बनबासीहरू जीटीए बाहिर- मोर्चाले सरकारसित लडिदिने आशामा अर्गनाइजेशन
मनोज वोगटी, कालिमन्युज, कालेबुङ, 6 सितम्बर। सम्झौतापत्रमा हस्ताक्षर हुँदासमेत अन्योलको परिस्थितिमा रहेको संरक्षित बन जीटीएलाई अन्तमा हस्तान्तर गरिएन। यसको एउटा प्रमुख कारण थियो कि संरक्षित बन सीमाना क्षेत्रमा छ। सीमाना क्षेत्रमा रहेकोले संरक्षित बन देशको सुरक्षासित झोडिएको सवाल बनेको छ। केन्द्रले गोर्खा जनमुक्ति मोर्चासित भरोसा गरिहाल्न नसकेको कारण जीटीएमा केन्द्रको हस्तक्षेपमा रहेको दार्जीलिङ अधिनस्त संरक्षित बन जीटीएमा हाल्न सकेन। यद्धपि बनक्षेत्रका निवासीहरू जीटीएमा बन विभाग पर्ने कुरामा आशावादी थिए। दार्जीलिङ जिल्लाबाट बनसम्पदबाट राज्यलाई मात्र वर्षेनी लगभग 20 देखि 25 करोड को फाइदा हुने गरेको अनुमान गरिन्छ।
तीनोटा टी मध्ये टिम्बर र टुरिज्म संरक्षित बनसित नै जोडिएकोले जीटीएले केवल टी(चिया)बाट मात्र राजस्व संग्रह गर्न सक्ने देखिएको छ। जीटीएमा संरक्षित बन नपरेकोले अहिले बनबासीहरू निश्चय नै निराश छन् तर उनीहरूले मोर्चामाथि आशा गर्न भने छोडेका छैनन्। वामफ्रण्ट सरकारसित बारम्बार लड्दा पनि बन कानून अन्तर्गत कुनै पनि सहुलियत पाउन नसकेका बनबासीहरूले जीटीएबाट त सहुलियत नपाउने नै भए, यता तृणमूलको नयॉं सरकारसित पनि पाउने हो होइन भन्ने कुराको अनिश्चितताभित्र उनीहरू रहेका छन्। यद्धपि बनबासीहहरूको हीतको निम्ति केन्द्र सरकारले 18 दिसम्बर 2006 अनि राज्य सरकारले 26 दिसम्बर 2006 मा नै अनुसूचित जनजाति औ अन्य परम्परागत बनबासी(बनाधिकार मान्यता) अधिनियम पारित गर्दै उनीहरूको निम्ति अधिकारहरू तोकिएको छ।
यता राष्ट्रपतिले अनुमोदन गर्दै 2 जनवरी 2007 मा जारी गरेको राजपत्रमा स्पष्टरूपले उपनिवेशितकालदेखि स्वाधिनता यतासम्म भारतका बनबासीहरूले देशको अखण्डता र पर्यावरणको संरक्षण गर्दै आएको भन्दै उनीहरूको हीतको निम्ति नीति निर्धारण गरिएको कुरा उल्लेख गरिएको छ। तर बनबासीहरू नै अहिले भारतवर्षमा सबैभन्दा उपेक्षित रहेका छन्। भारतको राष्ट्रिय जन श्रमजीवी मञ्च जस्तो छाता सङ्गठनसित आवद्ध भएर दार्जीलिङ जिल्लाको हिमालयन फरेष्ट भिलेजर्स अर्गनाइजेशनले पनि सरकारसित अधिकारको निम्ति लडिरहेको छ तर अहिलेसम्म नै सरकारले उनीहरूको समस्या र अधिकारलाई सम्बोधन गरेको छैन।
एकातिर बनवासीहरूको अधिकारहरू सरकारले तोकिरहेको छ भने अर्कोतिर उनीहरुको अधिकार नै हनन् गर्ने अधिनियम पनि पारित गरिएको छ। अधिनियमको धारा 1 को उपधारा 2 को क्रम बी मा सरकारी सर्वे होस वा नहोस् बनभित्र कुनै गाउँ छ भने त्यसलाई बन्यग्रामको मान्यता दिइने कुरा उल्लेख गरिएको छ तर अहिलेसम्म न त बन्यग्रामको चिन्हित गरिने काम नै भइरहेको छ न त अधिनियमको आधारमा उनीहरूलाई पर्जापट्टा नै दिइरहेको छ। अहिलेसम्म पर्जापट्टाको निम्ति नै दार्जीलिङ जिल्लाका बनबासीहरूले सरकारसित बारम्बार नै लडिरहेको छ। उनीहरू अनुसार अधिनियम संशोधन गरिनुपर्छ किन भने त्यहॉं बन्यग्राममा तीन पुस्ता( 25 वर्षको अवधीलाई तोकेर)बसेको प्रामण जुटाइए पर्जापट्टा दिइने कुरा उल्लेख गरिएको छ जब कि यसलाई मान्नु हो भने भारतस्वाधीन हुनुभन्दा अघिदेखिकै प्रामणपत्रहरू बनबासीद्वारा बुझाइनुपर्छ।1931 मा भारत नै स्वाधीन भएको थिएन जतिबेला जिल्लाका सम्पूर्ण जातिलाई नै अंग्रेजले अनुसूचित जनजातिको दर्जामा राखेको छ।
बनाधिकार अनुसारको सहुलियत नदिएकोले आन्दोलित जिल्लाका बनबासीहरूले मोर्चामाथि ठूलो आशा राखेको थियो तर जीटीएमा संरक्षित बन नपरेकोले उनीहरूको समस्या फेरि समाधान हुने छॉंटकॉंट देखिएको छैन। आज यस सम्बन्धमा हिमालयन फरेष्ट भिलेजर्स अर्गानाइजेशनका महासचिव लीलाकुमार गुरूङले जीटीएभित्र संरक्षित बन नपसेपनि मोर्चाले चाहेको खण्डमा धेरै कुरा गर्न सक्ने जनाएका छन्। तिनी अनुसार मोर्चाले बनबासीहरूको निम्ति कुनै ठोस पहल गर्ने कुरामा बनबासीहरू अझ पनि विश्वस्त रहेको समेत बताउने गुरूङले यसै मामिलालाई लिएर शीघ्र नै गोर्खा जनमुक्ति मोर्चाका अध्यक्ष विमल गुरूङसित भेटघाट गर्ने अनि यससम्बन्धमा गरिन सक्ने कार्यक्षेत्र र कार्ययोजनाबारे छलफल गर्ने जनाएका छन्।
तिनले भने, ऐन अनुसार बनबासीहरूले जुन पर्चापट्टा पाउन सक्ने कुरा छ, यस सम्बन्धमा सरकारसित सौहार्द सम्बन्ध राखेर बनबासीको हीत हुने ठोस पहल गर्न सकिनेछ। तिनी अनुसार बनाधिकार अनुसार बनभित्रको गाउँलाई चिह्नित गरेर बन्यग्रामको मर्यादा दिइनुपर्छ। यसपछि ग्रामसभाद्वारा बन सञ्चालन समिति गठन गरिनुपर्छ। फरेष्ट राइट कमिटीको त्यसग्रामको सर्वेक्षण रिपोर्टको आधारमा पर्चापट्टाको निम्ति पहल हुन्छ। यसको निम्ति महकुमा स्तरमा बन्यग्रामका निवासीहरूको तीन सदस्यको संलग्नतामा एउटा कमिटी गठन गरिएको हुनुपर्छ अनि महकुमा समितिपछि बन्यग्राम निवासीका तीन सदस्य रहेको जिल्ला समिति पनि बनाइएको हुनुपर्छ, जसले बनबस्ती, बनबासीहरूको सर्वेक्षणको आधारमा पर्चापट्टाको पहल गरिनुपर्छ, तर अहिलेसम्म यस्तो केही भएको छैन। तिनले भने, जीटीएमा संरक्षित बन पसेन तर गोजमुमोले बनाधिकार र अधिनियमको आधारमा बनबासीहरूको निम्ति लड्न सक्छ, जो अर्गनाइजेशनले लड्दै आइरहेको छ।
जीटीए' गोजमुमोको औपचारिक बिजय उत्सव
डी.के वाइबा, कालिमन्युज, कालेबुङ, ६ सितम्बर 2011। गोजमुमो पार्टीले जीटीएमा सम्झौता गरेको १ महीना १५ दिन पछि बंगालको बिधानसभामा बील पारित भएपछि मंगलबार औपचारिक बिजय उत्सव पालन गऱ्यो। ४४ महीनाको आन्दोलन पछि गत १८ अगस्तको दिन गोजमुमो, राज्य सरकार अनि केन्द्र सरकार माझ जीटीएको सम्झौता पिण्टेल भिलेजमा भएको थियो। सम्झौता भएपछि बील पास हुनमा केही बिलम्ब भएपनि अन्तमा बिधानसभामा जीटीएको बील पास भएपछि मोर्चा नेतृत्ववर्गमा खुशीको लहर छाएको छ।
बिधानसभामा बील पास भएपछि तत्कालै मोर्चाले औपचारिक घोषणा गरेर बिजय उत्सव पालन नगरे पनि अन्तमा मंगलबार औपचारिक बिजय उत्सव पालन गऱ्यो। यस अवसरमा मोर्चाका भातृ संगठनहरुको पनि सहभागीता रहेको थियो। गोजमुमो कालेबुङ महकुमा समितिको आयोजनमा सम्पन्न उक्त बिजय जुलुसमा मोर्चाका केन्द्रीय समिति सदस्य बिजय सुन्दास, प्रवीण रहपाल,नोर्देन लामा, महकुमा समिति अध्यक्ष सरीता राई, सचिव शुभ प्रधान आदि शिर्ष नेताहरुको बिशेष उपस्थिति रहेको थियो। स्थानीय डम्बर चौकबाट शुरु भएको उक्त बिजय जुलुसले शहर परिक्रमा गरिसकेपछि स्थानीय मेला ग्राउण्डमा पुगेर नाँच गान गर्दै समापन भयो। यस अवसरमा कार्यकर्ताहरुलाई लड्डु पनि बाँडियो।
उक्त बिजय जुलुस मेला ग्राउण्डमा पुगेपछि मोर्चा कार्यकर्ताहरु कम्मर मर्काउँदै नाँचे। बिगत आन्दोलनका दिनहरुमा र अन्य समयहरुको जुलुसभन्दा आजको उपस्थिति थोरै भएपनि उपस्थित हुनेहरु खुबै उत्साहित देखिन्थे। यस अवसरमा मोर्चाका केन्द्रीय समित सदस्य बिजय सुन्दास, सरिता राई अनि शुभ प्रधानले पनि सम्बोधन गरे। यस अवसरमा उनीरुले जीटीएलाइ आन्दोलनको ठूलो उपलब्धी रहेको दावी गर्न चुकेनन्। स्मरण रहोस गोजमुमोले पार्टी गठनको उदेश्य नै छुट्टै राज्य गोर्खाल्याण्ड रहेको दावी गरेता पनि आन्दोलनको गति संगै छुट्टै राज्य सहजै गठन नहुने छाँट देखेर कुनै एउटा बैकल्पिक व्यवस्था हुनपर्ने मोर्चाको स्टडी फोरमले निष्कर्ष निकालेको थियो। सोहि अवधि सरकार संगको अनेकौँ बैठक पछि मोर्चाले बैकल्पिक व्यवस्थाको रुपमा प्रधीकरण स्वीकार्ने निष्कर्षमा पुगेको थियो। तर बिगत बामफ्रण्ट सरकार संगको तालमेल नमिलेपछि उक्त प्राधीकरण पनि गठन हुन सम्भव भएको थिएन। तर बंगालको बिधानसभा चुनाव संगै राज्यमा तृणमुल कंग्रेसको सरकार गठन पछि जीटीएको ऐतिहासिक सम्झौता हुन सकेको थियो। यसका साथै मोर्चाको आन्दोलनमा पनि बिराम लाग्यो। यद्यपी मोर्चा नेतृत्ववर्गले छुट्टै राज्यको आन्दोलनलाई जीवित राख्ने दावी गरेको छ ।(Photo: Samten Kabo & DK Waiba)
कालेबुङमा पनि विजय उत्सव - जीटीएको कारणले पार्टीमा कुनै आँच आउनु हुँदैन-सरिता राई
मनोज वोगटी, कालिमन्युज, कालेबुङ, 6 सितम्बर। गोर्खा जनमुक्ति मोर्चाका कालेबुङका समर्थकहरूले पनि नगरमा आज विजय जुलूस निकाले। जुलूस निकाले पनि खुलेर विजयको नाराबाजी भने गरेनन्। प्रायः मौनरूपमा नै निकालिएको जुलूसमा लगभग दुइहजार समर्थकहरूको उपस्थिति थियो, यद्धपि विजय जुलूसमा सामेल बन्न कै निम्ति मोर्चाका विभिन्न भातृ सङ्गठनहरूले विभिन्न विद्यालय, सरकारी-गैरसरकारी कार्यालयहरूमा आज छुट्टी नै घोेषणा गरेको थियो। नगरमा मैनरूपमा निकालिएको विजय जुलूस मेलाटार पुगेपछि भने हर्कबढाइमा परिणत भयो। जहॉं उपस्थिति मोर्चा समर्थकहरूले कम्मर मर्काईमर्काई नाचेर खुशी मनाए। मेलाटारमा विभिन्न गीतहरू बजिरहेको थियो भने ती गीतहरूमा मोर्चा शीर्षस्थ नेतृत्वहरूदेखि लिएर विभिन्न भातृसङ्गठनका प्रतिनिधिहरू खुलेर नाचेका थिए।
विजय जुलूसमा कालेबुङ मोर्चा शाखाका अध्यक्ष सरिता राई, सचिव शुभ प्रधान, केन्द्रिय उपाध्यक्ष लोपसाङ लामा, केन्द्रिय सदस्य विजय सुन्दास, ननिता गौतम लतिका सिन्हा लगायत सम्पूर्ण भातृ सङ्गठनका प्रमुखहरूको उपस्थिति थियो। पश्चिम वङ्गाल विधानसभामा पारित भएको जीटीएलाई मोर्चाले ठूलो उपलब्धीको रूपमा लिएको छ। 18 सितम्बरमा जीटीमा मोर्चा, राज्य अनि केन्द्र सरकारमाझ त्रिपक्षीय सम्झौतामा हस्ताक्षर भएदेखिनै दार्जीलिङ जिल्लाका मोर्चा खेमामा खुशीको लहर छाएको थियो। मोर्चाको त्यो खुशीको सिमा अझ चौगुना बढ़ेर गयो जब 2 सितम्बरमा राज्यको विधानसभामा जीटीए विधेयक पारित भयो। यतिका वर्षसम्म दार्जीलिङ पहाड़मा हुन नसकेको विकास जीटीएमार्फत हुने मोर्चा प्रतिनिधिहरूको भनाइ छ। जीटीएले दार्जीलिङवासीको आकांक्षा अनि सर्वाङ्गीन विकास हुन्छ हुँदैन सो समयले बताउने भएपनि जीटीएलाई मोर्चाले ठूलै उपलब्धी मान्दै अहिले मोर्चा खुशीयाली मनाउनमा व्यस्त छ।
पूर्व घोषणा अनुसार 2 सितम्बरमा बील पारित भएपछि आज त्यसको खुशीयाली मनायो। विजय जुलूस भनिए पनि जुलूसबाजी नगरी मेलाटार पुगेपछि नाचगानमा परिणत भएको थियो। नाचगानलाई सम्बोधन गर्दै विजय सुन्दासले आन्दोलनमा सबैको योगदान रहेकोले आज सुखको दिन देख्न पाएको बताए। तिनले आज धेरै खुशी मनाउने दिन नरहेर जीटीएलाई असल ढङ्ग चलाउने सङ्कल्प गर्ने दिन रहेको बताउँदै, जीटीएमा दागोपापमा जस्तो भ्रष्टचार र भाइभतिजावाद हुनु हुँदैन। आन्दोलनमा सबैपक्षले सहयोग गरेका छन्। यसकारण जीटीएबाट सबैले बराबर सहुलियत पाउनुपर्छ।
यसैगरी कालेबुङ शाखाध्यक्ष सरिता राईले पनि आफ्नो सम्बोधनमा जीटीएको कारणले पार्टीमा कुनै आँच आउनु नहुने बताइन्। तिनले भनिन्, जीटीएमा सबै इमान्दार हुनुपर्छ। सही ढङ्गमा जीटीए सञ्चालन गरेर सरकारलाई देखाइनुपर्छ। जीटीएमा शहीदहरूको बलिदान छ, उनीहरूलाई बिर्सन हुँदैन। तिनले पञ्चायत अनि नगरपालिका चुनाउ हुने अनि त्यसपछि जीटीएको चुनाउ हुने बताउँदै जीटीए गोर्खाल्याण्ड पुग्ने खुडि्कलो रहेको पनि जनाइन्। सचिव शुभ प्रधानले जीटीएसम्म आइपुग्न मीडियाको भूमिका उल्लेख्य रहेको जनाउँदै तिनले मीडियाप्रति आभार प्रकट गरे।
पहाडका 6 शिक्षक शिक्षिकाले थापे बङ्गाल सरकारबाट शिक्षा रत्न
मनोज वोगटी, कालिमन्युज, कालेबुङ, 6 सितम्बर। वामफ्रण्ट सरकारले अवहेलना गरेपनि तृणमूलको सरकारले पहाडप्रति धेरै स्नेह देखाएको छ। वामफ्रण्ट सरकारले राज्यका केवल 25 जनालाई शिक्षक दिवसको दिन शिक्षा रत्न पुरस्कार स्वरूप 10 हजार दिने गरेको थियो तर तृणमूल सरकारले त्यसलाई बृद्धि गरेर 100 जनालाई पुरस्कार दिइयो। वामफ्रण्ट सरकारको बेला कहिल्यै शिक्षा रत्न नपाउने दार्जीलिङ जिल्लाले यसपल्ट भने 6 वटा शिक्षा रत्न पाएको छ। शिक्षक दिवसको अवसर पारेर मोठ 25 हजार रुपियॉंको शिक्षा रत्न हिजो राज्यका 100 जना शिक्षकहरूलाई राज्यपाल एम.के नारायणनले वितरण गरे। रवीन्द्र भवन कोलकातामा सम्पन्न एक कार्यक्रमबीच राज्यपाल लगायत शिक्षा मन्त्री देवब्रत बसु, शिक्षा सचिव विक्रम सेन लगायत सिञ्चाई मन्त्री,टेकएजुकेशन मन्त्री अनि सर्व शिक्षा मिशन राज्य योजनाका वरिष्ट अधिकारीहरूको उपस्थितिमा दार्जीलिङ जिल्लाका 6 जना शिक्षक शिक्षिकाहरूले शिक्षा रत्न पुरस्कार ग्रहण गरे।
उनीहरूमा कालेबुङका दुइजना रहेका छन् भने दार्जीलिङका चारजना रहेका छन्। जलढका उच्चतर विद्यालयका शिक्षिका सरस्वति छेत्री अनि गोरूबथान युद्धबीर उच्चतर विद्यालयका शिक्षक प्रदीप गुरू लगायत दार्जीलिङ घुम बोइज उच्च विद्यालयका शिक्षक कमल गुरूङ रहेका छन् भने प्राथमिक पाठशालाका शिक्षकहरूमा आरसी मिशन जुनियर बेसिक स्कूल माने भञ्ज्याङ का शिक्षक जीवन कुमार छेत्री, स्वामी विवेकानन्द प्राथमिक पाठशालाका शिक्षक जगदीश चन्द्र प्रधान अनि माने डॉंडा ट्राइबल प्रथमिक पाठशाला रिम्बिकका शिक्षक भक्तराज भण्डारी रहेका छन्।
PTI, Kolkata: The West Bengal Government gave away Siksha Ratna awards for the first time to 100 teachers in the State for their contribution to education. The award — Rs 25,000 and a citation, a set of books and an angavastram — was presented to the teachers from all over the State at a function organised on Monday by the School Education Directorate. Expressing satisfaction that the new State Government had taken initiatives to improve the service condition of teachers, the Governor, Mr M.K. Narayanan, said that there was need for more fund to provide better pay, better infrastructure and teaching paraphernalia. Lamenting that lack of discipline among students was becoming an increasing problem, he said that it was the foremost duty of the teachers to inculcate discipline among the students. “I expect teachers would rise to the occasion. They must understand the necessity of each child instead of straight jacketing a group,” he said. The Education Minister Mr Bratya Basu, said the Government will give Siksha Ratna to 100 teachers every year.
Not acting thrift, govt awards more teachers with more money
Shiv Sahay Singh, expressindia.com, Sep 06, 2011 :Kolkata The state may be reeling under huge financial debt but the government, it seems, did not wish not to look like a penny-pinching one when it came to honouring the teachers on Teacher’s Day. So when the state government felicitated teachers with a new set of awards called Siksha Ratna Awards, it chose to honour 100 teachers. This is stark contrast from the previous Left Front rule when 18-20 teachers used to be felicitated on Teacher’s Day.
The new government also increased the award money by two and half times. While the money given during the Left Front rule to the teachers was Rs 10,000, the government today gave away Rs 25,000 to each of the 100 teachers, besides books and bouquets.
Sources in the state school education department said that by doing so, the budget for the award ceremony jumped from Rs 3 lakh to nearly Rs 30 lakh — a ten-fold increase in the expenditure. To meet this extra cost, the government borrowed the money from Sarva Siksha Abhiyaan and it will return it once the finance department clears the proposal.
During the Left rule, the school education directorate decided the name of the award-winning teachers in consultation with various teachers’ union. This time, the selection process was changed. Instead of consulting the teachers’ unions, most being Left-leaning ones, the government formed a three-member committee in each district comprising chairman of District Primary Education Council, and district inspectors of primary and secondary schools. The committee recommended the names to the state school education directorate, which then took a final call.
School Education and Higher Education Minister Bratya Basu, meanwhile, said the government is considering to make the award an annual affair. The teacher’s unions have welcomed the government’s decision to honour more teachers this time.
आज पहाडमा हर्षोल्लास तराई-डुवर्समा मौनता
मनोज वोगटी, कालिमन्युज, कालेबुङ, 6 सितम्बर। पहाडमा नाचगान गुरून् हामीलाई केही छैन, नाच्ने रहर पहाडकालाई हुन सक्छ, तर आज हामी घरबाट पनि निस्किएनौं-बाग्राकोटका नाम बताउन नचाहने एक मोर्चा समर्थकले समय दैनिकसितको बातचितमा यसो भने। दार्जीलिङको तीनवटा महकुमा कोलेबुङ, दार्जीलिङ अनि खरसाङमा आज मोर्चाले जीटीए पाएकोमा खुशी मनायो। मोर्चा समर्थकहरू जातीय पोषाकमा ठॉंटिएर छमछमी नाचे जसरी जीटीएको सम्झौताको बेला मुख्यमन्त्री ममता व्यानर्जीले बङ्गभङ्ग होबेना भन्दा नाचेका थिए। पहाडभरि खुशी मनाइरहेको बेला उता तराई र डुवर्समा भने मौनता छाएको थियो।
डुवर्सका एक मोर्चा प्रतिनिधिसित सम्पर्क गर्दा तिनले डुवर्समा खुशीको परिवेश नरहेको जनाउँदै यससम्बन्धमा कुनै पनि टिप्पणी गर्न नसक्ने बताए। तिनले अहिलेसम्म पनि डुवर्सका जनता अन्योलमा रहेको अनि मोर्चामाथि आस्था राखेर बसेको बताए। मीडियामा अहिलेको घडीमा कुनै पनि टिप्पणी राख्न नसकिने स्थिति रहेको बताउँदै अर्का एक नेताले बिहीबार डुवर्स मोर्चाको बैठक रहेको जनाउँदै सोही बैठकमा वास्तविकतामाथि छानबिन गर्ने जनाए। मोर्चाले छुट्टैराज्यको निम्ति आन्दोलन गरेको अनि राज्यमा तराई र डुवर्सको पनि अन्तरभुक्तिको निम्ति हामीले यसपल्ट दिलोज्यानले डुवर्समा आन्दोलन गर्यौ,डुवर्समा सङ्गठन गर्न पहाडमा जस्तो सजिलो छैन, यहॉं अन्य राजनैतिक सङ्गठनहरूको वर्चस्व छ।
यसकारण यसपल्ट डुवर्सले धोका पायो भने फेरिफेरि पहाडलाई विस्वास गर्न सक्ने छैन। धोका भयो भने डुवर्सका मोर्चा कार्यकर्ताहरूलाई डुवर्समा बस्न धेरै असुविधा हुनेछ-एक नारी कार्यकर्ताले पनि नाम प्रकाशित नगरिदिने शर्तमा भनिन्। उनीहरू अनुसार तराई र डुवर्समा अहिले अन्योलताको परिस्थिति छ। जीटीएमा सम्झौता हुने बेलामा 196 वटा तराई डुवर्सका मौजाहरू पक्कापक्कीरूपले सामेल हुने आशा देखाएर सम्झौतापत्रमा पहाडका नेताले हस्ताक्षर गरेको तर अहिलेसम्म नै जीटीएमा तराई र डुवर्सका दाबी मौजाहरू अन्तरभुक्त हुने कुरामा निश्चितता देखिएको छैन। अर्कोतिर सरकारी ट्रेजरी बेञ्चमा बसेर मोर्चाका विधायकहरूले संशोधनी गर्नपर्ने क़ुराहरू राम्ररी हेर्न नपाई जीटीएको बील पारित गरे।
बील पारित गर्नअघि मोर्चाका विधायक डा.हर्कबहादुर छेत्रीले सम्बोधन गर्दै बील पारित हुनु मोर्चाको जीत रहेको बताएका थिए। तिनी बील पारित गरेर कालेबुङ फर्किने बित्तिकै पत्रकारहरूसित 45 मिनट सम्बोधन गर्दै बील पारित हुने बेलाको विधानसभाको वातावरण अनि त्यहॉं भएका पक्ष-विपक्षबीचको तर्कातर्कीबारे बताउँदै जीटीएमा संरक्षित बन समावेश नरहेको अनि तराई र डुवर्सका मौजाहरू जीटीएमा समावेश गर्न तयार पारिएको हाइपावर कमिटीको रिपोर्ट सरकारमा जान अघि नै जीटीएको चुनाउ सम्पन्न हुने बताएका थिए। अहिले तराई र डुवर्समा डा.छेत्रीको वयानले सनसनी नै फैलाएको छ। यसप्रकारको टिप्पणी आएकोले हाइपावर कमिटीका डुवर्स प्रधिनिधिहरू समेत अन्योलमा परेका छन्।
डुवर्सका एक प्रतिनिधि अनुसार डा.छेत्रीको बयानको आशय के हो भन्ने कुरा स्पष्ट नभएकोले सबै अन्योलमा छन्। विधायकबाट यसप्रकारको टिप्पणी आएदेखि डुवर्सका जनताले मोर्चा नेताहरूलाई बारम्बार प्रश्नहरू गरिरहेका छन् तर कोहीसित पनि उनीहरूको प्रश्नको ठीक जवाब छैन। बिहीबार पार्टीको बैठकपछि सबै रहस्यको पर्दा उठ्ने आशा गरिएको पनि तिनले बताएका छन्। जानकारी पाइए अनुसार अहिलेसम्म डुवर्सका प्रतिनिधिहरूसित मोर्चा केन्द्रिय कमिटीको बैठक भएको छैन। न त स्टडी फोरमका सदस्यहरूसित नै कुनै सम्पर्क भइरहेको छ। तराईका एक प्रतिनिधिले भने, केन्द्रिय समिति, स्टडी फोरम, विधायकहरूसित बैठक बसेपछि सबै कुरा अघि आउने छ। अहिले नै कुनै पनि टिप्पणी गरिहाल्न मिल्दैन।
तराई र डुवर्स जीटीएमा पस्नको निम्ति यहॉंका जनतामाथि पनि दायित्व छ। तर यहॉंका जनताको दायित्व भनेर मोर्चाका ठूला नेताहरू पन्सिन पनि मिल्दैन। हामीले मोर्चा अध्यक्ष बिमल गुरूङसित धेरै आशा गरेका छौं। यता डा.छेत्रीले हाइपावरको रिपोर्ट पुग्न अघि नै चुनाउ हुने कुराले जीटीएबाट तराई र डुवर्सका दाबी मौजाहरू बाहिर पर्ने प्रशस्त संकेत मिलेको अनि दार्जीलिङका तीनवटा महकुमाको निकटवर्ती क्षेत्र मात्र जीटीएमा पस्ने सम्भावनालाई संकेत गरेको हुन सक्ने तराई र डुवर्सका बुद्धिजीवीहरूले अनुमान गरेको कुरा पनि थाहा लागेको छ।
GJMM reaffirms stance on GTA election
SNS, DARJEELING/SILIGURI, 6 SEPT: The GJMM leadership today reaffirmed its stance that no election to the Gorkhaland Territorial Administration (GTA) would be allowed to be held in the Darjeeling Hills until the state government-appointed land survey committee submits its report regarding
the party’s claim over the Gorkha-majority areas spread across the Terai-Dooars.
“We would not participate in the election to the new council until the Committee concerned would submit its report to the state government,” said the GJMM general secretary, Mr Roshan Giri. However, he expressed satisfaction over the passage of the GTA Bill in the state Assembly. The party celebrated the passage of the GTA Bill in the Assembly today through several rallies and other programmes across the Hills.
A senior Hill CPI-M leader, Mr KB Wattar said in Darjeeling yesterday that the Hill unit of the party was with the GJMM in the land transfer demand. According to the observers, the Hill CPI-M's stance has provided fresh impetus to the GJMM clamour over lands in the plains.
Banks and post-offices as well as the educational institutions across the three Hill sub-divisions remained closed today in response to the GJMM-sponsored celebration programmes. However, shops and other commercial establishments remained open. Thousands of people participated in the ‘victory’ rallies staged across the Hills. However, intriguingly, the GJMM president, Mr Bimal Gurung did not participate in today’s programmes. He is away at Rimbick, around 80 km away from Darjeeling town, presiding over the party’s organisational meeting.
Mr Giri said the party should desist from confusing people by parading ‘spurious’ empathy for the cause of Gorkhaland. “We have not betrayed the cause as is being alleged,” he said.
BJP slams govt for Hills body
BJP state president Mr Rahul Sinha today said the state government had committed a blunder by including ‘Gorkhaland’ in the nomenclature of the administrative setup for the Darjeeling Hills. “This is a monumental mistake on the part of the state government. The chief minister seems to have been entrapped in a blind alley due to her overpowering obsession with claptrap. The state might pay the penalty in the form of a further division of the state,” he said. He demanded reintroduction of the traditional ‘Darjeeling’ and dropping of ‘Gorkhaland’ from nomenclature of the autonomous body.
Decide areas before polls: GJM- Passage of Gorkhaland Territorial Administration Bill sparks celebrations
Ananya Dutta, TH: The Gorkha Janmukti Morcha (GJM) will appeal to the West Bengal government to hold elections to the Gorkhaland Territorial Administration (GTA) only after the high-power committee for the inclusion of areas in the Dooars and Terai regions submits its recommendations, GJM general secretary Roshan Giri said on Tuesday.
“We are appealing to the State government to hold the elections only after the territory that will come under the GTA has been decided,” Mr. Giri told The Hindu on the phone from Darjeeling.
Celebrations were held across the Darjeeling hills during the day after the West Bengal Assembly passed the Gorkhaland Territorial Administration Bill 2011 on September 2. In Darjeeling, the rally organised at the Chowrasta saw large crowds dressed in traditional attire and dancing to the beats of drums. Similar celebrations were seen in Kurseong, Kalimpong and Mirik.
According to the tripartite agreement signed between the Centre and State governments and the GJM on July 18, the GTA Sabha shall consist of 45 elected members, with five others nominated by the West Bengal government for a five- year term.
While the agreement states that “the work of the high-power committee will run parallel to the electoral process” with a provision for transfer of the additional areas from the Terai and Dooars, the GJM leadership is now pressing for the elections to be withheld until the territory under the jurisdiction of the GTA is agreed upon.
“The provision for simultaneous elections is there in the agreement, but this is an appeal that we are making to the government. They have the authority to call the elections,” Mr. Giri said, adding it would be preferable if the elections were held after the committee has submitted its recommendations.
The committee, chaired by Justice (retired) Shyamal Sen, comprises four representatives of the GJM, three representatives of the State government and the Director of Census Operations. It will consider the inclusion of areas in the Terai and Dooars that may be transferred to the GTA bearing in mind their “compactness, contiguity, homogeneity, ground level situation and other relevant factors.”
The committee is expected to submit its recommendations within six months.
AIGL apprehends corruption in GTA
SNS, SILIGURI, 6 SEPT: The All India Gorkha League (AIGL) leadership has sounded apprehensive that corruption would scale new heights in the Darjeeling Hills after the GTA is constituted.
“The portents are ominous. It is an open secret across the Hills that the GJMM satraps and the party’s rank and file have embezzled a greater portion of the Centre-allocated funds meant for the Aila victims. The former Left Front government and the DGHC administration connived with the GJMM in the embezzlement game. Now things are far worse, as the Trinamul Congress-led state government looks desperate to humour the principal party in the Hills,” said the AIGL secretary, Mr Laxman Pradhan.
“The state government’s desperation to keep the GJMM in good humour has become evident through its callousness vis-à-vis the Madan Tamang assassination case. We appealed to the chief minister several times since the new government was sworn in, praying for an appointment. But the CM has been maintaining a studied silence all through. We wonder whether the state government has decided to keep the matter under the carpet to keep alive its bonhomie with the GJMM. The inaction on the part of the CBI on the matter is even more bizarre. Perhaps all are linked in an invisible chain-to keep the existing Hill applecart intact by shielding the criminals from the purview of justice,” he said.
The AIGL leader said that his party would fight the GTA tooth and nail. “A majority of the common people across the Hills are not favourably inclined to the autonomous body. They are not expressing their real feeling because of the reign of terror the GJMM has let loose in the Hills. The GJMM swept the Assembly polls in the Hills because of the same fear psychosis,” Mr Pradhan said.
Triparite meeting on tea workers’ wages inconclusive
SNS, SILIGURI, 6 SEPT: The eighth round of tripartite talks, which began on 4 September in Kolkata, to resolve tea workers’ fresh wage agreement that had ended on 31 March, 2011, was inconclusive on the third day today when planters refused to accept trade union leaders’ proposal.
While the planters’ apex body, Consultative Committee of Planters’ Association (CCPA), stuck to their proposal to increase the wage of a permanent tea worker from the present rate of Rs 67 to Rs 82 a day, the trade union leaders today requested them to pay Rs 90 from the first year.
Yesterday the CCPA had finally agreed to increase the wage by Rs 15 for the first year and Rs 4 and Rs 6 for the second and third year, respectively.
On the other hand, the Gorkha Jan Mukti Morcha (GJMM)-backed Darjeeling Terai Dooars Plantation Labour Union (DTDPLU) demanded that the CCPA should increase Rs 25 from the first year following the decision of the Darjeeling Tea Association (DTA). Because the DTA had increased wage by Rs 23 for a permanent tea worker in the Hills following a bipartite agreement with the DTDPLU a few months ago. At present a permanent tea worker gets Rs 90 a day in the Hills.
The DTDPLU’s Terai unit president, Mr Harihar Acharya, said: “The CCPA was very rigid and refused to accept our demand. We propose to follow the wage of tea workers in the Hills.”
“We have requested the state government officials to implement the Minimum Wages Act in tea plantation to resolve the ongoing stalemate in the tea plantation. We would appeal to chief minister Miss Mamata Banerjee to implement the Act for the tea plantation workers,” said Mr Acharya.
The convenor of the defence committee for 10-tea workers’ union, Mr Samir Roy, said: “We requested the employers to increase the wage from Rs 67 to Rs 90 from the first year so that a permanent tea worker gets Rs 100 in third year.”
According to Mr Roy, another bipartite meeting is going on in Kolkata to settle the rate of Puja bonus for tea workers.
विकास पर्खेर आफ्नै खुट्टाले उभ्ने गाउँहरू
मनोज वोगटी, कालिमन्युज, कालेबुङ, 6 सितम्बर। बत्तीको फेदमा अँध्यारो भन्ने उक्ति बढाभालूकोपमा चिरतार्थ भएको छ किन भने तीन किलोमिटर पर कालेबुङ नगर विकासले धनाढ्य छ भने वर बढाभालूखोप भने समस्यै समस्याले जेलिएर पीढित। गाउँ विकासका कार्यालयहरू नगरमा नै छन्, अधिकारीहरू पनि नगरमा नै छन् तर समस्या भने गाउँको गाउँमा नै। सुदुर बस्तीहरू त भइगए नगरदेखि केवल तीन किलोमिटर पर रहेको कालेबुङ शहरको सबैभन्दा नजिकको बस्तीतिर शहर र शहरी विभागले कहिले फर्किएर हेरेको छैन। नेताहरू पनि शहरमा नै, विकास कोष पनि शहरमा नै, बस्तीमा भने अभाव नै अभाव।
यस्तो पीडा एक्लै बॉंच्दै आइरहेका मङ्गल डॉंडा, बढाभालूखोपले बिजुली बाल्न पोल त आफै गाड्यो गाड्यो, वाहन चलाउन सडक पनि आफै खन्यो। गाउँलेहरूले मिलेर गाडेकै पोलमा गाउलेहरूले आफै जोहो गरेर किनेको तारबाट बिजुली बाल्ने यो क्षेत्रमा बिजुली विभागले बील भने बारम्बार नै पठाउँछ। विभागले न त पोल गाड्यो न त तार नै टॉंग्यो तर बील भने अहिलेसम्म नै असुलिरहेको छ। बढाभालूखोपका बी.बी.राईले भने, के गर्नु र! विभागलाई हजारपल्ट अर्जी गर्दा पनि पोल गाडिदिएन, न त काउन्सिलरले गाडे। तीनकिलो मिटर परको शहरमा भने झलमल्ल, हामी मात्र अँध्यारोमा बस्न भएन। शहरमा बलेको बत्तीले बस्ती उज्यालो हुने होइन। दूध बेचेको पैसा उठाएर पोल गाड्यौं, तार पनि आफैं किन्यौं अनि विभागलाई करेन्ट छोड भनेर जबरजस्ती गरेपछि यो गाउँमा बिजुली बल्यो।
हामीले गाडेको पोलमा हामीले नै टॉंगेको तारबाट बिजुली बालेर हामी विभागलाई पैसा तिरिरहेका छौं। यहीबाट बुझ्नुहोस्, विभागहरूले यो ठाउँलाई कसरी राखेको छ। अर्कोतिर मुकुन्द भट्टाराईले पनि भने, बिजुली त बल्यो, हामीले बाल्यौं, यति भएर पुगेन बाटो पनि हुन पर्यो। बाटो बनाइदिने अर्जी सम्बन्धित विभागमा कति गर्यौं यसको हिसाब छैन। अघिल्लो पार्टीका नेताहरू र विभागका अधिकारीहरूलाई कति पल्ट विन्ति बिसायौं तर केही भएन। अन्तमा गाउँलेहरू मिलेरै बाटो पनि खन्यौं। तिनले कच्चा सडकलाई हातले देखाउँदै अझ भने,महाकाल डॉंडादेखि साङ्सेको सीमानासम्म हामीले नै खनेको बाटो हो।
तिनी अनुसार यो बाटोमा क्षेत्रका 40 वटा साना ठूला वाहन चल्छ। खाल्डाखुल्डी रहेको कच्चा सडकमा चल्ने वाहनमा नै सहर जाने र सौदापात गर्ने बताउँदै तिनले थपे, साङ्से सिमानादेखि उता खर्कसम्मको बाटो चॉंही साई समितिले खनेको हो। यहॉं बाटो खन्को छ भने गाउँलेले नै। शहरदेखि बढाभालूकोप तीन किलोमिटरमा छ अनि गाउँलेहरूले खनेको कच्चा सडक त्यसउताका बस्तीहरू खाम्दोङ, पेथोङ, साङ्से, खर्क, योगदा, बिम्बोङ, मलिबॉंसे जान्छ। यत्रा बस्तीहरू जाने बाटो भने कच्चा रहेकोले स्थानीय मानिसहरूको गुनासो विभागतिर फर्किएको छ। देवप्रकाश राईले भने, पोल पनि आफै गाड्नु, तार पनि आफै लगाउनु, बाटो पनि आफै खन्नुपर्छ भने सरकार नै किन चाहियो? विभाग नै किन चाहियो?
दागोपापले केही गरेन अब जीटीएले गर्छ कि, हेरौं। उनीहरू चहान्छन् बढाभालूखोपदेखि उता जाने गाउँहरू पुग्न पीच सडक बनाइयोस्। उनीहरू अनुसार 1943मा स्थापित एउटा प्राथमिक पाठशाला यो बस्तीमा छ तर यहॉंका विद्यार्थीहरू भने चारहजार भन्दा धेर शहर गएर पढ्छन्। किन भने उनीहरू पढ्नको निम्ति यो क्षेत्रमा विद्यालय नै छैन। सॉंघुरो अनि कच्चा सडकमा वाहन चलिबस्ने भएकोले लामेतॉंत विद्यार्थीहरूलाई शहर जान धेरै असुविधा छ।
बीबी राईले भने, यत्रो जनसंख्या रहेको ठाउँमा चार क्लासको प्राइमेरी स्कूल मात्र छ, जब कि यहॉं हाइस्कूल बनिनुपर्ने। यसपालि पढेका विधायक आएका छन् उनले बनाइदिन्छन् कि! उनी अनुसार क्षेत्रका मानिसहरूको जीविकोपार्जनको आधार नै गाई पालन हो। पानी हुनु हो भने खेती पनि जीविकोपार्जनको आधार बन्न सक्छ। राईले भने, दूधले नुहाउन पुग्छ तर मुख धुने पानी यहॉं पाउन मुश्किल छ। बाटो पानी, बिजुली जस्ता आधारभुत समस्याहरूको निम्ति सरकारले यतिविघ्न योजनाहरु बनाएको छ भनिन्छ यहॉं कुनै पनि योजना आउन सकेको छैन। तिनले बताए अनुसार त्यसैक्षेत्र संलग्न शहर नजिकका अन्य गाउँहरूमा सय दिने रोजगार पनि आयो तर बढाभालूखोपमा आएन।
उनी अनुसार भढाभालूकोपमा कुनै पनि सरकारी योजना पुगेको छैन। जति जे छ सबै गाउँलेहरूकै प्रयासमा चलिरहेको छ। न त पञ्चायतबाट कुनै सहुलियत पुगेको छ न त सरकारको अन्य कुनै विभागबाट। बीबी राईले भने, गोर्खा जनमुक्ति मोर्चाका नेता विमल गुरूङले अब पहाडको विकास हुन्छ भनिरहेका छन्। मुख्य मन्त्री ममता व्यानर्जीले पनि स्वीट्जरल्याण्ड बनाउने भनिरहेका छन्। अब भने यो ठाउँको कॉंचुली फेरिने हो कि! स्थानीय मानिहरू अनुसार यस क्षेत्रलाई पर्यटन क्षेत्रकोरूपमा विकास गर्न सकिन्छ, किन भने यहॉंबाट कञ्चनजङ्घा, सिक्किम, दार्जीलिङ देखिन्छ। तर यस दिशामा सोंच्ने कसले?
दलगाउँमा भेटियो डुवर्सको शव
मनोज वोगटी, कालिमन्युज, कालेबुङ, 6 सितम्बर। 28 नम्बर समष्टीको दलगाउँ सिन्कोना बगान अन्तरर्गत पर्ने 53 धुराको चॉंप गैरीबाट झोलुङ थानाले एक शव उद्धार गरेको छ। यस क्षेत्रमा यसरी अज्ञात शव पेला परेको यही प्रथमपल्ट रहेको धुराका मानिसहरूले बताएका छन्। धुराका आशिश तामङले बताए अनुसार हिजो धुराका केटाकेटीहरू चॉंप गैरीमुनी रहेको खोल्सामा माछा मार्न जॉंदा उनीहरूले खोल्सामुनी सडेको शव देखे। खबर पाएपछि गाउँलेहरू हेर्न जॉंदा नग्न अवस्थामा अनि सडिसकेको शव देखियो। सिन्कोना बगान क्षेत्रमा शव भेटिएकोले यसको जानकारी गाउँलेहरूले बगान प्रवन्धकलाई दिए।
आज झेलुङ थानाका ओसी दावा शेर्पा पुलिस बल सहित त्यसक्षेत्रमा पुगेर शव उद्धार गरे। हिजो नै शव भेटिएको अनि लगिाएको अडकल अनुसार खबर गरिएकोले आएका डुवर्सको महाबारीबाट रामबहादुर तामङले शव चिन्हित गरेको थानाले जनाएको छ। थानाले बताए अनुसार शव रामबहादुर तामङका छोरा रोहित तामङ(27)को हो। रोहित सातादिनदेखि नै घरबाट लापत्ता थिए। तिनलाई सातादिनपछि नग्न अवस्थामा सडिसकेको भेटिएको थियो। आज शवलाई पोष्टमर्टम गर्न कालेबुङ महकुमा अस्पताल ल्याइएको थियो भने पोष्टमर्टमपछि परिवारलाई सुम्पिएको छ।
कालेबुङमा पनि विजय उत्सव - जीटीएको कारणले पार्टीमा कुनै आँच आउनु हुँदैन-सरिता राईमनोज वोगटी, कालिमन्युज, कालेबुङ, 6 सितम्बर। गोर्खा जनमुक्ति मोर्चाका कालेबुङका समर्थकहरूले पनि नगरमा आज विजय जुलूस निकाले। जुलूस निकाले पनि खुलेर विजयको नाराबाजी भने गरेनन्। प्रायः मौनरूपमा नै निकालिएको जुलूसमा लगभग दुइहजार समर्थकहरूको उपस्थिति थियो, यद्धपि विजय जुलूसमा सामेल बन्न कै निम्ति मोर्चाका विभिन्न भातृ सङ्गठनहरूले विभिन्न विद्यालय, सरकारी-गैरसरकारी कार्यालयहरूमा आज छुट्टी नै घोेषणा गरेको थियो। नगरमा मैनरूपमा निकालिएको विजय जुलूस मेलाटार पुगेपछि भने हर्कबढाइमा परिणत भयो। जहॉं उपस्थिति मोर्चा समर्थकहरूले कम्मर मर्काईमर्काई नाचेर खुशी मनाए। मेलाटारमा विभिन्न गीतहरू बजिरहेको थियो भने ती गीतहरूमा मोर्चा शीर्षस्थ नेतृत्वहरूदेखि लिएर विभिन्न भातृसङ्गठनका प्रतिनिधिहरू खुलेर नाचेका थिए।
विजय जुलूसमा कालेबुङ मोर्चा शाखाका अध्यक्ष सरिता राई, सचिव शुभ प्रधान, केन्द्रिय उपाध्यक्ष लोपसाङ लामा, केन्द्रिय सदस्य विजय सुन्दास, ननिता गौतम लतिका सिन्हा लगायत सम्पूर्ण भातृ सङ्गठनका प्रमुखहरूको उपस्थिति थियो। पश्चिम वङ्गाल विधानसभामा पारित भएको जीटीएलाई मोर्चाले ठूलो उपलब्धीको रूपमा लिएको छ। 18 सितम्बरमा जीटीमा मोर्चा, राज्य अनि केन्द्र सरकारमाझ त्रिपक्षीय सम्झौतामा हस्ताक्षर भएदेखिनै दार्जीलिङ जिल्लाका मोर्चा खेमामा खुशीको लहर छाएको थियो। मोर्चाको त्यो खुशीको सिमा अझ चौगुना बढ़ेर गयो जब 2 सितम्बरमा राज्यको विधानसभामा जीटीए विधेयक पारित भयो। यतिका वर्षसम्म दार्जीलिङ पहाड़मा हुन नसकेको विकास जीटीएमार्फत हुने मोर्चा प्रतिनिधिहरूको भनाइ छ। जीटीएले दार्जीलिङवासीको आकांक्षा अनि सर्वाङ्गीन विकास हुन्छ हुँदैन सो समयले बताउने भएपनि जीटीएलाई मोर्चाले ठूलै उपलब्धी मान्दै अहिले मोर्चा खुशीयाली मनाउनमा व्यस्त छ।
पूर्व घोषणा अनुसार 2 सितम्बरमा बील पारित भएपछि आज त्यसको खुशीयाली मनायो। विजय जुलूस भनिए पनि जुलूसबाजी नगरी मेलाटार पुगेपछि नाचगानमा परिणत भएको थियो। नाचगानलाई सम्बोधन गर्दै विजय सुन्दासले आन्दोलनमा सबैको योगदान रहेकोले आज सुखको दिन देख्न पाएको बताए। तिनले आज धेरै खुशी मनाउने दिन नरहेर जीटीएलाई असल ढङ्ग चलाउने सङ्कल्प गर्ने दिन रहेको बताउँदै, जीटीएमा दागोपापमा जस्तो भ्रष्टचार र भाइभतिजावाद हुनु हुँदैन। आन्दोलनमा सबैपक्षले सहयोग गरेका छन्। यसकारण जीटीएबाट सबैले बराबर सहुलियत पाउनुपर्छ। यसैगरी कालेबुङ शाखाध्यक्ष सरिता राईले पनि आफ्नो सम्बोधनमा जीटीएको कारणले पार्टीमा कुनै आँच आउनु नहुने बताइन्। तिनले भनिन्, जीटीएमा सबै इमान्दार हुनुपर्छ। सही ढङ्गमा जीटीए सञ्चालन गरेर सरकारलाई देखाइनुपर्छ। जीटीएमा शहीदहरूको बलिदान छ, उनीहरूलाई बिर्सन हुँदैन। तिनले पञ्चायत अनि नगरपालिका चुनाउ हुने अनि त्यसपछि जीटीएको चुनाउ हुने बताउँदै जीटीए गोर्खाल्याण्ड पुग्ने खुडि्कलो रहेको पनि जनाइन्। सचिव शुभ प्रधानले जीटीएसम्म आइपुग्न मीडियाको भूमिका उल्लेख्य रहेको जनाउँदै तिनले मीडियाप्रति आभार प्रकट गरे।
पहाडका 6 शिक्षक शिक्षिकाले थापे बङ्गाल सरकारबाट शिक्षा रत्न
मनोज वोगटी, कालिमन्युज, कालेबुङ, 6 सितम्बर। वामफ्रण्ट सरकारले अवहेलना गरेपनि तृणमूलको सरकारले पहाडप्रति धेरै स्नेह देखाएको छ। वामफ्रण्ट सरकारले राज्यका केवल 25 जनालाई शिक्षक दिवसको दिन शिक्षा रत्न पुरस्कार स्वरूप 10 हजार दिने गरेको थियो तर तृणमूल सरकारले त्यसलाई बृद्धि गरेर 100 जनालाई पुरस्कार दिइयो। वामफ्रण्ट सरकारको बेला कहिल्यै शिक्षा रत्न नपाउने दार्जीलिङ जिल्लाले यसपल्ट भने 6 वटा शिक्षा रत्न पाएको छ। शिक्षक दिवसको अवसर पारेर मोठ 25 हजार रुपियॉंको शिक्षा रत्न हिजो राज्यका 100 जना शिक्षकहरूलाई राज्यपाल एम.के नारायणनले वितरण गरे। रवीन्द्र भवन कोलकातामा सम्पन्न एक कार्यक्रमबीच राज्यपाल लगायत शिक्षा मन्त्री देवब्रत बसु, शिक्षा सचिव विक्रम सेन लगायत सिञ्चाई मन्त्री,टेकएजुकेशन मन्त्री अनि सर्व शिक्षा मिशन राज्य योजनाका वरिष्ट अधिकारीहरूको उपस्थितिमा दार्जीलिङ जिल्लाका 6 जना शिक्षक शिक्षिकाहरूले शिक्षा रत्न पुरस्कार ग्रहण गरे।
उनीहरूमा कालेबुङका दुइजना रहेका छन् भने दार्जीलिङका चारजना रहेका छन्। जलढका उच्चतर विद्यालयका शिक्षिका सरस्वति छेत्री अनि गोरूबथान युद्धबीर उच्चतर विद्यालयका शिक्षक प्रदीप गुरू लगायत दार्जीलिङ घुम बोइज उच्च विद्यालयका शिक्षक कमल गुरूङ रहेका छन् भने प्राथमिक पाठशालाका शिक्षकहरूमा आरसी मिशन जुनियर बेसिक स्कूल माने भञ्ज्याङ का शिक्षक जीवन कुमार छेत्री, स्वामी विवेकानन्द प्राथमिक पाठशालाका शिक्षक जगदीश चन्द्र प्रधान अनि माने डॉंडा ट्राइबल प्रथमिक पाठशाला रिम्बिकका शिक्षक भक्तराज भण्डारी रहेका छन्।
PTI, Kolkata: The West Bengal Government gave away Siksha Ratna awards for the first time to 100 teachers in the State for their contribution to education. The award — Rs 25,000 and a citation, a set of books and an angavastram — was presented to the teachers from all over the State at a function organised on Monday by the School Education Directorate. Expressing satisfaction that the new State Government had taken initiatives to improve the service condition of teachers, the Governor, Mr M.K. Narayanan, said that there was need for more fund to provide better pay, better infrastructure and teaching paraphernalia. Lamenting that lack of discipline among students was becoming an increasing problem, he said that it was the foremost duty of the teachers to inculcate discipline among the students. “I expect teachers would rise to the occasion. They must understand the necessity of each child instead of straight jacketing a group,” he said. The Education Minister Mr Bratya Basu, said the Government will give Siksha Ratna to 100 teachers every year.
Not acting thrift, govt awards more teachers with more money
Shiv Sahay Singh, expressindia.com, Sep 06, 2011 :Kolkata The state may be reeling under huge financial debt but the government, it seems, did not wish not to look like a penny-pinching one when it came to honouring the teachers on Teacher’s Day. So when the state government felicitated teachers with a new set of awards called Siksha Ratna Awards, it chose to honour 100 teachers. This is stark contrast from the previous Left Front rule when 18-20 teachers used to be felicitated on Teacher’s Day.
The new government also increased the award money by two and half times. While the money given during the Left Front rule to the teachers was Rs 10,000, the government today gave away Rs 25,000 to each of the 100 teachers, besides books and bouquets.
Sources in the state school education department said that by doing so, the budget for the award ceremony jumped from Rs 3 lakh to nearly Rs 30 lakh — a ten-fold increase in the expenditure. To meet this extra cost, the government borrowed the money from Sarva Siksha Abhiyaan and it will return it once the finance department clears the proposal.
During the Left rule, the school education directorate decided the name of the award-winning teachers in consultation with various teachers’ union. This time, the selection process was changed. Instead of consulting the teachers’ unions, most being Left-leaning ones, the government formed a three-member committee in each district comprising chairman of District Primary Education Council, and district inspectors of primary and secondary schools. The committee recommended the names to the state school education directorate, which then took a final call.
School Education and Higher Education Minister Bratya Basu, meanwhile, said the government is considering to make the award an annual affair. The teacher’s unions have welcomed the government’s decision to honour more teachers this time.
आज पहाडमा हर्षोल्लास तराई-डुवर्समा मौनता
मनोज वोगटी, कालिमन्युज, कालेबुङ, 6 सितम्बर। पहाडमा नाचगान गुरून् हामीलाई केही छैन, नाच्ने रहर पहाडकालाई हुन सक्छ, तर आज हामी घरबाट पनि निस्किएनौं-बाग्राकोटका नाम बताउन नचाहने एक मोर्चा समर्थकले समय दैनिकसितको बातचितमा यसो भने। दार्जीलिङको तीनवटा महकुमा कोलेबुङ, दार्जीलिङ अनि खरसाङमा आज मोर्चाले जीटीए पाएकोमा खुशी मनायो। मोर्चा समर्थकहरू जातीय पोषाकमा ठॉंटिएर छमछमी नाचे जसरी जीटीएको सम्झौताको बेला मुख्यमन्त्री ममता व्यानर्जीले बङ्गभङ्ग होबेना भन्दा नाचेका थिए। पहाडभरि खुशी मनाइरहेको बेला उता तराई र डुवर्समा भने मौनता छाएको थियो।
डुवर्सका एक मोर्चा प्रतिनिधिसित सम्पर्क गर्दा तिनले डुवर्समा खुशीको परिवेश नरहेको जनाउँदै यससम्बन्धमा कुनै पनि टिप्पणी गर्न नसक्ने बताए। तिनले अहिलेसम्म पनि डुवर्सका जनता अन्योलमा रहेको अनि मोर्चामाथि आस्था राखेर बसेको बताए। मीडियामा अहिलेको घडीमा कुनै पनि टिप्पणी राख्न नसकिने स्थिति रहेको बताउँदै अर्का एक नेताले बिहीबार डुवर्स मोर्चाको बैठक रहेको जनाउँदै सोही बैठकमा वास्तविकतामाथि छानबिन गर्ने जनाए। मोर्चाले छुट्टैराज्यको निम्ति आन्दोलन गरेको अनि राज्यमा तराई र डुवर्सको पनि अन्तरभुक्तिको निम्ति हामीले यसपल्ट दिलोज्यानले डुवर्समा आन्दोलन गर्यौ,डुवर्समा सङ्गठन गर्न पहाडमा जस्तो सजिलो छैन, यहॉं अन्य राजनैतिक सङ्गठनहरूको वर्चस्व छ।
यसकारण यसपल्ट डुवर्सले धोका पायो भने फेरिफेरि पहाडलाई विस्वास गर्न सक्ने छैन। धोका भयो भने डुवर्सका मोर्चा कार्यकर्ताहरूलाई डुवर्समा बस्न धेरै असुविधा हुनेछ-एक नारी कार्यकर्ताले पनि नाम प्रकाशित नगरिदिने शर्तमा भनिन्। उनीहरू अनुसार तराई र डुवर्समा अहिले अन्योलताको परिस्थिति छ। जीटीएमा सम्झौता हुने बेलामा 196 वटा तराई डुवर्सका मौजाहरू पक्कापक्कीरूपले सामेल हुने आशा देखाएर सम्झौतापत्रमा पहाडका नेताले हस्ताक्षर गरेको तर अहिलेसम्म नै जीटीएमा तराई र डुवर्सका दाबी मौजाहरू अन्तरभुक्त हुने कुरामा निश्चितता देखिएको छैन। अर्कोतिर सरकारी ट्रेजरी बेञ्चमा बसेर मोर्चाका विधायकहरूले संशोधनी गर्नपर्ने क़ुराहरू राम्ररी हेर्न नपाई जीटीएको बील पारित गरे।
बील पारित गर्नअघि मोर्चाका विधायक डा.हर्कबहादुर छेत्रीले सम्बोधन गर्दै बील पारित हुनु मोर्चाको जीत रहेको बताएका थिए। तिनी बील पारित गरेर कालेबुङ फर्किने बित्तिकै पत्रकारहरूसित 45 मिनट सम्बोधन गर्दै बील पारित हुने बेलाको विधानसभाको वातावरण अनि त्यहॉं भएका पक्ष-विपक्षबीचको तर्कातर्कीबारे बताउँदै जीटीएमा संरक्षित बन समावेश नरहेको अनि तराई र डुवर्सका मौजाहरू जीटीएमा समावेश गर्न तयार पारिएको हाइपावर कमिटीको रिपोर्ट सरकारमा जान अघि नै जीटीएको चुनाउ सम्पन्न हुने बताएका थिए। अहिले तराई र डुवर्समा डा.छेत्रीको वयानले सनसनी नै फैलाएको छ। यसप्रकारको टिप्पणी आएकोले हाइपावर कमिटीका डुवर्स प्रधिनिधिहरू समेत अन्योलमा परेका छन्।
डुवर्सका एक प्रतिनिधि अनुसार डा.छेत्रीको बयानको आशय के हो भन्ने कुरा स्पष्ट नभएकोले सबै अन्योलमा छन्। विधायकबाट यसप्रकारको टिप्पणी आएदेखि डुवर्सका जनताले मोर्चा नेताहरूलाई बारम्बार प्रश्नहरू गरिरहेका छन् तर कोहीसित पनि उनीहरूको प्रश्नको ठीक जवाब छैन। बिहीबार पार्टीको बैठकपछि सबै रहस्यको पर्दा उठ्ने आशा गरिएको पनि तिनले बताएका छन्। जानकारी पाइए अनुसार अहिलेसम्म डुवर्सका प्रतिनिधिहरूसित मोर्चा केन्द्रिय कमिटीको बैठक भएको छैन। न त स्टडी फोरमका सदस्यहरूसित नै कुनै सम्पर्क भइरहेको छ। तराईका एक प्रतिनिधिले भने, केन्द्रिय समिति, स्टडी फोरम, विधायकहरूसित बैठक बसेपछि सबै कुरा अघि आउने छ। अहिले नै कुनै पनि टिप्पणी गरिहाल्न मिल्दैन।
तराई र डुवर्स जीटीएमा पस्नको निम्ति यहॉंका जनतामाथि पनि दायित्व छ। तर यहॉंका जनताको दायित्व भनेर मोर्चाका ठूला नेताहरू पन्सिन पनि मिल्दैन। हामीले मोर्चा अध्यक्ष बिमल गुरूङसित धेरै आशा गरेका छौं। यता डा.छेत्रीले हाइपावरको रिपोर्ट पुग्न अघि नै चुनाउ हुने कुराले जीटीएबाट तराई र डुवर्सका दाबी मौजाहरू बाहिर पर्ने प्रशस्त संकेत मिलेको अनि दार्जीलिङका तीनवटा महकुमाको निकटवर्ती क्षेत्र मात्र जीटीएमा पस्ने सम्भावनालाई संकेत गरेको हुन सक्ने तराई र डुवर्सका बुद्धिजीवीहरूले अनुमान गरेको कुरा पनि थाहा लागेको छ।
GJMM reaffirms stance on GTA election
SNS, DARJEELING/SILIGURI, 6 SEPT: The GJMM leadership today reaffirmed its stance that no election to the Gorkhaland Territorial Administration (GTA) would be allowed to be held in the Darjeeling Hills until the state government-appointed land survey committee submits its report regarding
the party’s claim over the Gorkha-majority areas spread across the Terai-Dooars.
“We would not participate in the election to the new council until the Committee concerned would submit its report to the state government,” said the GJMM general secretary, Mr Roshan Giri. However, he expressed satisfaction over the passage of the GTA Bill in the state Assembly. The party celebrated the passage of the GTA Bill in the Assembly today through several rallies and other programmes across the Hills.
A senior Hill CPI-M leader, Mr KB Wattar said in Darjeeling yesterday that the Hill unit of the party was with the GJMM in the land transfer demand. According to the observers, the Hill CPI-M's stance has provided fresh impetus to the GJMM clamour over lands in the plains.
Banks and post-offices as well as the educational institutions across the three Hill sub-divisions remained closed today in response to the GJMM-sponsored celebration programmes. However, shops and other commercial establishments remained open. Thousands of people participated in the ‘victory’ rallies staged across the Hills. However, intriguingly, the GJMM president, Mr Bimal Gurung did not participate in today’s programmes. He is away at Rimbick, around 80 km away from Darjeeling town, presiding over the party’s organisational meeting.
Mr Giri said the party should desist from confusing people by parading ‘spurious’ empathy for the cause of Gorkhaland. “We have not betrayed the cause as is being alleged,” he said.
BJP slams govt for Hills body
BJP state president Mr Rahul Sinha today said the state government had committed a blunder by including ‘Gorkhaland’ in the nomenclature of the administrative setup for the Darjeeling Hills. “This is a monumental mistake on the part of the state government. The chief minister seems to have been entrapped in a blind alley due to her overpowering obsession with claptrap. The state might pay the penalty in the form of a further division of the state,” he said. He demanded reintroduction of the traditional ‘Darjeeling’ and dropping of ‘Gorkhaland’ from nomenclature of the autonomous body.
Decide areas before polls: GJM- Passage of Gorkhaland Territorial Administration Bill sparks celebrations
“We are appealing to the State government to hold the elections only after the territory that will come under the GTA has been decided,” Mr. Giri told The Hindu on the phone from Darjeeling.
Celebrations were held across the Darjeeling hills during the day after the West Bengal Assembly passed the Gorkhaland Territorial Administration Bill 2011 on September 2. In Darjeeling, the rally organised at the Chowrasta saw large crowds dressed in traditional attire and dancing to the beats of drums. Similar celebrations were seen in Kurseong, Kalimpong and Mirik.
According to the tripartite agreement signed between the Centre and State governments and the GJM on July 18, the GTA Sabha shall consist of 45 elected members, with five others nominated by the West Bengal government for a five- year term.
While the agreement states that “the work of the high-power committee will run parallel to the electoral process” with a provision for transfer of the additional areas from the Terai and Dooars, the GJM leadership is now pressing for the elections to be withheld until the territory under the jurisdiction of the GTA is agreed upon.
“The provision for simultaneous elections is there in the agreement, but this is an appeal that we are making to the government. They have the authority to call the elections,” Mr. Giri said, adding it would be preferable if the elections were held after the committee has submitted its recommendations.
The committee, chaired by Justice (retired) Shyamal Sen, comprises four representatives of the GJM, three representatives of the State government and the Director of Census Operations. It will consider the inclusion of areas in the Terai and Dooars that may be transferred to the GTA bearing in mind their “compactness, contiguity, homogeneity, ground level situation and other relevant factors.”
The committee is expected to submit its recommendations within six months.
AIGL apprehends corruption in GTA
SNS, SILIGURI, 6 SEPT: The All India Gorkha League (AIGL) leadership has sounded apprehensive that corruption would scale new heights in the Darjeeling Hills after the GTA is constituted.
“The portents are ominous. It is an open secret across the Hills that the GJMM satraps and the party’s rank and file have embezzled a greater portion of the Centre-allocated funds meant for the Aila victims. The former Left Front government and the DGHC administration connived with the GJMM in the embezzlement game. Now things are far worse, as the Trinamul Congress-led state government looks desperate to humour the principal party in the Hills,” said the AIGL secretary, Mr Laxman Pradhan.
“The state government’s desperation to keep the GJMM in good humour has become evident through its callousness vis-à-vis the Madan Tamang assassination case. We appealed to the chief minister several times since the new government was sworn in, praying for an appointment. But the CM has been maintaining a studied silence all through. We wonder whether the state government has decided to keep the matter under the carpet to keep alive its bonhomie with the GJMM. The inaction on the part of the CBI on the matter is even more bizarre. Perhaps all are linked in an invisible chain-to keep the existing Hill applecart intact by shielding the criminals from the purview of justice,” he said.
The AIGL leader said that his party would fight the GTA tooth and nail. “A majority of the common people across the Hills are not favourably inclined to the autonomous body. They are not expressing their real feeling because of the reign of terror the GJMM has let loose in the Hills. The GJMM swept the Assembly polls in the Hills because of the same fear psychosis,” Mr Pradhan said.
Triparite meeting on tea workers’ wages inconclusive
SNS, SILIGURI, 6 SEPT: The eighth round of tripartite talks, which began on 4 September in Kolkata, to resolve tea workers’ fresh wage agreement that had ended on 31 March, 2011, was inconclusive on the third day today when planters refused to accept trade union leaders’ proposal.
While the planters’ apex body, Consultative Committee of Planters’ Association (CCPA), stuck to their proposal to increase the wage of a permanent tea worker from the present rate of Rs 67 to Rs 82 a day, the trade union leaders today requested them to pay Rs 90 from the first year.
Yesterday the CCPA had finally agreed to increase the wage by Rs 15 for the first year and Rs 4 and Rs 6 for the second and third year, respectively.
On the other hand, the Gorkha Jan Mukti Morcha (GJMM)-backed Darjeeling Terai Dooars Plantation Labour Union (DTDPLU) demanded that the CCPA should increase Rs 25 from the first year following the decision of the Darjeeling Tea Association (DTA). Because the DTA had increased wage by Rs 23 for a permanent tea worker in the Hills following a bipartite agreement with the DTDPLU a few months ago. At present a permanent tea worker gets Rs 90 a day in the Hills.
The DTDPLU’s Terai unit president, Mr Harihar Acharya, said: “The CCPA was very rigid and refused to accept our demand. We propose to follow the wage of tea workers in the Hills.”
“We have requested the state government officials to implement the Minimum Wages Act in tea plantation to resolve the ongoing stalemate in the tea plantation. We would appeal to chief minister Miss Mamata Banerjee to implement the Act for the tea plantation workers,” said Mr Acharya.
The convenor of the defence committee for 10-tea workers’ union, Mr Samir Roy, said: “We requested the employers to increase the wage from Rs 67 to Rs 90 from the first year so that a permanent tea worker gets Rs 100 in third year.”
According to Mr Roy, another bipartite meeting is going on in Kolkata to settle the rate of Puja bonus for tea workers.
विकास पर्खेर आफ्नै खुट्टाले उभ्ने गाउँहरू
मनोज वोगटी, कालिमन्युज, कालेबुङ, 6 सितम्बर। बत्तीको फेदमा अँध्यारो भन्ने उक्ति बढाभालूकोपमा चिरतार्थ भएको छ किन भने तीन किलोमिटर पर कालेबुङ नगर विकासले धनाढ्य छ भने वर बढाभालूखोप भने समस्यै समस्याले जेलिएर पीढित। गाउँ विकासका कार्यालयहरू नगरमा नै छन्, अधिकारीहरू पनि नगरमा नै छन् तर समस्या भने गाउँको गाउँमा नै। सुदुर बस्तीहरू त भइगए नगरदेखि केवल तीन किलोमिटर पर रहेको कालेबुङ शहरको सबैभन्दा नजिकको बस्तीतिर शहर र शहरी विभागले कहिले फर्किएर हेरेको छैन। नेताहरू पनि शहरमा नै, विकास कोष पनि शहरमा नै, बस्तीमा भने अभाव नै अभाव।
यस्तो पीडा एक्लै बॉंच्दै आइरहेका मङ्गल डॉंडा, बढाभालूखोपले बिजुली बाल्न पोल त आफै गाड्यो गाड्यो, वाहन चलाउन सडक पनि आफै खन्यो। गाउँलेहरूले मिलेर गाडेकै पोलमा गाउलेहरूले आफै जोहो गरेर किनेको तारबाट बिजुली बाल्ने यो क्षेत्रमा बिजुली विभागले बील भने बारम्बार नै पठाउँछ। विभागले न त पोल गाड्यो न त तार नै टॉंग्यो तर बील भने अहिलेसम्म नै असुलिरहेको छ। बढाभालूखोपका बी.बी.राईले भने, के गर्नु र! विभागलाई हजारपल्ट अर्जी गर्दा पनि पोल गाडिदिएन, न त काउन्सिलरले गाडे। तीनकिलो मिटर परको शहरमा भने झलमल्ल, हामी मात्र अँध्यारोमा बस्न भएन। शहरमा बलेको बत्तीले बस्ती उज्यालो हुने होइन। दूध बेचेको पैसा उठाएर पोल गाड्यौं, तार पनि आफैं किन्यौं अनि विभागलाई करेन्ट छोड भनेर जबरजस्ती गरेपछि यो गाउँमा बिजुली बल्यो।
हामीले गाडेको पोलमा हामीले नै टॉंगेको तारबाट बिजुली बालेर हामी विभागलाई पैसा तिरिरहेका छौं। यहीबाट बुझ्नुहोस्, विभागहरूले यो ठाउँलाई कसरी राखेको छ। अर्कोतिर मुकुन्द भट्टाराईले पनि भने, बिजुली त बल्यो, हामीले बाल्यौं, यति भएर पुगेन बाटो पनि हुन पर्यो। बाटो बनाइदिने अर्जी सम्बन्धित विभागमा कति गर्यौं यसको हिसाब छैन। अघिल्लो पार्टीका नेताहरू र विभागका अधिकारीहरूलाई कति पल्ट विन्ति बिसायौं तर केही भएन। अन्तमा गाउँलेहरू मिलेरै बाटो पनि खन्यौं। तिनले कच्चा सडकलाई हातले देखाउँदै अझ भने,महाकाल डॉंडादेखि साङ्सेको सीमानासम्म हामीले नै खनेको बाटो हो।
तिनी अनुसार यो बाटोमा क्षेत्रका 40 वटा साना ठूला वाहन चल्छ। खाल्डाखुल्डी रहेको कच्चा सडकमा चल्ने वाहनमा नै सहर जाने र सौदापात गर्ने बताउँदै तिनले थपे, साङ्से सिमानादेखि उता खर्कसम्मको बाटो चॉंही साई समितिले खनेको हो। यहॉं बाटो खन्को छ भने गाउँलेले नै। शहरदेखि बढाभालूकोप तीन किलोमिटरमा छ अनि गाउँलेहरूले खनेको कच्चा सडक त्यसउताका बस्तीहरू खाम्दोङ, पेथोङ, साङ्से, खर्क, योगदा, बिम्बोङ, मलिबॉंसे जान्छ। यत्रा बस्तीहरू जाने बाटो भने कच्चा रहेकोले स्थानीय मानिसहरूको गुनासो विभागतिर फर्किएको छ। देवप्रकाश राईले भने, पोल पनि आफै गाड्नु, तार पनि आफै लगाउनु, बाटो पनि आफै खन्नुपर्छ भने सरकार नै किन चाहियो? विभाग नै किन चाहियो?
दागोपापले केही गरेन अब जीटीएले गर्छ कि, हेरौं। उनीहरू चहान्छन् बढाभालूखोपदेखि उता जाने गाउँहरू पुग्न पीच सडक बनाइयोस्। उनीहरू अनुसार 1943मा स्थापित एउटा प्राथमिक पाठशाला यो बस्तीमा छ तर यहॉंका विद्यार्थीहरू भने चारहजार भन्दा धेर शहर गएर पढ्छन्। किन भने उनीहरू पढ्नको निम्ति यो क्षेत्रमा विद्यालय नै छैन। सॉंघुरो अनि कच्चा सडकमा वाहन चलिबस्ने भएकोले लामेतॉंत विद्यार्थीहरूलाई शहर जान धेरै असुविधा छ।
बीबी राईले भने, यत्रो जनसंख्या रहेको ठाउँमा चार क्लासको प्राइमेरी स्कूल मात्र छ, जब कि यहॉं हाइस्कूल बनिनुपर्ने। यसपालि पढेका विधायक आएका छन् उनले बनाइदिन्छन् कि! उनी अनुसार क्षेत्रका मानिसहरूको जीविकोपार्जनको आधार नै गाई पालन हो। पानी हुनु हो भने खेती पनि जीविकोपार्जनको आधार बन्न सक्छ। राईले भने, दूधले नुहाउन पुग्छ तर मुख धुने पानी यहॉं पाउन मुश्किल छ। बाटो पानी, बिजुली जस्ता आधारभुत समस्याहरूको निम्ति सरकारले यतिविघ्न योजनाहरु बनाएको छ भनिन्छ यहॉं कुनै पनि योजना आउन सकेको छैन। तिनले बताए अनुसार त्यसैक्षेत्र संलग्न शहर नजिकका अन्य गाउँहरूमा सय दिने रोजगार पनि आयो तर बढाभालूखोपमा आएन।
उनी अनुसार भढाभालूकोपमा कुनै पनि सरकारी योजना पुगेको छैन। जति जे छ सबै गाउँलेहरूकै प्रयासमा चलिरहेको छ। न त पञ्चायतबाट कुनै सहुलियत पुगेको छ न त सरकारको अन्य कुनै विभागबाट। बीबी राईले भने, गोर्खा जनमुक्ति मोर्चाका नेता विमल गुरूङले अब पहाडको विकास हुन्छ भनिरहेका छन्। मुख्य मन्त्री ममता व्यानर्जीले पनि स्वीट्जरल्याण्ड बनाउने भनिरहेका छन्। अब भने यो ठाउँको कॉंचुली फेरिने हो कि! स्थानीय मानिहरू अनुसार यस क्षेत्रलाई पर्यटन क्षेत्रकोरूपमा विकास गर्न सकिन्छ, किन भने यहॉंबाट कञ्चनजङ्घा, सिक्किम, दार्जीलिङ देखिन्छ। तर यस दिशामा सोंच्ने कसले?
दलगाउँमा भेटियो डुवर्सको शव
मनोज वोगटी, कालिमन्युज, कालेबुङ, 6 सितम्बर। 28 नम्बर समष्टीको दलगाउँ सिन्कोना बगान अन्तरर्गत पर्ने 53 धुराको चॉंप गैरीबाट झोलुङ थानाले एक शव उद्धार गरेको छ। यस क्षेत्रमा यसरी अज्ञात शव पेला परेको यही प्रथमपल्ट रहेको धुराका मानिसहरूले बताएका छन्। धुराका आशिश तामङले बताए अनुसार हिजो धुराका केटाकेटीहरू चॉंप गैरीमुनी रहेको खोल्सामा माछा मार्न जॉंदा उनीहरूले खोल्सामुनी सडेको शव देखे। खबर पाएपछि गाउँलेहरू हेर्न जॉंदा नग्न अवस्थामा अनि सडिसकेको शव देखियो। सिन्कोना बगान क्षेत्रमा शव भेटिएकोले यसको जानकारी गाउँलेहरूले बगान प्रवन्धकलाई दिए।
आज झेलुङ थानाका ओसी दावा शेर्पा पुलिस बल सहित त्यसक्षेत्रमा पुगेर शव उद्धार गरे। हिजो नै शव भेटिएको अनि लगिाएको अडकल अनुसार खबर गरिएकोले आएका डुवर्सको महाबारीबाट रामबहादुर तामङले शव चिन्हित गरेको थानाले जनाएको छ। थानाले बताए अनुसार शव रामबहादुर तामङका छोरा रोहित तामङ(27)को हो। रोहित सातादिनदेखि नै घरबाट लापत्ता थिए। तिनलाई सातादिनपछि नग्न अवस्थामा सडिसकेको भेटिएको थियो। आज शवलाई पोष्टमर्टम गर्न कालेबुङ महकुमा अस्पताल ल्याइएको थियो भने पोष्टमर्टमपछि परिवारलाई सुम्पिएको छ।
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| Time to sit up |
Boy found hanging in school- Parents cry murder, police wait for autopsy report
Vivek Chhetri & Mrinalini Sharma, TT, Darjeeling, Sept. 6: A 16-year-old boy was found hanging in the washroom of a Kurseong residential school early this morning, the fourth student to have allegedly killed himself in the hills this month.
Police said preliminary indications were that Yalem Rai, a Class X boarder in the ICSE school, had killed himself in the washroom of the dormitory by hanging from the door frame. The noose was made of a bed sheet. But Yalem’s parents, who stay in Gangtok, alleged foul play. The body was spotted around 3.30am.
Nima L. Bhutia, the sub-divisional police officer of Kurseong, said: “We are yet to get the final post-mortem report. We can only comment whether it was a murder or a suicide after getting the final report. We think it is a case of suicide but the doctor is the best judge.”
The school could not be reached but sources said Yalem had participated in a Teacher’s Day celebration yesterday. Bharat Rai said he suspected his son was murdered.
This is the fourth instance this month of students in the hills killing themselves. On August 18, a 15-year-old girl of a reputed convent school in Kurseong committed suicide by consuming poison. A few days later, on August 21, a 21-year-old youth killed himself. None of the families had filed any police complaints.
The next day, a 13-year-old girl, from a school in Kalimpong, also committed suicide by consuming poison.
Father Kinley Tshering, an academician from Darjeeling who has handled teenagers for more than a decade, is alarmed at the spurt in suicides among students. “I come across young minds who say there is a lack of meaning about their lives. Religious and moral values are eroding and students are now hooked into the virtual world than the real life in which they live,” said Father Kinley.
The academician made a strong case for hiring trained counsellors in every school. “In my school, I had started training my teachers on counselling. They completed their stint in May,” said Father Kinley. He, however, cautioned that the urge to destroy life was always very complex.
Alarmed by the suicides, the Gorkha Janmukti Morcha-affiliated Vidyarthi Morcha organised a seminar on August 30 to discuss what was prompting the youth to destroy their lives but the organisers were disenchanted by the response. “We had invited people from a cross section of the society but the response was not very encouraging. Schools must hire counsellors as young minds are getting disenchanted. We are only indulging in a blame game on such issues but it is time we co-operated with one another,” said Nima Sherpa, the press and publicity secretary of the Morcha student wing. < Robindra Subba, director of Himali Boarding School in Kurseong, admitted that the education system and the mindset of the society had to change. “Students who are good in sports are forced to try and become engineers. We talk about this problem but at the end of the day nobody is willing to listen, be it parents or the society. The pressure on young people is immense,” said Subba.
Police said preliminary indications were that Yalem Rai, a Class X boarder in the ICSE school, had killed himself in the washroom of the dormitory by hanging from the door frame. The noose was made of a bed sheet. But Yalem’s parents, who stay in Gangtok, alleged foul play. The body was spotted around 3.30am.
Nima L. Bhutia, the sub-divisional police officer of Kurseong, said: “We are yet to get the final post-mortem report. We can only comment whether it was a murder or a suicide after getting the final report. We think it is a case of suicide but the doctor is the best judge.”
The school could not be reached but sources said Yalem had participated in a Teacher’s Day celebration yesterday. Bharat Rai said he suspected his son was murdered.
This is the fourth instance this month of students in the hills killing themselves. On August 18, a 15-year-old girl of a reputed convent school in Kurseong committed suicide by consuming poison. A few days later, on August 21, a 21-year-old youth killed himself. None of the families had filed any police complaints.
The next day, a 13-year-old girl, from a school in Kalimpong, also committed suicide by consuming poison.
Father Kinley Tshering, an academician from Darjeeling who has handled teenagers for more than a decade, is alarmed at the spurt in suicides among students. “I come across young minds who say there is a lack of meaning about their lives. Religious and moral values are eroding and students are now hooked into the virtual world than the real life in which they live,” said Father Kinley.
The academician made a strong case for hiring trained counsellors in every school. “In my school, I had started training my teachers on counselling. They completed their stint in May,” said Father Kinley. He, however, cautioned that the urge to destroy life was always very complex.
Alarmed by the suicides, the Gorkha Janmukti Morcha-affiliated Vidyarthi Morcha organised a seminar on August 30 to discuss what was prompting the youth to destroy their lives but the organisers were disenchanted by the response. “We had invited people from a cross section of the society but the response was not very encouraging. Schools must hire counsellors as young minds are getting disenchanted. We are only indulging in a blame game on such issues but it is time we co-operated with one another,” said Nima Sherpa, the press and publicity secretary of the Morcha student wing. < Robindra Subba, director of Himali Boarding School in Kurseong, admitted that the education system and the mindset of the society had to change. “Students who are good in sports are forced to try and become engineers. We talk about this problem but at the end of the day nobody is willing to listen, be it parents or the society. The pressure on young people is immense,” said Subba.
Air service grounded for lack of passengers
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| A get-together of the employees of the Northeast Shuttles in Cooch Behar on Monday after the launch of the air service. Picture by Main Uddin Chisti |
TT, Sept. 6: The bubble burst in a day. The Cooch Behar-Calcutta air service that resumed yesterday after 18 years failed to take off today because of lack of passengers, raising serious doubts about the sustainability of the service.
Government officials who had hailed the Northeast Shuttles’s Cooch Behar-Calcutta service as a major change in Bengal’s aviation map were left searching for an explanation.
Sources said the main reason for the flight being grounded was lack of passengers. But sales and reservation manager of the airline, Roshan Kumar Subedi, said: “We are having some problems with the infrastructure at both Cooch Behar and Calcutta airports and that is why the flight did not operate. It will take off on Thursday.” Sources in the Northeast Shuttles said there was baggage handling problems at Cooch Behar where there was a lack of staff.< Subedi hinted at further disruption in the service later this week. “There will be some problems this week but from next week the services will be regular,” he said. According to sources, no tickets for the Cooch Behar-Calcutta and the return flights were sold. “No tickets were sold for today’s flights,” said Prasun Kanti Bardhan, the owner of Bardhan Travels, ticketing agent for the airline in Cooch Behar. “There are very few enquiries for the next few days, but we have sold tickets for most of the dates in October,” he said.
Government officials who had hailed the Northeast Shuttles’s Cooch Behar-Calcutta service as a major change in Bengal’s aviation map were left searching for an explanation.
Sources said the main reason for the flight being grounded was lack of passengers. But sales and reservation manager of the airline, Roshan Kumar Subedi, said: “We are having some problems with the infrastructure at both Cooch Behar and Calcutta airports and that is why the flight did not operate. It will take off on Thursday.” Sources in the Northeast Shuttles said there was baggage handling problems at Cooch Behar where there was a lack of staff.< Subedi hinted at further disruption in the service later this week. “There will be some problems this week but from next week the services will be regular,” he said. According to sources, no tickets for the Cooch Behar-Calcutta and the return flights were sold. “No tickets were sold for today’s flights,” said Prasun Kanti Bardhan, the owner of Bardhan Travels, ticketing agent for the airline in Cooch Behar. “There are very few enquiries for the next few days, but we have sold tickets for most of the dates in October,” he said.
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| Passengers board the Calcutta-bound flight from Cooch Behar on Monday |
The sources said the airline was also facing difficulties as one of its two Dornier aircraft was grounded at Aizwal airport for the last few months. “The aircraft’s nosewheel was damaged at Aizwal airport several months back and since then, it’s not operating. The airline has to operate all routes with one aircraft,” said an official at Calcutta airport.
The state government today held a meeting with the top brass of the Northeast Shuttles in Calcutta and asked the operator to scout for a booking agent in the city and make immediate arrangements for online purchase of tickets.
“We have told the operator to address some of the teething problems that seem to be dogging the service. The operators have assured us that a bus service at Calcutta airport would be in place by Friday. If necessary, they may even borrow buses from the state government,” transport secretary B.P. Gopalika told The Telegraph.
With no flight scheduled for tomorrow (and Sunday as well) — in keeping with the agreement — the Northeast Shuttles has decided to use the time to speed up its awareness drive on the flight service both in Calcutta and Cooch Behar.
“There is already a booking for eight passengers from Cooch Behar for the Thursday flight and we hope the number will go up,” one of the officials said. The government — that offers subsidy for eight seats per flight — is also keeping a watch on the response from passengers.
Insiders said, based on the feedback, the transport department could come up with alternatives to make the service even more viable.
Deccan Charters, who were originally approached by the state government to operate in the route, said they could have a re-look at the sector.
The airline had changed its plans because the 19-seater aircraft it was scheduled to operate had developed a snag and was sent back to the company from which it had been taken on lease.
The state government today held a meeting with the top brass of the Northeast Shuttles in Calcutta and asked the operator to scout for a booking agent in the city and make immediate arrangements for online purchase of tickets.
“We have told the operator to address some of the teething problems that seem to be dogging the service. The operators have assured us that a bus service at Calcutta airport would be in place by Friday. If necessary, they may even borrow buses from the state government,” transport secretary B.P. Gopalika told The Telegraph.
With no flight scheduled for tomorrow (and Sunday as well) — in keeping with the agreement — the Northeast Shuttles has decided to use the time to speed up its awareness drive on the flight service both in Calcutta and Cooch Behar.
“There is already a booking for eight passengers from Cooch Behar for the Thursday flight and we hope the number will go up,” one of the officials said. The government — that offers subsidy for eight seats per flight — is also keeping a watch on the response from passengers.
Insiders said, based on the feedback, the transport department could come up with alternatives to make the service even more viable.
Deccan Charters, who were originally approached by the state government to operate in the route, said they could have a re-look at the sector.
The airline had changed its plans because the 19-seater aircraft it was scheduled to operate had developed a snag and was sent back to the company from which it had been taken on lease.
Newborn left with Rs 500 notes
MAIN UDDIN CHISTI,TT, Cooch Behar, Sept. 6: A newborn wrapped in a towel with two notes of Rs 500 tucked inside was found at Ghogharkuthi this morning.
Some fishermen said they had seen a speeding vehicle come to a halt around 4am and someone put the baby boy along NH31 in the early morning gloom. “They told me it was a red Maruti van,” said Binoy Das, who lives in the area, 19km from here.
The fishermen had been frantically gesticulating to Das from a hundred yards away when he stepped out of his home this morning.
“When I reached them, I saw the baby wrapped in a towel kept on a pile of sand. He was crying,” said Das, a weaver of tant saris.
“There were two five hundred rupee notes tucked inside the towel. I picked up the baby and took him home. He is being cared for by my sister-in-law, Padma. She has a six-week-old daughter and is nursing the newborn. We want to adopt the baby,” he said.
Dipak Saha, an insurance agent, too, said he had seen the red van in the morning. “I too, saw the red van drive by several times up and down the highway. I had come out for a stroll. I also saw a youth standing in front of the sand pile in front of a shop, but I did not see him place any bundle there. Later I came to know that a baby had been abandoned. I informed the Tufanganj police station around 6am,” Saha said.
He said till 2pm no one from the police station visited the area. “The child cannot be kept like this. I have told Benoy that he should approach the administration if the family wants to adopt the child,” he said.
Partha Indra, the chairperson of the district child welfare committee, said there were legalities involved in adopting a child. “I am making inquiries into the incident,” he said.
Sources at the social welfare department said abandoned children have to be kept in a government home. “If anyone wants to adopt the baby, an application has to be made to our department through the district magistrate. Only after that, the matter can be taken up for consideration. No one can just keep a baby that is found as their own,” a source said.
Additional superintendent of police Prasun Banerjee said the Tufanganj police would take the help of the district social welfare department and “rescue” the baby. “We are also going to investigate to find out who had left the baby there and trace them out,” he said.
Life in stench all year round
Some fishermen said they had seen a speeding vehicle come to a halt around 4am and someone put the baby boy along NH31 in the early morning gloom. “They told me it was a red Maruti van,” said Binoy Das, who lives in the area, 19km from here.
The fishermen had been frantically gesticulating to Das from a hundred yards away when he stepped out of his home this morning.
“When I reached them, I saw the baby wrapped in a towel kept on a pile of sand. He was crying,” said Das, a weaver of tant saris.
“There were two five hundred rupee notes tucked inside the towel. I picked up the baby and took him home. He is being cared for by my sister-in-law, Padma. She has a six-week-old daughter and is nursing the newborn. We want to adopt the baby,” he said.
Dipak Saha, an insurance agent, too, said he had seen the red van in the morning. “I too, saw the red van drive by several times up and down the highway. I had come out for a stroll. I also saw a youth standing in front of the sand pile in front of a shop, but I did not see him place any bundle there. Later I came to know that a baby had been abandoned. I informed the Tufanganj police station around 6am,” Saha said.
He said till 2pm no one from the police station visited the area. “The child cannot be kept like this. I have told Benoy that he should approach the administration if the family wants to adopt the child,” he said.
Partha Indra, the chairperson of the district child welfare committee, said there were legalities involved in adopting a child. “I am making inquiries into the incident,” he said.
Sources at the social welfare department said abandoned children have to be kept in a government home. “If anyone wants to adopt the baby, an application has to be made to our department through the district magistrate. Only after that, the matter can be taken up for consideration. No one can just keep a baby that is found as their own,” a source said.
Additional superintendent of police Prasun Banerjee said the Tufanganj police would take the help of the district social welfare department and “rescue” the baby. “We are also going to investigate to find out who had left the baby there and trace them out,” he said.
Life in stench all year round
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| The dump yard at Marchak. Picture by Prabin Khaling |
TT, Gangtok, Sept. 6: For residents of villages near Marchak in Gangtok, breathing is a difficult exercise all through the year as the air they take in is full of stench emanating from a dump yard.
With the only compost plant at the waste ground lying defunct “for quite some time”, around 35 tonnes of garbage remain untreated everyday spreading a foul smell around Nimtar, Mangthang, Water Garden and Sangkhola.
“The stench is bad all through the year and it is intolerable during the monsoon. There are swarms of flies all over the place almost throughout the year. You can get the awful smell even if you are in a vehicle travelling along NH31A above the dump yard. The local people want it to be shifted somewhere else,” said Shiva Kumar Mukhiya, a resident of Water Garden.
Around 300 families from Nimtar also narrated a similar story.
“We have to cover our food all the time and we cannot cut meat during the day because of the flies,” said a resident of Nimtar.
Waste from the capital and Rangpo, Singtam and Pakyong in East Sikkim is collected by the Gangtok Municipal Corporation and thrown at the 12.18acre dump yard at Marchak, 20km from here.
“We have been demanding the removal of the dump yard from Marchak but nothing has been done. It will be of great help if it is shifted to a remote area. Local people, especially children, fall ill often because of the unhygienic condition,” said a villager.
Officials of the municipal corporation said the compost plant had been installed for turning the garbage into organic material that is used for cultivation.
“But the plant, which has a capacity of 25tonnes per day, has been non-operational for quite a long time. The GMC had repaired it a month back but it could not operate because of some other technical problems. We will look into it once the dump yard is handed over to us officially by the urban development department. We have been using a special chemical to reduce the smell. But there are no immediate plans to shift the yard,” said Gangtok mayor K.N. Topgay.
He added that although the urban development department is officially in charge of the dumping ground, the GMC is looking after the dump yard in Marchak.
Road mishaps
TT, Alipurduar/Malda: Two persons died and one person was injured in separate road accidents near Kalchini and Kaliachak on Tuesday. Basirul Alam, 26, a resident of Rangalibazna, died when the motorcycle he was riding was hit by a vehicle on NH31C at Garambusty near Kalchini. Najirul Hussain, who was riding pillion, has been admitted to the Birpara State General Hospital with injuries. In another incident, Waidullah Sheikh, 29, a resident of Jalalpur, died after a truck knocked him down on NH34 at Jadupur in Kaliachak. The vehicle has been seized and the driver arrested.
With the only compost plant at the waste ground lying defunct “for quite some time”, around 35 tonnes of garbage remain untreated everyday spreading a foul smell around Nimtar, Mangthang, Water Garden and Sangkhola.
“The stench is bad all through the year and it is intolerable during the monsoon. There are swarms of flies all over the place almost throughout the year. You can get the awful smell even if you are in a vehicle travelling along NH31A above the dump yard. The local people want it to be shifted somewhere else,” said Shiva Kumar Mukhiya, a resident of Water Garden.
Around 300 families from Nimtar also narrated a similar story.
“We have to cover our food all the time and we cannot cut meat during the day because of the flies,” said a resident of Nimtar.
Waste from the capital and Rangpo, Singtam and Pakyong in East Sikkim is collected by the Gangtok Municipal Corporation and thrown at the 12.18acre dump yard at Marchak, 20km from here.
“We have been demanding the removal of the dump yard from Marchak but nothing has been done. It will be of great help if it is shifted to a remote area. Local people, especially children, fall ill often because of the unhygienic condition,” said a villager.
Officials of the municipal corporation said the compost plant had been installed for turning the garbage into organic material that is used for cultivation.
“But the plant, which has a capacity of 25tonnes per day, has been non-operational for quite a long time. The GMC had repaired it a month back but it could not operate because of some other technical problems. We will look into it once the dump yard is handed over to us officially by the urban development department. We have been using a special chemical to reduce the smell. But there are no immediate plans to shift the yard,” said Gangtok mayor K.N. Topgay.
He added that although the urban development department is officially in charge of the dumping ground, the GMC is looking after the dump yard in Marchak.
Road mishaps
TT, Alipurduar/Malda: Two persons died and one person was injured in separate road accidents near Kalchini and Kaliachak on Tuesday. Basirul Alam, 26, a resident of Rangalibazna, died when the motorcycle he was riding was hit by a vehicle on NH31C at Garambusty near Kalchini. Najirul Hussain, who was riding pillion, has been admitted to the Birpara State General Hospital with injuries. In another incident, Waidullah Sheikh, 29, a resident of Jalalpur, died after a truck knocked him down on NH34 at Jadupur in Kaliachak. The vehicle has been seized and the driver arrested.
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