Sikkim Observer Nov 10, 2012

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Democracy essential for media: Guv

Press must offer “guidance and leadership”: Justice Katju

     Governor BP Singh addressing the gathering at the National Media Conference in Gangtok on Wednesday.

Gangtok, Nov 9: Governor Balmiki Prasad Singh was quite critical of a section of the media which catered to the needs to the “rich and powerful” at the cost of the general public.

While he described the Press as “lamp of democracy”, Singh pointed out that the Press cannot be seen to serve society if it catered to the interest of the “rich and powerful.”

Speaking at the inaugural function of the National Media Conference here at Chintan Bhawan on Wednesday, Singh said, “Media is essential for democracy but democracy is also essential for media.”

Singh, who is himself an author and scholar, wondered what purpose would media houses serve if they are run by corporate bodies. “If corporates run media  - whose interest do they serve?” said Singh. He said the role of the Press is to “inform and guide” society and not merely for “entertainment.”

Taking another dig at the media, Singh also referred to “advertisement-related Freedom of Press” during his brief and very enlightening talk to mediapersons, who had gathered here to address the “problems and prospects” of media in the backward northeast region of the country.

Press Council of India Chairman Justice Markandey Katju said the main role of media in the country, which is going through a very difficult “transitional period” is to offer “guidance” and “leadership.”

This is Justice Katju’s second visit to Sikkim – his first was in 1973 when Sikkim was an independent country.

Justice Katju said freedom of speech and expression is meaningless in a country such as India where a vast majority of its people are still living in abject poverty.

He said the Press must help the people to overcome their difficulties and “change society” so that people can live with dignity and decency.

IPR Minister CB Kari, IPR Secretary KS Tobgay, President Indian Journalists Union SN Sinha, senior journalist from Sikkim – Pema Wangchuk and Amit Patro – also  spoke on the occasion.

The conference, which had participants from mediapersons from outside the State, was organised by Sikkim Journalists Union, Press Club of Sikkim and Indian Journalists Union in collaboration with the Information and Public Relations Department, Sikkim Government.

Golay gets warm welcome in Lachen, Lachung

“No development in North Sikkim”

   PS Golay (inset) with the Lachenpas in Lachen on Thursday.

Lachen, Nov 9: Rebel leader PS Golay’s visit to the tribal-dominated district of North Sikkim, particularly in Lachen and Lachung, immediately after the recent panchayat polls has been keenly observed.

“I have come here not seek your votes but to find out the problems you are facing,” Golay said at the Dzumsa (traditional assembly of the people) in Lachen yesterday.

Golay arrived here from Lachung on Wednesday and was well-received by the people here. He visited the Lachen Monastery and met the lamas and sought their blessing.

During his public meeting at the Dzumsa the next day, the former minister, who is on the verge of forming his own political party, said the main problems faced by the people of Lachen and Lachung are scarcity of drinking water, poor roads and lack of power. He said he was concerned about the lack of development in Lachen and Lachung although funds are available.

North Sikkim, particularly Lachen-Lachung and Dzongu region, is inhabited largely by Sikkim’s pure stock of Bhutias and Lepchas and as such the rebel leader’s visit to the district to measure the ground before he forms his own political outfit was important, according to his supporters.

SDF sweeps panchayat polls, both camps claim ‘victory’

Gangtok, Nov 9: Both camps – ruling and opposition – have claimed ‘victory’ in the just-concluded elections to the two-tier panchayat system in the State.

While Chief Minister and ruling Sikkim Democratic Front President Pawan Chamling has hailed his party’s landslide victory in the panchayat polls as a “victory” of the people, his rivals, including former chief minister and State Congress President NB Bhandari, said the results of the polls was a “victory” of the people who want change in the State.

Close aides of former minister and dissident ruling party leader PS Golay say the fact that as many as 92 independents have been voted from the panchayat wards is an indication that there are disgruntled elements within the ruling dispensation.

They say Golay did not participate in the panchayat polls but helped those who fought against the ruling party as independents.

Referring to the results of the 13 wards in east district, Golay aide Jacob Khaling said the manner in which the results were withheld and announced later on was a “conspiracy” to defeat independents candidates in east district where 44 independents have been elected. SDF bagged 11 wards in east district after the recheck, leaving only 2 to independents.
More than 50 per sent of seats in gram panchayat and substantial percentage of seats of zilla seats were won by the ruling party even before the polls as these seats were uncontested. Thus, out of 430 wards where polls were held SDF won 339 seats. Out of the total of 987 wards the ruling party has bagged 895 wards, leaving 92 wards to independents.

Of the 70 contesting zilla seats the ruling party won 65 seats. In the zilla polls, SDF bagged 103 seats while 5 seats went to independents. (also see page 3)

CM raises Limboo-Tamang seat issue with PM, Shinde

PM to visit Sikkim in February

Gangtok, Nov 9: Chief Minister Pawan Chamling wants an early resolution to the demand for Assembly seat reservations for Limboos and Tamangs, who have been declared scheduled tribes in the State.

He raised this issue during his meetings with Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Union Home Minister Sushil Kumar Shinde in New Delhi yesterday.

Presently, of the 32 seats in the Assembly 12 seats are reserved for Bhutia-Lepchas, 2 for scheduled castes, 1 for Sangha and the rest 17 seats are in the general category. If the State Government fails to get the demand met it may lose the support of the Limboos and Tamangs for whom this promise was made by the State Government on several occasions. Assembly polls in the State are scheduled for early 2014 and as such this demand is critical to the ruling Sikkim Democratic Front, whose main political base has been the OBC community to which the Limboos and Tamangs, who belong to the Nepalese community, once belonged.

During his meeting with Shinde, the Chief Minister also raised the issue of granting ST status to ‘left out’ communities in the State.

The Chief Minister also urged the Centre to allow His Holiness the 17^th Karmapa Ugyen Trinley Dorjee to visit the State in March next year when His Holiness the Dalai Lama inaugurates the Buddha Park in Ravangla, South Sikkim.

During his meeting with Union Minister of State (independent charge) for Power Jyotiraditya M. Scindia, Chamling urged the Centre to help the State harness its hydro power potentials. Chamling invited the Minister to visit the State in this regard at an early date.

On the invitation extended by the Chief Minister, Singh said he would visit the State in February next year to inaugurate the Second International Flower Festival and lay the foundation stone of Sikkim University in Yangang, South Sikkim.

Editorial

FREE PRESS

News Is What Someone Wants To Suppress

The point that Governor BP Singh was making at the National Media Conference in Gangtok this week was well taken by a section of the media present at the meet. Singh rightly questioned the value and credibility of news and information procured from media houses which catered to the ‘rich and powerful’ and at times are backed or owned by the corporates. Those who advocate press freedom among mediapersons must seriously take note of the Governor’s comment on ‘advertisement-related press freedom.’ Those who serve the interest of special interest groups cannot and must not be allowed to be clubbed along with those who represent the Fourth Estate, internationally regarded as one of the four pillars of democracy. We are reminded of what Lord Northcliffe, a British publisher of the last century,  said about news: “News is what somebody somewhere wants to suppress; all the rest is advertising.” Mediapersons – local, regional, national and international – ought to know how true this observation is. Governors rarely make controversial statements in public and that, too, on touchy issues. Singh must be applauded for his candid remarks; he was telling the truth. His observation that while the media is essential for democracy, democracy is also essential for the media ought to evoke the right response from those in power who preach so much about democracy and yet practise autocracy.

The State Government and media establishments responsible for the conference have done the right thing by holding such a meet on the “problems and prospects” faced by the media in the northeast. Normally, the problems faced by the Press in this region and elsewhere concern journalists and media establishments which are independent and who do not work for the ‘rich and powerful.’ As such care should have been taken by the organizers to get reactions and views from mediapersons who are more independent and credible. We waste so much time, energy and resources by holding seminars and workshops on various issues that are not properly conducted. If the motive of the media conference is to learn of the ‘problems and prospects’ faced by the media in the northeast a more close and interactive session among few interested persons would have been more beneficial. Perhaps this could be taken up in our next session. However, what ought to be noted is that at the heart of challenges facing the Press in the region and the country is that vested interests don’t want a free Press. In such a scenario, the Press must play a leading role in giving the right guidance and direction on numerous issues faced by the people.

GTA Chief Executive Bimal Gurung gets Minister of State rank

Darjeeling, Nov 9: The state government on Tuesday formally upgraded Gorkhaland Territorial Administration (GTA) chief executive Bimal Gurung to the rank of a minister (MIC) of state with independent charges. The governor's office faxed an order to the GTA and the Darjeeling district administration apprising the State Government's decision.

"At present, I am on an official tour in Delhi and have not got hold of the state government order. But yes, the GTA chief executive has been promoted to the status of MIC of state," Darjeeling DM and chief principal secretary to the GTA Saumitra Mohan said.

GTA deputy chief executive Colonel (retired) Ramesh Allay has been made the minister of state (MOS) while the GTA Sabha chairman Pradeep Pradhan has been conferred the rank of a deputy minister.

"It is a protocol status that has been given to us by the state government as we did not have any so far in spite of being GTA members. This is a welcome decision," said one of the members on condition of anonymity. Fourteen executive members of the GTA have also been upgraded and given the rank of secretaries to the state government.

The GTA member pointed out the order was to be implemented with immediate effect: "The order has come from the governor's office which mentions that it should be come into immediate effect."

 PANCHAYAT POLLS

11 SDF candidates, 2 independents win in east district after result recheck

Gangtok, Nov 9: There was no re-poll in the 13 wards in east district where results were withheld due to ‘tabulation error.’ Instead the east district collector-cum-district panchayat election officer D. Anandan on Wednesday said after the matter was examined by the State Election Commission it was found that a re-poll was not necessary as there was only a “simple mistake” during  “transferring of the result from the Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) to the result sheet,” an official release said.

The release also said, “It is further observed that the contesting candidate of these wards have neither submitted their objection and claim for a re-poll in writing, without receipt of which the proposal for re poll should not have been initiated.”

The Election Commission had directed the Returning Officer of respective Gram Panchayat Wards to recheck the record available in EVMs pertaining to these wards, recount the votes in the presence of contesting candidates or their counting agents and declare the results.

According to the results, 11 SDF and 2 independent candidates were declared winners from the 13 wards.

Local media condemn attack on Now office          

Gangtok, Nov 9: Media organizations in the State have condemned the attack on the office of Sikkim Now, an English daily published from Gangtok, and have demanded

safety of journalists working in the State.

Reacting to the incident, the Press Club of Sikkim said Now’s office was attacked by supporters of one Mrs Bibi Doma Tamang at 11.15 p.m on Wednesday night.

Tamang led her supporters and “attacked the office of the daily” and “damaged signboards, doors and window panels etc.,” according to the Club’s General Secretary Joseph Lepcha.

Tamang, a candidate for panchayat ward from Kabi Tingda constituency in north district, was defeated in the recent election, the release said.

The Press Club, which has the support of Indian Journalists’ Union, Journalist Club of Siliguri and Press Club of Kalimpong, has urged the State Government to ensure safety of journalists and newspaper houses in the State. It has also urged the ruling Sikkim Democratic Front to “take action against those members who were involved in the attack.”

While condemning the attack, the Sikkim Federation of Working Journalists (SFWJ) said the “failure of the administration to bring to book those elements responsible for attack on media houses in Sikkim during the past has emboldened such elements to vent their displeasure on media houses and the journalists.”

The Federation has urged the administration “to ensure safety and security of all media persons and houses of Sikkim.”  It has reiterated its demand on providing “CCTV cameras to all media houses so that journalists and media houses in the region work in a safe and secure environment to carry out their professional duties,” a press statement by Federation’s General Secretary Khagendramani Pradhan said.

Political parties and social organizations have also condemned the attack. The local media held a protest rally here yesterday over the attack.

Take proposals seriously, Chief Secy tells central team

Gangtok, Nov 9: A high-level inter-ministerial team of the Government of India headed by V Vumlunmang, Joint Secretary Ministry of Home Affairs, held a wrap-up meeting on damages occurred during the recent flash floods and landslide in the State.

The meeting was presided over by the Chief Secretary Karma Gyatso in presence of Additional Chief Secretary R. Ongmu along with the entire departmental heads here on Thursday.

The meeting discussed the findings of the central team and report prepared by the State Government, according to an official release.

Vumlunmang appreciated the efforts of the State Government and assured that his team would make the recommendations sympathetically to the Centre.

Gyatso urged the central team to view the State Government’s proposal with all seriousness keeping in view the peculiar situation of the hill State.

Eye camp held at Lingee, cataract operation in Namchi shortly

Lingee (South Sikkim), Nov 9: Cataract Screening Camp for south district held an eye  camp in Lingee Primary Health Sub Center (PHSC) on Wednesday.

Led Eye Specialist Dr. Twinkey Bhutia and her team, which included eye technician Ms Praneeta Chetteri, the camp screened some 50 patients from the area for refractive error and cataract and detected 8 cataract patients. The patients have been invited for free cataract operation camp which will be held in Namchi District Hospital on November 22-24.

Chief Medical Officer (South) Dr. Bimal Rai, who was also present during the camp, visited Lingmoo and Lingee PHSCs and inspected them.

During the camp he also informed that during the up-coming free cataract operation camp in Namchi, patients belonging to BPL category will also be given free transportation.

Cataract Screening Camp for the people of Namchi and surrounding areas will be held on November 20-21.  Till date, 46 patients have been detected with cataract problem in south district. They are likely to undergo cataract operation shortly.

‘Mountain Explorers’ cyclists to create awareness on environment, creativity

Gangtok, Nov 9: The newly-formed mountain cyclist group – ‘Mountain Explorers’ – wants to create better awareness on safeguarding the environment and supporting creativity among the youths of the State.

Launched here on Sunday, the cyclists’ first trip in the State was a tour of adjoining areas of the capital. The 70 km expedition started here at Tashi View Point and covered areas such as Bhusuk, Assam Lingzey and Pakyong.

Chief coordinator of the group Prabin Khaling’s idea was supported well by the other coordinators and members to make the adventure successful.

In future, “Mountain Explorer” will initiate adventure ride in the unexplored parts of the State with social messages. “With such kinds of pollution-free tour covering remote and inaccessible villages, we hope that we can create awareness among the youths and spread our message of adventure sports and beautiful nature”, said Khaling.

With strong focus on clean environment the boys took a ride amid the lush green forest of Bhusuk Valley, rough tracks enroute to Assam Lingzey, crossing Bhusuk River, streams and bridges. The tour also covered lots of landmarks and tourist sites like Pabyuik Monastery and the popular home stay at Paanchtheng village.

The other coordinators of the adventure group “Mountain Explorers” include Samir Hang Subba and Bhaichung Yonzon. The members include Sumit Chettri, Karma Bhutia, Dawa Bhutia, Raju Chettri (technician), Sameer Subba, Sonai Biswajeet Chakroborthy (technician). The tour was also supported by the Gangtok based travel agency, Himalayan Footprints.