Bidder picked for park - without visitors for 16 months

Gangtok, Sept. 2: The Sikkim tourism department seems to have finally zeroed in on a private firm to run Kanchenjungha tourist villa, a Rs 55 crore amusement park at Ranka. The park had been touted a major tourist attraction and a much-needed recreational centre for people in and around Gangtok. But the facility hasn’t been opened to the public, even 16 months after it was inaugurated by President Pratibha Patil. The delay has been attributed to the government’s inability to find a private firm to operate the park on lease. Four tenders had been floated since April last year to seek a firm to operate and maintain the park. The rural development department, the nodal agency for the construction of the park, had last year floated two tenders, which were scrapped at the last moment. The first tender was aborted as it was bagged by master con man Rajesh Jhunjhunwala on the basis of fake bank documents. The second tender was scrapped as the government decided to hand over the park to the tourism department. The tourism department also floated two tenders and there were no takers for the first one. “A private company, which quoted the highest bid, has been selected from the second tender. The state government is likely to give its approval to the firm,” said a senior tourism official. But the tourism officials were non-committal on when the park would be declared open for the public. With no firm in charge to run the park on a commercial basis, the facility is lying idle. A couple of security guards from a private agency are posted at the park at Ranka, 35km from Gangtok. They while away all the time with no tourist making a beeline for the park. “Tourists do come here enquiring about the amusement park and they return when we tell them that it has not been opened for public as yet. They must have heard about the park here,” said one of the guards posted outside the locked park. Fourteen private security personnel man the park, which is spread over 17.5 acres. “Everything seems to be complete inside and all machines are fine. Sometimes, officials from the government and the construction company come for maintenance. Rest of the time, it is all quiet here,” said the guard. The project funded by the Centre is a unique tourism attraction fusing cultural ethos of Sikkim and modern amusement amenities with the objective of providing wholesome entertainment to tourists. The park has 12 shopping arcades for selling handicrafts and souvenirs of Sikkim. There are also amusement facilities like musical fountain with laser shows, a multilevel plaza, open air theatre, ride stimulators, swimming pool, bar and bowling alleys. Source: The Telegraph

Home Bhaichung future turf: Friends - Sikkim looks forward to player’s club

Gangtok, Aug. 25: Bhaichung Bhutia’s friends hope his next innings will be played in the home state to take United Sikkim to new heights now that he has hanged up his boots for international football.

United Sikkim Football Club is co-owned by Bhaichung, who announced his retirement from international matches in New Delhi yesterday.

Soccer aficionados feel Bhaichung has left a mark on and off the field and he will continue to be an inspiration for budding players.

“It was a right decision (to retire from international football). But I would have loved to see Bhaichung playing the friendly match against Pakistan in London and announce his retirement there. Injuries did not permit him to do so. He has contributed a lot to Indian football and I am proud of him. I am sure that all the people of Sikkim are proud of Bhaichung,” said Sikkim sports secretary Karma P. Bhutia.

Karma is Bhaichung’s mentor and had introduced him to professional club football in Calcutta when he was a teenager.

“Bhaichung’s next innings is to take United Sikkim Football Club to new heights. He can continue to play for his club and contribute to Indian football,” said Karma.

Sherap Lepcha, the childhood friend of the footballer, believes it would take a long time for someone to fit in Bhaichung’s shoes.

“We are sad. The Indian team will get a new captain but it will be very difficult for anyone to fit in his shoes. He had not only soccer skills but also glamour and star appeal that attracts youngsters to the sport. Bhaichung had that off-the-field charisma and to fill this gap, it will take a long time,” said Sherap, who had grown up playing football with Bhaichung. Both had played for East Bengal in 2001.

Sherap said United Sikkim was Bhaichung’s biggest contribution to football in Sikkim.

“In future, big clubs in the country will be coming to Gangtok to play when United Sikkim qualifies in the I-League. This will bring crowds back to the stadium and youngsters will be encouraged to play football. On personal note, Bhaichung has taken a huge risk by investing his hard-earned money in the club. This is his way of contributing to Indian football after retirement,” said Lepcha.

United Sikkim chief coach H. Stanly Rozario said the 34-year-old former Indian captain was an inspirational leader. “Bhaichung’s presence in the field is a motivation for the Indian players. He is an inspirational leader. India has lost a great captain for the national squad. We will miss Bhaichung in Indian football team,” he said.

On the brighter side, Rozario said Bhaichung would definitely make a mark as an administrator and player of United Sikkim. “He has now a new role in the Indian football, particularly at club levels. Bhaichung will spend more time with United Sikkim and his mission will be to help the club become a strong and professional team,” said Rozario.

Arjun Rai, who was asked by Bhaichung to join United Sikkim as a senior manager, endorsed the retirement call. Bhaichung calls Arjun Rai ‘daju’ (elder brother).

“Now, Bhaichung will be free for his club which he wants to make one of the best sides in Asia. He can also give time to his football schools in New Delhi. In future, he can also actively contribute for the development of Indian football and coach the national squad like Maradona and other great players,” said Rai.

United Sikkim captain Nim Tshering Lepcha is sad that his idol has retired from international football. Nim Tshering is a product of “search for more Bhaichungs” scheme of the Sikkim government launched in 1999.

“I feel sad to hear about my idol’s retirement from international football though it is a right decision taken at the zenith of his career. I feel that it is huge loss to Indian football as he is the main idol for upcoming footballers,” said Tshering.

The Telegraph

Rally vents ire on bill to curb rights

Gangtok, Aug. 24: A massive rally was taken out in Gangtok today to demand an apology from the Sikkim chief minister when he withdraws the Public Order Bill in the Assembly on Friday.

The procession was unprecedented in terms of the number of participants during the 18 years of Pawan Chamling rule. More than 4,000 people carried the Tricolours and placards condemning the bill and shouted slogans in support of Anna Hazare’s Jan Lokpal bill.

The Sikkim Prevention and Control of Public Order Bill, tabled in the Assembly on August 11, had triggered a political furore in the state with Opposition parties up in arms against the alleged suppression of fundamental rights of the citizens.

The outrage prompted the Sikkim Democratic Front government to announce on August 16 that the legislation, dubbed as “black bill” by the Opposition, would be withdrawn on August 26.

However, the recently floated Nagarik Adikhar Suraksha Sangathan Sikkim, which calls itself an apolitical forum, refused to take the government’s word at face value and organised the rally.

“The government must formally withdraw the bill according to the Assembly procedure and Chamling must apologise to the people for trying to curb their fundamental rights. Everyone had supported Chamling in 1993 when he first started his movement to bring democracy in Sikkim but after 18 years in government, he himself has proposed a bill aimed to cut the tongues of the people,” said NASSS chief co-ordinator M.N. Dahal.

The bill seeks to ban processions, hunger strikes, squatting, sloganeering and waving black flags or other forms of agitation that might “promote enmity or hatred between sections of the society” on the “grounds of religion, race or caste”.

Dahal also talked about alleged attempts by the SDF to scuttle the rally. “The SDF cadres have been running around for the past couple of days, threatening people of dire consequences if they join the rally… attempts were also made to disrupt our rally today and more than 300 vehicles carrying people for the procession were blocked on different routes.”

The NASSS said the rally had also been taken out to extend strong support to the anti-corruption campaign of Anna Hazare.

The rally, which started around 11.30am from Deorali, moved up to Hospital Dara along the footpath of NH31A and concluded at the parking lot near Paljor Stadium after covering a distance of 4km. The NASSS functionaries also burned a copy of the bill.

SDF rebel’s support

The SDF rebel legislator, Prem Singh Tamang, said the Sikkimese people had given a “strong response” to the call for the rally against the bill.

“The people of Sikkim are conscious about their rights and have given a strong response to the NASSS call against the bill. I congratulate and thank them. Those who participated in the rally had withstood torture and intimidation,” he told reporters.

source: The Telegraph

Sikkim soccer boys back from Munich with new tips

Gangtok, Aug. 23: Two budding football players from Sikkim have returned home after a training session in Germany, where they honed their soccer skills under the tutelage of Bayern Munich.

Ram Chettri and Suman Rai, both aged 14, could also witness a match between AC Milan and Bayern Munich during their trip. The two were among the six boys from India who were given training by the European football powerhouse.

All the six boys had flown to Munich on July 19 and returned to India on August 7. Ram and Suman arrived home last week after spending some days with Northeast football giant Lajong FC in Shillong. They are trainees at Boys’ Club Gangtok Football Academy.

“We had a training camp for 10 days and then spent the remaining days touring Munich. Although the training was of a short duration of two hours daily, it was hard. We learnt a lot of new techniques,” said Ram.

A midfielder, Ram learnt how to “distribute the ball to all parts of the pitch, set pieces and move up and down in support of forwards and defence”.

“The camp also taught us the way one should hold the ball, how to use the body to shield the ball and ‘off the ball’ movement. We gained new knowledge on tackling. Earlier, we used to panic but now we are confident that we can hold the ball and not allow rival players to snatch our ball,” said Ram.

Suman, who wants to become a striker, said: “I mastered dribbling skills at the camp. I know now how to cross the ball to other players in the attack zone and move down the pitch to help the defence in case of counterattack.”

The duo were given the training by the Bayern Munich coaches under the close observation of the club’s chief talent Hermann Hummels.

The other four budding talents who made it to the Munich camp were from Calcutta and Shillong. The six had been chosen from among 600 boys at a selection camp held in Calcutta last year.

The highlight of the German trip was the opportunity the Indian boys got to watch the semi-finals and the final of Audi Cup in Munich.

“We watched the semi-final between AC Milan and Bayern Munich and were ball boys for the second semi-final between Barcelona FC and Internacional. We also watched the final, which was won by Barcelona against Bayern Munich 2-0 on July 27,” said Ram.

Suman was happy that he could see his favourite players in action during the tournament. “We saw all our favourite players like David Villa, Andres Iniesta, Abidal and Barcelona captain Carles Puyol. Unfortunately, Lionel Messi did not appear for Barcelona. We saw Bayern Munich players like Arjen Robben, Thomas Mueller and Klose. We even saw Robino playing for AC Milan. It was unbelievable and we never thought that we could see players in action,” said Suman.

Both the boys have been undergoing training at Tathangchen ground here ever since the Boys Club was started by former footballers of Sikkim in 2008. They study in Class VIII in different schools in Gangtok.

The Telegraph

Rain ruptures water pipes, dry taps in Gangtok, Sikkim

Gangtok, April 13: Unlike a parched Kalimpong, torrential rain has dried up the taps here.

Late afternoon thunderstorms in the past two days have triggered a series of landslides in the Rahtheychu stream area, snapping the main supply lines to the Sikkim capital last evening. One person was killed by lighting near Luing Bustee. Toyanath Adhikary, 38, had gone to feed a cow in a shed.

Kalimpong, a hill subdivision in Darjeeling district adjoining Sikkim, has been going without rain since October, drying up water sources like streams and jhoras. Some restaurants in the Bengal hill town have also shut down because of the water scarcity.

Six main water pipelines were damaged because of mudslides at 2nd Mile in the Tamjey area of Rahtheychu, the only source of water for Gangtok and its adjoining areas. The stream is around 18km from the capital.

Water from Rahtheychu is pumped into a pressure brake tank near 2nd Mile and then ferried to the Selep treatment plant through six main supply pipes. From Selep, around 36 million gallons of water is distributed to the residents of Gangtok daily.

“Six major pipelines have been destroyed in the slides between Rahtheychu and the Selep water treatment plant,” said P.S. Basnet, the secretary of the public health engineering department.

Four 6-inch pipes, one 8-inch pipe and one with a 14-inch diameter were crushed by the slides while storage tanks in the affected areas have been buried under debris and slush.

The PHE secretary said temporary restoration was being carried out by the department to ensure that normal supply resumed at the earliest in Gangtok.

The department also said till the temporary repair was complete, water would be rationed. Temporary restoration could take four-five days while permanent repairs could take up to almost two months, said the department.

Water will be released one hour each in the morning and evening daily to Gangtok for the next two days or so. The department has also appealed to the people to boil the water before consumption.

Similar landslides had occurred in the area in July 2008 damaging pipes and affecting water supply to Gangtok for almost a week. The PHE department had then rationed the water supply and reached water to the people through tanks.

This time, the supply will not be affected for such a long period, the department has assured.

With the temperature soaring in the plains and tourists making a beeline for the hills, hotels here are worried about the water scarcity.

Although, most hotels have provisions for storing water, a disruption in supply will not give them a chance to replenish their finished stock.

“Although we have stored water in tanks, it may not be sufficient if the disruption in water supply lasts long,” said a hotel manager here in Gangtok.

The Met Office here has predicted “moderate rainfall” in Gangtok in the next 24 hours.

Source: The Telegraph

Adventure for charity - European auto drivers cover 4000km with their last halt at Gangtok Sikkim

Gangtok, April 8: Seventy international teams which hit the road on autorickshaws in Kochi on March 28 are rolling one by one into Gangtok — the final stop of an adventurous 4,000km run.

The teams have 160 participants from 20 European countries and most of them are from the UK. They are pushing on with the gruelling trip from the coastal city to the Himalayan jewel nestled at 4,700 feet under The Rickshaw Run, organised by a UK-based charity organisation The Adventurists.

“The teams have already raised £83,520, which will be donated to two charity organisations in India, Frank Water Projects and Mercy Corps,” said Vikash Pradhan, the chief of field operations for South Asia, The Adventurists.

Nine teams have already reached Gangtok in colourful autorickshaws and they were greeted by the residents, who are accustomed to only four-wheelers and two-wheelers.

The remaining teams will reach Gangtok by April 11.

The finishing line of the 70 autorickshaws is the entrance to MG Marg in front of the Sikkim Tourism office where the teams could be seen whopping with joy after what they said was the most memorable ride in their lives.

The rides are culminating in Sikkim at a time the state is celebrating the Year of Tourism. “Beautiful scenery, beautiful people and the beautiful attitude to life up here will come as a great relief for the teams who reach Gangtok. The trips synchronise with the Year of Tourism being celebrated by the state. We urge all in Gangtok to come and laugh at the tourists struggling with the altitude,” said Matthew Dickens, director of operations of the South Asia Branch of The Adventurists.

Not contended with arriving with a bang in Sikkim, the “autorickshawallahs” are determined to display some soccer skills also in the state of Bhaichung Bhutia. They will play an exhibition football match against local journalists at Paljor Stadium on Sunday afternoon.

Pradhan said each team was contributing at least £1,000 for the charity. We had already raised £83,520; the large amount of £4780 was donated by a UK team, Baggy Greens. The money raised from the event will be donated to Frank Water Projects and Mercy Corps.”

Frank Water Projects provides sustainable and affordable clean water solutions to communities who desperately need it using the latest technology. It will use the funds to build a clean water facility in India.

Mercy Corps will fund a project for rural farming communities at Jasodapur village in Orissa with the money they get from the riders, said the organisers.

Source: The Telegraph

Sikkim Govt to fulfill aspirations of the people, says CM

Gangtok: A high level coordination meeting chaired by Chief Minister Dr. Pawan Chamling was held in the conference hall of Tashiling Secretariat on Friday, October 9, which was attended by council of ministers, MP Lok Sabha, Mr. P.D Rai, Chief Secretary, Addl Chief Secretary and HODs.

In the meeting Chief Minister stated that his government has been re-elected for the record fourth time with a thumping mandate by the people of Sikkim and now it’s time for the government to work in order to fulfill the dreams and the aspirations of the people of Sikkim.

He emphasized that first of all systematization of the programmes and the policies of the government is a must and it should be the first priority. He appealed to the admistrators, government officials and the general public to change their mind. He said, “we should all work towards finding solutions of the problems and the hindrances faced by the government as well as the people as the road ahead is long and we have miles to go”.

He once again urged the administrators and officials “to come up with new innovative ideas and programmes to take the state towards the path of progress”. Talking about education Dr. Chamling reiterated that there should be no compromise in education and “we should try and give world class quality education to our children”. Man power management is must and we should utilize them to the optimum, he said.
Talking about the e-governance he pointed out that first and foremost thing is for all the departments to update their respective websites on regular basis with correct and latest data.

He also mentioned that new STNM hospital will be constructed in the existing place, Animal Husbandry Department will be shifted to Shokethang and that place will be utilized for making ultra modern shopping complex with parking facilities in the near future, and all existing towns of Sikkim will get a major face lift. He emphasized that “all our villages should be refurbished with all the required amenities so that the people of rural areas don’t have to turn to town and the urban areas. He revealed that his government is gearing up for an innovative and ambitious programme, namely, Village action plan for Sikkim. He stresserd that administration and its working style should be simplified and make it more people friendly. Talking about the waste management which in future can be a cause of concern for the state, he thinks that experts and new technologies should be used. Every constituency will have a play ground and a community centre, he said.

He told the department to ensure that all ongoing projects are completed as soon as possible and new plans and projects are submitted to the government by december for approval, he urged. Earlier Chief Secretary Mr. T.T Dorji began the proceeding with his welcome note while Addl Chief Secretary Mr. Karma Gyatso in his closing note assured the Chief Minister that they will all work earnestly towards achieving the targets set by the government leaving no stone unturned.

Sikkim Reporter

IBN7 Diamond State Award for Sikkim in ‘water & sanitation’

GANGTOK, October 9: Continuing its award winning spree, Sikkim received ‘IBN7 Diamond States Award’ after the State was adjudged the best small State in ‘water and sanitation’ category.

New Delhi Resident Commissioner Arvind Kumar received the award on behalf of the Sikkim government during a glittering function yesterday evening at New Delhi which was attended by Lok Sabha Speaker Meira Kumar as the chief guest.

Kerala and Goa won the top honour as the nation’s best big and small States during the function. Sikkim ranked fourth in the top five small states of the IBN7 rankings.
A press release informs that Sikkim was felicitated at IBN7 Diamond States Award for its significant contribution in the water and sanitation which are critical parameters of a nation’s overall well-being.

In spite of the growth that India has experienced in recent years, basic facilities like safe drinking water and sanitation remain a problem area, the release reminded.
During the award presentation ceremony, the Speaker delivered the key note address followed by an interactive session including the Chief Ministers, leaders and dignitaries and attended by dignitaries from various walks of life which included cabinet ministers, eminent politicians, lawyers and bureaucrats.

The release informs that the grand finale will be telecasted on IBN7 at 8 pm on October 11 and on CNN-IBN at 8 pm on October 17.

IBN7 Diamond States Awards is a path-breaking editorial initiative for recognizing human and social development efforts by the States of India, the release states. It added that the selection process for the ‘IBN7 Diamond States Awards 2009’ was a credible multi-pronged approach involving secondary data from authentic sources and primary data from a nationwide research exercise.

Sikkim Express

DASHAIN BONANZA

GANGTOK, September 22: The much awaited announcement of the 4th Pay Commission pay scale revision was made public today by the Chief Minister Pawan Chamling in a function held here at the SDF Bhawan.

With almost three-fold increase in the new pay scale, the announcement has brought cheers to the government employees. While making this announcement, Mr. Chamling said the State Government has provided the best fixation package to the employees keeping all aspects in mind.

At the same time, the Chief Minister said a major chunk of the State budget would be now spent on paying the salaries thus hindering developmental works in Sikkim. He added that no allowances has been deducted in the 4th Pay Revision and 12.5% extra payment will be made to those government employees working outside the State of Sikkim.

Also mentioning about the interim relief of Rs 25,000 for the employees he said the total amount of Rs 170 crores would be distributed as an interim relief for the employees very soon.
According to an IPR release, the State Cabinet in its meeting held on September 17, 2009 approved the report of the Committee of Secretaries on the recommendation of the 4th Pay Commission and approved the revised Pay Bands with Grade Pay and allowances proposed by the 4th Pay Commission with modifications.

It is also informed that the 4th Pay Commission has considered it appropriate to treat the teachers as a distinct group and recommended the upgradation of the pay scale of teachers and their grade pay anticipating that the enhanced Pay Package so recommended would motivate the teachers to bring about transformative changes in the quality of school education and to attract young talent to join teaching profession.

As the Pay fixation will take some time, the Cabinet had decided to release second installment of interim relief of Rs. 25,000 each employee immediately due to ensuing Dasain Festival. Earlier first installment of Interim Relief of Rs. 15,000 and Rs. 20,000 was released to Gazetted and Non-Gazetted employees respectively.

The 4th Pay Commission which was constituted on August 18, 2008 submitted its report on August 12, 2009, after which the Government constituted a Committee of Secretaries under the Chairmanship of Additional Chief Secretary to examine the recommendation of the 4th Pay Commission and to submit its report to the Government by September 15, 2009.

The Committee of Secretaries had a series of meeting and examined all aspects of the recommendations made by the 4th Pay Commission and submitted its Report on 11th September, 2009,” the release added.

The major Highlights of the approval of the Government on 4th State Pay Commissions are -

PAY STRUCTURE
1. Minimum entry pay of Group D service is Rs. 7200 compared to Rs. 7000 at the Central Government.
2. New Pay Scale of Rs. 10,000/- have been introduced for Superintendent of Police and Principal Senior Secondary School.
3. Pay Scale of Rs. 7500-12500 in Health, Nursing and Forest Services has been abolished.
4. Treating teachers as a distinct group, a three tier pay structure in the Central pattern has been approved for implementation. The maximum enhancement is in the revised pay of teachers including heads of the schools. This has been given attaching prime importance to this service so that the best available talent in the State is attracted to join this profession. Furthermore, there is a general tendency among the in service teachers to join the administrative posts and this enhanced incentive would curb this tendency. In the revised pay structure of the teachers, elements of the Assured Career Progression are embedded.
5. A uniform Scheme of Assured Career Progression have been approved for the general State Government employees.
6. The Annual Increments will be payable @ 3% of the revised pay in the Pay Band and Grade Pay uniformly on First of July, each year.

ALLOWANCES:
7. Dearness Allowance would be payable at par with the Central Government.
8. House Rent Allowance would be paid at the rate of 15% of the revised pay for employees posted in Sikkim, Siliguri and Darjeeling and @ 20% for those posted in New Delhi and Kolkatta subject to a minimum of Rs. 1500/- per month.
9. The Difficult Area Allowance and High Altitude Allowance have also been suitably enhanced.
10. Washing Allowance to Nurses has been introduced.
11. Ration Allowance, Uniform Allowance to Police Personnel have been suitably enhanced.
12. Death-cum-Retirement Gratuity (DCRG) have been enhanced from the existing limit of Rs. 3.5 lakhs to Rs. 10.00 lakhs.
13. Medical Relief to the Pensioners have been enhanced from existing Rs. 500.00 to Rs. 1000.00 per month.
14. The existing practice of medical re-imbursement will be continued.
15. Over all pay structure in parity with revised Central Pay structure with some enhancement given in the selected category like 4th grade and the teachers.

Sikkim Express

Cooperative society awarded

Gangtok, Sikkim: The Nayuma Women’s Cooperative Society was awarded first prize in the National Co-operative Fair 2009, held in Jaipur Rajasthan. The cooperative members, led by their manager, Mr HP Adhikari, returned to Gangtok jubilant after participating in the Fair held from 2 January to 18 January.

They were awarded for the best decoration and best handicrafts and handloom items of Sikkim. Ms Kamala an active shareholder of the Society said: “We are very happy and encouraged to produce even better products and win international awards the next time.” The Nayuma Women’s Cooperative Society has three outlets in Gangtok to showcase its products. They have trained young unemployed women from rural areas of all the four districts of the state of Sikkim. MORE...

Gangtok venue for foodball

Sikkim will host the Manchester United Premier Cup football tournament for the eastern and north eastern region from November 18 to 21.

The tournament for Under-15 boys will be organized by the Sikkim Football Association (SFA).

According to SFA general secretary Menla Ethenpa, the event will see the participation of eight teams — Mohun Bagan, Mohammedan Sporting Club, Chirag United S.C, Kalyani Municipality Academy, Eastern Sporting Union, Manipur, Silchar Football Academy, Assam, Sikkim Football Academy, Namchi and Snow Lion Football Academy, Sikkim.

Sports and youth affairs minister P. S. Gholey will be the chief guest at the inauguration, while Indian soccer skipper Bhaichung Bhutia will be the guest of honor.

Bhaichung will be reaching Gangtok tomorrow for the inaugural function. Bhaichung said the winner at the national-level would participate in the Premier Cup in England with teams from other countries.

According to Ethenpa, two teams, which will qualify in this zone, will play in the final round to be held in Goa where they will take on the winners of other four zones in the country. The team sailing through the Goa round will be taken to Manchester in the U.K.

“It is a great honor for Sikkim to organize this prestigious tournament for the first time,” Ethenpa said.

“Since, there will be no entry fee, we would like to see all football loving people in Sikkim to come forward and cheer your favorite teams,” he said.

The Manchester United Premier Cup is the Nike’s annual initiative to groom footballers in India. The group stages are being held in three centers — New Delhi, Gangtok and Goa.

While the Delhi stage is already over, the south and west zones matches will be conducted in two stadiums in Goa from November 26 to 28. The all-India final will be held at the Nehru Stadium in Fatorda, Goa, from December 1 to 3.

This is the fourth year Nike is conducting the tournament with All India Football Federation.

Army adventure
The Army Adventure Cup, organized by the 17 Mountain Division, kicked off at Majitar in East Sikkim on Saturday. Six command centers of the Indian Army are battling for the top honors at this meet.

Edge over China in Nathu-la

Gangtok, Nov. 14: Chinese trade through Nathu-la continues to falter compared to business on the Indian side. But it is not the global economic meltdown that has hit the neighbouring country.

Rather, it is the “obsolete” items, which China can export, that have made the trade a one-sided affair.

The volume of trade from May 19 to October 30 stood at nearly Rs 59 lakh as against Rs 34.6 lakh in the same period last year. The Sikkimese traders exported items worth Rs 57.6 lakh, while the imports from China were Rs 1.35 lakh. Edible items topped the list of articles sent to China in 2008, the third year since the reopening of the trade route located at 14,400ft above sealevel.

Official records of the trade through Nathu-la available with the Sikkim commerce and industries department reveal that the businessmen from the state have a monopoly over their counterparts in the Tibetan Autonomous Region (TAR) in China. While the Indian exporters can send 29 items, including tea, flour, vegetable oil, cigarettes and liquor, China can sell 15 items permitted by India.

Anil Kumar Gupta, a member of the India-China Traders’ Association, said the Chinese could have done better if silk was permitted to be exported by them. “The list of items that the Chinese can export includes obsolete articles like goat’s hair, yak’s tail, China clay and horses. Our exports could have touched the crore mark had we been allowed to sell Basmati rice.”

Quoting official figures, Gupta said this year, over a thousand traders from Sikkim had visited the Renquingang trade mart in TAR, 16km from the border, while double the number of their Chinese counterparts came to the Sherathang post near Nathu-la.

“If more Indian exporters had gone across the border, the volume of trade would have certainly gone up,” he said.

An official of the Sikkim commerce department said the state government had made several attempts to persuade the Centre to revise the trade list but did not get any response. “We had prepared the list and sent it to the Union commerce ministry,” the official said.

The trade through Nathu-la will close on November 30. The traders from both the countries will meet at Sherathang on that day and review the business conducted through out the year.

Licence for casino

Gangtok, Nov. 13: The Royal Plaza hotel here will open the first casino in the region next month with the Sikkim tourism department granting it a provisional licence yesterday.

The hotel, which is part of Sarovar Hotels and Resorts, has now the right to install and operate casino games on its premises. The 60-room hotel, located at Upper Shyari here, will now provide stiff competition to casinos in Nepal and Goa. The coastal state has six casinos.

State tourism minister R. B. Subba said a permanent licence would be issued only after five years when the Union tourism ministry classified the hotel as a five-star facility.

“The decision to give permission was taken by the cabinet six months ago. We are certain that the casino will give a fillip to high-end tourism,” said Subba. He added that seven more applications for casino licences were pending with the government.

An elated Naresh Subba, a director of Teesta Rangit Private Limited, which runs the hotel, said the casino could be opened any time now. “We have not fixed a date to launch our casino, but we will do it next month. We want chief minister Pawan Kumar Chamling to inaugurate it,” he said.

The management plans to install 40 slot machines, poker, blackjack, baccarat, Mah Jong and roulette tables. The casino hall is already in place. The games will be played only in Indian currency and the staff will be sent to a casino in Goa for training. Armed with the licence, the management is all set to pump in Rs 70 crore to add 126 more rooms in the next two years.

Mirik & Gangtok boys to rock Asia

Siliguri, Jan. 31: A Pune-based rock band with a vocalist from Gangtok and a bass guitarist from Mirik will be the first group from India to take part in Asian Beat 2008, one of the continent’s biggest amateur music competitions.

The competition will be held in Taiwan on March 9.

The band, Silver, was formed in Pune just four months ago. Yet it came up trumps at Yamaha Roxx, a nationwide competition held at Pragati Maidan in New Delhi on January 12 to select one rock group from India for Asian Beat.

“It is indeed an achievement to be chosen for the finals in Taiwan. The meet is considered to be one of the most prestigious in Asia,” said Rishi Rai, who hails from Mirik and has been working in Pune for past three years.

“We had to fight against six other top rock bands in the finals of Yamaha Roxx, apart from 50 other contenders in the preliminary rounds.”

Rishi, a business development analyst by profession, teamed up with Mahesh Niroula of Gangtok who is a student at Fergusson College in Pune and the vocalist of Silver.

“Both of us desperately hunted for like-minded people who wish to form a band that would work on the mixed genre of new wave rock, jazz, funk, heavy metal and classic rock,” Mahesh said. “We found two local youths, Savio Sebastian, a lead guitarist, and Amit Godse, our drummer, and the journey began.”

In the finals of Yamaha Roxx, Silver beat bands from Calcutta, Chennai, Hyderabad, Mumbai, Bangalore and Delhi. Famous drummer and percussionist Sivamani was the judge at the event.

“We will be representing India in the international platform of rock music and are confident of making the country proud,” said Rishi, who was earlier associated with bands like Calcutta-based Cyanide Angels and Carnage of Siliguri.

This year, Rishi and friends will be up against bands from Mongolia, Indonesia, Malaysia, Taiwan, Singapore, mainland China, Philippines and Hong Kong. The winners stand to get a cash prize of $ 50,000.

The two judges who will preside over Asian Beat 2008 are Nathan East, a bass guitarist from the US associated with the band Fourplay, and Xavier Muriel, the drummer of the US-based rock-and-roll band, Buckcherry.

Sikkim lad gets National Bravery Award

Gangtok: Pratap Rai will be awarded the Sarvottam Jeevan Raksha Padak— the highest civilian bravery award— this year for rescuing several people from the Teesta when a bus fell into the river last year, killing 22 passengers.

Rai, 22, had swam against a heavy current to save many of the passengers.

The decoration includes Rs 75,000, a medal and certificate as well as a smaller medallion that can be worn at official ceremonies.

Arvind Mukherjee, the under secretary of the Union ministry of home affairs, has in a letter said the President has approved the Sikkim government’s recommendation of Rai’s name.

The ministry has asked the state government to organise an investiture ceremony at a time convenient to it for awarding the decoration.

On October 25, Rai, a resident of Samardung Busty across the river, was witness to the mishap at Bageykhola. Not only did he rescue people but also helped shift the injured to the local hospitals.

The youth has already received the state Jeewan Raksha Puraskar on Independence Day. Rai, however, is yet to learn about the national award. “We have just got the letter and will inform him in the next few days,” said a senior state home department official.

This is the second time that a Sikkimese boy is bagging the award. In 2000, it was posthumously given to Prem Pariyar, a rafting guide. Pariyar had saved six persons before drowning when a rafting expedition went awry.

Source: The Telegraph

Gangtok ready to party

Gangtok, Sikkim : A lavish dinner with a glass of wine and singers at your table to perform your favourite numbers — you can enjoy all this at the only five-star hotel in town on Christmas and New Year’s Eve without burning a hole in your pocket.

Royal Plaza at Shyari here already adorns a festive look with the hotel lobby, restaurant and the bar decorated with beautifully lit Christmas trees and a model reindeer and Christmas carols playing softly in the background.

“We are expecting around 100 couples on both Christmas and New Year’s eve and the response from regular customers has been fairly good,” said Pankaj Saxena, the general manager of Royal Plaza. “

On Christmas Eve, there will be a candle-lit dinner at Orchids, the restaurant. The lavish spread comes at Rs 450 per person and includes a complimentary glass of wine. Lucky diners will be presented with surprise gift hampers, including free stays at other hotels of the Park Sarovar Plaza group across India.

The spread will cover Indian, Chinese and Continental cuisine. Executive chef Rakesh Kumar Bagchi said the Italian specialities will be the ones to watch out for. The other attractions will be the salads — Russian, Hawaiian and Mexican to name a few — and last but not least, the cakes and puddings.

On New Year’s Eve, couples will have to pay an entry fee of Rs 600, which will include complimentary drinks and snacks. The buffet spread will cost Rs 500 per person. Aura, the bar, will serve one complimentary drink with every two drinks bought.

X’Cape buzz

At X’Cape, Gangtok’s hottest night-club, the party begins from tonight. There will be lots of surprise gifts as well as prizes for various competitions, said X’Cape proprietor Pema Ladakhi.

Source: The Telegraph

Basic fundamental rights of the disabled should be protected

Gangtok, Sikkim : The issues of disabled groups and the protection of their rights have long been overdue, opined the Governor, Mr Sudarshan Agarwal.

However, the plight of these people, should be viewed from boarder parameters and their basic fundamental rights should be protected and implemented for their betterment,” said the governor. “The need of the hour is to sensitise the people and extend cooperation, to cultivate respect and discipline towards this group,” he added.

Taking entire scenario of the disabled people in Sikkim, “I see the people have the sight but no vision, the way in which the disabled are categorised and the way they have been deprived of their rights which is totally unfair,” the governor chided. He also emphasised on the submission of detailed report covering the grievances of this section of society as it could help in reconsidering and minimising their problems.
He was the chief guest addressing the gathering on the two-day programme on the ‘Indian People's Tribunal on Human Rights of Persons with Disability’ concluded yesterday at Janata Bhawan in Gangtok, which was organised by the Human Resource Law Network (HRLN), Sikkim Unit.

During the course of the programme Mr Jeevan Rai, a visually impaired person and also the principal of national blind school, Namchi expressed his point of view and suggested provisions to improve the life of disabled persons. “Despite various constitutional rights safeguarding the privileges of physically challenged persons the ordinances however have not been implemented in its true sense, the ineffectiveness has crippled the normal life, said Mr Rai. “The special provisions on educational gambit for the disabled persons should be implemented,” he urged.
Later in the day a book on human rights and laws protecting the rights of the disabled in Nepali language was also released. “HRLN aims to demystify the law to enable poor and the victim communities to fight for their rights which are done through legal aid, training, documentation, conducting campaigns and investigations, said an advocate Ms Doma T Bhutia from Sikkim unit HRLN.

“As for the role from Sikkim unit, the organisation provides legal aid and takes up high impact PIL,” she added.

Source: The Statesman

Rahul Gandhi concerned over Sikkim hydel projects

Gangtok : Congress leader Mr Rahul Gandhi has assured the agitating Lepcha’s of Dzongu, Sikkim and Darjeeling, of sending a fact finding team to look into the controversial power projects proposed at Dzongu, a site considered sacred by the Lepcha community.

Members of several Lepcha organizations from Sikkim and Darjeeling met Mr Gandhi in New Delhi and claimed of having gained his support in favor of their protest.
In dharna for two days at Jantar Mantar in New Delhi protesting against the implementation of the mega hydel projects coming up at Dzongu in North Sikkim, the agitators said: “we met Mr Rahul Gandhi along with other MP's and party leaders and submitted a memorandum on the matter. He assured us of taking it seriously,” claimed Mr Dawa Lepcha, general secretary of the Affected Citizen of Teesta, the organization that is opposing the setting up of the projects at Dzongu.

“Mr. Gandhi has assured us of sending a fact-finding team to Sikkim for a survey soon and the team would submit its report to him,” he added.

The Joint Action Committee for Dzongu comprising the members of Concerned Lepchas of Sikkim, Sanga of Dzongu, Indigenous Lepcha Tribal Association from Kalimpong, Darjeeling Lepcha Association including Affected Citizen of Teesta have been agitating in New Delhi.

The team also met Mr Mani Shankar Aiyer, Union minister for panchayati raj cum minister for Directorate of North East Region (DoNER). “But he made it clear that electricity was a state subject and it depended on the state government how it dealt with it," said Mr Tenzing Gyatso Lepcha general secretary of CLOS. They also met the Planning Commission official who assured to visit Dzongu and access the situation.

According to the agitators, they attended a meeting at JNU where the response was positive. "Well known human rights lawyer Nandita Haksar promised to mobilise support for our agitation in New Delhi,” claimed Dorjee T Lepcha president ILTA.

The agitators are planning to intensify their stir with support from groups of the north east and West Bengal. “The Joint Action Committee would also approach the Indigenous People's Forum in the UN soon in context of Indigenous People's Rights,” said Mr Ajuk Tamsangmo, chief coordinator of ILTA. “An independent team comprising of journalists, intellectuals, environmentalists, social activists would visit Sikkim especially Dzongu to study the issue and build up support for the movement,” he added.

Source: The Statesman

Bhai tika for brother’s well-being

Gangtok : Tika or Bhai Tihar was celebrated all over India today. On this day, sisters pray for long lives of their brothers.

Ms Dil Maya Sharma (70) said: “I am waiting for my brother from early morning to put tika on his forehead, but he has not come yet. I have to wait till dusk.” According to tradition, sisters have to fast till they put tika on the forehead of their brothers. “This occasion is very precious to me,” she added.

Brothers visit their sisters’ houses for Bhai tika. “I have eight married sisters. So, I have to visit all of them which is quite impossible. But I will manage it somehow, since I do not want to disappoint them,” said Mr Chandra Prakash Karki. I booked a cab for the whole day to visit all my sisters."

On this occasion, sisters offer tika to their brothers along with makhamali or khoi garlands. In return, brothers present gifts to their sisters. The custom of bhai tika is prevalent not only in Sikkim, but is celebrated by Nepali-speaking people throughout the country, in places like Darjeeling, Kalimpong, Kurseong, Mirik, Siliguri, Dooars, Assam and Dheradun.

According to legend, bhai tika dates back a long time ago. When a sister was about to put tika on her brother's forehead, yamraj (the God of life and death) suddenly appeared. He asked the brother to come away with him as his life on earth was over. The sister requested the yamraj to wait till the ritual of bhai tika was over. She also said that the god of death can only take away her brother when the garland of makhmali put round her brother’s neck becomes dry. So the yamraj waited for a long time, but the garland remained as fresh as ever. Ultimately he accepted defeat and left. According to ritual, sisters make a circle inside which brothers have to stand. They then offer pujas and put garlands of makhmali or khoi round the neck of their brothers. The festival marks the existence of deep affection between brothers and sisters.

Source: The Statesman

Suicide in Police lock up

Gangtok : Two policemen were suspended due to negligence in their duty as an under trial committed suicide in police lock-up at Singtam in East Sikkim yesterday. Two policemen Tshetan Bhutia, a sub inspector and Surendra Thapa, were suspended when an under trial Vikram Viswakarma (23), committed suicide by hanging himself in the toilet of the of the police station at Singtam. According to the police, some taxi drivers caught the accused red handed with stolen stereo, sound box and some cassettes and handed him over to the Singtam police station on Thursday night. Police then registered and filed a case against the accused under Section of IPC for theft and put the accused behind the bar. “We will inquire into the incident and take action against the duo," DIG, Mr Akshay Sachdeva said. Meanwhile, sub-divisional magistrate, SP East Mr MS Tulli and Mr Sachdeva are investigating it thoroughly. The incident occurred at around 4 pm yesterday. Earlier, a similar incident had occurred at Temi police station in South Sikkim where an accused made an attempt to suicide in 1997.

Source: The Statesman