Hourly Forecast for Thursday Kalimpong, India Thursday 2 AM 5 AM 8 AM 11 AM 2 PM 5 PM 8 PM 11 PM Temperature / Dew Point (°C): 26 / 26 25 / 25 26 / 26 25 / 25 26 / 25 25 / 25 25 / 24 18 / 18 Heat Index: Humidity (%): 100% 100% 100% 98% 96% 100% 92% 95% Wind (km/h): 10 km/h SE (135°) 11 km/h SE (134°) 11 km/h SSE (160°) 8 km/h South (177°) 5 km/h South (178°) 0 km/h ESE (113°) 3 km/h SE (125°) 3 km/h ESE (104°) Conditions: Thunderstorm Rain Rain Rain Thunderstorm Chance of Rain Chance of Rain Overcast Probability of Precipitation (%): 90% 20.07 mm 90% 24.38 mm 100% 33.53 mm 100% 26.67 mm 70% 11.68 mm 40% 3.56 mm 20% 0.76 mm 10% Cloud Cover (%): 64% 100% 100% 100% 100% 99% 87% 99% Morcha warns BJP of tie-up review - Commitment should be as it was in the past, says Gurung

A parade by members of the Gorkhaland Personnel at Chowrastha on Wednesday. (Below) Gurung unfurls the party flag. Pictures by Suman Tamang Vivek Chhetri, TT, Darjeeling, Oct. 7: Bimal Gurung today said the Gorkha Janmukti Morcha “would not hesitate” to review its relation with the BJP if the saffron party failed to live up to its commitment towards the creation of Gorkhaland. The Morcha president, however, maintained that he was satisfied with the BJP leaders raising the Gorkhaland issue in Parliament. “Leaders like Rajiv Pratap Rudy, Jaswant Singh and Sushma Swaraj have raised the issue in Parliament and it has been recorded. I am satisfied with what they have done. In future, too, both the BJP and Jaswant Singh must remain committed to the cause. If they do not show the same commitment as (they did) in the past, we will not hesitate to review our relation,” said Gurung adding that the party would settle for nothing less than statehood. The threat to explore other options comes for the first time since the Morcha’s dalliance with the BJP and the subsequent thumping victory of Singh, the national party’s Darjeeling Lok Sabha candidate. Gurung was addressing a programme at Gorkha Rangamanch Bhavan to commemorate the second foundation day of the party. The programme, which was attended by representatives of the Gorkha community from some of the northeastern states, Calcutta and Uttarakhand, was shifted midway from Chowrastha following repeated spells of heavy rain. The Morcha leader did not hesitate to add that the party was not averse to aligning with the Congress if the situation so demanded. “Till the last moment before the Lok Sabha polls we had kept our options open even with the Congress. Since the BJP committed itself fully towards our cause, we supported them. Certain people with vested interests did not want the negotiations with the Congress to be successful,” said Gurung. This was also the first time that Gurung was speaking on the Morcha’s relation with Singh after he was expelled from the BJP following the controversy over his book on Mohammed Ali Jinnah. Gurung clarified that the party had deliberated extensively on fielding an independent candidate for the parliamentary polls. “However, I was firm in supporting a national party as we had to take the issue to the national stage which we have been able to.” The leader also warned that if the fourth round of tripartite talks between the Morcha, state and the Centre fails on December 21, he could declare the creation of Gorkhaland. Observers said the declaration would mean a stronger agitation, even though Gurung had said in the past he would never take the path of violence. The Morcha leader expressed his anguish over the people’s lukewarm response to the party’s call to wear traditional dress for a month starting from September 25. “This is our cultural movement to show that we are different from the rest of Bengal. I again appeal to all to wear the traditional dress on December 21 when the tripartite meeting takes place.” He said he would announce more programmes during a public meeting on October 25 and added that he would form a co-ordination committee of Gorkha representatives from across the Northeast and north India to strengthen the cause of Gorkhaland. The Morcha president today made it “mandatory” for college teachers also to wear traditional dresses three days a week, adding that he would not compel others to wear the dresses. “But I am making it compulsory for college students as they are our future and they need to understand our culture,” he said. Parties supporting Gorkhaland cause welcome: GJMM SNS, KURSEONG, 7 OCT: Celebrating its second foundation day today the GJMM leadership said that it was keeping its doors open to support other national parties if necessary for the sake of Gorkhaland. Speaking on the occasion in Darjeeling today, the GJMM chief Mr Bimal Gurung said the BJP and Darjeeling MP Jaswant Singh had raised voice for Gorkhaland in Parliament. “But if they do not take further initiative on the matter, we would support other national parties in the Centre for the sake of Gorkhaland.” Incessant rainfall since last night forced the GJMM to minimise the foundation day celebrations. However, traditional and cultural programmes were held in various parts of the hills. The GJMM leadership felicitated its activists and emphasised on their achievements for the past two years. Performers from Nepal and Manipur participated in the cultural programmes. Adivasi performers from the Terai and the Dooars also participated in the show. Darjeeling gets its Diwali gift SNS,SILIGURI, 7 OCT: By way of what it calls a “Diwali gift” for Darjeeling-bound passengers, the Darjeeling Himalayan Railway authority has decided to induct four vestibule coaches in the toy train that runs between New Jalpaiguri and Darjeeling from the day of Diwali. “Two of the four coaches would be first class, while the rest would be second class, which would include the luggage guard. If the plan materializes it would be the first toy train in the country with vestibule coaches,” said the director, Darjeeling Himalayan Railway Mr Subrata Nath. According to Mr Nath, there would be 17 seats in the first class coaches each while the second-class coaches would have 21 seats each. “The tariff for the first class coach tickets is pegged at Rs 250 while the fare would be Rs 50 for the second class,” Mr Nath said. This apart, the DHR would launch two joy rides on Darjeeling-Ghoom-Darjeeling routes on 21 and 26 October. “These rides would help cope with the mounting craze of the tourists for the ecstatic journey on the World Heritage train with the tourism season approaching its zenith,” he said. Referring to the growing demand for joy rides, Mr Nath said that they had 26- chartered bookings mostly by foreigners between September and April next year. “This indicates the romance of the ride along the water falls-swept Himalayan terrain has remained undimmed in spite of the massive changes transforming the landscape,” he added. Teesta rises, rafts on bank - Rain lashes hills and plains, weatherman forecasts showers for two more days A file picture of tourists rafting down the Teesta Rajiv Ravidas Kalimpong, Oct. 7: Torrential rain in the past 24 hours couldn’t have come at a worse time for the river rafting units at Melli and Teesta Bazaar, which were hoping for a brisk business during the tourism season. As the rain swelled the Teesta, the rafting in the river was cancelled today. The adventure sport was resumed only on September 25 after a hiatus of more than three months. On June 3, the DGHC administration had imposed a ban on the rafting after a tourist from Mumbai had drowned in a raft capsize. Subsequently, the ban was withdrawn, but with the arrival of the monsoon, the rafting could not be resumed till September 25. Sukbir Lama, vice-president of the Teesta-Rangit Raft Owners’ Association, said the administration allowed the rafting again after raft owners had promised to take additional safety measures. As part of the new safety measures, the units are sailing two rafts at a time: one with passengers on board and the other with two helpers and a guide. “The raft carrying passengers also has two helpers and a guide. Besides the three, eight passengers are accommodated on one raft,” said Lama. “Today, we on our own decided against rafting because of the rise in the water level of the river. We don’t want to take any risk and want to make the rafting as safe as possible,” said Lama. Rafting starts at Labarbote, near Melli, and culminates at two different points. While the short trip of about 7km stops at Ravi Jhora, the long ride ends at Baluakhani, 29 Mile, further 3km downstream. “We charge Rs 350 per head for the short journey and Rs 450 for the 10km long rafting,” said Lama. The association vice-president said the business this season was down by 30 per cent probably because the incident of the drowning was still fresh in the minds of the tourists. “Now with the heavens opening up in renewed vengeance, our earnings will take a further dip,” said Lama. He was, however, optimistic that if there was no further rain, the water level would come down in the next couple of days and the rafting could resume. Melli and Teesta have about 20 units with 45 to 50 rafts. They provide direct employment to about 150 people. Protest against Left Support in Mayor Election SNS, SILIGURI, 7 OCT: In what can be described as a strategic setback to the Darjeeling district Congress leadership, at least 12 of the 15 Congress councillors in the Siliguri Municipal Corporation have expressed reservation over the party’s decision to seek CPI-M support in electing a Congress mayor and asked the party’s state leadership not to bank on CPI-M support in future. “We should instead send overtures to the Trinamul Congress leadership to join us in forming the SMC board,” said an important Congress councillor, Mr Sujay Ghatak today. He further said that it was unethical on the part of the Congress to seek support from the CPI-M, keeping its electoral ally, Trinamul Congress at bay. “We could not have gone against the party directive being loyal Congress warriors, but a resentment was palpable from the very day the mayor was elected with the Left support. The decision literally came as a bolt from the blue which we are yet to comprehend,” he said. Mr Ghatak said that they had placed some proposals to the district Trinamul leadership in order to end the stalemate in the relation between the two allies. “We should bury the past and work together in strengthening our ties to take on the Left challenge in deference to the mandate and the popular will,” the Congress leader said. Reacting to Mr Ghatak's statement, a senior district Trinamul leader, Mr Pratul Chakavarty said that his party had not yet received any proposal from the Congress leadership regarding the SMC Board formation. “We have received informal proposals. But unless we receive a formal proposal duly addressed to the leader of the Opposition in the SMC we cannot comment,” he said. The Trinamul leader, however, added that in case the Congress sent a formal proposal, they would deliberate on it. “Mutual respect being the bedrock of a political alliance, the Congress should not take our support for granted. But if it mends its ways and shows respect we would consider any proposal,” Mr Chakrabarty said. Plea to open garden bungalows TT, Alipurduar, Oct. 7: Tour operators in north Bengal have said more visitors can be accommodated if vacant bungalows in Darjeeling and Jalpaiguri are made available for bookings. Raj Basu, the founder of Help Tourism, also demanded an online system to book rooms in the bungalows owned by various government departments. He said the operators had met the tourism minister, Manab Mukherjee, earlier this year and requested him to open the bungalows in the closed tea gardens and rent them out to the tourists. “Kalchini and Raimatang gardens have been shut since 2005. There are many bungalows on these estates and other gardens. The opening of these bungalows together with the introduction of an online system for the bookings will ensure the inflow of additional 3,000 visitors to north Bengal. The websites should be frequently updated also,” said Basu. To book bungalows in places like Buxa or Raimatang, an application has to be sent by post or submitted personally to the officer concerned. “This process takes at least seven days,” said a tour operator. Basu said the number of tourists visiting the Dooars had increased by 50 per cent. “We had also asked the minister to open an eco-tourism cell in Siliguri to provide more information about the environment-friendly facilities in Jalpaiguri and Darjeeling districts,” Basu added. Tour agencies fear dull season TT, Siliguri, Oct.7: Tour operators are worried that inflow of visitors to north Bengal and Sikkim will be hit if there is no let-up in the heavy rain that has been lashing the region for the past 24 hours. The rain comes at a time the tourism season is picking up and people are getting ready to celebrate Kali Puja. “We saw a huge footfall of tourists during Durga Puja that was celebrated without any climatic disturbances. But we are worried that the sudden shower will disrupt roads and vacationers will not be able to make it to the hills. The weather has caused immense havoc during the tourism season earlier this year,” said Santosh Gupta, the director of Travel Junction, a Darjeeling-based tour agency. “It is mostly south Indians who visit the region during the season that begins in mid-September and continues till the end of the year and they prefer warm climate to cold and wet weather spells. We hope that the rain does not last for too long,” he added. Weather experts, however, forecast that the incessant rain would continue for two more days before the sky became clear. “The heavy rain was caused by a low pressure that was formed in the region last evening. Otherwise, intermittent showers are normal at this time as the monsoon is yet to withdraw,” said Subir Sarkar, the in-charge of the weather station at North Bengal University. Tour operators in the Dooars, too, fear the wet weather might play spoilsport for the visitors who want to view animals in Gorumara National Park and Chapramari Wildlife Sanctuary. “The bookings this time are good compared to what we had received last year. But most animals take refuge deep inside the forest and do not come out during the wet weather. The tourists will be disappointed if they cannot see the animals. If the rain persists, we will lose many tourists who fly down to visit the Dooars at this time of the year,” said Kamal Bhowmik, the secretary of the Lataguri Resort Owners’ Association. असम नरसंहार घटनाको शंकामा 12 बोडो उग्रवादी पक्राउ 45 गोर्खा विद्यार्थीहरू रिहाई, मृतकका परिवारलाई 3 लाख HIMGIRI : Gangtok, - Thursday, October 08, 2009 : गान्तोक, 7 अक्टोबर: (हिस): असमको शोणितपुर जिल्ला अन्तर्गत बालिचाङमा गत 4अक्टोबरका दिन नरसंहारमा संलग्न हुने प्रतिवन्धित उग्रवादी संगठन नेशनल डेमोक्रेटिक फ्रण्ट अफ बोडोल्याण्ड(एनडीएफबी) -का 12 जना सदस्यहरूलाई भारतीय सेना र असम पुलिसले पक्राउ गरेको छ।ती 12 जना सदस्यहरू सो घटनामा सामेल थिए वा थिएनन् भन्ने कुरोमाथि जॉंच पड़ताल चलिरहेको छ।सो बारे असमका पुलिस महानिर्देशक(कानून) भाष्करज्योति महन्तले सम्वाददातालाई जनाएका छन्। उनले अझ भने, घटनामा संलग्न व्यक्तिहरूसित कुनै सम्झौता गरिइने छैन। फोटोः ह्त्यामा निधन भएका जम्मा 7 जना गोर्खाहरू लगायत अन्यको दाह संस्कार अर्कोतिर आज असमका मुख्यमन्त्री तरुण गोगइले गुवाहटी स्थित मेडिकल कलेजको भ्रमण गरी सो घटनामा घाइते भएर जीवन र मरणको बीच संघर्ष गरिरहेका पीड़ित व्यक्तिहरूको स्वास्थ्यबारे जानकारी लिए तथा मुख्यमन्त्रीको भ्रमण अवधिमा नै फुलेश्वरी गौड़ नामक एक घाइते आदिवासी महिलाको निधन भएपछि सो नरसंहारमा मृत्यु हुनेको संख्या14 पुगेको छ। भ्रमण अवधिमा मुख्यमन्त्री गोगइले सञ्चारकर्मीहरूसित बोल्दै असम सरकारले नागरिकहरूको जीवन सुरक्षा गर्न असमर्थ रहेको कुरो स्वीकार गरे साथै सो घटनामा संलग्न हुने व्यक्तिहरूलाई कठोरभन्दा कठोर कदम उठाइने पनि बताए। आजका असमका वन मन्त्री रकिबुल हुसैन र जनस्वास्थ अभियान्त्रिकी विभागीय मन्त्री नूर जामाल सरकारले बालिचाङको स्थलगत भ्रमण गरी घटनाबारे जानकारी लिएका छन्। भोलि मुख्यमन्त्री तरुण गोगईले बालिचाङको भ्रमण गरी मृतकका परिवारलाई भेट गर्ने समाचार प्राप्त भएको छ।सो घटनाको विरोधमा आज पनि असम लेबर एसोसिएसनले असम बन्दको आह्वान गरेको थियो। आजको बन्द केही स्थानहरूमा प्रभावशाली रहेको जानकारी पाइएको छ। फोटोः ह्त्यामा निधन भएका जम्मा 7 जना गोर्खाहरू लगायत अन्यको दाह संस्कार अर्कोतिर हिजोको बन्दको अवधिमा पुलिस हिरासतमा परेका 45 जना गोर्खा विद्यार्थीहरूलाई असम पुलिसले रिहाइ गरेको छ।सो घटनाको भत्सर्नाको क्रम जारी राख्दै असमका केही जातीय संगठन र सामाजिक संगठनहरूमा बंगाली फेडेरेसन, आदिवासी छात्र संघ, संख्यालघु छात्र संघ आदिले आफ्नो प्रतिनिधिहरूलाई बालिचाङको स्थलगत भ्रमण गराइएको जानकारी पाइएको छ।सो घटनामा मृत्यु हुनेहरूको परिवारलाई असम सरकारले तीन लाख रुपियॉं प्रति व्यक्ति प्रदान गर्ने घोषणा स्वास्थ्य मन्त्री तथा सरकारी प्रवक्ता डा. हिमन्त विश्व शर्माले जनाएका छन्।