Gangtok (PTI): Having declared the year 2010 as the Year of Tourism, the Sikkim government has drawn up a plan incorporating as many as 13 local festivals in the list of popular events to be staged next year to woo tourists from across the country and abroad. Officials of ...
GANGTOK, 1 JULY: To effectively implement government policies and programmes in the state, Sikkim chief minister Mr Pawan Chamling today stressed in following simplified rules and regulation so that the people could derive its maximum benefits. In this context he urged the urban development department officials to provide trade ...
NEW DELHI: Retired Lieutenant General P S Joshi, who was the first chief of the Integrated Defence Staff of the armed forces, died at a private hospital in Indore on Wednesday after prolonged illness. He was 65. Joshi had been ailing for the last two years and was under ...
Gangtok, July 02: Two districts of Sikkim, South and West, have been selected under the North Eastern Region Livelihoods Project (NERLP) for sustainable development in view of their relative backwardness as compared to the other parts of the state, an official release said on Thursday. The decision was taken ...
Gangtok (PTI): Already basking in the glory of a record fourth-term mandate in the Assembly polls, Sikkim Chief Minister Pawan Kumar Chamling has being selected for an international award for leadership and good governance. He would be presented a gold medal and citation by Universal Peace Foundation (UPF), an ...
In the year 1826 two British officers Campbell and Dr. Hooker came to Singalila area to search out the easiest excess to Tibet from India. On their tour to this region they halted for a night in old Gorkha Station at Ghoom Bhanjang. In the morning they saw the glamorous view of the full range of Kanchenjunga in wonderful colours during the time of sunrise. The climate of the place was cold much similar to that of their home town in England. The chilled climate of the area makes an impression upon them very much, so with great consideration of the two Britishers the hill station of Darjeeling was established. Building structures, road and rail network and bridges were constructed by the East India Company by the end of the 18th century where still to this day there are monuments in and around Darjeeling that have proudly and with pride stand the last ten decades. The Town Hall (also known as Capitol Hall) is on of the best example the British engineering works. Along with Capitol Hall the story of a clock which is still present at the top of this hall has its own significance.
In 1875, the original Town Hall was situated at the present Gymkhana club. The Hall used to open between 6 am to 6 pm in the evening. For a certain period of time the DarjeelingMunicipality was situated at the secretariat building which is now known as the Employment Exchange. Later on it again shifted to the motor stand where the Food and Supply Office is presently situated. In the year 1879, a desire floated among all people concerning that the DarjeelingMunicipality should have its own buildings. Therefore on 27th October, 1917 the foundation stone of the new Town hall (Capitol Hall) was laid by His Excellency Lord Ronaldshay on the site once occupied by the Rhododendron Villa on the Mackenzie Road, the main artery of the town. It was completed at the cost of about two lakh fifty thousand of rupees in the year 1921. For the complete construction of this Hall, the Maharaja of Coach Behar (Cooch Bihar) also contributed half amount. He contributed half the funds so that he would form a memorial to his father (Maharaja Sir Nipandra Bhup Badhur). He received help from his friends and the admirers of his late father for his efforts.
Mr. Morjan, the municipal engineer designed this building (Capitol Hall) along with the advice of Mr. Crouch, the Government Architect. The building was designed in such a way that 600 people could be easily accommodated. Rai Sahib Kharga Bahadur Chettri got the contract to construct this building, since he was a first class contractor of those days.
After the competition of the construction, the hall was declared open on 27th May, 1921 by Lord Ronaldshay. The west and south part of the buildings has the offices of the municipality and the clock stand 100 feet high. During those days ordinary people were not in the state to afford their own clock. So this clock was of great help to them as they used to watch the clock and work according to its time. In this case we can say that the clock tower was one of the landmarks in the town. While talking about this clock tower we cannot forget late Kancha Baje, one of the most prominent and the only person who used to repair this clock, after his death the clock also started loosing its glory. But somehow the clock continued to give its time but not the perfect time. Slowly with the passing of moment people also stopped to pass on the clock tower. The most unfortunate day for the people of Darjeeling was when the DarjeelingMunicipality was burnt in the year 1996. Most of its parts were damaged, the town lost one part of its magnificence too as a clock tower also affected but immense thanks to the Rotary Club for their great effort in setting of this heritage clock once again.
With the tireless work of the Rotary Club, the clock stoke up again on the eve of our Independence Day in 2006. After renovation and repairing of the clock tower the old folks of the town started mesmerizing their bygone days. They recalled the days when they constantly use to refer the clock tower as they went about their daily life.
Mrs. Maya Rai, a 72 years old woman fondly recalls, “I always looked upon the clock tower, with stroke at every hour I used to know the time, since i did not had any knowledge about the watch but I was told about how would the day count on its strike”. Yes i am happy the revival of the clock is a momentous occasion for the people of Darjeeling, Rai added
Rotary Club has taken another step in this year too. This year on 15th Aug. Rotary Club has set up a clock in the head Post office which is also a Heritage building of Darjeeling. And it has also come to be known that the D.G.H.C is also planning to set up the same type of clock in Bhanu Bhawan too.
This article was first published in Explore Sikkim published from Singtam, Sikkim)
The Manpari bridge connects East Sikkim with the South districts. The river Tista flows below it. The village in the opposite side of Singtam is called Manpari Busty since the houses constructed there is done hay-wire.
Culture is a treasure of a community. Till culture is saved, the community exists. Dushera is one such festival that is worshiped by all the Nepalese Hindu, irrespective of class and creed. It is the most auspicious festival and symbolizes the victory of Goddess Durga or the Devi Bhawani over demon Mahisashur.
Legend says, the demon king Mahissasur was a great offender whose tyranny and strain made the gods in heaven reach out for lord Vishnu for help. Lord Vishnu thus created a powerful and a beautiful Devi Bhawani. She had a lion as a vehicle presented by the Himalayas and every god worshiped her as Mahalaxmi, Maha Saraswati and Mahakali. When Mahaisasur came to know about Devi Bhawani, he was astonished by her beauty and desired to marry her.
Devi came to know about the demons evil thought and invited him to the battlefield. She put on a condition that he would marry him, if he defeats her in the duel.The battle was fought and finally an atrocity of the devil was put to an end. The battle was fought for nine days and reflects the tradition of Navratha and on the tenth day Vijaya dashami, the days of victory with tika (smear of rice, curd and colours) is observed. Dushera is a time when men and women are attired in their best clothes. The houses are painted and it is the time for family feast.
The festival of happiness starts with the commencement of “Solah SharadSolah Din’’ that last for 16 days. For 16 days the people abstains from consuming meat, fish, and alcohol in memory of the spirit of departed paternal ancestors. Navartha is celebrated for nine days, where people pay homage to the goddess. Lessons on Chandi, Durga Kawatch and Durga Mahatmya are recited at homes and temple.
Navatha starts on Ashwin Sukla, where the idol of Devi Bhawani is establish with the idol of Ganesha and Devi Laxmi on right while the idol of Kartik and Devi Bharati is placed on left side on this day. Jamara is sowed on top of cow dung, mud and sand is placed in the tappara (small bowl like made of leaf) of Newara, banana, etc).This day is also known as Ghatasthapana. A holy water is collected on a kalash (water vessel) and offered to the Devi. Devi Bhawani is the conservator of animals, conservator of all creations, protector of lords, protector of spirit of paternal ancestors; offering her the holy water is believed to gratify her. The sown Jamara will grow up to five to six inch by the tenth day and is given to the younger family member on the day of Vijaya Dashami with blessing.
On the first day of Navratha, the king is the first to sow the Jamara while the rest would sow the other day, as in the tradition. For the nine days, the head of the family sprinkles the holy water on the seed of Jamara. It is believed that Lord Rama received blessing from Devi Bhawani in the form of Jamara and was victorious against Ravana. Thus Jamara has its part in the tradition on the Hindus. On each day Navaratha has different images of Devi Bhawani as; Shailputri, Brahmacharini, Chandra ghanta, Chashmanda, Rukundamata, Katyayarni, Kaalratri, Mahagauri and Siddhidatri. The seventh day is known as Saptami and also the day of Phulpati. Till this day actually the Devi had not arrived to the puja ghar, only the religious texts are recited.
It is on this day of Pulphati that the Devi is invited. This day is celebrated with full merry and large number of devotee gathers and follows the long procession. People in traditional dresses and costumes carry out the flowers and the kalash. Everyone dances all the way through the road chanting religious hymns. While moving along the marketplace they stoop at one place where they assume that the Devi has arrived in their flowers. The flowers are then worshiped and the water and rice grains are sprinkled. The procession is then taken back and the Devi is placed on the puja ghar.
The eight-day is the Mahaastami where animal sacrifice is performed. There is a tradition of giving sacrifice in the name of Mahakali and waking up of the Devi Kaal Ratri. Aastami starts the stage for the bhoj, the traditional food meal of the Newars. Now for the last three days of the Aastami, the family members will ascertain the use of rice for their meal. The bhoj mainly consists of mutton, egg, Soya bean, beaten rice, garlic, zinger, sidra, the local liquor or the curd and others. These food items are served in a banana leaf. The ladies in the family have to give the food to the male members and it is the same when the ladies come for the feast, all in a traditional ways. Before the bhoj is performed, sota is given with eggs on the tappara and a cup of curd with the hands crossed such that the person in the receiving end takes the cup in his right hand. At least for three times he need to lick the egg and drink the curd and each of the three times the curd is added to his cup as the tradition.
The family members sit at the gundri (mat) on the floor as to their precedence. The younger ones have to bow to the feet of all the seniors on the assembled room and sit in their respective place. The place is first swept at one time without lifting the broom. Then the water is brought in the container along with the bowl to wash out the hand and the mouth. After cleaning up the mouth, the water is sprinkled for three times in order to purify. The custom is also repeated after the end of the Bhoj. After bowing to the seniors the bhoj ends. This bhoj continues for the next two days. Aastami is also known as maar ceremony for the tradition of the sacrifice. The animals are sacrificed to please the goddess. The sacrificial goats, hens, and others are first worshiped and tika is put on their forehead. These activities continuous till the naumi, the ninth day of the navratha. It is believed that, if the animal is not killed in the one force, the Devi is not pleased.
The ninth day is the main puja. It is on this day that the chandi recitation comes to the end. It is on this day the Bhimsen puja is performed. A goat and a cock are sacrificed in order to please the kul devta. It is also believed if one could please the Bhimsen one can attain eternity. The head of the goat and the cock is offered to the feet of the idol. That person who doesn’t follow the sacrificing of the animals they offer the flowers and the fruits.
After naumi, it is the vijaya dashami. This day is the actual dasian, the Nepali people observe. Everyone celebrates the victory of goddess Durga. On this day the elder puts the tika made of the smear of the rice grains, curd and the colours on the forehead of the young ones and blessed them for eternity. A sacred string of red and white is tied on their neck. The jamara is placed behind the ear of the young ones.
Different Nepali communities have their own way of celebrating the occasion but the deep-rooted perception for all remains the same.
The above photograph shows a rare mile-post from the old transport days of Independent Sikkim found lying along side the National Highway 31A near Shantinagar, Singtam. Built during the British influence in Sikkim shows Rangpo 8 mile with the arrow pointed towards left side i.e. west direction, while the distance towards Gangtok, the capital of Sikkim is pointed 17 mile towards east. So accurate was the calculation then that even in this date the transformation of 17 mile from Singtam to Gangtok falls the same when it is converted into kilometer i.e. 27.2km.
Akkar Bridge at Jorethang, South Sikkim that flows over Rangit River is the India's first Cable-stayed concrete bridge. Designed by Bergermann and Partner, Stuttgart was completed in 1988. Materials used are steel for cables and concrete in rest of the structure. Its length spans 2 x 77 m, deck width 11.10 m and its pylon height 54.60 m.
I was present on the occasion that was graced by Dr. Pawan Kumar Chamling, Chief Minister of Sikkim. The State Level Teachers Convention on Quality Education at Jorethang ground was organized by State Level Teachers Convention Coordination Committee (SLTCC). The occasion was to felicitate CM by SLTCC for his genuine effort for the exemption of Central Income Tax and for bringing University in Sikkim . More than 5000 teachers from all four districts were present on the occasion. Talks on qualitative education in school and colleges were all discussed.
A 12 hour bandh called by the supporters of the ruling SDF party was observed today. The bandh was called to protest the burning of Chief Minister Pawan Kumar Chamling's effigy by the Shiv Sena activists on 11th of September in Siliguri, West Bengal charging CM Chamling with having 'dual nationality'. Except for Army and GREF all other Vehicles as well as shops were closed. Such all state bandh was last held ten years back. (photographs from Singtam)
Today if i am asked what is the most beautiful thing that has ever happened to you, i do not have any second doubt and say i am very fortunate to be born in Sikkim.But my love for my Sikkim never happened in a flash point.
It was the year 1996 and my first trip to Calcutta now they call it Kolkata, till then i never knew what was Sikkim really about. When i was asked about my place of origin i was too surprised to find that most of the people never had heard of Sikkim, they thought it to be part of either Nepal or Bhutan. It was with names of two Sikkim giant Danny Denzongpa and Bhaichung Bhutia i was able to relate that there is a small state of Sikkim a part of Indian union for the last 20 years. when i returned back at home i was swept off my feet, i was taken aback i never felt bad like that before and i thought within myself i never knew anything about Sikkim..how could i tell people about my Sikkim. This promoted me to learn more about Sikkim and over the years i do have few knowledge about this Himalayan wonder but there are many unsolved mysterious hidden yet to be written. Our biggest problem is that most of the books on Sikkim had taken reference from Gazetteer of Sikhim by H.H. Rishley dated 1884 and since it was written by a britishmen he did left few patches.
More than thirty years down the line what is Sikkim in Indian Union...a place that gets Television mention only in weather forecast, PM, President visits Sikkim but India is busy is relaying the story of Matuknath's love affair with his student. Sikkim is regarded as the kalapani in terms of Indian judges dictionary. Judges are send to Sikkim if they are not able to cope with the system. do we deserve to be a residence of kalapani. To add misery to the problem i do feel that there is some lackness among us too in promoiting our State. Where are the youth of Sikkim that says we are proud to be Sikkimese and care for our Sikkim. Today our cultural heritage is getting lost but who cares, the three community of sikkim had been living peacefully over the years but today we have separate parties of these community, but who cares. I am sorry to say but it is true our youth lack the knowledge of Sikkim, the pride of our past. How many people know about names like Jiwan theeng, Nari Rustomji, Pagla Dewan, Kashinath Pradhan, Alley, Hitler Lepcha, Ruth Karthak and others. How many people in our state know that a wise man Chanakya, a hero in the Indian history had killed a Lepcha king and he was killed by the Lepcha army. How many of us know Sikkim is the home of rocketmail...the moment when USA and USSR had not gone through rocket mission but it was Sikkim that paved the way for them. I just ask how many of us know who designed the map of Sikkim we today have. Do we know that a painting of Sir Tashi Namgyal hangs in the room above the bed of Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru in his home at Teen Murti Bhawan, have we gone through the pages of history when it says after the death of Nehru his ashes was dispersed in the sky around Gangtok and Kanchenjunga, we have many beautiful history to be written but who cares.
Sometime I wonder, around the belt I sleep, The wonderful thoughts and off course the beauty, I believe, I am fortunate ever, Fortunate ever to be born, Born in this serene part of land, Sikkim, my serene Sikkim.
The best part of it, Simplicity lies in every heart, Eagerness and handwork the synonym, Every child stores a dream, Dream to make big, shoves off. Among the crowd there is me, Mine heart that beats for my Sikkim.
Monastery, green fields and mountains, That is my Sikkim. My identification and my reality, Better off and still on realm, My Sikkim, my serene Sikkim.
Land of beautiful flowers, The ocean of fauna, Here I find, heaven’s pleasure, All the way I sing, I plight for myself. I love my Sikkim... Sikkim, my serene Sikkim.
Graduation: St. Joshepp’s College, Darjeeling (B.Sc (Bio@Science)
Danny Denzongpa participated in republic parade at Delhi in his college days.
Won Governor’s Silver Medal as best NCC cadet.
Acting course: Film and Television Institute of India in Pune
Graduated with a Master of Arts (1st Class) in Dramatics
First Film (Hindi):Mere Apne (1971)
First song (Hindi): Sunno Sunno kasam se (with Asha Bhonsle in Kala Sona)
First Nepali film in Sikkim: Mashaal
Popular Nepali Songs: chiso chiso hawa mah, Kanchi lai ghumauney Kathmandu sahahrah, RatoRani Phule,hui bhanda chiso and Mann koh kura lai badhi narakha, Sunah katha euta geet, Aamai ley bhanthey, samai panchi ho.
First Hindi Serial: Ajnabi followed by Ushool
Role of Gabbar Singh in Sholay was first offered to Danny Denzongpa.
Won two Filmfare awards for best supporting actor: Bewafa Sanam and Khuda Gawah.
West Bengal Critic Award for Best Actor: Bengali film 'Lal Kuthi'
He wrote the story of Saino, nepali film shot entirely in Sikkim.
Denzongpa's love of horses and horse riding began at an early age, as his family was into horse breeding.
First English film: Seven years in Tibetwith Brad Pit
First hindi film directed : Phir wohi raat
Awarded Padma Shri: 2003
SikkimState Award on August 15, 1999
He has made a major contribution to the industrial growth of the State by establishing a beer manufacturing company, Yuksom Breweries at Melli in South Sikkim. He has also established a fully air-conditioned film and vision studio at Noida in Uttar Pradesh.
SNT as Sikkim Nationalised Transport is popularly known has been a backbone of a rich old heritage in Sikkim transportation history. Set up in 1944 and more than 50 years later it is still going stronger, marching ahead with pride. It is believed anything to begin takes immense hardship and patience, in this article we would be carrying out the story of the first twenty-five years of Sikkim Nationalised Transport, a pride of Sikkim.
The year was 1944; when the rest of the world was engaged in the disastrous Second World War, a department called Truck Department run by Government of Sikkim was the forefront of transportation in the hills of Sikkim. Sikkim then had….snowfall in the Northern Ranges in winter…rainfall exceeding 100 inches a year during monsoons… frequent landslides…subsidence… weak bridges…absence of airport. For a hilly region like that of Sikkim where major development in the field of transportation was merely a dream; Truck Department was a boon to the people living in this part of the world.
The first year of the setting up of the Nationalisation of Road Transport saw ten 15-cwt Ford trucks and ten 15-cwt Chevrolet trucks brought in an investment of Rs 140,000, avail from the loan provided by the Rationing Department of the Sikkim Government. The total tonnage lifted by those trucks amounted to 600 tones earning for the Department gross revenue of Rs 49,900. With limited routes around the trucking operation was done through Gangtok-Tista-Kalimpong and Gangtok-Tista-Geilkhola until 1960 where the floods of 1960 destroyed the railhead at Geilkhola never to be restored.
Following decade of 50s brought Sikkim to close links with the neighbour country India. An arrangement were made in 1951-52 with the North East Frontier Railway in India and Indian Postal and Telegraph Department resulting in the opening of the Railway Out Agencies at Rangpo and Gangtok along with the starting of the carriage of postal mail between Gangtok and Kalimpong. Freight services were extended to Siliguri and Truck Department’s Pradhannagar Depot was also opened the same year. A major announcement came in 1951-52 with the naming of the Truck Department with that of “Sikkim State Transport Service”. In its first eight year the Sikkim State Transport Service had a gross earning of Rs 18, 71,124.
Rangpo saw the first consumer pump for petrol erected between 1952 to 1954. By 1954 the gross earning of the Department has already crosses Rs 32, 82,786. The following year saw a new usher in the development of Road Transport in the State with the introduction of the First Plan in Sikkim too that was for seven years. Prior to 1954 planning of the Transport in the state was refereed as pre-plan. The First Plan (1954-1961) had a capital outplay of Rs 8, 50,000 provided as aid by the Government from Departmental funds received from Government of India. The year also witnessed the first Tata Mercedes Benz Truck; Model L 312/36 being use on the road from Gangtok to Rangpo, Gangtok- Darjeeling daily Passenger service in land rovers was also introduced. An agreement for the counter signature of route permits by the West Bengal Authorities and of Sikkim State Transport vehicle was negotiated. This move made the vehicle from Sikkim operate on the route of North Bengal that played an important role in the economic development of the state. THE State Transport Service’s Offices set up at Rangpo the same year saw a net profit of over Rs 2, 98,348. The second year (1955-1956) of the plan had the renaming of the Transport Service to the present name “Sikkim Nationalised Transport”.
The gate is the only thing that's left of that Old Hospital out at Shantinagar, Singtam . It is said that the king of Sikkim, late Chogyal Tashi Namgyal had visited this place to innagurate the hospital. Today the hospital had been shifted to other place and over the years this lone gate stands against all odds. I have heard people talking to dismantle it since thier loads on truck does not pass beyond this gate but i ask is it worth removing the pillar of past..i say how many such heritage structure are there in Sikkim related to its great past.
Sikkim is a home of religious front. Admist the fact that these heritage sites are now a part of negligence but still richness lies in its glory of past. With the wheel of clock things have gone through their mid way but there are certain strokes that pave its own path and remain the testimony of the hour. Through this blog I have always tried to give the best insight story to its reader regarding the Sikkim, it’s past and present. Here comes a story of a Shiv mandir in Rhenock that has been weaving in tale frozen in time.
A Shivalaya at Rhenock Jeep stand near Bhanu Bhakta‘s statue had its own glory days and now lie in a affirm of deep silence. Once much crowded mandir is now on the verge of loosing its charm. I met Sunder Kumar Pradhan, former Panchayat member from Rhenock in his early 80s some time back and have heard a fascinating story of this mandir. According to Pradhan, this mandir has been in its present position ever since he was a child. He told his father used to let him visit this place and the mandir is over hundred years.
Pradhan told an interesting narrative that goes as: “During those days landlord inherited the land of Rhenock. The landowner of Rhenock then was one Rai Saheb Tulshi Das Pradhan. Once Rai Saheb had a strange dream. He saw in his dream a Sadhu inform him of a presence of a Shivling in the small pond present at Rhenock bazaar and ask him to construct a temple. The next day he unfolds his dream with his associates as a result it was decided to empty the pond water. The water was emptied and as told by the mysterious Sadhu a Shivling was found on the bottom of the pond. A small mandir was then constructed with walls and roof over the precious stone. (The above photograph according to Sunder Pradhan was shot around 1935-1940) Newar Samaj was formed and given the charge of the mandir. Later years land was owned and a house for Pujari was constructed”.
Sunder Pradhan recollected those days when Lakhey Dance (traditional Newari dance), Gai-Jatra (traditional Newari ceremony), Krishna aastami was performed in the mandir. Gai-Jatra, a religious ceremony held in Newar community was last held in this sleepy Sub Division in late 90s. According to it, after the death of male or female person a statue known as Basah in Newari language is made. In case of female the statue resembles a cow while for male counterpart ox is made. The statue is made of paper, mud, cement, marble rock, pottery and others. These statues are kept in man-made Rath and moved around the bazaar and returned back to the mandir. Higher the cart better the occasion, as it is told.It is believed that the ceremony will help the sprit of the departed person attain moksha.
Pradhan told Kumalay were trained Lakhey dancers. Man Singh Bhujel was one the last Kumalay Lakhey dancers who would thrill the gathering crowd. Pradhan narrated that the dancers would wear traditional dress and masks. At one time there were four trained dancers. Ever since the death of the last Lakhey dancer some forty years back and lack of interest among the younger generations made the pride of Rhenock extinct.
These celebrations now a part of legend in Rhenock and in some way or the other it is the loss of Rhenock that today’s generation fail to witness such tradition.
Recently a woman named Rachel Ellison was awarded an Order of the Member of the British Empire (MBE). She had set up a radio show called Afghan Woman's Hour in Afghanistan under the aegis of British Broadcasting Corporation. She was given the honour for promoting human rights and female empowerment in the country.
This piece of news reminded me of a WWII veteran Gurkha, Major Kunjalal Moktan who too had been awarded with an order of MBE. The MBE was given to him in recognition of his efforts at helping the Britishers reconstitute the partition torn Brigade of Gurkhas at Malaya (Malaysia).
Albeit, ‘the order has attracted some criticism for its connection with the idea of the British Empire. Many famous personalities including Benjamin Zephaniah have rejected the MBE saying it reminded of "thousands of years of brutality—it reminds me of how my foremothers were raped and my forefathers brutalized”. Nevertheless, a Gurkha to have received an MBE for a reason other than bravery in the face of enemy is a welcome delight. Major Kunjalal was born on 22/02/1922 at Singel Tea Estate to Harkabir Tamang. After completing his matriculate from St. Alphonsus School in the year 1940, he joined the 1/10 Gurkha Rifles as Rifleman Clerk.
There is an interesting anecdote behind his recruitment. After having been selected as Rifleman Clerk at Ghoom Recruiting Depot, Major Kunjalal returned home to break the news to his father. His elder brother, Babulal Moktan, already being in the army (1/3 G.R.) his father did not take the news well and forbade any further discussion on it. It was only when Major Marshall, the recruiting officer at Ghoom recruiting depot, traveled all the way down to his house and talked with the old man, then did the old man relent.
After completion of his training at Quetta and thereafter at Rajmankh Frontier Province, Major Kunjalal and his regiment were taken to Madras from where they where shipped to Rangoon (now Yangoon). By the time they reached, Rangoon had been completely destroyed by Japanese bombs. To make matters worse, the Japanese force was just 24 hours away from Rangoon. To avoid unnecessary casualties, began one of the longest retreats in the history of modern warfare.An order was issued; Kunjalal and his regiment were to retreat to Imphal on foot through Irrawaddy (at Irrawaddy his elder brother was taken as Japanese prisoner of war). While retreating through the jungles of Burma, Major Kunjalal was hit by a bomb shrapnel and was immediately shifted to Shwebo, from where he was airlifted to Tinsukhia and then to Shillong Military Hospital. Luck was with him, he was slightly hurt while the person standing next to him was torn into two.
After getting well, he was once again pushed into Burma through Manipur. This time on foot. The advance was not easy. For months they ambushed, fought hand to hand battles against the Japanese and crept forward. Finally at a strategic lake near Matilla, they put camp for about six months. How did they spend their time – fighting and driving away retreating Japanese forces from Arakan and adjoining areas?
The war having been fought and won, Major Kunjalal was at Rangoon when India became independent. Following India’s Independence, vide the Tripartite Agreement of 1947, the Gurkha Rifles was divided between India and England. Two battalions of 2nd, 6th, 7th, 8th, and 10th were handed over to the Britishers. The men of the respective regiments were given a choice; stay with the Indian army or cross over to the British army.
Initially Major Kunjalal volunteered for the Indian army but the commandant of his regiment corresponded with Delhi Headquarters and had him on liaison on Indian allowances to help raise the newly re-formed battalion at Malaysia (Malaya). After his services at Malaya were no longer required, he could return to the Indian army but Major Kunjalal was to stay at Malaya until his retirement.
Major Kunjalal was then a Havildar. Being an officer, he was sent to the RASC (Royal Army Service Corps) school, Malaysia for M.T.O. & M.T. Sergeants. The RASC was responsible for land, coastal and lake transport; air dispatch; supply of food, water, fuel, and general domestic stores such as clothing, furniture and stationery administration of barracks; the Army Fire Service; and provision of staff clerks to headquarters units.
At the school there were only two Gurkhas among a crowd of white soldiers but Major Kunjalal shined above the rest and stood first. On his success, his superior officer declared that from there on the next MTO would not be a British officer but Captain Kunjalal. Shortly thereafter, a proposition was mooted to form a Gurkha Army Service Corps (GASC) on the lines of RASC, within the Brigade of Gurkhas. Kunjalal was selected as one of the instructors to run the GASC School. There on for six years he was instructor at GASC, Singapore. After that he was sent by the Brigade of Gurkhas for an advanced MTO course at RASC, England. On his arrival at England, he saw that the instructors there were the instructors who had taught him at RASC, Malaysia. The instructors had been so highly impressed by Kunjalal, that whenever an explanation was offered in the class, they would seek the approval of Kunjalal “Isn’t it so Captain Moktan”
After retirement while working at Assansole Collieries as Chief Security Officer, the MBE was offered to him. He was given a choice; he could receive the MBE from the hands of the Queen at London or from the British High Commissioner at Malaysia before his Brigade. He chose the latter for as they say he ‘lived to serve the Unit … not to a transient personality or cause.’ His service was to the Gurkha Rifles and not to the British Flag. At present, Major Kunjalal can still be found hale and hearty, on sunny afternoons, deep in conversation with his old time friends at Kurseong Railway Station.
(This article was first published in Explore Sikkim published from Singtam, Sikkim)
The establishment of the Advanced Technical Training Centre (ATTC) is one of the major initiatives that is taken by the Government of Sikkim for the development of technical education in the State.
The curriculum offered by this polytechnic has been framed by Nettur Technical Training Foundation (NTTF) Bangalore. ATTC has been awarded ISO 9001:2000 Quality Systems Certification by Bureau Veritas Quality International (BVQI).
The establishment of this polytechnic is designed to address the need for employable skills to be imbibed among the youth of the State. This will address the major constraint for development in the State as also for seeking potential employment outside the State.
Inauguration of ATTC by Hon'ble Chief Minister of Sikkim
The Diplomas and the Post Diplomas issued by NTTF are highly valued by major industries within the country and even abroad. The Diplomas issued by ATTC will be jointly certified by the Board of Technical Education, Sikkim and NTTF. On completion of their courses, the students are also assured of getting placement in industries of repute within the country.
Multipurpose Hall
The courses offered by the polytechnic have been approved by the All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE). There are five 3 year diploma courses being run which are:
Diploma in Mechatronics, Mechanical Engineering, Tool & Die Making, Manufacturing Technology and Computer Application.
Well stocked library
The Institute is equipped with the latest equipment, machineries and computers and supported by a team of qualified and trained faculty. The Institute have a variety of software and learning resources, computer based tutorials etc. and a very well stocked library with a wide selection of books, journals etc.
CNC Machine in the Workshop
Student at work
Objectives of the Institute:
To promote technical training in India, particularly in the areas of Tool & Die Making, Electronics, Computer Sciences and other allied trades both at craftsman level and technician level.
To offer continuing education programme to functionaries in industry and unemployed youth and to serve local community through community development programme.
To sponsor programmes aimed towards the development of rural India .
Robotic arm in CIM Lab
Students in the Workshop
Eligibility Criteria: The candidate should have passed Class X or equivalent from a recognized Board, i.e. 10-year study course, having minimum 45% marks in Mathematics and Science (40% in the case of SC/ST/OBC candidates)
All eligible candidates will have to appear for a Common Entrance Test of 3 hour duration comprising of English, Mathematics, Science, Aptitude and General Knowledge of Class X standard.
ATTC Campus
For details, please contact:
Advanced Technical Training Centre 31A NH, Bardang, Singtam, East Sikkim, Pin Code: 737134 Phone: 03592 – 233482 Telefax: 03592-235381 Website: http://attc.skmpoly.edu.in/
Sonia Sheikh from Namchi is the next big thing from Sikkim to the bollyhood stuff music. Singer, music director and lyricist-Sonia has come up with her maiden hindi album "Khawaish" that has eight tuneful songs. Each song is recorded keeping in mind the requirement of young generation.
Having shared the music stage with Darjeeling's little princess Prakriti Giri and others, Sonia has also to her credit her lyrics made much sweeter by the vocals of singers like Sonu Nigam and Kunal Gajawala in forthcoming hindi movies. She has singing assignments in couple of nepali and regional films and some hindi film offer is under negotiation.
It is more or less a forgotten part in the development process of the then small Himalayan kingdom, Sikkim. An introduction to the coinage system in Sikkim ceased the way it got started. A study in the coinage system of Sikkim puts light on the time period of the socio-economic and political history of the then small state. The coins of Sikkim ended the way it appeared, it came from nowhere and finally it got lost out in the darkness. A handful of people around Sikkim and in the districts of Darjeeling now have these rare items in their collections. The coin of Sikkim is much sought after by numismatists interested in countries that are no more in existence today.
Prior to the British invasion to the land of Sikkim, money revenue was never heard. Sikkim being an agricultural foreground some parts of food grains were given to the king as tax. Trade was carried where things were exchanged between individuals. This system was even prevalent even in the mid-19th century; oranges were exchanged with that of a hen while broomstick with bamboo caskets and many other things were exchanged as per the need. It was only after the permission from the British officials in 1849 AD the coins of Nepal were accepted as legal tender.
JC White, Political Officer in 1889 AD have said that Maharaja collected in taxes” what he required as he wanted it from the people.” Handing over the territory of Darjeeling in 1835AD brought Indian rupee to the land of Sikkim. This was seen as the first change as per the economic development was concerned.
There were six Taksari families in Sikkim who were addressed as “Taksari”. Those Taksari included Lachhimidas Pradhan, Kancha Chandbir Pradhan, Chandbir Pradhan Maskey of Pakyong, Jitman Singh Pradhan, Prasad Singh Chettri of Tarku Estate and Bharaddoj Gurung of Khani Goan.
Lachhimidas Pradhan, a newar tradesman who fled Nepal was the man behind extracting copper from the mines in Sikkim. It was in the year 1868, Lachhimidas Pradhan and others secured a mining lease for copper mines and agriculture estates in Sikkim. The then Maharaja of Sikkim Thutob Namgyal took interest in the minting of the coins in Sikkim and asked for the approval form the British authority. It was finally in July 20, 1881, a letter from the Secretary, Government of Indian in the Foreign Department intimated the Government of Bengal that there was no objection to the request of the Maharaja of Sikkim to make Dooba pice at the copper mines within the territory of Sikkim. British had no problem in letting the small and poor country of Sikkim setting their own minting.
The British wrote that the Dooba pice requested by the Maharaja of Sikkim were lumps of irregularly shaped copper of the kind well known in Bihar as Loheea pice and there were no provisions in the treaty of 1861 with Sikkim prohibiting coining.
Pranab Kumar Bhattacharya in his book “Aspect of Cultural History of Sikkim” writes the coins of Sikkim known so far are of two types. Dooba Paisa also known as Doli or Dheba lump made of copper. These coins were cut out of copper sheet to a particular size and weight. They are plain on both observe and reverse, weighs around 8.265gms to 10.755gms. These small metal are found to be 1.7 x 1.4 cm to 1,9 x 1.3 cm in size. The minting of Dooba Paisa began sometime in 1882 AD i.e. 1939 according to Nepali calendar.
It should be noted that coins of Sikkim had been highly influenced by that of Nepal and similar types of Dooba and Chepte Paisa were also found in Nepal. The inscription was also written in devengari script and bore the Nepali calendar year 1939 to 1942. The weights of Sikkim coins vary from 4.18gms to 5.55gms whereas the copper coins of Nepal range from 4.8gms to 10gms.
The second type of coin the Chepte Paisa is “fashioned in a rude way with the hammer and anvil and has plain unmilled edges. Stamping is carried out in a similarly rough manner, one workman holding the piece of metal between the dies, whilst a second with a blow from a heavy hammer complete the coin. With very few inceptions, the coins bear only portions of the inscriptions carried by the dies”.
The Chepte Paisa is more or less circular in shape with inscription “ Sri Sri Sri Sikkim Sarkar Maharaj” written on observe and “Sri Sri Sri Sikkim Sarkar” in the reverse. It weighs around 7.60gms and is around 2.6cm in size. A floral design on the edge of both sides of the coins has also been found. The coins of Sikkim do not bear any mint mark but it appears that the minting of these coins was generally done in places near of Tukkhani and Pacheykhani.
The new beginning in the decimal history of currency in Sikkim was short lived. The new coins were accepted as the legal tender in the territories of Nepal. But the inconvenience provided by the traders of Nepal the coins of Sikkim had a setback to face. The Newar traders presented the petition to the Prime Minister of Nepal to put restriction on the Sikkim currency within Nepal territory.
It was in the month of September-October 1885 a letter was send to Lachhimidas Pradhan in Sikkim by Col. Gajraj Singh Thapa forwarding a restriction of the entry of the coins of Sikkim into the boundary of Nepal and said that the pice of Sikkim was found to be lesser in weight than that of Nepal. This was a big blow to the rising economic development of the small state.
No coins of Sikkim has been found after Nepali calendar 1942 i.e. 1885 AD, thus a sad part of a great hope in Sikkim have to bow to a premature death.
Legends are part of developmental evolution of human race and cannot be single out simply being an imaginary one. These legends had been the bases of many future findings that were once a tales woven in narration of reality and folklore. We belong to the land of Lepchas where they are termed as a primitive tribe. But yet we are not able to confront ourselves from the rear fact that we lack evidences to speak out our minds. We believe in age old ethnicity and words of scholars but the real truth remains the fact that our future generations needs to be explained the mystic forces of time immemorial that build up our Sikkim, from the days of so called earliest life in a Lepcha tribe to the three century old Namgyal Dynasty and further towards the making of the Sikkim that we live in today. From a small Himalayan Kingdom to a 22nd state in the mighty Indian Union, the stamp sized state of Sikkim had witness many major transformations. Much like folklore the history of early Sikkim is divided between the facts and the uncertainty. Let’s speak that Bhutias and Nepalese followed to this land of Sikkim where the Lepcha tribe had already been dwelling. Later on the people from different states of India enter our land and made it their homes. But in course of time this fact could be hindered if proper documentation is not under done and who knows years to come our great- great grand children might have an academic lesson that it was the tribal people from the adjoining states of India that set up the Himalayan land of Sikkim that was followed by the Lepchas, Bhutias and Nepalese from other part of the neighbouring countries. Sikkim is mysterious, very rich in legends and yet we have never presented ourselves in the scientific ways. We never tried to collect the exact data of those numerous folklore that had been part of every man’s life since ages.
Defining the exact time epoch of certain incidents including those of pottery pieces found around the fields of Daramdin and stories of the Great Flood at Mt. Tendong could possibly put the state of Sikkim on the world map in a different dimension. Once going through an article published on Sonam Tshering Lepcha, a man behind the famous Lepcha museum in Kalimpong in a local newspaper from Gangtok it was mention about the people collecting intact pots that was quite different from those collected by Sonam Lepcha himself unearthed from the sites of the legendary ladder story belonged to certain communities graveyard. Sounds interesting, yet there is less possibility that the climate of Sikkim suits any type of mud that is used in making pottery and it is really a matter of discovery how did those people established the tower of pots! Myths of man-like animal Yeti heard on numerous accounts along the Himalayan range of North Sikkim could be the missing link between the early man and us. We can help out understand the evolution of mankind, its society and its ways of living. The foot prints found at Chungthang have developed a sort of controversy over the two scholarly men of the bygone centuries. There are mixed believers that those foot impression belong to either Guru Rimpoche or Guru Nanak! These are just few outlines from the strings of legend that are associated with our Sikkim.
With every passing days those folklore are being endangered and surely we need to preserve it who knows at the end we might never understand was these unsolved mysterious the very treasures that our ancestor had been talking about over the years. Inorder to organize ourselves and understand those numerous unsolved mysterious and preserve the ancient culture heritage of the state there is a need of a forum in Sikkim, more or less a Sikkim Study Forum.
Without denying, the fact remains that the major percentage of younger generations in Sikkim lacks knowledge of its prime history. The mere collection of names as in TNSSS, TNA, PNGSSS, STNM are the only things they know about the glorious days of Sikkim as a small Himalayan kingdom. The other reason of such ignorance could be the fact that the lessons on Sikkim history are never part of academic curriculars in higher studies. Many states in India have their self examination board set up, are we not prepared for Sikkim State Board? It is very strange to find out most of the popular books available about Sikkim are written by non-local writers. This presently shows lack of under mounted interest among local scholars raring to find the true picture of our state. Most of the books written about the early Sikkim is referred from 1884 published H.H.Rishley’s “Gazetteer of Sikhim”, say it a mother of all Sikkim based book. The book is no doubt very neatly written and very informative but can we put it as the final output of our history!
Very few people know that there had been two pre-historic explorations in Sikkim in past; one in 1980 with major findings of well-polished Neolithic stone tools around Dzongu area and the other one off lately in 2003 that had the state stunned when similar Neolithic tools unearthed from Sajyong near Rumtek dated back to 8000 BC. It developed a curiosity whether the land of Sikkim was a dwelling place of early men much against the period we were supposed too. Another out of the ordinary finding from Sajyong was a fossilized antelope horn that was 1,50,000 years old. But after that what happened about those tools is little known. Those tools were the valued assets of Government of Sikkim and it should be brought back to where it belongs. How often we come across in news that such tools are dug out. But are we really concerned about it?
CM’s European tour couple of year back had some aspiring expectation about certain historical documents signed by the Chogyals of Sikkim lying in museums of England most specifically. In near future it is expected those legendary papers that are more or less a matter of myth among the people of Sikkim will return to its native land but where will it be kept ? Sikkim needs a museum and long discussion on converting the heritage White Hall into a museum is still a talking point. Individual people in few places have come up with personal self made museums but when shall the state have its own museum.
The answers to all the interrelated queries are centralled around the formation of Sikkim Study Forum. This Forum could be the platform that might provide opportunity to any scholars interested in performing research on different subjects of Sikkim as well as preserve the momentous legacy of this mystic land. Finally are we not interested to know what happened to those names of Suhim, Sukhim and Sikhim?
The credit of being the first Police Officer of Sikkim Police goes to LallBahadur Pradhan of Pacheykhani in East Sikkim. He joined the then Sikkim Durbar service in the Police establishment as the first trained and qualified Police Officer in the rank ofSub-Inspector and headed the organisation. An individual with military spirit, he served the Durbar with his hard and dedicated work with efficiency and intelligence for a short period of 8 years. The second son of Taksaari Chandrabir Pradhan, he was born in 1888. He had his early education in Gangtok. After completing schooling at Gangtok he joined Scottish Universities Missionary Institute at Kalimpong where he studied upto class IX. He was then selected by Claude White, the then Political Officer of Sikkim to serve in the Political Office in Gangtok. At the time of joining office he was only 14 years age. He served the Political Office for seven years.
When the administration was transferred under the direct control of H.H. Thutob Namgyal, Maharaja of Sikkim, the need for a qualified police officer was felt. The Maharaja requested the political officers for the selection of an able person and on his recommendation the Maharaja specially selected LallBahadur Pradhan, for the Police Officer training in Ranchi for a year long course in the year 1909. On the completion of training with distinction, he was deputed for field training in Darjeeling for a period of 6 months. It was after this he joined the Durbar Service. As a highly disciplined and Namgyal, Maharaja of Sikkim, efficient officer, Lall Bahadur the need for a qualified police Pradhan earned the appreciation of and respect from his superiors, subordinates and the public. In a span of 8 years he laid the foundation of a modern Police department.
Due to pressing family matters and the responsibility of looking after his estates, Lall Bahadur was compelled to leave the Durbar service and resigned form service in 1919. In accordance with his active nature Lall Bahadur Pradhan was not satisfied with the management of his family estates. He planned the expansion of his activities on officer was felt. The Maharaja other frontiers and established the requested the political officer for first citrus nurseries in the State. Selection of an able person and He breathed his last in on his recommendation the 1934 at the early age of 46. At the time of his death he was survived by his wife, for sons, two daughters and five brothers. Other members of the family had also valuable service to this place.
Halo is nothing but a natural phenomena where the ring like formation is found around the sun. This halo was seen in Siliguri on August 10 but this one was special since it coincided with the start of the Big Bang experiment in Geneva.
Gangtok, June 20: Sikkim cut-off from the rest of the country As if the bandh called by the Gorkha Janmukti Morcha (GJM) was not enough, nature added more woes to people of Sikkim after heavy rains caused a major landslide at Kalijhora on the NH-31A. The landslide has cut off Sikkim’s only road link with the rest of the country. The indefinite bandh, which entered fifth day today, has already created a scarcity of essential supplies in Gangtok. The GJM supporters had closed every approach road to the state as part of their demand for a separate state. The landslide will further deepen the crisis there. Sources in the Sikkim Chief Secretary’s office said the people were facing difficulties in getting LPG, fuel and food items. They added that the state government was in touch with the Centre to overcome the crisis. Darjeeling Superintendent of Police Rahul Srivastav told The Indian Express that all efforts are on to resume road connectivity with Sikkim. “Due to the landslide, a section of the road has been breached at a place called 28 Mile. A team of Border Roads Organisation personnel is working on repairing that section and clearing the debris . As of now only small vehicles can pass through,” Srivastav said. There were, however, no reports of any untoward incident on Friday. In Kolkata, veteran CPM leader and former West Bengal chief minister Jyoti Basu said the state government was willing to take part in the tripartite talks involving the GJM and Centre. “If the Centre calls a tripartite meeting, the state government will join it,” Basu told mediapersons. He, however, added that the GJM’s decision of not accepting Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee’s offer of talks was “regrettable.” Reacting to the GJM’s offer to join in tripartite talks that could include the chief minister, Basu said nothing much could be achieved if the GJM is not willing to talk. GJM general secretary Roshan Giri, meanwhile, said the stalemate will continue, but difficult to say for how long. “We have not taken a decision on ending the bandh as yet. As of now, the bandh is indefinite. People, however, are prepared for the struggle and have stocked up necessary items. We cannot say when the situation will change,” he added.
Gangtok, Jun 20(PTI) Sikkim was today cut off from the rest of the country due to blockade of National Highway 31 A, which connects the Himalayan state with Siliguri, by the Gorkha Janmukti Morcha (GJM) as part of its indefinite bandh to press for its demand for a separate Gorkhaland state.Barring movement of army vehicles and ambulances, traffic on the national highway came to a grinding halt, police personnel manning the inter-state border checkpost at Rangpo said here.Four Sikkim National Transport (SNT) buses carrying troops from Siliguri left for Sikkim through the Rangpo checkpost, while some vehicles with students and patients on board from Gangtok and other places left for Siliguri/ Darjeeling till noon, they said.No other public transport, like buses and taxies, were plying on the highway after the GJM enforced the indefinite bandh in the Darjeeling hills and the highways passing through the hill regions of West Bengal, the sources said.Meanwhile, the Sikkim government was in constant touch with their counterparts in West Bengal and the Centre to ensure that NH 31 A is spared from the indefinite bandh due to its impact on the economy of the Himalayan state, official sources said here.
GANGTOK, June 20: The Sikkim Congress chief and former chief minister Mr Nar Bahadur Bhandari has expressed support towards the Gorkhaland demand. He also criticised senior Congress leader and Union ministers Mr Pranab Mukerjee and Priya Ranjan Das Munshi for their anti-Gorkhaland stand. “If these ministers are against Gorkahland, why are they supporting the Telangana movement?” he questioned. While expressing solidarity towards the Gorkhas and the separate state movement he criticised the Centre too claiming that if the Centre was against Gorkhaland, it should discontinue Uttarakhand and Chhattisgarh as independent states and restore those to their earlier positions. Urging the GJMM chief Mr Bimal Gurung against compromising with the Gorkhaland demand, Mr Bhandari advised the GJMM to continue its movement on Gandhian principals. “The demand for Gorkhaland is their constitutional right,” he added.When asked about Sikkim was facing problems due to the Gorkhaland movement he said, they are fighting for their right and so smaller problems will have to be ignored. “We should also support them by setting up a core-committee,” he added
Things are not all that quiet on the India-China border despite the laboured bonhomie between the two Asian powers. For the first time after the Sumdorong Chu incident in Arunachal Pradesh in 1987, which almost led to a war, a face-off on the western sector of the vexed boundary in Ladakh has sent shockwaves across the diplomatic and security establishments of the country. Recently, a major confrontation with the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) of China was averted by the timely intervention of senior officers from an Indian patrol team. The incident took place on May 16 inside the Line of Actual Control (LAC) on the western sector of India-China boundary at Demchok, northeast of Ladakh. Insiders say PLA soldiers chased away Indian Intelligence Bureau (IB) personnel, who were verifying claims of Chinese intrusions near the Chardung-Nillung junction on the LAC. The IB team was accompanied by the army and Indo-Tibetan Border Police soldiers, who were closely engaged and followed by the Chinese patrols in three vehicles. Chinese soldiers, say sources, even hurled abuses and shouted, “Indians go back.” They assumed position to fire at the Indians near the Chardung nullah.
PLA taking positionsThe Chinese then called another patrol party and chased the Indian groups. This border drama, which could have escalated into a clash with dangerous diplomatic consequences, unfolded at a time when the relationship between the two countries was passing through a ‘blow hot, blow cold’ phase. The seriousness of this border skirmish can be judged from the fact that in 1967, it was an accidental firing at Nathula that led to a war between the two neighbours. “The Chinese provoked our soldiers. They even shouted at us, followed us, and then took position to fire at our men. We have sent a report to the officials concerned,” says a Home Ministry official. Indian officials say that by asking Indian soldiers to vacate their own territory, Chinese troops have violated all norms. Under the broad understanding reached by the two sides, even if there is proximity during patrolling, they are not supposed to engage each other. The Chinese intrusion was against the diplomatic mechanism that had been set up to avoid such incidents. The two countries had agreed to maintain peace on the LAC through an agreement in 1993, followed by an agreement on confidence building measures along the border to prevent conflict-like situations. The present face-off is a clear violation of the treaty. Sources say that the confidential report on the incident reveals that the Chinese troops had written abuses directed at Indians on trees in the region. (See graphic: Dragon fire) “How can the Government say there is no tension on the India-China boundary? Such incidents can escalate into a conflict situation. It needs to be taken seriously and tackled by holding more border level meetings and then taking it to a political level,” says former army chief General V.P. Malik. Last year, India Today first reported the Chinese intrusions into Indian territory in Sikkim. Close to 400 such incidents have occurred in the last three years. And things have not improved. Despite India’s diplomatic protests, the Chinese intrusions have only increased. This year alone, 90 intrusions have been reported to the Government by various security and border agencies. India has been repeatedly complaining to Beijing. In some cases, the intrusions were extremely provocative. In April this year, Chinese troops came 12 kilometres inside Maja in Arunachal Pradesh. “We don’t know about this incident, but most of this area is no man’s land and there is no clear demarcation, so such incidents occur. But we are trying to resolve the issue through a border talks mechanism,” a Chinese diplomat told India Today. Sources say that the intelligence agencies reported the matter to the Foreign Office, which has maintained silence over the issue, though such cases are a violation of the agreement between the two nuclear powers. While government sources did not want to officially comment on the incident, External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee raised the issue, also citing the intrusions in Sikkim, at the official meeting in Beijing. Line of conflict The incident is a violation of the 1993 India-China agreement on peace and tranquility on the Line of Actual Control. Ninety incidents of intrusions by Chinese soldiers have been reported this year alone. The dispute between the two countries involves the longest contested boundary in the world. The Chinese leadership, however, responded with the lame excuse that both countries held differing perceptions on the boundaries. Still, the question is: why did Mukherjee, who had met his Chinese counterpart Yang Jiechi only a month ago at a trilateral meeting, go to Beijing without a substantive agenda? The Chinese, who are known as protocol perfectionists, gave a cold welcome to Mukherjee. The Indian minister was not given an audience with President Hu Jintao. Premier Wen Jiabao cancelled his talks with Mukherjee, saying he had to make an urgent visit to earthquake-affected areas, even though the meeting was fixed much in advance. Mukherjee’s meeting with Vice-President Xi Jinping, who, it is believed, is being groomed to take over from Hu in 2012, was the only saving grace. The Indian minister was not just snubbed. He was denied an opportunity to raise the intrusion issue with the highest levels of Chinese leadership, given the fact that he had already discussed it with his Chinese counterpart Jiechi when they had met on the sidelines of the trilateral meeting. Even before Mukherjee had left Delhi, the governor of the quake-hit Sichuan province backed out after agreeing to be in the capital with the Indian external affairs minister to receive relief materials. Instead, the vice-governor, who is much junior according to protocol, was deputed by the Chinese Government to accept relief materials from Mukherjee. “All these incidents are a part of growing muscle-flexing by the Chinese against India,” says strategic analyst Brahma Chellaney. The last two years have seen the Chinese in a belligerent position. “Going by the series of high level visits by Indian leaders, we seem overzealous to please the Chinese,” Chellaney adds. The dispute between the two countries involves the longest contested boundary in the world. China claims 92,000 sq km of Indian territory. On the other hand, the Indian contention is that China is in possession of approximately 38,000 sq km of Indian territory in Jammu & Kashmir under the so-called China-Pakistan Boundary Agreement of 1963. Pakistan also illegally ceded 5,180 sq km of Indian territory in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir to China. The two sides held about a dozen rounds of boundary negotiations but the talks made little progress. The big question is: why would China want to resort to such offensive tactics at a time when the country needs India’s support most? The Beijing Olympics, scheduled to be held next month, are already mired in a controversy as the host country faces flak for its oppressive activities in Tibet. According to analysts, the first reason is the Chinese assessment that there is a weak leadership in India, incapable of taking important diplomatic decisions. Beijing wants the border dispute to linger on and is bullying India. It also thinks that Delhi is busy cosying up to Washington. With Delhi going on a backfoot on various issues such as Tibet, and not being able to leverage its relationship with Taiwan, China now believes that it has got what it wanted from India. So there is little left for India to bargain with China. Such brinkmanships help China militarily. With no demarcation of the border, over three lakh Indian soldiers remain tied down to the India-China border, which is also a drain on India’s economic capabilities. It affects India’s efforts to project itself as a military power in the region. To keep the friendship intact, China should respect India’s territorial integrity and India, on its part, needs to raise the issue at the highest levels of Chinese leadership. Small sparks on the border can lead to a big fire that the two neighbours may find very difficult to contain.
Gangtok (PTI): The Affected Citizens of Teesta (ACT), an apolitical organisation, on Saturday called off its indefinite hunger strike against the proposed hydroelectric power projects in Dzongu region after the state government scrapped four of the plants to mollify agitators. "The ongoing indefinite hunger strike by ACT activists against the Dzongu power projects stands withdrawn in reciprocation of the state government's decision to scrap hydel power projects at Rangyong (141mw), Lingza (120mw), Ringpi (90mw) and Rukel (33mw)," the ACT's Chief Coordinator Tseten Lepcha told reporters here. It has, however, decided to continue with the relay hunger strike and satyagraha till the Panun hydel project (300 mw) was also scrapped by the state government in deference to the local people's sentiments for protection of the rich bio-diversity of the Dzongu region, he said. Lepcha thanked all political parties, social organisations and others for extending their moral support to ACT's prolonged agitation demanding rollback of all hydel projects in North Sikkim, particularly around Dzongu - a region largely inhabited by the indigenous Lepcha community who revere mountains as dieties. The body has been agitating against the hydel projects in Dzongu region in north Sikkim since June 20, 2007.
Students and young people are at the forefront of a protest against hydel projects that are being planned in Sikkim. AT THE VENUE of the relay fast that has continued in Gangtok since June 2007. The Affected Citizens of Teesta comprises students, professionals and former politicians. DAWA LEPCHA has a tube stuck up his nose. It goes right down to his stomach. Sometimes, while he is asleep, it moves and chokes him. But the tube is his only sustenance. The juices poured through it are the only nourishment that keeps him alive. Dawa Lepcha has been on a fast since March 10. Last year he fasted for 63 days. He and his friends are protesting against the dams on the river Teesta in Dzongu in north Sikkim, the home of the Lepchas, Sikkim’s earliest inhabitants. These young men are in hospital, starving to make sure their tribe survives. “Tunnelling the Teesta” “The entire Teesta river is being tunnelled. The main river of Sikkim is disappearing underground. Is this development?” asks Dawa Lepcha. “Sikkim is a very small State, but very rich in biodiversity. If they are allowed to go ahead with the hydel projects, they will ravage, plunder and destroy everything.” The Sikkim government has discovered that there is money to be made from hydel power. It has proposed around 26 dams across the State. Of these, seven projects are in Dzongu. It is part of the Central government’s master vision of the north-eastern region as “India’s Future Power House”, with around 168 dams planned. The projects are being cleared at any cost. Recently, Union Minister of State for Power Jairam Ramesh said at a press conference in Guwahati: “I want to check this MoU [memorandum of understanding] virus in the north-east.” Laws have been flouted to grant clearances. Environmental protection has taken a backseat. THE POWER HOUSE of the Teesta Phase 5 project. “They plan to build four dams inside the Kanchenjunga National Park, two inside the Kanchenjunga Biosphere Reserve and two on the border of the reserve. Most of Dzongu falls in the Kanchenjunga Biosphere Reserve. The biodiversity of the entire region is at stake,” says Dawa Lepcha. “We Lepchas are nature worshippers. Many of our holy lakes and springs are in Dzongu. We cannot let our sacred land be destroyed.”People of the ravine Lepchas are the indigenous people of Sikkim, but they constitute less than 7 per cent of its population. They call themselves rong-kup (people of the ravine). Over the past two centuries, Nepali migrants have outnumbered the Lepchas in their homeland. The Lepchas are now a minority, a dying race. The Lepcha population is now 40,000, of which around 7,000 live in Dzongu, near the magnificent Kanchenjunga, the third highest mountain peak in the world. Dzongu, the holy land of the Lepchas, was a protected area even when Sikkim was an independent kingdom (Sikkim merged with the Union of India in 1975). Any outsider, even a Lepcha living outside Dzongu, has to apply for a permit to enter it. Only Lepchas from Dzongu can own land here. This was done to protect the sacred land, the dying community and its culture. “By building seven dams in the Lepcha-protected area, and allowing such a large influx of migrant labour, the government is violating its own laws. There are only 7,000 Lepchas in Dzongu. With just one project, we will be outnumbered. Our culture is under threat,” says Dawa Lepcha. Sitting on the hospital bed across Dawa Lepcha is Onchuk Lepcha. He has left his village Tingvong and come to Gangtok to join the Affected Citizens of Teesta (ACT) hunger strike. “If the land is taken by industrialists, we will be refugees in our own land. It hurts us to see Dzongu being destroyed,” says Onchuk Lepcha. The ACT comprises students, professionals and former politicians who have come together to save the Teesta basin. It has not only Lepchas, but also members from the Bhutia community (Tibetans who migrated here several centuries ago) and environmental groups.Pro-dam movement To counter the ACT, politicians who want to see the project go through have started a pro-dam movement. They are organising rallies and have submitted a petition to the government asking for the dam projects to be implemented immediately. “Sikkim has the potential to generate 8,000 MW of power. We will get 12 per cent of the revenue from these projects. In every development project, there will be some minor destruction, but it’s not much,” says Sonam Gecho Lepcha, a Member of the Legislative Assembly from Dzongu, who is leading the pro-dam lobby. He was earlier part of the anti-dam movement and promised to stop the dams during his election campaign. “No doubt there is some apprehension in my constituency, but the majority of people are in favour of the project. Why else would our party win in the local elections?” Politicians are using their clout to beat the locals into submission, allege ACT activists. “The MLAs are pressuring people to give their consent to the dams. Even my father was with them earlier. But now I have convinced him about how much damage the dams will do. Most of the politicians and big land owners want the dam so that they can make money,” says Onchuk Lepcha. “People in our villages are innocent. They don’t understand the value of our land. Others can take advantage of them. That’s why the educated Lepcha youth are fighting. We know the dangers,” Onchuk Lepcha explains. The dams will channel water through tunnels into an underground powerhouse. Sikkim’s Chief Minister Pawan Kumar Chamling claims to be a “green C.M.”. He claims that run-of-the river projects such as the Teesta dams involve smaller submergence of land as compared to storage dams, and hence cause less damage. However, construction of the Teesta Phase 5 project, the only dam which is almost complete, has proved otherwise. “The blasting of rocks to build the tunnels has resulted in the drying up of water sources and landslides in villages near the 23-km-long stretch. A lot of mud and debris has been dumped along the river banks,” says Dawa Lepcha.“Dry Streams” Close to the power house of Teesta Phase 5, we met Jung Bahadur Chetri, 70, from Singbel village. Though the State did not acquire his land for the dam, it has made him homeless. “Owing to the blasting, there are so many cracks in my house that it is not in a condition to live in. There are 20 of us in my family. We had to move to another person’s house during the monsoon,” says Chetri. “What’s even worse is that our farms are destroyed because the streams have dried up. We used to sell fruits and vegetables in the market. Now, there’s none for us to eat. The four District Collectors and the MLA have come and gone but no one has listened to us.” Ever since the dam was constructed, Bhim Prasad Nepal had to give up farming and work as a labourer at a quarry. “This dam has destroyed Sikkim. Water used to spring out of the earth here. Now, it’s all gone – the trees, the farms, the grass. All the villages are hungry,” says Bhim Prasad. “This is the mango season. But there is no fruit. The flowers dry up because there is no water below.” In Ralap 5 Mile, on the banks of the river, women complained that their homes were sinking. They have to walk several kilometres uphill in search of water after the streams have dried up. “If you ask for even a glass of water now, its difficult for people to get. People say that this dam is for our development. But we haven’t got anything from it, not even a single job. Just misery,” says Leila Chetri, a housewife.
The environmental clearance for Teesta 5 was given in May 1999 on the condition that “no other project in Sikkim will be considered for environmental clearance till the carrying capacity study of the Teesta basin is completed”. However, the Ministry of Environment and Forest (MoEF) violated its own condition, and cleared six projects even before the final carrying capacity study was submitted in August 2007.Floods and landslides It is a wonder how the MoEF cleared the dam projects after reading the carrying capacity report. The report recommends that there should be no large-scale development in the geologically sensitive and biodiversity-rich regions of north Sikkim because there is the danger of glacial lake outburst floods, massive landslides and flash floods. The report says that dam-building activities should not be carried out upstream of Chungthang, a town situated at the confluence of the Lachen and the Lachung Chu, tributaries of the Teesta, which is the starting point of the river. It is also a town imbued with Buddhist legend. Guru Padmasambhava, the revered founder of Tantric Buddhism in Tibet, is said to have rested here and left his footprint on a rock. There are seven projects planned north of Chungthang. Considering that the Teesta basin is in an earthquake-prone area, the report also recommends more surveillance of seismic activity. It recommends small-scale projects south of Chungthang rather than large projects. The report also warns that the views of local communities should not be undermined or neglected. Besides warning about the dangers of dams, the carrying capacity report also focusses on local development measures such as reviving agriculture, organic farming and minor irrigation projects, infrastructure for floriculture, improving schools and health care facilities, protecting biodiversity and endemic species, and restricting commercial taxis. Although scientists have warned about the dangers of the dams, the Sikkim government insists that they are harmless. “It is the most eco-friendly project. There is no pollution, only a little during the construction,” says an official from the Sikkim Energy and Power Ministry. “We have got all the environmental clearances from the Central government. These are not big dams, just small diversion dams. They are not within the Kanchenjunga National Park.” When asked if dams are dangerous in a seismically sensitive zone, the official said, “The entire Himalaya is a sensitive zone but the Central government has planned hundreds of dams across the mountain ranges, not only in Sikkim. No one can prove that people’s homes were damaged owing to the blasting. It could be for other reasons such as earthquakes or landslides.”Ignoring scientific studies Though the Sikkim government’s newly formed Glacier & Climate Change Commission has initiated scientific studies on its melting glaciers, it has not factored in the effects that receding glaciers would have on the dams. “There’s no way the melting glaciers will affect the dam. Even if glacier water is not there, rainwater will feed the rivers,” says the official. His opinion contradicts international scientific opinion, which has warned of short-term flooding and the eventual drying of rivers owing to melting glaciers. Local people have consented to the project, the official claimed. “All landholders have given up their land for the Teesta projects without any objection. We have acquired 40 hectares of land. There was no force. They willingly took the money,” he said. “We are willing to address the concerns raised by the ACT by ensuring that workers who work on the project live in colonies outside the Lepcha area so that they are not affected.” Jung Bahadur Chetri from Singbel village. Chetri’s farm and house were affected by the blasting of rocks to build tunnels. His house has developed cracks and the streams that fed his farm are now dry. When asked if the damage outweighs the benefits, he said, “We will get 12 per cent of the power, which we can use or sell for revenue. We need electricity. If people don’t want it, why are they sending their children to schools and colleges in the cities?” But it is the students who are at the forefront of the ACT protest. The tunnels being built under the Teesta could kill the river basin. That is why these youth are risking their lives. They say they would rather choke on the tubes than let the tunnels destroy their sacred land.•
Area undergoing makeover at breakneck speed to meet March 14 deadline GANGTOK, December 29: The Saramsa Garden, a well-known picnic spot spread on an area measuring 6 acres and located 3 kms away from Ranipool in East Sikkim is presently undergoing a complete makeover from its earlier conventional ambience to like any other modish amusement parks found in metropolitan cities. The place has been chosen as the venue to host the forthcoming International Flower Show scheduled for March 14, next year. Around 500 labourers have been working diligently from 8 am to 7 pm for the past one-month on the infrastructural development as initiated by the State Tourism Department ranging from construction of a reception center for the visitors, boundary walls measuring 8 feet in height, convention hall, exhibition hall, cafeterias, toilets, walkways, stalls for display of flowers, beautification of the compound, and laying of electrical cables to compound illumination. Besides, the construction of water fountain in double dome format, balancing rock water fountain and musical water fountain is in progress under the supervision of the Superintending Engineer, Sikkim Tourism Prakash Chettri. According to him, the balancing rock water fountain built on an area measuring 20 feet in diameter, which would resemble as if a jade of water, is supporting a rock would be the first of its kind in the state. “The ongoing project based on typical vernacular design would be completed at its earliest by the end of February, next year, Mr. Chettri said. Also included in the list of new attractions at Saramsa garden would be an open-air amphitheatre and a viewing deck wherein the same the visitors can catch a glimpse of Rani khola and the model floriculture center located on its opposite bank. The other line departments involved in the beautification project includes Energy and Power Department, Public Health Engineering Department (PHED), Horticulture Department and Forest Department. While the power department has undertaken the laying of 11 KB line distribution in the premises of the garden, the horticulture department on the other hand is working on the land profiling, landscaping alongside is engaged in the planting of ornamental trees, saplings and seasonal flowers in coordination with the forest department. Likewise, the PHED is involved in the drawing of treated water from a source located at Kadamtam (7 kms from the garden) and on the construction of a 1-lakh-litre water reservoir tank.
NAMCHI, December 29: In what could be termed as a rare incident in Sikkim, a group of people affiliated with the Sikkim Himali Rajya Parishad (SHRP) party clashed with the Namchi Police on December 26 at Kamrang, near Namchi. It all began when a case was registered the same day at about 5 pm at Namchi Police Station on the complaint from SI Kinga Tshering Bhutia of the same police station. According to reports, the SI who was recruited for checking vehicles at Kamrang near Namchi College, discovered a vehicle bearing No-WB 74F/1883 and driven by one Pema Tshering Tamang without relevant document and challaned and seized the said vehicle under section 270 of Motor Vehicle Act 1958 and took the driver to the Police Station for detention. Later, the owner of the vehicle Basant Kumar Rai restrained the vehicle forcefully and brought back to the spot along with 15-20 groups of persons in vehicles bearing No-SK-02-A/1656 (Gypsy) and SK-02-A/2117 (Alto) and refused to hand over the vehicle to the Police. As the matter worsened, SP South GK Verma along with ASP South and other Police personnel arrived at the spot and tried to take both the culprit and the vehicle to the station when suddenly the group started pelting stones on the Police. However, the accused persons managed to escape as the Police failed to spot them in the darkness. As a result of the clash, home guard Chandra Bahadur Pradhan was seriously injured. He was referred to Siliguri for further medical treatment today. The SP South suffered head injuries and a Constable Kewal Pradhan also faced minor injuries. Two vehicles were damaged, one belonging to the Thana and other belonging to the office of the SP. Later the case was registered against Basant Kumar Rai, Pema Gyalpo Bhutia, Bharat Rai and others under Section 341/323/147/149/186/353 of the IPC and Section 3 of Prevention of Damaged to Public Property Act 1984 and 192/ 196/177 of Motor Vehicle Act 1988. Apart from the two persons, Namchi police said other protestors were from outside Sikkim who challenged the Police under SHRP cover. Sources inform that Basant Kumar Rai was formerly a member of Sikkim Democratic Front (SDF) party and had recently joined SHRP along with his other friends. Acting on a tip-off, the Rabong Police arrested Pema Gyalpo Bhutia, one of the accused yesterday evening at about 6pm. He was there to attend a wedding ceremony. Others are still absconding. However, some of the accused involved in the incident are expected to surrender themselves before the police soon. With the arrest of Gyalpo, the situation in Namchi was tense in the late evening yesterday. People spread the news of SHRP supporters coming to the town in 20 vehicles to take out a rally. The Police team along with SP South, SDPO, SDM were in the town to ensure to take control of the situation. Reacting to the clash, the SHRP chief, Dr. AD Subba has alleged that the clash between its supporters and Police was a pre-planned conspiracy of the ruling Sikkim Democratic Front (SDF) party workers, mainly to disturb the good relation between the SHRP and the police. The meeting also condemned the incident, states a SHRP press release. The party has also demanded Police probe into the incident. (SikkimExpress)
We will launch a political movement to preserve the distinct identity of Sikkim” Gangtok,December 29: Come year 2008 and the State will witness yet another party staking its claim in the political arena. A new party, to be formed by “like-minded people of Sikkim with new faces and clean image,” is ready for its political debut, disclosed journalist, political activist and Chairman, Organisation of Sikkimese Unity (OSU) Jigme N. Kazi, here today. Talking with the media here today, Mr. Kazi said that the name of the party and members will be declared within a month. He, however, disclosed that the symbol of the party would be the wheel of life with three stars at its base. The three stars will signify the three ethnic communities of Sikkim – Lepcha, Bhutia and Nepali, he said. “The present political situation in Sikkim where activities of politicians and political parties are basically motivated by self-interest, offer very little hope for a secure and stable future for Sikkim and the Sikkimese people, consisting of bonafide Sikkimese belonging to the three ethnic communities, the old business community and the other living in the State for a long time, so that the new party is needed, Mr. Kazi told the media. He further said, “If we look around, the political parties are not for long term interest for the people, but their only motive is to come to power. Now it is time to unite together like-minded people of Sikkim with clean image, clear vision and total commitment for a common cause, for the political and economic empowerment of the State and also to form the foundation for the bright future of Sikkim,” he said. Saying that the party will rope in only new faces, he added, “The Sikkimese people now want new faces as they are fed up with the current lot of leaders. Therefore, as far possible we will bring new faces in this party. However, as the party gains popularity and if more people want to join in, we cannot stop them from doing so,” he said. An enthusiastic and optimistic Mr. Kazi was in smiles when he said this: “We will set up a political system that will have solid foundation so that it will last and work for the people for at least eight generations. We will setup the party in such a way that we will go to the people instead of people coming to us. We will launch a political movement to preserve the distinct identity of Sikkim within the Union so that Sikkim will forever be for the Sikkimese.” “The party will contest in the next assembly election and try to form the government.” he revealed. Answering to the queries of his involvement in the recently revived Rising Star (Jhulkey Ghaam) party he replied, “I was not in Jhulkey Gham but was only supporting Ram Chandra Poudyal to revive the party.” According to Mr. Kazi, they will be working at the grass root level with their strategy as soon as the name of the party is formally declared, for which they have solicited support and good wishes from the people
Gangtok, Dec 30: Sikkim has geared up to market its floriculture and organic food, within the country and abroad. It is scheduled to host the three-day International FloriShow in Saramsha Garden in Gangtok beginning March 14, 2008, in collaboration with central government agencies and the Media Today group. Representatives from about 30 countries, including Holland, New Zealand, Thailand, Australia, Korea are likely to participate in the event. With a view to promote Sikkim within the country, an exclusive outlet was recently inaugurated in Pamposh Enclave in Delhi , last week. “Sikkim has a competitive advantage for its organic produces, medicinal herbs, fruits, and vegetables, which are peculiar to the region. We have launched the process of certification of organic areas and by 2012, Sikkim would be declared as the first organic state in the country,” said the chief minister, Pawan Chamling. He identified eco-tourism, hydel power, horticulture as priority sectors, and asked the central government to help in road and railway connectivity, which would boost trade with China through the Nathu La pass. He suggested border trade with Nepal through the Chewa-Bhanjyang check post and with Bhutan through Rhenock. Sikkim has begun documenting its biodiversity resources and traditional knowledge, and would opt for geographical indications for some of its deserving items, he said. The several micro-climate zones in the state have made it a biodiversity hotspot. Out of 4,500 species of flowering plants, about 600 are orchid species, 36 rhododendrons species, 60 primulae species, 16 conifers species, 23 bamboo species, 362 ferns and allies, 8 tree ferns, 60 primulas, 11 oaks, and over 424 medicinal plants. The forests are rich in faunal diversity, with over 150 mammals, 552 birds, 48 fishes, and over 690 butterflies. Out of 600 orchid species grown, 300 are Sikkim’s natural species. Exotic flowers like roses, lillium, anthurium, and gladiolus are grown. The state has its own varieties of large cardamom, ginger, turmeric, garlic, and cherry pepper. Temi tea is a hot favourite the world over, and alpine Gouda cheese is an important item of export.
MUMBAI: Sikkim, the Buddhist kingdom that became a state of India in 1975, has suddenly become an inaccessible market for the country's mutual fund industry. And the barrier to that is not the great Himalayas but the permanent account number (PAN) of the income tax Department, the unique number that has nearly become ubiquitous for all financial transactions. The problem lies in the fact that Sikkim residents are not governed by the Indian income tax act. Rather, permanent residents of Sikkim are governed by the Sikkim Tax Manual 1948. They also want it to remain that way since they don't pay any income tax to the Indian government. They pay it to the state government instead. So they are not even required to have a PAN. In addition, most of them also perceive that applying for PAN would imply acceptance of Indian income tax acts, which most of them are resisting, industry sources said. But from July 2 this year, market regulator Securities and Exchange Board of India (Sebi) has made PAN mandatory for all mutual fund transactions, which includes fresh MF applications. And Sebi has not yet made any exception for Sikkim residents relating to PAN for mutual fund investments. Under Sebi rules, PAN is compulsory for all demat accounts also, but a Sikkim High Court order has exempted its residents from this rule. Instead the HC order has made proof of residence and a declaration from the applicant that he/she is a resident of Sikkim as the alternative for PAN for demat accounts. Most investors (retail as well as institutional) from the state who are also permanent residents of Sikkim, don't want to apply for PAN, and the local politicians are also discouraging the residents there against having one, said a top official at a leading mutual fund. Although it's a small market for the fund industry, yet a few of the fund houses were active there and till recently were mobilising funds. "Although it (Sikkim) is a small market in terms of size, it's opening up and growth opportunities are strong," said the fund house official.
Gangtok,November 17: Pakyong in Sikkim is all set to get the first of the three Greenfield airports to be constructed in the Northeastern Region. The plan set off with the Airports Authority of India (AAI) recently calling for bids to construct the runway, apron, taxiways, pavement, drainage works, fencing, and boundary wall works for the airport. AAI plans to finish the construction work within 24 months from the date of awarding the contract. To be constructed at a cost of around Rs 320 crore, the proposed airport would initially cater to smaller turboprop aircraft like the ATR 72s and would give Sikkim its first airport. Presently, the nearest airport to Sikkim is located 124 kilometres away at Bagdogra in West Bengal. While the Planning Commission is learnt to have proposed the sharing of cost on a 1:1 basis between the gross budgetary support of the Civil Aviation and AAI's resources, the Airports Authority has proposed that the funding should come either through a 100 per cent Central grant or a 90 per cent grant with the remaining 10 per cent through internal resource generation. "For this project, we are seeking around Rs 270 crore as grant from the Planning Commission," a senior AAI official said. The estimated cost of constructing the airport has fluctuated many a times in the last few months. While initial estimates pegged the cost at Rs 340 crore, others suggested a figure close to Rs 300 crore. The Sikkim government has been allocated Rs 100 crore by the 12th Finance Commission for developing the airport. The fact that the allocation would lapse by April 2008, if the money is not used by then, is also weighing heavy on the state government, which has already provided land for the project. Official data shows that between 2004 and 2007, aircraft movement in Northeastern Region has grown by 23.4 per cent while the passenger traffic has increased by over 40 per cent. Given this kind of growth, the Civil Aviation Ministry is now keen to expedite the setting up of aviation infrastructure in the region. The other two Greenfield airports are expected to come up at Cheithu in Kohima and Banderdewa in Itanagar. While the Banderdewa site has been found to be technically feasible by the AAI, officials said the Techno Economic Feasibility study for Cheithu is currently being examined.
Gangtok,Nov 16:The media fraternity in Sikkim has observed the National Press Day on November 16 with ''Media as Peoples' Voice- Pre and Post Independence'' as the theme of the year in a function held at Chintan Bhawan and gracing the occasion as Chief Guest was Dr. Pawan Chamling, Chief Minister of Sikkim. The day has been observed every year to coincide with the foundation day of the Press Council of India. Chief Minister Dr. Chamling inaugurated the celebrations at Chintan Bhawan where a 15 minutes documentary film on Sikkim was screened to all attending the function. The Department of Information and Publicity in collaboration with the Sikkim Press Club and the Journalists, organised the event.
Dr. Chamling gave away cash awards of Rs.10,000/-each to five local journalists and called upon them to travel across Sikkim and bring forth voice of rural people of Sikkim through their publications and He also announced medical benefits free of costs to all the journalists of Sikkim.More than 85 prominent media people participated in the celebrations .
Gangtok 16 Nov: International Flower festival will be organized in Sikkim in 2008 and the cash prizes will be given to the winners, Chief Minister Dr. Pawan Chamling while addressing the newly elected panchayats at Samman Bhavan here declared on November 15. He urged the members of Panchayat to make conscious of the importance of flowers among the growers and floriculturists of the States and make the the proposed international flower festival 2008 a grand success. He also urged to develop the quality of growing flowers and take mass participation by the floriculturists and farmers in this noble endeavor and profession. Chief Minister has already directed to the concerned department to make all the necessary arrangements and complete the taske byl the month of February 2008 for the grand international show. He also said that the Government is actively looking for the global market and broaden the scope of the products. He also said that the right message to the people must reach that the flower cultivation or growing is a noble profession which can be rewarded suitably. To boost the initiative, Chief Minister Dr. Chamling added that there will be an open competition for wild orchids and the cash prizes for first, second and third winners would be Rs. 1.50 lakhs, Rs. 1 lakhs and fifty thousand respectively. Three best stall too would be awarded with Cash prize Rs. 2 lakhs, 1.50 lakhs and 75 thousands, he further declared. In the national level, the prizes carries the cash amount of Rs. 3 lakhs, Rs. 2 lakhs and Rs. 1 lakhs for the winners in first, second and third positions respectively. Similarly, in the international level, the prizes carries the cash amount of Rs. 5 lakhs, Rs. 3 lakhs and Rs. 2 lakhs respectively
GANGTOK, November 16: Former health minister OT Bhutia was convicted yesterday by a lower court in a Disproportionate Assets case. District (North and East) Session Judge S.W.Lepcha announced the verdict yesterday on a case that was filed by the State Vigilance Directorate in 1995. A minister during the previous 14 years Sikkim Sangram Parishad government led by NB Bhandari, Mr. Bhutia was a legislature from the Rumtek constituency, East Sikkim. It is the first Disproportionate Assets case filed by the Directorate of State Vigilance to have received a conviction by a court in Sikkim. Mr. Bhutia has been charged with misusing Rs.40 lakhs during his tenure as a two term Health Minister from 1984-1993. The Session Judge has reserved the pronouncement of the quantum of the sentence which is expected to be announced tomorrow in open court
Affected families want total safeguard of local interests
GANGTOK, November 16: The public hearing for the 96 megawatt Hydel Power Project at River Dikchu was held today at Dikchu Bazaar. Organized by the State Pollution Control Board, Forest and Wildlife Department the hearing was attended by all project affected families and the landowners from Lingdok and Dikchu. M/s Sneha Kinetic Power Project limited, a Hyderbad based company has proposed to construct a 96 MW Hydroelectric Project by utilizing the water of River Dikchu, a tributary of Teesta River in East Sikkim. Placing the technical details, the Managing Director of Sneha Kinetic Power Project Limited Raghunathan Reddy informed that the hydel project would have an installed capacity of 99 MW at the cost of Rs. 49 Crore He added that an Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) and Environment Management Assessment (EMA) have been drafted keeping in view the environmental, cultural, and traditional conservation. He also informed that as per the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed with the State Government, the local people will be employed in the project and also given ample opportunities. Mr. Raghunathan also assured that all the contractual works would be given to the local youths only. “We commit to bring more infrastructure development such as schools, roads, community centers in Dikchu, he added. However, after acquiring the land for the said project, a total of 75 families will be affected, it is learnt. Queries were also raised by the affected landowners during the interactive session of the meet. An affected landowner from Lingdok, Vishnu Neopaney said that more than four hundred species of medicinal plants would be uprooted with the implementation of the said project. He also added that Dharma tam, a cave of historical importance where Thekong Tek and Neykong Nyal after signing the brotherhood treaty stayed will be submerged into the water. Stating that the State government and the company have signed a MoU for the generation of only 54 MW electricity earlier, Mr. Neopaney has questioned about the remaining 42 MW, which would total up to the present figure of 99 MW. He further questioned about the non-amendment of the MoU after the increase in the power generation. Responding to Mr. Neopaney’s query, the concerned officials informed that a detailed survey has been carried out before preparing the EIA and it has been made clear that none of the biodiversities gets affected with the commissioning of the hydel project. Nar Bahadhur Pradhan of 12th Mile, Lower Lingdok also placed a demand to the company stressing that only the public of Lingdok Namphong Block should be given site to run businesses near the project site. He also said the company should pay a compensation of Rs 50 per square feet for the acquired land. All the laborers from outside Sikkim after the completion of the project should go out of Sikkim, he demanded. He also demanded for the preservation of the religious, social, cultural aspects of the people and their place. It was also demanded that the chairman of the contractors’ association, which will be involved in the said project should be nominated and appointed amongst the affected families. The President of Dikchu Youth Welfare Association, Chung Chung Bhutia emphasized on the point that the supply and the transportation works should be given to the unemployed youth of Dikchu. He also demanded to include one of the members of Dikchu Youth Welfare Association in the Steering Committee formed for the project. The public hearing for the People of North District for the concerned Project will be held on November 17 at Phodong. The area MLA Norzang Lepcha, MLA Kabi Tingda TT Bhutia along with Chairman State Pollution Control Board CC Sangderpa also attended the public hearing. Also present were the officials from various government departments.
Centre urges Sikkim to focus on tourism and agriculture NEW DELHI, November 16: Sikkim will get two new Industrial Training Institutes (ITIs) and upgradation for one existing ITIs under the skill development and vocational training scheme. This was informed by the Minister of State (Independent Charge) for the Ministry of Labour and Employment, Oscar Fernandes while responding to the queries from journalists from Sikkim who represented the State in the recently concluded Economic Editors’ Conference here. Mr. Fernandes also made clear that the project being a 100 percent centrally sponsored scheme falls under implementation for the North Eastern States including Sikkim for establishing 22 new ITIs and upgrading 35 existing ITIs. Answering another query, the minister suggested that the Sikkim government give priority to education, capacity building, professional training and industrial development as well as give encouragement to the small scale industries. “As far as Sikkim is concerned, the tourism sector is the best means to solve the unemployment problem as is sustainable too, Mr. Fernandes said. The ministry for the Development of North Eastern Region (DONER) is also giving top priority in the tourism sector for the NE region, he added. Since Sikkim and Meghalaya are rich in Orchids, they should take full advantage and should go for floriculture in a big way, Mr. Fernandes further suggested. He also appreciated the achievement made by Sikkim in the tourism sector. Stating that agriculture would contribute significantly towards solving the unemployment problem, he said that states like Sikkim should also focus on agriculture considering its fertile land and traditional farming knowledge. If the State is self-sufficient in its agricultural produce, the dependence on other States for food grains and vegetables could be drastically reduced, he said. Earlier in his speech, Mr. Fernandes also informed of the provision for Sikkim under the Mission on Vocational Educational and Skill Development which will be launched soon.Through this mission the central government is aiming to open 1600 new ITIs and polytechnics, 10,000 new vocational schools and 50,000 new skill development centres across the country ensuring that annually over 1 crore students get vocational training. For this, the central government has also sought help and participation of the private sector in the initiative so that they can not only assist in the training but also lend their hand in providing employment opportunities. All the State governments have been directed to implement Minimum Wages Act 1948 and suggested that the Panchayats should also monitor the Child Labour (Prohibition & Regulation Act), 1986, the minister said.
Gangtok,November17: Department of Personnel, AR & Trg. PGCOESD & CM’s SES. ,Government of Sikkim has announced through its office order about following transfers of officials of Government of Sikkim.
Shri Ujjal Gurung, SCS, Addl. Secretary, UD & HD is hereby transferred and posted as Director, Commerce and Industries Department on his own pay and scale.
Shri Tashi Zangpo, SCS, Addl. Secretary, Commerce and Industries Department is hereby transferred and posted as Addl. Secretary, UD & HD.
Shri Shyamlall Rai. Joint Secretary, UD & HD, Jorethang is hereby transferred and posted as Joint Secretary, AHLF & VS Department.
Shri S. Anbalagan, IFS, Deputy Secretary, RM & DD is hereby transferred and posted as Deputy Secretary, Science and Technology Department on deputation.
Transfer order of Shri. Sonam Y. Lepcha as Secretary to Vice Chancellor, Sikkim University made vide O.O. No. 729/Gen/DOP dated 13.09.2007 is hereby treated as cancelled.
Shri C. K. Basnet, Divisional Engineer (Civil), Forest, Environment & Wildlife Management Department, Gangtok is hereby transferred and posted as Divisional Engineer (N/E), Tourism Department, Gangtok vice Shri Prakash Chhetri with immediate effect.
Gangtok, Nov. 16: After 17 years of political hibernation, Ram Chandra Poudyal (popularly known as RC) is planning to spring back into active politics. Clean shaven and in a new avatar — RC has parted with his long beard as well as his interest in religious studies — Poudyal is in the process of floating a new political outfit. A source close to him said Poudyal has been active for the past few weeks speaking to various people and convening conclaves to get like-minded personalities to form a “third front” in Sikkim. Senior journalist and author of Inside Sikkim- Against the Tide, Jigme N. Kazi, is also part of the new outfit, the name of which is yet to be disclosed, the source said. He added that the senior leader decided to come back to politics, as there is virtually no Opposition in the state. “A lot of people have been meeting him especially those from the tribal communities and the response has been overwhelming,” the source told The Telegraph. Poudyal has been active in Sikkim politics from the time of the pro-democracy movement in 1973, which ultimately led to the merger of the state in 1975. Later he also served as a minister in the L.D. Kazi government and was at one time the deputy speaker of the Sikkim Assembly. An arch rival of Nar Bahadur Bhandari, Poudyal floated his own outfit — the Congress (R) — in 1979 and his party won 11 seats in the Assembly elections that year. Bhandari’s Sikkim Janata Parishad, which won 17 seats, formed the government then. Later, Poudyal’s MLAs ditched him to join the Bhandari government. Poudyal was a strong advocate of reservation for the Sikkimese Nepalis in the Assembly. The quota had been withdrawn by an ordinance in 1979. Many parties dubbed this ordinance — which ultimately became an act — as the Black Bill because it completely did away with the reservation for the Nepalis. In the early 1990s Poudyal helped the ruling Sikkim Democratic Front (SDF) overthrow Bhandari and his 14-year-old tenure. Today, SDF leader and Sikkim chief minister Pawan Chamling made a passing remark about a purano daju (old brother) coming back — he meant Poudyal — while addressing journalists on National Press Day at Chintan Bhavan here
GANGTOK, Nov. 16: A Public Hearing on ‘Draft Vision NER 2020’ will be held at Chintan Bhawan in Gangtok on 17 November.“It was intended that there would come a paradigm shift in the planning process and the future plans for the North East Region (NER) will be people’s plans that would be formulated for achieving the targets and goals enunciated in this Vision NER 2020 document,” said an official. “North East Council (NEC) took the initiative for this vision document in 2005 and now the culmination of the process of formulation of this document has come,” an official added.Ms Sushma Singh, the secretary of DoNER, will make the presentation at the public hearing. The National Institute of Public Finance and Policy (NIPFP), New Delhi has published a draft of the ‘Vision NER 2020’ document for an informed public debate on the same. “The Vision Document has been prepared in two stages ~ the first stage involves the people of the region and the members of the civil society from whom responses were collected on the ‘Vision for the NER in 2020’, said an official. “The second of which was done by the NIPFP on the basis of the final document collating the responses received from the first stage” an official added.The salient points emerging from the public hearing would be duly considered for the inclusion in the Final Vision Document. It is likely to be attended by a council of ministers, MLAs, zilla adhyakshyas, upadhyakshyas, head of departments, district collectors, DDOs, representatives from various trade organisations, NGOs and local gentry
GANGTOK, Nov. 16: For the first time in the country the Sikkim chief minister Mr Pawan Chamling announced a medical benefit for journalists and a free journalism-training course for young journalists to be provided by the state government. He was speaking on the occasion of the National Press Day.
GANGTOK, Nov. 16: For the first time in the region eight men from the state will go on a cross country car rally to promote Sikkim tourism in national level from 27 December.The eight member include Mr Kishore Kharka, Mr Pranit Pradhan, Mr Manoj Chettri, Mr Roshan Gautam, Mr Rikesh Pradhan, M. Tashi Gyatso Bhutia, Mr Phup Tshering Sherpa and Mr Roshan Pradhan. They will cover 26 states within 101 days covering the entire stretch of more than 22,000 km starting from Gangtok and again return to Gangtok. “We are covering almost the entire country except Tripura and some islands of the country” said Mr Kishore Kharka, president of Sikkim tourism co-operative society (STCS). We are taking three more drivers and a mechanic along with us but before we start we will have a week-long medical awareness training so that we do not suffer from any disease,” he added.According to their data 44 lakh inbound tourist come to the country during 2006 of which Sikkim only received 0.4 per cent of it. “This is a small ratio. The state received minimum tourist as compared to other states like Rajasthan 24 percent and Kerela 21 percent and Goa 16 percent,” said Mr Pranit Pradhan another member of the expedition. “So we want to attract more percentage of tourists by asking maximum numbers of national and international tour operators to send tourists to Sikkim apart from other states,” he added.The theme of the expedition is 'National level campaign for promotion of Sikkim tourism'. The members are taking along with them books, brochures, t-shirts, caps and balloons with the caption ‘Visit Sikkim'. “We will distribute this to at least 40 to 50 tour operators of each state, to children and the general public of the different states,” said Mr Chettri another member. He added that they will have road shows and will also meet tourism departments of every states as a goodwill gesture and to build mutual relation they are promoting Sikkim tourism as a whole.“Apart from promotion campaign we will study the market for Sikkim in other states and submit a detailed report to the state government,” said Mr Pradhan. The expedition will be is organised by STCS
NEW DELHI: In the backdrop of mounting 'incursions' by Chinese armed forces into Indian territory and the military infrastructure build-up in the Tibet Autonomous Region, defence minister A K Antony will be visiting forward areas in Sikkim in early-December. Antony, accompanied by Army chief General Deepak Kapoor and other senior officials, will be visiting Nathu La, which links Tibet with Sikkim, as well as the strategically-located 112 Mountain Brigade, among other places. Antony, on his part, however, chose to downplay the stepped up 'incursions' by the Chinese forces all along the 4,057-km Line of Actual Control (LAC), holding that the 'incidents' take place due to 'differing perceptions' about the still-unresolved border. "Whenever there is an incursion, we take it up at flag meetings (between Indian and Chinese commanders in the area concerned) or through diplomatic channels...the border, by and large, has been peaceful," he said. India, of course, is always cagey about saying anything which may ruffle the feathers of a prickly China. But that does not hide the fact that there have been around 300 cases of intrusions by Chinese troops -- right from east Sikkim and Arunachal Pradesh to Joshimath in Uttarakhand and Pangong Tso lake in Ladakh -- over the last two years. The Chinese intrusions into Sikkim in August-September, in particular, have accentuated worries here, especially since Beijing had earlier accepted it to be a part of India. Then, of course, there have been reports of Chinese intrusions into Bhutan as well in recent days.
Gangtok,Nov12: The National Hydroelectric Power Corporation’s Stage-V division has been observing its vigilance awareness week since Monday. A pledge was administered by executive director of the project S. Roy to the employees at its office in Balutar, Sikkim.
Gangtok, Nov. 13: Closed for over two-and-a-half years, Sikkim’s most famous trekking trail is back in business but with changes in the route. A 14-member Italian team was the first to follow the Singalila trail in West Sikkim on November 5 after a government notification announced its reopening in October. The route was closed in January 2005 after the Union home ministry objected to the trail passing through Nepal in several places, including a camp at Nepal Megu. The Centre had then told the Sikkim government to make alterations in the trail so that it did not enter the neighbouring country. The state tourism department closed the route for two years to make necessary modifications. Considered one of the most breathtaking treks in the world, the Singalila trail is at an elevation of more than 3,000m with a view of the Himalayan range, including Mt Everest and Kanchenjunga. In June this year, in a bid to find a new and alternative route, a recce was organised. It was led by joint secretary (adventure) B.R. Subba and officials from the state tourism and forest departments, members of the Travel Agents’ Association of Sikkim (Taas) and representatives of Sikkim Association of Adventure Tour Operators. They identified a new route, which in fact was a very old trail used during the time of the Chogyals, without touching Nepalese territory and recommended it to the government. The amended trek trail also starts at Uttarey with three exit points in Yuksom, Hillay and Nambu-Darap. But the new route takes only 12 days against the earlier 16 days. “We are very happy that the route has reopened. The people of Uttarey and surrounding areas will benefit since it is always a sold-out trail,” said Lukendra Rasaily, Taas treasurer and managing director of Sikkim Tours and Travels. The best time for a Singalila trek is from September to November and between April and June.
The Service above is designed to help you find news information on Sikkim and its neighbours, such as Darjeeling, Kalimpong and Siliguri. These news articles resides on sites not owned or controlled by Sikkimonline.info.
.JPG)
Hotels in Sikkim