Sikkim Observer Nov 26, 2011

BJP raises quake relief issue with PM, Sonia

Observer News Service

Gangtok: Nov 25: Not satisfied with distribution of relief funds to the victims of the recent 6.9 magnitude earthquake in the State, the State unit of the BJP has lodged a complaint to the Central Parliamentary Committee (CPC) on the issue.

Padam Sharma, General Secretary of the BJP’s State unit, said the list of 14,000 houses, which the State Government claims were destroyed during the quake, have not been made public. He said the party was suspicious and dissatisfied with the way the authorities are handling relief funds to the affected persons.

Briefing reporters here, Sharma said the party has make complaints to Prime Minister and UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi on the above matter.

Alleging discrimination on distribution of relief funds, the BJP said victims who belonged to the ruling Sikkim Democratic Front received higher amount than those belonging to the opposition.

SDF lambasts Rai for going against Chamling

Rai for Opposition unity to oust Chamling

Gangtok, Nov 25: The ruling Sikkim Democratic Front (SDF) has lambasted its former Lok Sabha MP Nakul Rai for speaking against the party.

In a press statement, the SDF said Rai never raised any issue against the SDF when he was in the party but chose to speak against it when he was expelled from the party.

The SDF refuted Rai’s allegation that under the SDF the Sikkimese people were becoming beggars in their own State.

The release said due to the party’s popularity it has been voted to power for the fourth consecutive terms and Rai’s allegation was baseless.

In a press statement recently, the former MP urged leaders of the Opposition to expose Chief Minister Pawan Chamling’s undemocratic tendencies and corrupt practices and put an end to one-party rule in the State.

Rai lambasted the Chamling Government for bringing more than 30 hydropower projects in the State, which he said, was not only unnecessary but also harmful to the environment.

Rai also expressed concern on the growing suicide rate in the State, which is believed to be three times more than the national suicide rate.

“On these issues, the present political situation calls for a mutually agreeable programme list to be prepared by the opposition parties on a common platform,” Rai said.

After his expulsion from the SDF in August, Rai in a press statement not only accused Chamling of being corrupt but of being a “very narrow minded person.”

Setback for Assam peace talks as Paresh Baruah splits ULFA

Guwahati, Nov 23: The Centre and the State government may be holding talks with United Liberation Front of Asom (ULFA) chairman Arabinda Rajkhowa but the ground reality is that the dreaded outfit has been split.

According to Commander-in-Chief of the ULFA, Paresh Baruah, the newly-formed central committee of the organization has the strength and vision to carry out the outfit’s goal, reported a Guwahati-based daily.

Baruah, who called up The Assam Tribune from an unknown place immediately after the announcement of the new committee, said that the formation of the new committee after senior leaders, including Rajkhowa, came for talks with the Government would not affect the ULFA.

"It is very much possible that some of the new faces in the Central committee have the talent to perform better than the previous central committee members," he added.

Dr. Abhijit Barman is now the acting chairman of the ULFA, Paresh said.

Baruah said that if Rajkhowa and other ULFA leaders return to the jungles, they would be welcome. He said that they had nothing personal against those who opted for talks with the Government of India and "we are only opposing the policies adopted by them. We have not forgotten the sacrifices that they made for the ULFA over the years and due honour will be given to them if they decide to return. One can make mistakes, but if he or she admits the mistakes, everything is forgotten. Similarly, if those who opted for talks realise their mistakes and return to the ULFA, due honour would be given to them," the daily said.

Baruah asserted that there is no shortage of Assamese youths who are willing to join the ULFA to fight for the sovereignty of Assam. The youths who have studied the history of Assam thoroughly would like to fight for restoration of Assam's sovereignty and that is why the Government of India is trying to withdraw history as a subject from the school curriculum, he added.

A statement issued by Arunoday Dahotiya of the Baruah faction on Monday also said it would soon name three “eminent” persons as political advisors, while a three-member permanent committee would be set up in place of the central executive council.

Assam Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi, meanwhile, said the government would only recognise Rajkhowa-headed ULFA faction which began peace talks with it.

Tough times ahead for Jaganmohan Reddy

CBI grills former Andhra Pradesh CM aide on disproportionate assets case

New Delhi, Nov 25: The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on Wednesday questioned retired bureaucrat K. Prabhakar Reddy in the illegal mining case involving Obulapuram Mining Company (OMC) owned by former Karnataka minister Gali Janardhan Reddy.

The Indian Administrative Service (IAS) official, who retired from service in 2009, appeared before a CBI team as a witness.

Prabhakar Reddy, who was serving in the office of then chief minister Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy, allegedly played a role in granting iron ore mining leases to OMC, according to reports.

The investigating agency on Sunday questioned Kumar Bhanu, a close aide of former Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister YSR Reddy. The Assam cadre IAS official, who is currently the Tea Board chairman, was on deputation to Andhra Pradesh government in the capacity of a special secretary to the then chief minister.

The investigating agency plans to file the charge sheet before Dec 3, it is learnt.

Bhanu was also a crucial player in procuring contracts for key hydel power projects in Sikkim for Jaganmohan Reddy, who in turn used the opportunity to invest his ill-gotten money in projects away from media and political glare of AP.

Bhanu enjoyed extraordinary powers in the CMO of YSR when his tenure came to an end just 28 days after the chopper crash, killing the chief minister on September 30.

Bhanu was the favourite officer of YSR and had been given several extensions beyond five years and was once again on extension of three months till the completion of the elections, according to Telegu Desam party sources.

While Jaganmohan Reddy has been grilled by the CBI and other investigating agencies the Andhra Pradesh High Court has also taken up corruption cases against him.

A division bench of the Andhra Pradesh high court had last week asked the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) and Enforcement Directorate (ED) to conduct a preliminary inquiry into alleged disproportionate assets of Naidu.

In the meanwhile, Anand Lama, a local resident of Gangtok, has filed a PIL against Reddy in the Sikkim High Court, which has listed the case for hearing in March next year. The case, filed in the High Court in early August this year,  relates to 1200 MW Teesta Stage III hydropower project in North Sikkim. Reddy is believed to have invested a huge amount in this the State’s biggest project.

SIBLAC rejects ‘section of people’ tag, demands scrapping of hydro projects

Gangtok, Nov 25: The manner in which basic issues, both social and political, that basically concern the State’s minority indigenous Buddhist Bhutia-Lepcha tribals are set aside by the establishment is now being openly rejected by the leadership of the minority community.

“The movement against hydropower projects in Sikkim is not confined among a ‘section of people’ as projected by the Government,” asserted Tseten Tashi Bhutia, former minister and Convenor of Sikkim Bhutia-Lepcha Apex Committee (SIBLAC).

In an oblique reference to last week’s remarks by ruling Sikkim Democratic Front’s Lok Sabha MP PD Rai on scrapping of hydro projects in the Tashiding region of west Sikkim, held sacred by the minority community, Bhutia, in a press statement said hydropower projects in the State “have provoked opposition for  numerous social, environmental, economic and safety reasons.”

He added, “Submergence of lands, homes, fields and forests on a large scale will displace hundreds of people. Damming and diversion of rivers will severely disrupt the downstream flows, impacting agriculture and fisheries and threatening livelihoods of entire populations. Degradation of the natural surroundings and a massive influx of migrant workers will have grave implications for the culture and identity of distinct Sikkimese people, who are protected under Article 371F of the Constitution.”

Bhutia said, “The ancient Himalayan Buddhist culture is in danger of collapse in Sikkim under the hulking shadows of three ongoing hydro electric projects viz. Ting Ting, Tashiding and Lethang being promoted by State Government on Rathongchu, West Sikkim.”

“The Buddhist culture in sub-Himalayan India is facing threat from many quarters. It is in this context, SIBLAC expresses its deep gratitude to the statement of Smt. Spalzes Angmo, a member of Minority Commission, Government of India when she stated that ongoing three hydroelectric projects over Rathong chu is a threat to dying Buddhist culture of Himalayas,” Bhutia said.

Besides “Save Sikkim”, an NGO in west Sikkim, and the  All Sikkim Educated Self-Employed Association (ASESEUA), most Opposition parties in the State, including the Congress party, have demanded scrapping of mega hydel projects in the State.

Former Chief Minister and Sikkim Pradesh Congress Committee President Nar Bahadur Bhandari recently wrote to Prime Minister Manmoham Singh asking the Centre to scrap all mega hydel projects in the State if it wants “Sikkim to exist as a State.”

AASU, 26 ethnic bodies to hold mass rally against mega dams on Dec 3

Guwahati, Nov 25: The All Assam Students’ Union (AASU) and 26 organisations of the ethnic groups of the State on Wednesday decided to jointly hold a mass rally at North Lakhimpur town on December 3 next in support of their demands for abandoning all mega dam hydel projects and update of the National Register of Citizens (NRC) within the stipulated time-frame, The Assam Tribune reported.

The AASU and its ally organisations are also demanding solution to the problems of flood and erosion, physical protection to Majuli island and an end to the inter-state border dispute of the State with its neighbours.

In a joint meeting, the AASU and the 26 organisations also rejected the concept of the supra-State that has been floated by certain quarters to solve the vexed Naga tangle. They have also demanded a white paper on the issue of supra-State.

Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi should take up the issue with Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and publish a white paper on the issue the supra-State, said the AASU and its ally organisations. They have also called for steps to permanently solve the State's border dispute with its neighbouring States.

The joint meeting of the organisations also opposed the Central Government's act of handing over Assam's land to Bangladesh. It has called upon all the political parties to oppose the act in the current session of the Parliament to defeat the move for legalizing this deed.

TAAS to give tourism training to students

P. Rai

Gangtok, Nov 23: Travel Agents Association of Sikkim (TAAS) will be imparting ‘On The Job Training’ for the students of Vocational Studies in the stream of Tourism.

A total of 109 students from eight schools, Lingdok Senior Secondary School, Pelling Senior Secondary School, Sang Senior Secondary School, Ranka Senior Secondary School, Tashiding Senior Secondary School, kaluk Senior Secondary School, Chakung Senior Secondary School, Namchi Boys Senior Secondary School, and Ravangla Senior Secondary School, which are in the vocational stream of Tourism & Travel Management, will be given on the job training for a period of one month starting from November 23.

A total of 109 students will be sent to the offices of members of TAAS numbering 274. TAAS has been providing on the job training for the students of Sikkim for the past few years on the request of Human Resource Development Department. This year, the module has been slightly modified to augment also the career option in the tourism industry which has a high demand for professionals. 

Students will be divided into four groups and taught 1. Tourism Management. 2. Bird watching. 3. Trekking & Camping. 4. Specialised guide Training.

All the resource persons of TAAS will be requested to impart on the job training. 

Govt admits slow pace of work on border roads

New Delhi, Nov 25: The lumbering Elephant is finding it tough to keep pace with the Red Dragon. The government on Wednesday admitted only 15 of the 73 roads identified for construction along the 4,057-km Line of Actual Control with China have been completed.

"Out of the 73 roads identified as strategic border roads, 15 have been completed, 39 are scheduled for completion by 2013 and the remaining 19 by 2016," said defence minister A K Antony in a written reply to Rajya Sabha, The Times of India reported.

"The main reasons for the slow progress are delay in forest/wildlife clearances, hard rock stretches, limited working seasons and inadequate air efforts to mobilize resources,'' he added.

The tardiness is stark since China has "aggressively'' strengthened its military capabilities in the Tibet Autonomous Region (TAR) and elsewhere. This includes five fully-operational airbases, an extensive rail network and over 58,000-km of roads in TAR, which makes it possible for China to swiftly move over 30 divisions (each with over 15,000 soldiers) to the LAC, outnumbering Indian forces by at least 3:1.

The 15 roads constructed by India measure around 600-km out of the total of 3,808 km required for the 73 all-weather roads. The 73 roads cover all the three sectors of LAC -western (Ladakh), middle (Uttarakhand, Himachal) and eastern (Sikkim, Arunachal) -and include more east-west lateral links as well as better access routes to strategic peaks and valleys.

The Army, alarmed at the excruciatingly slow progress in construction of the border roads, has been demanding that infrastructure build-up within 50 km of LAC as well as LoC with Pakistan should be exempted from requisite long-winded environmental and other clearances.

India is taking other steps to shore up its defences against China. The measures range from planning a new mountain strike corps (over 45,000 troops) after raising two new mountain infantry divisions, with 1,260 officers and 35,011 soldiers in Nagaland and Assam, to the progressive deployment of Sukhoi-30MKI fighters, spy drones, helicopters and missile squadrons in the north-east.

Biraj reelected SNPP Prez

Observer News Service

Gangtok, Nov 24: Biraj Adhikari, whose opposition/non-opposition to a recent rally in the capital on “Black Bill” created some controversy within the Sikkim National People’s Party (SNPP) circle, has been reelected as the party president.

The party’s election commission declared Adhikari as the new President of SNPP as no one contested the post, a release of the party said.

Adhikari was declared President “uncontested”, the release said.

The party has now asked Adhikari to form his new executive committee, the release added.

5 local journalists get ‘Positive Journalism’ grantGangtok, Nov 24: Five journalists in the State have been awarded with ‘Positive Journalism Grant’ by the State Government.
The recipients are: Sagar Chhetri, (Now), Pravin Khaling, (Sunakhari Samachar), Nimasang Lhamu (GangtokWeekly Journal), Hari Bhakta Adhikari, (Nayuma Samachar) and Hangma Subba (Samay Dainik).
Former Chief Minister BB Gooroong presented the awards at a function organized here this week by the Information and Public Relations Department (IPR).
U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton plans to visit Burma next month to encourage its reforms and engage with the new government. It is the first U.S. secretary of state visit in more than a half-century.
Editorial

SIKKIM MINORITIES

Alienation of Bhutia-Lepchas

The Sikkim Lok Sabha MP PD Rai’s reference to ‘section of the people’ while referring to mega hydropower projects and the 17^th Karmapa has been met with a swift condemnation from the Sikkim Bhutia-Lepcha Apex Committee (SIBLAC) Convenor and former minister Tseten Tashi Bhutia, who has rightly pointed out that apart from the religious and historical significance of Tashiding and Yuksam in West Sikkim the decision to have more than 30 hydropower projects in the State would adversely affect the State’s environment, ecology, economy, culture and distinct identity of the Sikkimese people. In the past, politicians from the majority Nepalese community, who have been in power since the ‘merger’ in 1975, are used to bullying the minority Bhutia-Lepcha tribals so much so that most of the popular and credible leaders of this community are often dubbed as ‘communal’.

Many of them, including the SIBLAC Convenor, have fought for the basic political and economic rights of bonafide Sikkimese Nepalese. But sadly the leadership of the majority community, be they in power or in the Opposition, still prefer to have discredited or less credible Bhutia-Lepcha leaders among their inner circle. If this attitude does not change in the near future the alienation of the Bhutia-Lepchas from the mainstream Sikkimese politics may further deepen leading to a point of no return. This, as perceptive observers note, is not in the interest of Sikkim and the Sikkimese people, including members of the old business community in Sikkim. While a section of the ruling Sikkim Democratic Front leadership still prefer to play the ‘Nepali card’ the reality is that the majority community, unlike before, are divided into many groups – OBCs, tribals, NBCs and SCs. Less than 50% of Sikkim’s six lac people are ‘Sikkim Subjects’ (majority of the Sikkim Subjects are Sikkimese Nepalese). There is, therefore, not much scope for ‘divide and rule’ politics in Sikkim in such a scenario if the Sikkimese political leadership’s main objective is to maintain peace, unity, harmony and Sikkim’s distinct identity within the Union.

CHAMLING’S DREAM

And The Ground Reality

Many of those who were ardent supporters of Chief Minister Pawan Chamling’s Sikkim Democratic Front are now no longer with the ruling party. The reason is obvious: Chamling is no more what he so often claims to be. The democrat of the 1990s, who helped to dethrone ‘dictator Bhandari’ has, as predicted by many, stepped into his mentor’s shoes. The man who once claimed “I’m a democrat, not a sycophant”, is today surrounded by sycophants and self-seekers. Part of the blame for the gradual alienation of the people with Chamling and the ruling party may be placed on vested interests who are close to him today. “Those who were with Bhandari are now with Chamling,” said a journalist who was once close to Chamling.  It is often said that Chamling is a good man but his advisers have misled him. There is some truth in this but the fact remains that the man at the top who has the power and position is solely responsible for what happens.

The SDF has rebuked its former Lok Sabha MP Nakul Rai for going against the party chief. Its reply to Rai’s accusations on corruption and undemocratic ways of the Chief Minister is that since the SDF is a popular and pro-people party it has been reelected to power for the fourth consecutive term and, therefore, Rai should shut up. The fact is that in the 1994 Assembly polls, when Chamling was at the height of his popularity, the SDF luckily managed to scrape through winning only 19 of the 32 seats in the House. Thereafter, although the SDF has own almost all the seats in the Assembly most of the time the Opposition’s tally of getting around 35 per cent of the votes polled has remained unchanged. The illegal manner in which four candidates of the SDF got ‘elected uncontested’ in the 2004 Assembly polls and the alleged manipulation of electronic voting machines (EVMs) – an issue that the Opposition has failed to capitalize – in 2004 and 2009 Assembly polls have made the ruling party feel most uncomfortable of its claim of getting the ‘mandate’ of the people to rule. Chamling once wrote a book in Nepali which was translated into English. The title of the book was “Perennial Dream And My Reality.” Perhaps Chamling should go through this book again if such an editorial as this makes him feel uncomfortable