Sikkim gets first snowfall
TT, Gangtok, Jan. 2: Nathu-la and Yumthang Valley received the season’s first snowfall in Sikkim yesterday. A snow cover of around 18inches has blocked Jawaharlal Nehru Marg that connects Gangtok to Chhangu Lake and the Nathu-la border pass at 14,400feet.
Police said snowfall started around 2.30pm yesterday in Nathu-la, and Kupup and Gnathang villages near the border pass were covered with snow. No tourists are being allowed beyond 13th Mile on MG Marg. Snowfall was also reported from Lachen and Lachung in North Sikkim. Weather officials said western disturbances were passing over Sikkim and they might lead to more snowfall in the area.
The first step Poetry book of a young Gorkha released
TT, Gangtok, Jan. 2: Nathu-la and Yumthang Valley received the season’s first snowfall in Sikkim yesterday. A snow cover of around 18inches has blocked Jawaharlal Nehru Marg that connects Gangtok to Chhangu Lake and the Nathu-la border pass at 14,400feet.
Police said snowfall started around 2.30pm yesterday in Nathu-la, and Kupup and Gnathang villages near the border pass were covered with snow. No tourists are being allowed beyond 13th Mile on MG Marg. Snowfall was also reported from Lachen and Lachung in North Sikkim. Weather officials said western disturbances were passing over Sikkim and they might lead to more snowfall in the area.
The first step Poetry book of a young Gorkha released
PR, KalimNews, Dimapur, Jan 2: Pahilo Paila (the First Step), a collection of poems by Rupak Chhetri was realsed by Kumar Subba, Chairman Dimapur Gorkha Union at Bamunphukuri.
During his speech Subba asserted that the young youths should write and publish good literary works. Subba reminded that Rupak highlighted the difficulties of Gorkha Community in North East Area especially Dimapur, through his poems in Gorkha magazines, blogs and in newspaper. He is associated with Saparivar and Gorkha Times.He is also known as a social worker.
During his speech Subba asserted that the young youths should write and publish good literary works. Subba reminded that Rupak highlighted the difficulties of Gorkha Community in North East Area especially Dimapur, through his poems in Gorkha magazines, blogs and in newspaper. He is associated with Saparivar and Gorkha Times.He is also known as a social worker.The poetry book comprises of English and Nepali poems, and Nanda Kirati Dewan, editor NEH 24X 7 and Info & Pub Secy AAGSU has jotted down his review on the book.
The programme was enthralled by the poetic views and expressed by the guests. The vision of releasing this book to serve the community targeting the youths was revealed by Rupak Chhetri during his speech.Ambush kills Trinamul man - Finger at congress
TT, Raiganj, Jan 2: One person died and three were injured when a convoy of cars with Trinamul Congress panchayat members and their supporters and officials on the way to attend a no-confidence motion was ambushed near Itahar this afternoon.
Around 50 crude bombs were hurled at the convoy of five cars on a desolate road by the mob allegedly led by Congress Marnai gram panchayat pradhan Sajjad Ali, against whom Trinamul had moved a no-trust motion.
The motion was postponed indefinitely and Trinamul organised a blockade on NH34 for three hours following the attack. The party threatened to call a bandh if the culprits were not arrested in 72 hours.
The 15-member gram panchayat is controlled by the Congress that had won ten seats. The CPM bagged four wards and the Trinamul one. However, after Mamata Banerjee had swept to power last year, eight Congress members defected to Trinamul. The lone Trinamul member switched to the Congress and one of the CPM members crossed over to Mamata’s party. About a month ago, Trinamul brought the no-confidence motion against the pradhan.
Itahar panchayat development officer Pallab Mukherjee said he was on the way to Marnai to take up the no-trust motion. He was accompanied by an accounts officer and two other employees of the Itahar panchayat samity. Marnai is 15km from Itahar.
“We were being accompanied by officer-in-charge of the Itahar police station Prasant Rai and four home guards, two of them were armed. It was around 12.30pm when we were stopped by all nine Trinamul panchayat members and their supporters who were standing beside three parked cars. They said they were apprehensive about violence and wanted to travel along with us. The officer-in-charge allowed them to follow my car, while his jeep formed the rear of the convoy,” said Mukherjee.
The attack happened around 1pm when the cars were passing on a side road leading to the Marnai panchayat office.
“It was a desolate stretch of the road. From the right side of the road, a mob of about 50 to 60 men suddenly appeared and began throwing bombs at the cars. Our drivers did not know what to do and slammed brakes. We got off the cars through the left side as bombs continued to rain on the vehicles. We slid down the slope of the road and lay face down,” said Mukherjee.
As all lay on the slope of the road to escape the bombs, a mini-truck arrived from the direction of Marnai and rammed into Mukherjee’s Tata Sumo. “I shouted to the OC to do something. He took out his service revolver, but could not fire as it had dud bullets. The OC’s car took a reverse and sped towards Itahar,” said the panchayat development officer.
Sources said the attack had lasted for about 30 minutes and at least 50 bombs were burst. Reazuddin Ahmed, 35, suffered shrapnel injuries on the chest and neck and lay bleeding. He later died on the way to hospital. Two of the three injured persons were admitted to a hospital in Itahar, while the other one was taken to the district hospital here.
Mukherjee went back to the block development office in Itahar and announced the postponement of the no-trust motion for an indefinite period. He filed an FIR with Itahar police, accusing pradhan Sajjad Ali and panchayat member Mohammad Gulbahar of leading the mob.
The left side of Mukherjee’s car was dent when it was rammed by the truck. Congress district president and Raiganj MLA Mohit Sengupta said the attack was a fallout of the feud within Trinamul.
The deputy superintendent of police, district intelligence branch, Pradip Chakrabarty, said a probe had started. “We are also looking into the charges that Itahar police left the panchayat members and officials in the lurch during the attack. No arrests have been made so far.”
Swipe at quake relief
TT, Siliguri, Jan. 2: North Bengal development minister Gautam Deb today accused the Centre of discriminating against the state in the release of funds to repair buildings damaged in the earthquake.
He said while the Congress-led government had sanctioned Rs 1,000 crore for Sikkim as relief funds, it did not outlay a single rupee for Darjeeling and Jalpaiguri districts which had also been hit by the tremor on September 18.
Buddhadeb lashes out at Mamata govt
TNN, Jan 3, 2012: KOLKATA: Former chief minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee on Monday hinted that the opposition will step up their attack on the Mamata Banerjee-led government, setting rest to all speculation whether or not the party will continue to soft-peddle after the assembly election drubbing.
"We want to be a responsible opposition. We were told to give the new government time. We did that. But what is the result? How can we keep quiet as all the good work done in the last three and a half decade continues to be reversed?" Bhattacharjee said while speaking at the 46th Foundation Day of CPM mouthpiece Ganashakti at University Centenary Hall.
Bhattacharjee's sharp tenor was reflected when he took on the criticizing the state's fiscal policies, he said, "We were attacked for our debts. But what has the new government done? The new government has already taken three times more debt in the six months, than we had done in decades. " He said
The salaries of ministers have been increased from Rs 7,000 to Rs 27,000 - unthinkable in our times. Yet, the same government fails to pay provident funds dues to transport department employees," he said.
Bhattacharjee also attacked the government's Darjeeling and Jangalmahal policies, "Darjeeling is sitting on a powder keg. In Jangalmahal, they have to decide who their enemies are - CPM or Maoists," he added. From power to the state's industrial policy, Bhattacharjee spared nothing.
Bhattacharjee claimed if immediately the power capacity isn't increased by 2000 MW, the state will gradually plunge into darkness.
"The state has to first decide what policy they will pursue for industry. What they are doing now is implementing projects which we'd drafted and set in motion. Nothing will happen. Even industrialists now share this view. On law and order, the lesser said is better," he said.
Left Front chairperson Biman Bose also attacked the government over its failure to address the state-wide plight of farmers . Bose also critised on what-he-alleged a lopsided media portrayal over election to CPM bodies while glossing over the main issues affecting the state.
TT, Raiganj, Jan 2: One person died and three were injured when a convoy of cars with Trinamul Congress panchayat members and their supporters and officials on the way to attend a no-confidence motion was ambushed near Itahar this afternoon.
 |
| The car that was rammed by the truck. (Nantu Dey) |
The motion was postponed indefinitely and Trinamul organised a blockade on NH34 for three hours following the attack. The party threatened to call a bandh if the culprits were not arrested in 72 hours.
The 15-member gram panchayat is controlled by the Congress that had won ten seats. The CPM bagged four wards and the Trinamul one. However, after Mamata Banerjee had swept to power last year, eight Congress members defected to Trinamul. The lone Trinamul member switched to the Congress and one of the CPM members crossed over to Mamata’s party. About a month ago, Trinamul brought the no-confidence motion against the pradhan.
Itahar panchayat development officer Pallab Mukherjee said he was on the way to Marnai to take up the no-trust motion. He was accompanied by an accounts officer and two other employees of the Itahar panchayat samity. Marnai is 15km from Itahar.
“We were being accompanied by officer-in-charge of the Itahar police station Prasant Rai and four home guards, two of them were armed. It was around 12.30pm when we were stopped by all nine Trinamul panchayat members and their supporters who were standing beside three parked cars. They said they were apprehensive about violence and wanted to travel along with us. The officer-in-charge allowed them to follow my car, while his jeep formed the rear of the convoy,” said Mukherjee.
The attack happened around 1pm when the cars were passing on a side road leading to the Marnai panchayat office.
“It was a desolate stretch of the road. From the right side of the road, a mob of about 50 to 60 men suddenly appeared and began throwing bombs at the cars. Our drivers did not know what to do and slammed brakes. We got off the cars through the left side as bombs continued to rain on the vehicles. We slid down the slope of the road and lay face down,” said Mukherjee.
As all lay on the slope of the road to escape the bombs, a mini-truck arrived from the direction of Marnai and rammed into Mukherjee’s Tata Sumo. “I shouted to the OC to do something. He took out his service revolver, but could not fire as it had dud bullets. The OC’s car took a reverse and sped towards Itahar,” said the panchayat development officer.
Sources said the attack had lasted for about 30 minutes and at least 50 bombs were burst. Reazuddin Ahmed, 35, suffered shrapnel injuries on the chest and neck and lay bleeding. He later died on the way to hospital. Two of the three injured persons were admitted to a hospital in Itahar, while the other one was taken to the district hospital here.
Mukherjee went back to the block development office in Itahar and announced the postponement of the no-trust motion for an indefinite period. He filed an FIR with Itahar police, accusing pradhan Sajjad Ali and panchayat member Mohammad Gulbahar of leading the mob.
The left side of Mukherjee’s car was dent when it was rammed by the truck. Congress district president and Raiganj MLA Mohit Sengupta said the attack was a fallout of the feud within Trinamul.
The deputy superintendent of police, district intelligence branch, Pradip Chakrabarty, said a probe had started. “We are also looking into the charges that Itahar police left the panchayat members and officials in the lurch during the attack. No arrests have been made so far.”
Swipe at quake relief
TT, Siliguri, Jan. 2: North Bengal development minister Gautam Deb today accused the Centre of discriminating against the state in the release of funds to repair buildings damaged in the earthquake.
He said while the Congress-led government had sanctioned Rs 1,000 crore for Sikkim as relief funds, it did not outlay a single rupee for Darjeeling and Jalpaiguri districts which had also been hit by the tremor on September 18.
Buddhadeb lashes out at Mamata govt
TNN, Jan 3, 2012: KOLKATA: Former chief minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee on Monday hinted that the opposition will step up their attack on the Mamata Banerjee-led government, setting rest to all speculation whether or not the party will continue to soft-peddle after the assembly election drubbing.
"We want to be a responsible opposition. We were told to give the new government time. We did that. But what is the result? How can we keep quiet as all the good work done in the last three and a half decade continues to be reversed?" Bhattacharjee said while speaking at the 46th Foundation Day of CPM mouthpiece Ganashakti at University Centenary Hall.Bhattacharjee's sharp tenor was reflected when he took on the criticizing the state's fiscal policies, he said, "We were attacked for our debts. But what has the new government done? The new government has already taken three times more debt in the six months, than we had done in decades. " He said
The salaries of ministers have been increased from Rs 7,000 to Rs 27,000 - unthinkable in our times. Yet, the same government fails to pay provident funds dues to transport department employees," he said.
Bhattacharjee also attacked the government's Darjeeling and Jangalmahal policies, "Darjeeling is sitting on a powder keg. In Jangalmahal, they have to decide who their enemies are - CPM or Maoists," he added. From power to the state's industrial policy, Bhattacharjee spared nothing.
Bhattacharjee claimed if immediately the power capacity isn't increased by 2000 MW, the state will gradually plunge into darkness.
"The state has to first decide what policy they will pursue for industry. What they are doing now is implementing projects which we'd drafted and set in motion. Nothing will happen. Even industrialists now share this view. On law and order, the lesser said is better," he said.
Left Front chairperson Biman Bose also attacked the government over its failure to address the state-wide plight of farmers . Bose also critised on what-he-alleged a lopsided media portrayal over election to CPM bodies while glossing over the main issues affecting the state.
No comments:
Post a Comment