानीयहरूकै माग पुरा गर्ने कलाकार हामी सित छैन,दुखेसो कलाकार डुडुकको ।

2009-01-15T01:54:00.000-08:00

Para gliding Start at Chakung West Sikkim from Wednesday on occasion of Maker Sakranti Fastival at Jorthang Bazaar of south district, the Glider drpoping at Jorthang Ground from Chakung View point from height of above 1000 meter. tourist have to pay one thusand per dropping. Local youth introduce this adventure tourism.

Chief Minister Pawan Chamling pledges support to Gorkhaland movement

2009-01-09T22:50:00.000-08:00

New Delhi, Jan 9 Sikkim Chief Minister Pawan Chamling today pledged support to the Gorkhaland movement, terming the demand for a separate state by Gorkhas their"constitutional right"but said his state suffers the most due to road blockades caused by the agitation.

" Their (Gorkha&aposs) demands are constitutional and India must acknowledge the Gorkha people their rightful demand for a separate state and not ignore it. There were other states too which were demarcated on similar demands,"Chamling, who was here to receive an award from the Vice President Hamid Ansari for the state&aposs overall progress in the health sector told reporters.

Holding the West Bengal government and Union of India responsible for losses arising due to the blockade of the National Highway 31A -- Sikkim&aposs only road link to the Indian mainland -- Chamling said that the people of the hill state have the right to seek compensation for the economic losses arising out of such blockades.

"The government of West Bengal is not affected and neither is the Union of India.We are the worst affected since the movement began in 1987,"he said.

Pointing out that Darjeeling, once termed the queen of hills, has undergone rapid degradation over the years, Chamling sought support of the Centre to do something to resolve the Gorkhaland issue in an amicable manner.

Chamling was vocal about the restoration of peace and beauty of the region and said that the demand for Gorkhaland is not just limited to the demand of the Gorkhas as it also involves restoring the" Queen of Hills"to her past glory.

Source: Agencies

बिमल गुरूङ र आर बी राईको जनाधार शक्तिलाई भागोपले सधैँ महत्व दिएको छ: सीके श्रेष्ठ

2009-01-09T02:15:00.000-08:00

भारतभरिका गोर्खाहरूको सपना गोर्खाल्यण्डको निम्ति राष्ट्रियस्तरको छाता सङ्गठनको रूपमा प्रतिस्थापित भारतीय गोर्खा परिसंघले यस मुद्दालाई छिनोफानो गर्न सामुहिक नेतृत्व नै सबै भन्दा प्रभावशाली प्रयास बताएको छ। यसरी नै अहिले घरि आन्दोलनबारे आएको विभिन्न मतभेद र रणकौशलको अस्पष्टताबारे गत 21 दिसम्बरको दिन नयाँ दिल्लीको जन्तर मन्तरमा साँझ पाँच बजे भागोपका कार्यकारी अध्यक्ष सी के श्रेष्ठ सित पत्रकार प्रवीण खालिङले लिएको अन्तरवार्ता प्रस्तुत छ।

प्रश्न: अब 2009को पूर्वार्धमै देशमा चुनाउ हुने निश्चित छ। यस्तो अवस्थामा गोर्खाल्याण्डको मुद्दा फेरि ओझेलमा पर्ला कि ?
उत्तर- चुनाउको समयमा नै हो राराजनैतिक दलहरूसित राजनैतिक पहल गर्नु पर्ने। जातिको राष्ट्रिय राजनैतिक क्षमता बुझाएर गोर्खाल्याण्डको मुद्दालाई उनीहरूको चुनाउ घोषणा पत्रमा संलग्न गराउनु पर्ने। किनभने यतिबेला गरज उनीहरूलाई परिरहेको हुन्छ। त्यसैले माग मांग्नेहरूले चंखो भएर चुनाउको बजारमा नै भरसक प्रतिश्रुति लिने अनि प्रतिबद्ध गराउने प्रचेष्टा चलाउनु पर्छ। यसो गरेमा मुद्दा ओझेलमा पर्नुको साटो अझ टड्कालो भएर उठ्नेछ। यही समय हो भारतभरिका नेपालीभाषी गोर्खा जातिका संघ-संस्था अनि राजनैतिक दलहरूको संयुक्त शक्ति लिएर केन्द्रका राजनैतिक दलहरूसित संवाद शुरु गर्ने।

प्रश्न- भागोपले राष्ट्रीय स्तरमा कुनै राजनैतिक दलसित तालमेल गर्ला कि?

उत्तर- त्यस्तो कुनै गुंजाइस नै छैन। कारण भारतभरिका गोर्खाहरूको राजनैतिक झुकाउ समान छैन। गोर्खाहरू कांग्रेस, भाजपा, एनसीपी, सपा, बसपा, एजीपीदेखि लिएर शिवसेनासम्म छन्। जो-जो जहाँ-जहाँ छन् त्यहीँ-त्यहीँबाट आफ्ना दलहरूलाई राष्ट्रिय अनि जातीय गोर्का मुद्दाहरूमा चाप दिने काम गर्नुपर्छ।

प्रश्न- गोर्खाल्याण्डको सपना साकार हुने कुरोमा तपाईं कतिको विश्वस्त हुनुहुन्छ?

उत्तऱ- कठिन छ अवश्य, तर असम्भव छैन। सबै शक्तिहरूलाई एक ठाउँमा केन्द्रित गरेर, सही रणकौशलको आधारमा सही पहल अनि बौद्धिक अभ्यासद्वारा राष्ट्रिय स्तरमा मुद्दालाई उठाएर,सही ठाउँमा गएर सही कुरो राख्न सक्यौं भने, यो नहुने कुरै होइन। मलाई पूर्ण विश्वास छ-गोर्खाल्याण्ड एक दिन हुन्छै-हुन्छ।

प्रश्न- हालमा भारतीय गोर्खा परिसंघको दिल्लीमुखी रणकौशलले धेरै प्रभाव पारे पनि स्थानीय राजनैतिक दलहरूसंग भे भागोपको उस्तो तालमेल नदेखिनुको कारण के हो?

उत्तर- गोर्खाल्याण्डकै परिप्रेक्ष्यमा भन्नु पर्दा गोजमुमो र क्रामाकपाबाहेक संस्थागत तौरमा
लागिपरेका स्थानीय अन्य कुनै राजनैतिक दलहरू नै छैनन्।अनि भागोपले यी दुवै दलहरूलाई बृहत्तर आन्दोलनका सम्पूरक अनि अनिवार्य अङ्गहरू नै ठान्दछ। तर भागोप राष्ट्रिय स्तरको अराजनैतिक संस्था हुनाले राजनैतिक दलका कार्यक्रमहरूसित तालमेल नमिले जस्तो देखिन सक्छ कार्यक्रम एकै प्रकारका नभए पनि उद्देश्यमा हामी एक छौ,यसमा कुनै शङ्का छैन। अहिले औंला-औंला भए पनि अन्तिम प्रहारको मुहूर्त्तमा मुड्की भएरै बज्रौंला, निस्संदेह।

प्रश्न- यस पटकको दिल्ली कार्यक्रमको मुख्य उपलब्धि के मान्नुहुन्छ?

उत्तर-दिल्लीको जन्तर-मन्तरमा 22 राज्यका गोर्खा प्रतिनिधिहरू, हजारौको गोर्खा जनसमावेश अनि तेलङ्गना, बुन्देलखण्ड जस्ता नयाँ राज्य माग्ने नेताहरूको उपस्थिति नै एक ऐतिहासिक उपलब्धि हो। तर त्यो भन्दा अझ बडी गोर्खाल्याण्डको मुद्दालाई दिल्लीको नेताहरूको मनमा राष्ट्रिय मुद्दाको रूपमा छाप बसाउने ठूलो काम भएको छ। यसले अन्य सबै दलहरूको दिल्लीमुखी कार्यक्रमलाई सकारात्मक माहौल तयार गरिदिएको छ।
प्रश्न– अब दार्जीलिङका अन्य राजनैतिक पार्टीहरूको भूमिका कस्तो होला?

उत्तर- कांग्रेस र भाजपाको निर्णयको बागडोर अरूकै हातमा छ। आफ्नो मुद्दालाई अघि राख्नु कांग्रेसी र भाजपाई नेताहरूलाई आ-आफ्नो राज्य कमिटीहरूसित जुझ्नै पर्ने स्थिति छ। गोर्खालीगका नेताले गोर्खाल्याण्ड चिन्हारीको मुद्दा होइन, राष्ट्रिय मुद्दा पनि होइन, यो केवल दार्जीलिङको आर्थीक विकासको मुद्दा हो भनिसकेपछि भागोप लगायत अरू दलहरूसित पनि बुनियादी मतविभेद भइहाल्यो।

प्रश्न- भागोप टुप्पा-टुप्पामा मात्रै छ, जनाधार नै छैन भन्छन् नि?

उत्तर- भागोपलाई हामीले विचारको अभियान भनेका छौ। विचारले सडकमा उत्रेर जिन्दावाद-मुर्दावाद लगाउँदैन, त्यसैले देखिन्दैन।क्रामाकपाले सर्वसम्मतिको प्रस्तावद्वारा भागोपलाई आफ्ने अभिभावक संस्था भनी स्वीकार गरेको छ। अर्थात् पार्टी क्रामाकपा गरे पनि भागोपको सिद्धान्त र विचारलाई सही र ग्रहणयोग्य ठान्नेहरू पनि धेरै छन्। यी बाहेक प्रष्ट रूपमा भागोपमा संलग्न नभए पनि भागोपको विचार र कार्यक्रमहरूलाई सहयोग र समर्थन दिनेहरूको पनि कमी छैन। त्यसैले शारीरिक जनाधार नदेखिए तापनि भागोपको वैचारिक जनाधार भने ठोस, बलियो र प्रशस्त छ।

प्रश्न- गोजमुमो अध्यक्ष बिमल गुरुङसित भागोप नेतृवृन्दको दूरीको कारण व्याक्तिगत हो कि सिद्धान्तगत ?

उत्तर- एक करोड पच्चीस लाख गोर्खाहरूको जीवन-मरणको प्रश्न अघि व्याक्तिगत टेक,अहंभाव अनि मनमुटाउहरू नगण्य कुराहरू हुन्। गोर्खाल्याण्डको मांगको तुलनामा हामी व्याक्तिहरू धुलाका कम बराबर हौं। भागोपले बिमल गुरूङ अनि आरबी राईको जनाधार शक्तिलाई महत्व दिएको छ अनि उसरी नै भारतका 22वटा राज्यहरूबाट गोर्खाल्याण्डकै निम्ति राष्ट्रियस्तरमा तयार गरेको जनादार शक्तिलाई पनि महत्व मिलोस् भन्ने अपेक्षा राख्दछ साथै त्यसभन्दा अझमाथि ससानो राज्यहरूका राष्ट्रिय फेडेरेशनलाई पनि कम महत्वको नठानौं भन्ने आह्वान गर्दछ। भागोपले राष्ट्रिय स्तरमा गोर्खा शक्तिलाई एकबद्ध गराएको गोर्खाल्याण्डकै निम्ति हो, राजनैलहरूसित प्रतिस्पर्धा गर्नलाई होईन, भन्ने कुरो बुझिदिनु पर्छ। भागोपलाई आशंकाको नजरले होइन तर एउटै लक्ष्य भएको सहयात्रीको रूपमा हेरिएदेखि यो स्थिति आफै सहज बन्नेछ।

प्रश्न- त्यसो भए भविष्यमा क्रामाकपा जस्तै गोजमुमोलाी पनि भागोपसित गोर्खाल्याण्डको यात्रामा सहयात्री बनेर हिँडेको देख्न पाइएला ?

उत्तर- अवश्य- हामी यदि मुद्दालाई नै सबैकुरो ठान्छौं अनि मुद्दाप्रति इमान्दार छौ भने साथ लागेर हिंड्नै पर्छ। जाने बसगाडी एउटै छ, गन्तव्य एउटै छ अनि पुग्नलाई सबै आत्तुर छौं- नचढी हुन्छ? भागोपले सधैं भनेको छ यो अन्तिम जातीय महायुद्धमा सबै सेनापतिहरु सामुहिक शक्ति प्रदर्शन गर्दै लामबद्ध भएर उभिनै पर्छ। भारतको संसदलाई एकल प्रयासले हल्लाउन सकिंदैन। भएभरको गोर्खा शक्ति अनि गोर्खा समर्थक शक्तिहरूलाई एक ठांउ थुपार्नै पर्छ। किनभने ठूलो शत्रु ढाल्नलाई हामीले इन्तजाम पनि ठूलै गर्नुपर्छ।

प्रश्न- भागोपको आगामी कार्यक्रम ?

उत्तर- भारतमा एकजाग्रत अनि सुसंस्कृत गोर्खा समाजको निर्माणमा निरन्तर प्रयासिलिलीऎ चलाउने अनि दिल्लीमा दिसम्बर 2009मा हुन गइरहेको एक लाख गोर्खाहरूको समावेशको तम्तयारी।

विश्व रेकर्डको सदस्य़ बनेको 57 वर्ष पूरानो बिस्कुट सुरक्षीतविश्व रेकर्डको सदस्य़ बनेको 57 वर्ष पूरानो बिस्कुट सुरक्षीत

2009-01-08T02:25:00.000-08:00

गान्तोक,8जनवरी। विश्वको सर्वोच्च हिमशिखर सगरमाथा आरोहण प्रत्येक पर्वतारोहीको सपना हुने गर्छ। ती पर्वतारोहीहरूले सगरमाथा आरोहणको क्रममा प्रयोग गरेका सबै बस्तुहरू देश र विश्व कै निम्ति अमूल्य निधि भएर रहने गर्छ। यस्तै सिक्किमको पहिलो सगरमाथा आरोही स्वर्गीय सोमान ग्यात्सोले सम्मान पूर्वक 57 वर्ष पहिले सगरमाथा आरोहणमा जानेक्रममा उत्तर सिक्किमको लाचुङका एक रिम्पोछेलाई पुजा-अर्चना गराउन लगाएर चडाएको बिस्कुट अझै सुरक्षीत रहको छ। 1953 त्यो सिक्किमको निम्तिम इतिहासको सुनौलो वर्षको रूपमा अङ्कीत छ जुन वर्ष सोनाम ग्याछोले सगरमाथा आरोहण गर्न सफल भएका थिए।

उनले विश्वको सर्वोच्च चोटी विजय गरे तर यसअबियानमा जान अघि बौद्ध धर्मको विश्वास अनुसार उनले आपद-विपदबाट जोगिन लाचुङको सुसोङ रिम्पोछेबाट आर्शीवाद प्राप्त गरेक् थिए। उनले रिम्पोछेलाई कलकत्ताको कोले बिस्कुट कम्पनी प्राइभेट लिमिटेडद्वारा 1952मा निर्मित कोले क्रिम क्रेकर बिस्कुटको दुइ टिन बिस्कुट उपहार चडाएका थिए । उक्त विस्कुटले सोनाम ग्याछोले जस्तै इतिहास रच्न सक्षम भएको छ। कसैलाई विश्वास नहुन सक्छ टिनमा बन्द गरेर कुनै बिस्कुट 57 वर्षसम्म सुरक्षीत बस्छ भनेर। तर सुसोङ रिम्पोछेका कान्छो छोरो ग्यात्सो लाचुङपाले अहिलेसम्म यसलाई सगरमाथा आरोहणी सोनामग्यात्सोको याद ताजा बनाएर राख्न सफल रहेका छन्।

यतिमात्र होइन यो टिनको बिस्कुटले विश्व कै मानिसहरूको ध्यानआकर्षण गर्यो । वर्ष 2003को 10 जुलािको दिन गिनिस वर्ल्ड रेकर्डमा सद्स्यता प्रप्त गरेर 59454 सदस्य संख्या प्राप्त गरेको प्रमाण पत्र देखाउदै ग्यात्सो लाचुङपा यो उपलब्धीलाई आफ्नो मात्र नठारे बिस्कुटको सुरक्षा गर्न कुनै विशेष संग्राहलयलाई प्रदान गर्न पाए हुन्थ्यो भन्ने पक्ष राख्छन्। पर्वतारोहणसित सम्बन्धीत रहेको कारण दार्जीलिहको हिमालयन माउन्टेनरीङ इन्चीट्यूट अथवा लन्दन र भारत कै ठूलो संग्राहलयलाई जिम्मा लगाउन पाए ढुक्क हुने लाचुङपाको इच्छा छ।

यती मात्र होिन यो बिस्कुट कसरी सुरक्षीत बस्यो त्यसको रोचकतचा आफ्नै छ. ग्यात्सोका पिताले 1953मा सोनाम ग्यात्सोले दिएको उक्त बिस्कुट आफूसित 1971 सम्म 18 वर्ष सुरक्षीत राखे अनि त्यसै साल आफ्नो कान्छो छोरो ग्यात्सोलाई बौद्ध धर्मावलम्बीहरूको महान पर्व तिब्बती लोसारको आवसरमा उपहार दिए। त्यसै दिन ग्यात्सोले पाएका दुइ टिन बिस्कुट मध्ये एक टिन आफ्त र साथीहरूसित बाडेर खाएको लाचुङपा अझै झल्जली रहेको बताउछन्। त्यसबेला ग्यात्सो केवल 5 वर्षको थिए। पिताले दिएको दुइ टिन विस्कुटको एक टीन भने आफ्नी आमालाई पछि खाने भनेर राख्न दिएको समय बित्दै गयो खाने दिन आएन तर त्यसले इतिहास रच्यो आज 57 वर्ष पुगेर। बिस्कुटको डिब्बा ग्यात्सोकी आमाले 21 वर्षसम्म सुरक्षीत राखिदिइन् जुन 1998मा छोरो ग्यात्सोलाई सुम्पिइन।

विस्कुटले गिनिज बुक अव् वर्ल्ड रेकर्डमा आफ्नो नाम द्रर्ता गर्न नसके पनि सदस्यता भने प्राप्त गर्यो। ग्यात्सोले व्रर्ल्ड रेकर्डमा पठाउन अघि नै लन्दनका आर्ट डिलर जोनी भेन हिफतेनले 1907-09 मा दक्षिणी ध्रुवको अभियानमा असफल यात्री सर अरनेष्ट स्याकेलटोनको बिस्कुट लन्दनमा 18 अप्रेल 2000 मा निलामी गरेर गोनिज बुकलाई 7,804 डलरमा बेचिसकेको तथा विश्व रेकर्ड स्थापित गरेको सोफी ह्वाइटिङ(रेर्कड रिसर्च सर्भीसेस)-ले ग्यात्सोलाई लेखेको पत्रमा बताइएको छ।

बिस्कुटले रेकर्ड बनाउने क्रम यती मै सिमित रहेको छैन रिप्लेको बिश्वास गर्नु हो या नगर्नु होस (बिलिभ इट ओर नट)-मा वर्ष 2002मा भारतको प्रख्यात समाचारपत्र टाइम्स अव् इण्डियाले प्रकाशित गरेको थियो।यलरी नै यो बिस्कुट आफै भारत कै प्रथम पर्वतारोही दल जसको नेतृत्व क्याप्टन एम एस कोहोलीले गरेका थिए त्यसको साक्षी पनि हो। उक्त टोलीमा सिक्किमका सोनाम ग्यात्छो पनि एक सदस्य रहेका थिए। क्याप्टन कोहोलीले आफ्नो पर्वतारोहन बारे लेखेको पुस्तक नाइन टप एभरेस्ट स्टोरी अव् इण्डीयामा पनि रिम्पोछे र सोनाम ग्यात्छोको उल्लेख गरिएको छ। यसका साथै बिस्कुटको उमेर जान्न पर्दा टिनको पछिल्तिर स्पष्ट रूपमा अप्रेल 6 तारिक 1952 लेखिएको छ।

देशबाट गरीबी र बेरोजगारको आततङ्कवाद समाप्त गर्नुपर्छः चामलिङ

2009-01-07T05:21:00.000-08:00

गान्तोक,7 जनवरी । सिक्किमको शान्ति सुरक्षामा स्थाई रूपमा बनाइराख्न प्रभावशाली ढङ्गमा कार्य गरेर कुनै पनि शान्तिपूर्ण वातावरण भङ्ग गर्ने तत्वहरू रोक्न निरन्तर प्रशिक्षण र आधुनिक तकनिकीको विकास गरेर तयार रहनु पर्छ। यस प्रकारको मन्तव्य मुख्यमन्त्री पवन चामलिङले नयाँ दिल्ली स्थित विजाया भवनमा आयोजित देशभरिका मुख्यमन्त्रीहरूको आन्तरीक सुरक्षा सम्मेलनमा आफ्नो सम्बोधनमा व्यक्त गरेका हुन। यसरी नै उनले सिक्किम शान्ति र सरक्षीत रहेता पनि यसलाई सधैं स्थाई बनाउन केन्द्र सरकारले पुलिस र सुरक्षा एजेन्सीलाई बलियो पार्न राज्य सरकारलाई सहयोग गर्नु पर्ने तथा अत्याधुनिक सुरक्षा व्यावस्था प्रतिस्थापित गराउन कम्तीमा पचास प्रतिशत अनुदान प्रदान गर्नु पर्ने मु्ख्यमन्त्रीले माग गरे। आंतकवादको विशेष परिस्थिति सित लड्ने कमाण्डो तयार पार्न केन्द्र सरकारल प्रशिक्षणको व्यावस्था गर्नु पर्ने उनले बताए।
धेरै लामो समयदेखि थातीमा रहेको राष्ट्रियता परिचय पत्र (बायोमेट्रीक नेशनल आडेन्टीटी कार्ड)-लाई लागु गरेर राज्यको तीनवटा अन्तराष्ट्रीय सीमानाको प्रवेश द्वारहरूबाट आतङ्की तत्वहरूलाई प्रवेश गर्नबाट रोक्न राज्य सरकारलाई सहयोग गर्ने मु्ख्यमन्त्री चामलिङले केन्द्र सरकारसित माग गरे। यसरी नै मुख्यमन्त्रीले राज्यमा अहिलेसम्म फोरेन्सीक प्रयोगशाला नभएको कारण कोलकताको प्रयोगशालामा भरपर्नु पर्ने भएकोले सुरक्षा र प्रशासनीक कार्यवाहीमा विलम्ब भइरहेको उल्लेख गर्दै सिक्किमको निम्ति फरेन्सीक प्रयोगशाला स्थापना गरिनु पर्ने माग राखे।
यसरी नै मुख्यमन्त्रीले केन्द्रीय गृहमन्त्रालयलाई विभन्न सुझाव पनि दिए। उनले सुरक्षाको निम्ति आधुनिकीकरण गरिने योजना अन्तर्गत गृहमन्त्रालयले सही हथियार र समान राज्य पुलिसलाई पनि उपलब्ध गराएर सम्बन्धित कार्यमा सहजै उपलब्ध हुने व्यावस्था गरिनु पर्ने सुझाउ राखे। यसका साथै उनले पर्यावरणको सुरक्षालाई ध्यानदिनु पर्ने तथा बेरोजगारी र गरीबीको आतङ्कलाई पनि समाप्त गर्ने बारेमा पनि चिन्तन गरिनु पर्ने बताए। मुख्यमन्त्री चामलिङले राज्यको विकासमा गुणस्तरीय सम्पर्क साधन नभएकोले रोकावट पुर्याइरहेको तथा पश्चिम बङ्गालको राजनैतिक समस्याले गर्दा सधै प्रभावित भएको कुरामा सम्मेलनको ध्यानाकर्षण गर्दै बङ्गालको उक्त समस्या चाँडौ भन्दा चाँडो समाधान गरिनु पर्ने माग गरे।
उनले सिक्किममा पनि केही पटक शान्तिश्रृखला भङ्ग गर्ने प्रयास भएको तर आतङ्कीहरूको प्रयास हरेक पटक विफल भएको बताए। उनले 2003 मा बोडो आतङ्की तथा बंगलादेशी नागरिक पक्राउ गररेर आइएसआईको एजेन्टको खुलासा मात्र नगरेर जाली नोट छाप्ने अपराध समेत विफल पारेको घटना उल्लेख गरे। यसरी नै पश्चिम जिल्लामा एक समारोहमा बम राखिएको घटना र विभिन्न क्षेत्रबाट विस्फोटक उद्दार गरेर आतकको लक्ष्यलाई सधै विफल पारिएको बताए। सम्मेलनमा सिक्किमे जनताको पक्षमा बोल्दै मुख्यमन्त्री चामलिङले भने, देशको सर्वभौम र अखण्डताको सुरक्षा गर्ने पहलमा यस सम्मेलनमा प्रधानमन्त्रीले हामीलाई विशेष मार्गदर्शन गर्ने छन्। देशको विकासमा असमाजिक आतङ्कबाद र भयको कारण सधै प्रभाव परिरहेको छ, जसले गर्दा संत्रास र भयको स्थितिले देशको आर्थीक विकासमा संधै बाधा पुर्याएको । मुख्यमन्त्री चामलिङले सिक्किम देशकै शान्त र सुरक्षीत तथा आतङकवादबाट मुक्त राज्य रहेको भए पनि राष्ट्रिय सुरक्षाको प्रसङ्गमा शान्ती विरोधी तत्वको विरोधमा रहेको छ। यद्यपी सिक्किमको अवस्थान तिनवटा अन्तराष्ट्रीय सिमानामा भोटाङ, चीन र नेपालसित जोडिएको छ भने उत्तर बङ्गाल र बङ्गलादेशको तनावग्रस्त क्षेत्रसित पनि सम्बद्ध रहेकोले राज्यको शान्ति सुरक्षा पनि सम्वेदनशील रहेको सम्मेलनमा जानकारी गराएको सूचना तथा जन सम्पर्क विभागले एक प्रेस जनाउमा बताएको छ। मु्ख्यमन्त्री चामलिङले सिक्किमको सुरक्षाको निम्ति राज्य सरकारले बिभिन्न स्तरमा कार्य गर्ने गरेको विस्तृत जानकारी प्रस्तुत गरे । राज्यमा सुरक्षा व्यावस्थाको पूर्वाधारहरूको विकास गर्ने तथा राज्यव्यापी सूचना संग्रह गर्ने नियन्त्रण कक्ष पूर्ण क्षमता रहेको जानकारी गराए। यसका साथै नियमित रूपमा सुरक्षा व्यावस्थाबारे उच्चस्तरीय अधिकारीहरूले विश्लेशन गरिरहेको जसमा इनटेलिजेन्ट ब्यूरो पनि संलग्न गराईएको उनले जानकारी दिए। राज्यको पचास प्रतिशत सिभिल पुसिलमा रहेको रिक्त पदहरू यसै चांडै पुरा गरेर पूर्ण संसाधन युक्त क्षमताशील पारिने चामलिङले जनाए।
सिक्किमको शान्ति सुऱक्षाको निम्ति गठित विशेष टास्क फोर्सको बैठक गत 12 दिसमबरमा गरिएको तथा सुरक्षाको निम्त राज्यको सुरक्षा व्यावस्था बाहेक पंचायत र जन सहभागिता पनि तिब्र पारिएको मुख्यमन्त्रीले सम्मेलनलाई अवगत गराए। टास्क फोर्सले राज्य र देशको सिमावर्ती क्षेत्रहरूको सुरक्षाको निम्ति विशेष भूमिका निर्वाह गर्ने जसको प्रमुख प्रभारी राज्यको मुख्य सचिव रहेको उनले बताए। मुख्यमन्त्रीले प्रधानमन्त्रीलाई .यसरी देशको सुरक्षा र शान्तिको निम्ति गरिएको पहलबारे धन्यबाद दिए। मुख्यमन्त्री सित राज्यका गृहविभागका सचिव, मुख्यमन्त्रीका सचिव तथा आवासीय आयुक्त सम्मेलनमा उपस्थित थिए।

साम-दाम,दण्ड-भेद लगाएर पनि गोर्खाल्याण्ड बनाउँछौः भण्डारी

2009-01-06T05:29:00.000-08:00

गान्तोक,6 जनवरी। “सिक्किमको विधानसभामा गोर्खाल्याण्डको प्रस्ताउ पारित गराउँछु भनेर मुख्यन्त्री पवन चामलिङले दार्जीलिहको जनतालाई वचन दिएर पनि पुरा गरेन। दार्जीलिङमा भाषण गरेर दिएको उसको वचन महाकाल बाबाले पनि सुनेको छ। तर सिक्किमको मुख्यमन्त्री जस्तो डरछेरुवा नेता कही छैन।” यसप्रकारको मन्तव्य गोर्खाल्याण्डबारे सँधै हिमायती रहेका सिक्किमका पूर्व मुख्यमन्त्री नरबहादुर भण्डारीले व्यक्त गरेका हुन्।

उनले अझ भने सिक्किमका विपक्षी दलहरूदेखि डराएर हो कि भनेर भारतीय गोर्खा परिसंघको आयोजनामा सबै राजनैतिक दलहरूलाई बैठक बोलाएर प्रस्ताउ समेत पारित गरेर दिएको तर गरेन। आवेशमा आएर बोलेर मात्र हुँदैन, दार्जीलिङका जनताले कहिले पनि चामलिङलाई गोर्खाल्याण्डको प्रस्ताउ पारित गरिदेउ भनेर भनेको थिएन आफै भाषणमा आवेशमा आएर बोल्यो तर गर्न सकेन।

उनले आफूले अस्सिको दशकमा पनि गोर्खाल्याण्ड आन्दोलनलाई सहयोग गरेको तथा अहिले पनि सहयोग गर्ने बताए। उनले भने यदि हाम्रो पार्टीको सरकार भएको खण्डमा साम-दाम, दण्ड-भेद सबै लगाएर गोर्खाल्याण्ड बनाउने छौ। तर एसडीएफको सरकारलाई भने थाहा छैन गोर्खाल्याण्ड हुँदा सबैभन्दा धेरै फाइदा सिक्किमलाई हुनेछ।

सिक्किमको घर-घरमा रहेको बेरोजगार डाक्टर र इञ्जिनियर युवाहरूको समस्या समाधान हुनेछ। यति मात्र होइन गोर्खाहरूको बाहुल रहेको दुइवाट राज्य रहेपछि राष्ट्रियस्तरको राजनैतिक दल गठन गरेर असम, नागाल्याण्ड, उत्ताराखण्डमा पनि चुनउन लडेर संसदमा गोर्खाहरूको दबाउ बनाउन सक्छौ। उनले सिक्किममा बस्ने भोटे-लाप्चे, नेपाली र बिहारी सबै गोर्खा हुन भीसी ग़ञ्जु लामा गोर्खा पल्टनबाटै रहेको बताए।

राज्यको सबै मतदाताहरूलाई आयकर माफी हुनुपर्छ-भण्डारी

2009-01-06T05:17:00.000-08:00

गान्तोक,6जनवरी। सिक्किममा अहिले घरि विवादको केन्द्र बन्न पुगेको सिक्किम सब्जेक्टको भोल्युम नम्बर र सिरियल नम्बरको आघारमा सिक्किमेलाई केन्द्रीय आयकरबाट मुक्त राख्ने केन्द्र सरकारको प्रवाधानलाई पूर्व मुख्यमन्त्री तथा सिक्किम प्रदेश कांग्रेसका अध्यक्ष नरबहादुर भण्डारीले ठाडो चुनौती दिएका छन्। उनले मङ्गलबार पार्टी मुख्यालय़मा आयोजित एक पत्रकारसम्मेलनलाई सम्बोधन गर्दै भने, केन्द्रिय आयकर नै सिक्किममा भित्रनु हुने थिएन तर सिक्किमेको अधिकार नाश गर्नमा पवन कुमार चामलिङ र एलडी काजीमा कुनै भिन्नता नभएकोले एल डी काजीले पुरा गर्न नसकेका कामहरू पुरा गरेर सिक्किमेको सुरक्षा गर्ने संविधानको धारा 371एफ तोडेर भित्र्यायो।मलाई चामलिङले सिक्किम बिरोधी कार्य गर्छ थाहा भएकै कारण मैले मेरो मन्त्रीण्डलबाट हटाएको थिएँ। आयकरबाट सबै भोटे-लाप्चे र नेपलीले छुट पाउनु पर्छ सिक्किम सब्जेक्ट हेरेर होइन तर सरकार बनाउन मतदान गर्नेहरूको मतदान परिचयपत्र हेरेर सबैले छुट पाउनु पर्छ। उनले सिक्किमे व्यापारी समुदायले पनि जसले सरकार बनाउन मतदान गर्छन् उनीहरू सिक्किमको खाँटी नागरिक भएको हुनाले आयकरबाट मुक्त राखिनु पर्ने बताए। सिक्किम भारतमा विलय हुँदा 1975मा जति पनि सिक्किम सब्जेक्ट धारी सिक्किमे नागरिक छन् उनीहरू स्वतः भारतको नागरिक भएको बताउँदै भारत सरकारले सिक्किम सब्जेक्ट नहुनेहरू देश वा राज्यविहिन(स्टेटलेस) हुन् भन्ने घोषणा गरेका उल्लेख गर्दै उनले आफ्नो सरकार आएपछि देशविहिन भन्ने सब्जेक्टविहिन सिक्किमेहरूलाई छोडिएका(लेफ्ट आउट)भनेर भारतकै नागरिक प्रमाणित गरेर सिक्किम सब्जेक्ट प्रदान गरेको बताए। तर अहिलेको अवस्थामा सिक्किम सब्जेक्ट भएर पनि त्यसमा सिरियल नम्बर र भोल्युम नम्बर नभएपछि त्यो सदर नहुने भारत सरकारको भनाईले त सिक्किमेहरूको नागरिकता प्रति पनि प्रश्न चिन्ह खडा भएको दाबी गर्दै भण्डारीले भने, यसबारे राज्य सरकारले तुरन्तै अधिसूचना जारी गरेर जनताको सुरक्षा गर्नु पर्छ। उनले अझ भने 1975मा देशवीहिनको परिभाषा परिवर्तन गरेर भारत सरकारले नै मान्यता दिएका सिक्किमे जनतालाई सरकारले कसरी अप्ठेरोमा पार्दैछ, भारत सरकारलाई पनि प्रश्न छ उनले भने।
भण्डारीले आयकर मामिला नै आगामी विधान सभा चुनाउमा पनि कांग्रेस पार्टीले आफ्नो चुनावी घोषणा पत्रमा पनि सामावेश गराउने बताए। सिक्किम सब्जेक्टको प्रसंगलाई भारत सरकारले 1975मा नै नागरिकताको आधार मानेको हुनाले अब भोल्युम नम्बर र सिरियल नम्बर नभएपछि आयकर तिर्न पर्ने भएपछि पुनः सिक्किमेहरूको नागरिकतामाथि संकट पर्ने बताए। यसको निम्ति चामलिङ सरकार नै उत्तरदायी छ भन्ने दाबी गर्दै भण्डारीले मुख्यमन्त्री पवन चामलिङ स्वयंको सिक्किम सब्जेक्टमा पनि भोल्युम नबंर र सिरियल नबंर नहुनसक्ने दाबी गरे। उनले सिक्किमेलाई आय कर मुक्त गरिने केन्द्र सरकाले घोषणा गर्दा चामलिङ सरकारले सिक्किम सब्जेक्टमा भएको भोल्युम नम्बर र सिरियल नम्बरको गल्ती नदेखाएर सिक्किमे जनतालाई भड्खालोमा हालेको आरोप लगाए। यस समस्यका समाधान आफ्नोमा रहेको दाबी गर्दै भण्डारीले आफू मुख्यमन्त्री हुदाँ चामलिङको मन्त्रीत्वकालमा ऩै तयार पारेको फरमुला अब चाहिने भए पनि एसडीएफ सरकारले ढोग गरेर मागेमात्र पाउने बताए। उनले सिक्किममा काग्रेसको सरकार बनेको भोलिपल्ट नै आयकरबाट सिक्किमको मतदाता सूचिमा नाम भएका सबै नागरिकलाई आयकरबाट मुक्त गर्ने घोषणा गरे।

भण्डारीले यसपटकको चुनाउमा जनताले सिक्किमेको हित र भलो गर्ने नेतालाई चुन्नु पर्ने नत्र सिक्किमले आफ्नो सुरक्षाको निम्ति पाएको संबैधानिक अधिकारहरू चामलिङ सरकारले बेचेर सक्ने आरोप लगाए। भण्डारीले चुनावी संदेशको रूपमा जनतालाई बर्मन आयोग र लिम्बु-तामङको आसन विधान सभा अगावै सुनिश्चित गर्ने चामलिङ सरकारको आश्वासन निराधार रहेको तथा आगामी फरवरी महिनामा केवल दुइ दिनमात्र संसदमा कार्वाही हुने भएकोले चुनाउ अघि एसडीएफले लिम्बु-तामङलाई दिएको बचन पुरा गर्न नसक्ने दाबी गरे। उनले लिम्बु तामङको आसन आरक्षणबारे एसडीएफ इमान्दार नरहेक खुलासा गर्दै भने यदि सरकारले चाहेको भए 2003मा लिम्बु-तामङले अनुसूचित जनजातिको मान्यता पाउँदा नै संसदमा पार्टी अध्यक्ष तथा मुख्यमन्त्रीको तर्फबाट आफ्नो सांसदलाई आसन बारे फाँटवारी तयार पर्ने बारे सदनमा प्रश्न राखेर समाधान गराउन सक्ने थियो तर लिम्बु र तामङको हित विरूद्ध सोच्ने एसडीएफ सरकारले बितायो। उनले राय बर्मन आयोगको प्रतिवेदनबारे भने, पवन चामलिङ, मुख्यमन्त्रीका नेतृत्वमा बी के रोय बर्मन कमिशन रोपोर्ट अति षड्यन्त्रपूर्ण विषालू राजनैतिक वाण तयार गरेको छ। त्यो वाणको प्रहारले भारतको संविधानको विशिष्ट धारा 371 एफ भष्म पार्दछ, हनुमानको संजीवनी बुटीले पनि सिक्किमे लेप्चा-भोटिया- नेपाली कसैलाई बचाउन सक्दैन्। त्यो वाण सिक्किमेहरू मिलेर चामलिङ तिरै फर्काउनु पर्यो सिक्किम भष्म हुनु दिनु भएन।

भागोपले गरिरहेको बौद्धिकस्तरको कार्य सराहनीय छः प्रो. लामा

2009-01-04T03:50:00.000-08:00

गान्तोक,4 जनवरीः भारतीय गोर्खा परिसंघ (भागोप)-का केन्द्रीय महासचिव सुखमन मोक्तानको नेतृत्वमा एक प्रतिनिधि टोलीले सिक्किम केन्द्रीय विश्वविद्यालका उपकूलपती तथा केन्द्रीय सुरक्षा परिषदका सदस्य प्रो. महेन्द्र पी. लामालाई उनको गान्तोकस्थित सरकारी निवास काफल-टोटोला कटेजमा भेट गर्यो।शनिबार अपरान्ह लगभग दुइ घण्टासम्म भेटघाट चलेको थियो। यसैक्रममा भागोपद्वारा भारतभरिका गोर्खा समुदायको हितमा गरिरहेको विभिन्न कार्यहरूबारे व्यापक चर्चा भएको जानकारी प्राप्त भएको छ। जसमा प्रो. लामाले देशभरिका गोर्खा समुदायको निम्ति भागोपले गरिरहेको कार्यको सहाहना गर्दै भने, भागोपले जुनप्रकारले दिल्लीमुखी भएर बौद्धीक कार्यक्रमहरू गरिरहेका छन् त्यही नै सही बाटो हो। हामीले हाम्रो लक्ष्य़ प्राप्तिको निम्ति अब बौद्धीक आन्दोलन गर्नु बाहेक अन्य विकल्प छैन्। हाम्रो मागहरू अब बौद्धीकस्तरमा राखिनु पर्छ,उनले भने। प्रो. लामाले हालै दिल्लीमा भागोपले देशका 22वटा राज्यका प्रतिनिधिहरूलाई लिएर आयोजन गरेको धर्ना तथा दिल्लीमुखी कार्यक्रमको सफलताबारे खुशी व्यक्त गरे। भेटघाटको क्रममा भागोपका महासचिव सुखमन मोक्तानले सङ्गठनको गतिविधि र यसले रोजेको बाटो तथा लामा जस्ता गोर्खे समुदायको गौरवहरूले ठूलो भूमिका निर्वाह गर्न सक्ने बताए। भेटघाटको क्रममा भारतभरिका गोर्खाहरूले साचेको जातीय चिन्हारीको मागबारे विशेष चर्चा भएको थाहा लागेको छ। प्रतिनिधिहरूले प्रो.लामालाई भारतको राष्ट्रीय सुरक्षा परिषद्को सदस्यको रूपमा चयन भएकोमा गोर्खा समुदायको गौरव बताउँदै श्रद्धा अर्पण गरेर बधाई दिए। भेटघाटको क्रममा भागोपको जोन 2(सिक्किम, पश्चिम बङ्गाल, बिहार, झारखण्ड र उडिस्सा)-का सम्वयक श्रीमती लतिका जोशी, केन्द्रीय प्रशासनिक सचिव बुद्धीमान प्रधान बमप,राष्ट्रिय कोषाध्यक्ष रूद्र अधिकारी, राष्ट्रीय मुख्यालय सचिव कर्नल एस के मुखिया,सिलगढी शाखा सचिव बीएल सुब्बा, सिक्किम शाखा महासचिव एस पाण्डे अनि सिक्किम राज्यशाखा कार्यालय सचिव प्रवीण खालिङ रहेका थिए।

राजधानीमा जाडो अझै बड्ने मौसम विभागको जानकारी

2009-01-04T03:43:00.000-08:00

गान्तोक,4 जनवरी। सिक्किमले विगत एक सप्ताहदेखि भोग्नु परिरहहेको ठण्डाको मार अझै एक हप्तासम्म जारी रहने मौसम विभागले जानकारी दिएको छ। मौसम विभागले बताएअनुसार आईतबार यस मौसमकै सबै भन्दा चिसो दिनको रूपमा रहेको बताएको छ। आजको तापमान 4.3 डीग्री सेल्सीयस रेकर्ड गरिएको छ। यसका साथै राज्यको उच्च क्षेत्रहरूमा हिमपात जारी रहेको छ। हिमपातको कारण उच्च क्षेत्रहरूमा अवस्थित गुरुदोङमार, छाङ्गु आदी पर्यटकी झीलहरू पनि जामिएको छ। अर्कोतिर हिमपातको खबर पाएर राजधानीमा ओइरो लागिरहेका पर्यटकहरूले अझै पनि छाङ्गु गएर हिमपातको मज्जा लिने अवसर पाउन सकेका छैनन्। पर्यटन व्यावसायीहरूको सङ्गठन ट्राबल्स एजेन्ट एशोसिएशन अव् सिक्किम (टास)को सूत्रअनुसार राजधानीदेकि 17 माइलसम्म मात्र पर्यटकहरूलाई पठाइन्दै छ। यद्यपी पर्यटकहरूले भारत-चीन सीमामा पर्ने नाथुला भञ्जाङ, छांगु झील, बाबा हरभजन सिंहको मन्दिर जाने लक्ष्य लिएर गान्तोक आए पनि उनीहरूको सपना पुरा गर्ने अवस्थामा पर्यटन व्यावसायीहरू रहेका छैनन्। उनीहरू पर्यटकहरूको ज्यन जोखिममा हाल्न नचाहेको बताउँदै पर्यटकहरूको हिँउ हेर्ने इच्छा पुरा गर्न 17 माइल सम्ममात्र पुर्याएर फर्काउऩे प्रक्रिया थालेका छन्। उल्लेखनीय छ गत 26 दिसम्बरको दिन भएको व्यापक हिमपातको कारण छांगु, नाथुला घुम्न गएका लगभग 1350 जना जति हिमपातको चपेटमा परेका थिए। जसको उद्दार एक दिनपछि टास, भारतीय सेना र पुलिसले गरेको थियो।
अर्को तिर मौसम विभागको सूत्र अनुसार राज्यमा ठण्डा बड्नुको मुख्यकारण पश्चिमी बाधा (वेस्टर्न डिस्टर्वेन्स) बहेको कारण गत नोभेम्बरदेखि दैनिक 3-4 पटक चिसो वायु बहने हुना जाडोको प्रभाव तिब्र हुने गरेको बताए।पश्चिमी बाधा अझै यो महिनाको अन्त सम्म रहने विभागीय सूत्रले बताएको छ।

सिक्किम डिस्टिलेरिजको भविष्य अनिश्चित

2009-01-04T03:40:00.000-08:00

गान्तोक,4 जनवरी। राज्यको सबै भन्दा पुरानो औद्यौगिक इकाई सिक्किम डिस्टेलेरिज लिमिटेड कारखानाको भविष्य अनिश्चितताको घेरोमा पर्न थालेको छ। विभिन्न विवादहरूको बीचमा घेरिएको पुरानो औद्योगिक केन्द्रमा कार्यरत मजुदुरहरूलाई नै यसको अऩिश्चितता सितै भविष्य़को अन्धकारले पनि घेरिरहेको छ। अहिले हरेक मजदुरहरूको मुक दर्शक भएर हेरिरहेका छन् भने उनीहरूको अनुहारमा केवल डिस्टेलेरिजको भविष्यसित जोडीको आफ्नो भविष्य के हुने त्यही प्रश्न झुण्डीएको छ।यसरी नै कारखानामा सेयर किन्ने अशं धारकहरूको पनि निद्रा उडेको छ। राज्य सरकारको राजस्व उत्पादनको प्रमुख एकाईको रूपमा चिन्हित यस मदिरा कारखानाका दुइजान मालिक वीच चलेको विवादमा पूर्वजिल्ली अदालतले महाप्रबन्धक पदमा रहेका कुवर ओमकारसिंहलाई बर्खास्त गरि नयाँ प्रबन्धकबारे फैसलमा नभएसम्मको निम्ति राज्य आबकारी विभागका आयुक्त महेन्द्र प्रधानलाई अस्थाई रूपमा प्रमुख कार्यकारी अधिकारीको पदमा राखेर कारखाना चलाउने आदेश जारी गरेका थियो। अर्को तिर बर्खास्त भएका महाप्रबन्धकले अदालतको आदेश पाएकै भोलिपल्ट कार्यालयको साँचो समेत जिम्मा नलगाई गत वर्ष 16 अक्टोबरको दिन सुँइकुच्चा ठोके। त्यसपछि अस्थिर अवस्थामा राज्यको सतर्कता विभागले कुवर सिहंलाई पक्राउ गर्ने प्रयास गर्यो तर सफलता हात नलागे पछि दिल्लीस्थित उनको आवासमा समेत चेष्टा गर्दा पनि कुनै पत्तो लगेन। यसरी नै अनिश्चितता बीच सतर्कता विभागले गत 11 दिसम्बरको दिन कारखानाको लेखा अधिकारी शम्मी कपुरलाई पनि सोधखोजको निम्ति पक्राउ गरेको भनिए तापनि आजसम्म उनको जमानत हुन सकेको छैन्। उनीमाथि कारखानाको 20 लाख धाँधली गरेको आरोप छ। यसरी नै महाप्रबन्धक कुवर सिंह भाग्न सफल भए पनि उनले कति पैसा धाँधली गरेको छ त्यसबारे मजदुर र सेयर होल्डरहरूलाई अझसम्म कुनै जानकारी नभएकोले चिन्ता बड्दै गइरहेको छ भने ऐतिहासीक औद्योगिक केन्द्रको स्थायीत्वमा पनि प्रश्न चिन्ह खडा भएको छ। अपुष्ट जानकारी अनुसार कुवर सिंहले कारखानाको करोडौ रूपियाँ ओभर ड्राफ्ट गरेर हिनामिना गरेको छ। यद्यपी राज्य आबकारी विभागको सक्रिय कार्य गराईले मजदुर र सेयर होल्डरहरू आशान्वीत छन्। उल्लेखनीय छ य़स कारखानामा राज्य सरकारको पनि सेयर रहेको छ।

क्रामाकपाको दिल्ली धर्ना

2009-01-04T01:06:00.000-08:00

नयाँ दिल्ली 20,दिसम्बर। भारतीय गोर्खाहरूको सपना गोर्खाल्याण्डको सपनालाई साकार रूप दिन देशको राजधानीमा तिनदिने धर्नामा आएका एक गोर्खे योद्धा असामयिक निधनले दिल्लीलाई विषादपूर्ण बनायो। गणतान्त्रीक क्रान्तीकारी युवा मोर्चा (गक्रायुमो)-का केन्द्रीय सदस्य बरूण छेत्रीको असामयिक निधन नयाँ दिल्लीको झाँसी रोडस्थित अमबेडकर भवनमा 9 बजी राती भएको छ। दार्जीलिङको चुङथुङ चियाबारी निवासी छेत्री 1995मा क्रान्तीकारी मार्क्सवादी कम्यूनिष्ट पार्टीको गठनकालदेखि नै एक जुझारू अनि गणमोर्चामा कार्यरत थिए। राजधानीमा उनको निधन पछि छुट्टै राज्य गोर्खाल्याण्डको मागलिर प्रस्तावित गोर्खाल्याण्डका गाँउ-बस्ती, चियाबारी र कुलैनबारीबाट पसिनाको भरमा आएका गणयोद्धाहरूमा विषादको नमिठो घात परे पनि सबै गोर्खाहरूको सपना र मृत सहयोद्धाको सपनालाई साकार तुल्याउन आफूहरूमाथि आइपरेको घातलाई सहेर भए पनि आन्दोलनमा उत्साह कम हुन दिएनन्। क्रामाकपाका योद्धाहरूले आफ्ना सहयोद्धाको मृत्युको पीडालाई छात्तीभीत्रै समेटेर भारतभरिका गोर्खा र योद्धा बरूणको सपना गोर्खाल्याण्डको माग राजधानीको ढुङ्गे मुटु थर्किने गरि बुलन्द पारे। गोर्खाल्याण्डको सपना बोकेर आन्दोलनमा होमिएका अरूणको यस्तो असमायीक निधनमा क्रामाकपाका महासचिव आर बी राईले गहिरो सम्वेदना प्रकट गरेका छन्। उनले योद्धा अरूणको परिवारलाई हार्दीक सम्वेदना प्रकट गरेका छन्। यसरी नै पार्टीले उनको मृत्युले अपूरतणीय क्षती भएको बताउदै उनको सपना गोर्खाल्याण्डको आन्दोलनलाई जिउँदो राख्ने सङ्कल्प अझ दह्रो पारेका छन्।

सहयोद्धा बरुणको मृत्युमा गक्रायुमोको महासचिव अरूण घतानीले पनि गहिरो शोक व्यक्त गर्दै उनको मृत्युले सङ्गठनको एउटा सङ्घर्षशील योद्धा गुमाएको दुख व्याक्त गरेका छन्।अहिले घरि राजधानीमा गोर्खाल्याण्ड आन्दोलन तिब्रता दिन उपस्थित सिक्किम प्रजातान्त्रीक पार्टीका अध्यक्ष जी एम राईले पनि आफ्नो सम्वेदना प्रकट गरेका छन्। यसरी नै भारतीय गोर्खा परिसंघले पनि आफ्ने राष्ट्रिय परिषदको संगोष्ठीमा सम्वेदना प्रकट गर्दै मौन धारण गर्यो।