SIKKIM OBSERVER April 21, 2012

Devastating fire breaks out in Darjeeling market

Darjeeling, April 20: A devastating fire raged through the main market square of Darjeeling town in West Bengal, bringing back memories of the horror of 1971. In 1971 the same patch of the market had been razed to the ground.

The fire broke out at around 2.15 am at MP Road. According to a local resident

the fire started from a wooden shop, the floor of which gave way and spread rapidly after two LPG cylinders burst in the restaurant on the ground floor of the same building. With the area densely populated with wooden shops without any gaps, in no time the fire spread, The Hindustan Times reported.

Fire tenders from Darjeeling, Kurseong, Kalimpong, Bijanbari; Green Force of the Dera Saccha Sauda; Army (21 Madras and 11 Gorkha Regiment) together managed to contain the fire by 7am. With acute water scarcity, private water tankers pitched in to help.

"Around 90 shops have been gutted. Though estimates have not been made of the loss, it would be to the tune of above Rs. 2 Crores" stated Saumitra Mohan, District Magistrate, Darjeeling. Most of the schools including St Joseph's and Loreto Convent declared a closure.

Gangtok church to celebrate platinum jubilee

Gangtok, April 20: The Evangelical Presbyterian Church of Sikkim (EPCS) will celebrate its platinum jubilee here tomorrow. Chief Minister Pawan Chamling is expected to attend the function and will inaugurate the ancillary hall of the church. He will also address the congregation at the Paljor Namgyal Girls School.

Founded in 1936, the church has been the centre of Christian activities in the State and has given birth to numerous church leaders. Late Rev. CT Pazo and Late Prabal Singh Rai are likely to be felicitated during the celebrations, which will comprise of songs and dances, choirs and felicitations

Founders, missionaries and pastors will be felicitated during the function, according to Rev. PS Tingbo, the moderator of the church. A large section of the church’s 10,000 members in the State are expected to take part in the celebrations, Tingbo said.

Indigenous groups in Nepal poised to play greater political role

Kathmandu, April 20: The Nepal Federation Of Indigenous Nationalities (NEFIN), founded in 1991 as an autonomous and politically non-partisan, national level umbrella organisation of all indigenous peoples of Nepal, is likely to play a greater role in the political affairs of the country.

NEFIN currently consists of 55 member organisations of indigenous peoples' organisations (IPOs) widely distributed throughout the Terai, the Hills and mountains of Nepal. NEFIN was formed with the goal of securing indigenous peoples' rights, including documenting, preserving and promoting cultures, languages, religion, customs, traditions of the indigenous nationalities of Nepal and to assist them in developing and obtaining equal rights.

With the demand for a federal structure strong among the people of the plains, hills and the mountains growing by the day, the Maoist government has a tough task ahead given the fact that many other ethnic communities are against giving greater political rights to the indigenous communities.

NEFIN has been playing an important role in supporting its member organisations in leadership development, strengthening decision-making capabilities, networking and enabling them to fight for securing indigenous peoples' rights, including rights to self determination and ethnic autonomy and also to secure their rights to development by preserving and promoting their distinct identity.

NEFIN's vision is the establishment of multicultural, federal democratic republic, and a rainbow society, where diverse ethnic, linguistic, cultural, religious, territorial, regional and sex groups are treated equally and equitably. It wants the indigenous peoples' rights to be recognized and respected and indigenous nationalities enjoy ethnic autonomy within the federal structure.

NEFIN is a very active player in the national political landscape in Nepal and has managed to give indigenous rights issues a high profile on the political agenda.

Editorial

LOOK BEYOND 2014

Cong: Drastic Overhaul Needed

The Congress Party in Uttar Pradesh looks set to undergo a drastic overhaul post the election debacle in the State. In what comes as a surprise move, the party has entrusted senior leader AK Antony to lead a panel that will go into the causes of the party's rout in recent Assembly elections held in UP and Goa, besides the shock defeat in Punjab and the performance in Uttarakhand. The review committee, also comprising Delhi Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit and Union Minister Sushilkumar Shinde, is expected to give its report to party Chief Sonia Gandhi by month-end. The party revamp may be followed by changes in the Union Cabinet, which is also vitally important if the party is serious on having a long view in national politics

Merely changing office-bearers of the party in its State units will not do. What the party needs to do is to replace sycophants with credible and capable leaders in all wings of the party unit. The new leadership must then be given a free hand to build up the party from the grassroots. Along with the revamping of the party Congress leaders in-charge of the party in various States also need to be changed depending on their performance. Many of those in-charge of the party do not give much emphasis on the State units as they are too busy currying favours from the powers-that-be in the State as well as the Centre. While revamping the party the Congress leadership must focus on eradicating corruption from the system of governance. The Congress party’s hesitation and inability to take on corruption head-on is largely responsible for the recent poll debacle. Because of corruption party re-organisation has become meaningless in many States. This must change if the party is serious on coming to power and implementing its policies and programmes.

Guv grant for 14 NGOs, schools for good work

Gangtok, April 20: Several social organizations and schools, including Tashi Namgyal Academy, North Sikkim Academy, Namgyal Institute of Tibetology and Lepcha Youth Association, are among those expected to get financial grants from the discretionary funds of Governor Balmiki Prasad Singh.

The initiative is to appreciate their good work and to further encourage them in their work. In total 14 NGOs and schools will get the grants, according to an official release.

  Other organizations that received the grant are: Inner Wheel Club, Padma Odzer Choeling School, Sikkim Viklang Sahayata Samiti (Gangtok), Multanchi Lom Aal Shezum, Wangdi Faith Mission Home (Mangan), Kyongsa Sarva Sewa Samiti, Aarigaon Sanskrit Vidyalaya (Gyalshing); Sanjeevani Rehabilitation Centre, National Association for Blind (Namchi), and Rehabilitation Centre (Nimtar).

5-day Sikkim Tourism carnival in May

Gangtok, April 20: A five-day spring tourism carnival would be held from May 11 in Sikkim with events spread across the State. Sikkim Tourism and Civil Aviation Secretary, R Telang, said the carnival would include cultural and religious events, adventure sports, handicrafts, music and traditional foods, PTI reported.

Besides the government department and tourism stakeholders, the Army would also be present as an integral part of the events, he said. The 17 Mountain Division will perform paragliding, paradiving, motorcycle stunts and other adventure activities, besides a dog squad display, he said.

Sikkim had held a snow and culture festival recently to boost tourism in the mountain State.

PRIDE OF SIKKIM Keepu Lepcha

Learning To Serve

Sikkim’s Miss Keepu Lepcha received CNN-IBN’s ‘Real Heroes Award’ for extraordinary service to the nation at a function in New Delhi recently.

Miss Keepu runs ‘Lepcha Cottage’, a home for almost 100 orphan and other disadvantaged children of the Lepcha community in Gangtok. She started her noble service by supporting 20 needy children with her own resources.

With help from friends from abroad Ms Keepu started the construction of the Children’s Village at Chongey near Gangtok in her own land in 1998.

The Children’s Village provides food, accommodation and education to needy and destitute children.

In 2001, she established Padma Odzer Choeling School in the Children’s Village.