UNESCO World Heritage Status for Khangchendzonga/Kanchenjunga National park Sikkim

9:44 PM

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Sikkim

Sikkim Gangtok 17th July 2016: Congratulations to The Ministry of Environment and Ministry of Culture, Govt of India and the Govt of Sikkim for successfully ushering in Khangchendzonga (Kanchenjunga) National park as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

World Heritage Sites fall under three categories: cultural, natural and mixed. These sites are a legacy from the past, what we live with today and what we pass on to future generations as irreplaceable sources of life and inspiration, as stated by UNESCO. Presently there are more than 1,031 World Heritage sites, of which 802 are cultural, 197 natural and 32 mixed. India has 32 sites: 25 cultural and seven natural.

India's two ministries, MoEFCC through its Wildlife Institute and the Ministry of Culture through its World Heritage advisory body proposed, that Khangchendzonga National Park be inscribed under the mixed category.

UNESCO World Heritage Status for Khangchendzonga/Kanchenjunga  National park Sikkim

This category is meant for sites that are an outstanding example of a traditional human settlement living sustainably with ecosystems, with treasure of invaluable traditional knowledge and culture that highlights human interaction with the environment. Such heritage sites have the sort of intangible features that provide an encyclopedia of lessons for vulnerable communities under change of ecosystems. Such lessons are of immense value today when we are faced with the challenge of climate change.

Situated in the eastern Indian state of Sikkim, Khangchendzonga National Park exhibits one of the widest altitudinal ranges of any protected area worldwide and occupies a third of the state's area.

Mount Khangchendzonga and park around are endowed with deep cultural meanings and sacred significance. The multi-layered landscape of Khangchendzonga is sacred to both Buddhists and Lepchas as Mayel Lyang. The expanse represents a unique example of co-existence and exchange between different religious traditions and ethnicities, constituting the base for Sikkimese identity and unity.

The ensemble of sacred texts, the still-performed rituals, the oral history and traditional practices around Mount Khangchendzonga - third highest peak in the world - strengthen human bonds with nature. It conveys and manifests the cultural meanings projected onto natural resources and the indigenous and specific Buddhist cosmogony that developed in the Himalayan region.

The indigenous traditional knowledge of the properties of local plants and the local ecosystem, which is peculiar to local people, is on the verge of disappearing and represents a precious source of information on the healing properties of several endemic plants. The traditional and ritual management system of forests and the natural resources of the land pertaining to Buddhist monasteries express the active dimension of Buddhist cosmogonies and could contribute to the property's effective management.

The participation of Sikkim, which has already shown its extraordinary stewardship by totally converting itself into an organic farming state, in developing the proposal has provided a "bottom-up" approach to the process.

Two international bodies of experts evaluated India's proposal. The International Union for Conservation of Nature assessed the area's natural values and its outstanding universal values. The International Council on Monuments and Sites evaluated the cultural aspects of the nominated property, both visible and invisible.

Both bodies had found undeniable outstanding universal natural and cultural values and clear tangible and intangible authenticity and integrity of the 178,400 hectares of this Himalaya global biodiversity hot spot that has with a buffer zone of some 114,712 hectares.

KNP has now become the second largest World Heritage Site in India after the Western Ghats, which were inscribed in 2012.

Via TheDC

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Darjeeling students denied to sit for admission test for Masters Program

6:48 PM

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Sikkim University

Students from the Darjeeling Hills denied the right to sit for admission test for Masters Program at Visva Bharati and Sikkim Central University due to the delayed final results by NBU. This is why Darjeeling needs Central University of its own.
Darjeeling 16th July 2016: 56 students from the Darjeeling Hills, all affiliated to North Bengal University denied the right to sit for admission test today for Masters Program at Education Department, Visva Bharati due to the delayed final results which are yet to be declared by NBU

56 Students who had travelled all the way to Bolpur to sit for admission test today at Education Department were categorically not allowed to sit for exam today as they could not show the concerned department officials their final mark sheets for verification. According to central university protocol and rules and regulations, there is no provision for showing the final mark sheets during the time of admission test. Only after the applying candidates have cleared the test and have been selected, do they normally have to show their final mark sheets for verification. However, today these 56 students were not allowed to sit for test on the premise that the Education Department had on their prospectus as well as their admission forms clearly mentioned that final mark sheets are to to obtained prior to admission, but nowhere has it been mentioned that final mark sheets are to be shown on the DAY OF ADMISSION TEST.

North Bengal University

Few concerned officials of Visva Bharati are trying to help and console the students as they feel what was done today to these 56 student with no final mark sheets is against the rules and the spirit of the University. These students have submitted an application to the ViCe Chancellor asking him to intervene and allow them to sit for the admission test at a later date.

As of now, the aspiration and faith of these students remain in a limbo. If only one could have foreseen the unintended cost of last years election on the careers of our students, one would have been able to do all the needful lot avoid these kind of situation for the students. We have only a few days ago highlighted how the delayed results by NBU have cost some bright young minds their deserving seat in Sikkim University. Similar trend is being shown at Visa Bharati.

Sikkim Central University has given admission to second and third best choice of students this year, as they have denied the best students admission on the grounds that they don’t have their final year mark sheets.

Whether this is so by design or by default, we will let all of you decide...

Here are the facts.
Following the admission test, majority of the merit list candidates featured top ranking students from Darjeeling, but sadly they were denied admission, as their final year mark sheets were not available at the time of admission.

Having received numerous complaints, we decided to dig in and this is what we found
Explaining the situation, Sikkim University officials stated that “it is clearly mentioned in our Prospectus, if students are unable to produce their final mark sheets will not be given admission.” Given that this year, there was an election in West Bengal, unfortunately of which Darjeeling region is still a part, the final year graduation examinations got postponed by a month, so when Sikkim University demanded mark sheets by June 30th, 2016 all the students from Gorkhaland Territorial Administration who are forced to study under NBU, were unable to produce the same.

Traditionally, since the formation of Sikkim University, they allowed students to submit their mark sheets by the end of October, “but that system created a lot of problem... many students didn’t submit their mark sheets in October and pleaded with us to give them extensions, which we did, given they were pleading” says Vice Chancellor TB Subba. He added, “many of these students did not clear their Bachelors for long, and some of them have both Bachelors and Masters degree issued in the same year... so we decided we cannot allow this to continue.”

What happened in the past, as far as we can tell, is that Sikkim University officials did not do their duty proper, and allowed those who did not produce their Mark Sheet past October of the given year to continue. However, they didn’t seem to have any compunction on the failure of the University to keep a check on students who did not produce their Mark Sheets in the past, and instead decided to punish those who would apply this year.

When we called the SU VC Mr. Subba and asked him about chances of giving the meritorious students provisional admission till their results were declared, he said, “we have made this law and we cannot change it mid-way... we cannot change the law to accommodate students from NBU... they have had to apply within the given dates.”

But that is where SU hypocrisy gets highlighted, despite the fact that they had set June 30th as the last date for the students to show their final mark sheets, they extended the deadline to July 5th . Why so? Because Sikkim University themselves did not publish many of the results till July 3rd.

So while Sikkim University conveniently allowed provision for their own students to apply past the original deadline, they prevented students who had appeared for final examinations through NBU, from seeking admission, showing their lack of mark sheets as an excuse.

A SU Professor who was part of the admission committee earlier said, “I am no more part of the admissions committee, so I was unaware of the decisions they had taken, we had earlier allowed till Oct 30th for students to submit their mark sheets, which the new committee removed without informing anyone, including the faculty... it is about fairness, how can they arbitrarily extend dates to accommodate SU students, while leaving the students from NBU to suffer? This is not only unfair, but also reeks of a systematic provision to deny students from Darjeeling admissions here at SU.”
When we asked SU VC Mr. TB Subba on why provisional admission was not granted, he said, “a law professor drew our attention to that fact it would be illegal to give admission to students who haven’t finished their Bachelors exam to continue onto their Masters.”
So we decided to dig in and this is what we found.

All the ICSE schools in Darjeeling allow for Sikkim students to gain admission after their class 10 exams are over, and months before their results are declared it is not deemed illegal. Numerous Universities across India, including Premier - Indian Institute of Management's allow for students to join their courses while their results are being declared.

We are not sure why Sikkim University decided to prevent students from Darjeeling to join, however what happened is grossly unfair and we hope that the SU authorities allow for admission of meritorious students from across India provisonally, if necessary, instead of selectively preventing Darjeeling students to join in, due to arbitrary rules that specifically deny admission to our students.

Via TheDC

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स्टन्ट राइडर मिलन

11:14 PM

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sports news

*Milan Pradhan is one of the most famous stunt riders from Sikkim.

नयाँ बर्ष २०७३ को प्रारम्भसँगै राजधानीका २ स्थानमा बाइक स्टन्टका अनौठा दृश्य प्रस्तुत गरिए । राइडर्स युनिफाइडको संयोजनमा संकटा मन्दिर परिसर र जावलाखेल मैदानमा सम्पन्न उक्त बाइक स्टन्टमा नेपाली स्टन्ट राइडरहरुको प्रस्तुति कम रोचक थिएन । यद्यपि भारतको सिक्किमबाट आएका मिलन प्रधानको स्टन्ट राइडिङ प्रस्तुतिले सबैभन्दा बढी प्रभाव छोड्न सफल भएको छ । बाइकलाई बेतोडले कुँदाउने, हुत्याउने, हात छोडेर कुँदाउने, बाइकमाथि खुट्टाले टेकेर पनि सन्तुलनमै कुँदाउने आदि मुटु नै सिरिङग हुने दृश्य उक्त अवसरमा देखिएका थिए । ‘यस्तो पनि गर्न सकिन्छ र ?’ भनी दर्शकले जिब्रो नै टोक्ने दृश्य प्रस्तुत गर्ने मिलनको क्षमतालाई कसले पो तारिफ नगर्ला र ? सिक्किमको गान्तोकमा बाइक वर्कसप र एसेसरिज तथा पार्ट्स व्यवसायको रुपमा ‘बाइकर्स सिक्किम’ संचालन गरिरहेका मिलनले सिक्किमकै नाम्ची गभर्मेन्ट कलेजमा पढेका थिए । कलेज पढ्दै गर्दा नै यस्ता स्टन्टप्रति रुची राख्ने साथीहरुको एउटा समूह थियो । उक्त समूहमा ९ जना थिए र उनीहरुलाई सबैले ‘बाइकर्स ब्वाइज’ भन्थे । उनीहरु ५ किलोमिटर टाढाको हेलिप्याडमा गएर यसका लागि अभ्यास गर्थे । खासमा मिलनले त्यतिखेर पनि स्टन्टका विभिन्न शैलीका वारेमा सुनेका पनि थिएनन् । एक दिन १५० सिसी पल्सरमा ‘ब्रेक लगाउदा पछाडिको चक्का माथि उठ्छ’ भनेर कसैले भनिदियो । उनले अभ्यास गरी हेरे । साँच्चिकै चक्का माथि उठ्यो । त्यसैलाई ‘स्टपी’ भनिदो रहेछ भन्ने कुरा पछि मात्र थाहा पाए । उनमा यस प्रकारको स्टन्ट गर्ने हौसला जाग्यो । त्यसपछि उनले यस्ता दृश्य भएका फिल्म हेर्न थाले । त्यसका लागि अभ्यास पनि गर्न थाले ।

Milan Pradhan is one of the most famous stunt riders from Sikkim.

उनले साथीहरुसँग मिलेर यस्ता ग्रुपको खोजी गर्न थाले । सिलिगुढीमा रहेको प्रसिद्ध बाइकर्स ग्रुप ‘एक्सकेएमपीएच’ को सम्पर्क खोजे । उनीहरु १ सय १० किलोमिटरको दूरी पार गरेर उनीहरुलाई भेट्न पुगे । अब मिलन यस्ता स्टन्ट सिक्न र जान्नका लागि मरिहत्ते गर्न थाले । इन्टरनेट, भिडियो मात्र होइन, बाइक इन्डिया र अन्य पत्रिकामा समेत स्टन्टका बारेमा खोजी गर्न थाले । युट्युबमा उनले यस्ता विभिन्न दृश्य हेर्ने र त्यसै अनुसार अभ्यास गर्ने गर्न थाले ।
विस्तारै बाइक स्टन्टको क्षेत्रमा मिलन परिचित हुँदै गए । उनी सिक्किममा स्थानीय स्तरमा आयोजना हुने विभिन्न प्रदर्शनीको अवसरमा आफ्ना कला देखाउथे । उनले अन्य स्थानमा पनि आफ्नो कला देखाउदै गए । सन् २००८ मा बजाज पल्सरले ‘फस्र्ट स्टन्ट मेनिया’ आयोजना गरेको थियो । उनी उत्तरपूर्वी भारतबाट भाग लिए र अडिसनको फाइनल राउन्डसम्म पुगे । बाइक इन्डिया म्यागेजिनले उनको कभर फोटो प्रकाशित ग¥यो । त्यसपछि त झन् उनको चर्चा एकाएक चुलियो । फोन आउने र अन्तर्वार्ताका लागि अनुरोध आउने हुन थाल्यो । उनी एउटा सेलिब्रेटी नै बने । स्टन्ट शो एउटा खतरायुक्त खेल भए पनि सुरक्षित रुपमा खेल्न सकिने उनको भनाइ छ । यसका लागि आफूमा स्टन्ट टेक्निक चाहिन्छ । भन्छन्, ‘जुनसुकै खेल पनि आफैमा खतरायुक्त हुन्छ । तर खतरामुक्त तरिकाले सिप सिकेर खेल्दा बाइक स्टन्ट पनि रोचक हुन्छ ।’ अहिले सिक्किममा कुनै फेस्टिभलको अवसरमा बाइक स्टन्ट हुन्छन् । यस्तो समयमा १०÷१५ दिनसम्म पनि स्टन्ट शो आयोजना गरिन्छ । यो समयमा उनी नयाँ राइडरहरुलाई स्टन्ट समेत सिकाउछन् । मिरिकका चिराग राई उनका मन पर्ने स्टन्ट राइडर हुन् । त्यसैगरी ‘किङ अफ स्टन्ट’ को रुपमा परिचित क्रिस पिफरलाई उनी फलो गर्छन् । क्रिस बीएमडब्ल्युका अफिसियल स्टन्ट राइडर हुन् । स्टन्ट राइडिङका लागि अन्य बाइक पनि उपयुक्त हुन सक्छन् । तर बजाज पल्सरमै आफूलाई बढी सुविधायुक्त लाग्ने मिलन बताउछन् । पल्सरलाई आवश्यकता अनुसार मोडिफाई गरेर पनि स्टन्टका लागि उपयुक्त बनाउन सकिन्छ । उनी भन्छन्, ‘सस्तो मूल्य भएर पनि पल्सर पावरफुल समेत छ ।’ मिलनको मामाघर ललितपुरको जावलाखेल हो । यद्यपि उनी १८ बर्ष पछि मात्र मामाघर आए । यही समयमा उनले स्टन्ट प्रदर्शन गर्न पनि भ्याए । उनले धरानमा पनि यस्तो स्टन्ट प्रदर्शन गरिसकेका छन् । जीवनमा लगभग २० बाइक परिवर्तन गरिसकेका मिलनले कक्षा १० पढ्दा नै बाइक चलाउन सिकेका थिए रे । त्यतिखेर यामाहाको आरएक्स १०० को सिटको उचाइ घटाएर भए पनि उनी बाइक चढेका थिए रे । यद्यपि स्टन्ट शोमा भने पछि मात्र मन गयो । स्टन्ट शो आफैमा जोखिमयुक्त खेल हो । त्यसैले होला, पहिलो पटक छोराको यस्तो दृश्य देख्दा उनकी आमा रुनुभएको थियो रे । बुवाले भने लुकेर भए पनि मिलनको यस्तो स्टन्ट हेर्नुहुन्छ । मिलनले नै आफ्नो स्टन्ट भएको समयमा बुवालाई नआउन अनुरोध गर्छन् । त्यसैले पनि बुवाले लुकेर हेर्ने गरेको उनले बताए ।
यस्तो अनौठो खेलको अभ्यास गर्दा पनि अहिलेसम्म मिलन खासै ठूलो दुर्घटनामा भने परेका छैनन् । उनी भन्छन्, ‘सामान्य रुपमा त १५÷२० पटक लडे हुँला । तर त्यस्तो ठूलो दुर्घटना भने भएको छैन ।’ कुनै अभ्यासमा चित्त बुझेन भने उनले राती सपनामा पनि त्यही स्टन्ट गरेको देख्छन् रे । प्रस्तुति : एकराज सुवेदी Via nepalauto

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Sikkim -NH10 Landslide, 500 vehicles stranded as road blocked between Singtam and Ranipool

8:32 AM

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Sikkim

Gangtok, July 1: Around 500 vehicles were left stranded after a landslide blocked traffic on NH10 between Singtam and Ranipool in East Sikkim this morning.

Administrative sources said heavy rain had triggered the landslide at 32nd Mile around 7am and the Border Roads Organisation had cleared the highway for one-way traffic in two hours.

"A portion of land above the road slipped and fell on the highway. Heavy rain had triggered the landslide," said a police source.

Although the highway was restored in two hours by the BRO, only one-way traffic was allowed as small boulders were still falling on the road.

Representational photo

Via telegraph

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Sikkim vigilance department orders strict action against bribery

10:57 AM

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Sikkim

Gangtok, June 28: The vigilance department here has issued an advisory to all government office heads asking them to ensure supervision and initiate action against employees found demanding bribes.

The advisory was issued on June 23.

"Despite several directives, some government employees seem to be indulging in acts of illegal gratification by demanding bribes for doing routine official work," a vigilance official said.

Between April and May this year, 26 government officials were arrested by the vigilance department on charges of misusing public money.

"There are also cases in which the senior government officials ask for bribes and commissions for processing and clearing TA\DA claims, medical reimbursement, grant of increment, leave encashment, GPF withdrawals and pension claims, victim of such circumstances can lodge their compliant too," reads the advisory.

According to Sikkim Service Conduct Rule, warning, withholding of increment and suspension or termination from service could be meted out to those taking bribes

Via Telegraph

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Sikkim State Women's Commission met Bijanbari Case victim Kala Subba actually from Nepal

2:18 PM

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Sikkim State Women's Commission

Writes ‎Prakash Lee‎ 

The news that went viral in social site (FB) on 14th June of Mrs. Kala Subba (31years), who was rambling around in search of job in Bijanbari, Darjeeling and ending the quest in hospital due to brutal physical assault by police personnel at Pool Bazaar Police Station, Darjeeling...thereby creating public rage on social media, some of them claiming her to be of Sikkim, some blamed Sikkim State Women's Commission of being headless, some tried to politicize the matter...But nobody investigated to its roots and got the concrete information of victim.

Finally, the State Women Commission of Sikkim, gathering information and after understanding the matter, made a team comprising (two members of Sikkim State Women Commission Laki Denzongpa and Leela Dulal, NGO Subha Lakxmi Social Organization (SLSO) President Lalita Lama, East Distt General Secretary Dev Gurung (SDF Party) and headed for Sahid Durga Malla District Hospital Darjeeling and visited the victim today.

It is so surprising to find her bed-ridden even after 13 Days. She is still under medical supervision with the support of Rastriya Naari Aayog and Limbu Association of Darjeeling.

State Women Commission Sikkim met Bijanbari Case victim Kala Subba

It is learnt that, she is completely sane, all she said was she, her husband and in-laws are originally from Taplejung, Nepal and temporarily staying in Rumbuk, West-Sikkim. She also said that her husband eloped with another woman and abandoned her thereafter, since then she was being tortured by her in-laws and bearing the burnt of torture and insult, she had to leave the in-laws house and went in search of job to sustain life. Further she claims that she has two children (a son and a daughter).

According to her claims and considering her matter as a top priority, the Sikkim State Women Commission assured her to trace her in-laws' whereabouts in Sikkim and ensure all possible help. And also hope that, the victim will definitely get justice, according to the law of the land.

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Sikkim - Four die as SUV falls into gorge, BRO faces bridge ire

9:17 AM

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Sikkim

Gangtok, June 23: Four persons were killed and three injured in Chanjey today when an SUV they were travelling in rolled 250ft into a gorge because of alleged negligence of the driver.

The inspector of Temi police station, Bimal Gurung, said seven passengers had hired the car on share basis to reach Gangtok from Khecelpari and the accident happened due to the negligence of the driver."Villagers informed police about the incident. Damber Kumari Sharma, 43, and driver Tarcho Lepcha, 30, died on the spot. The rest were admitted to the district hospital in Singtam," he said.

"Sonam Dadul Lepcha,30, and Parishari Ahmed, 38, succumbed to head injuries at the district hospital. Later, other three injured were admitted to STNM hospital," he added.

According to STNM Hospital sources, Chenga Doma, 18, Chultim Zangpo Lepcha, 32, and Aita Bahadhur Subba, 28, suffered body and leg injuries

Sikkim  - Four die as SUV falls

Gurung said: "According to an injured passenger, the driver was listening to music using a headphone connected to his mobile. The accident happened as Tarcho lost control while changing song and the car fell into the gorge. The headphone was found plugged in his ears."said the Inspector of Temi police station, Bimal Gurung.Inspector Bimal Gurung- ' They were travelling to Gangtok in a taxi on share basis when the incident took place'

The local villagers and the police recovered the bodies.

The incident occurred at 9am along Rabong-Singtam road, around 45km from here.

BRO faces bridge ire
Gangtok, June 23: The Border Roads Organisation that maintains the North Sikkim Highway came under fire at a meeting today as the road connecting tourist destinations like Lachung, Lachen, Gurudongmar lake and Yumthang valley in North District snapped twice in a span of one month.

A bailey bridge over a stream at Rit Chu along the highway had crashed first on May 17 and again on June 18. After the first collapse, the bridge had been restored temporarily and vehicles, especially those carrying tourists, started moving to Chungthang on June 9. At both the times, the bridge was damaged in landslides triggered by heavy rains.

The damaged bridge at Rit Chu.

After the second crash on June 18, the BRO is yet to repair the structure.

Today, a meeting was held in the conference hall of the forest department here, where all three MLAs from the North District, chief secretary, home secretary, the collector and the superintendent of police of the district and BRO officials were present. Local people and tourism stakeholders also attended the meeting.

"We are fed up with the deplorable condition of the road in North Sikkim. The BRO is not doing its work satisfactorily. The residents are facing problems as the road is closed most of the time," said a dzumsa member, Chedup Bhutia.

The president of the Travel Agents' Association of Sikkim, Paljor Lachungpa, said almost 90 per cent of the people in north Sikkim depended on tourism and the frequent road closure was hampering the livelihood of those in Chungthang, Lachung and Lachen.

The general secretary of the association, Barap Namgyal Bhutia, claimed that there was a loss of around Rs 5 crore because of cancellations of bookings following the bridge collapse in the district in the past one month.

A senior tourism official informed that more than seven lakh tourists visited Sikkim every year and 80 per cent of them went to North District.

The chief secretary, A.K. Srivastava, said he had sought a detailed report on the road condition from the BRO. "Once we get the report, we will pursue the matter with agencies concerned. There should be a permanent solution to the problem," he said.

The Commander of the BRO, B.K. Sarkar, said the agency was putting its best effort to maintain the roads. "We are doing our work. Sometimes, the inclement weather is also a hindrance. For now, we are working to restore the road at Rit Chu and it may take at least 10 days," said Sarkar.


Via Telegraph

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Sikkim chief minister Pawan Chamling's message

11:17 AM

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Sikkim Democratic Front SDF

Gangtok, June 22: Sikkim chief minister and president of the Sikkim Democratic Front Pawan Chamling has asked party workers to visit the villages across the state and make people aware of the programmes and policies of the state.

The SDF chief at the Sampurna Kranti Diwas programme urged the leaders to help the villagers understand the programmes of the government on education, health, social justice, women and child rights and infrastructure and on issues like Limbo Tamang seat reservation and tribal status to 11 communities of Sikkim.

The SDF had come to power in the state in 1994.

Today, the Sampurna Kranti Diwas programme was organised by the SDF at its headquarters here. The day is observed by the party every year on June 22 as the SDF had started revolt against Bhandari government demanding restoration of democracy on this day.

Pawan Chamling's message

Telegraph

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