Sex racket busted in Siliguri, 18 arrested from Pradhan Nagar

10:27 PM

•

Siliguri

Writes Prashant Acharya

SILIGURI 2 Jul 2016 An ongoing sex racket in Siliguri was busted on Friday night with police arresting 18 people from the Pradhan Nagar area. Acting on a tip-off, the Pradhan Nagar police conducted a raid  at a guest house and arrested 12 males and six females and also seized two cars from them.

Siliguri police commissionerate DCP Indra Chakraborty confirmed the arrest of the 18 people from the Pradhan Nagar area last night. He said the police have received bonafide information of the involvement of many more people in the sex racket.

The investigation is ongoing, he said, adding the accused are residents of Alipurduar, Siliguri, Kolkata and other adjacent areas.

All the 18 arrested were today produced in Siliguri court from where 12 were sent to police custody and the remaining six to jail custody.

Sex racket busted in Siliguri - file photo

A few months back too, the Pradhan Nagar police raided a flat where immoral activities were being carried out and arrested three females, of whom two were from Hooghly and the third from Islampur.


Via EOI

READ MORE

Waterlogging in Siliguri, yellow alert on the banks of Teesta river

9:10 AM

•

Siliguri

Siliguri, June 24: Incessant rainfall led to waterlogging today in areas in and around Siliguri, including New Jalpaiguri railway station, and a rise in the water levels of a number of rivers in north Bengal.

The downpour forced the state irrigation department to issue a yellow alert (primary alert) in the unprotected areas on either bank of the Teesta river this afternoon.

The data available with the department show the Teesta is flowing close to the danger mark at Sevoke and near the Teesta Bridge on the outskirts of Jalpaiguri town.

Siliguri received 187.50mm rain in 24 hours till 8am today, leaving NJP, Santoshinagar, Shaktigarh, Champasari, Fogdoibari, Hatiaganga, Milanpally, Ashoknagar and Rajendranagar, areas located outside town, under water.

The exit point and a major portion of NJP station are under knee-deep water. Although water accumulated on the tracks, there was no disruption in rail traffic.

"We fail to understand what the railways and the state government have been doing. There is no proper drainage to let water flow out of the parking area and the exit point at NJP. In case of heavy rains, areas outside the station get marooned. Considering the importance of the station and movement of thousands of passengers everyday, we believe the railways and the state government should look at the issue and take necessary steps to avert water-logging," said Rajat Dutta, a schoolteacher who reached NJP from Calcutta by train this morning.

Waterlogging in Siliguri, yellow alert  on the banks of Teesta river

Rivers like the Mahananda, Jaldhaka, Raidak I and II and the Torsha are also on the rise because of rains in the sub-Himalayan north Bengal.

The India Meteorological Department has forecast rain measuring between 70mm and 200mm at isolated places in Darjeeling, Jalpaiguri, Alipurduar and Cooch Behar districts in the next couple of days.

Via Telegraph

READ MORE

Bagdogra to get Instrument Landing System (ILS) soon, will not wait State Government

9:47 AM

•

West Bengal

Writes AVIJIT SINHA

Siliguri, June 23: The Airports Authority of India has decided not to wait any more for land to be taken over by the state government to install the Instrument Landing System (ILS) at the Bagdogra Airport and put in place the facility immediately, though in a truncated way.

Rakesh Sahay, the Bagdogra airport director, today said the ILS of CAT-II (category two) would be installed by the Indian Air Force by September 20 and the work would begin on July 20.

"For two months from July 20, flights will operate in Bagdogra between 12pm and 6pm as work will be carried out on the runway. There were 10 meetings with airline companies and they have agreed to change flight schedules," he said.

At Bagdogra, most flights operate between 12pm and 5pm and there are only a couple of services before 12pm.

The Bagdogra airport terminal

Elaborating on the plan, the airport director said the existing runway at Bagdogra was 9,000ft long.

"The IAF will install the Approach Light System (also called ALS that is a component of the ILS) along the 1,500ft stretch of the runway. The remaining 7,500ft runway, where also some lights will be installed, will be available for flights to take off and land for the two months. That stretch of the runway is sufficient for the kind of airplanes which operate out of Bagdogra," he said.

Added to the installation of the ALS, two other instruments will be erected beside the runway. "We do not need land for installing the two equipment. One is a glide path indicator, while the other is a localiser, which helps flights align with the runway and gives horizontal guidance before landing," Sahay said.

"As of now, a flight needs at least 2,100 metres of visibility at Bagdogra. Once the CAT-II ILS is introduced completely, visibility of only 350 metres is required. Since the ILS is commissioned the way we plan to, visibility will come down to 1,000 metres.," the airport director added.

The required visibility of 350 metres will be ensured only after approach lights were installed over a stretch of 900ft ahead of the existing runway. "As the state government is yet to provide us with land to build the extra runway of 900ft, we are putting the lights only over the stretch of 1,500ft. That is why the required visibility will not come down to 350 metres but up to 1,000 metres only," said an AAI official.

According to sources, Bagdogra needs a total of 24.16 acres for installing the ILS. Out of the 24.16 acres, 9.97 acres are with the IAF. Of the remaining 14.19 acres, the state owns 12.91 acres.

However, out of the 1.28 acres, there is a temple on 0.12 acres, while five families own the rest 1.16 acres. The five families are not ready to accept the compensation at the rate offered by the state government and their land is yet to be taken over.

The AAI official said: "We are not ready to wait for the land any more. With the existing runway, the ILS is being erected. Chief minister Mamata Banerjee is likely to visit north Bengal next week. We will request her to see that the land is handed over to us."

Once the ILS is commissioned, all airline companies will be informed about the new infrastructure. "It is up to the companies to decide whether they would introduce evening flights. There is no problem with regard to other issues as the IAF, which manages the runway and Air Traffic Control, has agreed in 2013 to let commercial flights land and take off till 10pm," another AAI official said.

Via Telegraph

READ MORE

Separate Siliguri district demand - Brihattar Siliguri Nagarik Mancha

10:47 AM

•

Siliguri district

Siliguri, June 22: Members of the Brihattar Siliguri Nagarik Mancha have said they would request Mamata Banerjee to form a separate Siliguri district when she visits north Bengal later this month.

President of the apolitical forum Sunil Sarkar said: "We will meet the chief minister who is expected to visit north Bengal on June 27 and request her to declare Siliguri as a separate district. Residents of the town and its surrounding areas are facing inconveniences as they need to travel either to Darjeeling or Jalpaiguri for administrative work."

At a news conference today, Sarkar said: "As the state is all set to give a district status to Kalimpong, which has a population of merely 3 lakh, we urge the new government to consider our demand in the interests of about 15 lakh people."

Members of the forum said those living in Siliguri subdivision had to travel over 80km to reach the district headquarters in Darjeeling.

Separate Siliguri district demand - Brihattar Siliguri Nagarik Mancha

"People living in the 14 wards of Siliguri civic body and the adjoining panchayats in Jalpaiguri district have to commute for around 50km to Jalpaiguri to get administrative work done," Sarkar said.

He said the forum wanted Siliguri subdivision, which has three Assembly seats, and the two adjoining Assembly segments of Jalpaiguri district, to be declared as a separate district with Siliguri as the administrative headquarters.

The areas Sarkar was referring to are Siliguri, Matigara-Naxalbari and Phansidewa in Siliguri subdivision and Dabgram-Fulbari and Rajganj in Jalpaiguri district.

"We would urge the MLAs of these constituencies to raise their voices in support of our demand," a Mancha representative said.

Telegraph

READ MORE

Darjeeling Everest girls back, Receive grand welcome

12:47 PM

•

Southfield College Darjeeling

Writes: Prashant Acharya

Siliguri Darjeeling 15 Jun 2016 "The inspiration from the people of Darjeeling and the entire nation motivated us to conquer the world's highest peak," said Sulakchana Tamang and Trishala Gurung, the two college-going girls from Darjeeling, as they disembarked at Bagdogra airport this afternoon from Delhi. Tamang and Gurung were part of a 11-member NCC all-girls team who successfully scaled Everest last month.

At Bagdogra airport, they walked into a grand reception from well-wishers, family and the media, and the welcoming continued all the way up to Darjeeling where social organisations, educational institutions and enthusiasts had gathered in several places.

Darjeeling Everest girls Suloxchana Tamang and Trishala Gurung back, Receive grand welcome

Speaking to this correspondent, Trishala, a student of Southfield College, said she nearly gave up hope when the summit was barely 10 minutes ahead. But thoughts of her family and well-wishers back home prodded her forward despite severe pain in the legs, hunger and drowsiness. She said, "We were walking 7-10 hours each day without proper sleep and food and in very low oxygen supply.

I cried in pain, but our Sherpa guides encouraged us. A minute's walk seemed like an hour's journey for me. But I did not give up and succeeded in reaching the summit."

Her advice to the youths, especially girls, is to always think positive and never give up one's dreams. "Women should never underestimate themselves and never fear of dreaming positive in life."

Trishala started from base camp on May 19 and summitted Everest on the morning of May 22, while Sulakchana started a day earlier and scaled the peak on May 21.

Sulakchana, a student of Ghoom Degree College, was excited when she arrived at Bagdogra airport. "I am proud to be a daughter of Darjeeling and India," she said.

Suvedar Major Birender Yadav of 1st Bengal NCC, Siliguri said the two were among 11 girls to be selected from across the country to scale Everest. Initially, 100 girls were selected and 40 were shortlisted after training at the HMI, Darjeeling. Finally, 10 girls were selected to undergo training at the Siachen Army Base Camp, he said.

Bimal Gurung Officials wrote the following .

हिमबाघ तेञ्जिङ शेर्पाले सुनौलो अक्षरले कोरिराखेको सगरमाथा आरोहणको गौरवमय इतिहासलाई कायम राख्दै सगरमाथा आरोहण गर्ने दार्जीलिङ पहाड़का दुईजना चेलीहरू क्रमैले सुश्री त्रिशला गुरूङ अनि सुश्री सुलक्षणा तामाङलाई समग्र पहाड़वासीको पक्षबाट जीटीएले आज गोरखा रङ्गमञ्च भवनमा भव्य स्वागत जनायो। सगरमाथा आरोहण गरेर आजमात्र आफ्नो थलो दार्जीलिङ आइपुगेका यी दुई चेलीलाई स्वागत गर्न म स्वयँ पनि गोरखा रङ्गमञ्च भवनमा उपस्थित रहेको थिए।

पहाड़को भीर-पहराहरूमा फुल्ने गोरखे जाति कहिल्यै पनि हार मान्न नजाने वीर अनि साहसी जाति हो। कलिलो उमेरमै सगरमाथा आरोहण गरेर यसको ज्वलन्त उदाहरण प्रस्तुत गर्ने यी दुई गोरखे गौरवहरूलाई गोरखाल्याण्ड क्षेत्रीय प्रशासनले आगामी स्वतन्त्र दिवस समारोहको अवसरमा भव्य नागरिक सम्मान पनि प्रदान गर्नेछन्। यी दुवै चेलीहरूको उपलब्धिले पहाड़लाई गौरवान्वित तुल्याएको छ। उनीहरूको उक्त महत उपलब्धिदेखि म अति खुशी छु। दुवै गोरखे चेलीलाई बधाई-शुभकामनासहित उज्वल भविष्यको कामना पनि गर्दछु।

[Via: ECOI]

READ MORE

CS Lepcha takes charge of Siliguri as first lady police commissioner

10:30 AM

•

West Bengal

Writes: Prashant Acharya

CS Lepcha took charge today as the police commissioner of Siliguri, to become the first lady police commissioner of the state.

After taking over from her predecessor, Manoj Verma, the 1999 IPS batch cadre said, "My aim is to develop the relationship between the police and the public and put more emphasis on law and order in Siliguri."

Lepcha was in first posted in Darjeeling as additional superintendent of police before being transferred to Siliguri as DSP. She was then made Special SP IB, Siliguri following which she became DIG of Jalpaiguri range and Malda range before coming back to Siliguri as the police commissioner.

The First Lady Police Commissioner of Siliguri IPS C.S Lepcha taking chair as Siliguri Police Commissioner
in place of Manoj Verma Pic Prashant Acharya

Manoj Verma, who has been give charge as Special IG, West Bengal traffic, said, "My tenure as police commissioner of Siliguri was a good experience. I love the people of Siliguri as they have supported me in maintaining law and order."

At present, there are five police commissionerates in West Bengal, namely Howrah, Bidhan Nagar, Asansol, Barrackpore and Siliguri.

Via: ECOI

READ MORE

Darjeeling toy train get glass walls for engine view

9:04 AM

•

Tourism

Darjeeling June 8: The Darjeeling Himalayan Railway has replaced the opaque walls at the rear and front ends of two first class coaches with glasses so that travellers can see the more than century-old steam engine pull the train.

Narendra Mohan, the area officer of DHR, said the refit compartments were being used for toy trains running between Darjeeling and Ghoom since May.

He said two more coaches were also being given glasses at either ends and they would be put to use in two weeks.

"Tourists around the world come to Darjeeling to take a ride on the Unesco World Heritage railway. In order to make their ride more enjoyable and fulfilling, we have renovated two first class coaches and added glass windows at the rear and front ends. Prior to this, the coaches had opaque walls and the passengers in each of them could not see what was happening in the other coaches. But now they can easily do so," said Mohan.

The DHR compartments with glasses at the rear and front ends - file photo

The new feature has been introduced mainly to enable travellers to see how the steam engine functions. "They will now be able to see the driver operating the engine and the fireman feeding coal into the furnace," said Mohan.

"Earlier passengers could see these sights only when the train negotiated a bend. But now, they can see it anytime without having to leave their seats and rush to the windows. These coaches will be exclusively used in steam-driven joy rides between Darjeeling and Ghoom. Apart from the view in front, the tourists will also get to see the scenery behind through the glass," he added.

The coaches were renovated at Tindharia workshop - the locomotive and carriage workshop of the toy train - and the Siliguri loco shed.

While two of the coaches have already been put into use since the beginning of May, the remaining two will be in service within next fortnight.

The DHR official said the size of side glass windows of the four coaches had been made bigger so that tourists got a full view of the sceneries.

Telegraph

READ MORE