राशन र मट्टितेलमा कालोबजारी - घोटलामा डिलर र अधिकारीबीच सॉंठगॉंठ-तारा
The road is unlikely to be ready for traffic till tomorrow afternoon, Border Roads Organisation sources said. Earlier in the day, nearly 500 vehicles were held up for five hours because of debris on the road at 27th Mile and at Setijhora, 37km from Kalimpong.
Heavy rain lashed Calcutta and south Bengal, claiming seven lives and flattening several mud-built houses.
Weather officials said the districts could experience more rain for the next 48 hours but the situation should ease up in Calcutta by tomorrow afternoon.
Nashim Akhtar, a 35-year-old hawker, and his family members were asleep in their one-storied tin house in St Mary’s area when mud from the mountainside came down on the dwelling around 3.30am. “The wife, Meenaz Begum, was the only survivor as she had gone out to attend nature’s call at that very moment,” said D.P. Singh, the superintendent of police, Darjeeling. The police along with the fire brigade and the civil defence personnel arrived at the spot around 4.30am.
Nashim along with his son Mohammed Faisal, 7 and daughters 10-year-old Musurt Banu and 45-day-old Nusurt Banu were crushed to death in the bed, eye witnesses said.
On NH31A, the mudslides occurred at 27th Mile and near Setijhora, both in Kalimpong subdivision, between 6am and 7am. The BRO sources said the highway had been cleared of debris at Setijhora and the road on that stretch was opened to traffic at 6.30pm.
But the BRO workers had a tough time clearing the mud at 27th Mile, 25km from Kalimpong, and restoring traffic on the road because of a pick-up van that had got stuck in the slush. “Two cranes struggled to retrieve the van from the slush. We managed to clear the road by 12.30pm,” said a BRO source. Some of the commuters stuck in the vehicles walked across the mudslides to avail of transport on the other side. “Around 500 vehicles were left stranded on both sides of the highway,” said an eyewitness said. The third landslide occurred at Birik, between Setjhora and 27th Mile, around 7.30pm.
The highest rainfall in the past 24 hours was recorded in Cooch Behar with 54mm, followed by Kalimpong 38mm, Darjeeling 31.8mm and Gangtok 13mm. In Cooch Behar, the Torsha has eaten into the banks in the Takagachh-Rajarhat area. The panchayat pradhan of Karisal, Maksed Ali, claimed that at least 500 people were in fear of losing their homes and small patches of land if the erosion continued.
Hundreds homeless in flash flood
SNS, SILIGURI, 17 JUNE: At least 300 families were rendered homeless in a flash flood in the Pashchim Dhantala area of Dabgram-II gram panchayat in Jalpaiguri's Rajganj block early today.
River Mahananda was in spate after heavy rains in the Hills last night and the river breached its banks at many places, including the Dhantala area. The floodwaters gushed into the village where an embankment was unfinished, villager alleged.
Though floodwaters receded gradually at noon, flood victims are spending sleepless night fearing fresh flood. The local panchayat member, Mr Paresh Roy, said: “An embankment was under construction at Mahananda Barrage colony. It was decided that a sluice gate would be set up there but it was yet to be completed. Suddenly flood waters began gushing into the village through the incomplete part.”
Villagers were helpless when floodwaters rapidly inundated their homes. They were in no position to save their lives, belongings and cattle.
The Rajganj BDO, Mr Sutirtha Das, said: “Our officials visited the spot on receiving reports from gram panchayat. The water started receding from midday today. We are waiting for written report from our officials who visited the spot. We would request the Siliguri irrigation division to take up flood preventive measures there.” “We would provide relief materials to the victims through official process,” Mr Das added. The river Mahanada has lost its depth and capacity of carrying floodwaters due to heavy silt deposit, irrigation officials said. The SDO, Siliguri irrigation division, Mr SK Das, said: “ We would visit the spot to take further measures.” Owing to heavy rain, which was recorded at 26 mm in the Hills last night, the water level of the river touched 115.6 metre, far below the danger mark, today.
Mamata Cancels Delhi trip
मनोज वोगटी, कालिमयुज, कालेबुङ, 17 जून। देशलाई कहिल्यै निको नहुने रोग लागेको छ, त्यो हो भ्रष्टचार। अहिले केवल दुइजना अन्ना हजारे अनि रामदेवले भ्रष्टचारीहरूको पसीना काड़िरहेको छ। देशमा नै अहिले भ्र्रष्टचार विरूद्ध आन्दोलन चर्किरहेको बेला कालेबुङमा पनि दह्रोसित सामाजिक मुद्दाहरूको उठान गर्दै आइरहेका माकपा नेता तारा सुन्दासले अहिले राशन अनि मट्टितेलमा चल्दै आइरहेको कालोबजारको खुलासा गरेका छन्। सुन्दासले आरोप लगाएका छन्, कालेबुङ नगर र खण्ड-1 को निम्ति 1 लाख 11 हजार लिटर, अलगढ़ाको निम्ति 85 हजार लिटर, गोरूबथानको निम्ति 1 लाख 6 हजार लिटर आउनुपर्छ तर जति आउनुपर्ने त्यति आइरहेको छैन। उसो भए मट्टितेल कहॉं जान्छ? सुन्दासले भने, घोटाला यहीं छ।
कार्ड धारकहरूले पाउनुपर्ने मट्टितेल माथ्लो तहदेखि नै चुहुँदै आइरहेको अनि चुहेको मट्टितेल पेट्रोलमा मिसाउन विक्रि भइरहेको तिनको सोझो आरोप छ। सुन्दासले विभाग र डिलरले मिलेर यसमा घोटला गरिरहेको सोझै आरोप मात्र लगाएका छैनन्, तिनले आफ्नो आरोप गलत भए कानूनी कार्वाही गर्न सक्ने चुनौती समेत दिएका छन्। तिनले भने, पार्क होटलमा केही दिन अघि घोटाला गर्ने सम्बन्धमा सम्बन्धित विभागका उच्चअधिकारी अनि डिलरबीच लेनदेन भएको छ। मसित प्रमाण छ, कसरी र कति लेनदेन भएको छ। मट्टितेल पेट्रोलमा मिसाउन माथ्लो तहबाट नै चोरी भइरहेको आरोप त लगाइरहेकै छन्, तिनले अधिकारी पनि घोटलामा पूर्णरूपले लिप्त रहेको आरोप पनि लगाएका छन्।
तिनले लगाएको आरोप अनुसार घोटला गर्न सजिलोको निम्ति नै कालेबुङमा मट्टितेल सर्वराह गर्न बाग्राकोटका डिलर सतिशकुमार अग्रवाललाई डलरशीप दिइएको छ अनि अलगढ़ाको निम्ति दार्जीलिङका डिलर बालचन्द दुलिचन्दलाई दिएको छ। जब कि कालेबुङमा मट्टितेल सर्वराह गर्न स्थानीयहरूलाई नियुक्त गर्न पर्ने मागमा महकुमा अधिकारीले जिल्लापाललाई सर्वेक्षण रिपोर्ट 2004 मा नै बुझाएको छ। यसको निम्ति आवेदन गर्नेहरू पनि छन्। तरै पनि कसैलाई डिलरशीप दिएको छैन। लाखौं रुपियॉंको घोटला गर्नको निम्ति नै अधिकारीको मिलिभगत रहेको तिनले आरोप लगाएका हुन्।
तिनले कालेबुङका जम्मै पेट्रोलपम्पहरूमा मट्टितेल मिसाइएका पैट्रोल बिक्रि हुने भए पनि सरकारले 2005 मा जारीगरेको मिसावट अपराधीहरूलाई पक्राउ गर्नुपर्ने अधिनियमलाई अधिकारीहरूले वास्ता नै नगरेको पनि तिनको आरोप छ। तिनले भने, 1 ट्याङ्करमा केवल 6 हजार लिटर मट्टितेल बोकिन्छ, 1 लाख 11 हजार लिटर बोक्न कति ट्याङ्कर लाग्छ? खै त जम्मै मट्टितेल आइपुगेको? जब कि मट्टितेल महिनामा प्राय नै एकपल्ट वितरण गरिन्छ। जम्मै मट्टितेल धारकहरूले पाउनुपर्ने हो। यहॉं त अधिकारीले नै डिलरहरूसित मिलेर तेलमा कालो बजारी गरिरहेका छन्। अर्कोतिर सर्वेक्षण अनुसार कालेबुङमा 95 हजार 34 जनाको नाम बीपीएलको सूचीमा परेको छ 22 हजार 3 सय 4 जनाले बीपीएलको राशिन नै पाइरहेका छैनन्। जब कि उनीहरूले अन्य बीपीएलको सुविधा पाउँछन् भने राशन किन पाउँदैन? घोटलाको गन्ध यहॉंबाट पनि आउँछ। तिनले बीपीएलको सर्वेक्षणमा पनि सहीरूपले नभएको जनाएका छन्। सुन्दासले भने, गाड़ीको मालिक, टिचर अथवा एपीएल हुननुपर्नेहरू बीपीएलमा छन्। सर्वेक्षकहरूद्वारा आफ्नो मान्छे चेप्ने काम भएको छ। यसकारण बीपीएलको पुनः सर्वेक्षण हुनुपर्छ।
अर्कोतिर अन्नपूर्णको सहुलियत पाउनेहरूको नाम 1530 जना रहेको तर विभागले केवल 8 सय 22 जनालाई मात्र राशन दिने गरेको छ। यस्ता अन्य सहुलियत पाउनेहरूको नाम धेरै तर पाउने थोरै रहेको अनि यसैबीच घोटलाबाजहरूले कालो धन थुपार्ने सुयोग पाइरहेको तिनको आरोप छ। यी जम्मै विषयमा आज माकपा अनि गोरामुमो-सीले मुख्यमन्त्री ममता व्यानर्जीलाई ज्ञापन चढाएको कर्णल डी.के प्रधानले जनाएका छन्। ज्ञापनद्वारा चियाबारी अनि सिन्कोनाबारीका श्रमिकहरूलाई पनि बीपीएलको दर्जा दिइनुपर्ने माग गरिएको पनि तिनले जनाएका छन्।
Darjeeling loses Barfee slice - Basu says no more shoots in Queen of Hills
MRINALINI SHARMA AND PRATIM D. GUPTA, TT, Tindharia, June 17: Anurag Basu today said he would not shoot Barfee in Darjeeling, forwarding instead his Tindharia schedule before flying out of the hills for Mumbai on Sunday.
Basu’s schedule in Darjeeling was cut short yesterday because of “unmanageable crowds” and a war of words between his crew and the spectators.
“There was a lot of chaos in Darjeeling yesterday and we have decided not to shoot there. We were to leave by the end of this month but had to change our plans after yesterday’s incident. In fact, we wanted to leave immediately but tickets were available only for June 19. We will shoot again tomorrow but the location will be finalised only after a meeting with the team members this evening,” Basu said.
At Tindharia, 70km from Darjeeling town, Basu shot some wide-angle long shots today to establish the location. A few shots were also canned at the Tindharia railway station, the same location where Saif Ali Khan had shot for Parineeta.
According to a source in the shooting unit, the Tindharia shots were always meant to happen but later in the schedule. “These master shots will help us establish the backdrop of north Bengal and then we can merge them with indoor shots to be shot in Mumbai or elsewhere,” he said. “While it’s difficult to say how exactly Darjeeling or Tindharia will be used in Barfee, these shots will definitely be incorporated in the film.”
Residents of Tindharia watch the shooting. Picture by Kundan Yolmo
Basu was supposed to shoot in the hills with Ranbir and south star Ileana D’Cruz till June 26 and then shoot for a couple of days without the stars but now he has hastily organised a Mumbai schedule starting from June 22.
“We had plans of shooting in Mumbai anyway, so now I have to bring that forward and then think of what we can do about the Darjeeling shoot,” Basu said. Asked if his team would return to Darjeeling in the next phase after departing on Sunday, the director replied: “I really don’t know”.
Barfee is being co-produced by Anurag’s own company Ishaana Movies and UTV. It is the story of a deaf-and-mute boy played by Ranbir. Priyanka Chopra has the role of a mildly autistic girl with Ileana being the other woman in Ranbir’s life.
The shooting team is expected to camp in Calcutta at the end of September. A large contingent of security personnel — around 70 of them — consisting of police, IRB and the GRP were posted in Tindharia today during the shooting.
Basu was relieved with the crowd management though around 300 star-struck fans had gathered at the station to watch Ranbir Kapoor. “The shooting was good and has been going on smoothly. People here are listening to us,” Basu said.
Yesterday, the first brush with the crowd had occurred at 8.30am when a few students on their way to school were passing by the shooting site at the Mall in Darjeeling.
Basu had claimed that he had asked his crew to make way for the students but the crowd accused him of shouting at them. Some people from the crowd then asked him to apologise before shooting was allowed to resume. Basu said he had felt humiliated. The Gorkha Janmukti Morcha, which had offered to help manage the crowd, apologised to Basu.
However, oblivious to all the controversies in Darjeeling, the local people of Tindharia enjoyed their day with the stars. The morning shower gave way to a bright and sunny day — just suitable for the shoot.
“I am a big fan of Ranbir Kapoor and reached the location even before the crew arrived at 7am,” said 19-year-old Sandeep Tamang.
The DHR station in Tindharia, which is 131 years old now, was also shown in Sagina Mahato that had Dilip Kumar and Saira Banu in the cast and was released in 1970. Sixty-nine-year-old Harish Dewan arrived at the location around 11am to take a look at “Rishi Kapoor’s son”.
“People here told me that Rishi Kapoor’s son had come here to shoot for a movie so I came along to watch. His father was a good actor and he must be good as well. A few years back, Sharmila Tagore’s son had come here for a film shoot,” Dewan, a retired employee of Tindharia workshop of the DHR, said. There were some like 11-year-old Nikita Lakhandri, and her two elder brothers, who didn’t mind the “innumerable takes” as the toy train entered the station. They had been given “bit roles” as passengers in the toy train, the siblings said.
हिन्दी सिनेमामा नेपालीभाषीहरूलाई दरबान र चौकीदारको रुपमा मात्र प्रदर्शित गरिएको घटनामाथि विचलित अनि मर्माहत भएर चौरस्ता र डम्बरचोकमा फिल्म सिताराहरूको पुत्ला जलाउने जातिप्रेमी र संस्कृतिप्रेमीहरूका लागि एउटा सुनौलो मौका थियो आफूहरू चौकीदार र दरबानभन्दा धेरै माथि शिक्षित, सुसभ्य र सुसंस्कृत रहेको प्रमाणित गर्ने भारतभरिका गोर्खाहरूको राजधानी दार्जीलिङमा यसपालि| तर होइन यो सम्प्रदायलाई जुन दृश्यमा, जुन मानसिकता बोकेको रुपमा हिन्दी सिनेमामा प्रदर्शित गरिन्छ त्योभन्दा उच्च स्थानमा यो जातिलाई प्रतिनिधित्व गराउने व्यवहार छैन भनी सोह्र आना आश्वस्त बने यसपालि बलिउडका कर्मीहरू| 
होला, शुटिङको समय युनिटका कर्मीहरूबाट भूलचुक भयो होला अवश्यै| दूरदराजबाट आएका, तकनिकी जञ्जालमा फँसेको बेला युनिटकर्मीहरूबाट अपशब्द निस्के होलान् तर यसको भुक्तानस्वरुप मुम्बईबाट आएकी महिला कर्मीमाथि हातापाइको रुपमा गरिएको घटना यदि सत्य हो भने सो भूलको मूल्य दार्जीलिङले सदैव नकारात्मक रुपमै चुकाउनुपर्नेछ| शुटिङ शान्तिको प्रतिक हो| दार्जीलिङभन्दा मनोरम प्राकृतिक दृश्यले सजिएको काश्मिरमा आज शुटिङ हुँदैन किनभने त्यहॉं शान्ति छैन| दार्जीलिङको पर्यटकीय विकासमा बलिउड फिल्मको योगदान अविस्मरणीय छ| दार्जीलिङ आज विश्वमा परिचित बन्नमा मेरी सपनों की रानी कब आओगी तू.. जस्ता गीतहरूको पनि भूमिका उल्लेखयोग्य रहेको छ| कञ्चनजङ्घा त नेपाल र सिक्किमबाट पनि देखिन्छ तर किन पर्यटकहरू मोहित बन्छन् यस पहाड़की रानीको एकैपल्ट भए पनि दर्शन गरेरै मर्नका लागि |
KalimNews: NH31A closed again due to another landslide near Reang. It was closed from the yester morning near 27 mile and 2 other places and the road was cleared at noon though the traffic was regularised in the afternoon.Vivek Chhetri, Rajeev Ravidas, TT, Darjeeling/Kalimpong, June 17: Four members of a family in Kurseong, two of them children and the third a 45-day-old baby, were buried alive under debris from a landslide that followed a bout of torrential rain in the hills early this morning.
The rain also triggered mudslides at three places on National Highway 31A, the last one at Birik that cut off Sikkim from the rest of the country around 7.30pm.
कार्ड धारकहरूले पाउनुपर्ने मट्टितेल माथ्लो तहदेखि नै चुहुँदै आइरहेको अनि चुहेको मट्टितेल पेट्रोलमा मिसाउन विक्रि भइरहेको तिनको सोझो आरोप छ। सुन्दासले विभाग र डिलरले मिलेर यसमा घोटला गरिरहेको सोझै आरोप मात्र लगाएका छैनन्, तिनले आफ्नो आरोप गलत भए कानूनी कार्वाही गर्न सक्ने चुनौती समेत दिएका छन्। तिनले भने, पार्क होटलमा केही दिन अघि घोटाला गर्ने सम्बन्धमा सम्बन्धित विभागका उच्चअधिकारी अनि डिलरबीच लेनदेन भएको छ। मसित प्रमाण छ, कसरी र कति लेनदेन भएको छ। मट्टितेल पेट्रोलमा मिसाउन माथ्लो तहबाट नै चोरी भइरहेको आरोप त लगाइरहेकै छन्, तिनले अधिकारी पनि घोटलामा पूर्णरूपले लिप्त रहेको आरोप पनि लगाएका छन्।
तिनले लगाएको आरोप अनुसार घोटला गर्न सजिलोको निम्ति नै कालेबुङमा मट्टितेल सर्वराह गर्न बाग्राकोटका डिलर सतिशकुमार अग्रवाललाई डलरशीप दिइएको छ अनि अलगढ़ाको निम्ति दार्जीलिङका डिलर बालचन्द दुलिचन्दलाई दिएको छ। जब कि कालेबुङमा मट्टितेल सर्वराह गर्न स्थानीयहरूलाई नियुक्त गर्न पर्ने मागमा महकुमा अधिकारीले जिल्लापाललाई सर्वेक्षण रिपोर्ट 2004 मा नै बुझाएको छ। यसको निम्ति आवेदन गर्नेहरू पनि छन्। तरै पनि कसैलाई डिलरशीप दिएको छैन। लाखौं रुपियॉंको घोटला गर्नको निम्ति नै अधिकारीको मिलिभगत रहेको तिनले आरोप लगाएका हुन्।
तिनले कालेबुङका जम्मै पेट्रोलपम्पहरूमा मट्टितेल मिसाइएका पैट्रोल बिक्रि हुने भए पनि सरकारले 2005 मा जारीगरेको मिसावट अपराधीहरूलाई पक्राउ गर्नुपर्ने अधिनियमलाई अधिकारीहरूले वास्ता नै नगरेको पनि तिनको आरोप छ। तिनले भने, 1 ट्याङ्करमा केवल 6 हजार लिटर मट्टितेल बोकिन्छ, 1 लाख 11 हजार लिटर बोक्न कति ट्याङ्कर लाग्छ? खै त जम्मै मट्टितेल आइपुगेको? जब कि मट्टितेल महिनामा प्राय नै एकपल्ट वितरण गरिन्छ। जम्मै मट्टितेल धारकहरूले पाउनुपर्ने हो। यहॉं त अधिकारीले नै डिलरहरूसित मिलेर तेलमा कालो बजारी गरिरहेका छन्। अर्कोतिर सर्वेक्षण अनुसार कालेबुङमा 95 हजार 34 जनाको नाम बीपीएलको सूचीमा परेको छ 22 हजार 3 सय 4 जनाले बीपीएलको राशिन नै पाइरहेका छैनन्। जब कि उनीहरूले अन्य बीपीएलको सुविधा पाउँछन् भने राशन किन पाउँदैन? घोटलाको गन्ध यहॉंबाट पनि आउँछ। तिनले बीपीएलको सर्वेक्षणमा पनि सहीरूपले नभएको जनाएका छन्। सुन्दासले भने, गाड़ीको मालिक, टिचर अथवा एपीएल हुननुपर्नेहरू बीपीएलमा छन्। सर्वेक्षकहरूद्वारा आफ्नो मान्छे चेप्ने काम भएको छ। यसकारण बीपीएलको पुनः सर्वेक्षण हुनुपर्छ।
अर्कोतिर अन्नपूर्णको सहुलियत पाउनेहरूको नाम 1530 जना रहेको तर विभागले केवल 8 सय 22 जनालाई मात्र राशन दिने गरेको छ। यस्ता अन्य सहुलियत पाउनेहरूको नाम धेरै तर पाउने थोरै रहेको अनि यसैबीच घोटलाबाजहरूले कालो धन थुपार्ने सुयोग पाइरहेको तिनको आरोप छ। यी जम्मै विषयमा आज माकपा अनि गोरामुमो-सीले मुख्यमन्त्री ममता व्यानर्जीलाई ज्ञापन चढाएको कर्णल डी.के प्रधानले जनाएका छन्। ज्ञापनद्वारा चियाबारी अनि सिन्कोनाबारीका श्रमिकहरूलाई पनि बीपीएलको दर्जा दिइनुपर्ने माग गरिएको पनि तिनले जनाएका छन्।
Darjeeling loses Barfee slice - Basu says no more shoots in Queen of Hills
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| Ranbir Kapoor while shooting at the Tindharia station. Picture by Kundan Yolmo> |
MRINALINI SHARMA AND PRATIM D. GUPTA, TT, Tindharia, June 17: Anurag Basu today said he would not shoot Barfee in Darjeeling, forwarding instead his Tindharia schedule before flying out of the hills for Mumbai on Sunday.
Basu’s schedule in Darjeeling was cut short yesterday because of “unmanageable crowds” and a war of words between his crew and the spectators.
“There was a lot of chaos in Darjeeling yesterday and we have decided not to shoot there. We were to leave by the end of this month but had to change our plans after yesterday’s incident. In fact, we wanted to leave immediately but tickets were available only for June 19. We will shoot again tomorrow but the location will be finalised only after a meeting with the team members this evening,” Basu said.
At Tindharia, 70km from Darjeeling town, Basu shot some wide-angle long shots today to establish the location. A few shots were also canned at the Tindharia railway station, the same location where Saif Ali Khan had shot for Parineeta.
According to a source in the shooting unit, the Tindharia shots were always meant to happen but later in the schedule. “These master shots will help us establish the backdrop of north Bengal and then we can merge them with indoor shots to be shot in Mumbai or elsewhere,” he said. “While it’s difficult to say how exactly Darjeeling or Tindharia will be used in Barfee, these shots will definitely be incorporated in the film.”
Residents of Tindharia watch the shooting. Picture by Kundan Yolmo
Basu was supposed to shoot in the hills with Ranbir and south star Ileana D’Cruz till June 26 and then shoot for a couple of days without the stars but now he has hastily organised a Mumbai schedule starting from June 22.
“We had plans of shooting in Mumbai anyway, so now I have to bring that forward and then think of what we can do about the Darjeeling shoot,” Basu said. Asked if his team would return to Darjeeling in the next phase after departing on Sunday, the director replied: “I really don’t know”.
Barfee is being co-produced by Anurag’s own company Ishaana Movies and UTV. It is the story of a deaf-and-mute boy played by Ranbir. Priyanka Chopra has the role of a mildly autistic girl with Ileana being the other woman in Ranbir’s life.
The shooting team is expected to camp in Calcutta at the end of September. A large contingent of security personnel — around 70 of them — consisting of police, IRB and the GRP were posted in Tindharia today during the shooting.
Basu was relieved with the crowd management though around 300 star-struck fans had gathered at the station to watch Ranbir Kapoor. “The shooting was good and has been going on smoothly. People here are listening to us,” Basu said.
Yesterday, the first brush with the crowd had occurred at 8.30am when a few students on their way to school were passing by the shooting site at the Mall in Darjeeling.
Basu had claimed that he had asked his crew to make way for the students but the crowd accused him of shouting at them. Some people from the crowd then asked him to apologise before shooting was allowed to resume. Basu said he had felt humiliated. The Gorkha Janmukti Morcha, which had offered to help manage the crowd, apologised to Basu.
However, oblivious to all the controversies in Darjeeling, the local people of Tindharia enjoyed their day with the stars. The morning shower gave way to a bright and sunny day — just suitable for the shoot.
“I am a big fan of Ranbir Kapoor and reached the location even before the crew arrived at 7am,” said 19-year-old Sandeep Tamang.
The DHR station in Tindharia, which is 131 years old now, was also shown in Sagina Mahato that had Dilip Kumar and Saira Banu in the cast and was released in 1970. Sixty-nine-year-old Harish Dewan arrived at the location around 11am to take a look at “Rishi Kapoor’s son”.
“People here told me that Rishi Kapoor’s son had come here to shoot for a movie so I came along to watch. His father was a good actor and he must be good as well. A few years back, Sharmila Tagore’s son had come here for a film shoot,” Dewan, a retired employee of Tindharia workshop of the DHR, said. There were some like 11-year-old Nikita Lakhandri, and her two elder brothers, who didn’t mind the “innumerable takes” as the toy train entered the station. They had been given “bit roles” as passengers in the toy train, the siblings said.
बलिउडदेखि पातलेबॉंस
दार्जीलिङको इतिहासमा अमेट छाप
पहाड़की रानी दार्जीलिङमा बर्फी फिल्मको शुटिङ रद्द भएपछि यस क्षेत्रको सुनाममा एउटा अमेट धब्बा लागेको छ|
कतिजना नाम कमाएर प्रसिद्ध बन्छन् कति बदनाम बनेर चिनिन्छन्| भनिन्छ दूध दिने गाईको लात्ती पनि सहनुपर्छ तर यहॉं यस्तो भएन यहॉं त उल्टो गौमातालाई लात्तीले हिर्काउने काम भयो अनि अन्त्यमा त्यही भयो जो नहुनुपर्ने थियो| गत १६ जूनको बिहान ५ बजीदेखि दार्जीलिङको चौरस्तामा प्रख्यात चलचित्र निर्देशक अनुराग बासुको निर्माणाधीन फिल्म बर्फी-को शुटिङको तयारी चटलिरहेको बेला गाउँ-बस्ती-कमान-टाउन सर्वत्रबाट चलचित्रका नायक अथवा चकलेटी हिरो रणवीर कपुरका प्रशंसकहरूको ओइरो लाग्न थाल्यो - जो स्वाभाविक हो| यसपालि दार्जीलिङलाई आधार गरेर शुरु भइरहेको सिनेमाका प्रमुख कलाकारहरू हुन् नायक रणवीर कपुर, नायिका प्रियङ्का चोपड़ा अनि सह-अभिनेता इलिना डिक्रुज|
घटनाअनुसार, १६ जूनको बिहान घमाइलो वातावरणमा विशेष गरी स्कूले छात्र-छात्राहरूको हिँड़डुलको कारण शुटिङमा बाधा उत्पन्न हुन थाल्यो| क्यामेराको फ्रेमभित्र अनावश्यक मानिसहरूको प्रवेशले शुटिङ कर्मीहरू दिक्क भएर भीड़लाई नियन्त्रण गर्ने प्रयास गर्न थाल्दा मुखामुखी द्वन्द्व चल्न थाल्यो जसको परिणामस्वरुप बलिउडका चर्चित सिनेमाहरू मर्डर, ग्याङस्टर्स, लाइफ इन ए मेट्रो, काइट्स -को निर्देशन गरिसकेका युवा निर्देशक अनुराग बासु पुग्नुपर्यो पातलेबॉंस जहॉं उनले राजनीतिक दलका नेताको शरण लिनुपर्यो|
शिर्ष राजनीतिक नेता अनि उनका सहायकहरुको प्रतिश्रुति पाएर अघि बाधित बनेको शुटिङ कार्य पुनः शुरु भए तापनि फेरि अनियन्त्रित भीड़ -को नाममा आम-मानिसहरूले शुटिङ कार्यमा दखल दिन थालेको कारण दिनभरिको तालिका नै रद्द गर्नुपर्यो| यति मात्रै होइन बासुले शुटिङ तालिकालाई पुनः विचार गरेर यसलाई छोट्याउने निर्णय लिँदै दार्जीलिङको नमिठो छाप आफ्नो हृदयमा रोप्नुपर्यो| जुन ठाउँमा अघि घुम्न आउँदा उनी मोहित बनेका थिए अनि यहीँ बसेर बर्फी -को कथानक तयार गरेका थिए त्यसै ठाउँमा आफ्नो सपना साकार तुल्याउन आउने लब्धप्रतिष्ठ युवा फिल्मकार लज्जित हुनुपर्यो| यसैले उनले मुम्बईको फिल्म सिटी स्टुडियोमा नक्कली दार्जीलिङको निर्माण गरेर रहल शुटिङ कार्य उतै सिध्याउने आफैलाई चित्त नपर्ने निर्णय लिनुपर्यो| पहाड़ी मानिसहरू अथवा नेपालीभाषीहरूको परिचय मृदुभाषी, सहयोगी, मिलनसार, हँसमुख, उत्साही, जोशिला, इमानदार, बफादार भनेर दिइन्छ| यति मात्रै होइन अतिथि देवः भवः भनेर पाहुनापातलाई ससम्मान स्वागत जनाउँदै चिया-चमेना खुवाउने परम्पराको धनी यो जाति हो| आफू भोको पेट बसेर अतिथिलाई पहिले ज्यूनार गराउने यो समुदाय| तर दार्जीलिङले आफ्नो गरिमा र मर्यादामा चोट पुर्याउने जुन काम गर्यो यसपालि सो आजको सभ्य, सचेत अनि शिक्षित समाजलाई कदापि शोभा दिँदैन|
शिर्ष राजनीतिक नेता अनि उनका सहायकहरुको प्रतिश्रुति पाएर अघि बाधित बनेको शुटिङ कार्य पुनः शुरु भए तापनि फेरि अनियन्त्रित भीड़ -को नाममा आम-मानिसहरूले शुटिङ कार्यमा दखल दिन थालेको कारण दिनभरिको तालिका नै रद्द गर्नुपर्यो| यति मात्रै होइन बासुले शुटिङ तालिकालाई पुनः विचार गरेर यसलाई छोट्याउने निर्णय लिँदै दार्जीलिङको नमिठो छाप आफ्नो हृदयमा रोप्नुपर्यो| जुन ठाउँमा अघि घुम्न आउँदा उनी मोहित बनेका थिए अनि यहीँ बसेर बर्फी -को कथानक तयार गरेका थिए त्यसै ठाउँमा आफ्नो सपना साकार तुल्याउन आउने लब्धप्रतिष्ठ युवा फिल्मकार लज्जित हुनुपर्यो| यसैले उनले मुम्बईको फिल्म सिटी स्टुडियोमा नक्कली दार्जीलिङको निर्माण गरेर रहल शुटिङ कार्य उतै सिध्याउने आफैलाई चित्त नपर्ने निर्णय लिनुपर्यो| पहाड़ी मानिसहरू अथवा नेपालीभाषीहरूको परिचय मृदुभाषी, सहयोगी, मिलनसार, हँसमुख, उत्साही, जोशिला, इमानदार, बफादार भनेर दिइन्छ| यति मात्रै होइन अतिथि देवः भवः भनेर पाहुनापातलाई ससम्मान स्वागत जनाउँदै चिया-चमेना खुवाउने परम्पराको धनी यो जाति हो| आफू भोको पेट बसेर अतिथिलाई पहिले ज्यूनार गराउने यो समुदाय| तर दार्जीलिङले आफ्नो गरिमा र मर्यादामा चोट पुर्याउने जुन काम गर्यो यसपालि सो आजको सभ्य, सचेत अनि शिक्षित समाजलाई कदापि शोभा दिँदैन| 
होला, शुटिङको समय युनिटका कर्मीहरूबाट भूलचुक भयो होला अवश्यै| दूरदराजबाट आएका, तकनिकी जञ्जालमा फँसेको बेला युनिटकर्मीहरूबाट अपशब्द निस्के होलान् तर यसको भुक्तानस्वरुप मुम्बईबाट आएकी महिला कर्मीमाथि हातापाइको रुपमा गरिएको घटना यदि सत्य हो भने सो भूलको मूल्य दार्जीलिङले सदैव नकारात्मक रुपमै चुकाउनुपर्नेछ| शुटिङ शान्तिको प्रतिक हो| दार्जीलिङभन्दा मनोरम प्राकृतिक दृश्यले सजिएको काश्मिरमा आज शुटिङ हुँदैन किनभने त्यहॉं शान्ति छैन| दार्जीलिङको पर्यटकीय विकासमा बलिउड फिल्मको योगदान अविस्मरणीय छ| दार्जीलिङ आज विश्वमा परिचित बन्नमा मेरी सपनों की रानी कब आओगी तू.. जस्ता गीतहरूको पनि भूमिका उल्लेखयोग्य रहेको छ| कञ्चनजङ्घा त नेपाल र सिक्किमबाट पनि देखिन्छ तर किन पर्यटकहरू मोहित बन्छन् यस पहाड़की रानीको एकैपल्ट भए पनि दर्शन गरेरै मर्नका लागि | यहॉंका मानिसहरूको सुव्यवहार र अनुशासनबद्ध हावभावकै कारण देश-विदेशका पर्यटकहरू यहॉं ओइरिने गर्छन् | विगतमा यहॉं शुटिङ भएका सुप्रसिद्ध बलिउड फिल्महरूले दार्जीलिङे प्राकृतिक सौन्दर्य र स्थानीय आममानिसहरूको सोझोपनलाई जुन प्रकारले फिल्माएका छन् त्यसले यहॉंको सुवासना विश्वव्यापी रुपमा छरिनमा खूब मद्दत मिलेको सत्यलाई कसैले नकार्न सक्तैन|
दार्जीलिङ-कालेबुङमा आजसम्म छायाङ्कन गरिएका प्रख्यात हिन्दी चलचित्रहरू हुन्-
कलाकार सिनेमाको नाम
देव आनन्द, आशा पारेख जब प्यार किसीसे होता है (१९६१)
मनोज कुमार, माला सिन्हा हरियाली और रास्ता (१९६२)
शम्मी कपुर, कल्पना प्रोफेसर(१९६२)
धर्मेन्द्र, आशा पारेख आये दिन बहार के (१९६६)
राजकुमार, सुनील दत्त हमराज (१९६७)
राजेन्द्र कुमार, सायरा बानो झुक गया आसमान (१९६८)
बिनोद खन्ना, लिना चन्द्रावकर मन का मीत (१९६८)
देव आनन्द, आशा पारेख महल (१९६९)
राजेश खन्ना, शर्मिला टैगोर आराधना (१९६९)
दिलिप कुमार, सायरा बानो सगिना महतो (१९७१)
रिसी कपुर, सिम्मी मेरा नाम जोकर (१९७१)
देव आनन्द, जाहिदा गैम्बलर (१९७१)
देव आनन्द, हेमा मालिनी, राखी जोशिला (१९७३)
सञ्जीव कुमार, शर्मिला टैगोर चरित्रहीन (१९७४)
देव आनन्द, जीनत अमान, कबिर वेदी इश्क, इश्क, इश्क (१९७४)
सञ्जीव कुमार, शर्मिला टैगोर मौसम (१९७५)
अमिताभ बच्चन, रेखा दो अञ्जाने (१९७६)
राजेश खन्ना, सिम्पल कपाड़िया अनुरोध (१९७७)
बिनोद खन्ना, शबाना आजमी, डैनी लहू के दो रंग (१९७९)
नवीन निश्चल, शबाना, अनील कपूर एक बार कहो (१९८०)
अमिताभ बच्चन, राखी, अमजद खान बरसात की एक रात (१९८१)
शाहरुख खान, जुही चावला राजु बन गया जेन्टलम्यान (१९९२)
आदित्य पञ्चोली, पूजा भट्ट चोर और चांद (१९९३)
शाहरुख खान, सुष्मिता सेन,सुनील सेट्टी मैं हूँ ना (२००४)
सइफ अली, विद्या बालन, सञ्जय दत्त परिणिता (२००५)
Road blocked- 4 Dead in Kurseong |
| Photo: Mukesh Sharma |
The rain also triggered mudslides at three places on National Highway 31A, the last one at Birik that cut off Sikkim from the rest of the country around 7.30pm.
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| Photo: Mukesh Sharma |
Heavy rain lashed Calcutta and south Bengal, claiming seven lives and flattening several mud-built houses.
Weather officials said the districts could experience more rain for the next 48 hours but the situation should ease up in Calcutta by tomorrow afternoon.
Nashim Akhtar, a 35-year-old hawker, and his family members were asleep in their one-storied tin house in St Mary’s area when mud from the mountainside came down on the dwelling around 3.30am. “The wife, Meenaz Begum, was the only survivor as she had gone out to attend nature’s call at that very moment,” said D.P. Singh, the superintendent of police, Darjeeling. The police along with the fire brigade and the civil defence personnel arrived at the spot around 4.30am.
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| The house of Nashim Akhtar. (Suman Tamang) |
On NH31A, the mudslides occurred at 27th Mile and near Setijhora, both in Kalimpong subdivision, between 6am and 7am. The BRO sources said the highway had been cleared of debris at Setijhora and the road on that stretch was opened to traffic at 6.30pm.
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| The ruins of Nashim Akhtar’s house. (Suman Tamang) |
The highest rainfall in the past 24 hours was recorded in Cooch Behar with 54mm, followed by Kalimpong 38mm, Darjeeling 31.8mm and Gangtok 13mm. In Cooch Behar, the Torsha has eaten into the banks in the Takagachh-Rajarhat area. The panchayat pradhan of Karisal, Maksed Ali, claimed that at least 500 people were in fear of losing their homes and small patches of land if the erosion continued.
Hundreds homeless in flash flood
SNS, SILIGURI, 17 JUNE: At least 300 families were rendered homeless in a flash flood in the Pashchim Dhantala area of Dabgram-II gram panchayat in Jalpaiguri's Rajganj block early today.
River Mahananda was in spate after heavy rains in the Hills last night and the river breached its banks at many places, including the Dhantala area. The floodwaters gushed into the village where an embankment was unfinished, villager alleged.
Though floodwaters receded gradually at noon, flood victims are spending sleepless night fearing fresh flood. The local panchayat member, Mr Paresh Roy, said: “An embankment was under construction at Mahananda Barrage colony. It was decided that a sluice gate would be set up there but it was yet to be completed. Suddenly flood waters began gushing into the village through the incomplete part.”
Villagers were helpless when floodwaters rapidly inundated their homes. They were in no position to save their lives, belongings and cattle.
The Rajganj BDO, Mr Sutirtha Das, said: “Our officials visited the spot on receiving reports from gram panchayat. The water started receding from midday today. We are waiting for written report from our officials who visited the spot. We would request the Siliguri irrigation division to take up flood preventive measures there.” “We would provide relief materials to the victims through official process,” Mr Das added. The river Mahanada has lost its depth and capacity of carrying floodwaters due to heavy silt deposit, irrigation officials said. The SDO, Siliguri irrigation division, Mr SK Das, said: “ We would visit the spot to take further measures.” Owing to heavy rain, which was recorded at 26 mm in the Hills last night, the water level of the river touched 115.6 metre, far below the danger mark, today.
Mamata Cancels Delhi trip
TT, Calcutta, June 17: Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee has postponed her trip to Delhi tomorrow because of the ongoing rains across the state and cancelled leaves of officials of the Calcutta Municipal Corporation to handle inclement weather .
“I am not going to Delhi on Saturday or Sunday. I will go on Monday. I have a meeting lined up in Delhi with Union finance minister Pranab Mukherjee and planning commission,” she said before leaving Writers’ Buildings tonight.
The chief minister said leaves of all officials related to management of inclement weather in the CMC had been cancelled.
“We have cancelled all leaves of officials of Calcutta Municipal Corporation who are associated with management of situation arising out of inclement weather. District officials have also been alerted. The inclement weather has been continuing since last night. The chief secretary is still in Writers’ Buildings and held talks with the disaster management officials as well as the navy,” said Mamata. She urged people not to panic and take the situation “sportingly”.
The chief minister said about 25 trawlers were missing in the choppy seas. “Often trawlers stray to Bangladesh waters. I spoke to Bangladesh government yesterday and urged them to treat any fishermen who might have strayed to Bangladesh waters with a human approach.”
Mamata said as Saturday and Sunday would be holidays, people would suffer less.
“The cyclone Aila had struck in 2009. So, please be alert and don’t panic. I have asked the DVC not to release any water from their dams.”
Mamata said she had spoken to the ministers of the fire services, disaster management, fisheries and irrigation departments and alerted them.
South 24-Parganas district officials said 25 trawlers with at least 250 fishermen were missing in the Bay of Bengal off Kakdwip, Namkhana, Patharpratima and Basanti. “Three other trawlers had been located near Bangladesh,” said a senior district official.
“I am not going to Delhi on Saturday or Sunday. I will go on Monday. I have a meeting lined up in Delhi with Union finance minister Pranab Mukherjee and planning commission,” she said before leaving Writers’ Buildings tonight.
The chief minister said leaves of all officials related to management of inclement weather in the CMC had been cancelled.
“We have cancelled all leaves of officials of Calcutta Municipal Corporation who are associated with management of situation arising out of inclement weather. District officials have also been alerted. The inclement weather has been continuing since last night. The chief secretary is still in Writers’ Buildings and held talks with the disaster management officials as well as the navy,” said Mamata. She urged people not to panic and take the situation “sportingly”.
The chief minister said about 25 trawlers were missing in the choppy seas. “Often trawlers stray to Bangladesh waters. I spoke to Bangladesh government yesterday and urged them to treat any fishermen who might have strayed to Bangladesh waters with a human approach.”
Mamata said as Saturday and Sunday would be holidays, people would suffer less.
“The cyclone Aila had struck in 2009. So, please be alert and don’t panic. I have asked the DVC not to release any water from their dams.”
Mamata said she had spoken to the ministers of the fire services, disaster management, fisheries and irrigation departments and alerted them.
South 24-Parganas district officials said 25 trawlers with at least 250 fishermen were missing in the Bay of Bengal off Kakdwip, Namkhana, Patharpratima and Basanti. “Three other trawlers had been located near Bangladesh,” said a senior district official.
2 Bison raid tea garden 1 dies
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| The bison that was darted by the foresters on Friday. Picture by Biplab Basak |
TT, Alipurduar, June 17: Two bison raided a tea garden in Dhupguri block today and wreaked havoc for four hours. While one bison was driven back into the Diana forest, the other one died after being tranquillised by forest guards.
Three bison had rampaged through a nearby garden yesterday and foresters believe that of them, two descended on Kalabari tea estate this morning. The guards had driven back the two animals into the Diana forest from where they had entered Mongolkata Tea Estate yesterday.
The two bison were found in the Kalabari garden. 90km from Alipurduar, around 5.30am.
“Our night guards who were on duty to prevent elephants from entering the garden spotted the two bison. Three hours later, the chowkidars and other workers gathered and shouted at the animals. As the people threw stones also, the bison were frightened and started running aimlessly. After sometime, foresters also reached the estate and joined the garden dwellers in chasing the bison back to the forest,” said estate manager J.S. Nathawat.
As all labourers gathered to drive the animals out of their habitat, there was no work in the garden for two hours. One bison went back to the forest after crossing the Diana river. The other animal ran around the plantation and even damaged a hut of Chandan Oraon in Beech Line.
“Around 12.30pm, the foresters fired a dart at the bison. One more dart was fired and the animal fell on the ground. The tranquillised bison was loaded into a vehicle for its release in the Moraghat forest in the Jalpaiguri forest division. But the animal died on the way to the forest,” said a forest officer.
The guards did not take the darted bison to the nearby forest as the Diana river was overflowing in the monsoon.
Three bison had raided Mongolkata Tea Estate yesterday. Two of them were driven back into the Diana forest, while one went on the rampage in the garden, injuring six people, including a guard and boy. Foresters later tranquillised the bison and released it in the Diana forest.
“We thought that the two bison had gone back to the forest. But they apparently hid in bushes and entered the Kalabari garden today,’ said forest officer.
The Kalabari and Mongolkata tea gardens are just 3km apart.
Kalyan Das, the Jalpaiguri divisional forest officer, said: “Although we could drive one bison back into the forest, the other one died after the tranquillisation. Nobody was injured when the animal went on the rampage today.”
A three-year-old female rhino was found gored to death, possibly by a male, on the banks of the Jaldhaka river close to the Gorumara National Park on Friday morning. The divisional forest officer (wildlife) of Jalpaiguri, Sumita Ghatak, said there were 37 rhinos in the park. “While 34 of them are fully mature, the others are young. The sex-ratio for rhinos is three females for every male, but the ratio is just the opposite in Gorumara.” The DFO (territory) Kalyan Das said the dead rhino might have been attacked by a male. “It seems that the female died while fighting a male in season.” Picture by Biplab Basak he said. The rhino death has forced nature lovers to pose questions on the habitat.
Three bison had rampaged through a nearby garden yesterday and foresters believe that of them, two descended on Kalabari tea estate this morning. The guards had driven back the two animals into the Diana forest from where they had entered Mongolkata Tea Estate yesterday.
The two bison were found in the Kalabari garden. 90km from Alipurduar, around 5.30am.
“Our night guards who were on duty to prevent elephants from entering the garden spotted the two bison. Three hours later, the chowkidars and other workers gathered and shouted at the animals. As the people threw stones also, the bison were frightened and started running aimlessly. After sometime, foresters also reached the estate and joined the garden dwellers in chasing the bison back to the forest,” said estate manager J.S. Nathawat.
As all labourers gathered to drive the animals out of their habitat, there was no work in the garden for two hours. One bison went back to the forest after crossing the Diana river. The other animal ran around the plantation and even damaged a hut of Chandan Oraon in Beech Line.
“Around 12.30pm, the foresters fired a dart at the bison. One more dart was fired and the animal fell on the ground. The tranquillised bison was loaded into a vehicle for its release in the Moraghat forest in the Jalpaiguri forest division. But the animal died on the way to the forest,” said a forest officer.
The guards did not take the darted bison to the nearby forest as the Diana river was overflowing in the monsoon.
Three bison had raided Mongolkata Tea Estate yesterday. Two of them were driven back into the Diana forest, while one went on the rampage in the garden, injuring six people, including a guard and boy. Foresters later tranquillised the bison and released it in the Diana forest.
“We thought that the two bison had gone back to the forest. But they apparently hid in bushes and entered the Kalabari garden today,’ said forest officer.
The Kalabari and Mongolkata tea gardens are just 3km apart.
Kalyan Das, the Jalpaiguri divisional forest officer, said: “Although we could drive one bison back into the forest, the other one died after the tranquillisation. Nobody was injured when the animal went on the rampage today.”
A three-year-old female rhino was found gored to death, possibly by a male, on the banks of the Jaldhaka river close to the Gorumara National Park on Friday morning. The divisional forest officer (wildlife) of Jalpaiguri, Sumita Ghatak, said there were 37 rhinos in the park. “While 34 of them are fully mature, the others are young. The sex-ratio for rhinos is three females for every male, but the ratio is just the opposite in Gorumara.” The DFO (territory) Kalyan Das said the dead rhino might have been attacked by a male. “It seems that the female died while fighting a male in season.” Picture by Biplab Basak he said. The rhino death has forced nature lovers to pose questions on the habitat. Road blocked
TT, Alipurduar: Members of the Trinamul Chhatra Parishad organised a blockade at Alipurduar College Halt and Court Halt for an hour on Friday protesting the arrest of one of their supporters. Surya Dutta was arrested on Thursday for allegedly misbehaving with the principal of the college, Subrata Panchanan, during an agitation last week.
Tusker kills 1
TT, Siliguri: A 40-year-old resident of Merryview Tea Estate in Naxalbari block was trampled to death by a tusker in the Bagdogra forest on Friday morning. Kumar Rautia, a garden worker, had gone to the nearby forest to collect mushrooms when the animal attacked him. Tea clones for lean season
TT, Siliguri, June 17: The Assam-based Tea Research Association has started work to develop “clones” so that new leaves can be produced for at least one more month than the usual season. The aim of the project is to help planters who are left idle for three-four months every winter when tea plants stop yielding new leaves from November onwards.
Mridul Hazarika, the director of TRA which is celebrating its centenary this year, told The Telegraph that apart from the research to make more products out of tea (like biscuits), the association’s scientists were engaged in developing “clones” that would grow also in the lean season.
For tea, winter is the lean season. At this time the bushes are pruned and prepared for the new season.
“An important research work that we have taken up is development of new clones or saplings which could yield tealeaves over an increased period of time every year so that the three-month long lean or dormancy period can be brought down by a fortnight or a month,” Hazarika said. “Once we succeed in developing such clones and introduce them in the tea industry, it will compensate the losses suffered by planters during the lean season. They can produce tea over a period of nine to ten months then, unlike now when it is only eight to nine months.”
The TRA, which is engaged in the research of pest control, is also working for improvement of yield in the Darjeeling hills.
“The total production of Darjeeling tea from the 70-odd gardens has come down to eight million kilos from 10 million in the past few years,” the TRA director said. “We need to check this declining trend in quantity. Researches are in progress to raise the yield. Also, it is important to use state-of-the-art machinery in tea estates to ensure production of good quantity and quality of tea.”
Hazarika also advocated the limited use of pesticides to ensure quality production. Stakeholders in tea industry have welcomed the initiative of the TRA to develop clones that can bring down the lean season.
“The long lean season has always been a cause of concern for the tea industry. Even though there is no production at that time, planters have to pay workers and bear other expenditures,” said N.K. Basu, a veteran in the industry. “If this dormancy period can be reduced by, say a month, it would bring in some additional earnings for planters. ”
Angry crowd brings Barfi shoot to a halt in the hills
Jayatri Nag, Mumbai Mirror: Separatist outfit Gorkha Janmukti Morcha helps ease tension in Darjeeling, however, filmmaker Anurag Basu shrugs it off . Trouble broke out on the sets of Anurag Basu’s film Barfi, in a Darjeeling (North Bengal) mall early yesterday morning.
It all started when school students and their parents who were passing by interfered with the shots by walking into the frame. The crew members allegedly started shouting at the crowd to clear the area.
The problem escalated when one of the crew members reportedly shouted at a woman who was there with her child. This infuriated the crowd at the spot and the situation got tense, bringing the shoot to a halt for over two hours.
Fortunately, the Gorkha Janmukti Morcha (GJM), an organisation working towards a separate Gorkha land, stepped in to help ease the tension. Eventually the crowd dispersed and shooting resumed.
Binay Tamang, general secretary of GJM said, “We spoke to the cops t help finish the rest of the shoot smoothly. Just like the tourists, the film unit too is our guest. Anurag Basu and his wife met our leader Bimal Gurung.
Among those who caused disruptions, there were four from GJM. A CD of the people present at the spot has been prepared. All guilty shall be punished.”
Basu seemed unaffected. He said, “These things happen on location. We will ask the police to control the mob from now on. I have childhood memories of Darjeeling. I love this place that is why came here to shoot.”
Barfi stars Priyanka Chopra and Ranbir Kapoor, in which Priyanka plays the role of a handicapped girl.
Four die in landslide in Darjeeling hills
PTI, Darjeeling (WB), Jun 17 : A 35-year-old woman and her three children were killed today when their house was flattened in a landslide at Kurseong in Darjeeling hills.
The four were in their home on St Mary Hills early morning when it was covered with mud and stone due to the landslide, police said.
The woman's husband managed to escape, they said adding that the family hailed from Bihar and had come to the town as migrant workers.
In a separate landslide at Kalimpong, National Highway-31A connecting Siliguri with Gangtok was blocked.
Traffic on the highway has reportedly been stranded for nearly ten hours following the landslide.
BRO officials have begun road clearing work near Rambhi.
Deccan Herald: Four members of a family were Friday killed when their house in West Bengal's Darjeeling district collapsed in a landslide. Another landslide snapped road links to neighbouring Sikkim.
Heavy rains since Thursday night triggered the landslide at St. Marie, just two-three kilometres from Kurseyong town, early Friday.
The victims included three children aged 10, 3, and 1) and their father, police officer Nima Bhutiya told IANS over telephone. The children's mother had stepped out of the house at the time of the incident.
Traffic on a national highway linking West Bengal and Sikkim was snapped following another landslide at Kalimpong early Friday due to heavy rains.
"We tried to clear the debris to allow movement of light vehicles but a fresh landslide completely blocked the road," said Kalimpong Additional Police superintendent J. Dorji.
Glacier retreats in Teesta basin -Study reveals snow loss in Rangit
AVIJIT SINHA, TT, Siliguri, June 17: A first-of-its-kind study to prepare an inventory of the Himalayan glaciers in the Indian sub-continent has revealed a loss in the glacial cover in the Teesta basin in the past fourteen years and the absence of snow in the sub-basins of the river like the Rangit. The study named Snow and Glaciers of the Himalayas was conducted by the Union ministry of environment and forests in association with the Ahmedabad-based Space Application Centre of ISRO. The aim of the project was to find out the trend of the glaciers in the Indian Himalayan region over a period of four years from 2004-05 to 2007-08.
“According to this inventory there are 32,392 glaciers in the Indus, Ganga and Brahmaputra basins that drain into India. It is for the first time that such a detailed inventory with the help of satellite data has been published that contains figures indicating the advance or retreat of glaciers,” sources at the ministry of environment and forests said. In the course of the study, in which around 2,500 glaciers were monitored including 34 of the Teesta, it has been found that in 1990 the 34 glaciers used to cover an area of 305sqkm. But in 2004 the area of the glacial cover on the Teesta basin was reduced by 4sqkm and 23 of the glaciers showed trends of retreat.
While eight were found advancing, the coverage area of three glaciers remained unaltered. The Teesta basin is part of the Brahmaputra basin. According to experts, the basins of the eastern Himalayan region reflected less retreat than those in the western Himalayas. Experts said the loss of glacial cover and their retreat may lead to dry rivers or floods in the area. The findings of the study has also indicated the presence of several supra-glacial lakes on the Brahmaputra basin. These lakes are formed because of the melting of glaciers during the summer months. The study revealed that there are 474 supra-glacier lakes spread over an area of 70.02sqkm in the Brahmaputra basin. Of them, 61 are in the Teesta basin.
“Existence of supra-glacial lakes could be hazardous and might cause loss to human life and property. These lakes can create crevasse and the entire water would empty in a few hours causing sudden inundation in the downstream,” said Animesh Bose, an environmentalist from north Bengal, said. While monitoring the Himalayan glaciers in selected sub-basins of Jammu and Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand and Sikkim, experts have found that in the Rangit sub-basin the extent of snow cover during certain months of the year, has shown trends of reduction in 2007-08. “During the study, it was found that earlier the snow cover in the glacier that feeds the Rangit sub-basin existed till April. But in 2007-08, no snow cover was found after February,” a source said. The Rangit sub-basin, which originates from Sikkim, is part of the Teesta basin. The study shows the Teesta has supra-glacial lakes spread over an area of 10.37sqkm. It also has two moraine dam lakes fed by glaciers spread over an area of 2.79 sqkm.
Environmentalists and experts said the loss of the glacial cover, even though low when compared to other the basins of the country, has commenced in this region. During the study 10,106 glaciers have been found on the Brahmaputra basin, 16,049 in Ganga basin and 6,237 in the Indus basin. “Several glaciers feeding the Teesta are retreating and areas in the upper reaches of the Sikkim Himalayas are drying up with less snow cover,” Bose said. According to him, to prevent the retreat of glaciers, trees should be planted. More trees will result in rainfall in the lower areas and snowfall in the higher altitudes. “Unless massive afforestation is done in these areas it is tough to encourage the advancement of glaciers and there can be severe climatic conditions in future added to inundation as indicated by the presence of supra-glacial lakes,” he said.
TT, Siliguri, June 17: The Assam-based Tea Research Association has started work to develop “clones” so that new leaves can be produced for at least one more month than the usual season. The aim of the project is to help planters who are left idle for three-four months every winter when tea plants stop yielding new leaves from November onwards.
Mridul Hazarika, the director of TRA which is celebrating its centenary this year, told The Telegraph that apart from the research to make more products out of tea (like biscuits), the association’s scientists were engaged in developing “clones” that would grow also in the lean season.
For tea, winter is the lean season. At this time the bushes are pruned and prepared for the new season.
“An important research work that we have taken up is development of new clones or saplings which could yield tealeaves over an increased period of time every year so that the three-month long lean or dormancy period can be brought down by a fortnight or a month,” Hazarika said. “Once we succeed in developing such clones and introduce them in the tea industry, it will compensate the losses suffered by planters during the lean season. They can produce tea over a period of nine to ten months then, unlike now when it is only eight to nine months.”
The TRA, which is engaged in the research of pest control, is also working for improvement of yield in the Darjeeling hills.
“The total production of Darjeeling tea from the 70-odd gardens has come down to eight million kilos from 10 million in the past few years,” the TRA director said. “We need to check this declining trend in quantity. Researches are in progress to raise the yield. Also, it is important to use state-of-the-art machinery in tea estates to ensure production of good quantity and quality of tea.”
Hazarika also advocated the limited use of pesticides to ensure quality production. Stakeholders in tea industry have welcomed the initiative of the TRA to develop clones that can bring down the lean season.
“The long lean season has always been a cause of concern for the tea industry. Even though there is no production at that time, planters have to pay workers and bear other expenditures,” said N.K. Basu, a veteran in the industry. “If this dormancy period can be reduced by, say a month, it would bring in some additional earnings for planters. ”
Angry crowd brings Barfi shoot to a halt in the hills
Jayatri Nag, Mumbai Mirror: Separatist outfit Gorkha Janmukti Morcha helps ease tension in Darjeeling, however, filmmaker Anurag Basu shrugs it off . Trouble broke out on the sets of Anurag Basu’s film Barfi, in a Darjeeling (North Bengal) mall early yesterday morning.
It all started when school students and their parents who were passing by interfered with the shots by walking into the frame. The crew members allegedly started shouting at the crowd to clear the area.
The problem escalated when one of the crew members reportedly shouted at a woman who was there with her child. This infuriated the crowd at the spot and the situation got tense, bringing the shoot to a halt for over two hours.
Fortunately, the Gorkha Janmukti Morcha (GJM), an organisation working towards a separate Gorkha land, stepped in to help ease the tension. Eventually the crowd dispersed and shooting resumed.
Binay Tamang, general secretary of GJM said, “We spoke to the cops t help finish the rest of the shoot smoothly. Just like the tourists, the film unit too is our guest. Anurag Basu and his wife met our leader Bimal Gurung.
Among those who caused disruptions, there were four from GJM. A CD of the people present at the spot has been prepared. All guilty shall be punished.”
Basu seemed unaffected. He said, “These things happen on location. We will ask the police to control the mob from now on. I have childhood memories of Darjeeling. I love this place that is why came here to shoot.”
Barfi stars Priyanka Chopra and Ranbir Kapoor, in which Priyanka plays the role of a handicapped girl.
Four die in landslide in Darjeeling hills
PTI, Darjeeling (WB), Jun 17 : A 35-year-old woman and her three children were killed today when their house was flattened in a landslide at Kurseong in Darjeeling hills.
The four were in their home on St Mary Hills early morning when it was covered with mud and stone due to the landslide, police said.
The woman's husband managed to escape, they said adding that the family hailed from Bihar and had come to the town as migrant workers.
In a separate landslide at Kalimpong, National Highway-31A connecting Siliguri with Gangtok was blocked.
Traffic on the highway has reportedly been stranded for nearly ten hours following the landslide.
BRO officials have begun road clearing work near Rambhi.
Deccan Herald: Four members of a family were Friday killed when their house in West Bengal's Darjeeling district collapsed in a landslide. Another landslide snapped road links to neighbouring Sikkim.
Heavy rains since Thursday night triggered the landslide at St. Marie, just two-three kilometres from Kurseyong town, early Friday.
The victims included three children aged 10, 3, and 1) and their father, police officer Nima Bhutiya told IANS over telephone. The children's mother had stepped out of the house at the time of the incident.
Traffic on a national highway linking West Bengal and Sikkim was snapped following another landslide at Kalimpong early Friday due to heavy rains.
"We tried to clear the debris to allow movement of light vehicles but a fresh landslide completely blocked the road," said Kalimpong Additional Police superintendent J. Dorji.
Glacier retreats in Teesta basin -Study reveals snow loss in Rangit
 |
| The Teesta river that flows through Sikkim. File picture |
“According to this inventory there are 32,392 glaciers in the Indus, Ganga and Brahmaputra basins that drain into India. It is for the first time that such a detailed inventory with the help of satellite data has been published that contains figures indicating the advance or retreat of glaciers,” sources at the ministry of environment and forests said. In the course of the study, in which around 2,500 glaciers were monitored including 34 of the Teesta, it has been found that in 1990 the 34 glaciers used to cover an area of 305sqkm. But in 2004 the area of the glacial cover on the Teesta basin was reduced by 4sqkm and 23 of the glaciers showed trends of retreat.
While eight were found advancing, the coverage area of three glaciers remained unaltered. The Teesta basin is part of the Brahmaputra basin. According to experts, the basins of the eastern Himalayan region reflected less retreat than those in the western Himalayas. Experts said the loss of glacial cover and their retreat may lead to dry rivers or floods in the area. The findings of the study has also indicated the presence of several supra-glacial lakes on the Brahmaputra basin. These lakes are formed because of the melting of glaciers during the summer months. The study revealed that there are 474 supra-glacier lakes spread over an area of 70.02sqkm in the Brahmaputra basin. Of them, 61 are in the Teesta basin.
“Existence of supra-glacial lakes could be hazardous and might cause loss to human life and property. These lakes can create crevasse and the entire water would empty in a few hours causing sudden inundation in the downstream,” said Animesh Bose, an environmentalist from north Bengal, said. While monitoring the Himalayan glaciers in selected sub-basins of Jammu and Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand and Sikkim, experts have found that in the Rangit sub-basin the extent of snow cover during certain months of the year, has shown trends of reduction in 2007-08. “During the study, it was found that earlier the snow cover in the glacier that feeds the Rangit sub-basin existed till April. But in 2007-08, no snow cover was found after February,” a source said. The Rangit sub-basin, which originates from Sikkim, is part of the Teesta basin. The study shows the Teesta has supra-glacial lakes spread over an area of 10.37sqkm. It also has two moraine dam lakes fed by glaciers spread over an area of 2.79 sqkm.
Environmentalists and experts said the loss of the glacial cover, even though low when compared to other the basins of the country, has commenced in this region. During the study 10,106 glaciers have been found on the Brahmaputra basin, 16,049 in Ganga basin and 6,237 in the Indus basin. “Several glaciers feeding the Teesta are retreating and areas in the upper reaches of the Sikkim Himalayas are drying up with less snow cover,” Bose said. According to him, to prevent the retreat of glaciers, trees should be planted. More trees will result in rainfall in the lower areas and snowfall in the higher altitudes. “Unless massive afforestation is done in these areas it is tough to encourage the advancement of glaciers and there can be severe climatic conditions in future added to inundation as indicated by the presence of supra-glacial lakes,” he said.
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