Adieu dear friend Ameet Oberoi

We lost a dear colleague and close friend in Ameet Oberoi [1971-2015] when he passed away on 24 August 2015. He will be sorely missed and is deeply mourned. It is difficult to express the sorrow one feels at such times, but even the process of sharing some memories helps as much to heal as it does to celebrate a friendship. SUBASH RAI musters the courage to say good bye...

Early on the morning of 24 August, I was surprised to receive a call from Pema [our editor] enquiring whether I had any details on Ameet. He had apparently received a call that Ameet had been admitted into the Central Referral Hospital with some severe complications. He checked with me because my father-in-law had also been admitted there and thought I would know more details about Ameet’s condition. But I didn’t have any information to pass on since my father-in-law had been discharged a day earlier. I informed Pema about the same and assured to try and find out about Ameet.

Sikkim Milk continues its profitable ways

After 28 years of losses, Sikkim Milk posts eight straight years of profits!

In these times of depressed economies and failing public sector undertakings, Sikkim Milk Union continues to impress. A loss-making unit for the first 28 years of its existence till the year 2006-07, Sikkim Milk has now posted profits for eight consecutive years! At the 19th Annual General Body Meeting of the Sikkim Cooperative Milk Producers Union Ltd held yesterday, it was announced that the turnover of Sikkim Milk Union has grown from Rs. 3,733 lakhs in the year 2013-14 to Rs. 4,417 lakhs in the year 2014-15, an 18.32 % growth. The profit before depreciation was Rs. 65.23 lakhs. The depreciation claimed was 9.51 Lakhs and the tax payable is Rs. 16.91 Lakhs. The net profit after depreciation and tax stands at Rs. 38.82 lakhs which is 27.7% higher than the previous year.

Rs. 1.42 cr for creation of barrier-free environment for persons with disabilities

The Sikkim Cabinet, during its 22 August sitting, approved and sanctioned Rs.1,42,44,000 proposed by the Social Welfare Department for the creation of “barrier free environment for persons with disabilities under the implementation of Disabilities Act,1995”.

ASHA honorarium dues for six months sanctioned

The honorarium due to Accredited Social Health Activists (ASHA) has been delayed for a while and the same for the two quarters – from April to September 2015 – was sanctioned and approved by the Cabinet in its recent sitting of 22 August. The Cabinet has sanctioned Rs. 119.88 lakhs towards paying the monthly honorarium of ASHAs for the two quarters, it is learnt.
Other proposals of the Health Department sanctioned and approved by the Cabinet on the day were:

Documentary film on Pang Lhabsol to premiere on Wednesday

Pang Lhanbsol, a festival unique to Sikkim held in worship of its guardian deity Dzonga and Sikkim's other land guardian deities, falls on Saturday, 29 August, this year. Making the celebrations even more special this time will be the release of a documentary film on the festival, “Pang Lhabsol: Sikkim’s National Ritual of the Land and its Guardian Deities”, on Wednesday, 26 August. Produced by the Namgyal Instituted of Tibetology and helmed by Dr. Anna Balikci Denjongpa as Anthropologist and Project Coordinator, the 1:06 hour long documentary features cinematography by Phurba T. Bhutia [who has also edited the feature], Birendra Rai and Dawa T. Lepcha. Filmed at location across Sikkim over the past decade or so, the documentary, in keeping with other NIT productions, promises to be exhaustive and authoritative. The premiere is scheduled for 26 August, 2 p.m. at the Namgyal Institute of Tibetology and is open to all.

No Plastic Bhaijaans, please

text & Combo scene by TSERING TASHI

BAN THE BANE: Children all over the world are taught to abstain from using plastic shopping bags and plastic disposable products because of their adverse effect on ambient environment and ecology. Our children go hammer and tongs at every opportunity to support the ban of plastic products in our daily life. However, our film stars and the film industry appear unaware of the earnest appeal of conscious children. Stopping use of plastics in any form is next to impossible but acceptable containment and/or reuse can be achieved comfortably with appropriate techno-legal frameworks in place. The images, as seen in the latest hit film called “Bajrangi Bhaijaan” and street scene created by children indicate clear divisions between reel and mundane real world. Cigarette smoking scenes in movies need to carry warnings and disclaimers in India now. The Censor Board should do the same thing with plastic product usage in cinematic scenes.

Dance, Sikkim Dance!

Robin Mukhia has Talent, Passion and also Enterprise

SAGAR CHHETRI

Dancing is fun, dancing is an art form and dancing can be more than just a hobby. 24-year-old Robin Mukhia of Tadong has proved just this. Starting out as a hobby to participating in dance competitions, he has now set up his own dance institute.