Dzongu boycotts NHPC, public stays away from Stage-IV public hearing

The affected people of Teesta Stage-IV and their representatives boycott the public hearing scheduled for 22 July at Namprikdang. The only people who showed up were officials tasked with conducting the hearing, police personnel and media persons.

PUBLIC HEARING POSTPONED TILL FURTER NOTICE; NHPC ADVISED TO UNDERTAKE THOROUGH PUBLIC CONSULTATION NEXT TIME

WANGCHUK BHUTIA
NAMPRIKDANG, 22 July: The affected people of Dzongu carried through their resolve to boycott the public hearing called for Teesta Stage-IV hydel project with complete unanimity today. When all of them, including their panchayats and MLA, remained no-shows at the venue of the public hearing, the Namprikdang Ground, even till noon, the DC [North], who chairs the public hearing panel, postponed the public hearing till further notice since not even a single person had shown up, save the concerned officials and NHPC representatives.
The venue was hit by a minor case of arson last night when some banners and decorations at the stage were burned by miscreants. No substantial damage was caused.

Land-slips hit Namchi

NAMCHI, 22 July: The continuous downpour of the past few days has begun to exact a cost. A landslide on Tinzir road here threatens to bring down the building of Bimal Rai, situated above.
According to DPO, Disaster Management Cell, Namchi, Pempa Sherpa, the landslide which brought down the courtyard of the building occurred at around 11 30 p.m. last night.
A rescue team from the Disaster Management Cell rushed to the spot immediately and preventive measures were taken. The slide is now covered with tarpaulin sheets to prevent further seepage of water. These protective works were completed at around 1 a.m.

Seize opportunities and speak out to end dependence syndrome, CM appeals

GANGTOK, 22 July:  Chief Minister Pawan Chamling stressed today that government policies and programmes were geared towards protecting and making the people secure and ensuring justice to all. With the institutionalization of such an environment, the final aim was to empower the people and end the dependence syndrome.
He admitted that the dependence still continues, and urged the people to seize opportunities created for them and capitalize on the empowerment available to stand up and demand their rights instead of depending on others to do it for them or wait for the government to grant it.

10 Mile slide forces overnight block on NH 31A

GANGTOK, 22 July: The stretch of NH 31A between Rangpo and Singtam was hit by a series of landslides at around 10 p.m. which held up traffic for 11 hours. The more severe of the slides was at 10th Mile near Baghey Khola [see pic]. 
A substantial portion of the protection wall above the road and a huge tree were brought down by the slide, damaging high tension electricity transmission lines.

Hybrid maize wins Dalapchand endorsement

45 HECTARE EXPERIMENT LINES UP 200 HECTARE EXPANSE

AMEET OBEROI
DALAPCHAND, 22 July: C-1415, a hybrid, composite and high yielding variety of maize is being grown on a 45 hectare area in the Dalapchand Gram Panchayat Unit [GPU] as an area expansion programme by the Food Security and Agriculture Development Department. This hybrid variety yields 2,500 kg per hectare as compared to 900 kg of the local maize and its seeds can be stored for a longer period of time.
Khorlo Bhutia, Director, Agriculture Department, along with other department officials visited the area to inspect how the crop was faring and also to interact with the concerned farmers and to inform them of other schemes that can be availed by the farmers.

Evening slip stalls Singtam-Gangtok traffic

SINGTAM, 22 July: Traffic along the Singtam-Gangtok highway came to a standstill for over three hours after two mud-slips blocked the road near 32 No. this evening.
Both the slides were at spots [near 32 No.] where GREF is carrying out its back-cutting works to expand the road.
The slips are informed to have occurred at around 5 p.m. this evening after continuous heavy rains lashed the area. The slides disrupted traffic throughout the evening and only one-way vehicular movement was made possible after GREF cleared the debris and Sikkim Police personnel directed the traffic.

Final selection for Allianz Junior Football Camp to be held on Saturday

GANGTOK, 22 July: The Final Phase-II selection for Allianz Junior Football Camp 2011 is scheduled to be held on Saturday at Bhaichung Stadium, Namchi, from 11:30 a.m. onwards, informs a press release.
Students who have qualified the school-level tests across the hill region will be participating. The selection process will be held under the supervision of coaches Suren Chhetri and Mayal Lepcha, and East Bengal footballer, Nirmal Chettri, the release informs.

NHPC’s unreliability convinces people and panchayats from 5 GPUs to boycott Stage-IV public hearing

PEOPLE DEMAND SATISFACTORY EXECUTION OF STAGE-V COMMITMENTS AND ON-RECORD UNDERTAKINGS FOR STAGE-IV FIRST

GANGTOK, 21 July: Affected people and panchayats from five GPUs in Dzongu – Lingthem-Lingdem, Sakyong-Pentong, Shipgyer, Namok-Swaayam and Lum-Gaur Sangtok – today announced their decision to boycott the public hearing called for Friday for the Teesta Stage-IV hydel project proposed to be developed by NHPC. A total of seven GPUs in Dzongu will be affected by the hydel project.
A press release issued jointly by the said panchayats informs that this decision followed from a meeting held yesterday to discuss issues relating to the public hearing. The meeting unanimously resolved to place a demand for redressal of commitments and assurances made by the NHPC for Stage-V [already commissioned at Dikchu further downstream from Stage-IV]. Deciding not to participate in the public hearing for Stage-IV, the meeting instead drafted a letter listing the undelivered assurances by the hydel developer in relation of Stage-V and submit it to the Chairman, Public Hearing Panel, 520 MW Teesta Stage-IV before the public hearing begins.

ASSWO joins public spat over SU

 GANGTOK, 21 July: Another organization has joined issue with the string of comments coming forth on Sikkim University. The All Sikkim Students Welfare Organization has expressed disappointment over the public spat centered around Sikkim University between various organizations and political outfits. “Instead of becoming a cauldron of knowledge it has become a cauldron of contention,” an ASSWO press release comments.
The organization also adds to the mix by ruing that university is “throwing up a host of unnecessary issues” instead of working for the welfare of Sikkim.

Bouquet of tourism initiatives to bring shine back to entire stretch of old trade route

GANGTOK-TSOMGO-NATHULA-GNATHANG-RHENOCK-RANGPO AND BACK TO BE MADE A ONE WAY COMPULSORY CIRCUIT; TOURIST AMENITIES TO BE DEVELOPED EVERY 10 KMS; FACILITIES CREATED TO SUPPORT FULL-FLEDGED TRADE OVER NATHULA

SAGAR CHHETRI

GANGTOK, 21 July: On the 29th day on his village-to-village tour today, Chief Minister Pawan Chamling travelled the old trade route going through Tsomgo, Nathula, Kupup, Gnathang and down to Rhenock and Rangpo. At his halts along the way he announced major tourism initiatives on the anvil to bring the shine back to this entire stretch of the old trade route, on the Gangtok-Nathula axis of which sees border trade and receives tourists at present.
At his first stop at the Tsomgo shopping complex, the CM asked the people of the area to compare and evaluate how things were 18 years ago and the changes that the present government has brought about to the area with its priority on tourism.

Lost in Stages

Editorial:
Hydel projects, whether the euphemistically tagged “run of the river” variant or the mega dam undertakings, are not pretty sights when they are works in progress. The army of workers labouring in the river-bed, the cavernous “adit tunnels” and the attendant blasting works, the filth of labour camps which hydel developers conveniently forget to provide with even the most basic of amenities and the condescending attitude with which people’s complaints and worries are handled, all these collaborate with the visible ruining of the affected area to scare people away from hydel projects.

92 Sikkim students admitted to Sikkim University this year

GANGTOK, 21 July: Sikkim University has admitted 92 students from Sikkim for the 2011-12 academic session, informs a press release issued by the University today.
The University had offered a total of 620 seats in 24 courses in the graduate, post graduate and M Phil categories. An all-India entrance test was conducted at 31 centres across the country and abroad.
Out of the 230 students who have been admitted to the University 92 students are from Sikkim, the release informs, confirming the figures released by the National Students’ Union of India yesterday.

Nodal officer appointed to monitor local employment at industrial units

GANGTOK, 21 July: In immediate follow-up to the Chief Minister expressing disappointment over the refusal of the industrial units in recruiting local employees, and more importantly, the failure of the Industries Department to enforce conditions recorded in the MoUs in this regard, the Department of Commerce and Industries, through a Circular on 18 July, has directed all industrial units to implement the policy of the State Government in “letter and spirit”. What is more, it has deputed a nodal officer to keep track of the policy implementation.

Bottled water manufacturing unit inaugurated at GFPF

SINGTAM, 20 July: The Government Fruit Preservation Factory [GFPF] at Singtam is now branching out into manufacturing bottled water as well. Chief Minister Pawan Chamling today inaugurated the new facility at the GFPF complex which will manufacture the bottled water under the brand-name “Sikkim Supreme”. It is set to hit the market next month. Work on the project has been underway for the past four months.

NSUI takes on Govt on behalf of SU VC

GANGTOK, 20 July: The Sikkim unit of the National Students Union of India [NSUI] has condemned the recent spate of allegations levelled against the Sikkim University Vice Chancellor by the ruling party stemming from the University’s apparent refusal to grant affiliation to the Government Degree College opened at Kyongsa, Gyalshing, recently. NSUI has lashed out against the State Government by focussing on the delay in handing over land acquired for the university at Yangyang in South Sikkim.
About the Kyongsa Degree College issue, the NSUI has demanded that the State release all official communication between it and the university to explain why affiliation was denied.

North continues to wonder why SNT buses abandoned them

MANGAN, 20 July: This is a demand that the people of North Sikkim have been raising off and on for 15 years now. Apart from the demand having remained ignored all this while, no one has even bothered to explain why the demand for resumption of the Gangtok-Mangan SNT bus service is so impossible to grant.
SNT buses stopped plying this route 15 years ago, and despite frequent demands for the resumption of this cheaper and more affordable service, the buses have not returned. What rankles the people is that no reason has been offered. This, despite the fact that SNT, ever since it has a passenger service, has plied the Gangtok-Mangan route, starting in times when it had only a fleet of mini buses.
Commuters miss the service most during tourist season when the regular jeep services prefer to ferry tourists.
AS CJ Lepcha of Mangan points out, during tourist season, vehicles are not available for hire and the usual jeeps become very erratic in their service. With an SNT service, people will not have to suffer this uncertainty and will have the option of at least a reliable bus service.

Lower Samdong school bags National Green School award

MANGAN, 20 JULY: After receiving the State Green School Award 2011 on World Environment Day, 05 June, at Chintan Bhawan, Lower Samdong Secondary School extended its green record status to the national level, collecting the National Green School Award 2011 at a glittering awards ceremony held at India Habitat Centre, Lodhi Road, New Delhi on 15 July. The school ranked third in the New School Category on the basis of an all-India rating done by the Centre for Science and Environment.

Stimulate Dissent to End Passivity

Editorial:
It is not rare to hear the outspoken in Sikkim and critics commenting from anonymity complain that ‘people’ do not react enough in Sikkim. They are right in their observation, but off the mark in being judgemental about it. Sikkim was a monarchy for 300 years, not the best of systems to cultivate an involved and critical people. Democracy finally rode in on the crest of a movement which played barely for five years in its final push; enough time maybe for an aspiration for free expression to evolve, perhaps not enough for the value or the process to sink in. Democracy requires its citizens to remain involved, critical and demanding for the institution to mature.

Allow no compromises on quality or commitments, CM urges people

SAGAR CHHETRI
RANGPO, 20 July: Chief Minister Pawan Chamling today stressed that infrastructure development and the creation of new opportunities were being prioritized by the State Government because these created new avenues and options for the people to develop collectively. It was for this reason that the focus has been on quality works and frequent directions issued to industrial and hydel project developers to employ local personnel and deliver on their corporate social responsibility towards the resident population. The Chief Minister continued his village-to-village tour of the State into its 28th day with interactions with the people of Khamdong-Singtam and West-Pendam constituencies.

Likhu Bhir acts up, stalls traffic on NH31A

ANAND OBEROI
GANGTOK, 20 July:  Monsoon-induced disruptions on National Highway 31-A have returned, with various spots on the Siliguri-Gangtok stretch blocked because of landslides. After shutting down the highway for over 12 hours at Rambi in the West Bengal side on 17 June last month, the rains once again disrupted traffic along the highway, and this time for over 20 hours and at two different trouble-spots.
Speaking to NOW! this afternoon, the Gorkha Janmukti Chalak Mahasangh [GJCM], president, Milan Pradhan, informed that NH-31A was blocked at a spot around 200 meters from the Teesta bridge towards Siliguri. The spot near the Shiv Mandir at the infamous Likhu Bhir is informed to have lost a section of the road to heavy rains.

No faith in NHPC or authorities, ACT to boycott Stage-IV public hearing

GANGTOK, 20 July: ACT [Affected Citizens of Teesta], following a meeting held on 15 July, decided to boycott the public hearing called for the 520MW Teesta hydel project Stage-IV on 22 July at Namprikdang. The project is to be developed by the NHPC. The meeting also resolved that all ACT members whose lands were marked for acquisition by the government for the company will not give their consent and land no matter what the compensation or threat.
While ACT plans to continue its protest against the project, it is staying away from the public hearing convinced that it was merely an eye-wash and also because NHPC has a track-record of not delivering on promises made at these hearings or even completing conditions imposed on it by the Ministry of Environment & Forests.

Secure development by claiming ownership, CM urges

NEW LAWS SOON TO PUNISH DRUG PEDDLING MORE SEVERELY, IMPOSE BAN ON SALE OF ALCOHOL TO UNDER-18 YEAR OLDS MORE STRICTLY AND TO REMOVE PERSONAL-INTEREST OBSTACLES DELAYING DEVELOPMENTAL WORKS
PAKYONG, 19 July: Chief Minister Pawan Chamling urged people of the State to inculcate a stronger sense of belonging and internalise a sense of ownership towards the state and its projects and schemes. Such an attitude, he stressed, would ensure that development was more uniformly dispensed and quality delivery ensured. It will also bring around improved involvement and thus assure the people’s position as the masters of the government, he stressed.
Through his 27th day of village-to-village tour of the State, the CM interacted with people of Rhenock constituency at get-togethers hosted at Dugalakha Junior High School, Mamring Secondary School and Dikling Senior Secondary School. The persistent drizzle did little to dampen spirits as the CM spent a majority of his time at these venues among the people, interacting with them and collecting their grievances and demands. 

‘Certified Sucker Nursery’ scheme helps Tingzey farmers resurrect cardamom plantations

WANGCHUK BHUTIA
MANGAN, 19 July: Forty-five farmers from Tingzey ward of Upper Mangshila in North Sikkim, who had opted for cardamom farming under the “Certified Sucker Nursery” scheme funded by the Spices Board have now started harvesting improved results and are also contributing towards resurrecting large cardamom plantations in the area.
Laksingh Limboo, one of the farmers, while speaking to NOW! informed that he produced 5 quintal of large cardamom last year and also sold more than 4,000 saplings grown at his certified sucker nursery. He shares that he raked in a handsome annual income of more than Rs. 4 lakh. He expects to do even better this year.
Mr. Limboo converted his plantation under the present scheme five years ago and started plucking large cardamom harvest after two years. He is all praises for the Spices Board initiative of bringing such a “fruitful scheme” to the village.

Congress holds state-level meet, introduces 32-member executive committee to supporters

BHANDARI LASHES OUT AGAINST DISSIDENTS AND SDF GOVT
GANGTOK, 19 July: The Sikkim Pradesh Congress Committee [SPCC] held a state-level meeting at Congress Bhawan here at Development Area today. Party supporters from all the four districts were present for the meeting during which the new 32-member executive body of the SPCC was officially introduced to the party members.
The PCC has Nar Bahadur Bhandari as president, assisted by sic vice-presidents in Major T Gyatso, Kunga Nima Lepcha, Acharya Tshering Lama, Yuva Raj Rai, Pema Kinzing and Lalit Adikari. The new district presidents of the party are BB Basnet [East], Buddhi Bal Gurung [West], Gayching Bhutia [North] and Deepak Sharma [South]. LB Chauhan has been appointed the INTUC president and Em Prasad Sharma, JB Darnal, Anil Lachenpa, Lobsang Bhutia and DB Basnet officiate as general secretaries.

Committee of Secretaries to monitor land transfers

GANGTOK, 19 July: The State Government, through a Home Department Notification issued on 11 July, constituted a committee headed by the Commissioner-cum-Secretary, Land Revenue & Disaster Management Department as Nodal Secretary, to screen all cases of land transfers from Sikkimese to non-Sikkimese owners and from Bhutia-Lepcha to non-Bhutia-Lepcha for hotel projects, pharmaceutical companies, industries, excise units, power projects, etc.

Group of students protest clerical oversight and administrative insensitivity aborting their college education

GANGTOK, 19 July: A group of six students have been shuttled between the Sikkim Government College here and the Sikkim University office for twenty days now, stunned by wicked administrative impassivity which could end up pushing them out of the college system, wiping out four semesters [2 years] that they have already completed. What is distressing the students even more is that the reason being presented to explain their ouster from the college system came as a surprise to them. They insist they had never been informed of the situation and believe that they are being to suffer for clerical oversights and disinterested administration, neither of which they have any control over. What is worrying is their contention that many more students have been similarly affected and have dropped-out without protest. They, however, refuse to sacrifice two years of education without trying to get heard.

“Touring Sikkim to support people’s need to speak up”

FUNDS FOR DEMANDS APPROVED DURING TOUR WILL BE PASSED IN MONSOON SESSION OF LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY, CM ASSURES
SAGAR CHHETRI
RHENOCK, 18 July: Carrying his village-to-village tour of the State into its 26th day with an extensive round of Rhenock and Chujachen constituencies in East Sikkim today, the Chief Minister mingled freely with the people, sitting among them and collecting their grievances and demands directly. Throughout his interactions, he stressed that his tour was as much to take a ground-check on the various schemes and projects implemented and underway across the State, as it was to encourage the people to speak up and find their voice.

SHRP releases vision to make Sikkim ‘Knowledge based Industrial State’

GANGTOK, 18 July: The Sikkim Himali Rajya Parishad Party released its ‘vision’ to make Sikkim a ‘Knowledge Based Industrial State’ in the event that the party comes to power here.
Briefing media-persons today, the SHRPP president, Dr AD Subba and general secretary, Tara Shreshta, announced that this ‘Vision’ will be implemented when SHRPP forms the Government in Sikkim and contended that it will immediately provide employment to all.
The vision document, released as a press release today, introduces this vision as one which to solve all problems of the state “by applying both practical and technical knowledge rather than the theoretical”.
Discouraging loans provided by the government to the people, the party proposes to offer life-long insurance to all Sikkimese instead. Controlling influx, exclusion from VAT and Income Tax and making Sikkim a ‘Tribal State’ are some of the other proposals envisioned by the party, according to the release.

Trilok Subba bags gold in Malaysia

GANGTOK, 18 July: Sikkim’s Trilok Subba has won the gold medal in the 6th CK Classic Malaysian Open International Championship in the first master Taekwondo poomsae category, informs a press release. Mr Subba was the lone gold medallist of the 11-member Indian contingent.
The tournament was organized by the Malaysia Taekwando Federation from 15 to 18 July. The silver medal went to Aday Margulan of Kazakhstan and bronze was won by Karuna Rathna of Sri Lanka, the release informs.

Make Child Labour Unacceptable

Editorial:
The child labourers rescued last month from homes across Gangtok, those whom the authorities found in need to be extracted from their places of work, have reportedly been sent back to their families. One does not use the term “reunited with their families” because these were not children who had been snatched away from home. In most cases, their own families had sent them out to work in Gangtok homes. But that does not make it okay. For one, it is a now a criminal offence to employ children below the age of 14 even as domestic servants, for another, it is inhuman to subject such young lives to the trauma of relocation to cultures and lifestyles alien to them.

BJP takes exception of SU land row

GANGTOK, 18 July: The Bharatiya Janata Party’s Sikkim unit has taken “strong exception over the controversy surrounding the Sikkim Central University land issue”, conveys a BJP press release issued today, demanding that the issue be resolved as soon as possible.
The controversy, the release contends, was “defaming Sikkim and leaving negative impacts on the young minds of the state”.

SOON TO BE A MUSEUM

The upcoming Museum near the State Archive building below Bhanu Path, Gangtok. This will be the first State Museum in Sikkim. [photo shared by ST GYATSO]

Namchi I-Day knock-out football attracts dozen contenders

NAMCHI, 18 July: A meeting to discuss and decide on the preparation to organize the Independence Day Knock Out Football Tournament 2011 was held here at Namchi today.
The meeting, held under the chairmanship of area MLA Binod Rai, decided to organize the tournament at Bhaichung Stadium Namchi as usual and from 05 August. The tournament would be organized by South District Football Association (SDFA) which will have teams from within the state as participants.
Teams from Gangtok, Mangan, Geyzing and South District will be given nominal travelling expense. The meeting decided to let the 12 top teams of the state enter the tournament, the winners of which will be given direct entry in the All India Chief Minister’s Gold Cup Football Tournament 2011.
The winner and runner up teams will be awarded Rs 50,000/- and Rs 30,000/- as prize money respectively. The last date for entries is 25 July and interested teams can contact 9800979117 and 9434184270.

Sinolchu FC felicitates Namchi Sports Hostel's star products

NAMCHI, 17 July: A friendly match was played at the Bhaichung Stadium here yesterday between Namchi’s Sinolchu Football Club and a team comprising of local soccer stars now playing at the national and international levels.
The match was organized by Sinolchu FC as a morale-booster for its players, by providing them a chance to measure their mettle against professionals who have established themselves. Also on the day, the club felicitated young soccer players for making the State proud with their achievements.

GTA pact not a compromise on statehood demand, Sikkim-GJM reassures

GANGTOK, 17 July: A meeting of the Gorkha Janmukti Morcha’s Sikkim unit was conveyed at Majhitar today and had the Sikkim-GJM president, Bhawani Pradhan, explain that the Gorkhaland Territorial Administration pact scheduled to signed on Monday was not a compromise on the statehood demand of Darjeeling.
“The main aim of Gorkha Janmukti Morcha is to achieve statehood. The tripartite agreement scheduled for Monday is not a compromise on the demand for Gorkhaland but is a boost for the plans to achieve it,” Mr. Pradhan contended.  
As per the programme initiated by GJM, the meeting also formed an ad hoc committee for its Rangpo-Majhitar-Singtam branch.