Friday, January 28, 2011

TASHI NAMGYAL ACADEMY – II Teaching students to take care of the school


SIKKIM OBSERVER Jan 22, 2011
Former Principal of Tashi Namgyal Academy (TNA), the Late V N Langer, wrote an article in the school’s first annual magazine (1969-70). The article seeks to highlight why and how TNA came into being in the 1960s. The following is the second and concluding portion of the article.
  The second session started on 1st March 1967 with greater confidence all round. One more class VIIth had been added and now among students seeking admission there were also those who had been studying in ‘English” Schools in Kalimpong and Darjeeling. Our K.G. class was split into three sections two of Lower K.G. and one Upper. We had to split Class I also and there were more students in our higher classes also. The total number on rolls was 187.

            Some more teachers were appointed and since games were compulsory we needed more play grounds as well. This problem was solved by converting some flat pieces of land into three new small play grounds, one for basket ball, the second for junior football or senior Net-ball and the third for badminton.
            To keep K.G. children engaged during the evening ‘Prep’ of other Boarders, a K.G. Recreation Room was set up where such students could be taken by lady teachers to play indoor games. The Recreation Room had its own set of games, children’s books, a radio, a record player and a number of children’s Song and Story records. A radio and sets of indoor games were issued to bigger boys also.
            For all round development of the faculties of students a large number of Co-curricular activities had already been started. On the hobbies side we had Painting, wood-craft, leather-work, Dance Drama and Music. Later Sewing and knitting were also added to the list for girls.
            On the games side we had Football and Volley-ball for boys, Basket ball and Hockey for boys and girls both and net-ball and base-ball for girls only. (Cricket was introduced in 1968 and soon this game became very popular).  To keep parents informed of the school activities we started publication of a monthly bulletin called “The Academy News” and a daily ‘News Flash’ written by different students in turns kept them in touch with world events of importance.
            To teach the students the dignity of labour two or three ‘Self-Help’ days were organized in every term. On such days the Staff and Students combined to clean up the buildings and the compound, to repair fences, to clean up the garden and to dig pits for planting, to do the painting of the benches and play apparatus in the children’s park—and even to white wash walls of the School and Hostel buildings which seemed particularly dirty.
            We had tried to do many things during the two years and had achieved a fair measure of success in most but still had not been able to bring about stability in the staff position. There were too many opportunities open outside in the Africian States and in the neighbouring towns. Teachers came and soon left for Kalimpong, Darjeeling or for Ethiopia to take up more lucrative jobs.
       However, by 1969 after the revision of grades, there was some improvement in this direction also. Two Masters with experience of teaching in similar schools were appointed to teach Chemistry and Biology and another Master with special Qualifications in Games and Sports was appointed not only to teach general subjects to middle classes but also to coach our students in Gymnastics, Football and athletics as well. Two more Masters were appointed to take charge of our Arts and Crafts section.
            One more appointment was made in March 1970 of a highly qualified Master to teach Mathematics to Higher Classes.  With passing of each year there had been increasing pressure of students in our lowers classes. Since, however, we were not allowed to have sections above class II we had to restrict admission in Lowers classes from Lower K.G. to I also. In spite of these restrictions and withdrawals of many students, when their parents were transferred, the number stood at 232 in 1969.
Details of changes made on the curricular and co-curricular side during 1969 will be found in the Principal’s Annual Report, extracts from which have been published elsewhere in the issue and for 1970 session (which has just begun, as we are going to the press) we shall present a report in the next issue, which we hope, will paint even a better picture of the progress of the Institution. (concluded)








Patra Commission formed to give clean chit to Chamling Govt: BJP Chief Secy delaying CBI probe: Bhandari


SIKKIM OBSERVER Jan 22, 2011
Gangtok, Jan 21: State BJP President Padam Chettri said the Chamling Government’s latest move to form a commission of enquiry headed by RK Patra, former chief justice of Sikkim High Court, to look into corrupt practices is aimed at shielding the corrupt and giving them  a clean chit.     
In a statement, Chettri said the government is under pressure as both national parties – BJP and Congress – have urged the Centre to act swiftly against Chief Minister Pawan Chamling against who charges of corruption have been leveled by State Congress leaders and the file is with the CBI awaiting sanction to probe into the charges.
Justifying the proposal to set up the State’s own commission, State’s Lok Sabha MP. PD Rai said CBI is an investigating agency of the Centre and is never known to be impartial.
Sikkim National People’s Party President Biraj Adhikari said the decision to set up Patra Commission is aimed at ensuring that the CBI does not conduct its investigation against the powers-that-be in the State.
Meanwhile, former Chief Minister and Sikkim Pradesh Congress Committee President NB Bhandari accused the Chief Secretary TT Dorji for delaying CBI probe into corruption charges against Chamling and his colleagues by refusing to formally allow it to enter the State for investigation.

Govt forced to disclose names of fake Sikkim Subject Certificate holders


Gangtok, Jan 21: Those possessing ‘fake’ Sikkim Subject Certificate issued for a consideration by various authorities in the past are in for a bad time.
The State Chief Information Commissioner (CIC) N. Tsering recently asked the Land Revenue Department to provide the names of 31,180 who were issued fake Sikkim Subject certificates.
The first list of the names have to be provided by the first week of next month. The CIC’s order follows a Right to Information (RTI) application by Ganga Ram Rai, a resident of Mamring in South Sikkim.
The issue of fake SS certificates surfaced when the Land Revenue Department recently brought out a leaflet on the Pink Card issue stating that there were 31,180 cases of fake SSC holders in the State as on December 2005.
The leaflet also stated that of the State’s 6 lac population bonafide Sikkimese possessing genuine SS certificates was around 50 per cent.
Opposition parties in the State recently formed the ‘Sikkim Subject Bachao’ committee to raise public awareness over the Pink Card vis-à-vis Residential Certificate issue.
The Sikkim National People’s Party (SNPP) recently filed a FIR on the issue of fake Sikkim Subject Certificates here at the Sadar Thana.

SIKKIM’S IDENTITY CRISIS - I ‘Pink Card’ will lead to the death of ‘Sikkim Subjects’


SIKKIM OBSERVER Jan 22, 2011
Sikkim’s former Chief Secretary Sonam Wangdi says the Chamling Government’s bid to issue ‘Pink Identity Card’ to residents of Sikkim  other than ‘Sikkim Subjects’, who resided in the State before April 26, 1975 when Sikkim became the 22nd State of the Indian Union, is aimed at driving the last and final nail on the Sikkim Subjects’ coffin.               
Rule of Law
In a democracy, the Rule of Law is the most important characteristic of a polity. The root cause of most of the fundamental problems in our country can be traced to our Rulers’ inaction or action  -  wrong action at right time or wrong action at wrong time, or right action at wrong time  - which is not consistent with the Rule of Law. The British people do not have a ‘written’ constitution; but they are governed far better than we in India are with the lengthiest written constitution in history. All the people and the three branches of the British government meticulously follow the Rule of Law. The people at the helm of affairs in the developed countries normally take right action at right time in consonance with the Rule of Law and in consonance with their conscience .  
Outsiders in Jorethang
Replying to one of the points raised by a member in the Sikkim Legislative Assembly on  28 March, 1978, the Minister-in-charge, Hon’ble Bhuwani Prasad Dahal from the Rhenock Constituency, (since deceased),  said: “It has been mentioned that unauthorized constructions have come up in Jorethang bazaar. During 1973 agitation many people came from outside and started occupying the places.” [Page160].   The Minister was responding to the statement of Hon’ble Mohan Gurung, Regu Constituency, in the Assembly: “Unauthorized constructions have come up in Jorethang bazaar. The Government should have done the proper planning of the Jorethang Bazar”. [Proceedings of the Assembly, Page 152]
     Outsiders, however, are not confined to Jorethang alone; they are all over Sikkim. The outsiders are wanted by the insiders who cannot do without them. Development works in Sikkim, even during pre-merger days, had been done by outsiders from Nepal, Bhutan and India. The Kingdom of Sikkim had the Sikkim Work Permit Rules, 1965 which required the Nepalese, Tibetans and Bhutanese and other non-Indians to obtain work permits in Sikkim. However the Indians were not required to get the permit in accordance with the India-Sikkim Treaty of 1950. The 1965 Rules is one of the many Laws in Sikkim which are in the statute book but not applied. [The Sikkim Code, Vol II Part I, Chapter I II Pp169-71Published by Law Department, Gangtok]
Immigration from Nepal
Moreover,“159. The largest volume of immigration to Sikkim takes not from India, but from Nepal. In the 1961 census 5,352 persons born in Nepal were enumerated in Sikkim of whom 1,974 were residing there for 16 years or longer, 500 for 11 to 15 years, 735 for 6 to 10 years, 714 for 1 to 5 years and 647 for less than 1 year. The duration of residence of 782 persons was not stated. The 1951 census revealed 3,162 immigrants from Nepal. Therefore, 2,190 persons must have come in the intercensal period.”. [Census of India, 1961 Volume XVI, West Bengal & Sikkim, Part I-A , General Report, Book (i) Population Progress, Page 384]
31,180 Fake Sikkim Subject Certificates
I have quoted above only a few of the most authoritative and authentic government documents to drive home my point that there are thousands of illegal settlers in Sikkim. It may be noted that the Sikkim Government itself had stated that there are at least 31, 180 “fake Sikkim Subject certificate holders”. The Sikkim National People’s Party  even filed “a formal complaint  with Gangtok Sadar Police demanding legal proceedings against 31,180 individuals possessing fake Sikkim Subject certificates as admitted by the State government earlier this year” [Sikkim Express Gangtok  6 Dec, 2010]. The police, however, will not take any action without an order from the Government. And never will the government order any action unless there is a violent agitation. For the time being, there will continue to be the peace of the grave yard. But we should be aware of John Dryden’s  “Beware the fury of a  patient man.”   
During the Dui hazaar saat saal [2007] andolan in Nepal to oust the Rana Rule, many Nepalese came to Sikkim. Some families settled in areas close to my village. Legally speaking, they cannot be  Sikkimese, since they came after 1946.       
Pink Card   
The recent ‘controversy’ about the Residential Card or the Pink Card which the Sikkim government proposes to issue to the people residing in Sikkim from 26 April, 1975 onwards is an avoidable problem. The political war of words over the “Pink Card” or “Residential Card” between the ruling and opposition parties would not have arisen if the powers that be in the past and present  had followed the Laws and the Constitution, especially Article 371F,  governing the Indian Union and  its  constituent parts.
             The Pink voters’ card in 1975 had extinguished the distinct personality of Sikkim as an Associate State, a kingdom associated with a Republic – an unprecedented event in the annals of mankind. The Pink card proposed to be given to all and sundry who are in Sikkim from 26 April, 1975 onwards will snuff out the Sikkim Subject Certificates for eternity.
I quote myself from Now,1 September, 2010: “Since 1975, Sikkim is no more a kingdom. It is unfortunate that the Bhutia, Lepcha and Tsong have lost their country and are strangers in their own land and are being made to part with the Sikkim Subject Certificates given to them by their monarch and go in for “pink cards”. Red is a dangerous colour elsewhere. But in Sikkim, pink is a dangerous hue. In April, 1975, the pink ballot paper was made an instrument to extinguish the distinct international personality of Sikkim. I do not normally vaticinate.  But, thirty-six years later, the ‘pink cards’ will certainly herald the eternal death knell of Sikkim Subjects Certificates – the last vestige of a glorious past – if the people are not alert.” (to be continued)

ENTRY POINT Strike A Fine Balance


HIMALAYAN Guardian  Jan 12, 2011
EDITORIAL
The Centre’s decision to lift restrictions on foreigners entering prohibited areas in India’s trouble-torn states of Manipur, Nagaland and Mizoram is aimed at promoting tourism in the region. The decision to open up the area also comes at a time when the local people are demanding further relaxation on foreigners visiting the region for various activities, including development of the tourism sector in the backward tribal region, which has largely been ignored by the Centre.
Even Indians visiting these places have to have special permits to enter and stay in the region. Now that insurgency in the region is on the wane the authorities need to rise up to the occasion and respond positively to the people’s aspirations. More than financial aid people in the Northeast need to grow and develop at their own pace and according to their own genre.
The restrictions have been lifted for a trial period of one year and it is up to the people to ensure that it is extended further if the new move is beneficial to them. If the move to do away with the Protected Area Permit (PAP) in these areas is successful the Centre needs to look into the demand for doing away with the Inner-Line Permit (ILP) and Restricted Area Permit (RAP) system in the region. Care should be taken that the local population and their unique cultural heritage are carefully safeguarded while opening the region to domestic and foreign tourists.

GUARDIAN Archives A Car for the Panchen Lama


Himalayan Guardian Jan 12, 2011
1907 two motorcars were carried over the Himalayas into Tibet. One was an 8 hp Clement brought as a gift for the Panchen Lama. The other car was a Peugeot, which belonged to Captain O’Connor, who was posted to Gyantse as the British trade agent under the Anglo-Tibet convention. The car has been more exactly identified as a Laurin-Klement made at Mlada Boleslav in Bohemia (then part of the Austro-Hungarian Empire).
Raja Ugyen Dorji (1855-1916), Bhutan trade agent in Kalimpong, is shown in the photo at the wheels of the Clement. The photo was probably taken during one his visits to Tibet. He is probably the first Bhutanese to drive a car.
The photos are approximately 80 x 140 mm and most likely belonged to English army mechanics. This is one photo of a set of set that sold for 5760 pounds in London in 2009. (Bhutan News)


Darjeeling’s Roseberry School is Helen Jones’ dream come true story


Himalayan Guardian Jan 12, 2011

Darjeeling, Jan 11: Darjeeling’s newly-established school, Roseberry School, had a unique beginning. Its founder Helen Jones, a retired teacher from Middlesbrough in north England, organized a 100-mile walk in England to raise funds for the school.
The school, founded in 2006, is now four years old. Four years ago, Helen Jones(66) formed the charity School Aid India. Its aim was to set up a school for disadvantaged children in Darjeeling - the Roseberry School.
The project was so successful the tiny school ran out of space after a year, and an appeal for building funds was launched.
After many visits to Darjeeling, Helen and the school’s director found suitable land and got permission to put up an extension.
Helen said: “Darjeeling is in the foothills of the Himalayas, and the land is steep, so construction will be complicated and expensive.
“All the excavations will be done by hand, and all the soil has to be carried away on porters’ backs.
“It is hard and dangerous work, and it needed a lot of planning. So it was fantastic to get an email with the first pictures of work starting - and on Christmas Day too.”
Helen has been helped at School Aid India by a team of trustees and supporters. Together they have raised £50,000 for the work.
Helen said: “It may well not be enough to complete the extension, especially since the value of the pound has fallen, but we will just have to be patient and keep working hard on the fundraising.”
Schools in Darjeeling are closed at this time of year because it’s cold and they have no heating, but when Roseberry reopens in March, there will be almost 100 pupils.
School Aid India buys all their uniforms and pays for the teachers, so that even the poorest children can get a good education.