Mahesh Bhatt keen to bring Hills back on silver screen
TNN, DARJEELING, 6 January: Filmmaker Mahesh Bhatt on Thursday hinted that his production house may shoot parts of the sequels to blockbusters Jism and Jannat in the Hills. He was present on the closing ceremony of Darjeeling Tea & Tourism Festival along with his actor-producer-director daughter Pooja Bhatt.
Talking to TOI, Bhatt said Darjeeling has not lost its charm and that the new breed of Bollywood directors would start flocking the Hills soon since political agitation has receded over the past few months.
"Distances are only psychological. Once news reaches Mumbai about the exotic and colonial nature of Darjeeling, the new breed of Bollywood directors will definitely come here," Bhatt said.
His daughter Pooja echoed, "There are lots of colonial heritage architectures here amidst exotic locations. These architectures and locations need to be utilized. Darjeeling is a jewel and we must bring it back on the silver screen."
Before taking part in the closing ceremony of the festival, the ace director had a meeting with the district magistrate of Darjeeling. Though the nature of the meeting was not disclosed, sources confirmed that Bhatt discussed the formalities to seek permission for shooting in Darjeeling.
Before venturing out for location hunting for their forthcoming films, Bhatt highlighted the role of the district administration in putting forth favourable conditions. "It must be said that district administration has really been cooperative in extending its support. Inviting us here shows that the administration is intent on reaching out to Bollywood," he said.
Darjeeling DM Saumitra Mohan informed that a directors' meet would be convened in Darjeeling in the first week of February. There are possibilities that the likes of Vidhu Vinod Chopra and Madhur Bhandarkar, among other directors, would attend the meeting.
Footballer, singer renew ties with hills - Player goes down memory lane, Indian idol asks for forgivenessVIVEK CHHETRI, Darjeeling, Jan. 5: It was a homecoming for footballer Sunil Chhetri and singer Prashant Tamang who were felicitated at the Darjeeling Tea and Tourism Festival yesterday.
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| Mahesh Bhatt and his daughter Puja Bhatt in Darjeeling on Thursday. The Bhatts are in the hill town to attend the closing ceremony of the tea and tourism fest. They are also scouting for locations to shoot two films. (Above) A dance performance at the carnival on Thursday. Pictures by Suman Tamang |
While Chhetri returned to Darjeeling after more than 20 years, for Tamang it was time to rebuild the lost ties with his hometown.
The singer, who won Indian Idol 3 in 2007, had left the hills soon after bagging a Rs 1 crore contract and since then there has been a growing feeling that he has lost touch with the people who supported him.
Chhetri and Tamang were felicitated here during “Celebs Evening” as part of the fest.
The winter carnival that began on December 20 ended this evening with a display of fireworks, a laser show and a stage performance by Meiyang Chang, one of the four finalists of Indian Idol 3.
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| Footballer Sunil Chhetri and singer Prashant Tamang being felicitated in Darjeeling on Wednesday. Pictures by Suman Tamang |
“I am extremely happy to be back among the people of my kind. I owe it to my dad as it is because of him that I have been invited here to be felicitated among some very well known people,” Chhetri told the 600-odd crowd at the Gorkha Ranga Manch Bhawan yesterday.
The footballer who plays for Mohun Bagan said his father was a student of Darjeeling Government College. “He was telling me the other day that every second kid from the place he comes from (Darjeeling) could be as good a footballer as I am given the right training and infrastructure.”
The player said he only remembered attending a school in Darjeeling that was situated down a hill.
“Sunil Chhetri seems to have attended LKG and UKG at Bethany School although he was born in Secunderabad. He has stayed in different parts of the country and attended many educational institutions because of his father’s service (in the army),” said Udaymani Pradhan, the general secretary of the organising committee.
For Prashant Tamang, who was born and brought up in Darjeeling, it was time to reconnect with the people of the hill town.
The moment Tamang took the microphone to talk to the crowd, a member of the audience stood up and asked him: “Prashant there is a feeling among the people of Darjeeling that you have forgotten the place after achieving fame. What do you have to say?”
The singer smiled and replied: “I wanted to speak on this issue even before anyone asked a question. I have built a house in Darjeeling and I stay in a rented house in Calcutta. This is a proof that I have not left Darjeeling. People talk about me being a Rs 1 crore star who has lost touch with the place (he comes from). But I guess only I know what is going on in the Rs 1 crore guy’s mind and the pain that I have to go through everyday.”
Tamang added that his mother was unwell and she was with him in Calcutta.
“I try my best to return the love that the 1 crore Nepali speaking people from across the world have given me. But I guess I have not been able to return all the love. I am trying my best. Please forgive me if I have made a mistake.”
Tamang has hardly made any public appearances in Darjeeling after winning the reality show.
“When the organisers contacted me for this programme I was in Nagaland. But I really wanted to come. I came here in a train which I boarded with my wife at midnight. As soon as this programme is over I will have to leave and catch a midnight train (back to Nagaland) today,” said the singer.
Footballers Baichung Bhutia and Shyam Thapa, filmmaker Anjan Dutta, award winning Bollywood cinematographer Binod Pradhan, archer Paril Lepcha, international bodybuilder Ganu Giri and taekwondo player Trilok Subba were also present in the event.
Everesters Jamling Tenzing Norgay Sherpa and Premlata Agarwal and Nepali singer Prakriti Giri also attended the felicitation.
Rs 2 crore ‘theft’ at NBSTCTT, Cooch Behar, Jan. 5: More than Rs 2 crore from the proceeds of bus ticket sales by the North Bengal State Transport Corporation was being “stolen” every month by staff members who owed allegiance to the CPM, the corporation’s chairperson Rabindranath Ghosh alleged.
“Conductors take a small amount for issuing bus tickets and sometimes they give free rides to people they know. Such acts are adding to the mounting losses of the corporation,” said Ghosh, also the Trinamul MLA from Natabari .
He, however, said the NBSTC’s revenue increased after the new government had come to power. “Earlier there was a sale of Rs 5 crore every month. After two months from the time I took charge, the monthly sales have gone up to about Rs 6.5 crore. But some unscrupulous elements among the staff with allegiance to the CPM have ensured that the theft goes on,” Ghosh said.
The MLA also said the bus services were being hampered because of the frequent calls for agitation by the Citu.
The Citu, however, justified the protest programmes. “They (Trinamul government) have sacked 86 casual workers from the Raiganj depot. The NBSTC has not been able to pay pensions from October. If such things go on, there is bound to be a movement,” said Jagatjyoti Dutta, the general secretary of the Citu-affiliated NBSTC Employees’ Union.
Team visiting to inspect Coronation bridge
KalimNews, Jan 6, Kalimpong: A team from Kolkata to inspect the condition of Coronation bridge at NH 31 is arriving on 11 January. 
The team consists of experts of Mobile bridge inspecting unit NH 9 of PWD along with 3 Yadavpur University officials will investigate, inspect and make observance of the 1.5 ft gap seen in one of the pillar and other cracks in the bridge structure within two days of their visit.After their report reaching the department headquarters a decision will be taken on the condition of plying of the vehicles on the bridge. Following a report of the cracks seen on the bridge , last Saturday plying of heavy vehicles is restricted with one way thoroughfare on the bridge. A police picket from the Sevoke police station is also posted to control the traffic in the bridge.
टाटा न्यानोले पाएना ट्याक्सी नम्बर -अब नीजि नम्बर भएका भ्यानहरुले ट्याक्सी नम्बर लागाएर मात्र यात्रीहरु बोक्न सक्ने 
डी के वाइबा, कालिमन्युज, कालेबुङ, 5 जनवरी | केहिदिनदेखि बन्द गरिएको वाहनहरुको दैनिक पार्किंग शुल्क पुन उठाउने नगरपालिकाको नयाँ बोर्डले निर्देश दिएको छ। सोहि निर्देश अनुरुप बुधबारदेखि यहाँ दुई चक्के अनि चारचक्के वाहनहरुको पार्किग शुल्क उठाउँने कार्य आरम्भ भयो। केहि महिना अघि नगरपालिकामा जनप्रतिनिधिहरु नहुँदा नगर प्रशासन एव महकुमा अधिकारी एल एन शेर्पाले उक्त पार्किंग शुल्क उठाउँने कार्यको थालनी गरेका थिए । तर नगरपालिकाको नयाँ बोर्ड गठन नभएस्म्म उक्त पार्किंग शुल्क नउठाउँने गोजमुमो प्रमुख बिमल गुरुंगले निर्देश दिए पछि उक्त कार्य बन्द रहेको थियो। अन्तत: नगरपालिका अध्यक्ष एल बी परियारले उक्त शुल्क उठाउँने निर्देश दिए पछि पार्किंग शुल्क उठाउँने कार्य आरम्भ भएको छ।एकातिर पार्किंग शुल्क उठाउँन शुरु भएको छ भने अर्कोतिर शहरमा अब ट्याक्सी नम्बर नभएका वाह्नहरुले यात्री बोक्न नपाउँने भएको छ। जसको कारण अब सबै ट्याक्सी खेप्ने नीजि वाहनहरुमा ट्याक्सी नम्बर अनिवार्य रुपले लगाउँन पर्ने भएको छ। यसबारे मोटर बिभागले ट्याक्सी नम्बरको निम्ति चालकहरुले यथाशिघ्र कागज पत्र बुझाउँनु पर्ने निर्देश दिएको छ। केहिदिन अघि पनि बिभागले ट्याक्सी नम्बर नभएका वाहनहरुले यात्रीहरु बोक्न नपाउँने कुरा गरेको थियो। उक्त समय बिभागले ट्याक्सी नम्बर लगाउँने कुरा गरे पनि ट्याक्सी नम्बर भने जारी नगरेको आरोप चालकहरुले लगाएका थिए। तर आज चालक महासंघका अध्यक्ष छिरिंग दोर्जी भोटीयाले बिगत 15 वर्षसम्म विभागलाई मारुति भ्यानका मालिक कसैले पनि ट्याक्सी नम्बरको निम्ति दर्खास्त नै नगरेको बताएका । तिनले बिगत 97 सालमा प्रथमपल्ट विभागले ट्याक्सी नम्बर प्रदान गरेको जानकारी दिएका छन।
यसपछि बिभागलाई भ्यानका मालिक वा चालकहरुले ट्याक्सी नम्बरको निम्ति आवेदन नै नगरेको जानकारी दिदै सोही कारण शहरमा नीजि नम्बर भएका वाहनहरुको संख्या बडिरहेको बताए। हाल शहरमा लगभग 12 सय प्राईभेट नम्बर भएका भ्यानहरुले दैनिक यात्रीहरु बोक्ने कार्य गरिर्हेको तिनले थप जनाए। भ्यानहरूको देखभाल र नियन्त्रण हुनपर्ने महासङ्घले अनुभव गरेपछि नै दार्जीलिङ आरटीओ समक्ष कुरा गर्दा ट्याक्सी नम्बरको निम्ति आवेदन गर्नसक्ने बताएको पनि भोटियाले थप बताए। त्यसैको आधारमा महकुमा अधिकारीले बुधबार अनि विहिबार दुइदिनभित्रमा आवेदन गरिसक्नुपर्ने निर्देश दिएपनि महासङ्घको अनुरोधमा आवेदन गर्न अझ एक सप्ताह समय मागेर महासङ्घले चालकहरूलाई हाल ट्याक्सी नम्बर को निम्ति आवेदन गर्नुपर्ने आवश्यकताबारे बुझाउने कार्य गरिरहेको छ। फलस्वरूप आज स्थानीय श्यामादेवि भवनमा चालक महासङ्घका अध्यक्ष छिरिङ दोर्जी भोटिया, भ्यान चालक सङ्गठनका अध्यक्ष हरिस प्रधान, संयुक्त सचिव विकास प्रधान, महासङ्घ केन्द्रिय समिति सदस्य महेन्द्र गुरूङ आदिको उपस्थितिबीच विभिन्न भ्यान चालक सङ्गठनका प्रतिनिधिहरूबीच एक बैठक सम्पन्न भयो।
बैठकअवधी ट्याक्सी नम्बर लिनपर्ने अनिवार्यताबारे चालकहरूलाई महासङ्गघले बुझाउदै उनीहरूको माध्यमबाट मालिकहरूसमक्ष पनि यस विषयलाई पुरयाउनुपर्ने बताइयो। तिनले यसै अवधि बिगत 2000 साल भन्दा अघिका भ्यानहरुलाई बिभागले ट्याक्सी नम्बर नदिने गरेको जानकारी गराउँदै अब उसो आवेदन गर्न सक्ने बताए। बिभागले ट्याक्सी नम्बर दिने भएको बेला सबै चालकहरुले यथाशिघ्र आवेदन बुझाउँनु पर्ने तिनले चालकहरुलाई बताए। उक्त ट्याक्सी नम्बर प्राप्त भए पछि चालकहरुलाई नै यात्रीहरु बोक्न असुबिधा नहुने जनाउँदै टाटा न्यानोले भने ट्याक्सी नम्बर बिभागले नदिने निर्णय गरेको जानकारी गराएका छन।
CBI probe on loss of Power dept demanded
Prabin Khaling, KalimNews, GANGTOK, January 5: The Sikkim RTI Forum has demanded a CBI probe on the alleged losses incurred the State exchequer by Power department’s account section by failing to claim license processing fees from seventeen private power developers.
As per the forum’s compilation based on RTI documents, only six private developers have submitted the non-refundable processing fees at the stipulated rate of Rs. 10,000 per MW and the other 17 developers have either half-paid or paid nothing to the Power department in lieu of the license granted to them.“The Sikkim Power Development Corporation (SPDC) has clearly stated that the independent power producers (IPPs) were to pay Rs. 10,000 per MW as non refundable processing fees after which they were supposed to get the license to work in Sikkim. But the Power department violated the rules framed by itself to provide illegal benefit to IPPs which incurred huge loss to the exchequer”, said Sikkim RTI forum general secretary DK Chettri in a press conference today here at Gangtok.
The forum’s compilation, an exercise which completed only last month, alleges that a sum of Rs. 4 crores were to be raised from the license processing fees from the 23 IPPs. The total revenue generated was only Rs. 2.58 crores leading a loss of Rs. 1.4 crores to the State exchequer.
Only six companies paid the full processing fees while nine companies did not any fees and eight paid paltry amount, said the forum. The defaulters were Him GE pvt ltd, Lanco, Panan, Madhya Bharat, Gati, Jal PCL, Sneha KPPL, DANS, Lachung HPPL, TT Energy, Shiga Energy, Cosmic, Pentacle and Kalpan, the forum claimed.
It was also claimed that the NHPC have not paid the processing fees to the State government for four power projects, two of which are already commissioned. However, NHPC being a Union government undertaking, the forum was not sure whether the power developer has to pay the fees.
“The Sikkim RTI Forum has found shocking evidences that many of the companies were given licenses without paying the proper fees prescribed or if they paid the fees but were not recorded or the money so paid was not deposited in the State exchequer”, said Chettri.
“The question here is whether the IPPs paid the total fees but officer responsible did not deposit in government account? Whether officers responsible deliberately let go the IPPs from paying full fees? In both cases, the Power department officers are responsible for loss to exchequer or Sikkimese people due to corruption or doing undue favour to IPPs”, said the Sikkim RTI Forum general secretary.
The forum has requested Chief Minister Pawan Chamling to order a CBI probe for such a huge loss to Sikkim. We want to assure our fellow citizens that Sikkim RTI Forum shall be disclosing land and public works related matter and many more in days to come, said Chettri.
Forum vice president Ganga Ram Rai and member Suraj Sunar were also present during the press meet.
When contacted on this matter, State power secretary AK Giri said that he will look into the claims of the Sikkim RTI Forum. “I will see it and reply accordingly”, he said.
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