Morcha to revive Dooars agitation with fast - Hunger strike at three places from July 25 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
TT, Darjeeling, July 20: The Gorkha Janmukti Morcha has decided to renew its agitation in the Dooars where its movement had led to bloodshed and ethnic strife earlier this year. Amar Lama, a central committee member of the Morcha, said the party would organise relay hunger strikes at three places in the Dooars from July 25 for the fulfilment of the party’s four demands. “On Saturday, we had a meeting with the party’s Dooars leaders at Gorubathan in Kalimpong subdivision and we have decided to launch an agitation in the region. The movement will be limited to hunger strikes initially,” he said. The Morcha has formed three co-ordination committees for eastern, central and western Dooars to organise the strike. “The committees will finalise three places where Morcha teams comprising seven persons each will sit on a relay hunger strike in front of administrative offices. The strike will commence from July 25,” said Lama. The fast will start at 10am and end at 6pm every day. The agitation has been called demanding the fulfilment of four demands. “In January this year, the chief minister had assured the Morcha at a meeting in Calcutta that Samsing, Ramjhora and Kathalguri tea gardens would re-open in a month. The gardens are still closed and their re-opening will be one of our major demands,” said Lama. Bhattcharjee had called the meeting on January 21 to avert “ethnic clashes” after the Morcha supporters had been prevented from holding a public meeting in the Dooars by the Adivasi community on January 16. The houses of many Morcha supporters had been vandalised in the ethnic clash in the Dooars earlier this year and adequate compensation for the victims is the other demand.” “We want a compensation of Rs 2 lakh for every house that was damaged in the January-February violence,” said Lama. The riot had also claimed a Morcha supporter, Akbar Lama, on February 7. “We want that Lama’s family be given Rs 5 lakh as compensation,” said Lama. The Morcha has already given Rs 2 lakh to the deceased’s family, but the party demands the payment of adequate compensation by the government. The fourth demand is a tripartite meeting at political level and the transfer of senior police officers, including K. L. Tamta, the inspector-general (north Bengal). The Centre has already advanced the talks to August 11 from August 24 but it is not clear whether the meeting will be held at political level on the sole agenda of Gorkhaland as demanded by the Morcha. TT, Siliguri, July 20: The Darjeeling district Left Front today asked the Central and state governments to mount pressure on the Gorkha Janmukti Morcha to withdraw its indefinite strike before the tripartite meeting scheduled for August 11. “We demand that the Centre and state government clearly tell the Morcha leaders that no tripartite meeting will be held if they do not withdraw the indefinite strike. The agitation is severely affecting the economic condition of the people in the hills and the plains,” Asok Bhattacharya, the Bengal urban development minister and the convener of the Darjeeling district LF, said today. “When a tripartite meeting has been called, there is no rationale behind the continuation of the strike and the offer of so-called relaxation. The governments should tell the Morcha that talks and strike cannot go side by side. The Morcha has to withdraw the strike or else, the governments should cancel the meeting.” The CPM leader also said the Left Front would talk to the chief minister and want the governments to impose a ban on Gorkhaland Personnel – a volunteer force raised by the Morcha. “As several of these personnel had served in the army, we want the defence ministry to pass on clear-cut instructions, asking them to stay away.” Bhattacharya also welcomed the statement by Union finance minister Pranab Mukherjee in Raiganj yesterday that the Centre was against the division of Bengal. “We welcome the comments by the minister. But we have reservations about some Congress leaders who had tied up with the Morcha in the Siliguri Mahakuma Parishad polls. Their stand is contradictory to Pranab’s comments.” BHANU JAYANTI CELEBRATED IN DELHI
KalimNews : Three Gorkha Oraganisations of Delhi in a single banner observed the 195th Bhanu Jayanti on Saturday, 18th July 2009 at CNI Bhavan. Bharatiya Gorkha Parisangh,along with Delhi Nepali Sahitya Sanskriti Manch and Nepali Sammelan, hosted an evening that was attended by almost all the prominent Gorkhas of Delhi.
The function was presided by Rev. Dr. Enos Das Pradhan with Dr. Jiwan Namdung, Convenor of the Sahitya Akademi Nepali Advisory Committee, as Chief Guest. Shankar Dev Dhakal, Board member of the Akademi, was the Guest of Honour. Members of the Advisory Committee from Assam, Benares, Darjeeling, Dooars, Sikkim were also present. The program was hosted by Vishnu Bahadur Gurung, Gen Sec of Nepali Sammelan.
The function began with the lighting of the traditional lamp and the garlanding of Bhanubhakta's picture. Slokas of The Ramayana was read by Lalita Chhettri.
L B Rai, Prof Munish Tamang and D M Pradhan spoke on the occasion and talked about the continuing relevance of Bhanubhakta in bringing together all Nepali speaking people.
The Chief Guest commended the three organisations for having organised the function and said that such successful programs in Delhi were a source of inspiration to Gorkhas all over India.
Rev. Dr. Enos Das Pradhan stressed the importance of finding unity in purpose despite other differences. Although every individual is created different yet one can forge a unity based on common purpose.
Members of the Sahitya Akademi Advisory Committee also spoke and presented some of their works. XoeH$mo amOYmZr‘m ^mZw^º$H$mo O¶ÝVr EH$Vm hþZwH$mo n{N> Hw$Z¡ H$maU hþZwnN>© - S>m. àYmZ H$mbo~wL> 21 OwbmB©… OmVr¶ H${d ^mZw^º$ AmMm¶©H$mo OÝ‘{XZ {dH«$‘ g§dVAZwgma 29 AgmaH$m {XZ nao Vmn{Z H${Vn¶ H$maUde ^maVdf©‘m ¶gbmB© à{Vdf© Am¡nMm[aH$ ê$n‘m 13 OwbmB©H$m {XZ nmbZ J[aZo àMbZ ahoH$mo N>& ¶Ú{n, Zonmbr^mfr JmoIm© Om{VH$m gÝVmZhê$ Omo ^maVH$m {d{^Þ ñWmZ‘m a{hAmEH$m N>Z² CZrhê$ Am’y$ ~goH$mo BbmH$m‘m Am-AmâZ¡ gw{~YmAZwgma H${dda ^mZw^º$H$mo ñ‘aU JZ© Mwº¡$ZZ²& ¶g¡ {gb{gbm‘m JV 18 OwbmB©H$m {XZ ^maVdf©H$mo amOYmZr Z¶m± {X„rpñWV grEZAmB© ^dZ‘m VrZdQ>m ñWmZr¶ g§JR>ZH$mo VËnaVm‘m 195-Am¢ ^mZwO¶ÝVr nmbZ J[aEH$mo OmZH$mar nmBEH$mo N>& {X„r Zonmbr gm{h˶ g§ñH¥${V ‘#m, Zonmbr gå‘obZ A{Z ^maVr¶ JmoIm© n[ag§KH$mo Am¶moOZm‘m gmo {XZ gånÞ H$m¶©H«$‘‘m ñWmZr¶ JmoIm© gm‘m{OH$ H$m¶©H$Vm©hê$bJm¶V Zonmbr gm{h˶ OJV²H$m bãYà{Vð> boIH$hê$H$mo {deof CnpñW{V ahoH$mo {W¶mo& nmXar S>m. EZmog Xmg àYmZH$mo AܶjVm‘m gånÞ H$m¶©H«$‘H$m ‘w»¶ A{V{WH$m ê$n‘m amï´>r¶ gm{h˶ AH$mX‘rH$mo Zonmbr ^mfm g„mhH$ma g{‘{VH$m g§¶moOH$ S>m. OrdZ Zm‘XþL> A{Z AH$mX‘rH$m nf©X² gXñ¶ eL²>H$aXod T>H$mb H«$‘¡bo ‘w»¶ A{V{W VWm {d{eï> A{V{WH$m ê$n‘m CnpñWV {WE ^Zo Aݶ Jݶ‘mݶ ì¶{º$Ëdhê$‘m Amgm‘, ~Zmag, XmOu{bL>, Sw>Ag© A{Z {g{¸$‘H$m gm{h˶H$mahê$ ahoH$m {WE& H$m¶©H«$‘H$mo g#mmbZ Zonmbr gå‘obZH$m ‘yb g{Md {dîUw ~hmXþa JwéL>bo JaoH$m {WE& ¶g Adga‘m H${dda ^mZw^º$ AmMm¶©H$mo Vñdra‘m ‘mbm An©U Jaoa Xrn à‚dbZ Jaon{N> {X„rH$s gm‘m{OH$ H$m¶©H$Vm© VWm gm{h˶H$ma lr‘Vr b{bVm N>oÌrbo am‘m¶UH$mo íbmoH$ nmR> J[aZ²& H$m¶©H«$‘bmB© gå~moYZ JX£ d[að> gm‘m{OH$ H$m¶©H$Vm© Eb. ~r. amB©, {X„r {díd{dÚmb¶H$m àmo’o$ga ‘w{Zf Vm‘mL> A{Z S>r. E‘. àYmZbo Zonmbr^mfr Om{VbmB© EH$VmH$mo gyÌ‘m ~m±ÜZ‘m ^mZw^º$H$mo ‘hÎdnyU© ¶moJXmZ ahoH$mo {df¶‘m MMm© Jao A{Z dV©‘mZ g‘¶‘m n{Z ^mZw^º$bo {ZînmXZ JaoH$mo OmVr¶ EH$VmH$mo A{^¶mZ gmÝX{^©H$ ahoH$mo ~VmE& H$m¶©H«$‘bmB© gå~moYZ JX£ ‘w»¶ A{V{W S>m. Zm‘XþL>bo Cº$ g‘mamoh Am¶moOZm JZ} VrZdQ>m g§ñWmhê$H$mo ‘w½YH$ÊR>bo àe§gm Jao A{Z XoeH$mo amOYmZr {X„r‘m ¶gar ^mZw^º$H$mo O¶ÝVr nmbZ J[a±Xm ^maV^[a ahoH$m Zonmbr^mfr JmoIm©hê$‘m ECQ>m àoaUmñnX CËgmh g#mma hþZo ~VmE& CZbo ¶gar Z¡ ^mZwO¶ÝVrbmB© ^maVì¶mnr ê$n‘m Am¶moOZm J[aZwnZ} n{Z ~VmE& g‘mamohH$m Aܶj nmXar S>m. àYmZbo ggmZm {df¶hê$‘m {ddmX g¥{ï> ZJaoa g~¡OZm EH$~Õ hþZwnZ} {dMma nmoIo& EH$Vm~Õ hþZwH$mo n{N> Hw$Z¡ H$maH$ VÎd ahoH$mo hþZwnZ} ~VmC±X¡ CZbo ¶Ú{n Am-AmâZmo {dMma a ^mdZm {bEa A{K ~T²Zo ‘m{Zghê$ g~¡OZm g~¡ {df¶‘m EH$ hþZ ZgHo$ Vmn{Z gmPm gm‘m{OH$ A{Z OmVr¶ {df¶‘m ^Zo EH$ hþZwnZ} ‘ÝVì¶ nmoIo& ¶g Adga‘m CnpñWV Aݶ gm{h˶H$mahê$bo n{Z Am-AmâZm dº$ì¶ àñVwV JaoH$mo OmZH$mar {X„r~mQ> nßnw àYmZbo {XEH$m N>Z²& (H$m{b‘ݶyO)
ENS, Kolkata 21 July: Gorkha Janamukti Morcha leaders on Monday denounced Union Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee’s statement against separate statehood, saying such statements would slow down the dialogue process. GJM leaders said Gorkhaland is their prime demand and there is no question of going back to the issue of an amendment to the Sixth Schedule, granting Darjeeling the status of a tribal-dominated area. Meanwhile, people in Darjeeling were seen stockpiling rations and other essential commodities as the GJM relaxed the indefinite strike for 10 hours today. People from neighbouring Sikkim too used the window period to stockpile necessary items. The GJM recently lifted the blockade of NH-31A, lifeline for the state, till July 23. “At a time when we are sitting for talks with the government, such statements from the finance minister will slow down the process. In a democratic setup, the government should respect the wishes of 99 per cent of the people, who want Gorkhaland,” senior GJM leader Roshan Giri said over phone from Darjeeling. “He has also spoken of Sixth Schedule, which is a dead issue for us. Everybody knows what happened to the man who patronised the idea of Sixth Schedule,” Giri said, referring to Subash Ghising, the GNLF supremo who has been ousted from Darjeeling. Rejecting demands for a separate Gorkhaland to be carved out of West Bengal, Mukherjee had said a day earlier that the Centre was ready to grant Sixth Schedule status for Darjeeling Hills and asked the GJM leadership to call off its indefinite bandh. “There is no question of any division of Bengal,” he told reporters in Raigunj. Meanwhile, during the 10-hour relaxation in the bandh, trucks and lorries carrying food and other items entered and left Darjeeling area freely, barring a small interruption near Siliguri, where Bangla Banchaon Committee, allegedly CPM-backed, tried to stop the vehicles from reaching the plains. The GJM leaders said the 8 am-6 pm breather was given to help the people and allow outstation students to reach their schools and colleges in Darjeeling. Since the GJM exempted all educational institutions from the bandh, schools and colleges opened up today in Darjeeling and neighbouring areas. Tea gardens and cinchona plantations in the area also opened up and workers joined their work, since these two were kept out of the purview of the bandh from today. The indefinite bandh has been called from July 12 in Darjeeling and adjoining areas. TT, Kolkata, July 20: The Gorkha Janmukti Morcha today came down heavily on union finance minister Pranab Mukherjee for opposing the Gorkhaland demand and said he was speaking against the Constitution. “The statement given by Mukherjee only shows why we need to separate. He has failed to understand the emotions of the hill people. He is speaking as a leader from Bengal and not as a minister of the country. Mukherjee seems to have total disregard for the Constitution of India as our demand is constitutional and there are provisions within the constitution for the formation of new states,” Harka Bahadur Chhetri, the media and publicity secretary of the Morcha, said in Darjeeling. Mukherjee had said yesterday at Raiganj that the Centre was willing to grant Sixth Schedule status to the hills and sit for a dialogue for giving more powers but had rejected the statehood demand. “The demand is being currently handled by the home ministry and the finance minister has no right to issue any statement on an issue which is not under his jurisdiction. Let him talk on finance. Moreover, Mukherjee is not the government by himself,” said Chhetri. On the issue of the Sixth Schedule, Morcha general secretary Roshan Giri rejected Mukherjee’s offer. “The Sixth Schedule is a closed chapter and our demand has nothing to do with it,” said Giri. The Morcha said that it was not “unduly worried” about Mukherjee’s statement and said such opinions were expected from “union ministers from Bengal”. “It merely reflects their arrogance which is against the aspiration of the hill people,” added Chhetri. As the Morcha allowed a 10-hour break in the indefinite strike today, the hill people went on a buying spree. The relaxation was from 8am to 6pm. Markets were overcrowded but many residents had to face disappointment, as there were no vegetables available. “There was no way of bringing in vegetables in such a short time. We could only sell potatoes and onions which we had stocked,” said a trader. Not just vegetables, almost every item was short on demand. The Morcha provided the relaxation after a week-long strike. From tomorrow, Darjeeling will again face the strike. Surendra Gupta, the Darjeeling district magistrate, said he had not yet received a letter on the August 11 tripartite meeting in New Delhi. In Calcutta, Bengal home secretary Ardhendu Sen said at Writers’ Buildings that Darjeeling district magistrate had requested the Morcha to withdraw the strike as the Centre had announced tripartite talks on August 11. TT, Siliguri, July 20: Around 50 vehicles left Siliguri for the hills with essential commodities today, making use of the 10-hour relaxation in the indefinite strike called by the Gorkha Janmukti Morcha. Although members of some anti-Morcha organisations put up blockades at few places in Siliguri, the goods movement went off peacefully and the brisk sale was a relief for the traders who had been incurring losses ever since the strike began on July 13. Since morning, trucks and other vehicles from Darjeeling, Kurseong and Kalimpong – the three subdivisions in the hills – started coming down to collect essential commodities from local markets. “At least 15-20 vehicles carrying vegetables, fruits and fish left for the hills today. There was a transaction of around Rs 30 lakh today,” said Tapan Saha, the secretary of the Siliguri Regulated Market Merchants’ United Forum. “Our members had been incurring losses since July 14, when a full-fledged strike started in the hills,” he said. “There could have been some more business today, but blockades and a rumour that strike had been called in Siliguri today by some anti-Morcha forces hampered further trade,” he added. Traders at the regulated markets and places like the Khalpara area are dependent on the hills, which account for 50 per cent of their business. Sujit Bose, an executive committee member of the Siliguri Merchants’ Association, said: “Because of the relaxation in the strike, about 30 vehicles, loaded with groceries and foodgrains, left for the hills. The transaction on any normal working day at Khalpara market is Rs 6-7crore but today, there was hardly 30-40 per cent of the business.” Robin Rai, a trader from Darjeeling who reached here by 8.30am, was carrying potatoes, onions and ginger. “It is natural that the strike led to the shortage of these items in the hill markets..” The Bangla O Bangla Bhasha Bachaon Committee, which has been protesting against the indefinite strike and the demand for the separate state, blocked the main entrance to the regulated market from 7am to 9.30am. Its members also staged a similar protest on Nehru Road in Khalpara for one hour at noon. “We simply wanted to send our message to the Morcha that if it does not withdraw the indefinite agitation this week, we will call a 72-hour strike here,” said Mukunda Majumdar, the president of the committee. The Amra Bangali also organised a half-an-hour blockade at Darjeeling More around 3pm. Anti-Gorkhaland groups detain vehicles carrying replenishments SNS,SILIGURI, 20 JULY: The anti-Gorkhaland Siliguri-based pressure group “Bangla O Bangla Bhasa Bachao Committee” and another radical outfit, the “Aamra Bangli”, detained vehicles purportedly carrying replenishments to the Darjeeling hills at several important intersections of the town today, protesting against the GJMM sponsored indefinite shutdown in the Hills. The police later made way for the vehicles to move towards their destinations.
According to the BOBBBC president, Dr Mukunda Majumder, they resorted to roadblock at Darjeeling More and Burdwan Road to prevent provisions from being transported into the hills from Siliguri. “We blockaded Darjeeling More from 7 am to 10 am and Burdwan Road-Nehru Raod junction at around 11.30 am with the same purpose. We withdrew the blockade following police intervention,” he added. Dwelling on the objective of such an obstructionist programme, Dr Majumder said: “Today's agitation was a mere trailer of what is to come if the GJMM strike drags on. Besides, we might convene a north Bengal bandh and stage a total roadblock to the Hills the day the GJMM withdraws its agitation,” he said.
Expressing anguish on the revival of the Sixth Schedule proposal, the pressure group leader said that it was more dangerous than Gorkhaland from the point of view of the state's interests. “If the hills are incorporated in the Sixth Schedule of the Constitution, several embargoes on the movement and rights of the ‘outsiders’ would be legitimised, resulting in the non-Nepali populace being reduced to as aliens. We would never brook such nonsense and would resist it tooth and nail,” he affirmed. The “Aamra Bangali” also staged roadblocks at Darjeeling More and Hashmi Chowk, demanding prompt action against ‘the GJMM disruptionists'. The party activists burnt the Union Home minister Mr P Chidambaram and the GJMM president Mr Bimal Gurung in effigy at Hashmi Chowk. “We also served a memorandum to the President of India, the Union Home minister and the Darjeeling district magistrate through the office of the Siliguri sub divisional officer, demanding stringent action against the disruptionisits, masquerading as Grokhaland protagonists,” said the outfit's district president Mr Khusi Ranjan Mondal, hinting that they might resort to roadblocks in a big way in near future if the present state of things continued. Making best use of bandh relaxation Statesman News Service , KURSEONG, 20 JULY: Making best use of the 10-hour relaxation to the GJMM bandh after seven days today, people in the Darjeeling Hills stocked up as best as they could to fortify themselves against another stretch of uncertainty.
Criticising the ongoing situation in the Darjeeling hills the All India Gorkha League, chief, Mr Madan Tamang today said that the state government has proved itself impotent when it comes to the Darjeeling hills.
“The administration has ceased to exist in the Darjeeling hills and law and order has passed on in the hands of the Gorkhaland Personnel and the GJMM youth wings.
Under the circumstances, Article 357 should be imposed in the Darjeeling hills.
The West Bengal government has no moral right to deal with the Darjeeling hills issue any more,” Mr Tamang said.
“The AIGL would write to the Union Home ministry seeking imposition of Article 357 in the Darjeeling hills,” he added. The GJMM leadership avoided attaching importance to Mr Tamang's statement.
“The GJMM is not concerned with such matters. We are only concerned with the Article that permits the formation of the separate state of Gorkhaland,” said the GJMM assistant general secretary Mr Binay Tamang.
Mr Tamang also refused to acknowledge Union finance minister Mr Pranab Mukherjee's recent statement against the possibility of the creation of Gorkhaland.
“Mr Mukherjee is not larger than the Constitution. If the Constitution allows the provision for a separate state, no one can stop its formation,” Mr Tamang said. Statesman News Service , SILIGURI, 20 JULY: The state urban development minister and a senior CPI-M leader Mr Asok Bhattacharya has asked the Centre to immediately outlaw the Gorkhaland personnel, an affiliate of the GJMM constellation. He also pleaded for postponement of the next round of tripartite dialogue slated on 11 August in New Delhi in view of the continuing bandh in the Darjeeling hills. The party's youth wing, DYFI threatened to bring life in Siliguri to a standstill if the Centre and the state government remained mute spectators in the face of ‘the dragging lawlessness’ in the hills.
Mr Bhattacharya said that a parallel law enforcing machinery apparently challenging the state police was inadmissible in a democratic polity. “ The Centre should take stringent action against the GLP before the situation in the strife-torn Darjeeling hills spirals out of administrative control,” he said.
He further said that the scheduled tripartite talks would be reduced to a meaningless exercise in the surcharged atmosphere in the hills. “Dialogue and confrontation in the form of an indefinite shutdown cannot go hand in hand in a sensible society. Talks in such an acrimonious atmosphere would produce more heat than light. These should be deferred till the situation in the hills normalise,” the CPI-M leader said.
Accusing the Congress of indulging in the worst kind of equivocative politics, Mr Bhattacharya said that the central and the state leadership of the party seemed working at cross purposes vis-à-vis the hill tangle.
“While Mr Pranab Mukherjee is categorically ruling out the state's division, the state and the Darjeeling district leaderships continues hobnobbing with the GJMM to keep its political base in the hills intact. This dubiousness imbues the intractable tangle with a sinister hue,” he added.
The Darjeeling district DYFI secretary Mr Shankar Ghosh today threatened to launch an agitation to force the Centre and the state out of its ‘seeming somnolence over the burning issue'. ‘Our patience in the face of growing audacity on the part of the GJMM and the petulant subservience of the Centre and the state government to its overt browbeating is running thin. We might resort to a vigorous agitation in Siliguri without derailing normal life if such passivity on the administration's part continues,” he said. SIKKIM FILM NOMINATED FOR SHORT FILM CONTEST GANGTOK, 20 JULY: A short film written and directed by Sikkim based journalist, Mr BP Bajgain would compete at the Agyaat Short film contest, initiated by Bollywood director Ram Gopal Verma. The short film “Fear Lies Within” was submitted to the amateur filmmakers’ category. The film would also participate in the 11th Mumbai International Film Festival for documentary, short & animation films scheduled in February next year and also at the Common Film Festival scheduled in April next year at Manchester, United Kingdom. ;SNS Sikkim teachers go off to UK SNS, GANGTOK, 20 JULY: Eight teachers from Sikkim would go to the United Kingdom under the UK-India Education and Research Initiative (UKIERI) in September.
According to officials at the state human resource development department (HRDD), eight teachers from a cluster of six schools at Namchi, South district would attend eight partner schools of Cornwall County, UK. The Sikkimese teachers would be involved in teaching and learning, cultural exchange programmes, and would also present talks on Indian traditions during their fortnight long stay. The trained teachers would be later deployed as resource persons to provide primary teacher training in the state.
In March this year, eight British teachers were at Namchi for a fortnight-long exchange programme. It is learnt; the team taught and interacted with students of the six schools under the Namchi cluster.
The UKIERI aims to substantially improve educational links between India and the UK to become each other's partner of choice in education in the long run.
The plan involves exchange programmes on Higher Education, Research, Schools and Professional and Technical Skills of both the teachers and students.
It is also learnt that over 380 schools have been selected for the programme in India and UK. Among the total 37 clusters of schools, four clusters in the first year and two clusters in the second year have been sponsored by Shell, BP, GSK and BAE. 14 held for stealing green tea leaves SNS, JALPAIGURI, 20 JULY: Fourteen people were arrested today from Kailashpur tea plantation of Kranti, Malbazaar block, after labourers there caught them red-handed while they were looting green tea leaves from the plantation.
A group of around 18 people entered the garden at about 1.30 a.m. to loot green tea leaves.
“We received information that some people would try to loot valuable tea leaves from our plantation and so last night we were fully prepared for them. Today at around 4 am we found the thieves doing just that,” said Mr Budhram Munda, a labourer of that tea plantation.
Soon, a large crowed of labourers had gathered around the thieves, who tried to flee. But the labourers caught them and kept them in the tea factory, locking the plantation gate.
Hearing the news, a large police force from Jalpaiguri including the SP Jalpaiguri Mr Anand Kumar and the SDPO Malbazaar Mrs Nikita Phoning reached the spot after some time to rescue the accused.
But the labourers first refused to hand over the criminals to the police and assaulted them in front of the police. After a long attempt, the police ultimately succeeded in rescuing them.
According to police sources, the tea-leaf carrying van and another car that the criminals used, fled before the police could reach there.
Also the police recovered 16 bags of looted tea leaves from the spot.
The SP Jalpaiguri Mr Anand Kumar said two of the thieves were injured after the labourers assaulted them physically and both had to be admitted to Malbazaar Hospital.
“Some security guards of the tea factory seem to have been connected to this gang and we have initiated a probe into the matter.
Fourteen people have been arrested and most of them are residents of Jalpaiguri district,” added the SP.
The manager of the tea plantation Mr Manish Roy confirmed that some of the security guards were involved in the gang and police have arrested a few of them.
The plantation management has filed a FIR in Malbazaar PS TT, Midnapore, July 20: Child- ren made to march in front of a Lalgarh procession today got sandwiched between some 10,000 Maoist-backed protesters and a wall of police. The baton charge that followed left at least half a dozen of them bruised. The People’s Committee Against Police Atrocities had used the schoolchildren as a human shield in the push for withdrawal of security forces from a village 12km from Lalgarh where they have been camping in a high school. Women formed the second tier of the procession and bore the brunt. Five of them are in hospital with broken arms and head injuries. Two others were allowed to return home with stitches on their head. A villager said parents were threatened with kangaroo court trials — where Maoists usually pronounce the death sentence — if they did not send their children for the march to Gohomidanga High School. “Committee members told us last night our children must be in front,” said a man whose daughter is in Class VIII. “They told us ‘tomorrow we will drive the forces away and take control of the school’. We would have been tried in a ‘people’s court’ had we not sent our children.” Around 11am, some 700 children, many of them in school uniform, assembled about a kilometre from Gohomidanga along with 10,000 adults carrying traditional tribal weapons. The students were asked to keep a distance of about 100 metres from the main procession and given cardboard placards saying “go back police”, “give back our school”. Around 300 central and state police personnel have been staying in the school building since July 1. As the students neared its gate, the police asked them to stop. But the students tried to push ahead and some of them caught the gate’s iron grilles and started shaking it. When 100-odd personnel — both men and women — tried to push the students back, they could not because the large mass of committee supporters had closed in behind them. Then stones were hurled from behind, three policemen were hit and the deputy superintendent in charge of the camp ordered the lathicharge. The crowd dispersed, but the villagers soon regrouped and re-emerged, hurling stones at the police. The lathicharge resumed. During the clash, some of the villagers rushed to block the road between Dharampur and Brindabanpur so reinforcements could not be brought in from Lalgarh town. Around 1.30pm, the villagers left the school for a place 2km away where committee member Sundar Mandi addressed them. “We are taking an oath. We will drive out the forces from the area, even if there is bloodshed,” Mandi said. In Calcutta, home secretary Ardhendu Sen described the lathicharge on students as “very unfortunate” and expressed regrets. “There was a mild lathicharge on students in Lalgarh today and that’s very unfortunate. We are very sorry for that,” he said. West Midnapore police chief Manoj Verma said the cops had no option but to resort to the baton charge. “Stones were raining on us. Our efforts to persuade them to disperse had failed.” Asked why the police did not use tear gas, Verma said: “We did not want to use it on the children. The villagers were using them as a shield.” A Class X student who was hit on the back said: “The police should understand why we came today. Don’t they know who forced us to march?” A week ago, nearly 600 students had marched to the Gohomidanga school demanding that the forces be withdrawn. Villagers said the protest, which began spontaneously among the students, was later hijacked by the Maoists and their sympathisers. The home secretary iterated that the police camps in schools in the area would be vacated by July-end. “Four permanent camps to relocate the police are ready. Another eight will be coming up in the next few days. We are also trying to find out if the police can be moved out of schools during the day and brought back when classes close.” Sen said the police action in Lalgarh would continue. “Going by the experience in other Naxalite-hit states, it’s not possible to wind up the operation in a month or two.” Jawans scanning the Bankishole forest, 30km from Gohomidanga, were ambushed tonight. No casualties were reported but the gun battle raged for an hour. The jawans defused four explosive devices planted on their way. Landmine explodes near Lalgarh; lathicharge at school PTI, Lalgarh (WB), July 20: A landmine exploded at Baniksole in West Midnapore distrist as security forces combed 43 villages on the second day of the three-day bandh called by People&apossCommittee against Police Atrocities (PCPA), a tribal organisation. No casualty was reported in the blast. The landmine went off at a jungle in Bankisole, which together with Dharampore and Kadasole areas, all within a proximity of around 2-4 km from Lalgarh, were combed for Maoists, police said. TRUCKERS OUT OF COMMERCIAL VEHICLES STRIKE-FROM 24th Kolkata July 20 Truck operators in West Bengal today decided not to join the indefinite strike of the all commercial vehicles in the state slated to begin from July 24. After a meeting, the truck operators have decided not to join the strike called byBanijik Paribahan Bachao Committee ( Save CommercialTransport Committee), general secretary of the Federation of West Bengal Truck Operators' Association Satyajit Majumdar said. However, the association will meet on July 28 to decide on the future course of action, he added. The trucker&aposs association had asked for extension of the phase out period and demanded financial package for truckers. |
Weather Report Dated 20.07.2009
Generally cloudy sky. Chance of intermittent rain. Maximum and minimum temperatures likely to be around 24°C and 19°C respectively.
Gangtok city forecast of Max., Min. & Wx. Condition
| Valid for the period | Max inoC | Min inoC | Rainfall in mm | Wx condition |
| Next 24 hours | 24 | 19 | 011.0 | Intermitten Moderate Rain |
| Next 48 hours | 23 | 18 | 008.0 |
Intermitten Moderate Rain |
Met data dated 20.07.2009
| Today’s Sun sets at (in IST) | 18:29 | Tomorrow Sun rises at (in IST) | 04:51 |
| Moon rises at (in IST) | 03:34 | Moon sets at (in IST) | 17:55 |
| 24 hours rainfall( in mm) | 004.6 | ||
| Max Temp. (in 0C) | 24.4 | Dep. from normal | +1.4 |
| Min Temp. (in 0C) | 19.3 | Dep. from normal | +2.3 |
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Violation of rules in Environmental Clearances
New Delhi, July 20 (IANS) India’s swine flu cases continue to rise with 11 more people detected with influenza A (H1N1) virus Monday, taking the tally to 308 in the country. “So far, 1,595 people have been tested so far, of whom 308 are positive for Influenza A virus,” a statement issued here said.
Of the 308 positive cases, 183 have been discharged, it added. Children continue to test positive for the flu.
The 11 new confirmed cases have been reported from Delhi (4), Hyderabad (2), Pune (2), Cochin (2) and Chennai (1).
Of the four cases in Delhi, one is an 18-year-old boy, who had travelled from Singapore, and had reached the national capital July 9.
“He reported with symptoms of cough and sore-throat at the identified health facility July 18,” it said. His test confirmed Monday that he has the flu.
Two girls - 17 years and 12 years - got the virus through a contact in a school in Delhi.
In Hyderabad, an eight-year-old girl, who travelled from London via Delhi, Jaipur and finally reached Hyderabad on July 15, tested positive for the flu.
The other case is of a 25-year-old man, who had come from London via Dubai, reaching Hyderabad on July 18, was found to be infected with the influenza.
In Pune, two cases were reported. Both are boys - 13 and 10 years - and got the virus through a person who had the flu earlier.
In Cochin, an 18-year-old girl, who travelled from London via Doha, reaching Cochin July 16, tested positive.
In Chennai, a 12-year-old girl, who travelled from London via Frankfurt, reaching Chennai July 16, tested positive for swine flu, officials said here.
Assam fighter Gome Thapa in Indian Kung-fu squad at the Hong Kong International Kungfu Festival.
Nanda Kirati Dewan, Guwahati. -
Fund raising initiative- last meeting held on 19th July today in presence of Gome Thapa in AAGSU office
GOME THAPA BEFORE HIS DEPARTURE
TO HONGKONG AT THE AIRPORT WITH AAGSU OFFICIALS
Gome a typical Gorkha name and Thapa a popular Gorkhali surname the combo Gome Thapa is no known face of Assam till toady. An inhabitant of Durgasarbar Hill side of the city, Thapa has been playing this sports for the last 15 years. On Friday he was flown from Guwahati to New Delhi for immigration and travel document processing to participate at the prestigious Hong Kong International Kung Fu festival’s “World GOUSHU (Chinese Martial Arts) Competion in aegis All Assam Gorkha Students’ Union. Gome Thapa is a national Kunf-fu (GOUSHU) player and Chief Technical Director and General Secretary All Assam (Chinese Martial Arts) Kungfu Association. He is a member of five member Indian squad to the prestigious competition. It is for the third time that he has been selected for such international competition but he could not join the former two, due to financial constraint.
Financially weak Thapa had dropped the dream of participating at the competition for which the expenses (travel & joining fees) comes around Rs.80,000/- only. Some of his sources asked him to approach AAGSU at Nepali Mandir office for financial help. On his approach the apex organization of Gorkhas AAGSU came to rescue their Gorkha brother. The donation drive started from Assam Sports Minister Bharat Narah who reluctantly made a contribution of Rs.5000/- which is still under process. On request to consider this case by Kamrup Dist. Advisor of AAGSU Pitamber Joshi, Narah replied that it was too late to allot fund for the palyer while the state cabinet are busy due to hectic schedule on visit of AICC General Secretary Rahul Gandhi. Even former MP and President Assam Gorkha Sammelan Mani Kr. Subba did not come to rescue. However on several requests by AAGSU he has promised to pay Rs.20,000/- on his return thereby Pitamber Joshi has drawn a loan of Rs.20,000/- from a trader to make Gome Thapa’s dream true. AAGSU had to exchange heated words at the Regional Passport Office to get his passport issued in time. AAGSU has bore all the rest of his expenses a noble gesture . Speaking to this correspondent at the LGBI Airport in Guwahati, Thapa emotionally thanked All Assam Gorkha Students’ Union, donors and well wishers. He promised to live up the expectations of people back home and emabrace his nation with a international medal. We wish him all the very best.
Wishes and greetings to Gome Thapa may sent atgomethapa@yahoo.co.inorctmasaindia@gmail.com.
However a week (from 21st- 26th July 2009) stay in Hong Kong would cost him another Rs. 20,000/-. GOME THAPA FUND RAISING sub committee of AAGSU requests to make possible contributions to Gome Thapa in his State Bank of India account no. 10242819837.
Dam ‘MoU virus’ threatens Arunachal Pradesh
103 hydropower agreements signed in 40 months; 31 just before Lok Sabha polls
Jindal, Reliance, other private players pay huge upfront advances
Ecologically and culturally sensitive state under assault from multiple large dams
Itanagar, July 17: Arunachal citizens Right(ACR) have raised concern about the rapid pace at which the state government has signed Memoranda of Agreement (MoAs) with hydropower companies in recent times. As per an RTI reply to the Arunachal Citizens’ Rights (ACR) the state government has signed MoAs for 103 hydropower projects for a total of 30, 000 MW since February 2006. 31 of these MoUs/MoAs were signed in just five months before the Lok Sabha polls, each accompanied by huge monetary advances. The state plans to sign a total of 135 MoAs for 57,000 MW.
The former Minister of State for Power, Mr. Jairam Ramesh, had referred to this phenomenon as a ‘MoU virus’ in May 2008. But the state government has only speedened up the process since, while New Delhi has been rapidly granting central clearances. For example, in the last two years the Ministry of Environment & Forests (MoEF) has given pre-construction clearances to 33 projects and final environmental clearance to one project in the state, not rejecting even a single project! Arunachal is an ecologically and geologically fragile, seismically active and culturally sensitive state. Two out of the three global biodiversity hotspots which cover India traverse the frontier state: Himalaya and Indo-Burma. The state is home to a diversity of small populations of indigenous (tribal) communities, whose rights have been protected through constitutional and legal protection, particularly with respect to land rights and restricted entry of outside persons in the culturally sensitive indigenous territories. However, local communities’ feel that the large dam juggernaut is in contradiction to these safeguards.
A major concern is the influx of 4-500,000 outside workers to build 135 dams, which is likely to upset the demographic and socio-cultural fabric of the tribal state. Since these mega dams are long gestation projects, presence of such a large work force for long periods will also put a severe pressure on the rich forests of the state, huge areas of which will also be lost due to submergence.Compensatory mechanisms put in place will also involve converting large areas of Unclassified State Forests (under community control) into Protected Forests (under state control). Thus indigenous communities will see a major undermining of their rights over the entire landscape. Public consultation and green clearances have been reduced to a farcical cosmetic exercise as project developers have already paid huge advances at the time of signing agreements. Cumulative upstream and downstream impacts of so many large projects have also been ignored.
The MoU virus took speed in the five months preceding the Lok Sabha polls and major private players who signed MoAs in this period include the Jindal’s and Reliance. The Jindal’s signed agreements for two projects totaling 4500 MW in December 2008 and paid an advance of Rs. 297.5 crores to the state government. Reliance Energy Ltd. signed agreements for four projects totaling 2520 MW in March 2009 and paid Rs. 98 crores as advance. Reliance had already signed two agreements earlier in 2006, one of which (1000 MW Siyom) was taken away from state-owned NHPC Ltd. and given to the private company.The two projects worth 4500 MW signed by Jindal were also earlier awarded to state owned NTPC, but were taken away as they could not pay upfront advances demanded by the state government.
Conflicts over the dams (including in downstream areas) have exploded in the last two years. Youth asking for ecologically and socially sensitive development in the state have been at the forefront of local movements. Activists have appealed to the citizens’ of this country to intervene before the dam ‘MoU virus’ destroys the peaceful state. They have also appealed to the state and central governments for a moratorium on new agreements and clearances to large dams in the state.
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