Telangana: Cong lawmakers threaten to quit
IBNS, Hyderabad, July 1 : MPs, legislators and state ministers of the Congress party from the Telangana region of Andhra Pradesh have threatened to resign collectively on July 4 in support of their demand for a separate state.
“The people of Telangana are expecting us to quit our posts for achieving separate statehood. Due to the delay in the formation of Telangana, there is an impression that we are not quitting our posts out of lust for power," the state’s Panchayat Raj Minister K Jana Reddy was quoted as saying.
The senior Congress leadership in New Delhi however urged the Telangana lawmakers not to take any rash decisions.
Congress leader Ghulam Nabi Azad said, “They should not resign in a hurry. This is complicated. It is not easy to decide on whether state should be united or divided, because this issue will have repercussions in other parts of the country as well.”
Even though the internal revolt within the Congress over the issue is not new, the renewed threat might have stemmed from a recent fiery address by president of the Telangana Rashtra Samithi party K Chandrasekhara Rao, that had somewhat returned the spotlight on him as the front-man of the movement.
Rao, also known as KCR, on Wednesday had threatened that the "Telangana will burn" if Prime Minister Manmohan Singh doesn't deliver on a promise made by his government in 2009 to split Andhra Pradesh.
"If you do any hera-pheri (double game), Telangana will not tolerate you. You will see a burning Telangana. The hearts of Telangana people will burn and you alone will be responsible for what happens," he had said.
बङ्किमचन्द्र पार्कमा हुने खुल्ला यौनखेल रोक्न - विभाग र संस्थाहरू अघि बढ्ने
मनोज वोगटी, कालिमन्युज, कालेबुङ,1 जुलाई। कालेबुङ महाविद्यालय नजिकको बङि्कमचन्द्र पार्कमा हुने खुल्लमखुल्ला अनैतिक खेललाई कालिम्पोङअनलाईनन्यूज डट ब्लगस्पट डट कमले उजागर गरिदिएपछि समाजको हरेक तप्काबाट विभिन्न प्रतिक्रियाहरू आइरहेको छ। माया र प्रेमको खुल्ला अनैतिक प्रदर्शनको नाङ्गो रूपबारे पढ़ेपछि पाठकहरूको मनमा पनि धेरै तर्क उठ्नु स्वभाविक हो, तर जुन क्रियाकलाप युवाजोड़ीले त्यहॉं गर्छन् त्यो मर्यादित समाजको निम्ति गतिलो चुनौती रहेको छ। कहॉं जॉंदैछन् त आजका पिँढ़ी प्रेमको बहानामा? यसै प्रश्नको सोझो जवाब पाइन्छ भने सोही बङि्कमचन्द्र पार्कमा नै पाइन्छ।
मुख्यगरी टीनेजर समूहको निम्ति प्रेमको नाममा स्वभाविक बनिसकेको चुम्माचाटी गर्ने गोप्य र एकान्त ठाउँ मात्र होइन हेर्नै नसकिने अवस्थामा अथवा आपत्तिजनक अवस्थामा भेटिने ठाउँ पनि यही पार्क बनेको थियो। प्रेम जोड़ीहरूले रासलीला रच्ने कार्य भने यो पार्कमा नयॉं होइन। एकान्तमा रहेको यो पार्कमा आपत्तिजनक खेल रोक्ने वास्तवमा कोही छैनन्। अभिभावकहरूलाई आफ्ना छोरा-छोरी कहॉं जॉंदैछन् भन्ने कुरा पनि थाहा छैन। स्वतन्त्र यो पुस्ताका अच्चाकली मोर्डन लभर्सको निम्ति नितान्तै सुरक्षित ठाउँ यो पार्क नै रहेको पनि धेरैलाई थाहा छैन। कालिम्पोङअनलाईनन्यूज डट ब्लगस्पट डट कमले प्रेमी-प्रेमिकाको गलत कार्यको पर्दाफास गरेपछि यो पार्कको उपयोगितामाथि मात्र होइन व्यस्त अभिभावकका स्वतन्त्र छोरा छोरीहरू जो यो पार्कमा रङ्गीन खेल रच्न आउँछन् उनीहरूप्रति हुनुपर्ने अभिभावकहरूको हस्तक्षेपमाथि पनि गतिलो प्रश्न बनेर उभिएको छ। आपत्तिजनक खेल काण्डको उजागरपछि गर्नेले धेरै टिप्पणी गरेको देखिए पनि यो समस्याको निदान के हो भन्नेतिर चिन्ता धेरैले नै नगरेको देखियो।
यसै काण्डलाई लिएर सोधखोज गर्न कालेबुङ थानासित सम्पर्क गर्दा थानाका आईसी प्रसाद प्रधानले अहिलेसम्म यस मामिलाको कुनै गुनासोपत्र नआएकोले कार्वाहीपूर्ण पहल गर्न नसकिरहेको जनाएका छन्। तिनले जनाए अनुसार यस प्रकारको स्वतन्त्रता युवा पिँढ़ीको भविष्यको निम्ति त खतरा त छँदैछ सभ्य समाजको निम्ति पनि उत्तिकै घातक छ। यस प्रकारको घटना सभ्य समाजको निम्ति उचित नरहेकोले आफ्नो पक्षबाट सक्नेजति पहल शीघ्र नै गर्ने पनि तिनले जनाएका छन्। यसको निम्ति बेला बखतमा पार्कमा छापा मार्ने अनि दोषीहरू भेट्टाइए कार्वाही गर्ने तिनले जनाएका छन्। दागोपाप सोसियल फरेस्ट डिभिजन अधिनस्थ रहेको यो पार्क निर्माण गरेर यहॉं कुनै कर्मचारीहरू नराखिएको कारण पनि पार्कको दुरूपयोग भइरहेको गोर्खा जनमुक्ति विद्यार्थी मोर्चाको आरोप रहेको छ। यहॉं रेञ्ज अफिसर पनि राखिएको छ अनि एकजना चौकीदार र माली पनि नियुक्ति गरिएको छ। तर उनीहरूको कुनै अत्तोपत्तो छैन। कि त यस पार्कको सञ्चालन उचित प्रकारले गर्नुपर्छ कि त बन्द नै गरिनुपर्छ-विद्यार्थी मोर्चाका प्रतिनिधिहरू दीप थापा अनि दिपेन थापाले भने।
सोही क्षेत्रका गैर राजनैतिक सङ्गठन सभ्य ग्राम समाज र स्थानीय गोर्खा जनमुक्ति नारी मोर्चा शाखाले पार्कले उत्पन्न गरेको यो समस्याको समाधानको निम्ति पहल शुरू गर्ने भएको छ। विभागसित सम्पर्क स्थापित गरेर पार्कलाई अझ सुन्दर बनाउने अनि पार्कको सही प्रयोजनको निम्ति काम गर्न अपील गरिने जनाइएको छ। पार्कमा भइरहेको नराम्रो कार्यमा प्रतिबन्ध लगाउने सम्बन्धमा विभागसित कुराकानी गरिने लमु छिरिङ भोटियाले जनाएकी छन्। विद्यार्थीहरूलाई नै पार्कमा देखा परेको कारण यस सम्बन्धमा अभिभावक फोरमसित जिज्ञासा राख्दा फोरमका अध्यक्ष कर्णल डी.के. प्रधानले यस मामिलामा अभिभावकहरू नै सचेत हुनुपर्ने जनाएका छन्। तिनले भने, पार्कलाई सुन्दर बनाएर पर्यटकहरूलाई आकर्षित गर्न सकिन्छ।
पार्क बनाएर लापरवाहीपूर्वक छोड़िएको कारण नै यसको दुरूपयोग भएको हो। युवावर्गले समातेको गलत बाटोप्रति चिन्ता गर्नेहरूले त आफ्नो पक्षबाट सक्नेजति कार्य गर्न अग्रसर बनिरहेका छन्। तर ती प्रेमी-प्रेमिकाहरूको गलत मानसिकता र गलत सम्बन्धमाथि कसले रोक लगाउने? अभिभावकवर्गले पनि यस सम्बन्धमा चासो देखाएर उत्पन्न समस्याको समाधानको उपाय सोंच्नु अनिवार्य बनेको छ। यो पार्कको मात्र होइन कालेबुङमा यस्ता एकान्त ठाउँहरू धेरै छन् जहॉं युवा जोड़ीहरूले खुल्लमखुल्ला रङ्गीन खेल देखाउने गर्छन्। जहॉं जहॉं पनि यस प्रकारका अनैतिक घटनाहरू देखा पर्छ त्यहॉंका नागरिकहरूले त्यसैबेला हस्तक्षेप गर्नुपर्ने अनिवार्य रहेको धेरैले जनाएका छन्।
पार्कले उत्पन्न गरेको समस्याबारे दागोपाप सोसियल फरेस्ट डिभिजनका डीएफओ टी.टी. भोटियाले आफू अनभिज्ञ रहेको जनाएका छन्। तिनले पार्कस्थित ग्लास हाउसभित्र पसेर यस्तै अनैतिक कार्य गरिने कुरा थाहा पाएकोले ग्लास हाउस नै नष्ट गरिएको पनि जनाएका छन्। तिनले पार्कलाई व्यवस्थित बनाउने बताउँदै यसको मरम्मतीको निम्ति प्रोजेक्ट बनाएर दागोपापमा पठाइएको तर कुनै पनि राशी अनुमोदन नभएको जनाएका छन्। तिनले स्थानीयहरूलाई लिएर एउटा बैठक गर्ने अनि समाधानको बाटोहरू निकाल्ने पक्षमा आफू रहेको पनि तिनले जनाएका छन्।
Hill Council demarcation divides Bengal govt and Gorkha leadersMadhuparna Das, IE, Fri Jul 01 2011, Kolkata: The contours of a new autonomous Gorkha Hill Council territory, which the Gorkha Janmukti Morcha (GJM) sees as a steppingstone to Gorkhaland, remain a contentious issue in negotiations between the GJM and the state government.
In a draft memorandum of understanding that it sent to the GJM, the government restricted the terms of reference to the three hill subdivisions of Darjeeling, Kalimpong and Kurseong and parts of Siliguri. The territory is largely the same as that covered under the old Darjeeling Gorkha Hill Council, now without elected representatives.
The GJM is looking at parts of the Dooars and Terai regions, too, having identified the areas with a sizeable Nepali-speaking population. The draft made no mention of these areas and this led to protests at a meeting that GJM chief Bimal Gurung held with central committee members.
The GJM leadership took up this “omission” with the state government, which then sent a revised draft. The new draft did not add the areas demanded but included an extra clause, saying the demarcation would be based on the recommendations of a joint committee. The committee, yet to be formed, would comprise nine members, four each from the GJM and the state government besides a chairman.
Many GJM central committee members were already unhappy that the basic demand, Gorkhaland, had been dropped. Gurung and other top leaders had been calling the council a temporary phase, but the non-inclusion of key areas once again upset GJM unit heads.
Now, Adivasi leaders are upset about the proposed committee for the rationalisation of territory. “The committee does not include any representative from the Adivasis of the Terai and the Dooars,” said Birsha Tirkey, president of the Akhil Bhartiya Adivasi Bikash Parisahad.
General secretary Tejkumar Toppo said, “We will not allow an inch of these regions to be included in the Gorkha territory. Adivasi labourers in tea gardens are being lured to sell their jobs to Gorkhas at about Rs 20,000-50,000. The state government is pampering the Gorkhas.”
In the Terai and Dooars regions, both in Jaipaiguri district, the GJM has demanded a total of 421 mouzas, sources from both sides said. These mouzas, 191 in the Terai and 230 in the Dooars, cover most of Jalpaiguri district, including more than 250 tea gardens.
“A large Gorkha population lives in these areas, which would have to be brought under the map if the agreement is to be signed,” a Gorkha leader said. He said a number of Gorkhas live in Bagrakot, Kalchini, Birpara, Rajabhatkhaoa. District officials say this is because of migration from areas such as the Northeast and Bhutan.
The regions have 42 tribal communities of which four are Gorkha tribes — Tamang, Limbu, Sherpa and Galmo — and four are non-Gorkha tribes of Mongoloid stock: Bhutia, Drukpa, Tibetan and Lepcha. The rest, Adivasis working in tea gardens, are either from Chhotonagpur or originally hail from these regions. The GJM is pushing for constitutional status for Gorkha tribes so that they have the same rights Scheduled Castes and Tribes.
How much powers the proposed council will have, too, is worrying the Gorkha camp. “It will never have full legislative powers as it does not have a constitutional guarantee like the Ladakh Autonomous Hill Development Council. It will be a quasi-government body which can only frame small bylaws for handling funds,” a senior advocate of Darjeeling said. “These powers were vested with the DGHC too. But Subhash Ghising, its caretaker administrator for many years, never submitted financial statements. It was a clandestine understanding with the government.”
मोर्चाले कालेबुङ नगरको कॉंचुली फेर्ने
मनोज वोगटी, कालिमन्युज, कालेबुङ,1 जुलाई। आन्दोलन गर्दा कसैले बाटो छैन भन्छन्, कसैले झोड़ा, कसैले स्कूल, कसैले के के। पहाड़मा राजनैतिक परिवर्तन त भयो यत पहाड़को रुप पनि परिवर्तन हुनुपर्छ। अब 6 महिनाभित्र पहाड़कोरूप परिवर्तन गर्न चहान्छौं-कालेबुङका विधायक डा.हर्कबहाडुर छेत्रीले नगर निरिक्षणपछि पत्रकारहरूलाई भने। तिनी दिल्लीका आर्किटेक्टलाई नगरको अवस्था देखाउन र नगरको नयॉं डिजाइन गराउन कालेबुङ लिएर आएका थिए। दिल्लीको कनट प्लेसको डिजाइन गर्ने बताइएका आर्किटेक्ट पीआर मेहताले नगरको बनावट अनि समस्याहरूको निरिक्षण गरे।
डा.छेत्रीले बताए,अब कालेबुङको मेन रोड र कार पार्किङलाई नमुनाकोरूपमा निर्माण गरिनेछ। यो सफल रह्यो भने हाटबजार अनि त्यसपछि अन्य कुराहरूको निर्माण गरिनेछ। कालेबुङको ट्राफिक समस्या समाधानको निम्ति मात्र होइन सम्पूर्ण नगरको सुन्दरीकरणलाई अघि राखेर योजना तयार पार्ने कार्य अहिले भइरहेको छ। तिनले भने, कालेबुङ पस्ने बित्तिकै पहिले मैला देखिन्छ, हामी पस्ने बित्तिकै फूल देख्ने बनाउनेछौं। नगरका अवैद्ध घरहरू हटाएर नगर सुन्दर बनाउनको निम्ति गरिनुपर्ने सबै काम गरिनेछ। दार्जीलिङको जस्तो चौरस्ता कालेबुङमा पनि बनाउन सकिन्छ। यसैकारण प्लानिङ गर्नमा पोख्त आर्किटेक्टलाई ल्याएका हौं।
कालेबुङलाई असुन्दर बनाउने सबै कुराहरू हटाएर सुन्दर बनाउनमा के के व्यवस्थित गर्न सकिन्छ, यसै कुराको निम्ति निरिक्षण गरिएको हो। अहिले त नगर विकासको आवधारणा मात्र छ। सम्पूर्ण डिजाइन बनाएपछि डेभलोपमेन्ट प्लानिङ मिनिष्टरसित बस्नेछौं। हामी 6 महिनामा नै पहाड़मा परिवर्तन देखाउन चहान्छौं।
तिनले ममता व्यानर्जीले पहाड़लाई यसै पनि स्वीट्जरल्याण्ड बनाउने घोषणा गरिसकेकीले पनि मोर्चाले विकासको कार्यलाई द्रुत राख्ने तिनले जनाए। तिनले भने, माकपा सरकारको बेला 34 वर्षमा पनि नआएका मन्त्रीहरू ममता सरकारपछि 10 दिनमा नै आएका छन्। सबैले नै केही न केही गर्ने आश्वासन दिएरै गएका छन्। ममता व्यानर्जी जतिसक्दो विकास पहाड़मा होस् भन्ने पक्षमा रहेकी छन्। तिनले पेदोङमा एउटा कृषि महाविद्यालय बनाउने पनि जनाएका छन्। डा. छेत्रीले ममताको महिमा गाउँदै अझ भने, ममता व्यानर्जीले पहाड़को लागि 30-30 हजार मेट्रिक टन चामल र गहूँ पहाड़ पठाइसकेकी छन्। जसको मूल्य 150 करोड़ हुन्छ। यसले सरकार आधारभुत काम गर्न तत्पर रहेको जनाउने बताउँदै पहाड़वासीलाई अन्तोदय योजनाभित्र हालिने पनि तिनले जनाए। आर्किटेक्ट मेहताले इच्छाशक्ति छ भने निश्चय नै पहाड़को विकास हुने बताउँदै मोर्चाले देखाएको उत्सुक्ताले निश्चय नै कुनै उपलब्धी हासिल गर्ने जनाए।
Record drug bust by Sikkim Police
Prabin Khaling, KalimNews, GANGTOK, July 1: Gangtok Sadar Police yesterday busted a major drug peddler and recovered 2928 Spasmo Proxyvon capsules, 470 tablets of Nitrosun-10 and Rs 11,250 in cash. This is one of largest drug hauls by Gangtok Sadar Police in recent history. The contraband substances and money suspected to be sale proceeds were recovered from the rented room of accused Deepak Chettri at Middle Lingding Busty during the raid. The items were found concealed underneath the bed. The accused has been arrested under Sikkim Anti Drugs Act.
Major Flesh Trade racket busted in Bangalore – All 9 victims and 5 perpetrators from Darjeeling and Sikkim
PR, KalimNews: 9 girls of Darjeeling and Sikkim were safely rescued from Bangalore and five traffickers form Champasari and Bijanbari are arrested. Of the arrested five, one is a lady of Siliguri.
According to reports received from Mankind in Action for Rural Growth (MARG) (www.marg.org.in ) an NGO working with the children in the Hills of Darjeeling, it received an email on 14th of June 2011 morning form one of the local journalist running an online portal http://www.darjeelingtimes.com.
Actually the mail received by the darjeeling times was sent by a customer of one of the girls in Bangalore who had information about commercial sexual exploitation of Nepali girls from Darjeeling, Kalimpong, Siliguri and Sikkim in Bangalore.MARG without delay forwarded the information to to its partner web portal http://www.stoptrafficking.in. ARZ Goa for assistance in this case. The portal is conceived by Arz social work organization working towards combating human trafficking.The customer later contacted MARG representative and sent him details of the girls, information about the exploitation, contact number of the girls and brothel keepers. The customer also sent audio recording of the conversation of the girls.
After initial verification by Arz and MARG, about the veracity of the information Arz reported the matter to the Home Ministry, Government of India.
Representative of Arz and MARG visited Bangalore and met Police and non-government organizations and reported the matter of trafficking of girls from Darjeeling, Siliguri and Sikkim to Bangalore.
The local NGO and the police felt that, there was a need for surveillance of the area and the activities of the victims and traffickers. After the surveillance and collection of necessary information a raid was conducted by the Crime Branch of Banglore 9 girls were rescued and 5 traffickers were arrested. The arrested traffickers included the king pin Ms. Marina Singh Rana, her body guard Mr. Amit Singh alias Muskan from Bijanbari, Mr. Rakesh Birsha, Mr. Devgan Rai and Mr. Krishna Singh were arrested.
Ms. Marina is a notorious for trafficking girls for commercial sexual exploitation from the Hills of Darjeeling.
She is a native of Champasari Siliguri and seems to have constructed a big building at Champasari. She seems to have married three times and has involved her own son Mr. Ajay Singh alias Ajju. Mr. Ajay Singh is said to reside in New Delhi and during Marina’s absence in Bangalore supervises her commercial sexual activities. Most of the girls trafficked by her are from North-East and the Hills of Darjeeling.
The victim girls in their statement to the police shared that, they were brought by her in the name of job in beauty parlors and malls but forced by them into prostitution. They also revealed that they had to satisfy six to seven customers in a day and till date have never got any payment form the main kingpin Marina. One of the victim informed that she was not allowed to go home even though she told that her mother back home was seriously ill. The girls also stated that they were physically tortured when they were not able to get any clients.
This seems to be the tip of the iceberg and there’s a long way to go before any kind of impact can be made in the fight against this disease that has riddled Darjeeling.
The effort to combat human trafficking from Darjeeling will be successful only when the family and the community leaders are alert when the girls are lured for jobs. They need to report to the NGO’s such as MARG and the police if the girls are missing from the area.
Hope now our leaders and the administration of Darjeeling are alerted and will act to stop this which is decorating the image of The Queen of the Hills Darjeeling.
Landslides disturbs power
Major Flesh Trade racket busted in Bangalore – All 9 victims and 5 perpetrators from Darjeeling and Sikkim
PR, KalimNews: 9 girls of Darjeeling and Sikkim were safely rescued from Bangalore and five traffickers form Champasari and Bijanbari are arrested. Of the arrested five, one is a lady of Siliguri.
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| Marina Singh Rana alias Anju |
Actually the mail received by the darjeeling times was sent by a customer of one of the girls in Bangalore who had information about commercial sexual exploitation of Nepali girls from Darjeeling, Kalimpong, Siliguri and Sikkim in Bangalore.MARG without delay forwarded the information to to its partner web portal http://www.stoptrafficking.in. ARZ Goa for assistance in this case. The portal is conceived by Arz social work organization working towards combating human trafficking.The customer later contacted MARG representative and sent him details of the girls, information about the exploitation, contact number of the girls and brothel keepers. The customer also sent audio recording of the conversation of the girls.
After initial verification by Arz and MARG, about the veracity of the information Arz reported the matter to the Home Ministry, Government of India.
Representative of Arz and MARG visited Bangalore and met Police and non-government organizations and reported the matter of trafficking of girls from Darjeeling, Siliguri and Sikkim to Bangalore.
The local NGO and the police felt that, there was a need for surveillance of the area and the activities of the victims and traffickers. After the surveillance and collection of necessary information a raid was conducted by the Crime Branch of Banglore 9 girls were rescued and 5 traffickers were arrested. The arrested traffickers included the king pin Ms. Marina Singh Rana, her body guard Mr. Amit Singh alias Muskan from Bijanbari, Mr. Rakesh Birsha, Mr. Devgan Rai and Mr. Krishna Singh were arrested.
Ms. Marina is a notorious for trafficking girls for commercial sexual exploitation from the Hills of Darjeeling.
 |
| Amit alias Muskan |
The victim girls in their statement to the police shared that, they were brought by her in the name of job in beauty parlors and malls but forced by them into prostitution. They also revealed that they had to satisfy six to seven customers in a day and till date have never got any payment form the main kingpin Marina. One of the victim informed that she was not allowed to go home even though she told that her mother back home was seriously ill. The girls also stated that they were physically tortured when they were not able to get any clients.
This seems to be the tip of the iceberg and there’s a long way to go before any kind of impact can be made in the fight against this disease that has riddled Darjeeling.
The effort to combat human trafficking from Darjeeling will be successful only when the family and the community leaders are alert when the girls are lured for jobs. They need to report to the NGO’s such as MARG and the police if the girls are missing from the area.
Hope now our leaders and the administration of Darjeeling are alerted and will act to stop this which is decorating the image of The Queen of the Hills Darjeeling.
Landslides disturbs power
Prabin Khaling, KalimNews, GANGTOK, July 1: Power supply to different parts of Gangtok was disrupted due to uprooted trees which snapped transmission lines at Indira Bypass road yesterday evening. A slide had broken out in the hill side above the road due to incessant rainfall which uprooted some trees. Power supply from 11 KV substation at Tadong to different parts like Arithang, Lal Bazaar, Paljor Stadium road and adjoining areas were affected due to the slide. Divisional Engineer (Power) said that restoration works are on full swing to replace the damaged wires. We are working hard to restore power supply by today evening, he said.
Meanwhile, forest department authorities ordered the felling of other remaining trees in the slide zone considered vulnerable. A team of forest personnel cleared the vulnerable trees paving way for the power restoration works.
Immediate protective works ordered at Sikkim Govt College slide
Meanwhile, forest department authorities ordered the felling of other remaining trees in the slide zone considered vulnerable. A team of forest personnel cleared the vulnerable trees paving way for the power restoration works.
Immediate protective works ordered at Sikkim Govt College slide
Locals put blame on construction works for collapse of boundary wall
Prabin Khaling, KalimNews, Gangtok, July 1: Line departments including Human Resource Development (HRD) department have been directed by the State government to launch immediate protective works at the Sikkim Government College slide zone here in Tadong to secure the adjoining buildings. Over 100 ft stretch of the college boundary wall near the residential area had collapsed in the past 48 hours due to incessant rainfall.
The collapse took place in the old basketball court area where construction of the college hostel is underway. The slides, alleged to broken out due to shoddy construction works, have exposed and cracked the old retaining walls of at least six residential buildings. Though the East district administration has briefed the residents about possible dangers owing to the vulnerable retaining wall, the owners are furious with the quality of works being undertaking at ground level in the college complex. “Our families and tenants living in the buildings have been put under threat due to the spiteful attitude of those who are undertaking the construction works in the college without any precautionary measures. There are huge pot holes which have resulted in water logging and apparently triggered the collapse of the boundary wall”, said local residents Shova Sharma Basitata and Pempa Sherpa. Their buildings along with those of Geeta Nirola and BK Trikatri are under imminent threat.
“We want the construction works to be immediately stopped and protective walls done first”, said the residents. They added that they had placed their concerns about the construction works to different agencies in the past. Similarly concerns and demands were placed before the Urban Development minister, DB Thapa and HRD minister NK Pradhan during their visit to the affected spot today afternoon. They were accompanied by Mayor KN Tobgay, HRD secretary CS Rao, DC (East) D Anandan and a host of officials from the line departments. SDM (East) AB Karki is stationed at the spot since yesterday to oversee the restoration works along with line departmental officials.
"We have asked the HRD department to immediately take up protective measures by construction protective wall in the area and then gradually go for permanent restoration works. Line departments have been directed to take similar restoration and safety measures”, said Anandan. Teams from Public Health Engineering, Urban Development and Power departments are working to repair the snapped pipes which supply water to Central Referral Hospital, sewerage pipes and to restore power supply. The ministers also inspected the status of quarters for teachers at the college campus where complaints have been made of shoddy repair works due to which there is constant water leakage into the rooms.
Train-hit elephant dies
TT, Jalpaiguri, July 1: The train-hit elephant that was being treated at the Diana forest was found dead early this morning.
Jalpaiguri divisional forest officer Kalyan Das said the animal that had its left hind leg fractured had fallen to the ground yesterday. “We had fed it water, bananas and jackfruit yesterday. But it was found dead today morning. We tried our best to treat it,” he said.
Two female elephants were hit by a moving train near Banarhat station on June 25.
The other elephant, aged around 15, had suffered a broken hip. The animal is being treated at the Gorumara National Park.
Chief conservator of forests R. K. Mahatolia said: “We did our best to treat the elephant and it was under constant watch. The vets are conducting a post-mortem and we will get to know the exact cause of death after that.”
Yesterday forest minister Hiten Barman had said a five-member committee would look into whether the elephants could be put to sleep as both the animals had hardly shown any signs of improvement since the accident. The team will reach Gorumara tomorrow.
Shortest road link snapped
TT, Alipurduar, July 1: Two temporary bridges on NH31 were washed away today by an overflowing river at Balurghat in Jalpaiguri district, disrupting the shortest communication route between Siliguri and Lower Assam.
The snapped road link means that the 25,000 people using the route everyday will now have to go via Pundibary in Cooch Behar, extending travel time by 40km and almost an hour.
Ratan Roy, the owner of a private bus that plies between Alipurduar and Siliguri, said: “Now we have to travel 40km more which means an extra cost of Rs 1000 per trip and one hour daily. More than 30 buses ply this route daily. Besides, there are a large number of trucks and smaller vehicles that take this road. Nearly 25,000 people avail of this route. ”
The two temporary structures across the river came up after 50 metres of the original wooden bridge in Balurghat was washed away on July 21 last year.
The structures made of Hume pipes with iron sheets over them were not meant for heavy vehicles at first. But after the administration failed to restore the bridge, even buses and six wheelers started using them.
Merchants in Alipurduar town have complained that they will suffer losses because of the snapped road link.
“We will not get goods from Siliguri as the truck owners are not ready to travel the extra distance via Pundibari in Cooch Behar. We are apprehending huge losses as the truck owners will now demand extra money if at all they agree to transport goods,” said Dilip Saha, a wholesale trader of consumer goods in Alipurduar.
Anil Adhikary, the Trinamul MLA of Falakata, said: “I will contact PWD minister Subroto Bakshi to take necessary action.”
In 2002, when chief minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee inaugurated the Sil Torsha bridge, he promised four pucca bridges between Alipurduar and Falakata on NH31 within three years. The bridges are yet to come up.
The collapse took place in the old basketball court area where construction of the college hostel is underway. The slides, alleged to broken out due to shoddy construction works, have exposed and cracked the old retaining walls of at least six residential buildings. Though the East district administration has briefed the residents about possible dangers owing to the vulnerable retaining wall, the owners are furious with the quality of works being undertaking at ground level in the college complex. “Our families and tenants living in the buildings have been put under threat due to the spiteful attitude of those who are undertaking the construction works in the college without any precautionary measures. There are huge pot holes which have resulted in water logging and apparently triggered the collapse of the boundary wall”, said local residents Shova Sharma Basitata and Pempa Sherpa. Their buildings along with those of Geeta Nirola and BK Trikatri are under imminent threat.
“We want the construction works to be immediately stopped and protective walls done first”, said the residents. They added that they had placed their concerns about the construction works to different agencies in the past. Similarly concerns and demands were placed before the Urban Development minister, DB Thapa and HRD minister NK Pradhan during their visit to the affected spot today afternoon. They were accompanied by Mayor KN Tobgay, HRD secretary CS Rao, DC (East) D Anandan and a host of officials from the line departments. SDM (East) AB Karki is stationed at the spot since yesterday to oversee the restoration works along with line departmental officials.
"We have asked the HRD department to immediately take up protective measures by construction protective wall in the area and then gradually go for permanent restoration works. Line departments have been directed to take similar restoration and safety measures”, said Anandan. Teams from Public Health Engineering, Urban Development and Power departments are working to repair the snapped pipes which supply water to Central Referral Hospital, sewerage pipes and to restore power supply. The ministers also inspected the status of quarters for teachers at the college campus where complaints have been made of shoddy repair works due to which there is constant water leakage into the rooms.
Train-hit elephant dies
 |
| The dead elephant in Diana forest on Friday. (Biplab Basak) |
Jalpaiguri divisional forest officer Kalyan Das said the animal that had its left hind leg fractured had fallen to the ground yesterday. “We had fed it water, bananas and jackfruit yesterday. But it was found dead today morning. We tried our best to treat it,” he said.
Two female elephants were hit by a moving train near Banarhat station on June 25.
The other elephant, aged around 15, had suffered a broken hip. The animal is being treated at the Gorumara National Park.
Chief conservator of forests R. K. Mahatolia said: “We did our best to treat the elephant and it was under constant watch. The vets are conducting a post-mortem and we will get to know the exact cause of death after that.”
Yesterday forest minister Hiten Barman had said a five-member committee would look into whether the elephants could be put to sleep as both the animals had hardly shown any signs of improvement since the accident. The team will reach Gorumara tomorrow.
Shortest road link snapped
TT, Alipurduar, July 1: Two temporary bridges on NH31 were washed away today by an overflowing river at Balurghat in Jalpaiguri district, disrupting the shortest communication route between Siliguri and Lower Assam.
The snapped road link means that the 25,000 people using the route everyday will now have to go via Pundibary in Cooch Behar, extending travel time by 40km and almost an hour.
Ratan Roy, the owner of a private bus that plies between Alipurduar and Siliguri, said: “Now we have to travel 40km more which means an extra cost of Rs 1000 per trip and one hour daily. More than 30 buses ply this route daily. Besides, there are a large number of trucks and smaller vehicles that take this road. Nearly 25,000 people avail of this route. ”
The two temporary structures across the river came up after 50 metres of the original wooden bridge in Balurghat was washed away on July 21 last year.
The structures made of Hume pipes with iron sheets over them were not meant for heavy vehicles at first. But after the administration failed to restore the bridge, even buses and six wheelers started using them.
Merchants in Alipurduar town have complained that they will suffer losses because of the snapped road link.
“We will not get goods from Siliguri as the truck owners are not ready to travel the extra distance via Pundibari in Cooch Behar. We are apprehending huge losses as the truck owners will now demand extra money if at all they agree to transport goods,” said Dilip Saha, a wholesale trader of consumer goods in Alipurduar.
Anil Adhikary, the Trinamul MLA of Falakata, said: “I will contact PWD minister Subroto Bakshi to take necessary action.”
In 2002, when chief minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee inaugurated the Sil Torsha bridge, he promised four pucca bridges between Alipurduar and Falakata on NH31 within three years. The bridges are yet to come up.
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