Trinamool spurns GJM support for the alliance
PTI: The Gorkha Janmukti Morcha has announced that it will support the Trinamool Congress-Congress alliance in Siliguri and Dooars in the coming Assembly polls, but the announcement was criticised by the Trinamool, who said the decision was “uncalled for”.
GJM chief Bimal Gurung last night announced at a press conference in Darjeeling that it would support the candidates of the Trinamool-Congress alliance in the six constituencies of Malbazar, Kumargram, Dhupguri, Phulbari-Dabgram, Naxalbari and Phansidewa.
However, the Trinamool Congress today said the GJM’s unilateral decision had no backing from the party.
Trinamool Congress all-India general secretary Mukul Roy and trusted confidant of Mamata Banerjee said, “The GJM’s decision is totally uncalled for as there were no prior talks between the two parties in this regard.”
Mr. Roy went on to blame the development on a gameplan by the BJP and CPI(M), saying GJM, which is fighting for a separate State in the Darjeeling hills, was an ally of the BJP.
Moreover, Ms. Banerjee had said categorically during her visit to the Darjeeling hills last year in connection with a railway programme that she was totally opposed to division of West Bengal, Mr. Roy argued.
“So how does the question of understanding between the two parties arise? It is nothing but an attempt at character assassination of our party,” he asserted.
The GJM has fielded its own candidates in Darjeeling, Kalchini, Kalimpong and Kurseong in the hills and will support a candidate of the Progressive People’s Party at Nagrakata and a BJP candidate at Madarihart in the plains.
The GJM decision has also unnerved the Left parties which fear the GJM’s support to candidates of the Trinamool Congress -Congress alliance will lead to division of votes in at least 12 seats putting hurdles in the way of Left candidates winning from there.
GJM to support Congress, Trinamool alliance- ‘We desire to see a change of government'
Decision will impact electoral outcome in Gorkha-populated regions of Bengal
Left Front opposed to GJM's demand for creation of a separate State
TH, KOLKATA: The Gorkha Janmukti Morcha (GJM) leadership has decided to provide “unconditional support” to the Trinamool Congress-Congress alliance in West Bengal's coming Assembly elections in all seats except those where its own candidates are in the fray.
“The decision has been taken by our president, Bimal Gurung, in view of our desire to see a change of government in the State,” GJM General-Secretary Roshan Giri told The Hindu over telephone from Darjeeling on Thursday.
The GJM had announced that it would support the Bharatiya Janata Party nominee for the Madarihaat seat in Jalpaiguri district. It has put up candidates of its own in all the three hill constituencies in Darjeeling district and one in Kalchini in the Dooars region of Jalpaiguri district.
The decision to support the Congress-Trinamool alliance could have a bearing on the electoral outcome in the seats in the Terai and Dooars region of north Bengal, which have a substantial Gorkha population.
It is also likely to have a significant impact in Siliguri, where Gorkhas are in large numbers and from where Urban Development Minister and senior leader of the Communist Party of India (Marxist) Ashok Bhattacharya is seeking re-election.
The decision comes as no surprise to the CPI(M) leadership which, has in the past, spoken of a political understanding between Trinamool chief Mamata Banerjee and the GJM leadership.
The Left Front is strongly opposed to the GJM's demand for the creation of a separate State comprising the Darjeeling district and the areas contiguous to it in the Dooars.
Deep Gazmer & Pinak Priya Bhattacharya, TNN | Apr 1, DARJEELING/ JALPAIGURI: The Gorkha Janmukti Morcha (GJM) has announced that it will support the Trinamool Congress and Congress candidates in the Terai and Dooars leaving the Left camp worried. Till the other day, the Left leaders had been banking on division of opposition votes in those regions.
The announcement came from none other than GJM president Bimal Gurung late in the evening when he met the press at his Singamari party office in Darjeeling. "We have fielded candidates in the three assembly constituencies in Darjeeling. Now we will extend our support to Trinamool and Congress in the plains of Siliguri and Dooars," Gurung said.
GJM has already fielded candidates from Darjeeling, Kalimpong, Kurseong and Kalchini constituencies. Now it will support the Trinamool and Congress candidates at Kumargram, Malbazaar, Dhupguri, Phansidewa, Matigara-Naxalbari, Fulbari-Dabgram and Siliguri seats that have a substantial Nepali population.
GJM will support BJP candidate Manoj Tigga at Madarihat and the Progressive People's Party (PPP) at Nagrakata. In Kalchini, the GJM would be supporting its own Wilson Chapramari, the sitting MLA.
The GJM decision has wide ramification for the Left in the coming Assembly polls because it would make things difficult for them in as many as 12 assembly seats.
"Our vision is clear. We are in favour of a change and want to see the Left Front candidates losing. We have therefore extended our support to opposition candidates. We will ask all our sympathisers to do likewise," GJM secretary Roshan Giri told TOI.
The GJM had earlier said that it would support any political party in the plains that would support the demand for a separate Gorkhaland. "That stand remains unchanged, but under the present circumstances, ousting the Left Front is more important," said a senior GJM leader not wanting to be named.
However, the Left will try to showcase the GJM's support towards the opposition as a "joint design" to divide Bengal. "We have been saying from the very beginning that Trinamool and Congress are trying to divide Bengal by joining hands with forces like the GJM. Thursday's development just corroborates our claim. The opposition alliance will have to give explanation to the people of Bengal for such a treacherous stand," said Jibesh Sarkar, a CPM state committee member. This apart, CPM leaders are also keeping an eye on the advisis who are not so keen on the Gorkhaland plan.
Trinamool Congress leader Goutam Deb, however, rubbished Sarkar's allegations. "People won't take CPM seriously. Our party leadership has always advocated for the development of the Hills and we will work on it, keeping the state's integrity intact."
GJM to support Congress, Trinamool alliance- ‘We desire to see a change of government'
Decision will impact electoral outcome in Gorkha-populated regions of Bengal
Left Front opposed to GJM's demand for creation of a separate State
TH, KOLKATA: The Gorkha Janmukti Morcha (GJM) leadership has decided to provide “unconditional support” to the Trinamool Congress-Congress alliance in West Bengal's coming Assembly elections in all seats except those where its own candidates are in the fray.
“The decision has been taken by our president, Bimal Gurung, in view of our desire to see a change of government in the State,” GJM General-Secretary Roshan Giri told The Hindu over telephone from Darjeeling on Thursday.
The GJM had announced that it would support the Bharatiya Janata Party nominee for the Madarihaat seat in Jalpaiguri district. It has put up candidates of its own in all the three hill constituencies in Darjeeling district and one in Kalchini in the Dooars region of Jalpaiguri district.
The decision to support the Congress-Trinamool alliance could have a bearing on the electoral outcome in the seats in the Terai and Dooars region of north Bengal, which have a substantial Gorkha population.
It is also likely to have a significant impact in Siliguri, where Gorkhas are in large numbers and from where Urban Development Minister and senior leader of the Communist Party of India (Marxist) Ashok Bhattacharya is seeking re-election.
The decision comes as no surprise to the CPI(M) leadership which, has in the past, spoken of a political understanding between Trinamool chief Mamata Banerjee and the GJM leadership.
The Left Front is strongly opposed to the GJM's demand for the creation of a separate State comprising the Darjeeling district and the areas contiguous to it in the Dooars.
Deep Gazmer & Pinak Priya Bhattacharya, TNN | Apr 1, DARJEELING/ JALPAIGURI: The Gorkha Janmukti Morcha (GJM) has announced that it will support the Trinamool Congress and Congress candidates in the Terai and Dooars leaving the Left camp worried. Till the other day, the Left leaders had been banking on division of opposition votes in those regions.
The announcement came from none other than GJM president Bimal Gurung late in the evening when he met the press at his Singamari party office in Darjeeling. "We have fielded candidates in the three assembly constituencies in Darjeeling. Now we will extend our support to Trinamool and Congress in the plains of Siliguri and Dooars," Gurung said.
GJM has already fielded candidates from Darjeeling, Kalimpong, Kurseong and Kalchini constituencies. Now it will support the Trinamool and Congress candidates at Kumargram, Malbazaar, Dhupguri, Phansidewa, Matigara-Naxalbari, Fulbari-Dabgram and Siliguri seats that have a substantial Nepali population.
GJM will support BJP candidate Manoj Tigga at Madarihat and the Progressive People's Party (PPP) at Nagrakata. In Kalchini, the GJM would be supporting its own Wilson Chapramari, the sitting MLA.
The GJM decision has wide ramification for the Left in the coming Assembly polls because it would make things difficult for them in as many as 12 assembly seats.
"Our vision is clear. We are in favour of a change and want to see the Left Front candidates losing. We have therefore extended our support to opposition candidates. We will ask all our sympathisers to do likewise," GJM secretary Roshan Giri told TOI.
The GJM had earlier said that it would support any political party in the plains that would support the demand for a separate Gorkhaland. "That stand remains unchanged, but under the present circumstances, ousting the Left Front is more important," said a senior GJM leader not wanting to be named.
However, the Left will try to showcase the GJM's support towards the opposition as a "joint design" to divide Bengal. "We have been saying from the very beginning that Trinamool and Congress are trying to divide Bengal by joining hands with forces like the GJM. Thursday's development just corroborates our claim. The opposition alliance will have to give explanation to the people of Bengal for such a treacherous stand," said Jibesh Sarkar, a CPM state committee member. This apart, CPM leaders are also keeping an eye on the advisis who are not so keen on the Gorkhaland plan.
Trinamool Congress leader Goutam Deb, however, rubbished Sarkar's allegations. "People won't take CPM seriously. Our party leadership has always advocated for the development of the Hills and we will work on it, keeping the state's integrity intact."
Left hopes to ride anti-Morcha wave
Avijit Sinha, TT, Siliguri, April 1: A day after the Gorkha Janmukti Morcha decided to formally offer support to the Trinamul-Congress alliance in the Terai and the Dooars, the Left Front here today worked out a strategy to orchestrate its claim that Mamata Banerjee was in favour of the division of the state in order to polarise the non-Gorkha votes to its advantage.
The decision of the Morcha to offer support to the alliance could have a bearing on the outcome of the Assembly polls in at least four constituencies — Siliguri and Matigara-Naxalbari in Darjeeling district and Dabgram-Fulbari and Malbazar in Jalpaiguri.
The four Assembly segments have a significant Gorkha population. Observers though said the Gorkha votes could influence the results only in case of a close contest.
“We thank the Morcha leaders for confirming that there is an understanding between Trinamul and the hill party,” said state urban development minister and the CPM candidate of Siliguri Asok Bhattacharya. “We have decided to bring this to the fore in our state-wide campaign and tell the voters what it could mean for the state in case they are elected to power.”
According to sources in the district administration, Gorkhas form seven per cent of the total voters in Siliguri, more than 15 per cent in Matigara-Naxalbari, around ten per cent in Malbazar and 10 per cent in Dabgram-Fulbari. This would amount to around 30,000 voters in Matigara-Naxalbari, 12,000 in Siliguri, 18,000 in Malbazar and 20,000 in Dabgram-Fulbari.
“After the Morcha’s call to support the Trinamul-Congress alliance in the Dooars and the Terai, there are high chances of block voting by people owing allegiance to the Morcha,” said an observer.
“In case of a close contest, this could upset the apple cart of the Left. Therefore, the only option left for the Front is to consolidate the anti-Morcha vote bank.”
In the 2009 Lok Sabha elections, the Morcha had supported BJP candidates in Darjeeling and Jalpaiguri. It is expected that the Morcha votes which had been bagged by the BJP in 2009 will now be transferred to the Trinamul-Congress combine in the Dooars and the Terai.
The Congress had fought together with Trinamul both in Darjeeling and Jalpaiguri in the 2009 Lok Sabha polls, .
While the CPM had led over the Congress by 14,490 votes in the Siliguri segment, the BJP had polled a total of 31,736 votes. In Matigara-Naxalbari, the CPM had polled 30,525 votes more than the Congress while the BJP had polled 31,736. In Dabgram Fulbari, the CPM had led over the Congress by 24,454 votes but the BJP had polled 24,900 votes. The CPM was ahead of the Congress by 9,593 in Malbazar, where the BJP had polled 17,830 votes.
The observers said if bulk of the BJP votes were cast for the Congress, it would result in close contests in the four seats in the coming Assembly polls.
“We must not forget that the BJP, too, has its own supporters in this region,” an observer said. “If a good amount of these voters support the Trinamul-Congress combine, then it would lead to some very close contests.”
The observers believe the Left would also try to win over the tribals, who comprise a majority of the voters in the Dooars and in the Phansidewa constituency in the Terai. The Adivasis are against the break-up of the state and want the Sixth Schedule status for the region.
“This is exactly what the Left should try and exploit,” said an observer. “They should convince the tribals that if the Trinamul comes to power with the support of the Morcha, the break-up of the state would be inevitable and that, in order to prevent this, they should bring the Left to power.”
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| CLOSE CONTEST LIKELY:Congress candidate for Matigara-Naxalbari Shankar Malakar campaigns in his constituency on Friday. Picture by Kundan Yolmo |
The decision of the Morcha to offer support to the alliance could have a bearing on the outcome of the Assembly polls in at least four constituencies — Siliguri and Matigara-Naxalbari in Darjeeling district and Dabgram-Fulbari and Malbazar in Jalpaiguri.
The four Assembly segments have a significant Gorkha population. Observers though said the Gorkha votes could influence the results only in case of a close contest.
“We thank the Morcha leaders for confirming that there is an understanding between Trinamul and the hill party,” said state urban development minister and the CPM candidate of Siliguri Asok Bhattacharya. “We have decided to bring this to the fore in our state-wide campaign and tell the voters what it could mean for the state in case they are elected to power.”
According to sources in the district administration, Gorkhas form seven per cent of the total voters in Siliguri, more than 15 per cent in Matigara-Naxalbari, around ten per cent in Malbazar and 10 per cent in Dabgram-Fulbari. This would amount to around 30,000 voters in Matigara-Naxalbari, 12,000 in Siliguri, 18,000 in Malbazar and 20,000 in Dabgram-Fulbari.
“After the Morcha’s call to support the Trinamul-Congress alliance in the Dooars and the Terai, there are high chances of block voting by people owing allegiance to the Morcha,” said an observer.
“In case of a close contest, this could upset the apple cart of the Left. Therefore, the only option left for the Front is to consolidate the anti-Morcha vote bank.”
In the 2009 Lok Sabha elections, the Morcha had supported BJP candidates in Darjeeling and Jalpaiguri. It is expected that the Morcha votes which had been bagged by the BJP in 2009 will now be transferred to the Trinamul-Congress combine in the Dooars and the Terai.
The Congress had fought together with Trinamul both in Darjeeling and Jalpaiguri in the 2009 Lok Sabha polls, .
While the CPM had led over the Congress by 14,490 votes in the Siliguri segment, the BJP had polled a total of 31,736 votes. In Matigara-Naxalbari, the CPM had polled 30,525 votes more than the Congress while the BJP had polled 31,736. In Dabgram Fulbari, the CPM had led over the Congress by 24,454 votes but the BJP had polled 24,900 votes. The CPM was ahead of the Congress by 9,593 in Malbazar, where the BJP had polled 17,830 votes.
The observers said if bulk of the BJP votes were cast for the Congress, it would result in close contests in the four seats in the coming Assembly polls.
“We must not forget that the BJP, too, has its own supporters in this region,” an observer said. “If a good amount of these voters support the Trinamul-Congress combine, then it would lead to some very close contests.”
The observers believe the Left would also try to win over the tribals, who comprise a majority of the voters in the Dooars and in the Phansidewa constituency in the Terai. The Adivasis are against the break-up of the state and want the Sixth Schedule status for the region.
“This is exactly what the Left should try and exploit,” said an observer. “They should convince the tribals that if the Trinamul comes to power with the support of the Morcha, the break-up of the state would be inevitable and that, in order to prevent this, they should bring the Left to power.”
CPM criticises Opp for taking GJMM support
SNS, SILIGURI/KOLKATA, 1 APRIL: The state CPI-M leaders today slammed the Congress, the Trinamul Congress and the BJP for taking support from the Gorkha Jan Mukti Morcha (GJMM) just after its president, Mr Bimal Gurung, specifically declared that Nepali-speaking people would support anti-CPI-M candidates in the Terai and the Dooars.
The CPI-M leaders have decided to make the "grand alliance" an election issue in the state level to take on the Congress and the Trinamul Congress for "joining hands with the GJMM" and labelling them as partner of those who have been demanding division of Bengal.
Reiterating chief minister Mr Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee's views on the GJMM support to Trinamul Congress and Adivasi Vikas Parishad, CPI-M state secretary and Left Front chairman Mr Biman Bose today said: "This is nothing new. GJMM had earlier supported Trinamul and took their support in return. This time they are supporting Trinamul and Vikas Parishad in 12 seats. During earlier polls, GJMM has a record of supporting the Trinamul Congress, the Congress and even the BJP. It is now clear, which parties have been supporting partisan politics in the state and siding with parties advocating divisive tactics in the state."
In Siliguri, while terming the electoral alliance as Maha Morcha Jote (Grand Morcha Allaince) the state urban development minister, Mr Asok Bhattacharya, said: “The GJMM has decided to extend support to the Congress and the Trinamul Congress after seeking advice from Mr Pranab Mukherjee and Miss Mamata Banerjee. The Congress-Trinamul leaders had held meeting with the GJMM several times to make this electoral deal." "We had been claiming that there was tacit political understanding among the Trinamul Congress, the Congress and the GJMM. This understanding with the GJMM was to earn dividend for votes during elections. Thanks to Mr Bimal Gurung for the announcement of extending support to them. This official announcement would help us. It was very difficult to explain the "tacit understanding" amongst them. Now it is easy for us to campaign against the Congress and Trinamul," said Mr Bhattacharya.
Back in Kolkata, state health minister Dr Surjya Kanta Mishra said the Trinamul Congress leadership had joined hands with an anti-people reactionary force. "GJMM, which disallows All India Gorkha League supporters to enter the Hills, is laying red carpet for the Trinamul supremo Miss Mamata Banerjee there," he said. When asked to comment, the Darjeeling district Congress (plains) president, Mr Shankar Malakar, who is also contesting from Matigara-Naxalbari seat, said: "The GJMM has no faith in the CPI-M-led LF government in the state. Secondly, it was GJMM's own political decision. And thirdly, the GJMM thinks that problems in the Hills would be resolved as soon as the Congress-Trinamul comes to power."
The district Trinamul Congress president, Mr Gautam Deb, who is also contesting from Dabgram-Fulbari seat, said: "I would not comment on seeking support. But I want to say we are in favour of development in the Hills, unity between the Hills and plains and but we are against the division of Bengal."
TT, Siliguri, April 1: Producers of the Darjeeling Tea are staring at losses with Japan, the third largest importer of the produce, placing less orders and quoting lower prices following the devastation caused by the earthquake and tsunami.
“We are apprehensive that the disaster which shook Japan last month will have an impact on the Darjeeling tea industry as of the 7.5 million kg of special brew produced in the hills, one million kg is exported to that country,” said Ankit Lochan, the director of the Siliguri-based Lochan Tea Limited.
The CPI-M leaders have decided to make the "grand alliance" an election issue in the state level to take on the Congress and the Trinamul Congress for "joining hands with the GJMM" and labelling them as partner of those who have been demanding division of Bengal.
Reiterating chief minister Mr Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee's views on the GJMM support to Trinamul Congress and Adivasi Vikas Parishad, CPI-M state secretary and Left Front chairman Mr Biman Bose today said: "This is nothing new. GJMM had earlier supported Trinamul and took their support in return. This time they are supporting Trinamul and Vikas Parishad in 12 seats. During earlier polls, GJMM has a record of supporting the Trinamul Congress, the Congress and even the BJP. It is now clear, which parties have been supporting partisan politics in the state and siding with parties advocating divisive tactics in the state."
In Siliguri, while terming the electoral alliance as Maha Morcha Jote (Grand Morcha Allaince) the state urban development minister, Mr Asok Bhattacharya, said: “The GJMM has decided to extend support to the Congress and the Trinamul Congress after seeking advice from Mr Pranab Mukherjee and Miss Mamata Banerjee. The Congress-Trinamul leaders had held meeting with the GJMM several times to make this electoral deal." "We had been claiming that there was tacit political understanding among the Trinamul Congress, the Congress and the GJMM. This understanding with the GJMM was to earn dividend for votes during elections. Thanks to Mr Bimal Gurung for the announcement of extending support to them. This official announcement would help us. It was very difficult to explain the "tacit understanding" amongst them. Now it is easy for us to campaign against the Congress and Trinamul," said Mr Bhattacharya.
Back in Kolkata, state health minister Dr Surjya Kanta Mishra said the Trinamul Congress leadership had joined hands with an anti-people reactionary force. "GJMM, which disallows All India Gorkha League supporters to enter the Hills, is laying red carpet for the Trinamul supremo Miss Mamata Banerjee there," he said. When asked to comment, the Darjeeling district Congress (plains) president, Mr Shankar Malakar, who is also contesting from Matigara-Naxalbari seat, said: "The GJMM has no faith in the CPI-M-led LF government in the state. Secondly, it was GJMM's own political decision. And thirdly, the GJMM thinks that problems in the Hills would be resolved as soon as the Congress-Trinamul comes to power."
The district Trinamul Congress president, Mr Gautam Deb, who is also contesting from Dabgram-Fulbari seat, said: "I would not comment on seeking support. But I want to say we are in favour of development in the Hills, unity between the Hills and plains and but we are against the division of Bengal."
Hill tea feels Japan heat
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“We are apprehensive that the disaster which shook Japan last month will have an impact on the Darjeeling tea industry as of the 7.5 million kg of special brew produced in the hills, one million kg is exported to that country,” said Ankit Lochan, the director of the Siliguri-based Lochan Tea Limited.
He added that prices of the Darjeeling Tea sold to Japan ranged between Rs 3,000 and Rs 10,000 per kg.
But Japan has cut down on the orders and is offering lower prices now.
“A Japanese importer, who had earlier ordered, say 100 kg of tea, is now asking for 25-30 kg, that too at lower prices. While we had sold tea for Rs 3,000 per kg in the past, they are offering Rs 1,500 now,” said Lochan.
Girish Sharda, the proprietor of Nathmull’s Tea Room in Darjeeling, echoed Lochan. “There have been no inquiries from Japan this season. We had talked to some tea importers in Japan who do business with us. It seems that importing the Darjeeling Tea is not their priority right now.”
However, the Darjeeling Tea Association exuded confidence and said ultimately, Japan would place bulk orders at higher prices and the industry would surmount the crisis.
ITA hikes wage
Twenty tea gardens in the Darjeeling hills under the Indian Tea Association raised the daily wage of workers to Rs 90 on Friday.
Following the hike in the wages, the Gorkha Janmukti Morcha-affiliated tea union has lifted the embargo on the despatch of the first flush from the ITA gardens.
मुख्यमन्त्री चामलिङको प्रयास - गोर्खाल्याण्डपन्थीहरूको निम्ति उर्जा
मनोज बोगटी, कालिमन्युज, कालेबुङ,1 अप्रेल| सिक्किम विधानसभामा गोर्खाल्याण्डको प्रस्ताव ल्याइनु गोर्खाल्याण्ड आन्दोलनकारीहरूको निम्ति गतिलो उर्जा बनेको छ। सिक्किमका मुख्यमन्त्री पवन चामलिङप्रति गोर्खाल्याण्डको निम्ति एक शब्द नबोलेकोमा ठुस्किनेहरूलाई चामलिङले नेतृत्व कार्यकौशलता र राजनैतिक दुरदर्शीताको पाठ सिकाएका छन्। चामलिङले दार्जीलिङमा आएर गोर्खाल्याण्ड राज्य निर्माणको निम्ति दलहरूले मागे अनुसारको त्याग र बलिदान दिँदै आइरहेका जनताको आकांक्षाको कदर गर्दै आफ्नो राज्यको विधानसभामा गोर्खाल्याण्डको विधेयक ल्याउने बचन दिएका थिए।
राजनैतिकरूपमा सिक्किम सरकारले विधानसभामा विधेयक ल्याउन नसक्ने भनेर चामलिङका विरोधी शक्तिले निक्कै प्रचारप्रसार पनि गरेका थिए। पहाड़को एउटा प्रभावकारी दल र यसका नेतासमेतले चामलिङलाई गोर्खा समुदायमा एसडीएफ विरोधी शक्तिसित मिलेर विदेशी बनाउने कार्य भएको थियो। चामलिङलाई नेपालको नागरिक बनाउने प्रयास भए पनि चामलिङ कुनै शक्ति अघि डगमगाएनन्। यता गोर्खाल्याण्डको पक्षमा चामलिङ नरहेको विरोधी शक्तिले निक्कै प्रचार गरिरहेका थिए। ती सबै विरोधी शक्ति अनि तिनको नागरिकतामा शंका गर्नेहरूलाई चामलिङले राष्ट्रिय सुरक्षामाथि भएको देशका मुख्यमन्त्रीहरूबीचको सम्मेलनमा गोर्खाल्याण्डको आवाज उठाएर दिइसकेका थिए।
चामलिङले सही समय र सही ठाउँमा मात्र कुनै पनि प्रभावकारी मुद्दाको उठान गर्ने राजनैतिक चरित्र दलहरूमा हुनुपर्ने पाठ सिकाउँदै देशका प्रधानमन्त्रीले अध्यक्षता गरेको अनि देशभरिका मुख्यमन्त्रीहरूको उपस्थिति रहेको कार्यक्रममा गोर्खाल्याण्डको आवाज उठाए। तिनले गरे झैं पहल न त गोर्खाल्याण्डको आन्दोलन गरिरहेका पहाड़का कुनै दलले गर्न सकेको थियो न त पहाड़का कुनै सांसद र विधायकले नै। पहाड़का दलहरूले गोर्खाल्याण्डको मुद्दालाई राष्ट्रियस्तरमा पुर्याउन पर्ने विषयमा अनेकौं वकालत गरेपनि कुनै पनि दलले यस्तो प्रयास गर्न सकेका थिएनन्। चामलिङले सही ठाउँ र सही समयमा गोर्खाल्याण्डको आवाज उठाएर राजनैतिक दुरदर्शिताको परिचय दिइसकेका छन्। यदि चामलिङलाई भारतभरिका गोर्खाहरूको चिह्नारीको निम्ति छट्टै राज्य हुनुपर्ने विषयमा कुनै सरोकार नहुनु हो भने तिनी चुपचाप बस्थे तर तिनले सही मौकामा सही आवाज उठाएर देशभरिका गोर्खाहरूका एकमात्र कटिबद्ध र सचेत नेताको गौरव प्राप्त गरेको बुद्धिजीवी खेमामा चर्चा चलिरहेको छ।
चामलिङ आफै मख्यमन्त्री हुन् अनि तिनले आफ्नो पद र शक्तिमा घमण्ड गर्नु हो भने सुरक्षा समितिको सम्मेलनमा न त गोर्खाल्याण्डको आवाज उठाउने थिए न त राज्यको विधानसभामा गोर्खाल्याण्डको प्रस्ताव नै ल्याउने थिए। एक अलग राज्यका मुख्यमन्त्री चामलिङमा गोर्खाल्याण्डको मुद्दालाई लिएर जति इमान्दारिता देखापरेको छ के उति नै इमान्दारिता गोर्खाल्याण्डको वकालत गर्ने पहाड़का नेताहरूमा छ त भन्ने प्रश्न अहिले उठिरहेको छ। किन भने पहाड़का गोर्खाल्याण्डको नाममा आन्दोलन गर्नेहरू केन्द्र र राज्यसित वार्ता गरिसकेपछि परिवर्तन हुने संस्कार जारी छ। गोरामुमो पनि गोर्खाल्याण्डको आवाज उठाए पछि दागोपाप र छैटौं अनुसूचीको मुद्दामा हामफालेको थियो। त्यसपछि गोरामुमोले गोर्खाल्याण्ड ल्याउन नसक्ने बताउँदै गोजमुमो गोर्खाल्याण्डको मुद्दा बोकेर जन्मियो। अहिले आएर मोर्चाले पनि गोर्खाल्याण्ड स्टेप वाइज नै पुग्ने कुराको वकालत गरिरहेको छ।
मोर्चाले श्पष्ट पारेको छ कि प्राधिकरण भएर नै गोर्खाल्याण्ड पुग्न सकिन्छ जसरी गोरामुमोले छैटौं अनसूची भएर नै गोर्खाल्याण्ड पुग्न सकिनेबारे दलीय अडान स्पष्ट पार्दै आइरहेको छ। सोझै गोर्खाल्याण्ड नहुने भनेर अन्य मुद्दामा लाग्ने दलहरूको निम्ति सिक्किम सरकारले दलीय इमान्दारिता र राजनैतिक दुरदर्शिताको पाठ सिकाएको अहिले पहाड़को बौद्धिक जमातमा व्यापक चर्चा चलिरहेको छ। उनीहरू अनुसार चामलिङको प्रयासलाई उर्जाकोरूपमा लिएर पहाड़का दलहरू दलीय सहमतिबाट नै गोर्खाल्याण्डको निम्ति सर्वसम्मत कार्यनीतिको विकास गर्नुपर्ने देखिएको छ।
सिक्किम बन्दमाथि विद्रोही गुटको प्रश्न
एसडीएफको बन्द आफै धामी आफै बोक्सीको नाटकः भोजराज राई
प्रविण खालिंग, कालिमन्युज, गान्तोक,1 अप्रेल। सिक्किम डेमोक्रेटि फ्रण्ट (एसडीएफ) पार्टीद्वारा डाकिएको आगामी 4 अनि 5 अप्रेलको सिक्किम बन्दलाई परिवर्तनको पक्षधर भएर विद्रोही बनेका पूर्व विधायक भोजराज राईले फ आफै धामी आफै बोक्सी हुने काम गरेको बताएका छन्। उनले यहाँ जारी गरेको प्रेस जनाउमा भनिएको छ, सिक्किमे युवा वर्गको भविष्य र सिक्किमेली जनगणको सुरक्षाको पक्षमा जुनसुकै राजनैतिक अराजनैतिक दलहरूले गरेको कुनै पनि कार्यको हामी विरोध गर्दैनौं। तर जनताको अधिकारको नाममा यदी कसैले राज्यलाई दिशाहिन बनाउने कार्य गर्छ भने ढाँट र छलको राजनीति गर्छ भने अनि सिक्किमको भविष्य संग खेलबाड गर्छ भने हामी त्यसको प्रतिवाद गर्छौं।
उनले अझ भनेका छन्,सिक्किममा भएका निजी कम्पनीहरूले कर्मचारीहरूको हक र हितको सुरक्षा गरेन भन्ने आज एसडीएफको दावी छ। यसै गरि यस्ता निजी कम्पनीहरू लगायत केन्द्रिय सरकारी संस्थानहरूमा शतप्रतिशत सिक्किमे रैथाने युवाहरूलाई नोकरी दिनुपर्ने एसडीएफको माग छ। त्यसैलाई आधार गरेर बन्द डाकेको हो भनि एसडीएफले बताउँदै छ तर के आज सिक्किममा भएका सबै निजी कम्पनीहरू एसडीएफकै कार्याकालमा मुख्यमन्त्री पवन कुमार चामलिङको नेतृत्वमा ल्याइएको होइऩ र ? उनले प्रश्न तेर्साएका छन्। यसैगरि भोजराजले प्रश्न तेर्साउँदै भनेका छन्,त्यस समय गैर सरकारी क्षेत्रमा सिर्जना भएका सम्पूर्ण काम-धन्धा व्यापार-बन्दामा नोकरीका अवसरहरूमा शतप्रतिशत मौका सिक्किमेली युवाहरूले पाउनुपर्छ भन्ने एसडीएफ सरकारले बाहिरका कम्पनीहरू सिक्किम ल्याउँदा एमओयु-मा यसबारे किन नलेखेको ? अर्को प्रश्न गर्दै भनेका छन, सिक्किम विधानसभामा शतप्रतिशत मौका सिक्किमेली युवाहरूले पाउनु पर्ने विधान किन नबनाएको ?
आज आफैले ल्याएको कम्पनीले अधिकार दिएऩ भन्नु के न्याय संगत कुरा हो? यदी सिक्किमे युवाहरूलाई नोकरी र अधिकार पाउनुमा निजी कम्पनीले अन्याय गरेको छ भने एसडीएफ पार्टीको सरकारले निजी कम्पनीहरूसंग फेरि एक पल्ट एमओयु परिवर्तन गर्न सक्दैन? अर्थात ऩिजी कम्पनीहरूले यस्ता कुराहरू सुनिश्चित गर्नुपर्ने नोटिफिकेशन सरकारले सरकारले निकाल्न सक्दैन? यदी यसरी निजी कम्पनीहरूले नियम विरूद्ध काम गर्दछ भने हामी प्रश्न गर्छौं, आजसम्म यस्ता नियम नमान्ने कतिवटा निजी कम्पनीहरूको लाइसेन्स सरकारले रद्द गऱ्यो ? यहाँबाट स्पष्ट हुन्छ, एसडीएफ सरकार नागरिक हक र अधिकारको पक्षमा छैन। यसरी बाहिरको कम्पनीको कुरा गर्ने एसडीएफ सरकारले सिक्किम सरकारको आफ्नै अधिनमा सिट्को, सिक्किम ज्वेल्स र नाम्चीको प्रिसेसनहरू किन बन्द गऱ्यो ?
लिम्बु र तामाङको विधानसभाको सिट सुरक्षा हुनुपर्छ भन्ने एसडीएफ सरकारले गरेको डिलिमिटेशनमा नै उपयुक्त समय भएको भएतापनि किन त्यस समय लिम्बु र तामाङ समुदायको सिट सुरक्षा गर्नु सकेन भन्ने प्रश्न खडा गरेका छन्। उनले अहिले पनि सरकार एसडीएफकै भएको हुनाले लिम्बु तामाङलाई विधानसभामा सिट दिनु कसले रोकेको छ, अहिले सम्म लिम्बु तामाङको सिटबारे उपयुक्त प्रस्ताव ल्याउन एसडीएफले किन नचाहेको त्यसबारे स्पष्टिकरण मागेका छन्।
यसै सन्दर्भमा भोजराजले एसडीएफद्वारा पर्चामा बीएल समुदायको सिट खतरामा पर्छ कि पर्दैन भन्ने बारेमा किन उल्लेख नगरेर बीएल समुदायलाई असुरक्षाको घेरोमा लगाइएको दावी गरेका छन्। उनले अझ प्रश्न गर्दै भनेका छन्,यसरी नै बाहुन, छेत्री, नेवार, सन्यासी , जोगी आदीलाई केन्द्रिय ओबीसीमा हालिनु पर्छ भन्ने राजनैतिक माग किन एसडीएफले नउठाउनुको पछाडी पनि कुटनीति रहेका दावी गरेका छन्।
यसका साथै अनुसूचित जनजातिकोको मान्यता पाउनबाट छुटेका जनतालाई तुरन्तै हाल्नुपर्छ भन्ने सरकारले लिम्बु-तामाङ समुदायलाई जनजाति बनाउदा नै किन त्यसै समय ती समुदायहरूलाई पनि नगाभेको भन्ने प्रश्न तोर्साएका छन्। तिनले सरकारद्वारा यी मुद्दाहरूलाई समाधान नगरेर यसलाई केवल आफ्नो मागीखाने भाडो बनाइ जोगाएर राखेको ठोकुवा गरेका छन्। तिनले इनकम ट्याक्समा पुराना वासिन्दाले पनि छुट पाउऩुपर्छ भन्ने एसडीएफले नै राज्यमा आयकर भित्र्याएर सिक्किममा मान्छे छुट्याइ-छुट्याइ आयकर लगाउने कार्य गरेको आरोप लगाएका छन्। इऩकम ट्याक्स सिक्किम ल्याउँदा त्यतिबेलै नसोच्नेले आज किन ढोङ गर्दैछ भनी प्रश्न तेर्साएका छन्। तिनले अझ भनेका छन्,पुराना बासिन्दाहरूले आयकरबाट छुट त तुरून्तै पाउनु पर्छ भन्ने एसडीएफ सरकारले सिक्किम विधानसभामा किन प्रस्ताव मात्रै ल्याएको किन पुराना बासिन्दाहरूको पक्षमा राज्य सरकारले बिल नल्याएको ?
एसडीएफले जनताको आँखामा अझै कति दिन धुलो हाली रहने ? यस्तै जनहित र सिक्किम विरोधी क्रियाकलापको चलखेल एसडीएफ सरकारमा भइरहेको देखेर आज हामी सत्तारूढ पार्टीको विरोधमा र जनताको पक्षमा उभिएर सडकमा उत्रिन बाध्य भएका हौं भन्ने ठोकुवा गरेका छन्। यी मुद्दाहरू भविष्यमा एसडीएफको निम्ति बाधा बनेर उभिरहन सक्छन् भनेरनै आजै आफ्नो अऩुहार लुकाउऩे प्रयासमा सरकार स्वंय लागेको आरोप लगाएका छन्। उनले सरकारको कमजोरीलाई केलाउँदै भनेका छन्, आज पूर्ण बहुमतमा भएको सरकारले त बाहिरका कम्पनीहरूसंग यसरी घुडा टेकिरहेको छ भने भविष्यमा एसडीएफ सरकारले कहाँ र कुन दुरावस्थामा पुऱ्याउऩे छ भन्ने बारे यस बन्दको आह्वानले छर्लङ्ग पारेको छ।
उनले अझ दोहोऱ्याएर भनेका छन, हामी जनताको हक र अधिकारको पक्षमा गरेको बन्द र अन्य कार्यक्रमको विरोधमा छैनौ तर स्वच्छ मनले जनतालाई नढाटी संचालन गरिएको हुनपर्छ।
सिक्किमलाई पर्यटनको क्षेत्रमा 20औं पुरस्कार
प्रविण खालिंग, कालिमन्युज, गान्तोक,1 अप्रेल। सिक्किमलाई पर्यटनको क्षेत्रमा फेरि एकपल्ट पुरस्कृत गरिएको छ। सिक्किमलाई वर्ष 2009-10 को निम्ति पर्यटनसित सम्बन्धीत योजना तथा बुनियादी सुविधाहरूको विकासको निम्ति प्रथम पुरस्कार प्राप्त भएको छ। राज्यका पर्यटन मंत्री भीम ढुंगेल, पर्यटन सचिव एसबीएस भदौरिया तथा नयाँ दिल्लीस्थित सिक्किम हाउसका मुख्य आवासीय आयुक्त अरविन्द कुमारले हिजो मुख्यमन्त्रीसित भेट गरेर पुरस्कारमा प्राप्त ट्राफी , प्रमाण पत्र सुम्पिए। पर्यटनको क्षेत्रमा सिक्किमले पाएको यो 20औं पुरस्कार हो।
मुख्यमन्त्री चामलिङले राज्यका पर्यटन मन्त्री अनि विभागीय अधिकारीलाई शुभकामना दिदै यो सबैको सामुहिक प्रयासको फल हो भनि बताए। उल्लेखनीय छ, यो पुरस्कार लोकसबा अध्यक्ष मीरा कुमारको हातबाट गत 28 मार्चको दिन नयाँ दिल्लीमा आयोजित नेशनल टुरिज्म अवार्ड समारोहमा प्रदान गरिएको थियो। यस अवसरमा केंद्रिय पर्यटन मन्त्री सुबोधकान्त सहाय तथा प्रयंका चोपडा पनि विशेष अतिथिको रूपमा उपस्थित थिए। पुरस्कार प्रधान आवसीय आयुक्तले सिक्किमको पक्षमा ग्रहण गरेका थिए।
सिक्किम बन्दको आह्वानमा व्यापक पोस्टरीङ
प्रविण खालिंग, कालिमन्युज, गान्तोक,1 अप्रेल। आगामी 4 र 5 अप्रेलको दिन सत्तारूढ एसडीएफ पार्टीको भातृसंगठन एसडीएलएफ द्वारा डाकिएको 48 घण्टे बन्दको निम्ति आम जनताको समर्थनको अपेक्षा गर्दै राज्यभरि पोस्टरिङ गरिएको छ। आज राजधानी गान्तोकको हरेक दोकानमा केन्द्रिय आयकरबाट मुक्त राखिनु पर्ने माग उल्लेखित पोस्टर लगाइएको पाइयो भने बाटो-घाटो र सडकको किनारमा रहेको पर्खालहरूमा एसडीएफको नाममा विभिन्न मागहरू उल्लेख गर्दै बन्दलाई सफल बनाउने आह्वान गरिएको पोस्टरहरूले राजधानी व्याप्त बनेको छ। अर्कोतिर राज्यको विभिन्न निजी इकाईहरूका स्थानीय कर्मचारीहरूले पनि बन्दको समर्थन गर्दै प्रेस विज्ञप्ति जारी गर्न थालेका छन् भने कही संस्थाहरूले भने विरोध गरिरहेका छन्। यसैगरि एसडीएफका विद्यार्थी प्रकोष्ठले पनि सबै शैक्षिक संस्थानहरूलाई ठप्प पार्ने आह्वान गरिसकेको छ।
राजभवन कर्मचारीद्वारा श्रद्धाञ्जलि अर्पण
प्रविण खालिंग, कालिमन्युज, गान्तोक,1 अप्रेल। राज्यका प्रथम महिला स्वर्गीय श्रीमती करूमा सिंहको निधनको पहिलो वार्षिकीमा यहाँको राजभवनका अधिकारी तता कर्मचारीहरूले उनको आत्माशान्तिको कामना साथै श्रद्धाञ्जलि अर्पण गरे। राजभवनबाट जारी विज्ञप्ति अनुसार राजभवनका कर्मचारीका परिवारहरूको विशेष उपस्थितिमा स्वर्गीय श्रीमती सिंहलाई श्रद्धाञ्जलि अर्पण गर्दै उनको तस्वीरमा श्रद्धा अर्पण गरियो। अर्कोतिर राज्यपाल बालमिक्की प्रसाद सिंह आफ्नो सपरिवार उत्तराखण्डको हरिद्वारमा स्वर्गीय पत्निको आत्मा शान्तिको कामना गर्दै विशेष पुजा अर्चनाको निम्ति गएका छन्। आज हरिद्वारमा उनको निम्ति विशेष पुजा आयोजन गरिएको विज्ञप्तिमा उल्लेख गरिएको छ। श्रीमती सिंह 11 अगस्त 1943 मा बोधगयामा जन्मिएकी थिइऩ भने उनको निधन 1 अप्रेल 2010 को दिन दिल्लीको अपोलो अस्पातालमा हृदयघातले भएको थियो।
No End In Sight For Japan Nuclear Crisis
Chris Talbot, 01 April, 2011: The Fukushima nuclear crisis has already run for three weeks with no end in sight. Nuclear experts warn that it may go on for years. Hironobu Unesaki, a nuclear engineering professor at Kyoto University said that the process of decommissioning Fukushima would take longer than at Three Mile Island.
Engineers are encountering entirely new problems. Some experts are suggesting it may take 30 years to make Fukushima safe.
“This is uncharted territory, a lot of new technology will be developed to deal with these reactors. The closest to this we have is Three Mile Island, where there was a partial core meltdown–I think about 40 percent. The clean-up process lasted from 1979 to 1993, so almost 15 years, and cost ￡1bn. That was ￡1bn in 1993 money, so obviously a lot more now”, Malcolm Grimston, an energy specialist at the UK think-tank Chatham House, told Channel 4 News.
“Also now we have got four reactors damaged, not just a single one like at Three Mile Island, and the complicating factor of what state the spent fuel is in the ponds. At the moment there are huge imponderables, but whatever happens, the answer is long and expensive”.
Three weeks into the crisis there is no sign that the reactors have been brought under control. Contamination levels point to a situation that is worsening from day to day. Water gathering in underground tunnels below reactor 2 is now said to be more than 10,000 times more radioactive than normal levels. Water samples taken from near reactor 1 were also found to have elevated levels of radioactivity.
Radiation in seawater near the plant was found to be 4,385 times the legal limit on Wednesday. On Tuesday it was 3,355 times that level and last weekend it rose from 1,250 to 1,850 times the legal limit. This rapid rise is attributed to the tons of water that have dropped on to the plant from helicopters and pumped in with hoses. The runoff cannot be contained.
“There’s definitely a conflict now between trying to keep the reactors cool and managing the contaminated waste water being generated by the operation”, said Ed Lyman of the Union of Concerned Scientists.
Airborne contamination is spreading. The International Atomic Energy Agency has advised Tokyo to increase the evacuation zone after harmful levels of radiation were detected at the village of Iitate 40 km (25 miles) away from the plant.
Village Mayor Norio Kanno said that he was “very worried” when he heard about the contamination. “But the government immediately informed us that there is no immediate harm to human health, so I was relieved”. Such assurances are of dubious value.
The official evacuation zone is a radius of only 20 km (12 miles). So far the government shows no sign of increasing the zone. The US has advised its citizens to stay 80 km (50 miles) away from the plant.
An estimated 1,000 bodies of people killed by the tsunami remain within the evacuation zone. They cannot be removed because of the radiation hazard and pose an increasing health hazard.
Heavy rainfall in the area is likely to increase the problems. It prevented a robot being used to spray resin that it is hoped will reduce the spread of radioactive material. The rain will increase the amount of runoff into the sea immediately. Many of the tunnels and channels are said to be within inches of overflowing already. A secondary effect will be to increase the amount of fallout from airborne radioactive material, with the result that animals grazing, vegetables and water supplies in the vicinity of the plant will be further contaminated.
Conditions for workers at the plant are increasingly dangerous. The media has little or no access to them. But it has emerged from emails that some of them are sleeping in the plant itself. In some cases they have lead sheets to sleep on. But not all the workers have them. They are camping in conference rooms and offices. Their meals are limited to two a day and consist of instant rice and crackers.
In a sign that the international ramifications of the nuclear crisis are spreading, President Nicholas Sarkozy arrived in Tokyo where he met with Prime Minister Naoto Kan. Sarkozy expressed France’s solidarity with the Japan and said that he would raise the question of the Fukushima nuclear crisis at the G8 summit.
Sarkozy’s concern is somewhat less than altruistic however. France is unique in relying on nuclear power for 80 percent of its electricity. Prime Minister Francois Fillon has ordered a safety audit at all 58 of France’s nuclear power stations. Those in heavily populated areas such Dunkerque will be subjected to special scrutiny.
André-Claude Lacoste, head of France’s Nuclear Safety Authority, startled French parliamentarians when he admitted, “Nobody can guarantee that there will never be a nuclear accident in France”.
Lacoste admitted at a parliamentary hearing that the French nuclear authorities had never taken possible natural disasters into account before in their safety planning. Yet there have been 1,700 noticeable earthquakes in France in the last 1,000 years.
Climate change would have to be factored into any risk assessments, Lacoste said, since it would increase the risk of flooding. “Seismic, tsunami or flooding hazards.... We must go back (to the power stations) given what’s happened in Japan”.
Only four French nuclear plants are on the coast–the rest draw their cooling water from rivers. Lacoste tried to reassure the French deputies that the Nuclear Safety Agency was planning for the risks that are now perceived.
“We could envisage setting up areas with emergency diesel supplies at all nuclear plants in France (or that) at plants along the coast, the diesel be stocked at the top of a cliff rather than at the bottom. That might appear extremely rudimentary but that’s typically the kind of question that must be asked”.
The nuclear industry in France is run by three largely state owned companies, Areva, GDF Suez and Électricité de France. The fact that these major companies have not already taken such basic measures when emergency cooling has been identified as a significant problem at nuclear power stations for over 30 years is astonishing. It reflects the fact that they are major export earners for France.
France accounts for 16 percent of global production of nuclear power. The USA accounts for 30 percent of the nuclear-generated electricity worldwide and generates 20 percent of its electricity from this source. Britain gets 20 percent of its electricity from nuclear power stations. Germany relies on nuclear power for 25 percent of its electricity. Japan gets 30 percent of its electricity from 50 nuclear power stations.
Underlying this network of nuclear power generation is a massive financial structure. The Fukushima crisis poses significant financial risks. Bank of America Merrill Lynch expects Tokyo Electric Power Company share holders to be wiped out by the mounting costs of Fukushima. Currently, the total cost is estimated at $133 billion (11 trillion yen). The figure is likely to rise as the scale of the disaster grows. Even this current figure, which is more than 4 times the company’s equity, is pushing the company to the point of bankruptcy. Tepco shares have fallen more than 70 percent, and 58 percent of the company’s value has been lost. The company was valued at 3.5 trillion yen before 11 March; its value is now 800 billion yen. Merrill assumes that the Japanese government will step in with a bailout for Tepco if bankruptcy is imminent."http://www.wsws.org/articles/2011/apr2011/fuku-a01.shtml"WSWS.org)
सिक्किम बन्दमाथि विद्रोही गुटको प्रश्न
एसडीएफको बन्द आफै धामी आफै बोक्सीको नाटकः भोजराज राई
प्रविण खालिंग, कालिमन्युज, गान्तोक,1 अप्रेल। सिक्किम डेमोक्रेटि फ्रण्ट (एसडीएफ) पार्टीद्वारा डाकिएको आगामी 4 अनि 5 अप्रेलको सिक्किम बन्दलाई परिवर्तनको पक्षधर भएर विद्रोही बनेका पूर्व विधायक भोजराज राईले फ आफै धामी आफै बोक्सी हुने काम गरेको बताएका छन्। उनले यहाँ जारी गरेको प्रेस जनाउमा भनिएको छ, सिक्किमे युवा वर्गको भविष्य र सिक्किमेली जनगणको सुरक्षाको पक्षमा जुनसुकै राजनैतिक अराजनैतिक दलहरूले गरेको कुनै पनि कार्यको हामी विरोध गर्दैनौं। तर जनताको अधिकारको नाममा यदी कसैले राज्यलाई दिशाहिन बनाउने कार्य गर्छ भने ढाँट र छलको राजनीति गर्छ भने अनि सिक्किमको भविष्य संग खेलबाड गर्छ भने हामी त्यसको प्रतिवाद गर्छौं।
उनले अझ भनेका छन्,सिक्किममा भएका निजी कम्पनीहरूले कर्मचारीहरूको हक र हितको सुरक्षा गरेन भन्ने आज एसडीएफको दावी छ। यसै गरि यस्ता निजी कम्पनीहरू लगायत केन्द्रिय सरकारी संस्थानहरूमा शतप्रतिशत सिक्किमे रैथाने युवाहरूलाई नोकरी दिनुपर्ने एसडीएफको माग छ। त्यसैलाई आधार गरेर बन्द डाकेको हो भनि एसडीएफले बताउँदै छ तर के आज सिक्किममा भएका सबै निजी कम्पनीहरू एसडीएफकै कार्याकालमा मुख्यमन्त्री पवन कुमार चामलिङको नेतृत्वमा ल्याइएको होइऩ र ? उनले प्रश्न तेर्साएका छन्। यसैगरि भोजराजले प्रश्न तेर्साउँदै भनेका छन्,त्यस समय गैर सरकारी क्षेत्रमा सिर्जना भएका सम्पूर्ण काम-धन्धा व्यापार-बन्दामा नोकरीका अवसरहरूमा शतप्रतिशत मौका सिक्किमेली युवाहरूले पाउनुपर्छ भन्ने एसडीएफ सरकारले बाहिरका कम्पनीहरू सिक्किम ल्याउँदा एमओयु-मा यसबारे किन नलेखेको ? अर्को प्रश्न गर्दै भनेका छन, सिक्किम विधानसभामा शतप्रतिशत मौका सिक्किमेली युवाहरूले पाउनु पर्ने विधान किन नबनाएको ?
आज आफैले ल्याएको कम्पनीले अधिकार दिएऩ भन्नु के न्याय संगत कुरा हो? यदी सिक्किमे युवाहरूलाई नोकरी र अधिकार पाउनुमा निजी कम्पनीले अन्याय गरेको छ भने एसडीएफ पार्टीको सरकारले निजी कम्पनीहरूसंग फेरि एक पल्ट एमओयु परिवर्तन गर्न सक्दैन? अर्थात ऩिजी कम्पनीहरूले यस्ता कुराहरू सुनिश्चित गर्नुपर्ने नोटिफिकेशन सरकारले सरकारले निकाल्न सक्दैन? यदी यसरी निजी कम्पनीहरूले नियम विरूद्ध काम गर्दछ भने हामी प्रश्न गर्छौं, आजसम्म यस्ता नियम नमान्ने कतिवटा निजी कम्पनीहरूको लाइसेन्स सरकारले रद्द गऱ्यो ? यहाँबाट स्पष्ट हुन्छ, एसडीएफ सरकार नागरिक हक र अधिकारको पक्षमा छैन। यसरी बाहिरको कम्पनीको कुरा गर्ने एसडीएफ सरकारले सिक्किम सरकारको आफ्नै अधिनमा सिट्को, सिक्किम ज्वेल्स र नाम्चीको प्रिसेसनहरू किन बन्द गऱ्यो ?
लिम्बु र तामाङको विधानसभाको सिट सुरक्षा हुनुपर्छ भन्ने एसडीएफ सरकारले गरेको डिलिमिटेशनमा नै उपयुक्त समय भएको भएतापनि किन त्यस समय लिम्बु र तामाङ समुदायको सिट सुरक्षा गर्नु सकेन भन्ने प्रश्न खडा गरेका छन्। उनले अहिले पनि सरकार एसडीएफकै भएको हुनाले लिम्बु तामाङलाई विधानसभामा सिट दिनु कसले रोकेको छ, अहिले सम्म लिम्बु तामाङको सिटबारे उपयुक्त प्रस्ताव ल्याउन एसडीएफले किन नचाहेको त्यसबारे स्पष्टिकरण मागेका छन्।
यसै सन्दर्भमा भोजराजले एसडीएफद्वारा पर्चामा बीएल समुदायको सिट खतरामा पर्छ कि पर्दैन भन्ने बारेमा किन उल्लेख नगरेर बीएल समुदायलाई असुरक्षाको घेरोमा लगाइएको दावी गरेका छन्। उनले अझ प्रश्न गर्दै भनेका छन्,यसरी नै बाहुन, छेत्री, नेवार, सन्यासी , जोगी आदीलाई केन्द्रिय ओबीसीमा हालिनु पर्छ भन्ने राजनैतिक माग किन एसडीएफले नउठाउनुको पछाडी पनि कुटनीति रहेका दावी गरेका छन्।
यसका साथै अनुसूचित जनजातिकोको मान्यता पाउनबाट छुटेका जनतालाई तुरन्तै हाल्नुपर्छ भन्ने सरकारले लिम्बु-तामाङ समुदायलाई जनजाति बनाउदा नै किन त्यसै समय ती समुदायहरूलाई पनि नगाभेको भन्ने प्रश्न तोर्साएका छन्। तिनले सरकारद्वारा यी मुद्दाहरूलाई समाधान नगरेर यसलाई केवल आफ्नो मागीखाने भाडो बनाइ जोगाएर राखेको ठोकुवा गरेका छन्। तिनले इनकम ट्याक्समा पुराना वासिन्दाले पनि छुट पाउऩुपर्छ भन्ने एसडीएफले नै राज्यमा आयकर भित्र्याएर सिक्किममा मान्छे छुट्याइ-छुट्याइ आयकर लगाउने कार्य गरेको आरोप लगाएका छन्। इऩकम ट्याक्स सिक्किम ल्याउँदा त्यतिबेलै नसोच्नेले आज किन ढोङ गर्दैछ भनी प्रश्न तेर्साएका छन्। तिनले अझ भनेका छन्,पुराना बासिन्दाहरूले आयकरबाट छुट त तुरून्तै पाउनु पर्छ भन्ने एसडीएफ सरकारले सिक्किम विधानसभामा किन प्रस्ताव मात्रै ल्याएको किन पुराना बासिन्दाहरूको पक्षमा राज्य सरकारले बिल नल्याएको ?
एसडीएफले जनताको आँखामा अझै कति दिन धुलो हाली रहने ? यस्तै जनहित र सिक्किम विरोधी क्रियाकलापको चलखेल एसडीएफ सरकारमा भइरहेको देखेर आज हामी सत्तारूढ पार्टीको विरोधमा र जनताको पक्षमा उभिएर सडकमा उत्रिन बाध्य भएका हौं भन्ने ठोकुवा गरेका छन्। यी मुद्दाहरू भविष्यमा एसडीएफको निम्ति बाधा बनेर उभिरहन सक्छन् भनेरनै आजै आफ्नो अऩुहार लुकाउऩे प्रयासमा सरकार स्वंय लागेको आरोप लगाएका छन्। उनले सरकारको कमजोरीलाई केलाउँदै भनेका छन्, आज पूर्ण बहुमतमा भएको सरकारले त बाहिरका कम्पनीहरूसंग यसरी घुडा टेकिरहेको छ भने भविष्यमा एसडीएफ सरकारले कहाँ र कुन दुरावस्थामा पुऱ्याउऩे छ भन्ने बारे यस बन्दको आह्वानले छर्लङ्ग पारेको छ।
उनले अझ दोहोऱ्याएर भनेका छन, हामी जनताको हक र अधिकारको पक्षमा गरेको बन्द र अन्य कार्यक्रमको विरोधमा छैनौ तर स्वच्छ मनले जनतालाई नढाटी संचालन गरिएको हुनपर्छ।
सिक्किमलाई पर्यटनको क्षेत्रमा 20औं पुरस्कार
प्रविण खालिंग, कालिमन्युज, गान्तोक,1 अप्रेल। सिक्किमलाई पर्यटनको क्षेत्रमा फेरि एकपल्ट पुरस्कृत गरिएको छ। सिक्किमलाई वर्ष 2009-10 को निम्ति पर्यटनसित सम्बन्धीत योजना तथा बुनियादी सुविधाहरूको विकासको निम्ति प्रथम पुरस्कार प्राप्त भएको छ। राज्यका पर्यटन मंत्री भीम ढुंगेल, पर्यटन सचिव एसबीएस भदौरिया तथा नयाँ दिल्लीस्थित सिक्किम हाउसका मुख्य आवासीय आयुक्त अरविन्द कुमारले हिजो मुख्यमन्त्रीसित भेट गरेर पुरस्कारमा प्राप्त ट्राफी , प्रमाण पत्र सुम्पिए। पर्यटनको क्षेत्रमा सिक्किमले पाएको यो 20औं पुरस्कार हो।
मुख्यमन्त्री चामलिङले राज्यका पर्यटन मन्त्री अनि विभागीय अधिकारीलाई शुभकामना दिदै यो सबैको सामुहिक प्रयासको फल हो भनि बताए। उल्लेखनीय छ, यो पुरस्कार लोकसबा अध्यक्ष मीरा कुमारको हातबाट गत 28 मार्चको दिन नयाँ दिल्लीमा आयोजित नेशनल टुरिज्म अवार्ड समारोहमा प्रदान गरिएको थियो। यस अवसरमा केंद्रिय पर्यटन मन्त्री सुबोधकान्त सहाय तथा प्रयंका चोपडा पनि विशेष अतिथिको रूपमा उपस्थित थिए। पुरस्कार प्रधान आवसीय आयुक्तले सिक्किमको पक्षमा ग्रहण गरेका थिए।
सिक्किम बन्दको आह्वानमा व्यापक पोस्टरीङ
प्रविण खालिंग, कालिमन्युज, गान्तोक,1 अप्रेल। आगामी 4 र 5 अप्रेलको दिन सत्तारूढ एसडीएफ पार्टीको भातृसंगठन एसडीएलएफ द्वारा डाकिएको 48 घण्टे बन्दको निम्ति आम जनताको समर्थनको अपेक्षा गर्दै राज्यभरि पोस्टरिङ गरिएको छ। आज राजधानी गान्तोकको हरेक दोकानमा केन्द्रिय आयकरबाट मुक्त राखिनु पर्ने माग उल्लेखित पोस्टर लगाइएको पाइयो भने बाटो-घाटो र सडकको किनारमा रहेको पर्खालहरूमा एसडीएफको नाममा विभिन्न मागहरू उल्लेख गर्दै बन्दलाई सफल बनाउने आह्वान गरिएको पोस्टरहरूले राजधानी व्याप्त बनेको छ। अर्कोतिर राज्यको विभिन्न निजी इकाईहरूका स्थानीय कर्मचारीहरूले पनि बन्दको समर्थन गर्दै प्रेस विज्ञप्ति जारी गर्न थालेका छन् भने कही संस्थाहरूले भने विरोध गरिरहेका छन्। यसैगरि एसडीएफका विद्यार्थी प्रकोष्ठले पनि सबै शैक्षिक संस्थानहरूलाई ठप्प पार्ने आह्वान गरिसकेको छ।
राजभवन कर्मचारीद्वारा श्रद्धाञ्जलि अर्पण
प्रविण खालिंग, कालिमन्युज, गान्तोक,1 अप्रेल। राज्यका प्रथम महिला स्वर्गीय श्रीमती करूमा सिंहको निधनको पहिलो वार्षिकीमा यहाँको राजभवनका अधिकारी तता कर्मचारीहरूले उनको आत्माशान्तिको कामना साथै श्रद्धाञ्जलि अर्पण गरे। राजभवनबाट जारी विज्ञप्ति अनुसार राजभवनका कर्मचारीका परिवारहरूको विशेष उपस्थितिमा स्वर्गीय श्रीमती सिंहलाई श्रद्धाञ्जलि अर्पण गर्दै उनको तस्वीरमा श्रद्धा अर्पण गरियो। अर्कोतिर राज्यपाल बालमिक्की प्रसाद सिंह आफ्नो सपरिवार उत्तराखण्डको हरिद्वारमा स्वर्गीय पत्निको आत्मा शान्तिको कामना गर्दै विशेष पुजा अर्चनाको निम्ति गएका छन्। आज हरिद्वारमा उनको निम्ति विशेष पुजा आयोजन गरिएको विज्ञप्तिमा उल्लेख गरिएको छ। श्रीमती सिंह 11 अगस्त 1943 मा बोधगयामा जन्मिएकी थिइऩ भने उनको निधन 1 अप्रेल 2010 को दिन दिल्लीको अपोलो अस्पातालमा हृदयघातले भएको थियो।
No End In Sight For Japan Nuclear Crisis
Chris Talbot, 01 April, 2011: The Fukushima nuclear crisis has already run for three weeks with no end in sight. Nuclear experts warn that it may go on for years. Hironobu Unesaki, a nuclear engineering professor at Kyoto University said that the process of decommissioning Fukushima would take longer than at Three Mile Island.
Engineers are encountering entirely new problems. Some experts are suggesting it may take 30 years to make Fukushima safe.
“This is uncharted territory, a lot of new technology will be developed to deal with these reactors. The closest to this we have is Three Mile Island, where there was a partial core meltdown–I think about 40 percent. The clean-up process lasted from 1979 to 1993, so almost 15 years, and cost ￡1bn. That was ￡1bn in 1993 money, so obviously a lot more now”, Malcolm Grimston, an energy specialist at the UK think-tank Chatham House, told Channel 4 News.
“Also now we have got four reactors damaged, not just a single one like at Three Mile Island, and the complicating factor of what state the spent fuel is in the ponds. At the moment there are huge imponderables, but whatever happens, the answer is long and expensive”.
Three weeks into the crisis there is no sign that the reactors have been brought under control. Contamination levels point to a situation that is worsening from day to day. Water gathering in underground tunnels below reactor 2 is now said to be more than 10,000 times more radioactive than normal levels. Water samples taken from near reactor 1 were also found to have elevated levels of radioactivity.
Radiation in seawater near the plant was found to be 4,385 times the legal limit on Wednesday. On Tuesday it was 3,355 times that level and last weekend it rose from 1,250 to 1,850 times the legal limit. This rapid rise is attributed to the tons of water that have dropped on to the plant from helicopters and pumped in with hoses. The runoff cannot be contained.
“There’s definitely a conflict now between trying to keep the reactors cool and managing the contaminated waste water being generated by the operation”, said Ed Lyman of the Union of Concerned Scientists.
Airborne contamination is spreading. The International Atomic Energy Agency has advised Tokyo to increase the evacuation zone after harmful levels of radiation were detected at the village of Iitate 40 km (25 miles) away from the plant.
Village Mayor Norio Kanno said that he was “very worried” when he heard about the contamination. “But the government immediately informed us that there is no immediate harm to human health, so I was relieved”. Such assurances are of dubious value.
The official evacuation zone is a radius of only 20 km (12 miles). So far the government shows no sign of increasing the zone. The US has advised its citizens to stay 80 km (50 miles) away from the plant.
An estimated 1,000 bodies of people killed by the tsunami remain within the evacuation zone. They cannot be removed because of the radiation hazard and pose an increasing health hazard.
Heavy rainfall in the area is likely to increase the problems. It prevented a robot being used to spray resin that it is hoped will reduce the spread of radioactive material. The rain will increase the amount of runoff into the sea immediately. Many of the tunnels and channels are said to be within inches of overflowing already. A secondary effect will be to increase the amount of fallout from airborne radioactive material, with the result that animals grazing, vegetables and water supplies in the vicinity of the plant will be further contaminated.
Conditions for workers at the plant are increasingly dangerous. The media has little or no access to them. But it has emerged from emails that some of them are sleeping in the plant itself. In some cases they have lead sheets to sleep on. But not all the workers have them. They are camping in conference rooms and offices. Their meals are limited to two a day and consist of instant rice and crackers.
In a sign that the international ramifications of the nuclear crisis are spreading, President Nicholas Sarkozy arrived in Tokyo where he met with Prime Minister Naoto Kan. Sarkozy expressed France’s solidarity with the Japan and said that he would raise the question of the Fukushima nuclear crisis at the G8 summit.
Sarkozy’s concern is somewhat less than altruistic however. France is unique in relying on nuclear power for 80 percent of its electricity. Prime Minister Francois Fillon has ordered a safety audit at all 58 of France’s nuclear power stations. Those in heavily populated areas such Dunkerque will be subjected to special scrutiny.
André-Claude Lacoste, head of France’s Nuclear Safety Authority, startled French parliamentarians when he admitted, “Nobody can guarantee that there will never be a nuclear accident in France”.
Lacoste admitted at a parliamentary hearing that the French nuclear authorities had never taken possible natural disasters into account before in their safety planning. Yet there have been 1,700 noticeable earthquakes in France in the last 1,000 years.
Climate change would have to be factored into any risk assessments, Lacoste said, since it would increase the risk of flooding. “Seismic, tsunami or flooding hazards.... We must go back (to the power stations) given what’s happened in Japan”.
Only four French nuclear plants are on the coast–the rest draw their cooling water from rivers. Lacoste tried to reassure the French deputies that the Nuclear Safety Agency was planning for the risks that are now perceived.
“We could envisage setting up areas with emergency diesel supplies at all nuclear plants in France (or that) at plants along the coast, the diesel be stocked at the top of a cliff rather than at the bottom. That might appear extremely rudimentary but that’s typically the kind of question that must be asked”.
The nuclear industry in France is run by three largely state owned companies, Areva, GDF Suez and Électricité de France. The fact that these major companies have not already taken such basic measures when emergency cooling has been identified as a significant problem at nuclear power stations for over 30 years is astonishing. It reflects the fact that they are major export earners for France.
France accounts for 16 percent of global production of nuclear power. The USA accounts for 30 percent of the nuclear-generated electricity worldwide and generates 20 percent of its electricity from this source. Britain gets 20 percent of its electricity from nuclear power stations. Germany relies on nuclear power for 25 percent of its electricity. Japan gets 30 percent of its electricity from 50 nuclear power stations.
Underlying this network of nuclear power generation is a massive financial structure. The Fukushima crisis poses significant financial risks. Bank of America Merrill Lynch expects Tokyo Electric Power Company share holders to be wiped out by the mounting costs of Fukushima. Currently, the total cost is estimated at $133 billion (11 trillion yen). The figure is likely to rise as the scale of the disaster grows. Even this current figure, which is more than 4 times the company’s equity, is pushing the company to the point of bankruptcy. Tepco shares have fallen more than 70 percent, and 58 percent of the company’s value has been lost. The company was valued at 3.5 trillion yen before 11 March; its value is now 800 billion yen. Merrill assumes that the Japanese government will step in with a bailout for Tepco if bankruptcy is imminent."http://www.wsws.org/articles/2011/apr2011/fuku-a01.shtml"WSWS.org)
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