पहाडभरिका पुलहरुको सर्वेक्षण गरेर सरकारलाई रिपोर्ट बुझाइने- चुनाव प्राथमिक होइन पहिला राहत दिनुपर्छ – डा हर्कबहादुर
डी के वाइबा, कालिमन्युज, कालेबुङ २४ अक्टोबर: भुँइचालोको पिडाबाट राम्रो संग छुट्न नपाई दार्जीलिङ पहाडका मानिसहरु बिजनबारीको हृदयबिदारक घट्नाबाट मर्माहत बन्न पर्यो। मादलको धिङताङमा भैलो र देऊसेका स्वरहरु गाउँदै नाच्न नसक्ने भयो बिजनबारीको यस पिडादायक घट्नाले। बजार भरी नै मानिसहरु बिजनबारीको घट्ना सम्झन्दै तिहारमा कुनै रौनकता नै नभएको कुराहरू गर्दै थिए। यता यस बिषयमा आज गोजमुमो नेता एंव कालेबुङका बिद्याक डा हर्क बहादुर छेत्रीले शोक व्यक्त गर्दै पिडीत परिवारहरु प्रति सहानुभुति व्यक्त गरे। बिजनबारीको घट्नाकाण्डमा जुन पिडा आज परिवार पक्षमा परेको छ वास्तवमा उक्त पिडा सम्पूर्ण पहाडवासीको हो भनि तिनले जनाए। यस बेला ति पिडीत परिवारहरु प्रति आफू सदैव साथमा रहेको पनि छेत्रीले जानए। तिनले यसै क्रममा कुराकानी गर्दै बिजनबारीको दुर्घट्न ग्रस्त पूल उत्तर बङ्गाल बिकास मन्त्री गौतम देवले आफ्नो पक्षबाट राष्ट्रीय स्तरको संस्थानहरु संग सम्पर्क गरेर निर्माण गरिदिने आश्वासन दिएको पनि तिनले जनाए।
डी के वाइबा, कालिमन्युज, कालेबुङ २४ अक्टोबर: भुँइचालोको पिडाबाट राम्रो संग छुट्न नपाई दार्जीलिङ पहाडका मानिसहरु बिजनबारीको हृदयबिदारक घट्नाबाट मर्माहत बन्न पर्यो। मादलको धिङताङमा भैलो र देऊसेका स्वरहरु गाउँदै नाच्न नसक्ने भयो बिजनबारीको यस पिडादायक घट्नाले। बजार भरी नै मानिसहरु बिजनबारीको घट्ना सम्झन्दै तिहारमा कुनै रौनकता नै नभएको कुराहरू गर्दै थिए। यता यस बिषयमा आज गोजमुमो नेता एंव कालेबुङका बिद्याक डा हर्क बहादुर छेत्रीले शोक व्यक्त गर्दै पिडीत परिवारहरु प्रति सहानुभुति व्यक्त गरे। बिजनबारीको घट्नाकाण्डमा जुन पिडा आज परिवार पक्षमा परेको छ वास्तवमा उक्त पिडा सम्पूर्ण पहाडवासीको हो भनि तिनले जनाए। यस बेला ति पिडीत परिवारहरु प्रति आफू सदैव साथमा रहेको पनि छेत्रीले जानए। तिनले यसै क्रममा कुराकानी गर्दै बिजनबारीको दुर्घट्न ग्रस्त पूल उत्तर बङ्गाल बिकास मन्त्री गौतम देवले आफ्नो पक्षबाट राष्ट्रीय स्तरको संस्थानहरु संग सम्पर्क गरेर निर्माण गरिदिने आश्वासन दिएको पनि तिनले जनाए।
अर्कोतिर गौतम देवले यस्तो पुलहरु पहाडभरि कति छन् त्यो सर्वेक्षण गरेर सरकारलाई रिपोर्ट बुझाउनु भनि जनाएको पनि तिनले जनाए। यसै अनुरुप यस पुल निर्माण कार्यको निम्ति यथाशिघ्र सर्वेक्षण हुने पनि तिनले जनाएका छन्। डा छेत्रीले कुनै पनि दुर्घटना भए पछि मात्र सरकारको होस आउने निति रहेको बताउँदै यसपल्टको सरकाले त्यस्तो निति नअप्नाएर अन्य स्थानको पुलहरु यथाशिघ्र निर्माणको निम्ति पहल गर्नु पर्ने पनि माग गरेको बातए। पहाडभरी यस्तो पुलहरु कति छन् त्यस बारेमा यथाशिघ्र सर्वेक्षण गरेर पहिलो चरणमा २० वटा पुलहरुको सूचि सरकारलाई पठाउने पनि तिनले जनाए। आवश्यक परेको खण्डमा केन्द्र सरकारलाई पनि सहयोग माग्ने बताउँदै पुलहरुको सर्वेक्षण हप्तादिन भित्र शुरु गर्ने पनि तिनले जनाए।
अर्कोतिर नगरपालीका चुनावबारे सोधिएको प्रश्नको जवाब दिंदै मोर्चाको निम्ति चुनावको मुद्दा प्राथमिक नरहेको जनाए। अहिले मानिसहरु आपत्कालको स्थितिमा रहेको कारण मानिसहरुलाई राहत दिनु पहिलो कर्तब्य रहेको बताउँदै चुनाव सरकारको बाध्यता मात्र हो भनि जनाए। सोहि सन्दर्भमा यदि चुनाव भए मोर्चाकै जित निश्चित हुने पनि तिनले दाबी गरे। एकतिर भुँईचालोले मानिसहरु बेघर भएको समयमा चुनाव कुनै समस्या होइन भनि तिनले बताए। अर्कोतिर ग्राम पञ्चायत चुनावबारे प्रश्न गर्दा तिनले जनसंख्या वृद्धिको कारण पञ्चायतको संख्या र खण्डहरुको संख्या बृद्धि गर्नु पर्ने पनि तिनले बताए।
Kalimpopng people are deprived of pure water
KalimNews: Drinking water supplied by Water works department is not drinkable due to non functioning of the filter system, alleged Tara Sundas CPM leader. He blamed the department for neglecting the vital hygienic factor. He further stated that another filter house of the Army situated just near it at Deolo is functioning well. He demanded that the filter house be repaired at the earliest and all the human created problems regarding potable water be solved.
Sundas during a press conference also stated that there were atleast ten public taps which are now converted into some illegal private connections as such people are deprived of common necessities of human consumption.
Support for Remanti and Robin
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| Robin and Remanti urge students to send SMS for them at Sikkim Government College in Gangtok on Monday. Picture by Prabin Khaling |
The two Sikkimese talents, Remanti and Robin have secured final spots in the singing and dancing events respectively in the ‘Northeast Ke Superstar’, a talent hunt contest organized by North East Council (NEC) for the eight Northeastern States.
Two contestants from each Northeastern State have reached in the grand finale for the dancing and singing categories which will be telecasted live from Guwahati on November 12. The winners of ‘Northeast Ke Superstar’ will get cash prizes and a 1-year contract with an event management company in dancing and singing categories.
Before the grand finale is held, the contestants have to seek votes through SMSes.
“Votes are required to win the event. Though the marks from judges will also count to some extent, votes received will matter most”, said Remanti and Robin.
Voting lines are open from October 28 till November 8 after the penultimate round is telecasted by DD Northeast on October 28 and 29. Video episodes of the ‘Northeast Ke Superstar’ are being telecasted in DD-Northeast thrice a week since September 7 tracking down the early days of the contest to the State-level champion round.
The Sikkimese duo had started their campaign to seek votes from the people of Sikkim and Darjeeling from September 16 but was left helpless after Sikkim was hit by the earthquake on September 18. Now, with things normalizing here, representatives from different sections of the society have come forward to pitch in for them under the banner of ‘Remanti, Robin Northeast Ke Superstar Fan Club’.
Pamphlets have been printed by the group which will be distributed to colleges, schools and market places here in Gangtok and other major towns of Sikkim. The group has already established contacts with organizations in neighbouring town of Kalimpong for promoting and seeking votes for Remanti and Robin.
“Representatives from different sections of the society here have come together to support Remanti and Robin. Our objective is not only to campaign for the two Sikkimese youths but also maintain strong bonds with our neighbours in Kalimpong and Darjeeling. This is a right way for all of us in Sikkim and Darjeeling region to revive and show solidarity like we have been doing earlier for Prashant Tamang and Bhaichung Bhutia”, said group member Joesph Lepcha, a Gangtok based journalist.
Lepcha said that the group members are already in touch with organizations in other urban areas of Sikkim and Kalimpong for promoting the duo. “Our first aim is to spread the message among all people to watch the episodes of Northeast Ke Superstar. Voting will then automatically come to the minds of the people”, he said.
Lepcha said that that prominent citizens of Kalimpong like renowned writer CK Shrestha and organizations like ‘Basibiyalo’ have already pledged support to the two Sikkimese contestants. “We have been invited by them to come to Kalimpong tomorrow and campaign there. We expect good response from Kalimpong as local organizations have already pledged to support us”, he said.
Group chief coordinator Mrs DK Lepcha said that all should support Remanti and Robin so that talents from a small State like Sikkim gets noticed in regional and national level.
“Our two children have reached the finals of a Northeastern regional level contest and we all should come forward to help them. The people of Darjeeling and Sikkim have always remained united in promoting and supporting the local talents. We had come together for Prashant Tamang, Bhaichung Bhutia and Parkriti Giri. Such initiatives help in maintaining vibrant relations among the neighbours”, said Mrs Lepcha, a housewife from Arithang.
Joseph Lepcha said that after visiting Kalimpong tomorrow, the group will be going to Darjeeling after Diwali. We will be installing two voting booths in Gangtok from October 29 so people can come and send SMSes votes for Remanti and Robin till November 8, he said.
Remanti will be singing two songs and Robin will be performing two dances during the grand finale.
CPI(M) demand a high level probe into the Bijanbari bridge mishap
Amitava Banerjee, HT, Darjeeling, October 24, 2011:The Communist Party of India (Marxist) has demanded a high level probe into the Bijanbari bridge mishap which has left 32 dead and 130 injured. A CPI(M) team led by Darjeeling Rajya Sabha MP Saman Pathak visited Bijanbari on Monday. Bijanbari, 38 kms from Darjeeling, experienced the worst
tragedy with the Bijanbari Little Rangeet Suspension Bridge collapsing on October 22 at 5.50pm, when more than 150 people were trying to cross over after attending a Gorkha Janmukti Morcha (GJM) programme.
"Both the Morcha and the administration are responsible for this tragedy. How could the administration allow such a programme to take place at such a spot when they were well aware of the fact that huge crowds would be crossing over this frail suspension footbridge? Why didn't the police stop hundreds of people from standing on the bridge which the whole of Bijanbari knew would not allow more than 10 people from crossing over at once? The programme could have been held in more practical venue rather than in the middle of the wilderness where people would have to cross the river" alleged Pathak.
He further questioned the locus standi of GJM president Bimal Gurung laying the foundation for the new campus for the Bijanbari Degree College.
"We want to know the validity of the foundation stone laying programme as the president of a political party (read Bimal Gurung), who is not an elected leader nor a part of the government, was laying the foundation stone. The foundation stone laying ceremony is the cause of the tragedy. We will be immediately taking up the matter with the state government. The state government should set up a high level commission to probe into this matter," demanded Pathak.
Training guns at chief minister Mamata Banerjee, Pather dubbed her Darjeeling Hill visit as a mere political drama. "If she was sincere then she should have visited Bijanbari and met the family members of the deceased and the injured. If the visit was just for making announcements then she could have easily done it from Kolkata. We demand that the government ensure relief for the affected families in remote areas also," demanded the CPI(M) MP.
CM Mamata Banerjee was in the district on Sunday. On arrival she had visited the North Bengal Medical College and Hospital in the plains; Darjeeling District Hospital; met the Governor and GJM leaders and held a meeting with the district administration. On Monday she departed for Kolkata.
Pathak further demanded that the government should get a survey team to study the feasibility and validity of all such suspension bridges in the Hills so that similar mishaps do not occur in future.
Interestingly, as part of the blame game, Gurung had alleged that despite repeated requests to the former Left Front state government to upgrade these bridges, the state government had turned a deaf ear.
CM Mamata Banerjee during her visit had talked of the recent earthquake having weakened the suspension bridge. "Along with this, the crowds attending the GJM progarmme had exerted so much load that the bridge gave way. However we will have a Central survey team to look into all such structures" Mamata had assured.
Saumitra Mohan, district magistrate, Darjeeling stated that he has already instructed the concerned authorities to conduct a thorough technical survey on all such bridges in the district and inform him immediately in case of finding any unsafe.
GJM will ask for relief
PR, KalimNews: Delhi GJM Unit will render every possible help to the victims in the tragic incident that happened in Bijanbari, as well as their family members including assistance for those who come to Delhi for medical treatment or any kind of aid. It also sent its condolence during a meeting on 23.10.2011 at B2/2, Safdarjung Enclave. Mr. Manoj Sankhar, President, presided over the meeting. Ranjan Sharma General Secretary, Lobsang Lama AGS, Rustam Chettri, VP along with other executives of Parents Body, Nari Morcha, Yuwa Morcha and representatives of Vasant Gaon Prasakha.
The meeting alleged that the Central Government and the office of the Hon'ble President have been silent so far and none has come forward to make any comments with respect to the present incident. Delhi GJM initiates to reach out to the office of Hon'ble Prime Minister and the Ho'ble Home Minister and accordingly move appropriate Memorandums/ Applications so that the Central Government looks into the matter seriously and expeditiously and declare appropriate packages / ex-gratia to the victims.
Delhi GJM also resolved to approach to office of the Member of Parliament, of Darjeeling, Mr Jaswant Singh and seek appropriate aid to help the bereaved.
With respect to the future program in Delhi Mr Ranjan Sharma , GS said that team Delhi along with theNational Committee of GJM in consultation and under the guidance of Central Committee are charting out a plan to organize a national level meeting in Delhi in the month of January. In the said meeting , representatives of the Central Committee of GJM namely Mr Bimal Gurung, President , Central Committee , Mr. Roshan Giri, GS Central Committee and other members of Central Committee, Darjeeling would be invited. Members of the National Committee of GJM will also be asked to play in key role and representatives of GJM Unit through out the country shall be invited on the forum . The key objective of the national level meeting would be to analyse and discuss the key issues of all the Gorkhas residing through out the country including the issue of National Identity.
A cultural programme to promote the rich culture of the Gorkhas will also be organized in Delhi to bring national awareness and to bond the Gorkhas residing all over the country within a single platform to promote unity, brotherhood and harmony. Delhi GJM also offered to render every possible assistance and support to the Dehradun Unit of GJM in the upcoming assembly elections and and help the party nominated candidate win the elections.
बिजनबारी घट्नाकाण्डप्रति क्रामाकपाको शोक र जाँच हुनु पर्ने माग
डी के वाइबा, कालिमन्युज, कालेबुङ २४ अक्टोबर: बिजनबारी घट्नाकाण्डमा परेका पिडीत परिवारहरु प्रति क्रामाकपा पार्टीले शोक व्यक्त गरेको छ। क्रामाकपा कालेबुङ आञ्चलिक समितिका सभापति किशोर प्रधानले आज पार्टी कार्यालयमा पत्रकारहरुलाई सम्बोधन गर्दै घटना दुखद्पूर्ण रहेको बताए। उक्त घट्नाकाणड कसरि भयो भन्ने बिषयमा न्यायिक जाँच हुनपर्ने पनि क्रामाकपाले माग गरेको छ। प्रधानले यस बिषयमा प्रशासनले न्यायिक जाँच गरेर घट्ना कसरी भयो भन्ने कुराको पत्तो लगाएर वास्तविक कुरा सार्वजनिक गर्नु पर्ने पनि माग गरे। तिनले यस बिषयमा पुलिस प्रशासनको पनि गल्ति रहेको बताउँदै पुलको अवस्था सोचनिय छ भनेर थाहा हुँदा हुदै किन मानिसहरुलाई त्यहाँ भिड हुन दियो भनि प्रश्न गरे।
अर्कोतिर तिनले यसै क्रममा गोजमुमो प्रति पनि प्रहार गर्दै बिजनबारीमा जुन कार्यक्रम हुँदै थियो त्यसको प्रशासनबाट अनुमति थियो थिएन भन्ने पनि जाँच हुन पर्ने माग गरे। दार्जीलिङ पुलिस अधिक्षकले बिजनबारीका ओ सीलाई सोकज दिंदैमा घट्नाको रहस्य पत्तो नहुने बताउँदै एउटा पुलिस कर्मीलाई सोकज दिएर घट्नाको वास्तवविकता ढाकछोप गर्नु नहुने पनि तिनले माग गरे। तिनले उक्त घट्नाकाण्ड गोजमुमोको कार्यक्रमको कारण भएको भनि आरोप लगाउँदै मोर्चा प्रमुख गुरुङले कसरी कलेजको शिलान्यास गरे भनि प्रश्न गरे। कलेजको शिलान्यास विधायक वा सांसद तथा कुनै प्रशासनिक अधिकारीले राख्नु पर्ने हो तर कुन आधारमा राखेका हुन् भनि प्रश्न गर्दे जुनसुकै कार्यलाई राजनीति गर्नु नहुने पनि तिनले माग गरे। अहिले ममता ब्यानर्जीले मरेका परिवारहरुलाई पैसा दिने घोषणा गरेर पिडीतहरुको पक्षमा रहेको बताएता पनि वास्तविकतामा भने पैसाको राजनीति गरेको पनि तिनले आरोप लगाए। उक्त घट्नाकाण्डको सहि तथ्य पत्तो लगाउँनु पर्ने माग गर्दै निकोल तामङ हराउँदा जसरी एउटा पुलिस कर्मीलाई शोकज दिएको थियो त्यस्तै घट्ना यहाँ दोहोरिनु नहुने पनि तिनले माग गरे।
PWD check team for hill bridges
KINSUK BASU AND VIVEK CHHETRI, TT, Oct. 24: A team of PWD officials headed by the chief engineer of the Darjeeling division has been constituted to look into the condition of the bridges in the hills, two days after a walkway collapsed at Bijanbari killing 32 people.
The move comes after chief minister Mamata Banerjee returned to Calcutta this afternoon from Darjeeling and held a meeting with top PWD officials to draw up an action plan on how to go about checking the condition of the bridges in the hills. The team will carry out the survey “immediately, starting in a day or two”, PWD officials said this evening.
“There are around 40 suspension and concrete bridges in the Darjeeling division. The team will physically visit and verify the condition of each of these structures. After the assessment, caution notices would be put up mentioning the maximum load that a particular structure would be allowed to bear,” PWD secretary A.R. Bardhan told The Telegraph. “At the same time, the PWD would take up the work of reconstructing the suspension bridge over the Little Rangit,” he added.
Earlier in the day, Darjeeling district magistrate Saumitra Mohan said he has asked for fitness certificates from all government agencies that are in charge of bridges and buildings in the hills. “Those buildings that may have been damaged in the recent earthquake need to be inspected also,” Mohan said.
A DGHC engineer said the council has been repairing such bridges on a “need basis”. “There are nearly 40 such bridges across the three hill subdivisions and we do regularly inspect and repair them,” the official added.
The DGHC official, however, admitted that the Bijanbari bridge had not been repaired in recent times. “According to information we have, the bridge had not sustained any cracks or damage during the September 18 earthquake. We believe that the walkway at Bijanbari collapsed because of excessive load,” the official added.
Only about 20 to 25 people should be allowed to move along such a bridge at any given time. “In the case of the bridge at Bijanbari, there were about 150 people moving on it when it collapsed,” the official added.
Tragedy exposes hospital plight
VIVEK CHHETRI, TT, Darjeeling, Oct. 24: The Bijanbari bridge collapse has brought to the fore the lack of basic amenities at the hill hospitals, whose staff were yesterday praised by the chief minister for their efficiency in tackling the emergency that arose out of the accident.
But the healthcare system needs more than just praise. Basic equipment like CT scan and MRI machines have not yet been installed at the Darjeeling district hospital while the Bijanbari rural hospital has been waiting for a generator for the past two years. Nearly 100 of the 110 people injured in the bridge accident had been admitted to the Darjeeling district hospital.
There are neither intensive care units (ICU), equipment to map brainstem auditory evoked responses nor specialised units like trauma care to treat accident victims like the ones injured in the bridge collapse.
The chief medical officer of health of Darjeeling, Subir Bhowmick, admitted that the district hospital did not have CT scan or MRI machines.
“We have, however, been promised an MRI machine by the NHPC,” said Bhowmick.
The lack of a generator made matters worse for the medical staff at the Bijanbari hospital. “It was difficult to work without a generator as power went off as soon as the footbridge collapsed,” said a hospital employee.
Bhowmick said the health department had not been able to get a generator for Bijanbari hospital for the past two years.
A deserted fair ground with a Ferris wheel near the collapsed bridge at Bijanbari on Monday. Most of the people, who were on the bridge when it caved in, had come to attend the fair. Picture by Amit Datta
“Our officials have been running from pillar to post for a generator but it has not yet arrived,” said the doctor.
No official of the DGHC, which is responsible for supplying the generator, could be reached. The doctor, however, said the administration was trying to get more equipment for the hospital.
“An order has already been placed to acquire a colour Doppler for ultrasound and echocardiogram,” said Bhowmick.
Doctors at the Darjeeling hospital also believe that if instruments like C-Arm with orthopaedic operation table had been available in the hills, the number of patients referred to Siliguri would have come down.
“Such instruments are very much needed. If we get the C-Arm (image intensifier) with orthopaedic table, we will not have to send many patients down to Siliguri,” said a doctor from Darjeeling.
Bhowmick, however, said things were improving at the Darjeeling hospital.
“We are planning to construct a three-storey block at the Darjeeling hospital which will have neonatal and burns units and a psychiatric ward. A soil test to set up the building has already been done,” said Bhowmick adding that funds were also likely to be released to set up a ward for treatment of non-communicable diseases like diabetes.
Doctors in Darjeeling, however, said units like intensive therapy, which includes multi-trauma units that also double as ICU should also be set up immediately.
Congress leader and state irrigation minister Manas Bhunia today visited the Darjeeling hospital and said the government would go to any length to treat those injured at Bijanbari.
Chamling gives `1 lakh each to Bijanbari victims
SNS, SILIGURI/KOLKATA, 24 OCT: The Sikkim chief minister, Mr Pawan Chamling, today announced a compensation of Rs 1 lakh each to the next of kin of those who died in the Bijanbari bridge collapse last Saturday. It has been learnt that he had made the announcement following his meeting with West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee at the Bagdogra airport. Mr Chamling was returning to Gangtok after attending the National Development Council meeting in New Delhi and Miss Banerjee was on her way back to Kolkata from the Hills.
The two chief ministers of the neighbouring states had discussed the mishap in details. Thirty-two persons have so far died of the tragedy that occurred on Saturday night during a GJMM-sponsored cultural programme and a fair. Administrative officials said that the two chief ministers had discussed the progress of restoration after the earthquake that struck Sikkim and the Darjeeling Hills on 18 September and also about the Central assistance for the reconstruction.
Miss Banerjee left Darjeeling at around 10 a.m. today. The state government has sanctioned Rs 2 lakh each to the next of kin of those who died in the mishap, Rs 50,000 for the seriously injured and Rs 25,000 for those whose injuries are minor.
'If not for the multitude, I may have been on the bridge'
TH, KOLKATA, October 23, 2011: “We were just waiting for the crowd to thin or I too would have been on that bridge,” says Rajendra Pradhan, a resident of Bijanbari in Darjeeling district, the site where a wooden bridge collapsed under the weight of the crowds that had gathered on Saturday evening.
The five-day cultural festival organised by the Gorkha Janamukti Morcha (GJM) at Bijanbari had been well-attended, but hordes had gathered during the last two days. The GJM volunteers had controlled the crowds during the day, but by evening the numbers were unmanageable, says Mr. Pradhan, a businessman and president of the Bijanbari Merchants Association.
“The cultural function was over and GJM president Bimal Gurung had started his speech. My wife had returned home, just half-an-hour ago. My friends wanted to leave. But I told them that there were too many people at the time and it would be better to wait a little longer,” he told The Hindu over telephone from Bijanbari on Sunday.
“I could see about 200 people already on the bridge. The wooden suspension bridge, about 250 feet long, was swaying beneath them, with the Little Rangeet River about 60-70 feet below,” he says adding that he was only 200 meters away.
“Mr. Gurung was still speaking, when the bridge suddenly collapsed. Amid the shrieks and screams we could see that dozens of people had fallen into the water along with parts of the wooden structure. There were many women and children and some were trapped beneath the remnants of the bridge,” he says.
“The current of the Little Rangeet is strong and few can resist being dragged away by it. Darkness had descended and there was panic all around. What made matters worse was that an electrical wire had also fallen into the waters. So, along with the force of the river, the people also had to be wary of the electrical current,” he adds.
“We are lucky to have escaped. My 88-year-old father was right there at the function; my wife had just returned home. I too may have left, but I did not want to push my way through the crowd,” Mr. Pradhan says.
The bridge, reconstructed in 1970 after it had been washed away in the 1968 floods, was in a bad state of repair. A month ago, Mr. Gurung had admitted that it was in a poor condition and announced that a concrete structure would replace the creaking wooden one, he says.
“The bridge connects Bijanbari Bazaar with the Chungthung tea gardens and the Marybong and Linga tea gardens further away. There is a need to provide a temporary structure immediately as those areas have been cut off,” he adds.
CPI(M) demand a high level probe into the Bijanbari bridge mishap
Amitava Banerjee, HT, Darjeeling, October 24, 2011:The Communist Party of India (Marxist) has demanded a high level probe into the Bijanbari bridge mishap which has left 32 dead and 130 injured. A CPI(M) team led by Darjeeling Rajya Sabha MP Saman Pathak visited Bijanbari on Monday. Bijanbari, 38 kms from Darjeeling, experienced the worst
tragedy with the Bijanbari Little Rangeet Suspension Bridge collapsing on October 22 at 5.50pm, when more than 150 people were trying to cross over after attending a Gorkha Janmukti Morcha (GJM) programme.
"Both the Morcha and the administration are responsible for this tragedy. How could the administration allow such a programme to take place at such a spot when they were well aware of the fact that huge crowds would be crossing over this frail suspension footbridge? Why didn't the police stop hundreds of people from standing on the bridge which the whole of Bijanbari knew would not allow more than 10 people from crossing over at once? The programme could have been held in more practical venue rather than in the middle of the wilderness where people would have to cross the river" alleged Pathak.
He further questioned the locus standi of GJM president Bimal Gurung laying the foundation for the new campus for the Bijanbari Degree College.
"We want to know the validity of the foundation stone laying programme as the president of a political party (read Bimal Gurung), who is not an elected leader nor a part of the government, was laying the foundation stone. The foundation stone laying ceremony is the cause of the tragedy. We will be immediately taking up the matter with the state government. The state government should set up a high level commission to probe into this matter," demanded Pathak.
Training guns at chief minister Mamata Banerjee, Pather dubbed her Darjeeling Hill visit as a mere political drama. "If she was sincere then she should have visited Bijanbari and met the family members of the deceased and the injured. If the visit was just for making announcements then she could have easily done it from Kolkata. We demand that the government ensure relief for the affected families in remote areas also," demanded the CPI(M) MP.
CM Mamata Banerjee was in the district on Sunday. On arrival she had visited the North Bengal Medical College and Hospital in the plains; Darjeeling District Hospital; met the Governor and GJM leaders and held a meeting with the district administration. On Monday she departed for Kolkata.
Pathak further demanded that the government should get a survey team to study the feasibility and validity of all such suspension bridges in the Hills so that similar mishaps do not occur in future.
Interestingly, as part of the blame game, Gurung had alleged that despite repeated requests to the former Left Front state government to upgrade these bridges, the state government had turned a deaf ear.
CM Mamata Banerjee during her visit had talked of the recent earthquake having weakened the suspension bridge. "Along with this, the crowds attending the GJM progarmme had exerted so much load that the bridge gave way. However we will have a Central survey team to look into all such structures" Mamata had assured.
Saumitra Mohan, district magistrate, Darjeeling stated that he has already instructed the concerned authorities to conduct a thorough technical survey on all such bridges in the district and inform him immediately in case of finding any unsafe.
GJM will ask for relief
PR, KalimNews: Delhi GJM Unit will render every possible help to the victims in the tragic incident that happened in Bijanbari, as well as their family members including assistance for those who come to Delhi for medical treatment or any kind of aid. It also sent its condolence during a meeting on 23.10.2011 at B2/2, Safdarjung Enclave. Mr. Manoj Sankhar, President, presided over the meeting. Ranjan Sharma General Secretary, Lobsang Lama AGS, Rustam Chettri, VP along with other executives of Parents Body, Nari Morcha, Yuwa Morcha and representatives of Vasant Gaon Prasakha.
The meeting alleged that the Central Government and the office of the Hon'ble President have been silent so far and none has come forward to make any comments with respect to the present incident. Delhi GJM initiates to reach out to the office of Hon'ble Prime Minister and the Ho'ble Home Minister and accordingly move appropriate Memorandums/ Applications so that the Central Government looks into the matter seriously and expeditiously and declare appropriate packages / ex-gratia to the victims.
Delhi GJM also resolved to approach to office of the Member of Parliament, of Darjeeling, Mr Jaswant Singh and seek appropriate aid to help the bereaved.
With respect to the future program in Delhi Mr Ranjan Sharma , GS said that team Delhi along with theNational Committee of GJM in consultation and under the guidance of Central Committee are charting out a plan to organize a national level meeting in Delhi in the month of January. In the said meeting , representatives of the Central Committee of GJM namely Mr Bimal Gurung, President , Central Committee , Mr. Roshan Giri, GS Central Committee and other members of Central Committee, Darjeeling would be invited. Members of the National Committee of GJM will also be asked to play in key role and representatives of GJM Unit through out the country shall be invited on the forum . The key objective of the national level meeting would be to analyse and discuss the key issues of all the Gorkhas residing through out the country including the issue of National Identity.
A cultural programme to promote the rich culture of the Gorkhas will also be organized in Delhi to bring national awareness and to bond the Gorkhas residing all over the country within a single platform to promote unity, brotherhood and harmony. Delhi GJM also offered to render every possible assistance and support to the Dehradun Unit of GJM in the upcoming assembly elections and and help the party nominated candidate win the elections.
बिजनबारी घट्नाकाण्डप्रति क्रामाकपाको शोक र जाँच हुनु पर्ने माग
डी के वाइबा, कालिमन्युज, कालेबुङ २४ अक्टोबर: बिजनबारी घट्नाकाण्डमा परेका पिडीत परिवारहरु प्रति क्रामाकपा पार्टीले शोक व्यक्त गरेको छ। क्रामाकपा कालेबुङ आञ्चलिक समितिका सभापति किशोर प्रधानले आज पार्टी कार्यालयमा पत्रकारहरुलाई सम्बोधन गर्दै घटना दुखद्पूर्ण रहेको बताए। उक्त घट्नाकाणड कसरि भयो भन्ने बिषयमा न्यायिक जाँच हुनपर्ने पनि क्रामाकपाले माग गरेको छ। प्रधानले यस बिषयमा प्रशासनले न्यायिक जाँच गरेर घट्ना कसरी भयो भन्ने कुराको पत्तो लगाएर वास्तविक कुरा सार्वजनिक गर्नु पर्ने पनि माग गरे। तिनले यस बिषयमा पुलिस प्रशासनको पनि गल्ति रहेको बताउँदै पुलको अवस्था सोचनिय छ भनेर थाहा हुँदा हुदै किन मानिसहरुलाई त्यहाँ भिड हुन दियो भनि प्रश्न गरे।
अर्कोतिर तिनले यसै क्रममा गोजमुमो प्रति पनि प्रहार गर्दै बिजनबारीमा जुन कार्यक्रम हुँदै थियो त्यसको प्रशासनबाट अनुमति थियो थिएन भन्ने पनि जाँच हुन पर्ने माग गरे। दार्जीलिङ पुलिस अधिक्षकले बिजनबारीका ओ सीलाई सोकज दिंदैमा घट्नाको रहस्य पत्तो नहुने बताउँदै एउटा पुलिस कर्मीलाई सोकज दिएर घट्नाको वास्तवविकता ढाकछोप गर्नु नहुने पनि तिनले माग गरे। तिनले उक्त घट्नाकाण्ड गोजमुमोको कार्यक्रमको कारण भएको भनि आरोप लगाउँदै मोर्चा प्रमुख गुरुङले कसरी कलेजको शिलान्यास गरे भनि प्रश्न गरे। कलेजको शिलान्यास विधायक वा सांसद तथा कुनै प्रशासनिक अधिकारीले राख्नु पर्ने हो तर कुन आधारमा राखेका हुन् भनि प्रश्न गर्दे जुनसुकै कार्यलाई राजनीति गर्नु नहुने पनि तिनले माग गरे। अहिले ममता ब्यानर्जीले मरेका परिवारहरुलाई पैसा दिने घोषणा गरेर पिडीतहरुको पक्षमा रहेको बताएता पनि वास्तविकतामा भने पैसाको राजनीति गरेको पनि तिनले आरोप लगाए। उक्त घट्नाकाण्डको सहि तथ्य पत्तो लगाउँनु पर्ने माग गर्दै निकोल तामङ हराउँदा जसरी एउटा पुलिस कर्मीलाई शोकज दिएको थियो त्यस्तै घट्ना यहाँ दोहोरिनु नहुने पनि तिनले माग गरे।
PWD check team for hill bridges
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| A walkway, like this one that joins Singtam and Soom tea gardens in Darjeeling, will have to produce fitness certificates. File picture |
The move comes after chief minister Mamata Banerjee returned to Calcutta this afternoon from Darjeeling and held a meeting with top PWD officials to draw up an action plan on how to go about checking the condition of the bridges in the hills. The team will carry out the survey “immediately, starting in a day or two”, PWD officials said this evening.
“There are around 40 suspension and concrete bridges in the Darjeeling division. The team will physically visit and verify the condition of each of these structures. After the assessment, caution notices would be put up mentioning the maximum load that a particular structure would be allowed to bear,” PWD secretary A.R. Bardhan told The Telegraph. “At the same time, the PWD would take up the work of reconstructing the suspension bridge over the Little Rangit,” he added.
Earlier in the day, Darjeeling district magistrate Saumitra Mohan said he has asked for fitness certificates from all government agencies that are in charge of bridges and buildings in the hills. “Those buildings that may have been damaged in the recent earthquake need to be inspected also,” Mohan said.
A DGHC engineer said the council has been repairing such bridges on a “need basis”. “There are nearly 40 such bridges across the three hill subdivisions and we do regularly inspect and repair them,” the official added.
The DGHC official, however, admitted that the Bijanbari bridge had not been repaired in recent times. “According to information we have, the bridge had not sustained any cracks or damage during the September 18 earthquake. We believe that the walkway at Bijanbari collapsed because of excessive load,” the official added.
Only about 20 to 25 people should be allowed to move along such a bridge at any given time. “In the case of the bridge at Bijanbari, there were about 150 people moving on it when it collapsed,” the official added.
Tragedy exposes hospital plight
VIVEK CHHETRI, TT, Darjeeling, Oct. 24: The Bijanbari bridge collapse has brought to the fore the lack of basic amenities at the hill hospitals, whose staff were yesterday praised by the chief minister for their efficiency in tackling the emergency that arose out of the accident.
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| Relatives check out the names and pictures of the injured persons at the Darjeeling district hospital on Monday. The pictures have been put up for identification. Picture by Suman Tamang |
There are neither intensive care units (ICU), equipment to map brainstem auditory evoked responses nor specialised units like trauma care to treat accident victims like the ones injured in the bridge collapse.
The chief medical officer of health of Darjeeling, Subir Bhowmick, admitted that the district hospital did not have CT scan or MRI machines.
“We have, however, been promised an MRI machine by the NHPC,” said Bhowmick.
The lack of a generator made matters worse for the medical staff at the Bijanbari hospital. “It was difficult to work without a generator as power went off as soon as the footbridge collapsed,” said a hospital employee.
Bhowmick said the health department had not been able to get a generator for Bijanbari hospital for the past two years.
A deserted fair ground with a Ferris wheel near the collapsed bridge at Bijanbari on Monday. Most of the people, who were on the bridge when it caved in, had come to attend the fair. Picture by Amit Datta
“Our officials have been running from pillar to post for a generator but it has not yet arrived,” said the doctor.
No official of the DGHC, which is responsible for supplying the generator, could be reached. The doctor, however, said the administration was trying to get more equipment for the hospital.
“An order has already been placed to acquire a colour Doppler for ultrasound and echocardiogram,” said Bhowmick.
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| A deserted fair ground with a Ferris wheel near the collapsed bridge at Bijanbari on Monday. Most of the people, who were on the bridge when it caved in, had come to attend the fair. Picture by Amit Datta |
“Such instruments are very much needed. If we get the C-Arm (image intensifier) with orthopaedic table, we will not have to send many patients down to Siliguri,” said a doctor from Darjeeling.
Bhowmick, however, said things were improving at the Darjeeling hospital.
“We are planning to construct a three-storey block at the Darjeeling hospital which will have neonatal and burns units and a psychiatric ward. A soil test to set up the building has already been done,” said Bhowmick adding that funds were also likely to be released to set up a ward for treatment of non-communicable diseases like diabetes.
Doctors in Darjeeling, however, said units like intensive therapy, which includes multi-trauma units that also double as ICU should also be set up immediately.
Congress leader and state irrigation minister Manas Bhunia today visited the Darjeeling hospital and said the government would go to any length to treat those injured at Bijanbari.
Chamling gives `1 lakh each to Bijanbari victims
SNS, SILIGURI/KOLKATA, 24 OCT: The Sikkim chief minister, Mr Pawan Chamling, today announced a compensation of Rs 1 lakh each to the next of kin of those who died in the Bijanbari bridge collapse last Saturday. It has been learnt that he had made the announcement following his meeting with West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee at the Bagdogra airport. Mr Chamling was returning to Gangtok after attending the National Development Council meeting in New Delhi and Miss Banerjee was on her way back to Kolkata from the Hills.
The two chief ministers of the neighbouring states had discussed the mishap in details. Thirty-two persons have so far died of the tragedy that occurred on Saturday night during a GJMM-sponsored cultural programme and a fair. Administrative officials said that the two chief ministers had discussed the progress of restoration after the earthquake that struck Sikkim and the Darjeeling Hills on 18 September and also about the Central assistance for the reconstruction.
Miss Banerjee left Darjeeling at around 10 a.m. today. The state government has sanctioned Rs 2 lakh each to the next of kin of those who died in the mishap, Rs 50,000 for the seriously injured and Rs 25,000 for those whose injuries are minor.
'If not for the multitude, I may have been on the bridge'
TH, KOLKATA, October 23, 2011: “We were just waiting for the crowd to thin or I too would have been on that bridge,” says Rajendra Pradhan, a resident of Bijanbari in Darjeeling district, the site where a wooden bridge collapsed under the weight of the crowds that had gathered on Saturday evening.
The five-day cultural festival organised by the Gorkha Janamukti Morcha (GJM) at Bijanbari had been well-attended, but hordes had gathered during the last two days. The GJM volunteers had controlled the crowds during the day, but by evening the numbers were unmanageable, says Mr. Pradhan, a businessman and president of the Bijanbari Merchants Association.
“The cultural function was over and GJM president Bimal Gurung had started his speech. My wife had returned home, just half-an-hour ago. My friends wanted to leave. But I told them that there were too many people at the time and it would be better to wait a little longer,” he told The Hindu over telephone from Bijanbari on Sunday.
“I could see about 200 people already on the bridge. The wooden suspension bridge, about 250 feet long, was swaying beneath them, with the Little Rangeet River about 60-70 feet below,” he says adding that he was only 200 meters away.
“Mr. Gurung was still speaking, when the bridge suddenly collapsed. Amid the shrieks and screams we could see that dozens of people had fallen into the water along with parts of the wooden structure. There were many women and children and some were trapped beneath the remnants of the bridge,” he says.
“The current of the Little Rangeet is strong and few can resist being dragged away by it. Darkness had descended and there was panic all around. What made matters worse was that an electrical wire had also fallen into the waters. So, along with the force of the river, the people also had to be wary of the electrical current,” he adds.
“We are lucky to have escaped. My 88-year-old father was right there at the function; my wife had just returned home. I too may have left, but I did not want to push my way through the crowd,” Mr. Pradhan says.
The bridge, reconstructed in 1970 after it had been washed away in the 1968 floods, was in a bad state of repair. A month ago, Mr. Gurung had admitted that it was in a poor condition and announced that a concrete structure would replace the creaking wooden one, he says.
“The bridge connects Bijanbari Bazaar with the Chungthung tea gardens and the Marybong and Linga tea gardens further away. There is a need to provide a temporary structure immediately as those areas have been cut off,” he adds.
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