Morcha spoiler for Anna support
PR, KalimNews, Guwahati, 6th Aug 2011, Indian Chamber of Commerce in association with IIM-Shillong organized a two days management development training programme on Team Building, Personal Effectiveness and Communication Skill on 5th & 6th of August 2011 at Indian Institute of Bank Management (IIBM), Khanapara campus, Guwahati. Dr. Sonia Nongmaithem, Asst. Professor of Rajiv Gandhi Institute of Management, Shillong popular as IIM-Shillong conducted the program successfully.
Indian Chamber of Commerce realizes that human resource development plays a significant role in the growth of business of an organization and most important factors being employees’ ability to work in a team with set targets and desired goal and shared leadership with proper flow of information through anorganized system of communication and channelized organizational behavior. As many as 40 participants from various PSUs, Railways, Banks, Corporate sectors, IT and Infrastructure companies, and telecom giants along with Members of Indian Chamber of commerce attended the two day of the program which primarily focused on team in an organisation.
Dr. Sonia during the training session stressed on need of a team work in an organization for yielding desired results better productivity during the cut throat completion of professionalism. ‘Proper organisational behavior and channelized flow of information and communication along shared leadership concept, can make wonders for an organisation’, she said while addressing the valedictory session. She appreciated ICC-North East efforts in grooming the future managers of the region to build up healthy work culture in the region and proposed ICC to reach out maximum through its channel partners and members.
In his valedictory speech Mr. Mahesh Deori, Regional Director ICC-North East outlined the functions of ICC and said that Northeast team is committed to explore the land of ‘unlimited opportunities’ which the chamber have been consistently doing over the few years now. He shared his personal experience on being benefitted from two days training program and stressed on need of more such class room training time and again on various segments. Mr. C C Mitra Director IIBM who attended valedictory session as observer and Mr. Mahesh Deori along with Dr. Nongmaithem gave away the certificates to the participants who successfully completed the training.
Miss Roshini Rai a Management Trainee at the Northeast Financial Corporation Ltd. (NEDFi) hailing from Sikkim said that it was her huge experience to have opportunity to attend such a professional training program organized by largely reputed organization ICC and one of premier institute of the NE the IIM-Shillong. ‘By far I was the youngest and juniormost participant in this program but I believe I had the highest takehome from this program. All thanks to Dr. Sonia and ICC for availing an opportunity for such grooming’, she overwhelming said on being asked to speak after receiving her certificate. Members of all participating organization aired same kind of view with small constructive criticism by a few.
Addressing the participants Mr. Mitra said that the topics selected by ICC for the training has been very relevant in view of work culture in Northeast India. Training as such has always been beneficial to the participants. He appealed the future managers to adhere to principle of organizational behavior and cope-up with the existing working environment. He concluded his speech applauding the efforts of ICC-NE and IIM-S in holding the training program successfully.
Mrs. Shanta B Sarmah Asst. Director ICC in her vote of thanks speech thanked IIM-Shillong for the collaboration and association with ICC for holding the program in Guwahati. She made a special mention of Mr. C C Mitra, Director IIBM who alloted them all the necessary infrastructure for the training program and thanked him for his kind presence. She thanked all the participants and the organizations for keenly participating in the program. The program ended with a call for more such management skills development training program time and again on other topics.
डा. छेत्रीलाई सम्बर्द्धना जनाउने क्रम यथावत
मनोज वोगटी, कालिमन्युज, कालेबुङ,7 अगस्त। कालेबुङका नवनिर्वाचित विधायक डा. हर्कवहादुर छेत्रीलाई पार्टीको भातृ सङ्गठन लगायत विभिन्न संघ-संस्थाद्वारा अझ पनि सम्वर्द्धना जनाउने कार्य यथावत रहेको छ। आज स्थानीय मानेलाखाङ गुम्बाको प्रेक्षागृहमा जनमुक्ति कर्मचारी सङ्गठन कालेबुङ शाखाले विधायक डा. छेत्रीलाई एक कार्यक्रमबीच सम्बर्द्धना जनायो।
उक्त सम्बर्द्धना कार्यक्रममा सङ्गठनका विभिन्न व्लक तथा शाखाका कर्मचारीहरूको उपस्थिति रहेको थियो। कार्यक्रमलाई सम्बोधन गर्दै डा. छेत्रीले भने, सबैको सहयोग पाएर नै म विधायक बनेको हुँ, सबैसँग भेटघाट गर्न अथवा निमन्त्रणा गरिएको कार्यक्रममा जाने इच्छा हुँदाहुँदै कतिपय व्यस्तताको कारण वाध्यतावश पुग्न सक्तिनँ र कतिपय कार्यक्रमहरूमा मात्र उपस्थिति दिन सकिरहेको छु। तिनले कर्मचारीहरूलाई आ-आफ्नो विभागको कामकाजलाई सही ढङ्गमा चलाउने सुझाउ दिँदै त्यसपछि मात्र आफूले गर्नुपर्ने कार्य गर्ने जनाए। तिनले कर्मचारीहरूलाई आफू योग्य बनेर सही कार्य गर्ने अनि त्यसपछि मात्र नयॉं कुराको माग गर्नुपर्ने सुझाव राखे।
यसरी नै जनमुक्ति कर्मचारी सङ्गठका सचिव ललित रोकाले कार्यक्रमलाई सम्बोधन गर्दै भने, जीटीए प्राप्त भएपछि हाम्रोमा अझ धेर जिम्मेवारी थपिएको छ। जस्तै व्यवस्था पनि चलाउन सक्ने योग्यता हामीमा रहेको परिचय दिन सक्नुपर्छ अनि केन्द्र अनि राज्यलाई बताउन सक्नुपर्छ कि हामी राज्य पनि चलाउन सक्षम छौं। यसरी नै जनमुक्ति कर्मचारी सङ्गठन महकुमा समितिका अध्यक्ष खड्क विक्रम सुब्बाले विविध मागहरूबारे अवगत गराउँदै विधायकलाई माग पत्र पनि पेश गरे जसमा महकुमा अस्पतालमा पनि जिल्ला अस्पताल बराबरको सुविधा उपलब्ध गराइनुपर्ने, विजुली विभागको कल सेन्टर कालेबुङमा नै बनाइनुको साथै 66 के.बी. सव् स्टेशनलाई 132 के.बी. बनाइनुपर्ने जस्ता विविध मागहरू उल्लेख गरिएको छ। आजको कार्यक्रममा उपस्थित रहेका मोर्चा स्टडी फोरमका सदस्य एल.बी. परियारले जीटीएमा कर्मचारीहरूको भूमिका महत्त्वपूर्ण हुने जनाए। गोजमुमो केन्द्रिय समिति तथा अन्य मोर्चा कार्यकर्ता लगायत कर्मचारीहरूको कार्यक्रममा व्यापक उपस्थिति रहको थियो।
Mall plays host to Rabindra performers
VIVEK CHHETRI, TT, Darjeeling, Aug. 7: Rabindranath Tagore was the bonding factor at the Mall today where the podium is usually used to settle political scores.
This time, there was no belligerent leaders trying to prove a point or hurling barbs at opponents. Instead, Tagore’s songs were rendered in Nepali, Tamil and English during a two-hour celebration of the 150th birth anniversary of the bard, which was organised jointly by North Bengal Vision, the department of information and culture and the Darjeeling municipality.
Hira Rasaily, a well-known singer in Darjeeling, rendered a Rabindrasangeet in Nepali in first such effort in the hills in recent times.
Se din du jone dulachilu bone had been translated into Nepali by Rasaily herself. Dancers from the Bengali community performed to other songs that Rasaily sang.
To many, the performance was a pointer to how a minuscule Bengali community has been able to preserve their tradition and culture in the hills. “Till the early 1980s, the population of the community stood at 10,000. Today, we have around 150-odd families living in perfect harmony with the other communities of the region,” said Sanjay Biswas, one of the main organisers of the event.
Biswas, along with Suresh Gurung, a writer in Darjeeling, released his book — Chakhlagdo Kura (Interesting anecdotes) — written in Nepali. “This is my 26th book about Darjeeling,” said Biswas.
This was not all. Swati Banerjee, a Rabindrasangeet exponent from Chennai, also mesmerised the crowd by rendering Tagore’s songs in Tamil, English and Bengali. Her musicians, however, were all from Darjeeling and part of Rasaily’s troupe. “The musicians were amazing and I would like to thank them for their cooperation,” said Banerjee.
Om Narayan Gupta, a well-known literary figure from the hills, recited a poem in Hindi on Gurudev — Mahakavi ki jay jaykar.
Rasaily was also awarded the Rabindra Puraskar by the organisers. “I believe this is an honour for the entire hills and the Gorkha community,” she told the audience. Later, Rasaily said she had been regularly practising Rabindrasangeet and attending classes in Calcutta.
Glare on job agencies but court points to need for law
VIVEK CHHETRI, TT, Darjeeling, Aug. 7: Darjeeling police have put job placement agencies under the scanner to curb inter-state trafficking but social workers said the measure was not enough and only a proper legislation on lines of recent directives issued by Delhi High Court could serve the purpose.
According to figures released by the Bengal CID to an RTI query filed by the Delhi based anti-trafficking organisation Shakti Vahini, the number of missing people in the state has increased from 196 to 6514 between 2001 and 2010.
While only three missing cases were reported from the six north Bengal districts in 2001, the number increased to 1089 in 2010 — one of the indications that a large number of people were leaving the region to seek job elsewhere in the country.
The figure, according to Shakti Vahini, continues to rise, yet there is no clear data on the placement agencies working in the state.
“Along with Delhi police, we rescued two girls, one from Mirik in Darjeeling and the other from Sikkim during a raid on a placement agency (in the capital) on July 30. The police seized documents with details of those given jobs by the agency, a box of identity cards and a Nepalese passport belonging to one Tek Bahadur,” said Rishi Kant, a social activist with Shakti Vahini.
The girls were produced before the Child Welfare Committee at Lajpat Nagar in Delhi on August 1.
Delhi High Court then directed the Govindpuri police station to conduct an ossification test on one of the victims to determine her age, check out the condition of all those who had been placed by the agency, rescue the children and also trace a 14-year-old girl in Jaipur.
Kant said the raid proved that quite a number of children were being forced into bonded labour and prostitution but the placement agencies continue to work undeterred because of a lack of proper legislation in Bengal.
“On December 24, 2010, Delhi High Court said emphasis should be laid on the regulation of placement agencies,” said Kant.
The court had then observed that a single window enforcement agency should be created and directed the labour department to register all placement agencies within a specified date.
Until the registration of the agencies was completed, the court asked the Delhi labour department to provide all available data on placement agencies, including the age of the workers who had been provided with placements, employers’ names and the addresses, to the Child Welfare Committee and the Delhi Commission for Women.
“Such measures also need to be taken up by the Bengal government. In this state anyone can run an inter-state domestic placement agency by merely getting a trade licence,” said Kant.
The Darjeeling superintendent of police D.P. Singh said he was not aware of any regulation on the working of placement agencies.
“However, we have put placement agencies under the scanner. We recently started cases against three of them for providing jobs abroad without clearance from the immigration department. We are randomly sending our officials to various placement agencies to verify the genuineness of their purpose,” said Singh.
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| A poster put up at Darjeeling’s Chowk Bazaar announcing the rally. Picture by Suman Tamang |
VIVEK CHHETRI, TT, Darjeeling, Aug. 7: The Darjeeling Civil Society had to cancel its rally in support of Anna Hazare yesterday after the Gorkha Janmukti Vidyarthi Morcha protested the involvement of students without its permission.
The Vidyarthi Morcha, the student wing of the Gorkha Janmukti Morcha, said the civil society should have sought its permission before asking students to take part in the rally.
Members of the civil society and some college students had gathered at Chowrasta around 10.30am yesterday, all ready for the rally, when it was cancelled.
“A section of the student leaders came up to us and objected to the rally. They said we should have taken permission from them, as students were being involved in the rally,” said B.K. Pradhan, the president of the civil society.
“We had already informed the district magistrate and the superintendent of police about the rally. We did not know that we even had to seek permission from student leaders,” said Pradhan. “Normality is slowly returning to the hills and democratic voices should be respected.”
The civil society claimed that it was an apolitical organisation and the only reason behind taking out the rally was to educate the people about Hazare’s campaign about the provisions in the Lok Pal bill. “The Lok Bal bill is full of loopholes at a time when we need a strong legislation to fight corruption in the country,” said Pradhan.
The society had planned the rally from Chowrasta to the district magistrate’s office where a memorandum would have been submitted. “We had also drawn up plans to organise a one-day token hunger strike in Darjeeling, soon after Anna Hazare starts his indefinite fast,” said Pradhan.
Morcha vice-president Amrit Yonzone said the Vidyarthi Morcha fully supported the fight against corruption “but when students were involved, they should have discussed or even informed us about their rally”.
“If any untoward incident had occurred while taking out the rally, people would have blamed the Vidyarthi Morcha as we are the sole representative of the students. This is the reason why some of our members requested the organisers not to go ahead with the rally where students were involved,” Yonzone said.
The Vidyarthi Morcha, the student wing of the Gorkha Janmukti Morcha, said the civil society should have sought its permission before asking students to take part in the rally.
Members of the civil society and some college students had gathered at Chowrasta around 10.30am yesterday, all ready for the rally, when it was cancelled.
“A section of the student leaders came up to us and objected to the rally. They said we should have taken permission from them, as students were being involved in the rally,” said B.K. Pradhan, the president of the civil society.
“We had already informed the district magistrate and the superintendent of police about the rally. We did not know that we even had to seek permission from student leaders,” said Pradhan. “Normality is slowly returning to the hills and democratic voices should be respected.”
The civil society claimed that it was an apolitical organisation and the only reason behind taking out the rally was to educate the people about Hazare’s campaign about the provisions in the Lok Pal bill. “The Lok Bal bill is full of loopholes at a time when we need a strong legislation to fight corruption in the country,” said Pradhan.
The society had planned the rally from Chowrasta to the district magistrate’s office where a memorandum would have been submitted. “We had also drawn up plans to organise a one-day token hunger strike in Darjeeling, soon after Anna Hazare starts his indefinite fast,” said Pradhan.
Morcha vice-president Amrit Yonzone said the Vidyarthi Morcha fully supported the fight against corruption “but when students were involved, they should have discussed or even informed us about their rally”.
“If any untoward incident had occurred while taking out the rally, people would have blamed the Vidyarthi Morcha as we are the sole representative of the students. This is the reason why some of our members requested the organisers not to go ahead with the rally where students were involved,” Yonzone said.
Plea to rail minister
Morcha president Bimal Gurung has asked railway minister Dinesh Trivedi to set up railway reservation centres at Mungpoo, Takdah and Sukhiapokhri.
“We told him that we want the passenger reservation quotas to be reintroduced for the hill people. We also asked him to set up reservation centres at Mungpoo, Takdah and Sukhiapokhri and to modernise the Gulma railway station and rename it as Darjeeling Road Railway station,” said Jyoti Kumar Rai, who was part of Gurung’s delegation that met Trivedi in Delhi yesterday. Morcha general secretary and central committee member Diwakar Gurung was also part of the group.
“We have also suggested that the rail line and the NH55 be constructed at the same level like the tramways in Calcutta to ease traffic congestion. The minister has agreed to look into the feasibility of all the proposals and the meeting was fruitful,” said Rai.
“We told him that we want the passenger reservation quotas to be reintroduced for the hill people. We also asked him to set up reservation centres at Mungpoo, Takdah and Sukhiapokhri and to modernise the Gulma railway station and rename it as Darjeeling Road Railway station,” said Jyoti Kumar Rai, who was part of Gurung’s delegation that met Trivedi in Delhi yesterday. Morcha general secretary and central committee member Diwakar Gurung was also part of the group.
“We have also suggested that the rail line and the NH55 be constructed at the same level like the tramways in Calcutta to ease traffic congestion. The minister has agreed to look into the feasibility of all the proposals and the meeting was fruitful,” said Rai.
Morcha body
TT, Kalimpong: The part-time lecturers working in colleges in the Darjeeling hills have formed an organisation that is affiliated to the Gorkha Janmukti Morcha. The Janmukti College Part-time Lecturers’ Organisation will work for the regularisation of the teachers’ jobs. The body was formed at a meeting attended by teachers from 11 colleges in the hills on Saturday. Management Training Programme held at Guwahati
PR, KalimNews, Guwahati, 6th Aug 2011, Indian Chamber of Commerce in association with IIM-Shillong organized a two days management development training programme on Team Building, Personal Effectiveness and Communication Skill on 5th & 6th of August 2011 at Indian Institute of Bank Management (IIBM), Khanapara campus, Guwahati. Dr. Sonia Nongmaithem, Asst. Professor of Rajiv Gandhi Institute of Management, Shillong popular as IIM-Shillong conducted the program successfully.Indian Chamber of Commerce realizes that human resource development plays a significant role in the growth of business of an organization and most important factors being employees’ ability to work in a team with set targets and desired goal and shared leadership with proper flow of information through anorganized system of communication and channelized organizational behavior. As many as 40 participants from various PSUs, Railways, Banks, Corporate sectors, IT and Infrastructure companies, and telecom giants along with Members of Indian Chamber of commerce attended the two day of the program which primarily focused on team in an organisation.
Dr. Sonia during the training session stressed on need of a team work in an organization for yielding desired results better productivity during the cut throat completion of professionalism. ‘Proper organisational behavior and channelized flow of information and communication along shared leadership concept, can make wonders for an organisation’, she said while addressing the valedictory session. She appreciated ICC-North East efforts in grooming the future managers of the region to build up healthy work culture in the region and proposed ICC to reach out maximum through its channel partners and members.
In his valedictory speech Mr. Mahesh Deori, Regional Director ICC-North East outlined the functions of ICC and said that Northeast team is committed to explore the land of ‘unlimited opportunities’ which the chamber have been consistently doing over the few years now. He shared his personal experience on being benefitted from two days training program and stressed on need of more such class room training time and again on various segments. Mr. C C Mitra Director IIBM who attended valedictory session as observer and Mr. Mahesh Deori along with Dr. Nongmaithem gave away the certificates to the participants who successfully completed the training.
Miss Roshini Rai a Management Trainee at the Northeast Financial Corporation Ltd. (NEDFi) hailing from Sikkim said that it was her huge experience to have opportunity to attend such a professional training program organized by largely reputed organization ICC and one of premier institute of the NE the IIM-Shillong. ‘By far I was the youngest and juniormost participant in this program but I believe I had the highest takehome from this program. All thanks to Dr. Sonia and ICC for availing an opportunity for such grooming’, she overwhelming said on being asked to speak after receiving her certificate. Members of all participating organization aired same kind of view with small constructive criticism by a few.
Addressing the participants Mr. Mitra said that the topics selected by ICC for the training has been very relevant in view of work culture in Northeast India. Training as such has always been beneficial to the participants. He appealed the future managers to adhere to principle of organizational behavior and cope-up with the existing working environment. He concluded his speech applauding the efforts of ICC-NE and IIM-S in holding the training program successfully.
Mrs. Shanta B Sarmah Asst. Director ICC in her vote of thanks speech thanked IIM-Shillong for the collaboration and association with ICC for holding the program in Guwahati. She made a special mention of Mr. C C Mitra, Director IIBM who alloted them all the necessary infrastructure for the training program and thanked him for his kind presence. She thanked all the participants and the organizations for keenly participating in the program. The program ended with a call for more such management skills development training program time and again on other topics.
डा. छेत्रीलाई सम्बर्द्धना जनाउने क्रम यथावत
मनोज वोगटी, कालिमन्युज, कालेबुङ,7 अगस्त। कालेबुङका नवनिर्वाचित विधायक डा. हर्कवहादुर छेत्रीलाई पार्टीको भातृ सङ्गठन लगायत विभिन्न संघ-संस्थाद्वारा अझ पनि सम्वर्द्धना जनाउने कार्य यथावत रहेको छ। आज स्थानीय मानेलाखाङ गुम्बाको प्रेक्षागृहमा जनमुक्ति कर्मचारी सङ्गठन कालेबुङ शाखाले विधायक डा. छेत्रीलाई एक कार्यक्रमबीच सम्बर्द्धना जनायो।उक्त सम्बर्द्धना कार्यक्रममा सङ्गठनका विभिन्न व्लक तथा शाखाका कर्मचारीहरूको उपस्थिति रहेको थियो। कार्यक्रमलाई सम्बोधन गर्दै डा. छेत्रीले भने, सबैको सहयोग पाएर नै म विधायक बनेको हुँ, सबैसँग भेटघाट गर्न अथवा निमन्त्रणा गरिएको कार्यक्रममा जाने इच्छा हुँदाहुँदै कतिपय व्यस्तताको कारण वाध्यतावश पुग्न सक्तिनँ र कतिपय कार्यक्रमहरूमा मात्र उपस्थिति दिन सकिरहेको छु। तिनले कर्मचारीहरूलाई आ-आफ्नो विभागको कामकाजलाई सही ढङ्गमा चलाउने सुझाउ दिँदै त्यसपछि मात्र आफूले गर्नुपर्ने कार्य गर्ने जनाए। तिनले कर्मचारीहरूलाई आफू योग्य बनेर सही कार्य गर्ने अनि त्यसपछि मात्र नयॉं कुराको माग गर्नुपर्ने सुझाव राखे।
यसरी नै जनमुक्ति कर्मचारी सङ्गठका सचिव ललित रोकाले कार्यक्रमलाई सम्बोधन गर्दै भने, जीटीए प्राप्त भएपछि हाम्रोमा अझ धेर जिम्मेवारी थपिएको छ। जस्तै व्यवस्था पनि चलाउन सक्ने योग्यता हामीमा रहेको परिचय दिन सक्नुपर्छ अनि केन्द्र अनि राज्यलाई बताउन सक्नुपर्छ कि हामी राज्य पनि चलाउन सक्षम छौं। यसरी नै जनमुक्ति कर्मचारी सङ्गठन महकुमा समितिका अध्यक्ष खड्क विक्रम सुब्बाले विविध मागहरूबारे अवगत गराउँदै विधायकलाई माग पत्र पनि पेश गरे जसमा महकुमा अस्पतालमा पनि जिल्ला अस्पताल बराबरको सुविधा उपलब्ध गराइनुपर्ने, विजुली विभागको कल सेन्टर कालेबुङमा नै बनाइनुको साथै 66 के.बी. सव् स्टेशनलाई 132 के.बी. बनाइनुपर्ने जस्ता विविध मागहरू उल्लेख गरिएको छ। आजको कार्यक्रममा उपस्थित रहेका मोर्चा स्टडी फोरमका सदस्य एल.बी. परियारले जीटीएमा कर्मचारीहरूको भूमिका महत्त्वपूर्ण हुने जनाए। गोजमुमो केन्द्रिय समिति तथा अन्य मोर्चा कार्यकर्ता लगायत कर्मचारीहरूको कार्यक्रममा व्यापक उपस्थिति रहको थियो।
Mall plays host to Rabindra performers
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| A Rabindranritya being performed at the Mall on Sunday. Picture by Suman Tamang |
This time, there was no belligerent leaders trying to prove a point or hurling barbs at opponents. Instead, Tagore’s songs were rendered in Nepali, Tamil and English during a two-hour celebration of the 150th birth anniversary of the bard, which was organised jointly by North Bengal Vision, the department of information and culture and the Darjeeling municipality.
Hira Rasaily, a well-known singer in Darjeeling, rendered a Rabindrasangeet in Nepali in first such effort in the hills in recent times.
Se din du jone dulachilu bone had been translated into Nepali by Rasaily herself. Dancers from the Bengali community performed to other songs that Rasaily sang.
To many, the performance was a pointer to how a minuscule Bengali community has been able to preserve their tradition and culture in the hills. “Till the early 1980s, the population of the community stood at 10,000. Today, we have around 150-odd families living in perfect harmony with the other communities of the region,” said Sanjay Biswas, one of the main organisers of the event.
Biswas, along with Suresh Gurung, a writer in Darjeeling, released his book — Chakhlagdo Kura (Interesting anecdotes) — written in Nepali. “This is my 26th book about Darjeeling,” said Biswas.
This was not all. Swati Banerjee, a Rabindrasangeet exponent from Chennai, also mesmerised the crowd by rendering Tagore’s songs in Tamil, English and Bengali. Her musicians, however, were all from Darjeeling and part of Rasaily’s troupe. “The musicians were amazing and I would like to thank them for their cooperation,” said Banerjee.
Om Narayan Gupta, a well-known literary figure from the hills, recited a poem in Hindi on Gurudev — Mahakavi ki jay jaykar.
Rasaily was also awarded the Rabindra Puraskar by the organisers. “I believe this is an honour for the entire hills and the Gorkha community,” she told the audience. Later, Rasaily said she had been regularly practising Rabindrasangeet and attending classes in Calcutta.
Glare on job agencies but court points to need for law
VIVEK CHHETRI, TT, Darjeeling, Aug. 7: Darjeeling police have put job placement agencies under the scanner to curb inter-state trafficking but social workers said the measure was not enough and only a proper legislation on lines of recent directives issued by Delhi High Court could serve the purpose.
According to figures released by the Bengal CID to an RTI query filed by the Delhi based anti-trafficking organisation Shakti Vahini, the number of missing people in the state has increased from 196 to 6514 between 2001 and 2010.
While only three missing cases were reported from the six north Bengal districts in 2001, the number increased to 1089 in 2010 — one of the indications that a large number of people were leaving the region to seek job elsewhere in the country.
The figure, according to Shakti Vahini, continues to rise, yet there is no clear data on the placement agencies working in the state.
“Along with Delhi police, we rescued two girls, one from Mirik in Darjeeling and the other from Sikkim during a raid on a placement agency (in the capital) on July 30. The police seized documents with details of those given jobs by the agency, a box of identity cards and a Nepalese passport belonging to one Tek Bahadur,” said Rishi Kant, a social activist with Shakti Vahini.
The girls were produced before the Child Welfare Committee at Lajpat Nagar in Delhi on August 1.
Delhi High Court then directed the Govindpuri police station to conduct an ossification test on one of the victims to determine her age, check out the condition of all those who had been placed by the agency, rescue the children and also trace a 14-year-old girl in Jaipur.
Kant said the raid proved that quite a number of children were being forced into bonded labour and prostitution but the placement agencies continue to work undeterred because of a lack of proper legislation in Bengal.
“On December 24, 2010, Delhi High Court said emphasis should be laid on the regulation of placement agencies,” said Kant.
The court had then observed that a single window enforcement agency should be created and directed the labour department to register all placement agencies within a specified date.
Until the registration of the agencies was completed, the court asked the Delhi labour department to provide all available data on placement agencies, including the age of the workers who had been provided with placements, employers’ names and the addresses, to the Child Welfare Committee and the Delhi Commission for Women.
“Such measures also need to be taken up by the Bengal government. In this state anyone can run an inter-state domestic placement agency by merely getting a trade licence,” said Kant.
The Darjeeling superintendent of police D.P. Singh said he was not aware of any regulation on the working of placement agencies.
“However, we have put placement agencies under the scanner. We recently started cases against three of them for providing jobs abroad without clearance from the immigration department. We are randomly sending our officials to various placement agencies to verify the genuineness of their purpose,” said Singh.
Hill barriers hold key to ‘orographic effect’- Heavy rain hits Darjeeling and Sikkim, mild shower for plains
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| Mist covers Darjeeling on Sunday while tourists (below) take a stroll at Chowk Bazaar in town after a heavy rain. Pictures by Suman Tamang |
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TT, Siliguri, Aug. 7: Heavy rain lashed the Darjeeling hills and Sikkim last night, brought about by a cyclonic circulation with a fast upper air wind movement that results in what weather experts call “orographic effect”.
Heavy rain for high altitude areas and mild showers for plains was the result of the orographic effect as was evident from recordings in the Terai, the Dooars and Cooch Behar in the past 24 hours (see chart below).
While the Darjeeling hills and Sikkim received more than 65mm rain, several places in the plains recorded less than 50mm rain. Rainfall above 65mm is considered heavy by the weather experts.
South Bengal also experienced heavy rain yesterday because of the cyclonic circulation that prevails over Gangetic Bengal and Bangladesh.
Officials of the Jalpaiguri Met Office say the Darjeeling hills and Sikkim have recorded higher rainfall as the upper air wind in a cyclonic circulation moves at high speed and is forced to rise further when it meets a hilly barrier and finally precipitates on cooling.
“South Bengal is experiencing heavy rainfall because of the cyclonic circulation that prevails over Bangladesh and Gangetic Bengal. In such situations, the upper air wind moves fast as it is higher above the ground. The moisture-laden upper air wind travelled to north Bengal where it was obstructed by the hills in Darjeeling and Sikkim,” said Indranil Sengupta, the assistant meteorological officer at Jalpaiguri Met Office.
“When a parcel of warm air reaches a hill, it is lifted up the slope and becomes cool. This process is known as orographic lifting. The cooling of the air often results in large clouds, precipitation and even thunderstorms,” he added.
According to Sengupta, the orographic impact is less in places located away from the hills.
“The orographic lifting has some effect in the foothills. But the effect gradually comes down at locations farther away from the hills. This is the reason why hills received heavy showers, while plains recorded less rainfall,” said Sengupta.
The official said the hills would experience similar conditions as long as the cyclonic circulation persisted over south Bengal and Bangladesh.
“The hills will receive more thundershowers as long as the cyclonic circulation prevails over south Bengal. Heavy rainfall is forecast for some locations in sub-Himalayan Bengal and Sikkim in the next 24 hours,” said the weather official.
Erosion crisis
Irrigation minister Manas Bhuniya said on Sunday that the state government alone could not fight floods and erosion in Malda district.
“The Centre must come up and help the state government meet the crisis. The flood waters, sand and boulders are flowing from north India to Malda through the Ganga. The Kosi river originating in Nepal is also doing similar damage,” said Bhuniya.
The minister reviewed the erosion and rise in water levels of rivers in Malda with the district administration and irrigation officials on Sunday.
BIJOY GURUNG, TT, Gangtok, Aug. 7: The Bhaichung Bhutia co-owned United Sikkim Football Club is set to play its first match of the new season tomorrow when the tournament for the Chogyal Sir Tashi Namgyal Memorial Cup kicks off at Paljor Stadium here.
If Bhaichung’s boys win state-level Independence Day football tournament, they will donate the prize money to Spastics Society of Sikkim, an NGO that runs an education and rehabilitation centre in Gangtok for differently able children.
“More than the club, the United Sikkim need to play for the children of the SSS. Whatever we earn from the Independence Day tournament will be donated to the SSS. The team is shaping good and the tournament is our first challenge in the new season,” said Bhaichung, who is also the ambassador of the SSS.
The annual tournament is organised by the Sikkim Football Association on behalf of the state government. While the team which lifts the cup will be richer by Rs 15,000, the runner up will take home Rs 10,000.
Five Sikkim clubs and three outstation teams will feature in the knockout tournament, the finals of which will be held on August 15. Mohan Bagan Academy in Calcutta, United Kurseong Football Club and Shillong-based Langsing Sporting Club are the three outstation teams.
On the inaugural day, the United Sikkim will take on Boys Club, Gangtok, one of the oldest clubs in Sikkim. Bhaichung and his national squad teammate Renedy Singh will not play for United Sikkim in the tournament as both of them are recovering from injuries.
The team has been coached by Stanly H Rozario and will be captained by local boy Nim Tshering Lepcha.
The United Sikkim has 33 players and those who won’t take part in the Tashi Namgyal Memorial Cup will get a chance to play in the Independence Day tournament at Namchi.
“The junior squad members who may not get a chance to play in the Gangtok tournament can display their skills in the Independence Day tournament at Namchi. We have 33 players and it is very important that all get to play competitive matches before we lock horns with big teams in Federation Cup and Durand Cup in the coming weeks. We want to give all players a chance to play,” said the club manager Arjun Rai.
“The Independence Day tournaments are the best way to prepare for the upcoming matches. We are a completely new squad and these tournaments help us set our team. The coach will be trying new things, while players will do their best to cement their positions in the team,” said Bhaichung.
The United Sikkim squad boasts three foreign players, five national players and a bunch of talented players from Sikkim.
Gautam to seek CM’s help to resolve crisis in tea belt
SNS, SILIGURI, 7 AUG: At a time when almost all trade unions in the Terai and the Dooars are adamant on a three-day strike from 10 August in the tea belt, including a 12-hour general strike on 12 August in north Bengal demanding increment of tea workers’ wages and variable dearness allowance (VDA), the north Bengal development affairs minister, Mr Gautam Deb, is trying to call off the strike.
Mr Deb will take up the matter with chief minister Miss Mamata Benerjee on 9 August through the state labour minister, Mr Purnendu Basu, to resolve the crisis. The coordination committee of tea plantation workers’ unions, comprising more than 20 organisations, including Intuc, Citu and others, had decided to go on a strike when the tripartite meeting, called by the state labour department, to finalise tripartite wage agreement between the state, planters and trade unions, fizzled out in Kolkata on 4 and 5 August.
Notably, the three-year wage agreement has ended on 31 March 2011. At present a permanent tea worker gets Rs 67 per day in the Terai and the Dooars. The planters in the Hills have increased the wages from Rs 67 to Rs 90 following agitation of the Gorkha Jan Mukti Morch backed trade union. The state government had not interfered when the Darjeeling Tea Association had to increase wages separately to run their business in early 2011. When the coordination committee of planters’ association (CCPA) was reluctant to increase wages for tea workers following the trade unions’ demands, including the ABAVP-backed tea workers’ union, the angry trade union leaders decided to call a three-day strike in the tea belt from 10 August and a 12-hour general strike on 12 August in north Bengal.
Kick-off for Bhaichung boys
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| Bhaichung Bhutia during a practice session at Paljor Stadium in Gangtok on Sunday. Picture by Prabin Khaling |
If Bhaichung’s boys win state-level Independence Day football tournament, they will donate the prize money to Spastics Society of Sikkim, an NGO that runs an education and rehabilitation centre in Gangtok for differently able children.
“More than the club, the United Sikkim need to play for the children of the SSS. Whatever we earn from the Independence Day tournament will be donated to the SSS. The team is shaping good and the tournament is our first challenge in the new season,” said Bhaichung, who is also the ambassador of the SSS.
The annual tournament is organised by the Sikkim Football Association on behalf of the state government. While the team which lifts the cup will be richer by Rs 15,000, the runner up will take home Rs 10,000.
Five Sikkim clubs and three outstation teams will feature in the knockout tournament, the finals of which will be held on August 15. Mohan Bagan Academy in Calcutta, United Kurseong Football Club and Shillong-based Langsing Sporting Club are the three outstation teams.
On the inaugural day, the United Sikkim will take on Boys Club, Gangtok, one of the oldest clubs in Sikkim. Bhaichung and his national squad teammate Renedy Singh will not play for United Sikkim in the tournament as both of them are recovering from injuries.
The team has been coached by Stanly H Rozario and will be captained by local boy Nim Tshering Lepcha.
The United Sikkim has 33 players and those who won’t take part in the Tashi Namgyal Memorial Cup will get a chance to play in the Independence Day tournament at Namchi.
“The junior squad members who may not get a chance to play in the Gangtok tournament can display their skills in the Independence Day tournament at Namchi. We have 33 players and it is very important that all get to play competitive matches before we lock horns with big teams in Federation Cup and Durand Cup in the coming weeks. We want to give all players a chance to play,” said the club manager Arjun Rai.
“The Independence Day tournaments are the best way to prepare for the upcoming matches. We are a completely new squad and these tournaments help us set our team. The coach will be trying new things, while players will do their best to cement their positions in the team,” said Bhaichung.
The United Sikkim squad boasts three foreign players, five national players and a bunch of talented players from Sikkim.
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| Photo:DK Waiba |
SNS, SILIGURI, 7 AUG: At a time when almost all trade unions in the Terai and the Dooars are adamant on a three-day strike from 10 August in the tea belt, including a 12-hour general strike on 12 August in north Bengal demanding increment of tea workers’ wages and variable dearness allowance (VDA), the north Bengal development affairs minister, Mr Gautam Deb, is trying to call off the strike.
Mr Deb will take up the matter with chief minister Miss Mamata Benerjee on 9 August through the state labour minister, Mr Purnendu Basu, to resolve the crisis. The coordination committee of tea plantation workers’ unions, comprising more than 20 organisations, including Intuc, Citu and others, had decided to go on a strike when the tripartite meeting, called by the state labour department, to finalise tripartite wage agreement between the state, planters and trade unions, fizzled out in Kolkata on 4 and 5 August.
Notably, the three-year wage agreement has ended on 31 March 2011. At present a permanent tea worker gets Rs 67 per day in the Terai and the Dooars. The planters in the Hills have increased the wages from Rs 67 to Rs 90 following agitation of the Gorkha Jan Mukti Morch backed trade union. The state government had not interfered when the Darjeeling Tea Association had to increase wages separately to run their business in early 2011. When the coordination committee of planters’ association (CCPA) was reluctant to increase wages for tea workers following the trade unions’ demands, including the ABAVP-backed tea workers’ union, the angry trade union leaders decided to call a three-day strike in the tea belt from 10 August and a 12-hour general strike on 12 August in north Bengal.
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