www.kalimpong.info

www.statesman.net
Sudipta Chanda

SILIGURI, March 29: The GNLF is playing the guardian in Kalimpong, even in matters of trade and commerce.
Fraught with infighting, the Kalimpong Chambers of Commerce has not been able to come up with a substantive body for quite some time. Annoyed, the locals have been alleging that the situation has led to uncontrolled and whimsical pricing of commodities in the markets.
The situation took a turn for the worse with the resignation of Mr Dinesh Mittal from the KCC ad hoc committee president’s post recently.
In stepped the GNLF to salvage the situation and in a letter addressed to local businessman Mr Narendra Somani on 27 March, the GNLF Kalimpong branch president Mr Dawa Pakhrin wrote: “You are being appointed convenor for the formation of a regular elected committee within a period of one month from the date hereof from amongst the existing members.”
The letter has stirred a hornet’s nest and the CPI-M has come down heavily on it. “It is worrisome to notice that a political organisation is controlling and instructing a traders’ body. It is not acceptable,” stated Kalimpong CPI-M leader Mr Tara Sundas indicating his organisation would resist political interference in trade and commerce.
Claiming all was in good faith, Mr Pakhrin explained why he intervened. “The KCC is an important institution but wrangling in the organisation, which often turned into legal battles, was doing the institution no good. So, to bring cohesion in the organisaton, I intervened,” he analysed.
Stating that he was striving for major development projects in the hill town, the GNLF leader said: “We want peace and order in Kalimpong and wish to make it a strike free land.”
The CPI-M is not buying his logic. “The KCC is not a unit of the GNLF. Interfering in its matters and arranging for its election as well is beyond the GNLF,” Mr Sundas argued.
Mr Somani, recipient of the contentious letter is shaken by the development. “I have received Mr Pakhrin’s letter but I would send a reply tomorrow stating that it was not possible for me to accept the convenor’s post or hold the elections to the KCC,” he told The Statesman today.
He cited “health problem” and “local discontent” as reasons for his decision.

www.telegraphindia.com

Kalimpong, March 29: St Augustine’s School here has been conducting a special corporate-style motivation course for its Class X students with lessons in positive thinking and proper planning in an effort to optimise their potentials.

The two-week “Positive Thinking and Confidence-Building Programme” ends on Saturday and is being conducted by local consultant Neel Kamal Chettri. “The idea is to motivate the students,” said Father L. Monteiro, the school principal.

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Kalimpong, March 25: The GNLF (C), a constituent of the PDF, has decided to launch a campaign to hasten
the probe into the killing of former GNLF leader C.K. Pradhan, four-and-half years ago.

Pradhan, a one-time lieutenant of GNLF chief Subash Ghisingh, fell out with his mentor and was removed from his post as councillor-in-charge of health. A few months later he was gunned down by unidentified assailants here on October 3, 2002. The same year, CK’s supporters formed the GNLF (C). The CBI has taken up the case , but the investigations seem far from complete.

The core committee of the GNLF (C) met at the residence of late Pradhan recently and expressed dismay at  the tardy pace of the probe. “We will launch a series of programmes, including hunger strikes and road
blockades, to press for our demand,” said party president D.K. Pradhan. “We have decided to go alone because the PDF has not been taking any initiative on this issue.”

The GNLF (C) president said his party would not shy away from approaching Ghisingh in its effort to nail the killers of C.K. Pradhan.

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Kalimpong, March 25: The Lepcha Night School at Mayel Kyong here now has a building of its own, thanks to a couple of old Darjeeling boys.

The two-storeyed structure was formally inaugurated today by Owen G. Glenn, the chairman of the Glenn Family Foundation, New Zealand, at a traditional ceremony attended by the colourfully attired Lepcha residents of Mayel Kyong. Glenn, a New Zealander, was accompanied by his friend from school days, Jimmy Kier, who is also the director of the foundation. While Glenn had been a student at St Michael’s School in Darjeeling, Kier, who now resides in Hong Kong, had studied at Goethals Memorial School in Kurseong.

(more…)

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Kalimpong, March 20: The last-minute postponement of the English examination for Class XI, originally scheduled for today, caused harassment to students from far-flung areas of the Kalimpong subdivision.

The West Bengal Council of Higher Secondary Education decided to defer the test yesterday in view of today’s bandh called by Maoists in Purulia, Bankura and West Midnapore districts to protest against the police firing in Nandigram. However, due to the lack of proper communication in the hills, most students from outside the town got to know of the deferment only after they arrived at their exam centres here.

All the six examination centres for the subdivision, catering to 1,877 students, are located in Kalimpong town. This is the first time that Class XI students have been made to appear for their annual test outside their own schools.

Students today ended up making a fruitless trip to the town from places like Algarah, 18 km from here, and Teesta, 16 km away.

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Kalimpong, March 19: The state municipal affairs department has handed over Rs 1 crore to Kalimpong Municipality for the upgrade of the water distribution system here.

Municipality chairman C.K. Kumai said the money was released on the basis of a project report prepared by the public health engineering department in 2001. The report had estimated the cost of overhauling the antiquated distribution network at Rs 3.8 crore, he added.

The chairman said the state government would release the remaining amount in phases, depending on the progress of work. “The plan is to lay an additional supply pipeline from the Deolo reservoir, besides constructing about four to five storage tanks at various points,”
he added.

The work on the project will be executed by the municipal engineering directorate, which has its headquarters in Calcutta. “The municipal directorate will soon prepare a work plan in consultation with the water works department of the DGHC (which oversees the distribution of water from the Deolo reservoir),” said Kumai.

Overhauling the water distribution network has been a long standing demand among residents of the hill town. They hold the outdated distribution system, full of leaks and illegal connections, responsible for the scarcity that grips the town even during the rainy season.

In reply to the allegations, Kumai said: “I am confident that once the distribution system is modernised, the problem of water scarcity will reduce and transmission losses will be brought under control.”

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RAJEEV RAVIDAS

Kalimpong, March 15: Once a hostel for outstation students and now the primary section, Robertson Hostel of Scottish University Mission Institution (Sumi) will complete its 100th year this November.

Though the exact date for the centenary of the building is still a few months to go, the celebrations will start from Sunday. With only three days left for the centennial bash, the grand old structure has donned a rather youthful look after a renovation this winter.

Reverend Alan McDonald, moderator of the Church of Scotland’s general assembly, will be the chief guest at the inauguration of the programme, which will go on for three days. “The celebrations will start with a thanksgiving service at the nearby McFarlane Church. On March 19, present students will put up a cultural show and the following day, former students will return the complements with a similar programme,” said Nava Ratna Pradhan, the principal of Sumi. According to Pradhan, the initial plan was to hold the event in the first week of November, but it has been brought forward to coincide with McDonald’s visit. (more…)

Kalimpong

The Centre and State Sericulture Department with the help of the local Vijay Rani Sericulture Club and Mankind in Action for Rural Growth (MARG) organized a joint awareness programme on sericulture on the 6th of March 2007 at the Maria Basti community hall.

More than forty residents from the villages in and around Maria Basti, Middle Kange participated in the awareness programme. Resource persons included Dr. Mondol, a researcher and scientist from the central sericulture department, Dr. Thakur, a development officer from the state government, Mr. Surya Prasad Chettri (Extension Officer), Mr. S Rai (Asst. Extension Officer), Mr. K B Chettri and Mr. Phurba Sherpa.

The resource persons shared information regarding various government schemes to support rural sericulture, including disbursing of loans, construction of rearing houses and production of weaving materials.

Dr. Mondal emphasized that a farmer should have minimum 1000 bushes of Mulberry trees. He also emphasized on Munga (type of silk) culture as Kutmero (Litsea monopetala) is locally grown in the hills of North Bengal. The participants also visited the site where mulberry tree plantation had been initiated by Vijay Rani Sericulture Club and Mankind in Action for Rural Growth (MARG).

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Kalimpong, March 7: This spring, the hill town will be a prettier sight with cleaner and black-topped roads, coupled with flowers in bloom.

After years of neglect, the many potholed roads here are being repaired, including thorough carpeting of the 14-km stretch of the state highway from Chitrey till here. The soon-to-be-launched “Keep Kalimpong Clean” campaign of Gorkha Youth Club should leave every nook and cranny of the town sparkling.

The club will hold the campaign with the help of students. In the first phase, to start on March 15, about 200 students of Dr Graham’s Homes will create awareness among residents about the merits of keeping the place clean.

“We will include children of Classes IV, V and VI in our campaign,” said Sherpa. As part of the plan, “Run for Clean Kalimpong”, a half-marathon, will be organised next month. “We will also hold a walk for senior citizens on the same day,” said Sherpa, the coordinator of the campaign.

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RAJEEV RAVIDAS

Siliguri, March 6: Neora Water Supply Scheme authorities have, by their own admission, managed to successfully plug only five illegal tapping points from their main pipeline. The pipeline carries water from Neora khola to the Deolo reservoir near here.

This was revealed today by Kalimpong subdivisional officer, Shakeel Ahmed, after a review meeting on the water crisis. The Neora water supply authorities has asked for 20 more days to plug all the leaks, he added.

The revelation comes more than a month after a high-level committee had detected as many as 98 illegal tapping points in the pipeline, between Algarah and Deolo, during a spot inspection on February 2. (more…)

By Janice Mukhia

I am sure I am not alone when I say this, but if I were asked where I’d rather be at this time and at this very moment, I would without a moment’s hesitation say: “KALIMPONG”.

Kalimpong is truly an integral part of my life and continues to rein a strong hold over my heart. I associate it with a wealth of idyllic memories……memories, if narrated to a teenager who grew up in the big old cities, would evoke a lukewarm enthusiasm at best.

Growing up in Dungra busty during the radio generation with no television, cell phones, video games, MTV or ipods, life in Dungra busty was what you might expect…“SIMPLE”. But make no mistake, it was simple yet rewarding and enriching in every sense of the word or dare I say, invigorating than most kids today can ever imagine.

To begin with, back in those days, reading was still the number one option to spend a lazy Saturday afternoon. I remember, browsing through every pile of Enid Blyton, Nancy Drew or Famous Five books in Kashinath or Upasak. Hopelessly influenced by characters in Enid Blyton’s Famous Five, my cousins and I would plunge into an imaginary world of detectives. Eager to get us out of the house and catch up on household chores, my mom would pack us some lunch, fill our water bottles with orange juice and off we’d go in search of that unborn/undiscovered mystery, borne out of our imagination. The big old pear tree in my aunt’s house served as the magic faraway tree and our letters to Santa Claus did not include pleas for the latest Xbox series or MP3 players. They were filled with pleas for the newest book in town. Yep those were the days, when kids had the luxury of imagining and had a passion for reading. In retrospect, I am glad life was what it was back then. (more…)

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OUR CORRESPONDENT

Kalimpong, Feb. 28: Even after one-and-a-half years of surrendering his Cellone post-paid connection, a consumer here continues to receive bills from the local BSNL office.

Brother Johnny, the director of Don Bosco Job-Oriented Technical Institute at 14th Mile, had taken the cellphone connection in April 2005, and paid Rs 3,300 as deposit. On September 20 the same year, he sent a written submission asking the officials to discontinue the service and also returned the SIM card.

Once a consumer discontinues the cellphone connection, the service provider is supposed to return the deposit amount. However, even after all these months, Brother Johnny is yet to get the refund. “Though I do not subscribe to the connection anymore, the BSNL has been billing me unjustly. They have not even paid me the refundable amount. Besides fooling me and hurting my dignity, they have been wasting precious paper by sending me false bills regularly,” he said.

Brother Johnny demanded that the BSNL not only refund his money with accumulated interest, but also compensate him for causing “mental tension and humiliation”.

According to Brother Johnny, he had met D.K. Deb, the subdivisional officer (telecom), a few days ago and Deb had promised to resolve the problem in seven days. When contacted, Deb, however, said he did not look after the cellular operations of the BSNL.