Showing posts with label Local. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Local. Show all posts

Bimal Gurung Supports Protecting the Heritage Structure of Hotel Mount Everest

3:48 PM
The GTA chief Bimal Gurung has extended his support to protect the 100 years old heritage structure of Hotel Mount Everest in Darjeeling. He said that the new venture that is being proposed must be inline with the existing structure and should not be dismantled. He has also demanded that the ex-employees who were forced to quit the job following the fire be reemployed in the upcoming hotel.
Bimal Gurung Supports Protecting the Heritage Structure of Hotel Mount Everest
Bimal Gurung Supports Protecting the Heritage Structure of Hotel Mount Everest
GJM chief released his statement on the issue of dismantling of the Hotel Mount Everest taday and said "I have just come to learn from news reports regarding the purchase of the Heritage Mount Everest Hotel. I am happy that the purchase by a private company has materialised. After a period of 30 years of remaining as an eyesore, it is a welcome sign.

However, The Hotel is so deeply integral to the lives of the people of Darjeeling that the dismantling of the place would not be the right solution. It has a History of it's own which is woven with the History of Darjeeling.

The people of Darjeeling always fondly remember the Hotel even though they may not have had the resources to take advantage of the facilities it offered.
It has been a part of the folk lore of the Hills. It has provided livelihood to thousands of people. It has been the place associated with famous people and locals have happy memories attached with this hotel.
As a young boy from the gardens I used to stand in awe and admire the place from the road.
The GTA will oppose any form of dismantling of the Iconic Heritage architectural structure. The new venture that is being proposed must be inline with the existing structure and construction must be undertaken without dismantling the aesthetic value of the place. Those ex-employees of Hotel Mount Everest who were laid off must be absorved as workers by the new company.

दार्जीलिङको ऐतिहासिक धरोहरको रूपमा विख्यात माउण्ट एभरेष्ट होटेल बिक्री भएको विभिन्न समाचार माध्यमहरूमार्फत हालैमा मात्रै मैले थाह पाए। उक्त होटेललाई एउटा निजी कम्पनीले पुन: निर्माणको उद्धेश्यले नै किनेको थाह लागेपछि मलाई धेरै खुशी लागेको छ। लगभग तीस वर्षको दुरावस्थापछि उक्त ऐतिहासिक होटेलले नयॉं रूप लिनु स्वागतयोग्य विषय हो।
यद्यपि दार्जीलिङवासीको जनजीवन अनि इतिहाससित पनि गहिरो सम्बन्ध रहेको तथा दार्जीलिङवासीको गहिरो प्रेम रहेको यस होटेललाई होटेललाई पूर्णरूपले ध्वस्त गरी नयॉं निर्माण गर्नु सही समाधान हुनेछैन। दार्जीलिङ पहाड़को इतिहासमा यस होटेलको आफ्नै गरिमामय इतिहास समाहित रहेको छ। यस होटेलबाट प्रदान गर्ने संशाधन अनि सुविधाहरूको राम्रो प्रकारले उपभोग गर्न नसकेतापनि दार्जीलिङवासीले यस होटेललाई सदैव आफ्नो ह्रदयपटमा सम्हालेर राखेका छन्। दार्जीलिङ पहाड़को मुटुमा यो होटेल दार्जीलिङ पहाड़को लोक- संस्कृतिको एक अभिन्न अंग भएर पनि बसेका छन्। हजारौं मानिसहरूको जीविका आर्जनको माध्यम पनि बनिसकेको छ यो होटेल। भारत देशसितै विश्वभरिकै प्रसिद्ध व्यक्तिहरूको सु:खद सम्झनाहरू पनि यस होटेलसित जोड़िएको छ। दार्जीलिङ पहाड़को विभिन्न ऐतिहासिक घटनाहरूसितै यहॉंको सामाजिक, सांस्कृतिक अनि आर्थिक जीवनशैलीको साक्षी भएर पनि यो होटेल वर्षौदेखि दार्जीलिङ पहाड़को काखमा बसिरहेको छ।
चियाबगानको एक युवा केटा छदॉं सड़कमा उभेर मैले पनि यस होटेललाई अचम्भित बनेर धेरैबेर सम्म नियाल्ने गर्थे। यसको सौन्दर्य अनि शान देखेर म आफै अचम्भित बन्ने गर्थे त्यसबेला।

माउण्ट एभरेष्ट होटेल दार्जीलिङ पहाड़को ऐतिहासिक धरोहरको रूपमा रहिआएको हुनाले गोरखाल्याण्ड क्षेत्रीय प्रशासन उक्त होटेलको उदाहरणीय ऐतिहासिक सरचंनालाई पूर्णरूपले ध्वसं गर्ने विषयमा प्रतिवाद जनाउँदछ। यस होटेलमा रहिआएको पुरानो ऐतिहासिक सरंचनाको कलाकारिताको मूल्याङ्कन गरेर यसलाई नष्ट नगरी यस होटेलको नयॉं सरचंना गरिइयोस्। यसबाहेक माउण्ट एभरेष्ट होटेलका पुराना कर्मचारीहरूलाई पनि नयॉं कम्पनीले नोकरी प्रदान गर्नुपर्ने पनि कम्पनीपक्षलाई म निवेदन गर्दछु।"

Source - Bimal Gurung Official

Gas balloon cylinder exploded in Darjeeling, several injured, 3 critical

11:12 AM
In an incident of gas balloon explosion in Darjeeling Kanija Fatima has lost one of her legs in the blast. Three/3 other women, Sakila Khatoon age 24 , Kanij Fatima age 24 and 45 year old Rajia Begam all residents of Darjeeling are said to be in critical condition and have been moved to Siliguri.
Bimal Gurung visit the victim of the Gas balloon cylinder explosion in Darjeeling
Bimal Gurung visit the victim of the Gas balloon cylinder explosion in Darjeeling - photo DC
The explosion took place around 7:30 P.M near Kalimpong Motor Syndicate at the venue of the Muhharam Remembrance celebrations in Darjeeling every year. According to the sources, the cylinder had gone empty, and the person operating the balloon stand was mixing the chemicals to fill more gas into the cylinder, when it exploded. Meanwhile, the balloon stand owner seems to have absconded and is yet to be traced.

Taimul Ali a resident from Islampur who was in a visit to Darjeeling and 5 year old Iftikar Ali are the other victims, however, their condition are said to be stable.

GTA Chief Bimal Gurung along with other high ranking GTA and District Officials visited  the District Hospital where the injured have been taken.

News Credit - DC

Kurseong Municipality fails to dump garbage at dumping ground

9:58 AM
With the failure of the Kurseong Municipality administration to dump garbage at the Dhargaon dumping ground since past one week, garbage and wastes have again amassed at different nooks and corners of the town. The reason for the failure being the pathetic road conditions in Dhargaon and protests by the locals for the construction of dumping ground there.

Garbage heap in Kurseong due to dumping ground issue.
Garbage heap in Kurseong due to dumping ground issue.
It has been learnt, when the construction of dumping ground at Dhargaon was initiated, the Municipality had assured the locals of constructing a metal road in the area connecting the dumping ground site.  However, no signs of metal road construction are apparent in the area. Demanding immediate initiation of construction of a metal road, the resentful residents of Dhargaon have been opposing and obstructing dumping of town garbage in their area.  

Following the unfavorable developments, garbage bins across the town are overflowing with wastes. The town possesses a degraded and smelly atmosphere with all kinds of wastes lying in heaps at road sides.  Even in the prevailing freezing weather the horribly stinking garbage has created an unhygienic atmosphere causing inconvenience to the locals pedestrians here.  This has also multiplied the fear and chances for the town to develop various diseases.

Notably, the Kurseong populace had been living in such unhygienic atmosphere due to lack of proper dumping ground in the region. But after the formation of new municipality board a proper dumping ground site was located at the China OG in Dhargaon. It can be mentioned here that the site was already being used as a dumping ground for town wastes since one year before the construction works began.

On being asked about the matter KM Sanitary officer Ramesh Subba said the wastes are not being dumped properly since the road to the dumping ground is in shambles added to the protests being staged by the residents of Dhargaon. However, he said the municipal administration is working on the relevant formalities to begin construction of proper road to the Dhargaon dumping ground.

Source- EOI



Kurseong - increase in wild bear attacks

11:55 AM
Kurseong - The people of Chimney, Majua Busty and its adjoining areas under the Kurseong sub-division have been spending sleepless nights due to increase in wild bear attacks. The residents have complained that wild bears from the adjacent Baggora Forest have been attacking their pets and cattle at night. The people are mostly farmers depending on agriculture and livestock, for which the costs of loss is high.

Increased in wild bear attacks in Kurseong
Increased in wild bear attacks in Kurseong
A resident of Majua, Rudra Tamang said the people have been facing several problems due to the frequent attacks. He added recently a bear attacked a bee keeping farm of Birlal Tamang and damaged the entire infrastructure. He added the forest officials have already been informed and they have been taking stock of the incidents but the attacks have not decreased. 

Meanwhile, forest officials claimed that the incident has not been reported to them. They said even though several measures have been taken time and again the menace of wild bears has not decreased. They added the wild bears foray into settlement areas due to continuous deforestation. 

(EOIC)


Mirik - Unmukti Welfare Society began training on fabric painting

11:06 AM
Mirik Unmukti Welfare Society in association with Nehru Yuva Kendra, Darjeeling, today began a two-month long training camp on fabric painting at Thurboo Primary School. The training camp has 31 woman trainees who will be trained in the art by instructors Bikash Subba and Laxman Rai.

Training camp on fabric painting to begin at Thurboo Primary School

Organising committee secretary Saroja Tamang said the training camp has been organised with an aim to enable the women to become self employed besides promoting the art of painting. Senior school teacher Namgyal Pakhrin was the chief guest of the inaugural function today.

EOI


Darjeeling expects snowfall soon - 3 degrees Celsius, tourists started to flock in

12:26 PM
Temperatures dipping to a minimum of 3 degrees Celsius in Darjeeling has not only aroused hopes of snowfall soon, but also tourists have increasingly started to flock in, points the tour operators. 


Darjeeling -  Mall Road covered with snow...
Darjeeling -  Mall Road covered with snow...
In addition, the ongoing Darjeeling tea and tourism festival that kicked off yesterday being held at Chowrasta has been an added boost. 

Today, on the occasion of celebrating Christmas, Chowrasta was flocked with the tourists. 

The commercial lane was set with lights and decorations all the way towards Chowrasta where songs and dance here continued till eight in the evening. 

"It is the number of domestic tourists in maximum flow,” said on of the tour operators. 
It can be mentioned here that the number is comparatively low than earlier years. 
“It can be said that tourist flow in Darjeeling is slowly recovering,” he added. 


Notwithstanding Christmas today and upcoming New Year, many tourists had made pre-bookings just to spend the Christmas and New Year in Darjeeling with the hope that Darjeeling would soon witness a snowfall, points the hoteliers. 

Though it is yet to snow, the cold winter charm of Darjeeling has itself added a sweetest flavour to the Christmas today for all the tourists and locals celebrating the occasion. 

Mr RK Chaudhury from Calcutta Salt Lake who spends his holidays almost every year during the winter said: "This years Christmas celebration in Darjeeling stands very unique. I come here almost every year during winters and yet this year me and my family enjoyed it much than before. I hope it snows in Darjeeling soon." 

It can be mentioned here that Darjeeling last witnessed snowfall on 11 January 2012 at Tiger Hill and few flakes at Ghoom and Jorebuglow with temperatures dipping to 1 to 2 degrees Celsius. 

Notably, in earlier years, the ongoing agitation with the statehood demand with strikes had brought a major downfall in the flow of tourism. Also, the recent agitation had brought about a downfall of at least 75 per cent in the flow of domestic tourists. 

But with the political leaders now vowing peace and with the Gorkhaland Territorial Administration (GTA) starting to function normally, the peaceful environment has been resettled in the Hills, which has been one of the main reasons for the recovery of tourism in Darjeeling.

Thestatesman

Darjeeling Tea & Tourism Festival 2013-14 kicked-off in Chowrasta

7:23 PM
Darjeeling 24 Dec 2013 - Tourism Festival (DTTF) kicked-off to an grand opening at the Chowrasta in Darjeeling, today. The event is a joint venture between the Gorkhaland Territorial Administration (GTA) and the state government aimed at boosting the tourism of the region. In the opening ceremony of the third edition of the event, GTA announced a slew of new projects to develop and improve the tourism infrastructure in the Hills.


 Darjeeling Tea & Tourism Festival 2013-14
 Darjeeling Tea & Tourism Festival 2013-14 
 “The DTTF is an endeavor to promote tourism of this region. It is also aimed to safe guard the culture and tradition of Darjeeling. For this, we have lined up a slew of development projects,” said Sonam Bhutia, the GTA tourism executive director. The tourism executive director said priority would be given to ease traffic which is a major cause of concern, presently.

 “One of the basic requirements for providing better facilities to the tourist coming to the Hills is to have a proper parking space and better traffic system. We have started work on four parking lots in the three Hills sub-divisions. This apart, we have also asked the state government to fund mini parking lots in various tourist spots,” Bhutia said. The GTA will also identify areas in the rural belt of the Hills to promote eco-friendly and village tourism. “We want tourism to flourish even in the rural areas.

Facilities like home stays and eco-tourism needs to be promoted. For this we have started the process of identifying rural areas through the block and Sabhasad levels. We will grant interest free soft loans to interested villagers to provide basic amenities like toilets and clean rooms to tourists. We will have a profit sharing of 80:20,” said Bhutia, adding the home stays are expected to be operational in October next year.

The GTA tourism department is also hoping to start adventure tourism in a big way. Presently, activities like paragliding and rafting is operational and it is expected that the GTA will soon start zorbing ball, kayaking and hot air balloon at a regular basis.

The GTA will also come with four new ropeways in the Hills. Two will come up in Darjeeling from Batasia to Rock Garden and Tukvar to Goke. In Kurseong the ropeway will be constructed from Giddepahar to Rohini and in Kalimpong from Delo to Relli. “We have got the green signal from the Tourism Finance Corporation of India for four ropeways to be started in the three hill subdivision. Construction work will start within July next year,” said Bhutia. With this year’s emphasis on local culture and tradition, the first day of the DTTF saw folk dances and songs in the morning, which continued till the evening.

EOI

Taekwondo Competition at Turnbull School organised by Darjeeling police

2:32 PM
With the aim to promote better relation between public and police, and to make itself approachable, the Darjeeling police has started a number of programmes which includes organizing sports activities. Today, as part of the initiative, the Darjeeling police concluded the The Friendly Taekwondo Competition at the Turnbull School premises in Darjeeling.

More than twenty-six students from various schools participated in today’s event which included both girls and boys. Speaking about the initiative Purnima Sherpa, the town DSP said, “The purpose of the tournament is to make the youths aware of being healthy and the importance of sports activities. Now days, the youths of the Hills are going the wrong way and are also indulging in substance abuse."

The Taekwondo tournament was co-sponsored and supported by the Himalayan Sporting Taekwondo Training Association and the Taekwondo Sporting Academic Club of Darjeeling. The winners of today’s event will be awarded by the Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee during her visit to Darjeeling on January 22.

 “We want the youths to feel that they have achieved something and get a morale boost. This is the reason we decided that the winners should be awarded by the CM herself when she comes to the Hills in January,” said the town DSP. The winners of archery and football events, which concluded in October, will also be awarded by the CM. The selected students from the taekwondo competition will be sponsored by the Darjeeling police to participate in a similar competition in Assam, as a guest team.

echoofindia

Darjeeling Tribal Association demanded single development board for all tribal groups

9:06 AM
Darjeeling, Dec. 23: The Darjeeling District Welfare Tribal Association has demanded a development board to look into the interest of all tribal groups in the hills.

lepcha demonstration for development board.
lepcha demonstration for development board.
The demand comes at a time various hill communities are demanding boards.

M.S. Bomzom, general secretary of the tribal association, today said: “The Darjeeling District Welfare Tribal Association, that was formed in 1996, has decided that instead of demanding separate boards for different tribal communities, we would seek a tribal development board so that the interests of all tribal communities are looked after.”

It is the first time that the association is demanding a body for tribals.

“The state should be more willing to form one tribal development board instead of different boards. If the state gives separate boards we would have no problems,” said Bomzom.

The hill tribal community includes Tamang, Sherpas, Limbus, Bhutia and others. The STs comprises 33.72 per cent of the hill population.

The tribal association has also decided to hold a rally in Darjeeling on December 26.

Telegraph

Performance of GTA and the plains would be reviewed separately - State Govt.

10:11 AM
Siliguri, Dec. 22: Gautam Deb has turned his attention to the Siliguri Mahakuma Parishad (SMP), the apex body in the three-tier panchayat system that functions in rural areas of Siliguri sub-division, after the state government reportedly said it would see Darjeeling district’s performance separately as GTA and non-GTA areas.

Deb north Bengal development minister
Deb north Bengal development minister
Deb’s north Bengal development ministry was classified among the better performers in the assessment made by chief minister Mamata Banerjee recently. The report on the ministries was evaluated in terms of allocation of funds and creation of projects. Deb’s department scored 146 per cent, second to Subrata Mukherjee’s panchayat department.

“We have learnt from administrative sources that for the Darjeeling district, the assessment of progress would be done separately for plains and hills as there is the GTA in the hills. It is evident from this that the assessment of the Siliguri Mahakuma Parishad would be done separately. That is why we have thought of focusing more on rural belts so that the SMP area emerges as one of the top places in terms of implementation of different welfare schemes related to employment, women and child health, sanitation, housing, irrigation, roads, education and likewise,” Deb said today.

The Parishad is now with Trinamul that wrested it from the CPM by wooing a Left member and all three Congress members to the ruling party.

Deb would not say explicitly that the Parishad had now been pitted in direct competition with the GTA, but a source in the Parishad said as much.

The Parishad source said the pressure has now come on the minister and his colleagues in the rural body, particularly as the Gorkha Janmukti Morcha in the hills has also said today that it is now keen to take up development work through the GTA.

“As the progress would be considered separately in the GTA and Parishad areas, the pressure would be there because the minister and Parishad representatives will have to prove that they are doing better than the GTA in terms of parameters such as average number of days for which work has been offered to people under the rural job plan, the rural literacy rate and number of children enrolled under mid-day meal scheme,” the source said.

“Trinamul will always want the Parishad to perform better than the GTA as it can then mount pressure on Morcha representatives to work more. It would be a sort of competition, which, eventually, would lead to development of rural areas across Darjeeling district, whether it is the plains or the hills,” the source added.

Deb, asked about his “assessment report,” said: “Now that I could achieve this level with the help of officials of my department and agencies like the SJDA and above all, the chief minister and my cabinet colleagues, pressure has increased for me and my department.”

He said he would “have to try and ensure that I keep maintaining the pace. It was the chief minister’s idea to open the department for development of north Bengal and we need to strive and execute projects to justify the case.”

In Siliguri today, Morcha general secretary Roshan Giri said the GTA would focus on development work across the hills.

Giri’s statement came on the heels of Morcha chief Bimal Gurung’s trip to Calcutta and his one-to-one with chief minister Mamata Banerjee at Nabanna on December 20.

After the meeting, the former GTA chief confirmed his return to the post and that the two-tier panchayat polls in GTA area — which were held back in 2002 in the then DGHC area — might be held in July next year.

“It is the people of hills who had urged our party president to return to his post of chief executive of the GTA. We have decided to focus entirely on the GTA and carry out development work across hills so that the impending problems of the people in relation to infrastructure and basic services can be mitigated,” Giri said.

Gurung, when asked by the newsmen on his meeting with Mamata Banerjee and his prospective retreat to GTA’s top elected post, denied making any comment.

GTA revives Giri Puraskar , Bindhya Subba and Karma Yonzone to receive the award

9:38 AM
Darjeeling, Dec. 22: The GTA has decided to revive the Giri Puraskar, an award instituted by the erstwhile Darjeeling Gorkha Hill Council, after six years.

Karma Yonzone and Bindhya Subba  to receive the Giri Puraskar  award
Karma Yonzone and Bindhya Subba  to receive the Giri Puraskar  award
The award named after Nepali poet Agam Singh Giri would be conferred to hill writer Bindhya Subba and musician Karma Yonzone on December 27, Giri’s birth anniversary.

“We have decided to confer Giri Puraskar to Bindhya Subba and Karma Yonzone this year. The award is being given following our executive Sabha member Binay Tamang’s public announcement of reviving it last year,” Bhupendra Kant Ghisingh, the assistant director of the GTA’s information and cultural affairs department, said today.

The award that carries a cash prize of Rs 1 lakh, a citation and a medal and was instituted in 1994 to recognise excellence in literature, art (including performing arts) and music.

A seven-member panel, headed by R.B. Bhujel, GTA executive member, selected the two names for this year’s award.

Many believe the DGHC had instituted Giri Puraskar in 1994 to counter the Bhanu Puraskar given by the state government.

The last recipient of Giri Puraskar was Navin Kharga, a folk artiste from Nepal in 2006.

He received the award from Subash Ghisingh, the then administrator of the DGHC.

According to sources, Ghisingh started the award to distance himself from Bhanu Puraskar, named after Bhanubhakta Archarya, considered an adikavi (first poet) of Nepali literature.

In 1992, when proponents of the movement to include the words “Nepali language” in the Eight Schedule of the Constitution started mobilising support, Ghisingh demanded that the words “Gorkha language” be included instead.

On August 20, 1992, the central government included both the words — Gorkha and Nepali — in the eight schedule of the Constitution.

From the next year Ghisingh started celebrating Giri Jayanti on December 27 and the DGHC instituted the Giri Puraskar in 1994.

Writer Bindya Subba today expressed happiness over the GTA’s decision to award her.

“I believe I am fortunate to be attached with something related to our great poet Agam Singh Giri,” she said.

Subba, 60, whose first book was published in 1978, was conferred with the Sahitya Akademi Award in 2003 for her novel Aatha (immeasurable).

The novel has been translated in Assamese, Hindi, English, Maithili and Oriya.

“I am told that it is being translated even in Marathi,” said the writer, who has 14 publications to her credit.

Music composer Karma Yonzone, 76, started his career in 1954 and he has composed more than 500 songs till now. He received the Bhanu Puraskar in 1985.

“I am happy that I am getting the award as I had composed a song dedicated to Agam Singh Giri titled pahar ki rani (queen of the hills). It is good that the award has been revived as the youth was forgetting this great figure,” said Yonzone.

VIVEK CHHETRI

Binay Tamang out on bail as Bimal Gurung shakes hands with Mamata Banerjee

9:18 AM
DARJEELING: The ripples of renewed friendship between Bimal Gurung and chief minister Mamata Banerjee in Kolkata was felt in the Hills on Saturday with a Darjeeling court granting bail to Gorkha Janmukti Morcha (GJM) assistant secretary Binay Tamang. 

Binay Tamang
Binay Tamang
Tamang is also the Gorkhaland Territorial Administration (GTA) sabhasad from the Bloomfield constituency of Darjeeling and was arrested on the night of August 21, allegedly for torching the Takdah forest guest house at the beginning of the fresh agitation for a separate Gorkhaland state in July. 

He was later tagged in 18 more cases and confined to judicial custody despite recieving bail on all ocassions barring two. The two cases related to Jalpaiguri and Darjeeling were pending against him. "Tamang has recieved bail in his last case today and will be released after the paper work is completed," said Dinesh Chandra Rai, the defense lawyer for the GJM leader. 

Before the Friday meeting with the Bengal chief minister, the GJM president had said he was going with an open mind to listen to Banerjee who had invited him. He had however stressed he would take up the release of arrested leaders and activists fervently. Though Rai failed to elaborate, court sources however said Santanu Mishra, the third court additional district and session's judge granted bail to Tamang on the ground that he had been in the correctional home for a long time. 

timesofindia




GTA is my dream and it is also the dream of the Chief Minister - Bimal Gurung

9:07 AM
After a meeting with West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, Gorkha Janmukti Morcha supremo Bimal Gurung on Friday said he would take oath as the chief executive of the hill council in Darjeeling again at her request.


GTA is my dream and it is also the dream of the Chief Minister, added Gurung.
GTA is my dream and it is also the dream of the Chief Minister, added Gurung. (AP)

"We had a very good discussion. The Chief Minister has requested me to come back as GTA chief. GTA is my dream and it is also the dream of the Chief Minister," Gurung told reporters after a 20 minute meeting with Banerjee.

"I will take oath as the GTA chief executive at Raj Bhavan on December 26," he said.

Members of GTA Sabha had passed an unanimous resolution seeking Gurung's reinstatement as the GTA chief on December 16.

Gurung had resigned as chief executive of the hill council, Gorkhaland Territorial Administration (GTA) in July just prior to the agitation in the hills for a separate Gorkhaland, following the Centre's decision to create Telangana.

To a question, he said "We are now concentrating how to make the GTA more effective and the Gorkhaland issue was not a point of discussion during the meeting.

"There is complete peace in Darjeeling and we request tourists to visit the hills more and more as the climate is very good now. There was snowfall in Darjeeling yesterday," Gurung said.

On the strained relations between the GJM and the state government time and again, he said "In a family there is a mother, a sister and other children.

"So problems crop up, but are sorted out. The problems can be resolved through discussions and you (the media) please should not create a hindrance."

On the release of jailed GJM leaders, Gurung said "There was a good discussion. When there is a good discussion, we can expect a good result. We hope that within two or three days a solution to the problem would be found."

He said the Chief Minister was also requested to hold the panchayat elections in the hills in July after the Lok Sabha elections.

The meeting between Banerjee and Gurung was the first since January this year when she had to face slogan-shouting supporters of the hill party in Darjeeling during the

inauguration of the Darjeeling leg of the Uttarbanga Utsav.

The GJM delegation held a separate 45 minute meeting Finance minister Amit Mitra and Chief Secretary Sanjay Mitra on GTA's development and other issues.

indianexpress

Darjeeling Tea and Tourism Festival 2013-2014

8:47 AM
Darjeeling, Dec. 20: The third edition of the Darjeeling Tea and Tourism Festival will be held here from December 24 to January 1 and the organisers have decided to make “diverse culture of the hills” the main theme of the event.

Lt. Col (retd) Ramesh Allay, the deputy chief executive of the GTA, said: “The festival is being organised jointly by the GTA, the state government and the people of Darjeeling. Krishendu Chowdhury, the state’s tourism minister will also attend the festival on December 27.”
This year, the organisers have decided to concentrate on cultural events, instead of bringing in celebrities from Bollywood as was done in the past two editions.
Singers and musicians of the 60’s and 70’s will also be felicitated on December 27.

A food festival, flower shows and body building competitions would also be held at the week long festival.

“All the communities in the hills will be showcasing their rich and diverse culture during the festival. However, we will also have star Nepali singers like Kunti Moktan and Sabin Rai for the event,” said Suden Tshering Bhutia, the executive director, information and cultural affairs department, GTA.

The organisers said they were putting in special effort to highlight Darjeeling tea during the festival and will set up stalls to create awareness about how tea is processed.
“We are trying to put up stalls to show tourists how tea is processed in the garden factories. We will also be felicitating tea garden workers during the event,” said Topen Lama, executive director of the GTA.

The organisers have decided to cater for the needs of the tourists and have worked out a special discount package for them.

The tourist flow during the last tourism season was very less because of the hill agitation.
“We will be providing a discount of 10 per cent on paragliding and the ride on the ropeway will also be cheaper by 15 per cent during the festival,” said Sonam Bhutia, executive director, GTA tourism department.

The organisers have decided to dedicate December 27 to Agam Singh Giri, a well-known Nepali poet from Darjeeling.

“Since December 27 is the birth anniversary of the poet, we will dedicate the day to Agam Singh Giri. Songs of Giri will be sung on that day by well-known singers from the hills,” said Suden.

Telegraph

Bhaichung scouts soccer talent in Sikkim and Darjeeling for Under-17 Fifa World Cup

11:35 AM
Bhaichung Bhutia has started a soccer talent-scouting bid in Sikkim and the hills to train boys who may represent India in the Under-17 Fifa World Cup that will be hosted by India in 2017.

Boys participate in the Under-14 match on the St Joseph’s School grounds in Darjeeling on Thursday. Picture by Suman Tamang

The first leg of talent-scouting in the hills started today at the St Joseph School grounds in Darjeeling, where over hundred boys, all under 14, gathered to play.

The boys were divided into seven-a-side teams. Each match was for 25 minutes.

Bhaichung, over phone from Gangtok, said: “We are organising one of the biggest football festivals in Sikkim and the Darjeeling hills. There will be tournaments and camps and they will be attended by more than 1,000 youngsters from the region.” The former captain of the national football team now co-owns United Sikkim Football Club.

Bhutia said the hills have a lot of untapped talent. “The pool of talent in the region is tremendous and we need to identify them and hone their skills. The Under-17 Fifa World Cup is also scheduled to be held in India in 2017 and we need to start working towards building a formidable team for the tournament.”

Arjun Rai, the senior manager of United Sikkim Football Club, said: “Bhaichung Bhutia has always been impressed with the talent that is present in the hills and he has decided to make a concrete effort to identity youths, groom them and give them exposure not just in the national but also international level.”

To scout talents from the region, Bhaichung’s club, along with the Indian Football Foundation and the State Bank of India, has decided to organise an under-14 football tournament in Darjeeling and Kalimpong called the Snowlion Cup.


Bhaichung Bhutia
They will follow it up with a month long free coaching camp.

“The Darjeeling leg of the U-14 hunt kicked off here today. A similar one will also be held in Kalimpong on December 21 and 22. The Sikkim leg concluded in Gangtok on Tuesday where Boys Club have come out victorious,” Rai said.

“The winners of the three legs will fight it out for the Snowlion Cup in Darjeeling on December 23. The winners will get Rs 30,000, while the runner-up and the second runner-up will get Rs 20,000 and Rs 10,000 respectively,” said Rai.

Bhutia said: “This is the biggest prize money for a U-14 tournament in the region. In Sikkim when we (United Sikkim Football Club) won the league, the prize money was Rs 25,000. We are trying to attract as many teams as possible.”

From the three finalist teams, a pool of 30 promising boys would be selected. “We will then hold a coaching camp for the 30 footballers in Gangtok and further select a group of 20 players. These players will be groomed and given exposure by making them participate in the best U-14 tournaments across India,” said Bhutia, who is also keen on setting up a football academy in the hills.

Apart from selecting under-14 players from the region, Bhaichung has also decided to hold a month-long free coaching camp at Darjeeling, Kalimpong and Mangan in North Sikkim, Jorethang in South Sikkim and Pelling in West Sikkim in January for under-16 players.

“Instead of concentrating only on Gangtok we have decided to reach out to the rural areas to identify talents,” said Bhutia.

The former Indian striker is also looking at getting foreign coaches for the camps. In Darjeeling the U-16 coaching camp will be jointly organised by Darjeeling Town Veteran, which has been formed by senior footballers from the town. The Darjeeling leg of the Snowlion Cup will also be managed by the veterans.

Telegraph


Bimal Gurung left Darjeeling for one-to-one meet with Mamata Banerjee

11:27 AM
Bimal Gurung today left Darjeeling for Calcutta “with an open mind” for a “one-to-one” with chief minister Mamata Banerjee scheduled tomorrow.

The Gorkha Janmukti Morcha president is scheduled to meet the chief minister in Calcutta at 3pm on Friday.


Gurung at the Bagdogra airport on Thursday. Picture by Kundan Yolmo
“Since the meeting has been called by the chief minister, I am going to Calcutta with an open mind and without any specific agenda. I want to listen to what she has to say. However, a few issues regarding the GTA might crop up during the discussion,” Gurung said in Darjeeling today.

At the Bagdogra airport, Trilok Dewan, the Darjeeling MLA accompanying Gurung, told reporters: “The one-to-one meeting is scheduled for 3pm tomorrow. Issues like the release of GTA Sabha members currently lodged in correctional homes and disbursal of funds to the hill body might come up for discussions tomorrow.”

Mamata and Gurung had last met at Chowrastha in Darjeeling on January 29 during the inauguration of the Darjeeling leg of the Uttarbanga Utsav. At that event, Mamata had asserted in her speech that Darjeeling “is a part of us”. Morcha supporters responded by raising “we want Gorkhaland” slogans, upsetting Mamata.

The Chowrastha episode strained relations between the two. Days later, Mamata announced a development board for Lepchas under the state government, much to the annoyance of Gurung, who wanted such bodies to be under the purview of the GTA.

The renewal of the Gorkhaland movement by the Morcha towards the end of July in the wake of momentum in Delhi favouring the creation of Telangana brought ties under further strain.

Gurung resigned as GTA chief executive on July 30 and the chief minister took stern measures against the agitation by arresting around 2,000 Morcha supporters. Ten GTA members were also arrested and only two of them have been released till date.

However, tourism in the hills suffered — the hills hardly had any visitors in the Puja season when it should have been crowded with tourists — and people’s weariness of the seemingly unending series of strikes took a toll.

As the hills limped back to normal, the Morcha said there would be a “bandh on bandhs”. On December 16, the GTA Sabha passed a resolution seeking Bimal Gurung’s re-election as its chief executive. Sources said at the talks with Mamata, Gurung might raise the issue of police slapping a fresh charge on GTA Sabha member Nima Tamang on December 16 when he obtained bail in the last of the cases registered against him. The police’s move to implicate Tamang in a new case (attempt to burn the Singamari police outpost in Darjeeling on July 30) prevented his release from jail.

Asked if there would be a possibility of a discussion between Mamata and Gurung on putting up a common candidate for Lok Sabha election in Darjeeling, Dewan said: “The general feeling is that the MP should be a local candidate this time. However, the party has not taken any decision in this regard. The issue would be discussed at the party’s central committee before a final decision is taken.”

Dewan, however, said there was no need for a discussion in the Morcha to decide if the party should extend its support to Mahendra P. Lama, an academician who has declared himself as an Independent candidate from Darjeeling. “It is now too late,” said Dewan, implying that Lama had already delayed seeking the Morcha’s support.

Asked about the possibility of Trinamul fielding footballer Bhaichung Bhutia from Darjeeling, Dewan said: “But he is from Sikkim.”

Bhaichung said: “I don’t want to comment on this specific issue but I can say that I have shared very good relations with Trinamul and I admire Mamata Banerjee. She is one of the cleanest chief ministers around and we need leaders like her in our country.”

Telegraph

Let hill Development boards under state government, allow GTA function smoothly - Gurung

9:51 AM
Gorkha Janmukti Morcha chief Bimal Gurung, who had earlier stressed that hill tribal development boards must be formed only under the purview of the GTA, today said he was not averse to the state government forming such bodies.


allow GTA  function smoothly - Gurung
Allow GTA  to function smoothly - Gurung
“The state government must set up development boards for all hill communities. Let such boards be formed under the state government, but allow the GTA to function smoothly,” Gurung said in Jamuni, near Darjeeling.

His climb-down has come at a time several hill tribes — the Lepchas, Bhutias, Tamangs and now the Limbus — have sought the formation of their own apolitical development bodies under the state government.

Gurung’s remark also comes days before he is scheduled to meet chief minister Mamata Banerjee in Calcutta on December 20.

Posters demanding the formation of the Limbu Tribal Development Council were seen pasted in different parts of the hills yesterday by Yakthung Shong Chumlung (YSC), an association of the Limbu tribe.

“We also want a development body for our community under the state government because the members of the community live in different parts of the state and they, too, should get the benefits of the council. According to our estimate, there are about 1.5 lakh Limbus in the hills and another 10,000 in areas such as the Dooars, Terai and even Salua in south Bengal,” said N.D. Limbu, the president of the association.

The hill population is about 10 lakh.

Salua is near Kharagpur in West Midnapore.

The posters also sought the introduction of the Limbu language in schools across the state.

“The twin demands once met would go a long way in preserving and promoting our language, culture and tradition and ensuring the economic progress of Limbus,” said N.D. Limbu, an ex-serviceman aged 80.

Limbu said the association had submitted a memorandum to the chief minister during her visit to Kurseong on October 23.

When Mamata announced the formation of the Lepcha development board earlier this year, Gurung said she was trying to divide the hill people.

But since she managed to quell the Morcha’s July-September statehood protests, the hill party has been seen mending fences with the government.

In what is being seen as a move in that direction, Morcha leader Harka Bahadur Chhetri yesterday said hill residents would like to see a local candidate for the Lok Sabha elections.

“We are aware of the aspirations of the people in the hills. We have learnt that they don't want an outsider for the Darjeeling Lok Sabha seat. However, there would be a series of discussions before our party decides on the candidate,” Chhetri said.

The current Lok Sabha MP from Darjeeling is the BJP’s Jaswant Singh.


Bimal Gurung welcomes Subash Ghisingh after Sixth Schedule bills lapse

9:39 AM
Bimal Gurung today said Subash Ghisingh, his one-time mentor, was “welcome” to return to the hills as the Sixth Schedule bills had lapsed in Parliament and the ousted GNLF chief was old and ill.


Bimal Gurung welcomes Subash Ghisingh
Bimal Gurung welcomes Subash Ghisingh
“The GNLF has collapsed with the RTI disclosure. Their agenda is over now. I now welcome Subash Ghisingh to the hills,” Gurung said in Jamuni, near Darjeeling.

Inclusion in the Sixth Schedule would have allowed the Darjeeling hills autonomy in several matters under the Constitution.

Gurung had called the news conference to speak about the lapsed Sixth Schedule bills, when he mentioned Ghisingh, who is 78 years old now and lives the life of a recluse in Siliguri.

Before he rebelled and left the GNLF in 2007, Gurung was a trusted lieutenant of Ghisingh.

Today, the Gorkha Janmukti Morcha chief said: “Despite the political differences, we have to understand that we share blood relations as he is also a hill man. He has grown old and in this old age, he might need the help of the hill people. I had earlier said that we would welcome him at an opportune moment and I am now welcoming him on humanitarian grounds.”

Gurung won the DGHC election from Tukvar constituency in 1999 as an Independent — the GNLF had not put up a candidate there. Gurung joined the GNLF immediately after he was elected and became one among Ghisingh’s trusted inner circle.

However, as Ghisingh kept stalling elections to public posts, disenchantment grew among the hill people. Gurung’s opportunity to tap this disenchantment came in 2007 when a hill youth, Prashant Tamang, made it to the final round of the Indian Idol.

Gurung mobilised huge support for public votes to Tamang, who eventually won the Indian Idol talent hunt. The campaign for Tamang proved to be the fledgling Morcha’s first direct show of popular support in the hills, spelling an end to the GNLF’s reign.

Gurung’s words today hinted that he was confident his now estranged mentor would not be politically active and pose a threat.

“If he again indulges in politics and the peaceful atmosphere in the hills is disrupted, then he would be responsible for the consequences,” Gurung said. “Much development will now take place in the hills and let him quietly see how we develop the hills.”

The Morcha’s confidence was boosted by a recent Union home ministry reply to an RTI query on the status of the Sixth Schedule bills.

Ashutosh Jain, director, Centre-state relations-II, while replying to the RTI query filed by a resident of Darjeeling, wrote: “The bills lapsed with the dissolution of the 14th Lok Sabha and as such, the bill cannot be implemented (sic).” The reply was dated November 29, 2013.

Ghisingh’s supporters have been urging their leader to return to the hills.

The GNLF believes that his presence in the hills would reverse the fortunes of the party.

Ghisingh and other senior GNLF leaders were compelled to leave the hills a day after Morcha supporter Pramila Sharma was killed by a bullet injury. The bullet was allegedly fired from the house of the GNLF’s Darjeeling branch committee president Deepak Gurung on July 25, 2008.

Ghisingh did return to the hills on April 8, 2011, to campaign for his party’s candidates in the Assembly election. But he quietly sneaked out of the hills on the night of May 16, 2011, after alleged GNLF supporters attacked a Morcha supporter near Sonada.

Since then, Ghisingh has not made any public appearance in the hills.

M.G. Subba, the convener of the GNLF’s Darjeeling unit, said: “It is Subash Ghisingh’s personal decision when to return and he does not need an invitation from anyone.”

“Our party has not collapsed. After six years, people are understanding the benefits of the Sixth Schedule status and are supporting our issue. The bills might have lapsed but can be easily revived if the people want the special status for the hills as both the state and the Centre had earlier agreed to bring the hills under the Sixth Schedule,” Subba said.

Sixth Schedule bills for Darjeeling have lapsed - Center

8:50 AM
The Union home ministry has stated that the draft bills for including the Darjeeling hills in the Sixth Schedule of the Constitution have “lapsed with the dissolution of the 14th Lok Sabha” and the bills “cannot be implemented”.


 Bimal Gurung Official Facebook
6th schedule bills for Darjeeling lapsed- Photo from  Bimal Gurung Official Facebook  


The statement, in reply to an RTI query, has prompted the GNLF to explore the possibility of going to court. Inclusion in the Sixth Schedule would have allowed the Darjeeling hills autonomy in several matters under the Constitution.

Arjun Rai, the GNLF convener of Mirik, today said: “There is no question of the bills being lapsed…. If indeed there is such a reply the party will go to the Supreme Court on the issue.”

Ashutosh Jain, director, Centre-state relations-II, while replying to the RTI query filed by a resident of Darjeeling, who does not wish to be named, said the bills had lapsed.

“Two draft bills for grant of 6th Schedule were introduced in the Lok Sabha on 30-11-2007,” the reply said.

“After introduction of the (bill in) Lok Sabha, it opposed against the proposal to grant Sixth Schedule status. The proposal was referred to department-related Parliamentary Standing Committee for their advice. The Bills lapsed with the dissolution of the 14th Lok Sabha and as such, the bill cannot be implemented (sic),” the reply dated November 29, 2013, said.

The 14th Lok Sabha was dissolved in 2009. All bills for which no decision has been arrived at stand lapsed with the dissolution of the Lok Sabha. The only exception is when the minister concerned asks the Speaker to keep it pending for the next Lok Sabha.

The RTI states that:-


“Two draft bills for grant of 6th Schedule were introduced in the Lok Sabha on 30-11-2007. After introduction of the Lok Sabah, it opposed against the proposal to grant Sixth Schedule status. The proposal was referred to department-related Parliamentary Standing Committee for their advice. The Bills lapsed with the dissolution of the 14th Lok Sabha and as such, the bill cannot be implemented,(sic),” the reply dated November 29, 2013 states. The 14th Lok Sabha had been dissolved in 2009.

Telegraph

CK Shrestha's book on National Identity Crisis of Gorkhas in India

8:38 AM
Renowned dramatist CK Shrestha, who has been an active Gorkhaland ideologue, today released the second volume of his book titled “Bharatma Gorkhako Rastria Chinari Sankat Ani Gorkha-Bharati Manchako Awadharna” (National Identity Crisis of Gorkhas in India and Perception of Gorkha-Bharati Mancha) in Kalimpong. Shrestha has been campaigning for Gorkhaland under the banner of Gorkha Bharati Mancha since past few years. The book has also been published in Hindi and English with an aim to take the issue among the linguistic communities.


National Identity Crisis of Gorkhas in India
The book was launched in a function held at one of the hotels here, which was attended by literary figure and political analyst Devendranath Sukla, Editor of “Aapka Teesta-Himalaya” Dr. Rajendra Prasad Singh, Assam Gorkha Sammellan president Arun Upadhaya, Sanjeev Chettri, Chairman of Sikkim Liberation Party Duknath Nepal, Gorkha Jagaran Samaj member KK Chettri, Sikkim Sangram Parishad Coordinator Kamal Rai, Sikkim BGP secretary Pravin Khaling and Sikkim Press Club president Vim Rawat among others. Among the political figures from Darjeeling GJM’s Bijay Sundas, CPRM’s JB Rai, GNLF’s Anil Lopchan, CPIM’s Tara Sundas, GRNM’s Dawa Phakrin, People Forum’s Pravin Gurung and UGRF’s Ajay Dahal were also present at the function. In addition representatives from various Kalimpong based apolitical organizations were also witnessed today.



Addressing the intellectual gathered at the function, author CK Shrestha requested them to give their critical opinion on the book. He asserted political and apolitical organizations should come clear on the issue of separate state while appealing the pro-Gorkhaland organizations to raise the issue to a national level.

The function was also addressed by Devendranath Sukla, who opined Shrestha’s book and CDs will play a significant role in taking the Gorkhaland issue among the communities who speak other languages. Addressing the audience in Hindi Sukla observed he was enlightened on the Gorkhaland issue by the books and CDs published by CK Shrestha and Gorkha Bharati Mancha. He also expressed the necessity of raising the issue at a national level.

EOI
Report by: PRADIP LOHAGUN
 
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