...as Kurseong MLA demands

Prominent GNLF leader and Kurseong MLA Mrs Shanta Chhetri today said that the Central and state governments should discharge their Constitutional duties in providing the GNLF leaders adequate security during campaigning for the forthcoming Lok Sabha polls. “It is the responsibility of the Centre and the state government to ensure that all parties get scope to canvass for popular support,” she said. MORE...

Culling figures vary in Kurseong

Contradictory culling figures being provided by the district administration officials have generated confusion as to the correct target figure for culling at the Punding forest villages at Sukna in Kurseong sub-division.

The culling is expected to be complete by tonight and would be followed by the mopping exercise. MORE...

Workers protest clogs NH-55

Demanding payment of their dues, workers of the Jogmaya Tea Estate staged a road blockade on National Highway 55 at Ghayabari near Kurseong, for two hours today.

Mr Sathish Chettri, a workers’ union leader of the Jogmaya Tea Estate said that the workers had submitted several deputations to the authorities demanding their dues, but they were yet to get a response. “Under the circumstances we were forced to stage the roadblock,” he said. He threatened a similar roadblock tomorrow as well by the workers. MORE...

Bangla man, passport Indian

Police arrested Mohammad Abdul Karim, a resident of Naya-Bazaar, Kurseong on 26 January for violating the 14 Foreigners’ Act. He was produced in court and was taken in police remand.

Police have recovered a local ration card, voter's identity card and most importantly an Indian passport from his possession. The incident has caused serious concern in the administrative circles especially as passports are issued on the basis of police verification report of an applicant. MORE...

Condition of Rohini bypass makes rides risky

Although the Rohini by-pass provides a convenient shortcut from Siliguri to Kurseong, the road has been in a dangerous condition for the last few months, with cracks at every stage of the route creating hazardous driving conditions.

The road was inaugurated by the Darjeeling Gorkha Hill Council (DGHC) on 16 July, 2007, after seven years of construction work and Rs 10.42-crore investment. MORE...

Bail plea rejected

KURSEONG, Jan. 27: Five GJMM supporters, who were arrested on 13 January, in connection with the 2 January Kurseong Court hostilities were produced today in the additional chief judicial magistrate's court, Kurseong. Their bail petition was rejected. The next hearing would be held on 10 February. MORE...

Stir on Kurseong hospital

KURSEONG, Feb. 4: Demanding security, the employees of the Kurseong Sub-Divisional Hospital observed cease-work for more than two hours in the morning. According to them, the friends and relatives of an accident victim had misbehaved with them and the doctors last night.

A Maruti van fell into a 6,000 feet deep gorge near Phatak Dara last night.
The DGHC cultural department, Kurseong branch, assistant director, Mr Gautam Lama, the Darjeeling Polytechnic Institute, lecturer, Mr Sushil Khaiba and the driver, Binod Pradhan, were seriously injured in the accident.
The hospital authorities referred them to the North Bengal Medical College and Hospital (NBMCH) after administering first aid, but Mr Khaiba died at a private nursing home in Siliguri.

This led to an altercation between the hospital authorities and the relatives of the deceased.

It was alleged that last night the accident victims had to wait for a long time for treatment as the doctor and other staff were not present in the emergency room.
The Kurseong SDMO clarified today that the doctor and nurses were in their respective rooms. So it took them some time to attend to the injured victims.

A senior nurse, Ms Sushma Tamang, said that some well known senior citizens who accompanied the victims misbehaved with the hospital staff and the doctors.
The agitators withdrew the stir around 11:30 a.m., after the Kurseong SDMO, Mr Puran Sharma, assured them he would submit a deputation to the Kurseong SDO about last night's incident.

Jagadambha lake in Rohini dried up

Kurseong : Bad news is in store for the picnickers of the region.

The Jagadambha lake in Rohini has dried up. Ensconced in a secluded spot, between Siliguri and Kurseong, the lake and its surroundings is a much sought-after picnic spot.

With the arrival of winter, picnic season has already set in. But this time, the lake would not be able to draw a large number of tourists. Over the past five years or so the beauty of the water body has mesmerised tourists. But now, the charm would be lost without the presence of water.
According to the lake's caretaker, Mr Krishna Bahadur Gole, the water of Rohini started drying up after the last picnic season. At present, the lake is bone-dry.

“The lake, which once used to witness boating is now thirsting for water,” Mr Gole lamented. But he has not been able to solve the mystery of this sudden change.

The locals have become apprehensive over the matter, because they would be robbed of a brisk income. They enjoyed a steady income over the past five years by selling eateries and trinkets to the picnickers.

"Hundreds of people flock here almost everyday, which allow the locals to make a good earning by selling goods to the visitors, in this obscure spot. The economic activity would also dry up if picnickers do not come,” Bikash Divali, a local trader, said.

Source: The Statesman

Landslides disrupt NH 31A

Siliguri / Kurseong : A series of fresh landslides late last night disrupted traffic movement on NH 31A.

The highway connects Sikkim and Kalimpong with the rest of the country

The mudslips occurred at Hatisuray, Melli (50km from here) and between Likhubir and Teestabazar (40km from here). The BRO had cleared the debris at Hatisuray, 26km from here, yesterday and vehicles were allowed to pass after being stranded for two weeks. Today the road was opened after three in the afternoon.

“We cleared the debris near Hatisuray yesterday evening with the help of National Hydroelectric Power Corporation (NHPC) workers. But heavy showers last night again led to the blocking of the road,” said a BRO official.

The met office at Jalpaiguri has forecast the possibility of heavy rainfall in the next 24 hours. Kalimpong and Sevoke have recorded 153.4mm and 86.5mm of rainfall respectively in the past 24 hours.

The road link from Siliguri to Kalimpong via Gorubathan and Lava is yet to be opened.

“The BRO officials have assured us that the road will be restored within the next 24 hours, if the weather permits. Restoration work is also going on in different parts of NH 31A,” said Darjeeling district magistrate Rajesh Pandey.

In Kurseong, boulders blocked NH 55 at 14th Mile around 7.30 this morning. The debris covered the entire road stopping toy train services from Siliguri to Kurseong. Heavy vehicles that mostly use NH 55 while going to Darjeeling were left stranded for nearly seven hours. Smaller cars used the alternative routes via Pankhabari and Rohini.

“The road was cleared by 2pm. However, the toy train tracks are still under the debris. We expect to remove the debris by tomorrow,” said Dibyendu Das the subdivisional officer of Kurseong.

This is the second time in less than a week that boulders came down at 14th Mile leading to closure of the road. Last time the road was closed for three hours.

Source: The Telegraph

Landslide disturb DHR schedule

Kurseong : Triggered by last night's torrential rain, several landslides and rock fall occurred in the Darjeeling hills today.

Rock fall and mudslide occurred at 14 Mile near Ghayabari-Tindharia on National Highway 55, in the wee hours today. A huge rock fell on the Darjeeling Himalayan Railway tracks as well. The landslide and rock fall disrupted traffic movement on NH-55.

Traffic movement was possible to an extent after NH and Railway officials arranged for the removal of a part of the debris. Work to clear the NH and the Railway tracks of debris continues till the time of writing this report.

According to the DHR director, Mr Subrato Nath, the toy train service was abandoned for the day till Kurseong from Tindharia. The train may not be able to run tomorrow as well.

Landslide has been reported from the Pagalajhora area on NH-55 in which, about 15 feet of the road has sunk. According to NH officials, further rain could trigger more landslides.

Source: The Telegraph

Nepali Revival meet

Kurseong : Students, school teachers and literary figures today vowed to use Nepali in their day-to-day life in a bid to popularise and develop the language.

The resolution was reached during an interactive programme organised by Gorkha Jana Pustakalaya at its auditorium here to mark the 15th Bhasa Manyata Diwas (Language Recognition Day).

The speakers at the programme rued the fact that despite having received recognition 15 years ago, the language does not have the respect of its own people. They pointed out that neither the government offices nor those of the DGHC use Nepali.

“It is true that our students have to learn English for competitive exams. But this does not mean that they will forget their mother tongue, especially after it has been recognised as a national language. We have only ourselves to blame for the neglect,” said Sushila Subba, who teaches Nepali at Pushparani High School here. “We as teachers have not encouraged our students to learn and take up the study of Nepali seriously. The government has provided facilities to practically use the language in government offices, but it’s we who haven’t taken the initiative.”

The language was recognised by the Centre, under the 8th Schedule of the Constitution, on this day in 1992. The Akhil Bharatiya Nepali Bhasa Samiti, an association of literary figures from Darjeeling and Sikkim, had led a movement for 30 years to achieve the demand for recognition of the language.

Source: The Telegraph

Foundation Stone laid by Urban Development Minister

Kurseong : Bengal urban development minister Asok Bhattacharya today laid the foundation stone of a new building of Kurseong College on the institution’s 40th anniversary.

A new building has become necessary for the college to start undergraduate courses in microbiology, computer science and other subjects. It will come up on a 2,500sqft area on the college campus at a cost of Rs 48 lakh.

“The entire amount will come from the MP (Rajya Sabha) fund. As of now Rs 12 lakh has been sanctioned from the fund to initiate work,” said Prabhat Pradhan, the principal of the college. In the first stage, only two storeys of the building will be constructed

The minister asked Kurseong College to start professional courses apart from teaching general arts, commerce and science streams. “Military science, anthropology, BCA and MCA are some of the courses that can be started here. I will ask the government to generate funds for the development of the college.”

Source: The Telegraph

Salesian College starts music course

Kurseong , Dist Darjeeling : Salesian College, Sonada, has good news for budding Prashant Tamangs.

One of the oldest undergraduate degree colleges in the region, the institution has initiated a music course from this academic session. The college, which boasts of a 70-year-old orchestra and a brass band of repute, will be the first to do this in north Bengal.

“We will be offering certificate, diploma and advanced diploma courses in music, both vocal and instrumental in Western and Classicial Indian streams,” said Father Thadathil SDB George, the principal of the college.

“About 15 students have been inducted so far for the course,” George said. “To begin with, we are starting courses on the piano, violin and guitar, besides tabla, and Western and Indian classical vocal.”

Set up in Shillong in 1933, Salesian College was brought under Calcutta University in 1935, George said. In 1938, it was shifted to Sonada. It came to be affiliated to North Bengal University (NBU) when the latter came up more than 40 years ago. It is the only college run by the Salesians of Don Bosco in the region.

The course, George said, would go a long way in training the hill youths. “The students here are very talented and the communities are musically inclined,” George said. “But, there aren’t any formal music training centres. Our course will help them a lot.”

The college also plans to conduct a study on the music of the Darjeeling hills. “The hills are blessed with a rich cultural heritage and each of the different communities — Gurungs, Tamangs and Limboos — boasts of a rich musical tradition. But none of this has been documented so far,” George said.

“The course has been introduced as part of career-oriented programmes (COP) and will be an add-on that students can take up along with their regular undergraduate degree courses,” Nupur Das, secretary of the NBU undergraduate council, said.

While music was started at Salesian, NBU gave its nod to Malda College for starting a COP in fisheries.

“NBU is laying a lot of stress on these programmes, which are career-oriented and have geographic relevance,” Das said. “The UGC, too, is very forthcoming with funds for these courses. It also helps colleges to get better rating from National Assessment and Accreditation Council.”

Communicative English, Computer Applications and travel and tourism management, among others, have already been started in several colleges. “These subjects are very popular,” Das said.

Organic farming, industrial microbiology, office and secretarial practice, women’s studies, bio-diversity conservation are some of the other subjects in which NBU have sanctioned COPs for college students.

Source: The Telegraph

Kurseong Partial Strike

Kurseong , Dist. Darjeeling : The first day of the 48-hour bandh called by the ABGL here evoked a partial response.

The strike was called to protest against the alleged reluctance of the Kurseong Municipality chairman P.C. Agarwal to execute the will of his son Sami. Agarwal junior had died in March 2000 and had reportedly bequeathed all his property to the underprivileged.

Till 10 in the morning today most shops and business establishments remained closed with ABGL supporters asking people across the town to support the strike. At 7am, a shop was ransacked while a vehicle coming in from Mirik was attacked and the driver roughed up, allegedly by ABGL members.

Police swung into action after ten and most of the ABGL leaders were picked up on charges of forcing shopkeepers to pull their shutters down. They were released on bail in the evening.

The GNLF then entered the scene urging people to open their establishments. Soon around 80 per cent of the shops were open. Most of the schools and colleges functioned as usual.

Traffic movement from Siliguri to Darjeeling remained undisturbed and so did the toy train service. However, local taxis and vehicles that go from here to Siliguri did not ply today.

The GNLF supporters stayed on the streets till evening and claimed that the strike was unsuccessful.

“The allegations levelled by the ABGL are totally baseless. A family matter is being dragged onto a political platform. We opposed the strike today and will do so in future. The people listened to us and we are thankful to them,” said N.B. Khawas, the general-secretary of the party’s Kurseong branch.

Countering the claim, the ABGL’s Kurseong secretary Pranoy Thapa said: “Our strike was 100 per cent successful. The people only opened their shops because the GNLF forced them to do so with support from the local administration. We have not withdrawn the strike though we have promised the police that we will not persuade the people to down their shutters tomorrow. They for their part should ensure that GNLF supporters do not pressure the people to open their shops.”

Darjeeling police superintendent Rajesh Subarno said: “A large police contingent had been deployed and no untoward accident was reported from anywhere.”

Source: The Telegraph

48 hour ABGL Strike

Kurseong : The ABGL has called a 48-hour strike in town starting tomorrow to protest against the civic chairman’s alleged reluctance to execute the will left behind by his son Sami Agarwal.

Sami had died in March 2000 and had reportedly bequeathed all his property to the underprivileged.

The GNLF on the other hand has decided to defy the bandh and has urged establishments and shops to remain open.

The ABGL, which is a member of the anti-Subash Ghisingh coalition in the hills, has also said it will not allow P.C. Agarwal, the chairman of Kurseong Municipality, to hoist the Tricolour on Independence Day.

“He is not fit for it. Sami’s registered will clearly states that he has donated his property to the poor people of the hills. Even his flat in New Delhi is supposed to be sold and money raised to set up a school for poor children. We got hold of the will seven years after his death and realised that Agarwal has not bothered to execute it,” said Saroj Khatri, an ABGL member.

Pranoy Thapa, the general secretary of the ABGL in Kurseong, said Agarwal should not have kept silent about the will so long.

Though the ABGL has made it clear that the issue has nothing to do with politics or Ghisingh’s party, he GNLF has decided to stand by its member. “The allegations against Agarwal are personal. It has got nothing to do with the Independence Day. The Opposition’s move is anti-national,” said N.B. Khawas, the general secretary of the GNLF in Kurseong.

Vinod Agarwal, whose name appears as a witness, said he is not aware of what is written in the will. “I had signed it, but did not read it,” Vinod, who is Sami’s cousin, said.

Agarwal said the Opposition was trying to tarnish his image. “I don’t have any information on the will, but if it is there, they should go to court.”

Source: The Telegraph

Heavy rains in the Darjeeling hills

Kurseong (Dist. Darjeeling) : One person was killed and several others were injured as landslides struck different places in Darjeeling hills today. Several houses were also damaged in the landslides, rendering many people homeless. The entire Darjeeling hills has remained cut off from the rest of the country following a series of landslides today.

Krishan Rai (35), a resident of Margaret Hope Tea Estate, around 16 kilometre away from Kurseong, died when his house caved in around 7 a.m. today, Mr Jagat Sango, a local gram panchayat official, said. He added that Sango's mother, wife and two children were rescued by the fire brigade personnel and the locals.

In another incident, a house was collapsed in a major landslide that occurred at Sherpa Busty near the Kurseong SDO's bungalow early this morning. The house belonged to one Mrs Savitri Sundas (50. There was, however, no report of any casualty as the occupants of the affected house were shifted to a safer place yesterday.

Mrs Sundas, however, blamed the Kurseong Municipal Corporation authorities for the incident. "The KMC constructed a wall near my house to protect the building of a local club. The protection wall was weak and it caved in today," she alleged. Mrs Sundas said cracks were spotted on the wall less than a month after its construction. "The residents of Sherpa Busty requested the KNMC authorities several times to repair the wall, but to no avail. The negligence of the authorities concerned finally led to our sufferings," she said.

The KMC vice-chairman, Mr Sanjay Chhetri, however, claimed that the wall was not constructed by them. "The protection wall of the club was actually built with the MPLAD funds. We only provided an engineer to oversee the construction," he said.
Mr Chhetri said that occupants of four other houses at Sherpa Busty have been instructed to vacate their houses and shift to safer places.

Meanwhile, traffic movement was paralysed on NH-55 near 14 Mile following a landslide today. At Sivatar Busty in Kurseong sub-division, a major landslide ocuured this morning. One Papila Rai (28) was injured in the incident. She is undergoing treatment at the Kurseong sub-divisional hospital.

Source: The Statesman

Strict Kurseong Municipality demolition drive

Kurseong: The Kurseong Municipality today demolished a portion of a three-storeyed building in Ward 7, hinting at a tougher approach in dealing with illegal structures in and around the town.

The building, located in Dhobi Khola, is owned by Bidhya Sagar Prasad and has been under construction since 2003. “A two-and-half foot portion of the ground floor encroached on a drain built by the municipality,” said Govind Adhikary, the sub-assistant engineer of the civic body’s building plan department.

The drain flows on the right hand side of the building, said other residents of Dhobi Khola, located just below NH 55. They had complained to the civic authorities about the encroachment.

Adhikary said Prasad had been served several notices in the past and had even given it in writing that he would demolish the portion on his own. “But he did nothing of the sort,” the sub-assistant engineer added.

It was then that the board of councillors decided to send in its demolition team. Initially, the date was set for June 20, but it was postponed after it came to light that a member of the Prasad family had been injured in an accident.

Today, around 10 policemen escorted the civic team to the spot to fend off any possible resistance from the owner. The demolition may continue tomorrow, said a municipal employee.

“If we receive complaints about other illegal structures, we will demolish them too,” said Shyam Sherpa, the ward councillor.

Prasad on his part said he has filed a case in the Kurseong court.

“We have not received any notice from the court,” said Adhikary.

Source: The Telegraph

Hill girls top Vocational Stream exams

Kurseong: Two students from an institute here have topped the Plus Two vocational stream exams in Bengal this year.

They are from Holy Cross Institute, the only school offering vocational education in commerce.

Sweta Bansal, a resident of Bijanbari near Darjeeling, has topped the state with 90 per cent while Babita Agarwal, a Jalpaiguri girl, scored 85 per cent in the exams conducted by West Bengal State Council of Vocational Education.

The results were declared on June 12.

Established in 1976, Holy Cross, situated 7 km from here at St Mary’s Hills, was governed by the West Bengal Council of Higher Secondary Education till 2005 when it shifted to the vocational education stream.

“This is the first batch after the new board took over. We feel that the shift has made a difference. Altogether 113 students had appeared in the final year, of whom 27 secured above 75 per cent marks while the rest got first division,” Sister Martha Matthew, the principal, told The Telegraph today.

The school authorities received the results yesterday.

Matthew attributes the performance to the introduction of many subjects in the new syllabus. “The new syllabus puts emphasise on practical training. Whatever we teach them in classes, we also show them practically on the field.”

“We have also abolished typing and shorthand and introduced new subjects like computers, computer accounting and technical marketing which we feel the students learnt with greater enthusiasm,” she said.

However, the good results are not a passport to admission in mainstream honours courses.

According to the principal, one of the universities had sent a circular stating that students from vocational stream would get admission in the pass course if they were to join the mainstream. She did not name the varsity.

Till last year, vocational students were getting admission to honours courses, she claimed.

“At present, we have no plans to take any step but we will approach the council so that the next batch benefits,” she said.

Source: The Telegraph

CRS for Kurseong Railway Station

Kurseong: The hill town will soon have its first computerised railway booking counter.

This was announced today by Kurseong MLA Shanta Chettri.

The GNLF legislator is a member of the Divisional Railway User Committee of the Northeast Frontier Railway, which has passed the proposal. Chettri claimed that she had long demanded that a counter should come up in Kurseong as it is an important station for the Darjeeling Himalayan Railway (DHR).

“The proposal was passed at a meeting of the committee held last month. Now it is up to the railway department to start work on the project. It has been a long-standing demand of the residents of Kurseong and now people will not have to go all the way to Darjeeling or Siliguri to book their tickets,” Chettri told reporters this morning.

The setting up of the counter, however, would mean that the quota for Kurseong would cease to exist.

The MLA has also demanded that the additional director be posted at the DHR’s headquarters at Elysia Building near Doomaram bustee here. The building is not functional till date, though it was inaugurated last year.

Source: The Telegraph

Kurseong

A somewhat lesser known destination in the tourist map of India is Kurseong. Travellers to the perennial favourite Darjeeling often miss this place on their way with a cursory glance. But this dreamy world of the white orchid, kurson-rip in Lepcha, has more to it.

Nestled in the lower regions of the Himalayas at an altitude of 1,458 mt (4,864 ft), between Darjeeling and Siliguri, Kurseong is a place that makes a separate impression altogether.

It is a town of schools, with several institutions more than a century old providing education to students from across the country and from abroad.

The heritage Darjeeling Himalayan Railways, recognised by Unesco, has its headquarters in Kurseong.

One of the most striking sights in the town for a tourist is the colourful toy train which runs on the level of the main streets.

It was once considered fashionable for the rich and the famous of Calcutta to have a summer residence at Kurseong. The big names that have been associated with Kurseong include Rabindranath Tagore, Sister Nivedita, Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose and Mark Twain.

The mild, healthy climate in Kurseong and the tranquil surroundings attract many looking for a relaxing holiday.

Eagle’s Crag, which is a short walk from the railway station, has a tourist complex. It is the vantage point for viewing the mountains and the valley. From the garden in the complex, Kanchenjunga can be seen along with other peaks of the Himalayan range. In the distance, the hills flatten out to form the extensive plains of north Bengal.

Tea bushes are ubiquitous around the town. Kurseong is surrounded by many tea gardens that produce the finest Darjeeling tea. Tea from the town’s outskirts can be found at exclusive stores abroad and even at the Nasa space station.

A climb to the Dowhill area is a must. The forest museum, deer park and the water reservoir, surrounded by moss-covered conifers are major tourist attractions.

There are several trekking trails around Kurseong — from the short walk along St Mary’s Grotto to more strenuous climbs. There are also day-long treks from Kurseong to Mirik via Namsu and Balasun River and eco-treks past cinchona plantations and Sherpa villages.

You can also ramble on roads like Aranya Sarani that lead to the vast open meadows of Chimney at 7,000 ft. The place derives its name from a long chimney standing there which is reminiscent of the days when there was a bungalow there. The route also leads to Tiger Hill, which offers magnificent view of the Kanchenjunga. Tourists assemble here every morning to view the sunrise.

Just outside Kurseong and on the way to Darjeeling is Woodcot. Established and managed by Father Abraham, who is originally from Canada, this innovative eco-friendly farm works towards supporting local villages through a dairy project, compost plant, ingenious solar water heating projects, biogas units for cooking and mushroom cultivation.

There is also a school for children, a production facility for jholas and muras by the blind, organic vegetable farming and other innovative practices.

The tourist activities around Kurseong include angling in the Balasun river and picnic along its bank near the remnants of an hydel power project, set up by the British. The Kettle valley, just outside the town, is another beautiful picnic spot.

Going

The nearest airport is Bagdogra, 60 km from Kurseong. There is railway station, on the New Jalpaiguri- Darjeeling narrow gauge line. The New Jalpaiguri station is 57 km from the town. Taxis and buses are available from Siliguri

Staying

WBTDC Tourist Lodge on Hill Cart Road, Cochrane Place on Pankhabari Road and Amarjeet Hotel on Hill Cart Road are some of the options

By AMRISH SAIGAL

Source: The Telegraph