www.kalimpong.info

A whole month late but hey.. Happy New Year.

Sorry dear readers for the two whole months+ of online absence. (Really, all you guys missed was the Darj Fest.. And here are some great photos from Mr. Sushil Marda)

Anyway.. I’ve been thinking for 2012… we need some changes around here.

Looking back.. This site has been operational now for almost 7 years. (phew!)

Kalimpong.info was the pioneer hills-centric (not to mention kalimpong-centric) site, collating and curating news & info. However, in the past so many years we have seen an explosion of such hills-related sites.. both aggregators & original (and not so original) content providers and self publishers.

Happily we now have a continuous and steady (if not always very accurate – grammatically or factually) stream of information about the hills and Kalimpong… and so it seems to me that these sites have now assumed the mantle which the original agenda of kalimpong.info aimed for – “to collect & archive news and information on Kalimpong”.

It sure gives us great pleasure that this little niche has pretty much become mainstream. I just hope these sites follow certain ethics and have the necessary integrity in their roles as news providers for the region. We have a section of the audience who are relatively naive & have not developed BS filters for all the news and information that comes in.. I do hope the new sites make the effort to not take undue advantage of that.

But… what’s next for Kalimpong.info?

I’m not sure. I’ve played around with a bunch of ideas but haven’t made a decision. So in the meanwhile I will continue just doing what we’ve been doing.. finding Kalimpong related info & sharing it with you all.

And maybe you guys can send me suggestions about what you would like to see kalimpong.info evolve into. I’ll do my best to make it happen.

Till then, happy New year & thanks for your loyal readership throughout the years. Keep coming back everyday & stay tuned for changes.

Cheers

-Admin

Kent & Sussex Courier

SPRIGG Richard (Keith) Passed away peacefully on 8th September aged 89 years. Funeral Service on 21st September 2011 at The Crematorium, Tunbridge Wells at 12.30, Memorial Service to be arranged later. Family flowers only please but donations to RAFA Benevolent Fund maybe sent to Paul Bysouth Funeral Services, 9 Croft Road, Crowborough TN6 1DL.

Published in the Kent & Sussex Courier from 16th September 2011 to 22nd September 2011 (Distributed in Gillingham (Kent), Tunbridge Wells)

Dr. Sprigg was a distinguished linguist and a long time resident of Kalimpong. Below are two essays on the late Professor.

http://www.kalimpong.info/2009/02/25/an-unusual-doctorate-dr-sonam-wangyal/

http://www.kalimpong.info/2008/07/08/a-thorough-man-dr-sonam-wangyal/

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www.kalimpong.info

Dear Readers,

I apologize for no regular updates on kalimpong.info regarding the Sept 18 earthquake. I have realized that nowadays such events are updated at such a rapid pace that it is not feasible, nor is it wholly appropriate, to update this blog with snippets of information. The correct media for those are the kalimpong.info twitter feed or facebook page. (However, I do admit that I didn’t give either of those the same amount of attention as I did to my personal twitter feed & facebook page).

The earthquake and the resultant casualties, injuries, and damages are tragic. There are reports of 2 casualties in Kalimpong, one in Thakurbari, although I’m not sure where the second one was from. And I’ve been seeing heart wrenching pictures of damage to MacFarlane Church, and Dr. Grahams’ Homes, & the Thakurbari Masjid etc. I hope all our readers & their dear ones are safe & secure.

I will try to catch up with posting the mainstream media articles on the earthquake (as per this site’s original intent – archiving). I will also try and collate and share photographs that I can find from various sources.

Best

-Admin

Dear Readers,

Due to an extreme lack of internet connectivity in the past three weeks due to travel & other matters, I have been unable to keep this website updated. I hope this has not inconvenienced anyone too greatly. There are a number of other news sources available lately so I hope folks could keep themselves updated.

I will now try to post relevant stories from the past 3 weeks, and get back to regular updates.

Best,

-Admin

An unsolicited (but not unwelcome) write-up & photographs appeared in our inbox today describing the Darjeeling MP, Jaswant Singh’s interactions with Kalimpong’s journalists.

The writeup below does not read like a journalist’s unbiased and detached reporting but instead like a flowery paean to Kalimpong journalism and to Mr. Singh, and that is the reason I attach the below as a “write-up” rather than giving it credence as a news report. It is unfortunate that “news” reporting at the ground level in Kalimpong, due to its seemingly unprofessional approach, will never be taken seriously even though the “reporter” may actually have a good amount of factual and newsworthy information contained in it.

This of course is our opinion. Yours, dear reader, may differ. The entirety of the write up is quoted below:

A gentle afternoon with Jaswant Singh – ‘Bas Kaam Ho Jaana Chahiye’

By our Special News Correspondent

Kalimpong, May 06, 2010: On a quiet, soft, misty afternoon, veteran politician and Darjeeling MP, Stalwart Jaswant Singh sat alone in the garden of Kalimpong’s most plush hotel, close to the town centre, reading a book written on Nehru that he had maybe picked up that very morning from Darjeeling’s famous Oxford book store at Chowrasta. “Readable…” Jaswant reflected.

The on-setting monsoon weather had been somewhat kind, but the roads had not. A little after noon, Jaswant had arrived at Kalimpong Town – a trip which he almost cancelled, due to his aching, troublesome back (an old equestrian accident, he confessed).

Then, around 2.30 pm came the myriad number of journalists that Kalimpong is properly famous for.

Deftly orchestrated and organised by his gallant and hard working coordinators, Col Bhawani and his dashing son, Dhurv Singh (who humbly deny any credit for the well co-ordinated comfort of the Stalwart JS himself, and work tirelessly behind the scenes – fixing appointments, making calls and screening all those who come to Jaswant’s table.)

The scribes and TV men – from KTV (Kalimpong Television), News 7 (an off-spring of The Kalimpong Press Club), Haal Khabar (under the aegis of the Journalists Association of Kalimpong – JAK) and a famous photographer from the Kolkata based national daily ‘The Telegraph’, among others, were smoothly ushered down to meet the Darjeeling MP.

Jaswant was courteous, achingly getting up from his chair to greet the journalists,
brief and to the point. (more…)

We at kalimpong.info try not to editorialize news stories related to Kalimpong. But sometimes we must express our opinion.

Kalimnews (kalimpongonlinenews.blogspot.com) does a fine job of local Kalimpong news coverage, and more. The coverage sometimes goes beyond news and begins to includes local opinions, or rumors, not necessarily verifiable or substantiated, but still a welcome and non-mainstream-media source of information about Kalimpong.

Along that vein is this report on Kalimnews today about “Possibility of auto-rickshaw’s operation in Kalimpong”.

From the report (below) it is evident that this is just ‘local talk’ or mere speculation at this point. But it is dangerous talk. The worst mistake that could possibly be made by the already short-sighted official ‘caretakers’ or ‘decision makers’ of Kalimpong would be to introduce auto rickshaws as a mode of public transportation. Such a step would result in unmanageable and harmful issues with respect to Safety, Congestion, Noise Pollution, Sound Pollution, especially if coupled with an already rapidly deteriorating traffic situation in the town.

These issues are self explanatory so one hopes not to have to elaborate. However if someone still wants to know why we feel these adverse issues would arise please leave a comment and we will try to explain.

Below is the report from Kalimnews. Please read and let’s hope that sanity and rational thought prevails.

From KALIMNEWS

Recent plying of auto-rickshaw in Gangtok, located over 5000 feet ASL, has generated enthusiasm among the hill people on the possibility of its movement in neighbouring regions also. Kalimpong, which is located at lower height than Gangtok i.e. on about 4000 ft ASL, could very soon experience similar movement of auto-rickshaw in the town, the local people hope. Earlier one private auto-rickshaw popularly called tempo used to ferry the township. It also used to reach Dr. Graham’s Homes hill which is situated at an elevation of more than 4500 feet. Presently, a few three tier mini-tata also use to visit Kalimpong from Siliguri. Hence the possibility of commercial running of this three tier mini cab has gone up in the town. Since the cost of petrol has gone up and local passengers have already started to prefer share taxis for their short journeys, now the time has come to start auto-rickshaw services in the town soon, said Dilip Ranjan Biswa, a local taxi owner and driver. If it is so then I have to give a serious thought to change the mode of conveyance in future, he added. According to the educated people, it would be a best step if the local cab drivers opt to shift their business towards scientifically devised modern tempo services which are eco-friendly (pollution free to some extent) and cheaper than vehicle. They believe if the local people and administration support this idea then Kalimpong will become a auto-rickshaw hub in future. Local passengers would definitely prefer to take ride of this service instead of existing local taxi service which is costlier.

It is recalled that recently a group of foreigners had visited Gangtok, capital of himalayan state, on auto-rickshaw and they had not felt any difficulties in climbing the high terrain from Singtam to Gangtok. If it could happen in Gangtok why not in Kalimpong? Local people have started to gossip. Now it is upto the local administration and transporters to think for change in the hill town. If they start this new venture then smooth plying of tempo from Kalimpong town towards Algarah, Lava, Gorubathan, Rhenock, Teesta, Melli, Rangpo, Durpin, Bongbusty etc. by accomodating 5-6 passengers could easily materialised, say the experienced persons of the field.

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www.kalimpong.info

Here’s one more way to keep in touch with Kalimpong.

Become a fan of Kalimpong on Facebook and keep in touch with other Kalimpong folks, and keep up to date with Kalimpong news and photographs.

See you on Facebook,

-admin

Pranita Shrestha, a citizen of Nepal, has gone missing during a trip to visit her family in India (Kalimpong). Pranita is 38 years old and married to a Finnish man. They live in Espoo, Finland (Europe).

Please check this link for more information.

http://jmatthan.blogspot.com/2010/02/your-help-sought-findian-missing-in.html

Latest post from Save The Hills.

Whereas there is crucial and immediate necessity of a sustained holistic landslide management program (with much of our work being done during these dry months…) we whittle away precious resources and waste valuable time only to see a recurrence of the entire cycle of events and with much more ferocity and vengeance in just about 120days from now.

Do not be complacent coz it’s dry right now.

Hi Readers,

I’ve finally incorporated a comment subscription system.

So if you leave a comment you can opt to be notified when anyone replies to the comment. You do not have to come back again and again to check if anyone has replied to any comment.

It is now also possible to subscribe to a certain post’s comment thread even if you do not want to write a comment.

Hope this makes your visit more interactive and enjoyable.

Thanks,

-admin

Dear Readers,

Wishing all a very happy and successful 2010.

-www.kalimpong.info

Save The Hills has won the 2009 Manthan Award South Asia in the Environment Category.

Congratulations.

The STH delegate in Delhi is pictured below receiving the award. (L to R: Praful Rao, Aanchal Tamang, Bhushan Chettri, Hemkar Rana)