HILLS CELEBRATE ‘GORKHALAND ACCORD’
We can now say that we are from Gorkhaland: Bimal Gurung
The march, that saw participants dressed in colourful traditional attire dancing to music, started from Darjeeling railway station and ended at Darjeeling
Supporters from Kalimpong , Kurseong and Mirik also attended the procession.
"It's a historic occasion . There are lots of development avenues in the GTA with huge financial package. We will have peace and development that we were deprived of so long," said a middle-aged woman fluttering the GJM flag, reported a national daily.
School bands from Kalimpong and Darjeeling
"We will prove our detractors and emerge successful in our endeavor," Gurung said while explaining the necessity of accepting the GTA. "We request the Opposition parties not to create obstacles for two and half years and let us work. You (oppositions) must also appreciate the good work we do," said Gurung and asked them to be a part of a constructive criticism system instead of opposing for the sake of it.
Referring to Mamata Banerjee , Gurung said, "She is a political leader and so sometimes she has to say things because of political compulsions . But do not get her wrong." Countering the Bengal CM's assertion that Bengal will not be divided, Gurung pointed out that the word Gorkhaland in GTA was proof that the Union and state government had accepted the demand for a separate state. "We can now say that we are from Gorkhaland. The government accepting Gorkhaland in the GTA nomenclature proves that," he remarked.
A tripartite agreement on the trouble-torn Darjeeling hills in north West Bengal was signed on Monday between the GJM and the state and central governments, triggering euphoria in the hills.
Morcha leader Roshan Giri said rallies will be organised in Kalimpong, Kurseong and Mirik July 28, Aug 1 and 3, respectively, to celebrate the signing of the accord.
Chamling has failed to keep promises: Bhandari
‘GTA a stepping stone for Gorkhaland State
Gangtok, July 22: Sikkim Pradesh Congress Committee President NB Bhandari alleged that Chief Minister Pawan Chamling has failed to keep his promises made to the people.
He also pointed out that Chamling’s current village-to-village tour of the State is a total failure as people are disallowed from meeting the Chief Minister and placing their grievances.
Before Chamling took over power from Bhandari in 1994 his main promises to the people were to reduce rampant corruption, end one-man rule, restore freedom and democracy and preserve communal harmony in the State.
Briefing the media during a party meeting here on Tuesday, Bhandari minced no words in rejecting Chamling’s offer to rename the Government Degree College
Reacting to Chamling’s offer made last week on Bhanu Jayanti day, Bhandari said, “I am still alive and I and not accepting the offer.” He added, “Naming of roads and colleges” are done as “memorial” for those who have passed away.
Bhandari alleged that central government schemes were not benefiting the people in the State. He said the panchayats were not working for the people and were too engrossed in seeking favours from the government.
The former chief minister, who has backed the formation of the Gorkhaland state, sees the signing of the Gorkhaland Territorial Administration (GTA) as a stepping stone for Gorkhaland State
The Congress chief congratulated the UPA government, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and Gorkha Janmukti Morcha (GJM) for creation of the GTA.
BJP team to visit Sikkim University campus in Yangang
Gangtok, July 22: While seeking an early solution to the controversy surrounding Sikkim University (SU), the State unit of the BJP has decided to make an on-the-spot inspection of the proposed site of the university in Yangang, south Sikkim
The proposed visit to the SU campus in Yangang follows allegations made by ruling party leaders, particularly Lok Sabha MP PD Rai and former MP and party spokesperson Bhim Dahal, on the function of the SU under its Vice-Chancellor Mahendra P. Lama.
State BJP chief Padam Chettri said after visiting Yangang the party will submit its report to the central party authorities and demand immediate intervention.
SC rejects Dinakaran plea against Forum assistance in probe
A bench of Justices G.S. Singhvi and C.K. Prasad rejected Justice Dinakaran’s petition against the order of the inquiry committee, headed by Justice Aftab Alam of the top court, allowing Forum for Judicial Accountability (FJA) to assist the panel in probing the corruption charges against him.
The Judges Inquiry Committee (JIC) headed by Justice Aftab Alam of apex court is probing charges in pursuance of the notice of motion for impeachment initiated against Justice Dinakaran by Rajya Sabha members.
The other two members of three member JIC are Karnataka High Court Chief Justice J.S. Khehar and G. Madan Gopal of Rajiv Gandhi Institute for Contemporary Studies.
The committee had allowed FJA’s Chennai-based advocate R. Vaigai to assist its counsel Udai Lalit in the probe proceedings as the petition for the impeachment motion was initiated by FJA and the entire material against alleged corruption by Justice Dinakaran and amassing of huge assets in Tamil Nadu by him was also collected by the organisation.
Rajya Sabha chairman Hamid Ansari inducted Rajiv Gandhi Institute of Contemporary Studies’ director G. Mohan Gopal as a new member of the inquiry committee to replace Supreme Court advocate P.P. Rao, whose recusal was earlier allowed by the top court after Justice Dinakaran had levelled the charge of “bias” against him.
The top court in its July 5 order had made it clear that raking up of such issues by Justice Dinakaran “belatedly” was nothing but a “delaying tactic” as he raised them only after receiving the notice from the panel on March 16, accompanied with the chargesheet even though the committee had been functioning for past 10 months.
Why Sikkim University
Begun with the goal of making it an education hub for the whole of Southeast Asia , the varsity has been functioning from 15 rented buildings in Gangtok since July 2007.
All its plans of having a world-class campus with a central school, advanced research facilities, a library and hospital facilities for staff and students have been hanging fire because 300 acres have yet to be handed over by the state government.
In 2007, a human resource development ministry committee had selected a site near Yangang in South Sikkim , for the campus. Under provisions of the Sikkim University Act, the land has to be provided free to the varsity by the hosting state.
However, in August that year, the Sikkim
In April 2009, the ministry paid the university Rs 15 crore in two instalments to facilitate the land acquisition process. The money was then forwarded to the state government, which compensated the landowners but did not serve them notices to vacate the land.
Between April and June 2010, the varsity received four letters from the state asking it to take over the land. But whenever its team went to formalise the takeover, it found that none of the landowners had vacated their plots.
Sources said the varsity authorities had decided to take over the land only when there were “no encumbrances in the process”.
Irked by the unending delay, the varsity’s executive council sought the ministry’s intervention in November 2010 and also urged it to consider relocating the campus if the handover does not happen by March this year.
“The House (executive council) resolved that the matter be taken up by the ministry of HRD immediately with the government of Sikkim
“The ministry is also requested to consider other options, including relocation of the university, if the land is not handed over to the university during the current financial year (2010-11).”
According to the sources, the state government had not thought it necessary to serve formal notices on the compensated landowners. It had expected them to leave by default and the university to handle those who did not.
In one case the authorities in Sikkim were informed of the illegal manner in which land (about nearly 100 acres) was acquired from an influential family (whose ancestors include Sikkim
Other reports said the state proposed to hand over the land only after roads were built, which would mean another four-five years. (Sikkim
Editorial
Stepping Stone To Statehood
While extracting maximum advantage from the present autonomous set-up the leadership of the Gorkha Janmukti Morcha (GJM) hopes to carry on with its struggle for statehood. This indication which came a day after the signing of the tripartite accord on formation of the Gorkhaland Territorial Administration (GTA) from the Morcha leadership is reflective of its stand on the statehood issue even before the historic pact was signed. Reiterating the stand adopted by Morcha chief Bimal Gurung Nepali leaders of the region, including former Sikkim
The previous Darjeeling Gorkha Hill Council led by Subash Ghising failed mainly because of the autocratic manner in which the Council was run. Added to this was the Gorkha people’s hidden grievance that Ghising had betrayed them on the statehood issue. This led to revival of the hill people’s original demand – creation of the state of Gorkhaland. Even if the present system with more power and autonomy works or not the Gorkha people in the near future will definitely raise the statehood issue. If the GTA functions in a democratic manner while ushering in an era of peace, political stability and economic proseperity it will give the Gorkha leadership more reasons to aim higher and demand creation of Gorkhaland state which the authorities will find it difficult to refuse. If it does not there will be those outside and within the political elite to raise a banner of revolt and renew the demand for statehood. However, it makes a lot of difference to the common people in the hills and Darjeeling ’s global image as ‘Queen of the Hills’ in India
Gorkhaland’ has not been compromised: GJM
Bimal Gurung will soon lead Gorkhaland movement: Giri
Siliguri, July 22: A day after signing the tripartite agreement, Gorkha Janamukti Morcha (GJM) president Bimal Gurung addressed a public meeting at Sukna on Tuesday where he assured the hill people that his party had not dropped its demand for a separate Gorkhaland state.
Gurung also sought to allay the fears of a section of Gorkhas over the uncertainty on the inclusion of Dooars and Terai region in the new Gorkhaland Territorial Administration (GTA), a national daily reported.
Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee had said on Monday that “Bengal will not be divided”. But Gurung on Tuesday said her statement was “made out of political compulsions”. Many in the hills said Tuesday’s public rally was the beginning of a new phase of movement for separate statehood.
“When children cry, mothers try to appease them by saying so many things. It was such a statement, and nothing much should be read into it. Politics was being played over the agreement at home and Mamata Banerjee had to keep that in mind while making the statement,” said Gurung.
He also said the new boundary demarcation would soon start in the Dooars and Terai, where the GJM had demanded a total of 196 and 199 mouzas respectively. He directed all Gorkhas to put up GJM flags atop their houses before the survey begins. “All Gorkha homes should have this identity mark,” he said.
The GJM leadership had to hurriedly convene the meeting at Sukna on Tuesday, at the same venue where the tripartite agreement was signed on Monday, as a large section of the hill people were unhappy and complained they were kept in the dark about the details of the agreement.
Gurung said it was only on the assurance that Dooars and Terai region would be included in the GTA that the GJM signed the agreement. He said the CM had admitted that “injustice has been done to the Gorkhas”, Gurung said Banerjee had assured justice. “Her words are honest and sincere,” he said.
Gurung’s deputy Roshan Giri also explained the tripartite agreement at length to the people in an apparent bid to convince them that it was not a compromise on their Gorkhaland demand.
“Bimal Gurung did not sign the agreement because he wants to take forward the agitation for a separate state of Gorkhaland and launch a full-fledged movement soon,” said Giri, who signed the tripartite agreement on Monday.
Tso-Lhamu declared highest lake in India
Gangtok, July 22: Tso-Lhamu lake, located over 18,000 feet above sea level in Lachen in North Sikkim, has been declared the highest lake in the country after a survey conducted by the central government.
The Wetland Atlas, prepared by the Ministry of Environment and Forest , has stated that Tso-Lhamu is the highest lake in the country and the sixth highest lake in the world, state Tourism Minister Bhim Dhungel said here recently.
Located near the Indo-Tibet border at Donkyala pass Tso-Lhamu is the source of the Teesta, Sikkim West Bengal .
French firm to set up hydro projects in Tashiding, Dikchu
The first contract has been signed with Shiga Energy Pvt Ltd for the 97 MW Tashiding hydroelectric project in West Sikkim district on the Rathang Chu river. The second contract has been signed with NSL Tidong Power Generation Pvt Ltd for the Tidong 1 hydroelectric project in Kinnaur District in Himachal Pradesh, consisting of two 50 MW units. The third contract has been signed with Haridwar Infrastructure Pvt Ltd for the Dikchu hydroelectric project on the river Dikchu, a tributary of Teesta River in East Sikkim , for a 96 MW plant.
"With these contracts, Alstom will be able to support the government's initiative in developing the power industry as a whole and hydro in particular as part of its commitment to reduce carbon emissions," Alstom Projects India Ltd managing director and vice chairman Francois Carpentier said.
These three contracts follow a major contract won by Alstom with Tehri Hydro Development Corporation (THDC) to install the 1,000 MW Tehri variable speed pumped storage hydro power plant in Uttarakhand. Alstom projects currently under execution include the 2,000 MW Subansiri Lower hydroelectric power plant in Assam and Arunachal Pradesh , India
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