Alter-rule call for hill govt schools

Kalimpong, March 28: The Janmukti Secondary Teachers’ Organisation has called for changes in the rules for the recruitment of teachers to the three schools wholly run by the government in the hills.

In a memorandum faxed to education minister Partha Dey today, the Gorkha Janmukti Morcha-affiliated union said in the absence of permanent teachers in Darjeeling Government High School, Kalimpong Government High School and Saradeshwari Government High School in Darjeeling, ad hoc teachers had been appointed with the approval of the DGHC.

“Since the ad hoc teachers have put in years of service, we would like to request the (education) department to safeguard their interests as much as possible by incorporating appropriate changes (in the recruitment rules),” said the memorandum.

Bhisan Roka, the JSTO spokesperson, said a delegation of the union had been told by the state Public Service Commission (PSC) officials that they conducted recruitment according to the rules notified by the education department and they could be altered only by the state government.

The JSTO said there was a backlog of 45 vacant posts in the three schools.

“During our meeting with the minister and senior officials of the education department on March 16, we were given to understand that the appointments in government schools fell within the purview of the PSC. Now that the matter has been clarified by the PSC, we hope the government will take note of our concerns and accommodate them while notifying the recruitment rules,” said Roka.

In government-aided schools, appointments are carried out by the School Service Commission. Roka also demanded that teachers from the hills be appointed the heads of the three institutions.

Source: The Telegraph

Tap woes to stay till plans turn realities

Kalimpong, March 22: The Kalimpong municipality is facing acute water shortage because of a prolonged dry season and although the civic body has charted contingency plans to tackle the scarcity, most measures seem to be long term and are not expected to be of immediate help.

As there has been no rainfall since October 15, rivers have dried up and the municipality and the water works department of the DGHC are depending on small streams to meet the water demand.

“As much as 60 per cent water has dried up in the Neora Khola, Relli Khola and the Thukchuk Khola because of lack of winter rain,” said Anil Chhetri, the executive engineer of PHE (water works), which supplies water to the municipality area.

The Neora, Relli and the Thukchuk are the three main sources of water in the town. “To solve the scarcity, we have started pumping water from the jhoras. However, the water we draw from the jhoras (streams) is not enough to meet the demand,” said Chhetri.

Seeking the co-operation of the people to tide over the crisis, the executive engineer said it would help if the consumers ensured that there was no leakage of water from faulty pipes. “Many consumers use poor substitutes of galvanised iron pipes, resulting in colossal leakage of water. In our estimate, as much as 70 lakh litres of water are lost a year because of faulty pipelines,” said Chhetri.

The water works department supplies water to 5,000-odd households in the municipality area for about 30 minutes on alternate days. However, nowadays the residents are being provided with water for half an hour once in three days.

“We will be doing a few things to augment the water supply in the town: the second reservoir at Deola will be repaired and new pipelines with a thickness of 10-12 inches will be laid from the Neora to the reservoirs,” said Chhetri.

Till that happens, the residents will have to continue making their own arrangements for water. In fact, even during the best of times, the residents pay Rs 150 to Rs 200 to buy 1,000 litres of water from the market. “I am buying water at Rs 170 per 1,000 litre. Even that is difficult to get because of the increase in demand,” said Nilesh Khadka, a resident of BL Dixit Road.

Amyas Tshering, the subdivisional officer of Kalimpong, said the civic body was working on a contingency plan to tackle the situation. “Like in Darjeeling, we are thinking of supplying water to residents on vehicles. The department concerned has already talked to the DGHC in this regard.”

From The Telegraph

Hill Girls venture into sms "work from home"

Kalimpong, March 8: Two young girls have been making gainful use of their mobile phones, sending out text messages of local and regional news headlines to subscribers interested in keeping themselves updated with breaking and developing stories.

The duo of Pranita Chhetri, 21, and Nikita Bariely, 22, had launched their news service, SMS Headlines Every Evening on Mobile (SHEEM), a little more than a month back. Till date they have 150 odd subscribers with some of them based in as far as Mumbai and Mizoram.

In Kalimpong alone, they have around 100 subscribers.

To get this daily service, one has to pay Rs 10 for registration and Rs 50 per month as subscription fee.

“We source our stories from the local television channel, radio and even the Internet. While selecting the top stories of the day, we are guided by Manoj Rai, who works for a local news channel,” said Pranita, a second-year English honours student of Kalimpong College.

After selecting the top stories of the day, the girls sit together in the evening and type in the headlines in their cellphones as a text message before sending it to their subscribers.

Nikita, a graduate in geography from the same college, said: “We mainly work from home. However, before sending out the messages in the evening, we come together at one place and do our work.”

Heera Chhetri, who has been guiding the two friends with the selection and presentation of the news items, said it was refreshing to see youngsters making good use of SMS. “When other kids use the technology for meaningless stuff, these two are using the same for gainful purposes. They need to be encouraged,” he said.

Currently, the subscribers get to read only the headlines of the top stories through SMS. The girls, however, said they have plans to upgrade the service in future by providing links that will enable a subscriber to read, hear or watch the news in detail.

“Depending on the feedback we receive from our subscribers, we intend to improve our services,” said Pranita.

The experience of working in such a venture, the girls hope, would hold them in good stead when they look for a full-time career.

“As it is, getting government jobs, or even private ones, are becoming increasingly difficult. This experience will better prepare us to stand on our own feet in the future,” said Pranita.

Hills question board motive

A question in today’s Madhyamik examination kicked off a controversy with teachers here slamming the West Bengal Board of Secondary Education for being insensitive to hill sentiments.

The question in the Second Language (English) paper read: “Suppose one of your friends will come to Kolkata for the first time and spend a few days in the city. Write a letter to her/him (in not more than 120 words) about the important places of Kolkata that she/he may like to visit.”

“How will a student in the hills or any other area in Bengal, who has never visited the city, write about the place. In any case, the English paper is supposed to test the language skill of a student and not his or her general knowledge,” said Bhisan Roka, the spokesperson for the Janmukti Secondary Teachers’ Organisation’s Kalimpong unit. MORE...

Talks between Gorkhaland activists, government a ’success’

West Bengal Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee Thursday had a fresh round of discussions with the Gorkhaland activists as the two sides claimed the meeting was a success.
But the pro-Gorkhaland outfit, Gorkha Janamukti Morcha (GJM), gave no commitment on withdrawing its fast-unto-death in Kalimpong.

Briefing newspersons after a 90-minute meeting, where he was present, state Home Secretary Ardhendu Sen said the parleys were “successful”.

GJM general secretary Roshan Giri, who led the delegation, conceded that the deliberations were held in a congenial atmosphere. “We had walked out of the meeting in the previous round. The chief minister seemed more adamant then. Today he was more flexible.” MORE...

ITI proposal withdrawn in Darjeeling hills

The prolonged movement and unrest in Darjeeling hills due to the GJM movement for a separate Gorkhaland has forced the state technical education department to keep in hold the proposal for setting up an Industrial Training Institute (ITI) at Mungpoo. MORE...

Father Josef Hofstetter of St. Augustine's School dies

Kalimpong, Jan. 27: Former principal of St Augustine's School, Father Josef Hofstetter died at a hospital in Saint Maurice, Switzerland yesterday. He was 89 years old.

A Jesuit priest, Father Hofstetter had been in Kalimpong for 46 years after he came to India on November 13, 1948. Apart from serving St Augustine's School in various capacities, he also worked as the headmaster of St George's School in Pedong. MORE...

Rethink on NH31A double lane project

Kalimpong, Feb. 11: The proposal to double-lane NH31A from Sevoke to Gangtok is being reconsidered with a special task force of the Union surface transport ministry looking at the possibility of alternative alignments between the two points. This is after the Sikkim government has raised doubts over the feasibility of double-laning the highway as the hills along this stretch are fragile.

During the last monsoon, traffic on the highway was severely disrupted following frequent landslides at various places along the route. According to sources in the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) in New Delhi and the Border Roads Organisation (BRO), the task force, headed by D. Saran, additional director general in the surface transport ministry, has suggested two different alignments.

The first one is proposed along the left bank of the Teesta river from the Teesta bridge to the Coronation Bridge, and the second one on the right bank of the river from Ranipool to the Teetsa bridge.

The search for the new alignment has no connection with the proposal to widen the Damdim-Rishi-Rhenok-Ranipool road, another link between Gangtok and Siliguri.

This road will be widened to national highway single lane specifications as per the requirements of the troops guarding the Sikkim border, said a BRO source.

The original plan was to double-lane NH31A from Sevoke to Nathula. While the BRO has already started work on the Gangtok-Nathula stretch of the highway, it will take more time before the Sevoke-Gangtok work takes off. Notably, the NHAI is supposed to execute the double-laning work between Sevoke and Gangtok.

Environmentalists have breathed a sigh of relief over the ministry’s decision to look for alternative alignment. “It is a sound decision. The hills along the highway are fragile and any attempt to disturb them could prove very costly,” said Vikash Pradhan, an environmental activist.

NGO fills govt boots in fight against landslides

Kalimpong, Jan. 29: A few concerned residents, under the banner of Save the Hills, are trying to find ways to fight landslides in Kalimpong, a problem skirted by the powers-that-be.

Over the past two days, the residents hosted a team of students from the North Bengal University’s one-year post-graduate diploma programme in disaster management and gave them a detailed account of the havoc caused by landslides in Kalimpong in September last year.

The team had eight students, accompanied by the department head Sanjay Rana.

The team was taken to a few landslide-hit areas like Elainchikhop, Bhalukhop, Dalapchand and 14th Mile. Save the Hills also conducted a workshop where its president Praful Rao made a power-point presentation for the benefit of the students.

“Some of the students will incorporate what they have learnt during this field trip in their project reports, which they have to prepare in the second semester of their course,” said Rana.

The objective behind the visit, said Rana, was to enable the students to get a first-hand experience of landslides and gather technical inputs.

The students, on their part, said the visit was of immense benefit to them.

“Lack of drainage, haphazard construction and poor soil character seemed to be the main causes of the landslides. What was also noticeable was that the people were not sufficiently aware of the problem,” said Preeti Gurung, a student.

In fact, the students were so moved by Save the Hill’s work on landslides that some of them have made a commitment to support the NGO in whatever way they can.

“We will be writing to authorities concerned and, maybe, even hold a seminar on the issue in our university,” said Gurung.

Rana confirmed that he was toying with the seminar idea.

The NGO has expressed unhappiness over the complete lack of initiative from government agencies to tackle the problem.

“Despite writing to so many agencies, we have found no evidence of any preventive work being done on the ground. The situation remains exactly the same as it was in September. This is scary because the monsoon is only about four-five months away,” said Rao.

The NGO has been tirelessly campaigning about the threat since the September landslides. It has already conducted three workshops.

“Despite receiving little response from agencies concerned, we will keep espousing the cause because, quite simply, our future is at stake here,” said the president of the NGO.

On September 7, 2007, five persons had died in the Kalimpong subdivision after incessant rain triggered a series of landslides in the area.

Source: The Telegraph

Hills have no chicken rule for picnics

Kalimpong, Jan. 25: People from the plains bound for the numerous picnic spots in the Gorubathan area of the Kalimpong subdivision are advised to strike off chicken and eggs from their menu.

From tomorrow, the Gorubathan block administration with the help of police will enforce strict measures to prevent the entry of chicken and eggs in the area in a bid to keep at bay the avian flu currently sweeping through many parts of Bengal.

While the ban on the import of chicken and eggs applies across the board — even local retailers are not outside its purview — the block administration is more worried about flying visitors, especially picnickers, bringing in poultry items on the sly.

“Around this time of the year, busloads of people, including many from the affected districts, flock scenic spots like Chitong, Chel and Sakam for picnics. They could bring with them some affected fowls, which could lead to the disease spreading here as well,” said Rakesh Gurung, the officer in-charge of the Gorubathan police outpost.

“We will set up a picket at a central point and search vehicles for birds and eggs. If we find even a single one, we will ensure that it does not remain in the Gorubathan area,” Gurung added over telephone from Gorubathan, around 70km from here.

The decision to prevent the entry of poultry products from outside was taken at an emergency meeting called by the block livestock development officer, Devendra Pradhan. “This is in keeping with the directive of the Bengal government to prevent the spread of the flu to new areas,” said Pradhan from Gorubathan.

The hills have so far remained free from the flu, which has already been found in 11 districts of the state.

Christmas celebration in Kalimpong

The sizeable Christian population of Kalimpong town celebrated Christmas with traditional fervour and gaiety today.

The celebration began last night itself with people thronging the various churches dotting the town for midnight mass. The churches were again the focal point this morning as the faithfuls converged for the morning prayers.

After the service, children and adults alike enjoyed the goodies served at the peace feasts on the premises of the churches. People, dressed in new clothes, were also seen exchanging cards and gifts.

Later, the party shifted to individual houses where family and friends gathered.

The town itself wore a festive look with many shops decorated for Christmas. The bakeries did brisk business. “The sale of cakes and chocolates has gone up this year. It probably has to do with the sudden influx of foreign tourists in the last couple of days,” said Abhishek Khanna, the owner of 3Cs, a popular confectionery here.

Hosanna Covenant Charitable Trust and Living Stone Ministries have decided to donate blankets to 20-odd beggars in town on Friday. “We also plan to give them packaged food,” said Paul Prakash, the president of Living Stone Ministries.

In Siliguri last night, 17 members of the Rotaract Club took on the role of Santa Claus, distributing blankets, clothes and food to 40 footpath dwellers.

“The aim was to celebrate the birth of Christ. We took on the role of Santa Claus to bring surprise and joy to the downtrodden. We hope that the initiative will show them that somebody cares,” said club president Khushboo Maheshwari.

Holy Light initiative

Holy Light Academy, an educational institution that also runs an orphanage, celebrated Christmas through a cultural programme today, reports our Cooch Behar correspondent.

The students of the school and boarders from the orphanage enacted scenes from the Nativity and sang carols. Meritorious students were given prizes.

Source: The Telegraph

Internet subscribers threatened to sue BSNL

Kalimpong : The Internet subscribers of BSNL here have threatened to sue the telecom service provider, demanding compensation for loss of business.

In the last four months, the Internet users in the hills have had to bear with frequent disruption of the BSNL’s broadband service, thanks to a combination of natural and man-made factors. As a result, hotelliers, travel agents and café owners have suffered losses.

“We have drafted a letter addressed to the BSNL’s general manager in Siliguri, demanding compensation,” said Praful Rao, the owner of an Internet café here.

Café owners in Darjeeling want compensation from the BSNL. “I have two connections for which I cough up Rs 7,500 every month. Even a day’s disruption in connectivity sets me back by Rs 200. Who is going to compensate me for that?” asked Bon Pradhan, a café owner in Darjeeling.

People connected with the tourism industry, too, said they lost business because of breakdown in connectivity. “Nowadays, most of the bookings are done on Net. So, it is imperative for us to remain connected if we want to optimise our business,” said Amode Yonzon, the proprietor of Park Hotel in Kalimpong.

S.K. Samanta, the BSNL’s general manger in Siliguri, said he was aware of the problem. But most of the time the disruption occurred because of the snapping of optical fibre cable (OFC) either by theft or landslides. “When that happens, it takes time to restore links despite the optimum use of our resources.” It would be of help if police could set an example by apprehending some of the criminals, he said.

Samanta also said his department was re-looking at an old proposal to lay the OFC from Siliguri to Darjeeling via Kurseong as an alternative to the present line via Mirik. “We are also thinking of laying an alternative line to Kalimpong in the future,” he added.

Source: The Telegraph

Christmas gift for Kalimpong

Kalimpong: The carol festival ended here tonight with a dance performance by a three-member Fijian troupe.

The all-men team comprising Mark Barvear, Letani Quranivalu and Jerry Bosevanua danced with gusto, at times even threatening to bring down the temporary stage set up on Main Road. Through their dances, they sought to spread the message of Christ. Attired in a mix of traditional Fijian and modern clothes comprising lavalava (a cloth worn like a kilt or skirt) and black T-shirts with leaves tied around the wrists, the dancers won the hearts of the evening crowd.

“We would have danced bare bodied, but for the biting cold and the fact that both my mates are suffering from cold,” Barvear said. All the four dances were in “praise of the Lord”.

“While Mebaia roughly means God has a place in our lives even before we are born, Neibalu means the battle is not yours, but belongs to God,” explained Barvear. The other two dances were titled Israel and Kikaha.

In fact, the festival organised by the Christian community under the banner of Kalimpong Carol Festival Committee began on Monday and drew a good response on all four days. The Fijians, too, appeared happy. “We love the Indians. In fact, 40 per cent of the population back home is of Indian origin. Having performed in Pune, Delhi, Calcutta and now Kalimpong, I can tell you we thoroughly enjoyed ourselves,” said Barvear. Asked about the relationship between the native Fijians and those of Indian origin, Barvear said things were much better now than it was earlier.

Into its fifth year, the carol festival’s popularity has been growing steadily. “To have this kind of festival in the middle of a long and dreary winter is wonderful. It creates the right mood leading up to Christmas and New Year,” said Ujwal Rai, a resident.

Source: The Telegraph

Football in and around Darjeeling, Kalimpong

Kalimpong is a hill station nestled in the Lower Himalayas in the Indian state of West Bengal. It is located at 27.06° N 88.47° E at an average altitude of 1,247 m (4,100 feet). The town is the headquarters of the Kalimpong subdivision, a part of the district of Darjeeling. In this article, the author shares his experiences about the passion called football that rules this part of the world.

Cradled in the hills of Darjeeling-India, the small town of Kalimpong is but a place overwhelmed by ardent football enthusiasts. The passion for the game runs back to decades and the zeal has been carried down through the generation. Arguably, the pinnacle of this begins early July and ends in the usually rainy evening of the Indian Independence day.

Apart from the fanfare of school activities, football and only football, dominates every 15th August. It usually begins with a mini-football championship staged officially between schools for boys under 14. Although staged for this age-group, the number is just a suggestion. Much older looking guys usually don the colourful jerseys and sometimes are the reason for many a thrashing.

The competition is staged in the town’s most popular and famous football field-the Mela Ground (pictured). The final to the tournament literally has people from all walks of life thronging to view the extravaganza. Shortly after the end of the mini division, the stage is set for the B and A division football finals. The B division football clash is between teams comprising of senior school students vying for the coveted crown.

The stadium is filled with two opposing sets of fans who, like their football -mad counterparts in Europe or Latin America are colourful and noisy. They chant slogans and boo every aspect of their opponents' move. It is not uncommon to have the die-hard supporters invade the pitch during the finals, causing more excitement and hundreds of heartbeats to race.

For a nation that is cricket savvy and for a town of Kalimpong’s stature, an observer will have no qualms about the passion the sport has to offer. Cricket is a religion followed by many but Football is the oeuvre of mass hysteria. The senior division championship has teams from Nepal, Bhutan and adjoining states locking horns.

After some rounds of gruelling matches, the finalists fight it out in the rain, fog, muddy conditions and their opponents to be crowned the Independence Shield champions.

Kalimpong, historically, has a great track record of being rainy on August 15 but this is not enough to deter the spectators from enjoying the game. The processions that follow have everything that a football fan would expect. You could compare it to Manchester United’s celebration in 1999 after its treble and it might not be mere exaggeration.

Unlike Calcutta or for that matter, Sikkim, Kalimpong has not been able to produce players for the Indian national team.

The reasons are many but in recent times, the local football academy has invested in some foreign coaches and selected and trained promising players in week long camps. A lot of work is still to be done and hopefully like all good endeavors, this small town will produce players in the class of Bhutia and Chhetri.

Amen!

Austrian musicians play at Kalimpong

Kalimpong : A quartet of musicians from Austria today provided a perfect icing to three-days of Teohar (Diwali) celebration.

The faculty members of Bach Music Academy in Vienna comprising its director Hanns Stekel, pianist Mari Naka, violinist Luis Morais and contra-bassist James Rapport were perfection personified as the audience lapped up their music, including a five-minute original composition.

Later, Stekel told The Telegraph that Lost in Performance was a composition of his, inspired by India. “It is a sort of fusion of the Indian and Western classical music. I read a lot about India and listened to a great deal of Indian classical music before composing it,” he said.

If the pieces the quartet played in the second half, including Stekel’s composition, were more peppy, the first half comprised classical pieces by masters of the craft like Mozart, Bach and Vivaldi. “I consider myself very fortunate to have got an opportunity to listen to such high quality music. This concert has made my tihar,” said local MLA Gaulan Lepcha, who is a keen musician himself, and can play the guitar.

His guru, Jeewan Pradhan, was among the audience of about 50 music lovers. “The discipline, quality and precision of the quartet’s performance was amazing,” Pradhan said. He runs a music school, Melody Academy, in Darjeeling.

Young violinist Manoj Tamang rued missing today’s concert because of bhai tika. “I listened to their brief performance at yesterday’s music contest (where the quartet were judges), and they were unbelievable,” said Tamang, who was himself a judge at the audition round of the competition held earlier.

The first instrumental music contest held here yesterday had been organized by My Peace, an NGO. It was won by Prayash Biswakarma of Kalimpong. All of nine years, Prayash played a Vivaldi piece, Spring, on his violin.

Dipankar Singh of Darjeeling and visually-challenged Kalimpong boy Abhishek Rai (both on guitar) bagged the second and third prizes.

Source: The Telegraph

Vienna Bach team in Kalimpong as jury

Kalimpong : Twelve musicians from the three hill sub-divisions will vie for the top honors at the first instrumental music competition being organized by My Peace Organization at Saptashree Gyanpeeth here tomorrow.

The contestants — four each from Kalimpong, Kurseong and Darjeeling — were short-listed after the preliminary rounds in their respective towns.

In the final round, they will be given six minutes to perform any composition of their choice — on the guitar, violin or keyboard (in piano mode) — before a four-member jury comprising faculty members of Bach Music Academy in Vienna, Austria.

The quartet comprising Hanns Stekel, director of the academy, pianist Mari Naka, violinist Luis Morais and contrabass James Rapport arrived here today. Apart from judging the competition, the guests will also play some selected pieces at the end of the program tomorrow.

“The winner will go home richer by Rs 20,000, while the second and third position holders will get Rs 15,000 and Rs 10,000 respectively,” said Abhinash Chhetri, the event manager of the competition.

The contestants will be judged on the basis of timing, beat, length of the piece, rhythm, feel while playing and technique.

On Sunday, the Austrian musicians will also hold a special Western classical show at a hotel here. “They are basically here to interact with the trainees of the music institute run by My Peace,” said Chhetri.

In fact, the institute, which aims to train children from the lower-income groups, will be formally inaugurated tomorrow in the presence of the academy faculty.

“The local institute is working towards getting affiliated to the academy. Once that happens, faculty members from the Vienna school will come here regularly to teach,” said Chhetri. Once the first batch of students completes their examinations, efforts will be made to form a symphony orchestra that will subsequently be given nationwide exposure.

“The very talented ones among the children will be given an opportunity to pursue their skills abroad,” said Chogyal Rimpoche, who heads the music school.

Source: The Telegraph

Bimal Gurung's Kalimpong unit to launch soon

Kalimpong : The Gorkha Janmukti Morcha (GJM) will formally launch its Kalimpong unit after a public rally here on October 31.

A 53-member working committee has been formed to oversee the preparations for the rally. The members of the committee come from diverse backgrounds, but all of them are united in their opposition to the GNLF and the Sixth Schedule and are one with GJM president Bimal Gurung on the Gorkhaland issue.

Gurung had formed the GJM earlier this month after he was expelled from the GNLF for anti-party activities.

The committee, which will automatically stand dissolved after the formation of the GJM’s Kalimpong unit, was formed at a meeting here yesterday. Prominent among the members of the committee are columnist Harka Bahadur Chettri, an independent councilor of Kalimpong Municipality Bijay Sundas, Kalyan Dewan and D. Subba.

Sundas, who is also an executive member of GJM, said the party has been getting overwhelming response from all corners of the subdivision. “We are taking our time in launching the local unit, because we are extra careful about getting the right persons at the forefront,” he said.

Though GJM sympathizers are not willing to go on record, but the public meeting is expected to be attended by Gurung himself.

The local GNLF unit has so far put up a united front and has solidly stood behind Subash Ghisingh. “Try as he may, Gurung will fail to make any impact here. Kalimpong is not Darjeeling,” said a senior GNLF leader here.

Source: The Telegraph

Solo western classical music competition in Kalimpong

Kalimpong : Come Diwali, the hills will come alive with the sound of music.

A Solo Instrumental Competition, with the thrust on Western classical music, will be held at Saptashree Gyanpeeth here on November 10. The open competition is being organized by My Peace Organization, a local NGO.

Four faculty members of Bach Music Academy in Vienna, Austria, will be the star judges at the competition. They are Mari Naka (piano), Luis Morais (violin), James Rapport (contrabass) and the director, Hanns Stekel (violin, viola and flute).

Prior to the competition, auditions will be held in Kurseong, Kalimpong, and Darjeeling to select three contestants each in three different instrumental categories: guitar, violin and keyboard. “The contestant will be judged on the basis of timing, beat, length of the piece, rhythm, feel while playing and technique,” said event coordinator Abhinash Chhetri.

The organizers will give cash awards of Rs 20,000, Rs 15,000 and Rs 10,000 to the first, second and third finishers in all the categories. “The event will encourage our children to take up Western classical music and, maybe, even a make a name for themselves in the world of music,” said Chettri.

The four musicians from Vienna will also play selected pieces of Bach, Mozart and Strauss at a concert here on November 11. The proceeds of the concert and donations collected for it will be used to fund the free music institute for poor children that has been recently opened here by My Peace Organization.

“The classical music lessons imparted by us will be at par with the ones at any other international music institute,” said Chogyal Rimpoche, who heads My Peace. He added that the music institute would soon be affiliated to Bach Music Academy.

After the first batch of students complete their graded examinations, efforts will be made to form a symphony orchestra and give it national exposure. “The very talented ones among the children will be given an opportunity to pursue their skills abroad,” said Chogyal Rimpoche.

The music institute apart, My Peace plans to set up an orphanage and old-age home in Kalimpong.

Source: The Telegraph

Tribal leader to arrive in Sikkim

Kalimpong : The president of the Akhil Bharatiya Adivasi Vikas Parishad, Somjibhai Damor, will arrive in Sikkim on Tuesday for a first-hand idea of the on-going Lepcha agitation against hydel power projects at Dzongu in North Sikkim.

“He will first go to Gangtok and then to Dzongu,” said Dorjee Lepcha, the president of Rong-Ong-Prongzum (Lepcha Youth Association).

The visit follows a presentation on Dzongu made by L.S. Tamsang, the president of Indigenous Lepcha Tribal Association, at the 14th National Conference of the All India Tribal Development Council in Jaipur, Rajasthan earlier this month.

Source: The Telegraph

Road repair ultimatum

Kalimpong : Darjeeling district magistrate Rajesh Pandey has asked all agencies looking after different roads in the hills to complete their repair and resurfacing work by October 15.

However, given the extensive damage caused to NH31A by the monsoon rain, the Border Roads Organization (BRO), which maintains the major portion of the highway, has sought time till December.

The NHPC, which has taken over the responsibility of maintaining a small stretch of the badly damaged road above its project site at 27 Mile, has been given an extended time as well.

A high-level review meeting called by Pandey in Siliguri with representatives of different agencies maintaining the roads today took stock of the prevailing condition.

Talking over phone after the meeting, Pandey said given the approaching festivities which coincide with the autumn tourist season in the hills, it was imperative to get all the roads back in running condition.

The two main road links between Kalimpong/Sikkim and Siliguri — NH31A and the Damding-Algarah-Reshi road — remained closed for days together due to landslides and cave-ins.

Pandey also said the only operating petrol pump in town has been asked to keep its stock full at all times.

Source: The Telegraph