Darj bridges Hills-Plains divide with Durga Puja

NO BETTER TIME THAN A CENTENARY YEAR TO MAKE DURGA PUJA EVEN MORE SPECIAL
Birendra Shandilya

Durga Puja is all set for a unique experience this time in Darjeeling. While the Nripendra Narayan Bengali Hindu Hall (NNBHH) commemorates the centenary year of Durga Puja in Darjeeling which will be marked by the idol being taken to Bangla Khola (a spring 16km away from town) for emersion in the Darjeeling Himalayan Railway, a unique project, “Paharer Chokhe Samataler Pujo” (Pujas of the plains in the eyes of the Hills) will also be flagged off this Puja.
Nine children from economically underprivileged families will be taken to Kolkata to witness Durga Puja celebrations there. Not only will they witness the pujas, they will be judging and awarding the three best pujas along with the best idol in Kolkata!
This programme is being organized by “Concern for Human Welfare”, an  NGO backed by the Ramakrishna Mission Nivedita Educational and Cultural Centre (RKMNECC), Darjeeling. “This will be for the first time ever in the history of West Bengal that the Hills and Plains will share a common platform and judge pujas of Kolkata. Through this unique programme we have tried to build a bridge between the hills and the plains and bring smiles to the less privileged,” stated Amlan Biswas, General Secretary, CHW.
Most of the children come from the Kanchenview Tea Garden located on the edge of Darjeeling town. “All the nine attend the Gadadhar Avudhaya Prakalpa (GAP) at the RKMNECC. Under the GAP programme we impart regular education, physical activities and nutrition along with extracurricular activities to children from the economically backward strata of the society. From the 122 children attending GAP, the 9 were chosen based on attendance, performance and economic condition,” informs Swami Parananda, in-charge of GAP.
The nine are Ananya Chettri (11 years), Bilashna Tamang (11), Sharmila Dewan (12), Rishika Thapa (13), Nikita Tamang (14), Sarju Rai (9), Sahil Balmiki (10), Shailesh Rai (11) and Nitesh Tamang (13). Except Nikita and Nitesh, the others have never been out of Darjeeling town.
After a night halt at Siliguri, the nine will catch an early morning train to Kolkata on 28 September. They will visit different pandals on the 29th and 30th and judge the pujas. They will also hand out trophies to the three best pujas and the best idol on 30 September. On 01 October, they will visit Belur Math, Dakshineshwar Temple and  Belghoria Ramakrishna Mission Centre and return to Darjeeling on 02 October.
The children will be visiting Saltlake FD Block Sarbajanin Durga Puja; Sreebhumi Sporting Club, Baghbazar Sarbajanin Durga Puja, Md. Ali Park in North Kolkata and Bhawanipore Swadin Sangha; Tridhara Sammilani, Singhi Park, Ekdalia Evergreen; Naktala Udayan Sangha and Chetla Agrani Club in South Kolkata. “It is a dream come true for me. I have heard so much about Kolkata,” stated Sharmila Dewan.
The puja revelry has already begun in Darjeeling with the centenary celebration of the NNBHH commencing from September 23 with musical programmes at Chowrasta. The Chowrasta programme will continue till 28 September. On 29 September, the main puja will be inaugurated at the NNBHH premises, Chandmari, Darjeeling by Darjeeling MP SS Ahluwalia.
The Hall has a rich history. It was built in 1890, located in Chandmari the then “Indian” portion of the town below the Market Square. It was a two storied stone structure and contained a spacious hall in which public meetings of the Hindu community were held. The Mandir located on the premises of NNBHH was constructed in 1891.
Initially, the money required to build the Hall came through contributions made by the Maharaja of Coochbehar. The hall was later named “Nripendra Narayan Hall” in his memory.
Way back in 1915, the Bengali population of the Hill town first started celebrating the Durga Puja at the NNBHH. Great names like Swami Vivekananada, Sister Nivedita, Kazi Nazrul Islam, Acharya J. C. Bose have all paid visits to this hall. Elders claim that even KL Saigal, the legendary singer had once offered Pushpanjali (floral offerings) during Durga Puja here.
Though the puja is organized by the Bengali community, all other communities of the Hills, take active part in it.
The puja is a large attraction amongst the tourists, especially Bengali tourists who visit to offer Pushpanjali, watch the Aarati and eat Bhog. On the three days of puja, cultural shows are staged in the evening at the NNBHH auditorium. This year musical and dance troupes from Kolkata will be performing.
Before independence the image used to arrive from Krisnanagar, first to Siliguri, and then up to Darjeeling in the Toy Train having two engines one in the front and the other in the rear.
Since the early Fifties, the image is being brought from Siliguri, originally made by the Late Umesh Pal and, after his death, being commissioned to Debesh Pal and this year by Ashok Pal of Kumortuli, Siliguri.
The Bisarjan (emersion) is also unique. In the olden days the image used to be carried on a bamboo structure by the youngsters and taken all over town and immersed in Kakjhora, a spring in the outskirts of the town. Now, with Kakjhora crowded in by illegal constructions, the  image is carried on the shoulder and taken all over town and then by truck to a spring called Bangla Khola near Sonada.
“This time, the idol will be taken from Railway Station to Bangla Khola in a chartered DHR. The emersion procession will commence from the NNBHH at 10am on October 4,” informs Saibal Chakroborty, Secretary, Centenary Celebration Committee.

Crystal Jubilee at CCCT

Chisopani, 26 Sept [IPR]: The Centre for Computer & Communication Technology (CCCT), at Chisopani in South Sikkim observed its crystal jubilee today to commemorate 15 years of establishment. The institute was set up under the Third Technician Education Project of MHRD in the year 1999. The anniversary function had Speaker KN Rai present as the chief guest accompanied by HRDD Minister RB Subba as the guest of honor alongside the HRDD Principal Secretary Dr. Thomas Chandy and Principal Secretary, Sports & Youth Affairs Department Dr. K Jai Kumar.
The program also saw the launch of the college magazine, “Techedge”, by the chief guest. Teachers and support staff of the institute, namely Praveen Pradhan, Shyam Sinhal, Subodh Chettri, Anup Sharma and Phurba Lepcha were felicitated for their consistent endeavor and commitment towards CCCT.
The program was also attended by Principal CCCT, Captain (Retd) SK Newlay, Vice Principal Praveen Pradhan, government officials, Panchayats, staff, students and the general public.
The Speaker extended his best wishes to the institution and congratulated the faculty and students on the milestone achievement. He assured to answer and meet the demands and grievances placed before him by the Principal.
Special Guest, the HRD Minister Mr. Subba also addressed the gathering and announced that the government will frame and constitute a Technical Education Policy for Sikkim to provide knowledge, develop technical and professional skills of its students for employment as well as for transition of further education. He also extolled the sincere efforts of the students and staff alike in staying true to their motto of the institution - ‘Techno Education for Global Competence’.

The Faithfull play football

Football is in the air. Paljor Stadium has been hosting matches, sometimes several on one day, and tournaments without break for a while now, and the latest to clash boots in competition on the Astroturf are churches and their flock. The third edition of the Sikkim Inter-Church Football Tournament kicked at Paljor Stadium on 21 September. The tournament is being organised by the Sikkim Christian Sports Committee [SCSC].
The inaugural day had North Zilla Upadhyaksha Nim Tshering Lepcha as chief guest. 35 churches from across the State are participating in the tournament being played in knock-out format with teams progressing through two pools.
Defending champions Evangelical Presbyterian Churches of Sikkim, Gangtok, and last year’s runners-up, Baptist Church, Gangtok, have received direct entry into the quarter-final round.
Two matches are being played every day.
Speaking to NOW!, SCSC chairperson, Khagen Rai, informed that the committee was formed in the year 2012 by some likeminded youth from different churches of the state. The main objective of the committee is to provide a platform to local players to showcase their sporting skills and to bring churches together for some sporting competition.
“There are many talented footballers, especially in the rural parts of the state, so the SCSC has been trying to bring out such footballers to the notice of football academies and teams through this tournament,” he said.
To drive home the point, Mr. Rai informs that some players from different churches were picked up clubs in the state after coming to notice during last year’s tournament. “These achievements have encouraged us to organise the tournament in a still better manner this time,” he added.
He states that this time the tournament has restricted entry of national and state players to encourage the participation of the “raw talent” from different parts of the state.
Mr. Rai mentions that earlier the tournament was taken primarily as entertainment, but now, with the standard of the tournament having gone up, the competition is keener. The finals are scheduled for 07 September.

CATCH is back

A weeklong second round of Chief Minister’s Comprehensive Annual and Total Check-up for Healthy Sikkim [CATCH] programme for Gangtok was held at BL House here on Tibet Road this week.
During the camp, participants were issued Health Cards after undergoing health check-up comprising Measurement of BMI, Doctors check-up, computerized health profile data, Laboratory test and Counseling. VIA test was also conducted for women above 30 years of age. On an average, 150 participants are covered on a daily basis.
Officials further inform that on the first day of the weeklong programme, a research team from the Regional Resource Center (RRC) for North Eastern states visited the CATCH Programme on the directives of the Union Ministry of Health. The research team also held consultative discussion with senior health officials on Monday evening for an actionable framework for proposed evaluation study of the flagship programme of the state. The visiting team comprised of Dr. Hitesh Deka, Advisor Public Health RRC, Ministry of Health & Family Welfare, and Subash Khatri, Coordinator-HMIS, GoI.

Weekly market price

WEEKLY MARKET PRICE OF LARGE CARDAMOM & FRESH GINGER COLLECTED BY THE SPICES BOARD, GOVT. OF INDIA, SINGTAM ON 25-09-2014

Large Cardamom	Name of the markets
	Gangtok	Singtam	Mangan	Jorethang	Geyzing	Kalimpong	Siliguri
Badadana (Rs./kg.)	1250.00	1262.50	1150.00	1162.50	1200.00	1200.00	1325.00
Chotadana (Rs./kg.)	1212.50	1200.00	1137.50	1125.00	1162.50	1150.00	1200.00
Badadaba (Rs./ mound)	50000.00	50500.00	46000.00	46500.00	48000.00	48000.00	53000.00
Chotadana  (Rs./ mound)	48500.00	48000.00	45500.00	45000.00	46500.00	46000.00	48000.00
Ginger		Singtam	Rangpo	Jorethang	Geyzing	Kalimpong	Siliguri
(Price - Rs./kg.)	Mota	25.00	25.00	Rs.	---	25.00	30.00
	Patla	28.00	27.00	---	---	30.00	35.00

                                                                                                                    Asst. Director (Mktg.)

Sikkim Milk registers 22% growth

Sikkim Milk Union has posted profits for the seventh consecutive year. This welcome news was shared with shareholders at the 18th Annual General Body Meeting of the Sikkim Cooperative Milk Producers Union Ltd on Thursday, 25 September, held at the conference hall of the State Institute of Capacity Building at Karfectar, Jorethang.
Managing Director Dr. P. Senthil Kumar presented the audited annual accounts for the year 2013-14 and the business development plan and future plans of the Sikkim Milk Union at the meeting. Posting a turnover of Rs. 3733 lakhs, Sikkim Milk Union has seen its kitty grow by 22.19% in a year [Rs. 3055 lakhs in 2011-12]. Through the lucrative seven years, milk price to the farmers has grown by over 173% with revision of only 112.50 % increase in selling price.
In the year 2013-14, Sikkim Milk Union managed 357 societies including both registered and unregistered ones and had a membership of 10,205. During the year total milk procured from the village milk cooperatives was a staggering 52,95,817 kg.
The prosperity is being shared around with the farmers and now all the village milk cooperative societies are being provided with testing and cooling facilities and required utensils. All dairy farmers have been provided with 304 SS milk cans and 40L Aluminum cans at subsidized rates and are being provided with Mineral Mixtures, Deworming and Milk Hygienic solution and spray under CMP program.
The Chairman, Sikkim Milk Union, MB Rai, in his address, appreciated the cooperation extended by the village milk cooperative societies and management for the better performance and stressed the need for responsible participation from the village societies to further improve the quality and quantity of milk procured by the societies.
THE PAST SEVEN YEARS
Sikkim Milk Union was incurring losses till 2006-07, through the 28 years of its operations and had an accumulated loss of about Rs. 200 lakhs. From 2007-08 onwards, Sikkim Milk Union started earning profits, an upward graph it is sustaining till date and the benefit of better performance is given as better milk price to the farmers. The milk procurement price was Rs. 8.50 per litre in the year 2007 and is now an average of Rs. 25 per litre. The Union has distributed price difference incentives as bonus to the tune of more than Rs. 150 Lakhs to the farmers in cash and Rs. 8.5 Lakh in the form of shares and in addition to their price and about Rs. 44 Lakh as ex-gratia to the employees as additional incentive to their performance till date.

Never a dull moment in Sikkim, in 1958

The author, Badri Narayan Pradhan, in a studio portrait with his daughter, Rita, who published his Chyakhung Diary, on his lap, his son, Balindra Narayan Pradhan, who is incidentally a headmaster himself in Sikkim now, by his side, and friend, RS Prasad, a Communist stalwart of the region, at around the time when he spent a year at Chakung in Sikkim.

Badri Narayan Pradhan was a keen chronicler and avid diarist. Sikkim is the richer in the publication of his diary from 1958, when he spent a year as a headmaster in Chakung

Chyakhung Diary 1958
Badri Narayan Pradhan
Published by Rita Prasad, 2012
230 pages; In Nepali

KRITIKA CHETTRI
We flit through facebook and twitter recording details of our lives, confessing, indulging in all kinds of exhibitionism (millions of selfies). At an earlier time, people wrote diaries confessing to an audience imagined within the space of a notebook. When you are writing about your life, you tend to include and exclude certain things. In other words you are also creating your own persona or a fictional self. Authoring your life just as you imagine it to be. Badrinarayan Pradhan’s “Chyakhung Diary” written in 1958 is an interesting piece of work in Nepali. It is interesting precisely because of the way he tells you his story, as a hero in his own novel.
You are introduced to an idealistic young man deeply entrenched in the ideology of Marxism which he feels is the creation of a just and humane society. He reads Tolstoy, Gorky and even quotes them, imagining himself a hero just like in Tolstoy’s War and Peace. Like any other hero he has enemies and the story is about his tussle with them. His enemy becomes the Indian government which targets him for his belief in Communism and fear that he must be spreading communism wherever he goes. Though not affiliated to any political party, he loses his teaching job in the town school in Kalimpong and is forced to enter Sikkim as a headmaster of the Chyakhung school. The year, 1958, he spends at Chyakhung in what is now West Sikkim, is recorded in entertaining detail in his meticulously maintained diary.
But even in Chyakhung, the Indian government will not let him rest in peace and influences the Sikkim authorities to strip him of this job. Rumours are spread about his Communist activities and he has to lose this job as well. He finds other enemies there who want him removed and as an audience, we root for our hero all the way. Throughout we follow the trials of this man as he suffers one political atrocity after another. Beneath all that idealism and strong belief in communism lies a simple family man like any other, worried about supporting his family, getting involved in petty domestic disputes with his relatives and so on. We see him in his moments of joy as he learns to ride a cycle or when he dances for the first time in his life at a riverside picnic.  A man who gets excited about having the radio repaired so he won’t have to satisfy his curiosity for information by reading the same old newspapers multiple times. We see him think about writing a romantic letter to his wife as the rainfall outside makes him think of her but all he ends up writing is a very unromantic one complaining about not receiving any letter from her.
Sometimes he even tells you that he can’t write another word in this diary.
All the while you are drawn into this world of the past as you experience it through the eyes of Badrinarayan.
He becomes a chronicler of our past society recording the histories of these regions. He comes across as a keen political observer even in those times when information was not easy to come by, on the state of communism in Russia to the establishment of the first communist government in Kerala to a military dictatorship in Pakistan, to even the absence of rains in Uttar Pradesh. We see him formulating his own idea of politics. A politics that does not come from affiliation with some political party nor from reading some theories on Marxism. His is the kind of politics that is born out of an active engagement with the lives of ordinary people. He is worried about the agricultural tax imposed by the Nehruvian government on the farmers and this goes on to inform his politics. We see him naturally affiliating with the rural folk of Chyakhung who sing harvest songs and who worry about sending their sons to study on a scholarship to Nainital. He is contributing to their lives through his efficient running of the school, his concern for the students. He may brand this politics as Communism but i would like to think that it is more a politics of humanity without the unnecessary baggage of repressive Communist regimes in Russia or China. A pure, undiluted form of Communism if you will.
Then he becomes a historian for us as he records our histories like the state of affairs in Sikkim when it was a kingdom. A country under monarchy which, he comments, had set up a puppet democracy with two parties- the Nationalist party for the Lepchas and Bhutias and the Congress party supported by the Nepalis. Even this government is basically run by the one in Delhi though formal transfers of power happened much later. So it is the Indian government that instructs the one in Sikkim to strip Badrinarayan of his job and without any investigation they follow the orders.
Besides all this political history, he narrates an incident which explains the importance of this whole diary to me. He sees a strange object like a satellite in the sky one day while in Sikkim. He thinks it is probably a Russian satellite and waits to hear about it in the news. Nothing comes. He wonders about it but still the radio says nothing. Then he forgets about it. This explains our lives here even in present times so cut off from the ‘mainstream’ that things that happen here would hardly be considered newsworthy at all. Our lives and our stories become insignificant and we are made to forget about them. Why is there this need for recording history? Because it is what gives societies their sense of identity. So when he gives a voice to those ordinary mundane lives of our societies, his role as a historian becomes all the more important. The historian who records our unheard histories. Our oral histories or grandmothers stories as we call them. It is a diary rich with multiple stories of the lives of our people. Almost like a piece of literature. The literature that hasn’t yet been written down, because we unfortunately don’t have too many of those. So we have him telling us about magicians who come to town melas with their tricks, farmers singing while reaping the maize crop, a woman under painful labour, another woman of a kothi who falls in love with her steward and is married off to him by her own husband, two servants who fight in the school and have a tearful reconciliation, a bunch of teachers who are addicted to playing cards in the school campus all day long. The various beliefs of our societies like “teen baas” being a bad omen for when they have a teen baas money gets stolen from Badrinarayan’s house. The buhari and her sister-in-law not getting along and the husband caught in between this domestic dispute. A man from Pudung busty who was victimized by the British government, stripped of his job in the court, and who later becomes a mad man roaming about town. Also we get to see a host of our own historical figures in this diary- from Ratanlal Brahmin, Parasmani Pradhan to L.D. Kazi. These are our histories that he has chronicled in this diary, recording in keen detail, aspects from vignettes of routine life to the drama of political intrigue to the pettiness of neighbourhood gossip.
So the diary is not just a factual account of the things that happened in 1958. It is a host of things. At your will you can read it as a novel, an autobiography and also a piece of history.

Green Tribunal to hear ACT challenge against environmental clearance for Stage IV on merit

The National Green Tribunal has turned down the demand to reject the ACT challenge against Teesta hydel project Stage-IV on technical grounds and ruled that it will hear the case on merit instead.
A press communiqué issued by the working president, Affected Citizens of Teesta, Tseten Lepcha, informs that at a hearing held on 29 August in the Eastern Zone bench of the NGT at Kolkata, the Tribunal rejected the appeal by the NHPC, Govt of Sikkim and the Ministry of Environment & Forests who wanted the petition filed by Tenzing Lepcha to be dismissed on technical grounds for having been filed too late.
The petition calls on the National Green Tribunal to cancel the environmental clearance issued to NHPC for Teesta Stage-IV.
The respondents had challenged the maintainability of the litigation on the technical grounds, pointing out that it had been filed too late. The bench condoned the delay and instead passed orders for hearing the case on merit.
The NGT also dismissed the appeal seeking a stay on all works on the project on the grounds submitted by NHPC that no work has started so far.

Gangtok Agarwals celebrate their Kul Guru

THE 5,138TH BIRTH ANNIVERSARY OF AGRASEN BECOMES THE FIRST TO BE CELEBRATED IN SIKKIM
The Agarwal segment of the Marwari community in the capital celebrated the 5,138th birth anniversary of their Kul Guru, Maharaja Agrasen, with much grandeur here at Hotel Rendezvous on 25 September. This is for the first time that the birth anniversary is being celebrated in the state. The celebration was organized by the newly formed Sikkim Agarwal Kutumbh.
The Agarwal sect in the Marwari community is believed to have directly descended from Maharaja Agrasen who was a Vyasa king of the Surya Vansh who adopted Vanika Dharma for the benefit of his people. Literally, Agrawal means the “children of Agra[sena]” or the “people of Ag”, a city in ancient Kuru Panchala, near what is now Hissar in Haryana, and which is believed to have been founded by Agrasena.
“This is for the first time that we are observing this auspicious day in the state, however, this day is celebrated in grandeur throughout the country and abroad also,” states Amar Agarwal, coordinator of the Maharaj Agrasen Jayanti Samaroh.
He also informs that Maharaja Agrasen was a legendary Indian king of Agroha, a city of traders, from whom the Agarwal and Agrahari communities are descended. He is known for his compassion in refusing to slaughter animals in Yajnas. The Government of India issued a postage stamp in honor of Maharaja Agresen in 1976 on the occasion of his 5100th birth anniversary.
“Around 500 Agarwals from in and around Gangtok are participating in the function during which the life history of the legendary king and his valuable preaching will be delivered. This is also an opportunity to bring all the Agarwals under one umbrella, something that has not been done for a long time now,” states Amar Agarwal.
He adds that the Sikkim Agarwal Kutumbh has been formed with an objective to unite the Agarwal community in the state and further work towards the welfare and social upliftment of many in the community who were financially unstable.
-ANAND OBEROI

Yangang stays with a Chamling

IN HINDSIGHT, THE RESULT POSTED IN THE RANGANG-YANGANG BY-ELECTION MIGHT HAVE BEEN OBVIOUS, BUT IT STILL THROWS UP SOME INTERESTING POSSIBILITIES

PURAN TAMANG
Although his direct opponents were not political heavyweights themselves, but because he successfully campaigned against the collective might of everybody who is anybody in the current political space, RN Chamling, the new Member of the Legislative Assembly representing Rangang-Yangang constituency of South Sikkim, has earned himself the medal of being a giant killer. But he was more than that because it was not individuals he was really contesting against but established political entities – the ruling Front’s campaign for Kumari Mangar [who lost by around 700 votes] was led from the front by the Chief Minister himself and the Opposition SKM, still fresh from its impressive poll debut three months ago, had allied with BJP whom it also gave its former candidate Bikash Basnet and the campaign time of all 10 MLAs.
At the end however, it was two-way contest between SDF and the Independent, who was, till the last moment, lobbying for an SDF ticket himself. Mr. RN Chamling’s candidature, since he is the SDF party president, Chief Minister Pawan Chamling’s younger brother and hails from and has worked in Yangang all these years, clearly confused the SDF supporters enough for their votes to get split. The vote-share of the bye-election reflects that of the five candidates in the fray, three did not tickle the people’s interest at all. Mr. RN Chamling and Ms. Mangar split 95% of the votes cast between them, the winner pulling clear with 51.33% of the votes and Ms. Mangar securing 43.22% of the votes. The remaining three lost their deposits, and the surprise was especially shocking in the manner in which the SKM-BJP alliance collapsed. Mr. Basnet, who, as an SKM candidate from the same constituency in April 2014, had received an impressive [given that he was going up against Chief Minister Chamling] 3,201 votes, this time, as an SKM-BJP consensus candidate, polled only 315 votes.
Although Mr. RN Chamling’s campaign and supporters had attracted big crowds and made strong claims, his was always considered a doubtful candidature primarily because he was contesting as an Independent in a political environment which has been an SDF versus SKM battleground for a while now. Also, SDF, despite the aggressive and media savvy campaign of the SKM in the run-up to the bye-elections had managed to hold on to South and West districts where SKM had drawn a blank. It was perhaps from this performance that the party, which had brought back its veterans for the April elections, felt emboldened to field a first-timer for the bye-elections. In that sense, the Rangang-Yangang bye-poll was also unique in that all five were debutants [Mr. Basnet being the only one who had already contested an election, but that was technically the same poll].
The polling on 13 September drew a handsome 79% turnout, only marginally lower than the 82% who had voted in April. When the votes were counted on 16 September, Mr. RN Chamling won all the four rounds as well as the postal ballots. Although there is no way of knowing how individual people voted, if one were to surmise that Ms. Mangar’s 4,080 votes were from the 6,343 votes polled by the CM in April, and lost the remaining around 2,300 voters to Mr. RN Chamling, then these, added to the complete exodus from the SKM camp [which fell from 3,201 to 352] neatly ties up to the votes that won the contest for the Independent.
Though little was known of Mr. RN Chamling in the rest of Sikkim, it was clear that he was a favourite for Rangang-Yangang which has decided to stay with a Chamling [the seat was vacated by Mr. RN Chamling’s elder brother after he won from here along with Namchi-Singhithang in April].
The counting began at the Namchi DAC at 9am on Tuesday, and the quickness of EVMs ended the suspense within forty minutes. His supporters, who were gathered at the Namchi Public Ground erupted in celebration.
Interestingly, Mr. RN Chamling, while he was being escorted to Yangang from Namchi, stopped at the SDF party office at Namchi and exchanged greetings with SDF supporters there. There was no animosity on display.
In his short conversation with media personnel after winning, he said that he was grateful for the people’s mandate and that now not only he as the MLA, but all the people of Rangang-Yangang will collectively work for the development of the constituency.

THE RESPONSE
The verdict has clearly surprised everyone and only the Sikkim Democratic Front has officially responded to the results through a press communiqué.
KT Gyaltsen of the SDF, in a press release issued on the evening of 16 September, while congratulating Mr. RN Chamling on his victory, has underlined that this was also an ideological victory for the SDF party president, who, despite knowing that his younger brother was a popular choice and confirmed victory, did not compromise on his stand of not promoting dynastic politics in the party. Delegations seeking the SDF ticket for Mr. RN Chamling had started approaching the senior Chamling since even before he had announced plans to relinquish Rangang-Yangang, it may be recalled.
“Some ideological underpinnings have thrown a new dimension to this election and more importantly to the rock-like principle and ideology of President SDF and Chief Minister Shri Pawan Chamling,” Mr. Gyaltsen details in his press release.
He highlights that not only did the Party President not give the ticket to his younger brother [despite knowing that he would win], but also spared no quarters for him by deploying all senior leaders to the campaign which he himself led from the front. “All this because he stood firm on a principle and ideological point which goes beyond electoral politics and even family obligations. No one can challenge the fact that Shri Chamling and SDF did not campaign hard,” Mr. Gyaltsen details.
He also highlights that the party’s stand on social equity was also reinforced in the ticket being offered to Kumari Mangar. “Hailing from a humble family background, Smt. Thapa Mangar will continue to represent the political ideology of SDF under the President Shri Pawan Chamling where all sections of population find honourable place within the party establishment,” he states.
He then goes on to take on the Opposition for the drubbing it received and rubs some salt on what should be still smarting wounds. “The outcome of this bi-election reflected how completely ineffectual, unreliable and irrelevant the Opposition SKM and other Opposition parties have become within three months of the last elections and also how uninspiring national parties continue to be in Sikkim,” he comments.
Sikkim Krantikari Morcha party spokesperson, the Syari MLA Kunga Nima Lepcha, when contacted, welcomed the result and congratulated the people for voting for an Independent candidate “showing the people’s might and the real meaning of democracy.”
Speaking to NOW! over the phone, he congratulated Rup Narayan Chamling for having “inspired the people to reject the Pawan Chamling dictatorship”.
About the SKM-BJP alliance, he said that the alliance will continue “as both the parties are working for the welfare of the people and consistently working to eradicate corrupt practices”.
The BJP has not issued an official comment on the results as yet.
Supporters of the winning candidate when contacted highlighted that he being a social activist had become popular with his diligent work and sincerity towards the interests of the people of the constituency. They now wanted him to continue his work for the development of the area by remaining an independent voice and speaking for the people.
The SDF supporters had a different story to tell when asked why they thought the party lost. They said that the public had voted for an individual this time and not ideology allowing their personal interests and feelings to decide their vote. Mr. RN Chamling was individually popular, they admit, and this is what the people voted for. They said that the SDF would continue to bring development in all spheres of the state and convince the people that they were committed to work for the best interest of the people of Sikkim and were the only party to strive for this.
Bikash Basnet, the BJP candidate, commented that elections were like battles and that he was happy with the results as this was what the people wanted and he was for the people and glad that SDF did not win.
Now, the Legislative Assembly has seen the SDF strength decrease from 22 to 21 and in its next sitting, will receive only the fifth Independent candidate ever to sit in the Assembly. The last time the SLA had an independent MLA was in 1999-2004 when Palden Lachungpa won from the Sangha seat. The Independents before that were Ashok Tsong [1994], Balchand Sarda [1985] and Lachen Gomchen Rimpoche [1979]. Now to see which direction Mr. RN Chamling’s political future takes and what having an Independent representative means for Rangang-Yangang.

Aiming for Zero

ZERO WASTE HIMALAYA VOLUNTEERS PETITION CHIEF SECRETARY WITH 3-POINT SOLUTION TO ADDRESS LITTERING AND BANE OF PLASTICS
Zero Waste Himalaya volunteers from Sikkim Government College, Tadong, recently submitted a petition to the Chief Secretary regarding issues of solid waste management practices that required the State Government’s immediate attention. This was a follow up to an earlier petition submitted to the Government by the group last year on the previous Zero Waste Himalaya Day [08 August, 2013].
The petition focuses on three major issues- recommending a ban on use of disposable materials at all eateries and switching to reusable options for serving food; review of the Plastic Bags Ban Rule in the state for improving its effectiveness and implementation; and putting an end to the practice of using packaged drinking water at Government meetings.
A recent study made by the ZWH Group on the plastic bag ban has reportedly indicated that it is not being implemented strictly. Also, the popular alternative to plastic bags in many cases is the polypropylene nonwoven bag or PP bag which is being wrongly portrayed as cloth, but is in fact just another form of plastic.
A report highlighting findings of the Plastics Bags Ban survey was also presented to the CS along with a report of the awareness programme carried out by the ZWH group at MG Marg on Zero Waste Himalaya Day last month. The group also presented a sample cloth bag with a Zero Waste message that could be used as a reusable shopping bag in lieu of the plastic shopping bag.

Two years and counting…

SPSC IS TRYING TO GET THINGS RIGHT, BUT THE BUREAUCRACY WILL STILL HAVE TO WAIT SOME MORE MONTHS FOR ITS NEW BATCH OF UNDER SECRETARIES

It is two years almost to the day since the SPSC invited applications for filling up of 25 State Civil Services and two State Police Service posts back on 12 September 2012. Held on the UPSC format for Indian administrative services, the process this time included a prelims, mains and interview. The mains have still not been called, and officials inform that it will take at least four more months for the process to complete, provided no new complication crops up for this “recruitment drive” which has had its share of drama. In comparison, the UPSC completes the civil services exams - from call for applications to interview - within barely a year. While there is no denying that the State Public Service Commission could benefit from some professional management, it is also a fact that it is understaffed, overworked, under prepared and logistically challenged.
Things started slow at the State Public Service Commission, which, after having announced the exams in September 2012, conducted the prelims slightly over a year later in October 2013. This exam did not go too well, with candidates crying foul over the careless manner in which it was held. An uproar later, the SPSC scrapped the exam and the wait began for a retake. In the interim, the general elections happened and the prelims happened only in July 2014.
Originally, 5,431 candidates had registered for the preliminary examinations, of whom 3,189 took their admit cards and 2,679 eventually took the exam [in July 2014]. In the prelims held in October last year, which was later cancelled by the SPSC, 3,611 candidates had taken the exam.
The results were tabulated in quick time and a shortlist of 373 candidates released for the mains. Last week, on 14 September, the SPSC held the Physical Efficiency Test [PET] for the selected candidates who had opted for Sikkim Police Service. With this evaluation over, the decks are cleared for the holding of the mains.
OH Subba, the Chairman at SPSC under whom the current sequence of exams are being held, explains that as per the directives of the Department of Personnel setting the guidelines for selection, 1:13 ratio on vacancies to candidates was taken in preparing the list of selected candidates after the prelims. And then there is the roster system which also needs to be worked in.
The Sikkim Public Service Commission was set up in 1982 with the appointment of a Chairman and deputation of staff from the State Government and is charged with conducting direct recruitments in state civil services and the 40 other services through competitive examinations.
It is clearly very tough for the SPSC to manage this responsibility specially since it is also straddled with manpower shortfalls and ironically has vacancies in its own ranks which await to be filled up. Incongruously for an organization charged with conducting entrance exams and one which has already bungled seriously in recent times, the posts of Joint Examination Controller and Assistance Examination Controller remain vacant at SPSC. Surprisingly, the Commission also lacks the services of experts to prepare the question papers and conduct evaluations. This leads to further delays.
The SPSC is doing its best to conduct the examinations in time and without any controversy, the Chairperson Mr. Subba however underlines. He shares that among the more immediate challenges facing the Commission is in preparing question papers for those who have taken state government notified languages as their optional subjects.
The prelims, he points out, are relatively simple to conduct [with its multiple choice format and optical marker corrections], but conducting a main examinations is much more complicated. The SPSC has enlisted services of experts from different subjects and a variety of courses and has to coordinate their availability. However, the Commission is hopeful of getting its own question bank in place in due course of time for such examinations.
Since the state government does not have separate halls for holding of such examinations, the SPSC has to also coordinate with schools and institutions which also accommodated national level selection examinations, examinations for open school and other competitive examinations in the same facilities.
It also needs to be accepted that the SPSC had remained a token organization for most of the past years and has only recently been shaped into a working unit tasked with ensuring fair selection of candidates for government jobs at all levels. Where employment was cornered by the privileged and the well connected in the not so distant past, things have now changed in Sikkim, and as aspirations and confidence grows and spreads, favouritism is being increasingly challenged and every appointment scrutinized. For instance, an RTI has already been filed [and responded to] on the prelims held in July. SPSC will come under even more scrutiny as it conducts more exams. In that sense, it is still in the process of understanding the seriousness of its task and is on a learning curve still but will hopefully learn fast and well. Should the present exam indeed get completed in the next few months, it would already been an improvement over the “US Exams” held in 1998, the successful candidates from which were inducted into service only in 2002, four years later [and they had to given only one exam and then interview at that time]…

SPEND THIS WEEKEND

At the album release of hip hop crew ‘Urban Inc’ at Lounge 31A Studio. The three-member band will be performing live at the release of their second album ‘Dream High’ on Saturday.
WHEN: 20 Sept, 8 pm onwards
WHERE: Lounge 31A Studio, SNOD Complex

Students give blood

Students of Sikkim Government College organized a blood donation camp commemorating the third anniversary of the devastating earthquake of 18 September, 2011. 110 students voluntarily donated blood in the drive. “We want to bring awareness on the importance of donating blood among the students. We also dedicate this drive to the memory of lives lost in the quake,” said student organizer, Krishna Gurung.

State’s Bank struggles with bad loans and poor accounting

STATE BANK OF SIKKIM STARES AT FAILING FISCAL HEALTH - VISHNU NEOPANEY
The State Bank of Sikkim is under a fresh cloud of suspicion of misappropriation at some of its branches, and even as these allegations are being investigated, there is further bad news for the bank in that it has also started running up losses. As they say, when it rains, it pours, and the string of bad news for the bank continues with a realization that a majority of its cash credit loans have become non-performing assets, as have an unreasonably high number of construction loans. Unfortunately, the slipping fortunes do not appear to have triggered any major worry at the bank where it continues to be business as usual with the statement of accounts not having been reconciled for the past three years and the Board of Directors not having met for the past year.
Readers will recall that the last big scandal at SBS was the Sombarai Bank embezzlement suspected to have cheated the State exchequer of around Rs. 2.56 crores. That was back in the year 2001. In the latest instance, the Bank has reportedly been informed of suspected embezzlement of around Rs. 42 lakhs at four of its branches.
The SBS Managing Director, Hem Karki, when contacted, confirmed that such a report has reached his table and that the bank was re-verifying the facts to check whether there has really been misappropriation or misuse of money or not. He stressed that as things stand, the suspicions were speculative and that the Bank is convinced that there has been no misappropriation.
The SBS was established as the state treasury bank on 19 September 1968 by a proclamation of the Chogyal and continues to function as the lead bank for all State Government transactions. It is vested with the responsibility to receive money on behalf of the Government and make all government payments and keeping custody of the balances of the Government in current account as well as fixed deposits.
The Bank currently has 35 branches across the State. Despite these times of instant connectivity and online transactions, SBS has no facilities for even realtime connection between the branches and the headquarters. Needless to add, this leads to poor accounting and conflicting records. Take for instance the record on cash balance of the government at SBS as on 31 March 2013. As per the bank, it had Rs. 65.36 crore of govt money in cash balance while the Finance Accounts 2012-13, there was a balance of Rs. 19.50 crore, leaving an un-reconciled balance of Rs. 45.86 crore!
Needless to add, given such a scenario, Rs. 42 lakhs in unexplained expenses suspected to be embezzlement is hardly shocking.
What is a bigger worry though is that Bank, which was posting profits till 2009-10, reported losses for 2010-11. Its balance sheet for later years have not been reconciled yet and only once that is done will it become clear whether 2010-11 was an aberration or the start of a new trend.
As per data available with NOW!, the State Bank of Sikkim posted a loss of Rs. 705 lakhs in 2010-11; this, within a year of having posted a Rs. 567.46 lakh profit in 2009-10.
The Bank’s failing fiscal health is expectedly a result of increasing operational costs and falling revenue, but it would have easily tided over this situation if it had displayed more financial prudence and not allowed a staggering 82% of its cash credit loans to become non-performing assets.
Where the bank’s operational costs increased from around Rs. 7,875 lakhs in 2009-10 to Rs. 8,798 lakh in 2010-11, its revenue fell from Rs. 8,442 lakh in 2009-10 to Rs. 8,093 lakh the next year.
As mentioned, this would have been an inconsequential blip in the balance sheet if the bank’s debtors had not defaulted so astronomically. It is learnt that out of the 460 cash credit loanees [as of 31 March 2013], 380 have become non-performing assets collectively posting an inexcusable Rs. 188 crore in bad loans.
And then there are the 1,385 construction loans given out by the bank. Of these, 352 have become non-performing assets accounting for around Rs. 116 crore in bad loans.
The suspected misappropriation of around Rs. 43 lakhs currently being looked into by the bank pales in comparison.
The bank has not ascertained the annual loss from provisional accounts for the financial year 2011-12 and 2012-13 as of now. In the last session of the Legislative Assembly, SBS had tabled financial report for the financial years 2006 to 2008-09.
Cash credits, loans frequently taken out by contractors and business houses against work orders [in anticipation of business and not against any mortgage as such], are clearly a major concern, having consumed Rs. 188 crore in bad loans.
And before one jumps at SBS with more allegations to add to its already overflowing bag of woes, a short digression on how loans and finances are managed by the State Government might prove an enlightening experience. As per the CAG Report of 2013, departments [like Animal Husbandry, Agriculture and Forest] which disbursed loans to “beneficiaries” and the Finance Department [which maintains accounts of the Government], “do not even have information relating to details of the loanees, actual dates of loans, terms and conditions of the loans, schedule of recovery, rate of interest, penal interest for default in repayment, fulfillment of objectives for which the loans were given, etc.”
SBS is only continuing this casual approach, and while this cannot excuse what is happening at the treasury, it at least explains it.
Meanwhile, in response to queries from NOW! on why the annual summary report of the Bank has not been taken up for the last three years and what was happening with the alleged misappropriation, State Bank of Sikkim Board Member, Secretary MG Kiran, who is also Principal Secretary, Finance, Revenue and Expenditure Department, explained that the Board meeting could not be held in time due to enforcement of Model Code of Conduct earlier in the year and then the government formation process after which a new Chairperson of the Bank was appointed. This meeting, he adds, will now be conveyed shortly.
He also reassured that if any substance is found in the allegations of misappropriation, it will be taken up at the meeting.
When asked about the loss and non-recovery of loans, the SBS MD said that issuing of a series or notices and even publication of Notices in newspapers has had a good impact and a large number of loanees have come forward to settle their dues.
Mr. Karki further said that the Bank is trying its best to introduce Core-banking system at SBS as well and will have the system in place by next year, and that after obtaining the approval of Board of Directors, the Bank will float open bidding for supply software containing RFP [Request for Financial Performance]. Banking processes will be better managed then and proper and timely reconciliation of accounts will also flag worries and concerns before they become debilitating as the situation appears to have become now.

940 rural houses inaugurated on Earthquake anniv.

15 REDRH and 3 CMRHM houses were handed over to the respective beneficiaries at Ranka BAC on the third anniversary of 18/11 Earthquake on Thursday. The handing over ceremony was attended by Gram Vikas Adhikari, Ranka BAC, NT Bhutia, Zilla panchayat, Surya Bahadur Rai, panchayat members, AE and JEs and other officials of the Ranka BAC. 

Owning a home of our own is a dream often not easy to achieve. But for 940 rural households of Sikkim, this dream will turn into a reality as they moved into their new homes on 18 Sept 2014 in a mass inauguration function organized to mark the third anniversary of the devastating Sikkim Earthquake of 2011.
Out of the 940 rural houses inaugurated, 665 houses have been funded under the Reconstruction of Earthquake Damaged Rural Houses (REDRH) project and 275 under the Chief Minister’s Rural Housing Mission (CMRHM).
The philosophy of Build Back Better has been the guiding strategy for both these projects. The homeowner-driven implementation model has been adopted and it has helped to establish a sense of ownership and identity with the beneficiaries. An efficient and transparent mechanism of beneficiary selection, stock material management, physical progress monitoring and simplification of the technical elements has been established. The core house design, building standards, construction material (cement and steel), technical supervision and capital has been provided by the project. The home-owner undertook the actual construction, procured local construction material (stone, sand, timber etc), arranged for mason and labour and also added their own finances. Skills upgradation trainings for the masons and engineers were specially organized in partnership with IIT-Delhi.
In order to make this approach effective, the provision of grant was made contingent upon meeting minimum standards for good construction quality.

[from Rural Management & Development Department]

Bon appetite! REBYNA RANA

The latest addition to MG Marg, "Yummy Tummy", has opened on the first floor of the building opposite SBI's Specialized Personal Banking Branch. Apart from the usual momos and Chinese staples like Chow Mein and Chopsuey, the restaurant also serves Newari treats like 'Buff Bhutuwa' - fried buff. There is also the delectable 'Sungur Khutta ko Achaar' or pickled pork trotters on the menu.
An open space overlooking the market seems to be a hot design trend with restaurants in town these days. Like many other places at MG Marg, Yummy Tummy also offers tables on the balcony. Owner of the restaurant, 32-year-old Mitush Gurung, says that he had seen such design at a restaurant in Pokhara [in Nepal] and had always wanted to replicate it at his own restaurant some day. Mitush took it upon himself to design this space while the rest of the restaurant has been designed by architect Anup Tamang.
"The location certainly helps since it is right in the middle of the market. We are getting a lot of locals as well as tourists", says Mitush. The young entrepreneur, who also runs Club King B at Hotel Mayur [Hospital Dara], says there is a lot of scope for the youth in the private sector, adding that a government job would never have given him the kind of independence and satisfaction that he now enjoys.
Yummy Tummy is open from 10 a.m. till 9 p.m. Buff Bhutuwa and Sungur Khutta ko Achaar are priced at Rs 150 per plate.