www.kalimpong.info

www.telegraphindia.com

Kalimpong, Sept. 20: 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 Organisation (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.

VIVEK CHHETRI
www.telegraphindia.com

Dooteriah Tea Garden, Sept. 19: Hannah Foster wanted to become a doctor, but a lurking rapist stopped her one evening, violated her young body and then strangled her.

The murdered British teenager’s unfulfilled dream, however, lives on — in a tiny school with tin walls in faraway Darjeeling.

For Jason Lepcha, the man behind the school, it’s a tribute to the memory of the slain 17-year-old.

Lepcha and a dozen others had three years ago helped police track down Maninder Pal Singh Kohli, the main suspect, who fled to India after the March 2003 rape and murder in Southampton and was hiding in Darjeeling.

All of them were rewarded by Hannah’s parents Trevor and Hillary, who came to India to pursue their daughter’s alleged killer. Lepcha set up the school with the money he got in December 2005.

“I received a reward of Rs 3.67 lakh and thought the best way to utilise the money was by building a school in my native place, Dooteriah, in Hannah’s memory,” says the 30-something Lepcha, who has always believed that he “should do something to make a difference to the poor”.

Hannah Memorial Academy started with a few students at Shanti gaon in the tea garden, about 21km from Darjeeling, last year but was formally opened on February 18 this year. Lepcha’s family members decided to donate land that belonged to their grandfather, who was a doctor in the garden. (more…)

www.telegraphindia.com

Kalimpong, Sept. 19: Supporters of the Citu-affiliated Hill Motor Driver Workers’ Union today gheraoed the office of the subdivisional officer (SDO) here demanding proactive steps by the administration to end the fuel crisis plaguing Kalimpong.

The shortage of petroleum has resulted from the fact that tankers and petroleum carriers are finding it difficult to reach the hill town as rains and landslides continue to disrupt roads in the hills.

“Fuel is being sold in bulk to hoarders who in turn are making a killing by selling it in the black market at a premium. Besides, the petrol pumps are also taking unusually long in placing fresh orders,” alleged Tara Sundas, the president of the Citu’s Kalimpong unit. “If the problem is not resolved soon we will bring the entire traffic in the hills to a stop.”

Of the three petrol pumps in the town, two have been closed for different reasons. The one at 8th Mile is facing charges of adulteration, while the 11th Mile petrol pump suffered extensive damage in a landslide earlier this month.

Sundas also came down heavily on the NHPC for damaging NH31A at 27th Mile. “We can’t let the NHPC survive at the expense of the people of Kalimpong and Sikkim.”

Members of the GNLF-affiliated Gorkha National Drivers’ Front echoed Sundas. A delegation of front members met the SDO today and expressed concern over the damage done to their trucks by bulldozers and excavators of the NHPC while negotiating the landslide-hit stretch of road at 27th Mile.

The SDO, P.T. Sherpa, promised to look into the problems at the earliest. “I will take up the issue at the meeting called by Darjeeling district magistrate Rajesh Pandey in Siliguri tomorrow. The meeting has been called to review the condition of the road network in the hills.”

www.telegraphindia.com

Gangtok/Kalimpong, Sept. 18: The relay hunger strike by members of Affected Citizens of Teesta (ACT) was joined today by a group of youths from Lachung in North Sikkim.

The ACT fast has been going on for more than two months in protest against the construction of hydel power projects in the Lepcha reserve of Dzongu in North Sikkim. The protesters argue that the construction would disturb the fragile ecological balance of the area and hurt the religious sentiments of the Lepchas.

The Lachungpas today expressed solidarity with the movement by participating in the relay fast 24 hours. Another batch is expected to join in the next two days. Besides supporting ACT, the group has also decided to take up the issue of mega hydroelectric power projects coming up in Lachung.

Thupden Lachungpa, Thackche Lachungpa, Samdup Lachungpa, C. Rinzing Lachungpa and R. Chewang Lachungpa who joined the relay fast will also submit a memorandum on the issue to the authorities concerned on the matter.

In another development a handful of anonymous leaflets were circulated in Kalimpong today warning Lepchas to call off their relay hunger strike and concentrate wholly on getting Darjeeling boy Prashant Tamang voted as the next Indian Idol.

The Lepchas have been fasting for the past 24 days to express their solidarity on the hydel power protest launched by ACT in Sikkim.

Lepcha organisations here like Rong Ong Prongzom (Lepcha Youth Organisation) have decided to ignore the leaflet than add credence by commenting on it.

www.telegraphindia.com

Siliguri, Sept. 16: One runs a swanky hotel in Darjeeling, the other manages a home-stay in Tinchulay, while the third is the main “man” behind a reclusive resort in Kalimpong.

The region has quite an impressive list of women who have contributed to the growth of its tourism sector. This World Tourism Day on September 27, the Eastern Himalayan Travel and Tour Operators’ Association will felicitate at least 15 of them in recognition of their efforts.

Every year, the UN World Tourism Organisation chooses a theme for World Tourism Day. This year’s theme —Tourism opens doors for women — celebrates the achievements of women in tourism and supports one of the millennium development goals of the UN: promote gender equality and women empowerment.

“It is difficult as a woman, particularly a single woman, to manage a big business, but I have always enjoyed the challenge,” said Gitu Dewan, the managing director of Cedar Inn, considered to be one of the top five hotels in Darjeeling.

“Times have changed, making it a lot easier for women entrepreneurs. I enjoy an excellent support system and my team members (the hotel employs 35 people), with whom I have been working ever since the inception of the hotel in 1999, have made it possible to make this business a success,” she added.

A picture in contrast is Senu Gurung, or didi, of Tinchulay village in the Kurseong subdivision. “Honestly, athiti satkar (hospitality) is not a man’s forte at all,” says the 50 something woman whose Gurung House has earned quite a name for itself. “Men are good for other jobs — guiding tourists, driving them around and the like,” she added. Perhaps, this is why she herself cooks for all her guests, whom she prefers not to call “tourists”.

Gurung is helped by a strong brigade of women, including her sister-in-law and daughters-in-law. “The ingredients for the food we serve are all grown by us,” she said. “The honey comes from our apiary and the ghee is also made by us. This would not have been possible if all the women in the family did not work together. In fact, when there are a lot of guests, even my 84-year-old mother comes in to help.”

Armed with a degree in tourism management from Mumbai, Honey Pradhan started Orchid Retreat with two cottages about four years ago on the compound of a nursery run by her in-laws in Kalimpong. The “birding resort”, which now comprises five cottages, attracts a lot of bird-watchers, thanks to her efforts in bird conservation.

“I wanted to do something with my degree and this was the perfect opportunity,” said Pradhan. At the resort, it is not only her managerial skills that come to the fore, but her culinary skills as well. Like Gurung, Pradhan cooks for all her guests.

“The women are the main force behind tourism, because at the grassroots level it is they who provide hospitality to the tourists,” said Raj Basu, the working president of the tour operators’ association. “Nowadays, women are also taking up managerial roles and that is an encouraging sign.”

Besides felicitation, the association will also put up a photo-exhibition on this year’s World Tourism Day theme.

www.telegraphindia.com
RAJEEV RAVIDAS

Kalimpong, Sept. 13: The division of power between the district administration and the DGHC has come in the way of preparing a comprehensive assessment report on damage caused by rains in Kalimpong.

District officials claimed that they could do little other than report the loss of lives and property as most of the departments are under the council, which has been under a caretaker administrator for three years.

Not only that, the official compensation offered for loss of life and property is meagre. In case of a fully damaged house, the relief amount is Rs 4,000, while for a partially damaged one, it is Rs 2,000. Till September 8, 123 houses were completely damaged in the entire subdivision and another 171 suffered partial damage. “The compensation offered for loss of life is Rs 40,000,” said an official from the SDO’s office.

The damage is not limited to human lives and dwellings: roads have also been severely hit. “Since we have no say on roads maintained by the state PWD, DGHC and BRO, how can we prepare a comprehensive report on the damage where so many agencies are involved,” said the official.

The BRO, which maintains both NH 31A and Damding-Algarah-Reshi Road, said the damage from rains this year has amounted to crores of rupees. “But a comprehensive survey is needed before arriving at a figure,” said a BRO official.

Local GNLF MLA Gaulan Lepcha said a disaster management programme must be put in place first. Stating that the DGHC should ideally coordinate the programme, Lepcha admitted that nothing substantial could be done since the council has been lying defunct. “However, Dawa Pakhrin, (the GNLF’s Kalimpong unit president) has gone to discuss the issue with administrator Subash Ghisingh.”

www.thestatesman.net

GANGTOK, Sept. 12: The NH-31A that connects Siliguri to Gangtok was reopened last night after the highway was cleared of debris. The road was blocked following recent landslides at 19th Mile in Kalimpong sub-division. “We succeeded in reopening the highway around 10.30 p.m. last night,” said Mr AK Singh, a senior Border Road Organisation Official. “Ten labourers and two bulldozers were used to clear the highway of debris,” Mr Singh, added.
However, the condition of the NH-31A at Tarkhola is still pathetic. It may take few more days to fully repair the road, officials, said. n SNS

www.telegraphindia.com
RAJEEV RAVIDAS

Location I: Gumbahatta, H.D. Pradhan Road (Kalimpong Municipality area). A big crack has appeared on the road. If the road caves in, lives of hundreds of families living both above and below it will be at risk.

Location II: Sangsey Phatak near Deolo hill. The entire hill has started sliding down. Huge cracks have appeared on the hillside, putting at risk the villages of Dalapchand and Ecchey as well as the adjacent areas.

These were some of the sights that greeted the team comprising four concerned residents of Kalimpong who toured the subdivision on Tuesday. The Telegraph was a party to the recce, which was organised by Kalimpong Consumers’ Association (KCA).

The team felt that the damages caused by a succession of landslides in Kalimpong this year is greater than the devastation wreaked by the rain in 1968.

“The rain-induced devastation of 1968 got magnified manifold after the overflowing waters of the Teesta swept away the bridge over it (at Teesta Bazar, 16km from Kalimpong town). However, by the looks of it, the spread of damage is much greater this time,” said Bharat Mani Pradhan, the Rotary Club representative in the team.

The damages were there for everyone to see. Between Chitrey and 27th Mile, a distance of about 10km, as many as five big slides have occurred during the course of this monsoon. The situation is no better on Reshi Road, which connects the Kalimpong town with Algarah to the north-east. At 14th Mile, about 25m of the road has sunk. At 11th Mile, which is within the municipality area, a long crack has developed right at the centre of the road.

The Deolo-Dalapchand Road, which runs parallel to Reshi Road, but on a higher gradient, is also sinking at many places. Villagers residing on the hill slope between the two roads are threatened. Tirpai-Homes Road has also developed cracks, putting in danger the residents of Saipatrigoan near Tirpai. The area has about 150 houses.

“We have been spending our nights at the market complex in Topkhana because the hill on which our houses are built has become very unstable. Apart from plastic sheets and rice, the administration has provided us with very little relief,” said Raju Chettri, an affected resident.

Given the gravity of the situation, the KCA has decided to send SOS to all officials. “We are through with our report on what we believe is an alarming situation and will be posting them to all authorities concerned within the next couple of days,” said Praful Rao, the association’s secretary.

The report, among other things, suggests carrying out a detailed study on the drainage system in both the urban and rural areas of the subdivision, besides broadening of the existing drains and ensuring their proper maintenance. It also recommends clearing the jhoras or local streams.

“We also suggest that the practice of planting bamboo plants to bind the soil must be done away with immediately since they don’t seem to hold the soil together. On the contrary, what was noticed is that the heavy weight of the tall grass causes the soil to slip,” said Wangchuck Basi, another member of the team.

The fourth member of the team was KCA president N.P. Dixit.

www.telegraphindia.com

Siliguri, Sept. 11: A Class VII student of Rockvale Academy at 9th Mile, Kalimpong, went missing after he left for his home on Sunday.

Twelve-year-old Subhajit Chaki, lived as a paying guest at the house of Kalyan Sarkar at 8th Mile. According to Subhajit’s parents, the boy had left Sarkar’s house for Mainaguri in Jalpaiguri on Sunday morning claiming that his father was ill and that he was running out of money.

“We had instructed Sarkar not to let him out except for school, but it seems my son somehow managed to persuade him,” said Nirmal, who owns a tea plantation in Mainaguri and is into a number of other businesses as well. “This is the first time he has left Kalimpong on his own.”

The incident came to light on Sunday evening when Subhasish Sarkar, a distant relative of Subhajit called up the Chakis from Kalimpong to ask whether the boy had reached home safely. A Class X student in the same school, Sarkar had met Subhajit at Kalimpong station that morning.

“He had told Subhasish the same story,” Nirmal said.

The senior Chaki went to Kalimpong yesterday and lodged a missing person’s diary (GDE No-455/10-09-07) at the police station there. He also met Sarkar and Subhasish. Today he met the school authorities, who arranged for a meeting with Subhajit’s classmates.

“He was an average student and we never heard anything against him. He shifted from the hostel about a year back,” said Captain P.M. Pradhan, the principal.

The sting in the tail was provided by a phone call last night. Subhajit reportedly called up Subhasish at the shop where he dines every day and said he was fine and that his parents should not worry.

Police are looking into all angles including the fact that Nirmal’s brother had been gunned down in his shop by KLO militants five years ago.

www.telegraphindia.com
RAJEEV RAVIDAS

Kalimpong, Sept. 9: The humble but deadly catapult used by children to kill birds in the hills of Algarah and Lava are being bought at a premium by bird lovers from across the world, thanks to the efforts of environment groups.

The catapults are being offered on the website, kolkatabirds.com, against a minimum contribution of Rs 900 for delivery within India and $100 for shipment abroad. Already, bird lovers from far off places like Bangalore and Chandigarh have acquired six of them. (more…)