FIVE YEARS RIGOROUS IMPRISONMENT TO THEN OFFICER OF STATE BANK OF INDIA AND FOUR YEARS RIGOROUS IMPRISONMENT TO TWO PRIVATE PERSONS IN A CHEATING CASE

The Special Judge, Tis Hazari Courts, Delhi, has convicted Sh. G.C. Jain, then Officer(Junior Management Grade Scale), State Bank of India and two private persons, Rakesh Kumar & Pramod Kumar in a cheating & forgery case. Sh. G.C. Jain was sentenced to undergo five years Rigorous Imprisonment with total fine of Rs. 2.70 lakh and Sh. Rakesh Kumar & Pramod Kumar were sentenced to undergo four years RI with fine of Rs. 60,000/- each.

Prime Minister's media statement after meeting the Prime Minister of Japan

Following is the text of the Prime Minister, Dr. Manmohan Singh’s media statement after meeting the Prime Minister of Japan in Tokyo today:

“I am delighted to return to Tokyo, a city where I have always found warmth, goodwill and hospitality whenever I have visited it over the past four decades. My wife and I were deeply honoured by the special gesture of Their Majesties the Emperor and the Empress in hosting us earlier today. I also want to thank Prime Minister Abe for the excellent arrangements that have been made for our discussions and for his exceptional hospitality.

HRD Ministry Announces Cash Awards for 200 Meritorious Students

The HRD Ministry has announced a cash award of Rs. One lakh each to about 200 meritorious students who have passed class 12th this year in the Government schools affiliated to CBSE. This was approved by the HRD Minister, Dr. M.M. Pallam Raju in New Delhi last evening. The students who have studied from classes 9th to 12th and have passed the class 12th exam this year in the Government schools affiliated to CBSE and run by the State Government will be eligible.

CBI FILES A CHARGESHEET AGAINST THEN IGP (WEST ZONE), COIMBATORE(TAMILNADU) AND FOUR OTHERS IN AN ALLEGED CORRUPTION CASE

The Central Bureau of Investigation has filed a Charge sheet against, then Inspector General of Police, West Zone, Coimbatore(Tamilnadu); then Dy. Supdt. of Police, Tirupur Town, Tirupur; then Inspector of Police, CCB, Tirupur; two private persons U/s 120-B r/w 347, 384, 506(i), 507 IPC and Sec. 8, 10, 13 (2) r/w 13(1)(d) of Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988 in the Court of Special Judge for CBI cases, Coimbatore.

CBI FILES A CHARGESHEET AGAINST A FORMER MINISTER OF KARNATAKA AND SIX OTHERS FOR ILLEGAL EXCAVATION OF IRON ORE

The Central Bureau of Investigation has filed a charge sheet against a former Minister of Karnataka; then Dy. Conservator of Forests, Bellary; then Deputy Director of Mines & Geology Dept, Hospet; the then PA of former Minister of Karnataka; the then Conservator of Forests, Bellary and two private persons u/s.120-B r/w 409, 420, 434, 447, 468, 471 of IPC and Sec.13(2) r/w 13(1)(c) & (d) of the Prevention of Corruption Act-1988.

Competition Commission of India - 4 Years of Enforcement of Competition Law

Rajinder Chaudhry*

Free and fair competition is one of the pillars of an efficient market economy.Competition has become a driving force in the global economy. May 19, 2009 changed the paradigm of doing business in India. That is the day the enforcement of the Competition Act was started by the Competition Commission of India. During its brief existence of about 4 years, CCI has come a long way. Though relatively short in terms of life span, the Competition Law is hugely significant as a building block for economic development and rising levels of economic welfare.

TRAI prescribes SMS Termination Charge and Transactional SMS Charge

 New Delhi, 27-May-2013.

TRAI has released: (i) ‘The Short Message Services (SMS) Termination Charges Regulations, 2013’ which prescribes cost based SMS Termination Charge as 2 paise per SMS; (ii) Amendment to the Telecom Commercial Communications Customer Preference Regulations, 2010 which prescribes a transactional SMS charge of 5 paise per transactional SMS . These regulations will be applicable from 1st June 2013. 

Smt. Krishna Tirath to Visit Trinidad and Tobago, and El Salvador to Discuss Strengthing Collaboration in Women’s Issues

New Delhi, 27-May-2013.

Smt. Krishna Tirath, Minister for Women and Child Development is leading a ministerial delegation to Trinidad and Tobago and El Salvador. She will visit Trinidad and Tobago on 29-31 May, 2013. The Minister will exchange views on current global developments in gender and child policy, as well as explore the possibility of any policy and/ or technical cooperation between the two nations in these areas. 

Following is the text of the Prime Minister, Dr. Manmohan Singh’s departure statement prior to his visit to Japan and Thailand today:

“I am proceeding today on a trip to the East, which will take me to our important friends and partners Japan and Thailand. 

My visit to Japan is for the Annual Summit between our two countries, which got deferred last year due to impending general elections there. Japan is a key regional and global partner for India. There is a growing congruence in our interests and I see this relationship as an essential component of our vision for enduring stability and prosperity in Asia. In my Summit with the new government of Japan, led by my good friend Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, I will build on the momentum imparted by successive summits to the India-Japan Strategic and Global Partnership. 

Union Minister for Panchayat Raj assured all help for Sikkim

Gangtok ;27.5.2013,  Union Minister for Panchayat Raj and Tribal Affairs Shri V. Kishore Chandra Deo has stressed the need for regular holding of gram sabha meetings to ensure people’s participation in the development process at the grass root level. Addressing of a meeting of rural local bodies at Chintan Bhavan in Gangtok this afternoon, the Minister said he has asked the states for video recording of such gram sahba meetings to ensure proper conduct of such meetings and also serve to as course correction in future.  Appreciating the achievements of Sikkim in implementation of Panchayat Raj Institution including regular holding of the Panchayat elections, the Union Minister assured all assistance from the Centre, particularly in capacity building. Referring to the Rajiv Gandhi Panchayat Sashaktikaran Abhiyan, Shri Deo said the scheme is aimed at strengthening the infrastructure development of the PRIs and urged the state government to put forward its requirements under the scheme. Shri Deo said his ministry in coordination with the Directorate of Telecommunication plans to provide broadband connection to all the panchayats by the year 2014 and sought the cooperation of the state government in laying of the OFC cables in this regard.  

मदन तामाङ हत्याकाण्डका आरोपीहरु छुटनु दुर्भाग्यजनक हो – प्रताप खाती

कालेबुङ 18 मई। अखिल भारतीय गोर्खालिग पार्टीका अध्यक्ष स्व मदन तामाङ हत्याकाण्डको आरोपमा सीबीआईले पक्राऊ गरेका आरोपीहरु आज अन्तरिम जमानमा छुटेपछि अभागोली महासचिव प्रताप खाती यसलाई दुर्भाग्यजनक हो भनि टिप्पणी गरेका छ। गत 15 फरवरीको दिन दार्जीलिङ रेल्वे स्टेसनबाट सीबीआईले पक्राऊ गरेको पाँच आरोपीहरु मध्ये आज बिद्यार्थी मोर्चाका महासचिव किश्मत छेत्री, अध्यक्ष केशवराज पोख्रेल, युवा मोर्चा नेता आलोक कान्तमणी थुलुङ अनि पुरण थामी आज अंतरिम जमानतमा छुटेका छन।

 गोजमुमो पार्टीको भातृसंगठनका नेताहरु आज जमानतमा छुटेपछि गोर्खालिग पार्टीका महासचिव प्रताप खातीले प्रतिक्रिया व्यक्त गर्दै “हत्याका आरोपीहरु छुट्नु दुर्भाग्यजनक हो” भने। तिनले मदन तामाङ हत्याकाण्डका आरोपीहरुले जमानत प्राप्त हुनुमा सीबीआई जाँच टोलीको लापारवाली रहेको आरोप लगाएका छन। यसको साथै आज न्यायलयमा बचाव पक्षका अधिवक्ताले न्यायदिशलाई झूटो कुरा बताएर जमानत दिलाएको दाबी समेत गरे।

 “बचाव पक्षका अधिवक्ताले आज सीबीआई टोलीका अधिवक्ता नभएको अवसरमा कोर्टलाई गलत जानकारी दिएको छ। बचाव पक्षका वकिलले बिगत सात महिनादेखि आरोपीहरु जेलमा बन्द रहेको बताउँदै तिनीहरुको जमानत मागे। वास्तवमा आरोपीहरु सात महिना देखि जेलमा बन्द थिएनन। तिनीहरु चार महिनादेखि जेलमा बन्द हुँदा हुँदै पनि बचाव पक्षका वकिलले भने न्यायलयमा झूटो जानकारी दिदै आज जुन जमानत दिलाउँने कार्य गरेका छन यसलाई हामी सर्वोच्च न्यायलयमा चुनौति दिनेछौ” – प्रताप खातीले भने।

 तिनले मदन तामङ हत्याकाण्डको आरोपमा एफआईआरमा नाम भएका आरोपीहरुलाई यथाशिघ्र पक्राऊ गर्नुपर्ने माग गर्दै पक्रा परेका आरोपीहरुलाई छोडनु दुर्भाग्यजनक हो भनि बताएका छन। चार्जसिटमा नाउँ भएका मुख्य आरोपीहरुले यसरी जमानत पाउँनु सीबीआई जाँच टोलीको कमजोडी हो भन्दै जाँच कार्यसंग आफुहरुको विश्वास नरहेकै कारण यस मुद्दालाई सर्वोच्च न्यायलयमा पुर्या एको पनि खातीले जानकारी गराए। “मदन तामाङ हत्याकाण्डमा जाँच गरिरहेको सीबीआई टोलीले आरोपीहरुलाई भटाभट छोडीरहेका छन।

 वास्तवमा सीबीआईले यहाँ गोजमुमो अध्यक्ष बिमल गुरुङ, रोशन गिरी, कर्णल रमेश आले, डा हर्कबहादुर छेत्री साथै अन्य गोजमुमो नेताहरुलाई पक्राऊ गर्नुपर्ने हो। मोर्चाका उक्त नेताहरुनै मदन तामाङ हत्याकाण्डका मास्टरमाईण्डहरु हुन। यिनीहरु मास्टरमाईण्ड हो भन्ने फोम ट्य़ापिङले नै प्रष्ट पारेको छ” खातीले भने। तिनले उक्त फोन ट्य़ापिङको आधारमा नै उक्त नेताहरुलाई सीबीआईले यथाशिघ्र पक्राऊ गर्नुपर्ने कुरामा पनि जोड दिएका छन। आफुहरु अहिलेको जाँच कार्यमा सन्तुष्ट नरहेको बताउँदै सर्वोच्च न्यायलयमा छुटै स्पेशल ईंभेस्टिगेसन टिम गठनको माग आफुहरुले गरिरहेको अझ जनाएका छन।

 यसै सिलसिलामा तिनले आगमी 4 जुनको दिन सर्वोच्च न्यायलयमा उक्त मुद्दाको अघिल्लो सुनवाई हुने जानकारी गराए। तिनले आगमी दिसम्बर महिना भित्रमा यस मुद्दाको छिनाफाना हुनसक्ने सम्भावना व्यक्त गर्दै फोन ट्यपिङको प्रमाणले गोजौमो अध्यक्ष बिमल गुरुङ अनि रोशन गिरी अफजल गुरु झै हुने ठोकुवा समेत गरे। “संसदमा आक्रमण गर्ने अफजल गुरु जसरी आक्रमण गर्न अघि फोनमा कुराकानी गरेका थिए ठिक त्यसरी नै मदन तामाङ हत्यकाण्डको मामला पनि बिमल गुरुङ, रोशन गिरी लगायत अन्य नेताहरुले कुराकानी गरेका छन। उक्त फोनमा भएको कुराकानी नै महत्वपूर्ण प्रमाण हो। यसै प्रमाणको आधारमा अब मोर्चा नेताहरुको अवस्था पनि त्यस्तै हुनेछ” – खातीले स्पष्ट भने।

Darjeeling the heart of state: CM Morcha sees point in Mamata speech

TT;ARNAB GANGULYDarjeeling, May 15: Mamata Banerjee today said Darjeeling “is the heart of Bengal” but also clarified almost immediately that she was not talking politics. After inaugurating an auditorium at the Gorkha Rangamanch Bhavan, with Bimal Gurung on the dais beside her, the chief minister spoke for bringing development to the hills in her first visit here after January, when she had annoyed the Gorkha Janmukti Morcha with her speech.

 The January 29 event was also a government one like today’s, but Mamata told the crowd at Chowrastha: “Darjeeling is a part of us.” Today, the Morcha chief also spoke in measured words, aware that running the GTA without the state’s help may prove difficult. Gurung said “misunderstandings” would be a thing of the past. “Darjeeling is the heart of Bengal, please remember this,” Mamata said today. “I don’t want to talk about politics but we should work together. 

No provocation, no dirty politics. Darjeeling is like other parts of my state. I love my Bengal. I love my Darjeeling.” The chief minister spoke about the dip in tourist flow to Darjeeling in March and April because of “disturbances”. In March, the Morcha had announced a series of bandhs, which it later called off after talks with central ministers in Delhi. 

 At today’s event, the Morcha supporters heard the chief minister in silence, clapping occasionally as she rolled out the list of projects that the government and GTA have planned. Featured in the list were medical colleges in Darjeeling and Kurseong, a fire station in Mirik, a polytechnic college at Kalimpong, Rs 2000 crore for a 300MW hydel project and Rs 155 crore for a drinking water project for Darjeeling. 

 Morcha leader Roshan Giri, asked about Mamata’s message, said: “Everything was fine. There is no controversy.” A Morcha leader said: “The situation has changed now. Moreover, she did not make a political statement as she had done the last time when she visited the hills.” When Mamata had come to Darjeeling in January, there was tension in the hills over the Telangana issue. The Morcha leadership was under pressure to press for statehood. 

“The situation then was very volatile. The Morcha leaders tried to convey the message to the chief minister but there were misunderstandings,” said a senior Morcha leader. Gurung today repeated that “misunderstandings” would be a thing of the past. “What happened then was uncalled for. We are confident that it won’t be repeated.”

 He also admitted that running the GTA would not be smooth without the state government’s help. “Without the cooperation of the state government, the hill body cannot run properly,” he said. A senior Trinamul leader said: “Gurung wants to have total control in the hills. Without the state government’s backing he would find it difficult to meet the demands of the people. So he has decided to revive the ties with Mamatadi.” 

Golf course gets nod

TT; VIVEK CHHETRI Darjeeling, May 15: Mamata Banerjee today laid the foundation stone for a golf course at Tiger Hill, a turf that was built around the 1900s and the revival of which has been a longstanding demand of the tourism industry. Sonam Bhutia, the executive director of GTA in charge of tourism department, said: “A sum of Rs 2.10 crore has been allotted by the state tourism department for land reclamation and development of the area where the golf course will be set up ” Sources said Worlds Sport Group, a Singapore-based firm, has inspected the area, 12km from here, and found it suitable to set up a golf course.

 “We will soon be inviting an expression of interest from across the globe for the project. The course will be built on a public-private-partnership,” Bhutia said. The nine-hole course will be spread over 31.85 acres and needs Rs 46 crore, sources said. The turf was built around 1900 and in 1907, the then district commissioner had leased it out to a club called Golf Links for 99 years. After the British left the country in 1947, Golf Links became almost defunct. 

 The army used the course till the late 1980s and left the area later as documents stated that the land belonged to the Darjeeling Improvement Fund (department) under the district administration. In the mid-1990s the then chairman of the Darjeeling Gorkha Hill Council, Subash Ghisingh, moved in excavators and flattened a part of Tiger Hill to construct a helipad. But he failed to obtain clearance from the ministry of environment and forest and the project was shelved. Stakeholders of the tourism industry are happy with the development. 

 “It is a much needed boost for tourism in Darjeeling. It will help in drawing a large number of high-end tourists. A golf course would be a great attraction,” said Suresh Periwal, president of Indian Association of Travel Agents (North Bengal-Sikkim chapter). Darjeeling receives around 3.5 lakh domestic tourists and 40,000 foreigners annually. Share on email Share on print Share on facebook Share on twitter More Sharing Services

‘Friendly ties for sake of Darjeeling’

DT;WEDNESDAY, 15 MAY;;Mamata with Bimal Gurung in Richmond Hill in Darjeeling on Tuesday Ahead of her meeting with the Gorkha Territorial Administration, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee said on Tuesday that her government and the Gorkha Janmukti Morcha will have to maintain friendly ties as it was necessary for the development of Darjeeling Hills. “We (Bengal govt and GJM) have to maintain friendly ties as we will have to work together for the development of the hills,” Banerjee said on reaching Bagdogra airport here this afternoon on way to Darjeeling on a three-day visit. When asked further on the ties with GJM which had deteriorated earlier this year, she said, “We will hold discussions ... the people will see it for themselves.”

 Mamata assures all support to Darjeeling development Darjeeling:

 West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Tuesday held a meeting with Gorkha Janmukti Morcha (GJM) president Bimal Gurung and assured all support of the state government for all-out development of Darjeeling Hills. "We want development of Darjeeling," she told reporters at the end of her meeting with Gurung. "I am happy to come to Darjeeling. We have cordial relations with GJM. It is a relation of love and good wishes," she said. The Chief Minister, who arrived here from Siliguri on a three-day visit said, her government was planning a package for tourism development covering Darjeeling, 

Terai and the Dooars region. Proposed tourist spots like Jorebungalow, Rohini and Takdah were being identified for development as potential tourism destination. Banerjee said, her government was also mooting an idea to set up a film city at Siliguri, which would open an opportunity for shooting films in Darjeeling. "Road development is a priority area and some roads are National Highways," she said. Ahead of her meeting with Gorkaland Territorial Administration (GTA) tomorrow, Banerjee told newsmen on reaching Bagdogra airport that her government and GJM will have to maintain friendly ties as it was necessary for the development of Darjeeling Hills.

Saradha teachers at commission door

TT; AVIJIT SINHA Siliguri, May 14: Teachers and non-teaching staff of two Saradha Group-run schools here filed complaints at the office of the Justice Shyamal Sen Commission at Himanchal Vihar today. Some of the staff of the two Lincolns High Schools who submitted complaints said many teachers and non-teaching members had invested in deposit schemes floated by the company since November 2010. In November 2010, the Saradha Group bought both the schools from a Siliguri businessman. The two schools together have over 900 students. Some of the staff members today said they had not got their salary this month and they had got only half their pay last month. 

 “After the Saradha Group took over the school, which has campuses in Milanpally and Karaibari, Sudipta Sen visited the institutions and announced that salaries of each staff member, from sweepers to the principal, would be doubled,” said Dulal Chandra Chattopadhyay, who had served as the principal in one of the schools from November 2011 to June 2012. “Soon, some of the teaching and non-teaching staff started working as agents of the firm, collecting money from their colleagues and also from outside for different schemes of the Saradha Group,” he said.

 “I also made investments of Rs 2 lakh with the group, of which Rs 1 lakh was put in a fixed deposit scheme and another Rs 1 lakh for an MIS scheme,” Chattopadhyay said. Chattopadhyay, who submitted his complaint for the commission’s hearing today, said that in June last year, Sen suddenly asked him to go on indefinite leave. “I talked to him and also with Debjani Mukherjee but none of them clarified the reason for sending me on leave and appointing Sampa Dutta Roy (the current principal) in my place. 

I remained at home for around three months after which, I was instructed to go to Malda, where another school of the group was under construction at Lakkhipur, on the outskirts of the town,” he said. “I shifted to Malda but had no specific job to do out there. I stayed there for some months and was also promised accommodation. Construction was in progress but suddenly it came to a halt. My salary, which was deposited in a bank account, also stopped. I finally returned to my home in Siliguri in April.”

 Dhananjoy Das, a lab assistant of one of the Lincolns High Schools, was present at the commission office today and submitted a complaint in the name of his wife Sanghita Das Bhattacharya. “Like three-four other teachers and non-teaching staff members of the school, I too became an agent but used my wife’s name and started collecting money from the teaching and non-teaching staff,” Das said. “I had collected around Rs 42 lakh. 

My monthly earnings increased and I, too, made some investments,” he said. “As far as I know, there are four members of staff from the school who worked as Saradha agents. In total, they have collected around Rs 1.25 crore, of which over Rs 50 lakh has been deposited by the teaching and non-teaching staff,” Das said. Sources in the school said that Sen and Debjani used to visit the institution at regular intervals. 

 “They used to come around 8pm with agents and other officials, hold meetings till dawn in the school’s conference room. Some of us have attended those meetings and have seen Sen briefing the agents on how to work at the grass roots, convince people to make investments and other things,” a source said. One of the teachers, who did not want to be named, said: “We got salaries till last month, which was half of the revised salaries. 

The school is completely functional and the principal, advisor and others have ensured that studies are not affected at any cost. The north Bengal development minister has also assured that the students would not have to face any crisis.” On April 28, north Bengal development minister Gautam Deb had assured the school that he would discuss the school’s fate with state education minister Bratya Basu. 

 Sampa Dutta Roy, the school principal who has remained mum over the issue so far, visited the commission office this afternoon. Office sources later revealed that she had been there to know about the process of submitting complaints. On being asked about the school and whether they are going to file any complaint, the principal, said, “It is a confidential matter and an internal issue.” Share on email Share on print Share on facebook Share on twitter More Sharing Services

Ice-breaker with tea packet Progress on CM lips, not Gorkhaland

Mamata with Bimal Gurung
 in Richmond Hill in Darjeeling
on Tuesday.
 Picture by Sanjoy Chattopadhyay

 TT; VIVEK CHHETRI; Darjeeling, May 14: Mamata Banerjee today did not utter a word on the sensitive Gorkhaland issue and Bimal Gurung, who broke the ice with a packet of Darjeeling Tea, said their discussion was “extremely successful”. The chief minister, who is on a two-day visit to the hills, discussed only development issues, not politics during a 45-minute one-to-one with Gurung, the GTA Sabha head and Gorkha Janmukti Morcha chief. She also said that there was a “conspiracy” to harm the relations between the state and the GTA leaders but that had been unsuccessful. 

 An ice-breaker — the packet of Darjeeling Tea — was perhaps needed as this is Mamata’s first visit to Darjeeling after January 29, when she triggered protests at Chowrastha. During a short speech, Mamata said: “Darjeeling is a part of us.” This upset the crowd, which raised Gorkhaland slogans. Since then, relations between the Morcha and the state government nose-dived. However, recently, a Morcha team visiting Calcutta called on the chief minister to ask after her health — the first sign of a thaw. 

 After the meeting today, the chief minister and the Morcha chief posed for cameras at Richmond Hill. During this time, Mamata spoke about her discussions with Gurung. “The meeting was about development, on the need to increase more tourist spots in the region…. There was some conspiracy to break the setubandhan (bridge) and I am happy it was unsuccessful,” Mamata said. Gurung, who spoke later to journalists, said: “Earlier, there was some miscommunication but today’s meeting was extremely successful.”

 Morcha sources said Gurung broke the ice by offering the packet of Darjeeling Tea to Mamata and by talking about the weather, which though sunny in the morning quickly became rainy after the two leaders met. “The weather is wonderful today,” the source quoted Gurung as telling Mamata soon after entering Richmond Hill, where the chief minister is staying. But rain or no rain, the Morcha did not want an open-air meeting to be held with the chief minister on the dais, just to avoid a repeat of January 29. Mamata, though, blamed the rain today for not holding such a meeting.

 “No open-air programme is being held because of the rain,” she said. The chief minister talked about the possibility of developing Rohini and Jorebungalow as tourist spots, failing to realise that one of the Morcha’s complaints was the state government’s interference in the working of the GTA. Tourism is a subject that has been transferred to the GTA and Morcha leaders have in the past made it clear that they do not want any interference by the state government in its functioning.

 However, the Morcha leaders did not complain today when they placed their list of demands before the chief minister. “We placed a list of demands. One of the demands is about the transfer of Rs 200 crore to the Gorkhaland Territorial Administration straightaway,” said Roshan Giri, an executive Sabha member. The Rs 200 crore is the special fund that the Centre has promised the GTA for a period of three years. Normally, such funds are routed through the state government. 

 “We have also demanded that the government should defreeze the Rs 113 crore,” said Giri. The Rs 113 crore was lying in an account of the Darjeeling Gorkha Hill Council. After the formation of the GTA, the amount could not be used by the new body. Other demands raised by the Morcha delegation were the transfer of departments, appointment of managerial staff in seven GTA offices, granting linguistic minority status to the Nepali language, withdrawal of cases against Morcha activists during the agitation period, waiving of sales tax, telephone and electricity bills incurred during the Morcha’s non-cooperation movement, granting of tribal status to the Gorkha community, setting up a central university and a tea auction centre.

 Mamata said that the state government would extend full co-operation to the GTA. “We need to develop the hills and also the Dooars and Terai so that the economy of the region gets better. We have already got 160 acres of land at Banarhat where we are planning to set up an entertainment park and other projects,” she said. Mamata and Gurung will together attend a function at Gorkha Rangmanch Bhavan tomorrow and they will visit Roy Villa, where Sister Nivedita had stayed in her last days. Today, Trinamul leaders in the hills were scheduled to meet their party all-India general secretary Mukul Roy, who has accompanied Mamata to Darjeeling, but that meeting did not happen.

 Rajen Mukhia, the Trinamul hill convenor, Milan Dupka, a nominated member from the party to the GTA Sabha, and N.B. Khawash were forced to wait outside the Richmond Hill and were denied permission to meet their own leader. They left after 30 minutes. Trinamul leaders in the hills had been asked to intensify their political activities after Mamata incurred the Morcha’s wrath for her January 29 speech. The trio were spotted by north Bengal development minister Gautam Deb who came out to interact with the media. “Mukul Roy will definitely meet you, if not today definitely tomorrow. Please stay (here) for sometime,” Deb told Mukhia. At 7pm, Roy came outside the guest house and looked for the hill leaders. By then, all had left.

पीड्ब्ल्युडीद्वारा भइरहेको सडकको निर्माण कार्यमा व्यापक आर्थिक अनियमितता भएको छ----- तारा सुन्दास

कालेबुङ, 8 मई। स्थानीय माकपा नेता तारा सुन्दासले पीड्ब्ल्युडीद्वारा यहाँको 11 माइल अप्पर रेशी रोडदेखि 17 माइल फाटकसम्म निर्माण भइरहेको सडकको कार्यमा व्यापक आर्थिक अनियमितता भएको आरोप लगाएका छन। सुन्दासले आज यस कथित अनियमितताबारे नालिश गर्दै राज्यको पीडब्ल्युडी विभागका मुख्य सचिवलाई ज्ञापन पत्र पनि प्रेषित गरेका छन। तिनले 9 किलोमिटर लामो यो सडकको निर्माणकार्यमा देखा परेको अनियमितताको निम्ति विभागको स्थानीय कार्याकयका एसिस्टेण्ट इञ्जिनियरमाथि दोषारोपण गरेका छन। विभाग अधिकारीले मोटो रकम घूस लिएर यो सडकको निर्माण कार्य नगरेको सुन्दासको आरोप छ। पाँच करोड 60 लाखको लागतको यो सडकको कूल नौमध्ये तीन किलोमिटर सडकको निर्माण कार्य पूरा भएको छ’11 माइलदेखि उता होम्ससम्म नकिलोमिटर सडक सन्तोषजनक रुपले निर्माण भएको छ।

 तर त्यस उताको रहल सडकको अवस्था अत्यन्तै शोचनीय छ। यस्तो अवस्थामा पनि विभागले कानमा तेल हालेर बस्छ भने यो सरासर अन्याय हो’ सुन्दासले भने। केन्द्र सरकारको ग्रामिण पूर्वाधार विकास कोष(आरआइडीएफ)-को योजनाअन्तर्गत 9 किलोमिटरको यो सडकको निर्माण कार्य भइरहेको छ। बर्ष 2011को जूनमा यसको टेण्डर भएपछि निर्माण कार्य शुरु भएको हो। तर तीन किलोमिटर सडक निर्माण कार्य पूरा भए पनि रहल कार्य थाँतीमा रहेको छ।

 यो सडकको निर्माणको निम्ति केन्द्रबाट कोष आवण्टन भएको लामो समयसम्म पनि विभागले कुनै तत्परता नदेखाउँदा माकपाकै पहलमा टेण्डरप्रक्रिया आरम्भ भएको दाबी पनि सुन्दासले गरेका छन। तिनले विभागसम्म कोष उपलब्ध भएर पनि सडकको निर्माण कार्य शुरु हुने छाँट नदेखेपछि आफूले आवाज उठाएको बताउँदै तिनले सो बेला आफूलाई विभागका एसिस्टेण्ट इञ्जिनियरले ज्यानमालको नोक्सान पुर्यानउने धम्की दिएको गम्भीर आरोप पनि लगाएका छन। ‘केन्द्रबाट कोष उपलब्ध भएर पनि काम शुरु नगर्दा मैले विभागमा यसबारे सोधखोज गरेको थिएँ।

 मैले यो कार्यको सोधखोज गरे भनेर त्यो बेला विभाग अधिकारीले केटाहरु ल्याएर मलाई धम्काउने काम गरेका थिएँ। तारा सुन्दासमाथि आक्रमण हुनु ठूलो कुरा होइन तर जनतासँग हुने अन्यायविरुद्ध आवाज उठाउनु ठूलो कुरा हो। मैले त्यही गरेँ’ सुन्दासले भने। तिनले यस सम्बन्धमा कालेबुङ थानामा आपत्ती जाहेरगर्दासमेत कुनै कार्वाही नभएको गुनासो पनि व्यक्त गरेका छन। पीड्ब्ल्युडीका सम्बन्धित अधिकारीविरुद्ध कुनै कार्वाही नभएको घटनाको सम्बन्धमा पुलिस अधिक्षकसँग पत्रचार गर्ने दाबी पनि तिनले गरेका छन।

 तिनले आफ्नो ज्यानको जोखिम उठाएर कार्यरुपमा ल्याएको यस योजनामा विभागीय अधिकारी र ठेकेदारको मिलीभगतका कारण सुगम यातायातको सुबिधाबाट जनता बञ्चित रहनु परेको घटना दुःखद रहेको बताएका छन। ‘यत्रो मोटो रकम उपलब्ध भएर पनि बाटोको अवस्था जस्ताको त्यस्तै छ। बाटोको दूरावस्थाका कारण वाहनको चलाचल कष्टकर भएको छ। रोगीहरु बाटैमा मर्ने अवस्था छ। साधारण मानिस र विद्यार्थीहरुलाई खराब बाटोको कारण हुनसम्मको दुःख छ’ तिनले भने। तिनले यस मामिलाको अबिलम्ब जाँच हुनु पर्ने माग गरेका छन। 

‘हामीले जिल्लापाललाई पनि लेखेका छौं। यो कुराको जाँच होस। थाँतीमा रहेको बाटोको निर्माण कार्य चाढै होस’ सुन्दासले भने। अर्कोतिर, पीड्ब्ल्युडी विभागको स्थानीय कार्यालयका एसिस्टेण्ट इञ्जिनियर सुबोध छेत्रीले यी माकपा नेताको जम्मै आरोपहरुको खण्डन गरेका छन। तिनले नौ किलोमिटरको उक्त बाटोको निर्माणकार्य पूरा भइ नसकेको स्पष्टिकरण दिँदै निर्माणकार्य पूरा नभइ यस प्रकारको आरोप लगाउन नहुने प्रतिक्रिया व्यक्त गरेका छन। निर्माण सामग्रीको आपूर्ति नभएको कारण काम अघि बढाउन नसकेको तिनको भनाइ छ।

 ‘विभागले हामीलाई निर्माणसामग्री उपलब्ध गरायो भने हामी छिट्टै काम पूरा गरिदिनेछौं। तर समयमा सामग्रीहरुको आपूर्ति हुन नसक्दा काम रोकिएको छ’ एसिस्टेण्ट इञ्जिनियर सुबोध छेत्रीले भने, ‘अहिले उक्त सडकको निर्माण कार्य पूरा भएको छैन। यसको निर्माण कार्य पूरा भएपछि मात्र आर्थिक अनियमितताको आरोप लगाउनु तर्कसंगत हुनेछ’ आफूमाथि आक्रमण गर्ने धम्की दिएको तारा सुन्दासको आरोपलाई पनि तिनले खारेज गरेका छन। आफूले यस प्रकारको कुनै व्यवहार गरेको भए सुन्दासले कानूनी तवरमा आफूविरुद्ध कार्वाही गर्न सक्ने छेत्रीको टिप्पणी छ।

Sikkim varsity head granted bail

TT; NIRMAL MANGAR Gangtok, May 8: A court here today granted bail to chairman of EIILM University Vinay Kumar Rai, who had been arrested for allegedly issuing forged marksheet and certificate of a course that is not taught at the institution. Apart from Rai, vice-chancellor O.V. Vijayan, registrar Col. (retired) Alok Bhandari and controller of examinations Vijay Dahiya had also been arrested from Jorethang in South Sikkim on Monday in connection with the case. The three were granted bail yesterday. Rai, who had been detained by Bengal police at the Bagdogra Airport yesterday, was brought to Gangtok last night. 

Rai was produced in the chief judicial magistrate’s court which released him on bail. “We had sought a police remand of five days but judge Ujwal Khatiwara granted Rai bail,” said a police source. According to sources, Rai made a silent exit from Sikkim after he had been asked to come to the Gangtok police station to record his statement. “He was trying to fly to Delhi from Bagdogra. But we alerted Bengal police who picked up Rai from Bagdogra yesterday,” said the police source. The police said the four officials of the private university had issued the fake certificate and marksheet to a girl from outside Sikkim saying she had obtained a master’s degree in education from the institution.

 Rai, Vijayan, Bhandari and Dahiya have been charged with forgery, cheating and criminal conspiracy. Classes on the university campus at Jorethang were being held “smoothly” despite the arrest of the four top officials. “It is true that we are getting a lot of queries from students and parents on the arrests. But it has nothing to do with the studies. The classes are being held smoothly as usual,” said a faculty member. The varsity has 275 students who pursue different subjects.

GTA review on May 24 - Morcha to seek Rs 575 crore for infrastructure at meet

TT;VIVEK CHHETRI Darjeeling, May 8: The Union home ministry has decided to hold the next review meeting to look into the functioning of the GTA Sabha in Darjeeling on May 24. Decisions on allotment of additional funds to the GTA and initiating the process for the amendment to the Constitution to implement the three-tier panchayat system in the hills are expected to be taken at the meeting. The review meetings are attended by representatives of the central and state governments and the Gorkha Janmukti Morcha. 

 “The review meeting will be held at Richmond Hill in Darjeeling on May 24 from 11am. While a joint secretary of the Union home ministry is expected to represent the Centre, the state will be represented by its home secretary, Basudeb Banerjee,” Morcha general secretary and an executive GTA Sabha member Roshan Giri said today. Giri, along with Darjeeling MLA Trilok Dewan, are expected to be present at the meeting on behalf of the Morcha. The review session is important as the Morcha has demanded Rs 575 crore as a one-time grant to put in place the administrative infrastructure of the GTA from both the state government and the Centre. 

The demand was placed at a meeting between a Morcha delegation and chief secretary Sanjay Mitra in Calcutta on April 30. Mitra then suggested that the matter could be taken up at the review meeting as the Centre, too, had to share the cost of setting up the infrastructure like buildings and quarters . “Apart from the grant of Rs 575 crore, we are also looking towards getting some concrete assurances on increasing the financial grant to the GTA from Rs 200 crore per annum to Rs 400 crore for the next three years,” said Giri. 

 The Morcha will also demand that the fact verification committee, which was formed to look into the recommendations made by Justice (retired) Shyamal Sen High Powered Committee, be asked to make a field visit to the Dooars and Terai. Justice Sen had recommended the inclusion of only five of the 397 mouzas demanded by the party in the GTA. Giri said the Morcha would also demand at the May 24 meeting that all Gorkha communities, except Schedule Caste members, be granted Schedule Tribe status. The Morcha also hopes it would get a positive feedback on amending the Constitution to implement a three-tier panchayat system in the hills. The state had earlier said it had already written to the Centre to start the process for the constitutional amendment.