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...
Showing posts with label kurseong news. Show all posts
Showing posts with label kurseong news. Show all posts
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...
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...
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...
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...
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...
Agitation deferred till Dec 5 - ‘On duty’ civic vehicle attacked, seized - Water and health workers suspend movement
at 6:57 PM Labels: darjeeling news, kurseong newsDarjeeling, Nov. 17: The Janmukti Asthai Karmahari Sangathan, a body of contractual workers with the DGHC, has decided to suspend its two agitation programmes till December 5.
The Gorkha Janmukti Morcha-affiliate had called for a strike among the public health engineering department (PHED) workers from today, to disrupt water supply in town. JAKS had also called a strike in government hospitals from November 22. Both the strikes were part of its agitation to demand immediate regularisation of jobs for the 7,000-odd contractual workers.
“We have decided to suspend the two programmes for the time. We went ahead with the PHED strike and found out that it was a huge success today. We, however, do not want to inconvenience residents and will not carry on with the programme till December 5,” said Machendra Subba, president, JAKS.
Although the JAKS had called a pen-down strike since early this month, contractual workers with the PHED and the hospitals had been kept out of the strike’s purview.
The strike by the PHED workers has little effect on the distribution of water in town. This is because, unlike Kurseong and Kalimpong, the water supply here is managed by the Darjeeling Municipality. The PHED is only entrusted with filling up the reservoirs.
Most of the residents of Darjeeling buy water from private tankers almost through out the year, depending little on the civic supply.
“The strike did affect Kurseong and Kalimpong,” Subba claimed.
The Morcha had also announced complete closure of the DGHC offices to support the JAKS demand and also to stop the council from issuing fresh tenders. There is, however, no change in the Morcha’s programme.
Kurseong, Nov. 17: The student wing of the Gorkha Janmukti Morcha has made traditional attires compulsory for college-goers three days a week and warned them of taking “action” if the order is violated.
Earlier, the Morcha had asked the students to attend classes in traditional attires on Monday, Wednesday and Friday even after the dress code movement ended on November 7.
“Till date, the dress code announced by the Morcha was not compulsory. We had left it to the students. However some are wearing it and some are not. From now on, it will be made compulsory for college students on three days. If a student is seen without the traditional dress, the branch committees will take necessary action,” Kismat Chettri, the Vidyarthi Morcha president, told a rally here today. He, however, has not clarified what the “necessary action” would be. Around 3,000 schoolchildren attended the rally. The college students were less in number. “Participation of college-goers should be more than what we have seen here today,” said a leader.
KURSEONG, Nov. 7: To mark the end of the month long 'cultural agitation' of the GJMM, today, the GJMM Kurseong wing organised a huge jhanki, in Kurseong, depicting different aspects related to the Gorkha Community and its demand of separate state. The jhanki proceeded towards Darjeeling.
Meanwhile, they also organised a rally in Kurseong, in which different associations and organisations as well as members of different communities participated in their respective traditional attires.
The jhanki started from the WBNVF ground in Kurseong. It was followed by a total of 7 vehicles depicting various aspects of Gorkha life. The first vehicle with a replica of a pigeon was to symbolise non-violence, democracy and peace. In the second vehicle, the GNLF supremo, Mr Subash Ghising's model was placed, in which, Mr Ghising was labeled as mato bechuwa (seller of the Gorkha dream). Besides, Mr Ghisingh, there was an effigy of the GJMM chief, Mr Bimal Gurung, depicted as trying to free the aspiration of Gorkha Community, ie Gorkhaland, from Bengal. He was shown holding the arms of a girl in shackles and trying to free her.
In the third vehicle, they showed the contribution of Gorkha sepoys, fighting bravely in Kargil war for the protection of the nation. In the fourth vehicle, a model of Parliament was demonstrated, in which, models from different communities of Darjeeling hills were shown demanding Gorkhaland.
Besides these, in jhanki they also depicted the hard work of tea workers, while the fruit of their labour is being enjoyed by tea auctioneers in Kolkata. On the other hand, several cultural programs were also performed at WBNVF ground, till late in the night by the different associations and organisations.
KURSEONG, Nov. 6: From 12 November onwards, the Gorkha Jan Mukti Reliance Telecom Employees Association Coordination Committee will once again go on an indefinite strike, following their "job back" demand. The decision was made at GJMRTEACC meeting held at Durbin Dara today in which, the GJMM vice president, Mr Pradeep Pradhan and other GJMM leaders were present. Demanding job security, medical facilities and identity cards, the Reliance technicians and guards had staged a strike in August, in which they had shut down the main network supplier's power of Reliance network at Durbin Dara in Kurseong, Reliance phone users across Hills and Sikkim faced problems after this. The GJMRTEACC, convener, Mr Pravin Sherpa said the committee members are working but they don't know whether they are employed with the company since they haven't got the October salary yet. But now, we will not compromise with the compensation.
KURSEONG, Nov. 3: She knew he will never come back, even though as the elderly woman, who is in shock for the last four months, kept on waiting for him. She is today a lonely old woman living on the pension of her late husband and no one to look after her.
63-year-old, Bisash Thapa, resident of Lower Dumaram Busty-Kurseong is still waiting for her grandson who will never come back, as he was murdered four months back. Though aware of the fact the one question that frequently strikes her is who killed grandson and for what reason. The administration too has been unable to unfold the mystery. On 28 June, at around 4 p.m, her grandson, Upesh Thapa (15), left the house, on the ptetext of going to his friends place and that he will be back by 7 in the evening. Instead of returning home on 29 June, his dead body was found at the WBSEB store gate, near Kurseong Municipality office in the morning.
The question that arises is that even after a gap of four months, the police- administration is still unable to trace out the murderer of the Class 1X innocent of St Alphonsus School, Kurseong. In this connection, when a team of reporters visited the deceased's house and queried about the incident to the grandmother of the deceased, she said that it would have been better if she would also have been killed with him. Meanwhile, Mr Laxman Gurung her neighbour informed that several deputations has already been submitted to the police administration by the residents of Lower Dumaram Busty and several other organisation, but the administration has only made assurances .
According to police sources and post mortem report, Upesh Thapa was murdered with a rope fixed around his neck. Several injuries and cut-marks were spotted on his head, face and neck. The motive behind the murder possibly might be to rob his mobile phone {N-73} since his phone was missing. The Kurseong SDPO Mr Rajesh Singh said that inquiry is on
KURSEONG, Oct.28: From today onwards, the sale of Gutkas and Pan-Masalas have been banned in Kurseong, imposed by the GJMM youth wing.
The GJMM Kurseong branch, youth wing, president, Mr Pemendra Gurung said: "Keeping in mind the fatal health problems resulting from chewing of Guthas and Pan Masalas and the rise of consumers by the day in Kurseong, we decided to ban the sales of Gutha and Pan-Masala from today onwards."Yesterday, they came out with an awareness campaign at different shops of Kurseong town, particularly for the traders regarding their decision to ban sale of “Gutha and Pan-Masala”.
Meanwhile, Mr Gurung also informed that after Diwali, they will organise several programmes to bring awareness among the people, regarding its fatal-disadvantages like cancer and tuberculosis.He also said if any one disobeys their directive, they will be once again requested and convinced to follow their directive, for interest of the people and their own health.
KURSEONG, Oct.21: From today onwards, the students of Kurseong College will have to be dressed in their respective traditional attires as the Kurseong College student union has made the dress code diktat compulsory in the college, for a month. If any one does not obey the rule then they would not get any kind of help from the union in the near future.
The Kurseong College Students Union Council, executive member, Mr Pema Ghisingh said that students should also contribute in the ongoing revolution for the greater cause of Gorkhaland. Hence wearing of traditional attires has been compulsory for a month. "However besides some students, almost everybody else are going to college in their respective traditional attire," he added. Rubina Gurung, BA 3rd year student, said: "As students belonging from Gorkha Community and as citizens of Darjeeling hills, we should contribute in the ongoing revolution for the greater cause of Gorkhaland from our side, as whenever the separate state of Gorkhaland is formed, the students from Gorkha community as well as other community students will also be beneffited in several aspects."
Tej Bahadur Chettri, B. Com 1st year student and a citizen of Bhutan , who was dressed in Bhutani attire said: "Though I belong from Nepali/Gorkha community my ancestors and parents lived in Bhutan, since a long time, hence I and my friends preferred to dress in Bhutani attire."
The Kurseong College principal, Mr Prabhat Pradhan, who was also wearing traditional attire in the office said that the directive of the GJMM to wear of traditional attire during this ongoing festive season is very much appreciable as wearing of traditional attire also depicts our traditional and cultural identity. "We have not issued any compulsory notice but the staffs, lecturers, and students are willingly wearing it," he added.
Kurseong, June 19: The subdivisional administration has opened relief centres at three places to evacuate landslides-affected families in Kurseong. Thirteen houses had been damaged yesterday in the calamity triggered by heavy rain.
Five affected families have been shifted to the relief centres, while the others have taken shelter at their relatives’ houses.
The centres have been opened at St Joseph’s Girls’ Primary School at Ward 2 and Raj Rajeshwari School and Municipal Boys’ School both in Ward 6. “Relief centres can also be opened at every government building and school in all the blocks, if necessary,” said Asha Mukhia Lama, the relief officer at the subdivisional office.
A quick response team and civil defence volunteers have been kept ready at the subdivisional office for any eventuality. “We have opened a relief cell in our office despite the bandh in view of the incessant rain that has been lashing the hills for the past few days,” Lama said.
Relief material like blanket, tarpaulin and clothes has been given to the municipality and foodgrain and other essential commodities have been stocked up for relief operation, she added.
Kurseong, May 29: An Integrated Counselling and Testing Centre (ICTC) for AIDS was opened at Kurseong Subdivisional Hospital today.
D.T. Sherpa, the secretary of the Darjeeling Gorkha Hill Council’s health department, inaugurated the centre on the hospital premises, which would also have a neo-natal care unit for pregnant women.
“The centre has been established keeping in mind the increasing number of patients and their social stigma. It has been set up under the instruction of the National Aids Control organisation and funded by the Bengal government. The neo-natal unit, however, is the effort of some of the prominent people here who have donated equipment for it” said P.K.Sharma, the superintendent of the hospital.
A test for AIDS is currently done at North Bengal Medical College and Hospital in Siliguri and at the voluntary counselling and testing centre in Darjeeling District Hospital.
From now on, any person who is suspected to be infected by AIDS can walk up to the centre here and get the test done. “Several NGOs working on spreading awareness about the disease can also get their patients tested. High-risk groups like sex workers and men having sex with men can also go for testing at the ICTC. The centre will not expose the person’s identity to anyone,” said Sharma.
According to the superintendent, pregnant women admitted to the hospital will also be tested for AIDS before delivery. “If a person is tested positive, the hospital will take care of him/her.”
The centre will also provide counselling to both the patients and their relatives to tackle the social stigma attached to the disease, said Sharma.
Kurseong, May 11: An ex-superintendent of a sanatorium was arrested yesterday for taking away furniture from the bungalow where he was staying even after retirement.
N.D. Choudhary was allegedly loading a vehicle with almirahs, beds, wooden chairs and an antique sofa set costing approximately Rs 12 lakh and belonging to the S.B. Dey Sanatorium, located at Dowhill near here, when the residents nearby saw him.
People said Choudhary also broke one of the window panes of the bungalow to create the impression that his house was burgled. Debashis Roy, the acting superintendent of the sanatorium, said he had filed an FIR with Kurseong police. Choudhary’s family could not be contacted for comment.
Darjeeling/Kurseong, Feb. 19: People in the hills formed long queues in front of banks, ration shops and grocery stores today, as they tried to stock up on cash and food ahead of the indefinite bandh called by the Gorkha Janmukti Morcha.
The Morcha has announced the shutdown to protest against the proposed Sixth Schedule status for Darjeeling and demand the removal of GNLF chief Subash Ghisingh as the caretaker administrator of the DGHC.
“We had to call the bandh because the Centre and the Bengal government are trying to forcibly impose the special status on us,” said Morcha spokesperson Binay Tamang in Darjeeling.
Residents fear that the bandh may stretch beyond the weekend.
In Kurseong, people made a beeline for the ATM counters at Motor Stand and the one on the SBI premises at P.B. Road from the morning.
“As the banks will remain open only on Tuesdays and Fridays (following a Morcha announcement), I had to go to the ATM today. I must draw some money so that I can purchase enough edibles to last a few days,” said P. Thapa of Kurseong’s Chandbari.
The town’s vegetable market, Hat Bazaar, was crowded right through the day. “Even if I had more items, I would have sold everything,” said Suraj Chettri, a vegetable-seller.
The bandh call has hit the tourism industry hard. Many tour operators in Darjeeling said there was “mass cancellation of bookings”. “Thankfully, this is the lean season when few tourists come to the hills,” said one operator.
The tea industry, too, is keeping its fingers crossed. “Although, we do not start the manufacturing process till mid-March (after the first flush), a prolonged strike would definitely affect the gardens,” said a senior planter.
Even during the lean season, the industry employs around 55,000 permanent workers. “If the strikers demand that the workers must be paid for the bandh days, the industry will have to cough up quite a bit as the daily wage in the hills is about Rs 54,” said an industry watcher.
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.
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
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
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