Liquor ban & party purge on agenda - Morcha movement from November & panchayat offices to be shut down too

Gorkhaland Personnel perform at Chowrastha and (below) a cultural programme at the same venue on Sunday. Pictures by Suman Tamang TT,Darjeeling, Oct. 25: Gorkha Janmukti Morcha president Bimal Gurung today announced a fresh set of agitation programmes, which includes a “ban” on off-liquor shops from November 7. The agitation could also culminate in the declaration of Gorkhaland if the next round of talks fail in December, the Morcha leader threatened. It will, however, start with the expulsion of corrupt leaders from the party.. The “ban” on the liquor shops has been aimed at blocking the government’s revenue collection. “During the festive period, the Bengal government collected Rs 40-50 crore as excise duty from liquor sales in the hills,” Gurung said. The Morcha announcement has come as a blow to hotels and restaurants. “We buy our supplies from the off-shops (which do not have bars or where liquor can only be bought) and about 70 per cent of visitors to restaurant-cum-bars consume alcohol. We will lose a lot of revenue because of this,” a hotel owner said. Sales from the off-shops had picked up ever since the Gorkhaland Personnel, the voluntary squad of the Morcha, cracked down on liquor being smuggled in from Sikkim that was available to locals at much cheaper rates. By Gurung's estimates, the sales had peaked during the festive season that began with Vishwakarma Puja on September 17 and continued through Diwali. While the state excise department might lose out on revenue, the 70-odd establishments — off-shops as well as hotels and restaurants with bars — might have to bear the brunt. However, none of them were forthcoming in revealing the sales figures. “About 70 per cent of our clientele order drinks. For each bill that we draw up, at least 50 per cent is spent on liquor,” said the manager of a restaurant in town. The “ban” is expected to mount pressure on the government before the next round of tripartite talks to be held in Darjeeling, similar to the non-cooperation movement launched by the Morcha before the first round of talks last year. The party had then asked the people of the hills to refrain from paying their electricity bills. Addressing a programme to mark the end of a month-long cultural fest at Chowrastha, Gurung did not spare his party members too. “During the two-year agitation, many leaders have bought expensive cars, built houses, sat with engineers in hotel rooms and accepted money and amassed wealth. I have a complete report on them and the party’s secretary will start sending notices to all of them from tomorrow,” he told the gathering. Gurung said the expulsion notices would be first sent to Kalimpong. This is the first time that Gurung has admitted that his party members are involved in corruption. He said tainted leaders were in all wings of the party. The Morcha has also decided to restart using Gorkhaland on signboards. But, unlike in the past, it will refrain from replacing “West Bengal” from the government signboards for sometime. “I will declare Gorkhaland and will impose home rule. During the time, the Gorkhaland Personnel will collect tea, motor vehicle, boulder and other taxes if the December talks are inconclusive,” Gurung said. The Morcha also felicitated a dozen sportspersons, artists and writers from Darjeeling. Former footballer Shyam Thapa was among those who were presented with one tola (a little less than 10gm) of gold, a citation and a khukuri each. Gurung announces indefinite closure of liquor shops SNS,KURSEONG, 25 OCT: In keeping with the tradition of issuing diktats at the close of a major programme, the GJMM president, Mr Bimal Gurung asked for an indefinite closure of all the liquor shops under the state government's excise department in the three Hill sub-divisions. In addition, the panchayat offices would also remain closed again for an indefinite period from 7 November and the dress code would remain mandatory for three days a week for the college students in the hills. Mr Gurung issued these diktats in Darjeeling today at a function marking the end of the month-long cultural movement. Similar functions were held in Kurseong and Kalimpong too addressed by the GJMM leaders. Informing that his organization would embark on a new phase of agitation from 7 November, Mr Gurung said that it would continue for an indefinite period. “We would neither allow the state's excise department to keep swelling its coffers at the expense of the Hill people nor would we allow the panchayat offices to function from 7 November. Besides, all the hotels and restaurants would have to flaunt Gorkhaland sign boards in their fronts,” he said. Urging the college students in the Hills to don the traditional apparel three days in a week the GJMM leader said that the dress code would remain mandatory for a year. “Besides, we would expel the corrupt leaders from the party, for the GJMM is movement, not a refuge for the scums of the society,” he declared. Toy Train To receive vestibule coaches ANI, Darjeeling, Oct.25: World famous toy train of Darjeeling in West Bengal has received vestibule coaches, which now enables its passengers, who had to earlier jump off the train to enter another compartment, to amble along from one end to the other. Speaking to media after conducting the first successful trial run, Subrata Nath, Director of Darjeeling Himalayan Railway (DHR), disclosed it to media persons on Sunday (October 25). "We are going to introduce vestibule coaches where a person can move from one coach to another coach. And we are taking a trial run. We have already taken one trial. We will take another one or more trials. This will be the first time in any of the India hill railway that vestibule coaches are introduced," said Subrata Nath, Director, Darjeeling Himalayan Railways. Darjeeling Himalayan Railway (DHR) is popularly known as the Darjeeling toy train. The train with vestibule coaches is expected to become operational from November 1. The Darjeeling Himalayan Railway (DHR), which runs the toy train, was conferred world heritage status in 1999. It is the second railway line in the world to be declared a UNESCO heritage site, the first being the Zemerin in Austria. The Darjeeling Himalayan Railways (DHR) route passes through Ghoom, the second highest railway station in the world, situated at a height of 7,407 feet. The arc shaped loop at Ghoom as the train chugs up or down the tracks is a prominent tourist attraction. This narrow gauge train is referred as 'Toy' because of its relatively small size and the snail pace at which it chugs vis-�-vis other trains hauled by powerful diesel or electric locomotives. The train still maintains its quaintness with wood compartments and no brakes. It travels at a speed of 10 kilometres per hour. The engineering marvel used by DHR was inspirational for several mountain railways in the world. For this very reason, the UNESCO declared it as a world heritage site in 1999. As such it is still preserved and operated despite several constraints such as the cost and other odds encountered during monsoon season. DHR was the result of the sole effort of Frankin Prestage, Agent of the then Eastern Bengal Railways, who not only envisioned it but also played a major part in its construction. By Tarak Sarkar (ANI) Writer dead TT,Kalimpong: Author Kamala Sankrityayana, the wife of traveller and historian Rahul Sankrityayana, passed way in Siliguri on Sunday following a massive stroke. She was 79. Family sources said her body would be taken to Darjeeling for funeral. Kamala taught in Loreto College (now Southfield College) from 1972 to 1996 and was a recipient of the Bhanu Puraskar in 1982 and in 2000. Her works include Vichar ani Vivechana and Divyamani. The author is survived by three children Jaya, Jeta and Jayant. Teak haul TT,Alipurduar: Forest officials of the Wildlife III division seized illegal teakwood worth Rs 1.5 lakh from an abandoned place behind the Jaigaon bus stand on Sunday. The officials, however, could not arrest anybody. Song fest TT,Siliguri: The Bangla Gan Utsav Committee will organise its 5th song festival here from December 17-20. Around 300 singers from across north Bengal will participate in the festival to be held at the auditorium of Margaret (Sister Nivedita) English School at Pradhannagar here. The auditions will be held in the first week of December. Schools meet TT,Siliguri: The Rotary Club of Siliguri Midtown organised its 11th Rotafest, an inter-school quiz, antakshari and debate competition, here on Sunday. Student from 16 schools of the district participated in the meet. Fire kills painter’s children - 150 huts gutted, Rs 2 lakh for victims’ family Smoke billows from the burning huts in Siliguri on Sunday. Picture by Kundan Yolmo TT, Siliguri, Oct. 25: A painter lost his two minor children in a fire that ripped through a slum here early this morning, destroying more than 150 shanties. Fire brigade officers and people’s representatives said the death toll might have been higher had most families not gone out of their huts in Matangini Hazra Colony II for Chhat Puja celebrations. The victims — 10-year-old Kajol Kamti and Avishek Kamti, 5, — were sleeping in the hut, along with their elder brother Suraj, when the fire broke out in the slum around 3.30am. “We had come out when the flames were devouring other huts in the neighbourhood. While I was standing outside, watching the blaze, my brother and sister entered the house, perhaps in search of me, and died,” said 12-year-old Suraj. Chandreswar, who ekes out a living by painting walls, and his wife Hema had gone to the Mahananda Ghat for puja with the four-month-old daughter when their two children were burnt to death. More than thousand people lived in the huts, which were made of bamboo poles and tin sheets. Most of the residents are day labours or rickshaw pullers. Tapan Ghosh, the divisional fire officer of Siliguri, said: “The fire had started from an earthen lamp in a shanty. Seven fire tenders from Siliguri and Matigara reached the spot immediately and doused the flames by 5.45am. But alleging that we were late in reaching the spot, the residents pelted our men with stones and two were injured.” Bengal urban development minister Asok Bhattacharya, Siliguri mayor Gangotri Dutta and several other political leaders visited the slum this morning. “Most of the families in the colony were out for puja. Otherwise, there might have been more casualties,” said the minister. “The state municipal affairs department will provide Rs 2 lakh to the deceased’s family. I will hold a meeting with the mayor, the local councillor and the residents to discuss the compensation and rehabilitation of the displaced people,” said Bhattacharya. The minister also talked to members of some NGOs and the Red Cross Society about the food arrangements and free medical check-up for the affected people. Later in the day, he announced that Rs 5 lakh would be released from the MLA Local Area Development Fund for the rehabilitation. The mayor said the civic administration would do the needful for the affected people. “The fire had consumed more than 150 huts. Our immediate task is to arrange for shelter and food for the homeless. Some temporary tents will be erected and baby food will be provided to the children. Once we ascertain the loss of property, matters like compensation and rehabilitation will be looked into,” said Dutta. Two arrested with carbine gun in Raiganj SNS, JALPAIGURI, 25 OCT: Rajganj police today arrested two men from Pankouri area and recovered a modern carbine gun from them less than a fortnight before the Assembly by-poll at Rajganj slated on 7November. According to the superintendent of police, Jalpaiguri, Mr Anand Kumar, both of the arrested have a criminal background. “Acting on a tip, the Rajganj police raided the Pankouri bus stand at around 11am and arrested Mr Prahalad Sarkar and Mr Muktadir Ansari. A modern automatic carbine gun was also seized from the duo,” he said. Mr Anand further informed that Mr Sarkar was a resident of Milan Palli of Mantadari gram panchayat under Rajganj block, while Mr Ansari was from Binnaguri Tea Plantation situated within Banarhat gram panchayat. “Prima facie it seems that the arrested duo has criminal intentions. Both were involved in robberies in the past. And there is strong ground to believe that they have trucks with an anti-India extremist outfit. We would produce them at the Jalpaiguri court tomorrow and ask for their police remand,” the SP said. However, denying the criminal tag being attached to them, Mr Sarkar said that a resident of Mantadari named Sashi had offered them a huge sum of money to depositing a bag at the Pankoiri bus stand. “We had not the least idea as regards the contents of the bag,” he said. Meanwhile, the rival political parties, desperate to gain mileage of the episode with the by- election breathing down their necks, have plunged into a blame game, accusing one another of complicity. While the CPI-M member of Parliament from Jalpaiguri, Mr Mahendra Roy alleged that Mr Prahlad Sarkar was an active member of the Trinamul youth Congress the Trinamul candidate from Rajgunj Mr Khageswar Roy put the blame on the CPI-M accusing it of engineering the episode to demoralise the Trinamul Congress before the crucial by-election at Rajgunj.