Natural calamities hazardous for hills, residents dwell in fear

MUKESH SHARMA Kalimpong, September 19:

 Losses incurred during last year’s earthquake

 • Rs 2565.75 lakhs under Kalimpong Municipality

 • Rs 2711.03 lakhs under Kalimpong Block I 

 • Rs 3126.25 lakhs under Kalimpong Block II

 • Rs 1199.06 lakhs under Gorubathan Block

 Losses incurred during this year’s monsoon

 • 4 crores 59 lakhs 93 thousand under Kalimpong Municipality

• 1 crore 46 lakhs 90 thousand under Kalimpong Block I 

• 2 crores 73 lakhs 95 thousand under Block II 

• 1 crore 93 thousand under Gorubathan Block 

 The hills being prone to natural calamities are deteriorating with time. The cyclone Aila followed by the massive earthquake and the adversity of monsoons recently are few examples of such calamities which have hit the hills at worse. Along with the lives much damage to the property has occurred under the Kalimpong Sub division. Till date there has been no such technique which can alert the people before the occurrence of natural mishaps. Hence, the people are compelled to live with fear in their hearts and minds that anything unexpected can happen unannounced. 

 The 2009 Aila victims till date are living in the hope that someday they will be granted aides by the State Government. The last year’s earthquake engulfed 4 lives in a fraction of second. As per the Government records Kalimpong incurred loss worth Rs 2565.75 lakhs under Kalimpong Municipality, Rs 2711.03 lakhs under Kalimpong Block I, Rs 3126.25 lakhs under Kalimpong Block II and Rs 1199.06 lakhs under Gorubathan, during the earthquake. Likewise, this year’s monsoon has taken losses worth 10 crores under its credit in the Kalimpong Sub division. More than 300 houses have been damaged while loss of houses and other public property amounting up to 4 crores 59 lakhs 93 thousand has been recorded under Kalimpong Municipality. Similarly, under Kalimpong Block I the damages account up to 1 crore 46 lakhs 90 thousand, under Block II 2 crores 73 lakhs 95 thousand and under Gorubathan Block 1 crore 93 thousand.

76-yr-old dies after feeling tremors

NIRMAL MANGARTT; Gangtok, Sept. 19: The Sikkim earthquake yesterday claimed the life of a 76-year-old woman who had a cardiac arrest while trying to climb down the stairs after feeling the tremors. The East district administration today confirmed that no cases of damage have been reported after the 4.1 magnitude earthquake hit Sikkim yesterday evening. “There has been no damage to private or government infrastructure.

 I have also contacted the block development officers and have directed them to report if any such incidents have taken place,” said district collectorate, D. Ananadan. However, a 76-year-old woman at Balwakhani is reported to have died after a heart attack. “The woman has been identified as Chungda Bhutia, a resident of Balwakhani who suffered a cardiac arrest after the quake” said a senior police officer at Sadar police station.

 “The woman was declared dead on arrival when she was brought in the hospital” said the additional medical superintendent of Sir Thutop Namgyal Memorial Hospital in Gangtok. According to one of the neighbours, the old lady was gasping for breath while climbing down the stairs after feeling the tremors.

 An official here at the Central Seismology Department in Gangtok said the epicentre of the quake is 26km towards north-east of Gangtok and the tremors lasted for three seconds. “Sikkim falls in seismic zone four which is quite vulnerable to quakes and tremors measuring 4.1 on the Richter scale is regarded as mild,” said the scientific assistant Prashanta Roy. A devastating earthquake had hit Sikkim last year on the same day.

Bail granted

TT; Calcutta, Sept. 19: The high court today granted conditional bail to Ashish Tamang, one of the main accused persons in the Madan Tamang murder case, as the CBI had failed to file a supplementary chargesheet. A division bench of Chief Justice J.N. Patel and Justice Jaymalya Bagchi directed Ashish not to leave Darjeeling and Jalpaiguri districts without the court’s prior permission. The bench also asked Ashish to meet the investigating officer of the CBI twice a month. The bail was granted after the petitioner’s lawyer informed the court that even though his client had been behind bars for the last 26 months, the CBI had failed to produce a supplementary chargesheet against him. A supplementary chargesheet mentions further evidence that the probing agency has gathered in the course of investigation against the accused after the filing of the initial chargesheet.

आज क्रामाकपाद्वारा कालेबुंगमा डीज़लको मूल्य बृद्धि, खाना पकौने ग्यासको भर्तुकिमा कटौती, खुद्रा बजारमा विदेशी पूंजी नियोग, १८६ लाख करोड़ कोइला घोटालाको विरोधमा विक्षोभ प्रदर्शन गर्दै प्रधान मंत्री मनमोहन सिंहको पुतला दहन गर्यो, यस मुद्दा माथि देश भरिका समस्त विरोधी राजनैतिक दलहरुले भोली 20 सितम्बर भारत बन्द डाकेको हुदा क्रामाकपाले पनि समर्थन गर्दै समस्त पहाड़वासीलाई केंद्र सरकारको जन विरोधी निति विरुद्ध भोली पहाड़ बन्द गरीदीने अपील गरेको छ. पार्टी कार्यकर्ताहरुले बन्दको समर्थनमा शहर भरी पोस्टरिंग गर्दै परिक्रमा गर्यो.

Hotelier killed, cook vanishes

The entrance to Mungamoti Hotel.
Picture by Kundan Yolmo 

TT; Siliguri, Sept. 18: A 63-year-old woman was found strangled to death at her four-storied hotel at Sevoke Road this morning and police are looking for a cook in connection with the murder. Radhika Tamang was found dead in the kitchen of Mungamoti Hotel for food and lodging by waiter Arun Subba when he arrived for duty around 10pm.

 “A piece of cloth was over Radhika’s face while a towel was wrapped round her neck, suggesting that she had been strangled. As there was nobody else in the building then, he called up Radhika’s relative Shila Tamang, who immediately rushed to the spot,” said O.G. Paul, the deputy commissioner of police, Siliguri. Police sources said Radhika was running the hotel as her 73-year-old husband, Bhim Tamang, was unwell because of age-related problems. They stay with daughter Deepa at their home in Church Road here. 

The couple have another daughter and a son who live elsewhere. The hotel provides food and accommodation to low and medium-budget visitors. One-day rate for a double-bed room is Rs 500. The manager’s desk and the kitchen are on the ground floor, while the restaurant is on the first floor.

There are six rooms on the top two floors which are for boarders. The police said all rooms were empty last night and no customer was in the restaurant at the time of the murder. “Only Radhika and Subhash Biswakarma, a waiter-cum-cook, were in the hotel when the crime took place. We suspect Biswakarma was behind the murder. He has gone missing after the incident. We are yet to ascertain the motive of the crime,” said Paul. 

 The sources said Biswakarma was from Navingram in the Singmari area of Darjeeling. “Vijay Moktan is the manager and he and Arun join duty at 10am. Radhika comes to hotel everyday at 8am. Biswakarma was the only person who stayed at the hotel,” said the source.

Tremor in Gangtok on first quake anniversary

The candlelight vigil on MG Marg in Gangtok on Tuesday.
 Picture by Prabin Khaling. 

 NIRMAL MANGAR TT; Gangtok, Sept. 18: A 4.1 magnitude quake today shook Sikkim at 5.56pm when the state was marking its first anniversary of last year’s tremor. There has been no report of damage or casualties yet.

 Last year on the same day, a 6.9-strong quake killed 60 people in the state. That quake, with its epicentre near Mangan in North Sikkim, happened a little before 6pm. This evening’s tremor, which lasted barely two seconds, created panic in Gangtok where people were gathering on MG Marg for a candle-light march. People came out of their houses in panic. 

 The power department cut off electricity for five minutes in Gangtok to prevent any accident because of the quake. According to a preliminary report, the epicentre of the quake is believed to be between Gangtok and Mangan. In West and North Sikkim districts, the tremor — described as “slight” on the IMD site — was not felt. “I was watching TV at home when I felt a strong jolt which disappeared in seconds. 

That was enough for me to rush out,” said Aman Sundas, a resident of Tibet Road. Lata Chettri, a 56-year-old homemaker on MG Marg, said she could not feel the quake. “I was walking and saw some of the people running on the road. I remember last year’s quake, it was so scary that my family and I slept in our car for two nights.” The fear was evident on the faces of the people who had gathered at MG Marg this evening. 

 “My friend and I had come to participate in the candle vigil at MG Marg; I was carrying candles in our hand. The sound was loud, I am still nervous,” said college student Madan Tamang. Many of the shopkeepers at MG Marg downed the shutters and headed to their respective homes after the tremor.

 “I was showing garments to customers when the earthquake happened, though it didn’t continue for a long time, the jolt was enough to make me shiver” said a garment shopkeeper at Kanchenjungha shopping complex.

TEZ PARBHA PALAN GARDAI KALYBUNG KA MAILAHARU,THAKURBARI SATYANARAYAN MANDIR MA...

KURSEONG;17 SEPT;The heavy rainfall which was continue from last 4 days in entire Darjeeling hills was damage houses and also the small landslide took place in different places of Darjeeling hills. And today in between 3 to 4 am morning time the major landslide took place in Upper Paklajhorra ( 10 km ) from Kurseong town. The total road is collapse , around 25 meters road had been taken by the landslide . 

 The Lower Paklajhorra which had been taken by the landslide in the year 2010 ( which is also know as 14 mile ) and today the upper one also taken by the landslide . The lower once had not been reconstructed till date around 30 months had been passed . This road ( upper ) is live line of the Mahanadi peoples . The Mahanadi is a village area and surrounded by the Tea Estate like Janpana Tea Estate, Sibitar Tea Estate , Malutar Tea Estate, Ghoomti Tea Estate, and hter small villages area .

 And the peoples who life in this area they come to Mahanadi and they take the vehicle to come to the town ( Kurseong ) or to go to different places . And this area population is around 18 to 20 thousand. By this landslide the peoples of this area facing the big problem . And on the other hand the student of this area specially the Mahanadi , getting the problem they can go to the school even to the college all of them are studding to Kurseong . due to the stop of the transport they are facing big problem .

 the vehicle which passes through this road and from Mahanadi is more than 50 and due to this landslide the are also facing the problem and through their vehicle they run their family. This is only the road through which they travel to different places , and there are no alternative road . early day before 3 years ago , if some one wants to go to siliguri they get the vehicle in Mahanadi , because the vehicle which is going to Silguri from Kurseong that had to pass through Mahanadi ( heavy vehicle ) but due to the landslide in 14 mile they have to come to Kurseong , but now they can come to Kurseong due to today landslide .

 In the year 1998 the same thing had taken place the both Upper and Lower Paklajhorra had damage due to the landslide . and that time the reconstruction work had been complete with 60 days . In the landslide area the GTA Chairman Pradeep Pradhan , AE NH 55 Uttam Pradhan and other GTA members were present .

 and when Pradeep Pradhan Talk with us he told “ the landslide is taken place here and it is due to heavy rainfall , which is continue from last 4 days , and this landslide effected the peoples of the Mahanadi area and its surrounding area , and I had told to the AE to state the work from today and the alternative road should open soon .” And the AE Uttam Prahand said that due to the Biswakarma Puja all the pick van is close so we can state the work but the small work we had state from today and with few days we will open the alternative road .”

गोर्खाल्याण्ड क्षेत्रीय प्रशासनको भबिष्य 28 सितम्बर सम्म मात्र हो – प्रताप खाती

कालेबुङ 18 सितम्बर। दार्जीलिङ पहाडमा छुट्टै राज्य गोर्खाल्याण्डको नाममा आन्दोलन गरेर गोर्खाल्याण्ड क्षेत्रीय प्रशासन उपलब्धिको रुपमा हासिल गर्यौा भन्ने गोजमुमो पार्टीले पहाडका जनतालाई बाराम्बार ढाँट्ने कार्य गरिरहेको छ भनि अखिल भारतीय गोर्खा लिग (अभागोली) पार्टीका महासचिव प्रताप खातीले दाबी गरेका छ। आज तिनले एउटा पत्रकार सम्मेलन डाकेर गोर्खाल्याण्ड क्षेत्रीय प्रशासनको बिरुद्ध गोरामुमो पार्टी प्रमुख सुवास घिसिङ, अभागोलीको पक्षमा प्रताप खाती अनि थेबा तामङ, पिपल्स फोरमको पक्षमा प्रबिण गुरुङ अनि गेबु लेप्चाले कोलकोताको उच्च न्यायलयमा मुद्दा दर्ता गरेको जनाउँदै बताउँदै उक्त मुद्दाको सुनवाई आगमी 28 सितम्बरको दिन हुँदा जीटीए खारेज हुने दाबी गरे। 

तिनले गत 14 सितम्बरको दिन भएको सुनवाई अवधी न्यायधीसले जीटीए बैद्य हुनको निम्ति संविधान संशोधन आवश्यक रहेको बताउँदै यदि यस सुनवाई अवधी जीटीए खारेज भए के हुनेछ भनेर प्रतिपक्षीका अधिवक्तालाई प्रश्न गर्दा तिनी उत्तर बिहीन बनेको दाबी गरे। बङ्गाल सरकारले जीटीएलाई अटोनमी बताएकोले पत्रकारहरुलाई बताउँदै हामीले यसैलाई च्यालेञ्च गरेका थियौं भनि तिनले थपे। यस अवसरमा तिनले जीटीएमा लेजिसलेटिभ पावर छैन भन्दै संविधानमा 240 धाराले ओबिसीलाई आरक्षण दिएको अनि 241ले सेयुल कास्ट, 242 ले सेडुयल ट्राइव, 243 ले पञ्चायतलाई अनि 244 ले स्वायत्त शासनलाई सुरक्षा गर्छ भन्दै जीटीए संवैधानिक ग्यारेण्टी नभएको कारण यसको अस्तित्व अब सकिने खातीले थप दाबी गरे। तिनले बङ्गाल सरकारले मोर्चालाई अघि लगाएर पहाडका जनतालाई बोरामा सुताउने कार्य गरेको ठाडै आरोप लगाउँदै जीटीए अटोनमी हुनुहो भने यसको चुनाउ बङ्गालको चुनाउ आयोगले गर्नेथियो तर किन जिल्ला शासकले गर्योी? भनि प्रश्न तेर्साए।

President of India nominates SU Founding VC to IGNOU’s Board of Management

The President of India Shri Pranab Mukherji has nominated founding Vice Chancellor of Sikkim University, Prof Mahendra P Lama to the Board of Management of Indira Gandhi National Open University (IGNOU). Board of Management is the highest decision making and the principal executive body of IGNOU which was established by an Act of Parliament in 1985. With the enrolled number of students of 30 lakh, IGNOU is the largest distance learning institution in the world today. Prof Lama will have tenure of two years. Besides this Prof Lama also serves a large number of central university’s highest decision making bodies as the nominee of the President of India including the Court of Hyderabad.