1. Art and Diseño

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A C C U R A T E
CMYK
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B A L A N C E D
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C R E D I B L E
VOL 9 No 137 RNI No: SIKENG/2006/18384
GANGTOK, THURSDAY 29 JANUARY 2015
Midnight inf
erno guts PPedong,
edong, pr
oper
ties damaged
inferno
proper
operties
Residents cry for fire station
Nisha Chettri
Kalimpong, Jan 28: Tormenting flames razed a number of structures and crippled life in one of disastrous
incident of all times at Pedong, a hamlet 21 kms from
here, around midnight leaving many homeless minus
any casualties last night.
The ravaging fire that is
believed to have occurred
because of a short circuit
from a sweet shop is estimated to have gutted 28 pucca
houses (including 9 shops
and 2 godowns) completely
while 20 more ( including 14
houses and 2 godowns) have
been partially damaged.
“The shapeless fire turned
disruptive and no one was
there to control. I helplessly
watched my shops (shoe,
electronic and a clothing shop
along with a hotel) crumble
down. Everything has been
damaged,” said one Sunil
Agarwal. Agarwal has been
left homeless within a span
of 5 hours. The estimated loss
because of the fire has been
pegged at Rs 7 crore.
Eyewitness said that the
LPG gas cylinders present at
the houses busted after 2-3
hours that gave more conflagration to the fire leading to
damages. The victims however complained of lack of fire
service station at Pedong.
“It has been 20 odd years
that we have been demanding a fire station here but all
our voices have been given
deaf ears. The fire would not
have escalated in the manner which it did had the fire
tenders reached on time,”
complained Basant Kanu.
Kanu could only witness the
flames damaging the hamlet
along with the properties at
night.
Fire tenders from Kalimpong, Malbazar and Rangpo
reached around 2 am almost
2 hours after the fire actually
started. The victims complained even after St. George
Hostel Fire that occurred 12
years ago, it is pitiable that
the situation remains same in
the hamlet.
“We vividly remember the
fire that broke in the hostel,
the fire service was out far
away and it was the Army
who had rescued the children then. Similar was the
case today. It was the Army
from 164 Mountain Brigade
that reached on time who
saved people from death,”
said Vivek Gupta, another
victim.
People have opened a
committee named as Pedong
fire victim relief committee
with the expectation to raise
funds from the well wishers
in their newly opened account 120000558080 in Darjeeling District Central Cooperative Bank, Pedong.
Radhika Aiyar, the SDO
Kalimpong said relief has
been provided to the victims
and CA II report sent to the
district administration. “A
gruel kitchen has been
opened and a shelter point
at community hall has been
set up. There is no provision
for compensating person
loss and most of the affected shops were not insured,”
she said.
GTA Chief Bimal Gurung
has expressed his sadness
on the incident. “My
thoughts are with the people of Pedong and I would
assure them that our party
and the GTA would stand by
them during their difficult
time. Our party is immediately sending relief materials including food grains for the
fire victims and all our Executive Members and Executive
Directors to take stock of the
situation,” said Gurung in his
social network update. He
will head for Pedong tomorrow straight from the airport.
Sikkim cabinet decisions eyes strengthening admin
ganic produces. Crop insurance will be provided for
the welfare of farmers and
development of agriculture.
All possible compensation
for losses incurred by natural calamities and wild animals will be provided by
the Government.
STNM mental care
unit in shambles
HM Correspondent
Gangtok, Jan 28: Sikkim, the
state that has gained the notoriety of being a suicide capital of India is found napping
in matters pertaining to address the psychiatric woes
of people residing in the
state. The pointer being the
deplorable state of affairs at
the STNM’s Psychiatric Unit
and De-Addiction centre
which continues to be a mishmash
of
make-do,
workaround and live-with
systems that barely manages to serve its purpose, thus
highlighting the government's lack of seriousness in
tackling the problems of mental health of it's state subjects.
A recent examination of the
psychiatric wards of the unit
brings out a very sorry picture of the state of affairs.
First and foremost, the unit
is located in an almost inaccessible area. The facility is
hard to locate as it is barely
visible from the main entrance with no signboards
for visitors to guide to its location. Inaccessible by car,
one has to pass through a
narrow passage between two
buildings to reach the facility thus posing grave problems for patients in case of
emergencies. To top it up, the
facility is filled to its capacity of a mere 24 bedded hospital and no new patients can
be admitted unless someone
already admitted is discharged (a patient suffering
from mental problem in most
cases, takes a considerable
time to recuperate to the extent of being discharged from
the hospital). Sources informed that many new patients in need of being ad-
mitted to the facility had to
be turned down by the hospital authority due to the few
beds that the hospital accommodates being occupied beforehand. The unit also reels
under the problems of paucity of man power. As is evident of most of the mentally
retarded patients turning violent at times, the facility here
also falls devastatingly short
in having adequate security
personnel to contain such
developments. The lack of
critical caregivers and requi-
site support equipment along
with the absence of fences in
and around the facility always
put the patients and visitors
under great risks. Many incidents of patients running
away from the facility in the
past is testimony to the fact.
Last but not the least, the facility and its surroundings,
reek of foul smell due to the
litter and garbage lying untreated as the unit, since the
past few months reportedly
has no sweeper to take care
of it.
HM Correspondent
HM Report
Gangtok, Jan 28: The Sikkim cabinet on Tuesday
passed a slew of resolutions with a focus on
strengthening the state administration while making
Sikkim Subject Certificates
and Certificate of Identification mandatory in all sectors of the state. It was reiterated that the documents
will be mandatory in all types
of appointment in the state
government, issue of trade
license, contract works, vehicle permit and driving license among others.
Chaired by Chief Minister Pawan Chamling, the cabinet meeting also resolved to
pull up socks especially in
delivery of essential services in the state. Free text
books, uniforms, shoes,
socks, bags, rain coats and
free medicines and treatment
in state run hospitals will be
provided to all government
school students having valid residential and local identity proof. Besides, business
establishments such as hotels have to be run and operated by licensee and contractors and suppliers will not
sub- let/ sell work allotted to
them.
In case of recruitment of
candidates for essential services like teachers, doctors
and technicians, a panel list
would be maintained for a
period of one year to ensure
that there is a pool of human
GRC joins chorus
for NH 55 issue
HM Correspondent
Kurseong, Jan 28: Days after Tindharia residents protested
against the late restoration of National Highway 55, the
Gorkha Rastriya Congress (GRC) has come forward supporting immediate repair of the highway once considered a life
line of the hills. The highway is closed since the past four
years due to frequent landslides at frequent points.
“A team of GRC led by me recently visited the highway and
found that the road is in a pathetic state. We want immediate
repair and restoration of the highway and will soon launch an
agitation for the same,” said Nima Lama, the GRA president.
Lama said the concerned department has already sanctioned and released a special fund of Rs 89 crore for the
repair. “But we think only an estimated Rs 10 crore has been
invested so far. It is necessary now that we along with the
concerned citizens and ruling political party find out the where
abouts of the remaining Rs 79 crore,” he added
Lama however criticized the Bengal Chief Minister for
yelling that she loves Darjeeling on her approximately 45
times visit to the hills. “It is really unfortunate that she has
not in reality taken any initiative to restore the route. It is time
that she acts immediately for her spoken words,” he said.
With the highway remaining defunct, the residents of
Tindharia, Mahanadi, Ghayabari and its surrounding areas
have been facing a lot of problem in their day to day lives.
resource readily available in
case of any emergency. All
promotions at the gazetted
levels will be subject to clearance by the Screening Committee. Nepali language
teachers to be appointed in
Junior High Schools from the
next academic session while
those for Graduate level are
being appointed. Primary
schools will be equipped
with computer for computer
education at the primary level. Separate toilets for boys
and girls, laboratories and libraries will be constructed in
all schools.
Amid protest by school
teachers against mass transfer, the cabinet reiterated that
excess teachers will be transferred to schools facing
shortage. Their retirement
age has already been fixed at
58 years with a conditional
extension by 4 years after a
performance review by a
committee. Construction of a
Science college at Chakung,
Vocation College at Dentam,
Women’s College at Khamdong and NIT at Pakyong
was also approved by the
cabinet. On the tourism front,
the State government will
construction 1,000 tourism
destinations along with tourist amenities.
Taking forth its Organic
mission, the State government would establish business ventures related to organic seeds and manure
while licenses will be issued
only for shops selling or-
Siliguri, Jan 28: Vying to
outshine others, political
parties except the ruling Trinamool Congress have
lined up to express solidarity towards the movement
of chit fund sufferers in
North Bengal.
And if tall promises are
indicators, the BJP is way
ahead the Congress and
the CPM as its leaders targeting ensuing elections
have promised to ensure
justice to lakhs of victims
of chit fund companies.
The BJP on Wednesday
announced its full support
to the movement of chit
fund sufferers in North Bengal as its leaders Rahul Sinha and S S Ahluwalia attacked the ruling TMC for
promoting and protecting
the companies like now
defunct Saradha group.
Today Sinha and Ahlu-
Replace Mamat
Mamataa as Bengal CM: Kunal Ghosh
Kolkata, Jan 28 (IANS):
Suspended Trinamool Congress MP Kunal Ghosh
Wednesday said he will not
get justice unless all those
involved in the Saradha
scam are arrested, and called
for replacing Mamata Banerjee as the West Bengal chief
minister.
Behind bars since November 2013 for his alleged complicity in the multi-crore-rupee chit fund scam, Ghosh,
who has repeatedly alleged
the involvement of his party
leaders, called for their interrogation by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI)
which is probing the scandal.
"Those suspected of being involved in the scam
should resign. They should
face investigation. Till then,
(panchayat minister) Subrata Mukherjee can function as
the chief minister," Ghosh
said while coming out of a
city court.
The former media head of
the Saradha group has repeatedly alleged the involvement of Banerjee in the scam.
He has also called for joint
interrogation of the Trinamool supremo along with
Saradha chief and scam kingpin Sudipta Sen.
During the day, Ghosh
urged the court of metropolitan magistrate Arvind Mishra
not to start the trial until all
those involved in the scam are
arrested and the CBI completes its probe. Ghosh pleaded before the court to defer
the trial as a lot of "influential
personalities" were involved
and unless they are arrested,
he will not get justice.
walia joined the sit-in-demonstration orgainsed by
Uttar Banga Amanatkari
Suraksha Samiti (UBASS)
here at Air View More.
Addressing the demon-
Justice RK Patra
passes away
HM Report
Gangtok, Jan 28: Former
Sikkim High Court Chief
Justice and Chairman of
Sikkim government constituted commission Radha
Krushna Patra passed away
at SCB Medical College and
Hospital, Cuttack in his
home state Odisha this
morning. He was admitted
in the hospital after he complained of chest pain and
was diagnosed of pneumonia with respiratory problems. He was 72 and is survived by his wife Laxmi
Patra and a daughter.
Chief Minister Pawan
Chamling and Tika Maya
Chamling expressed their
deep, profound and heart
felt condolence on the sudden demise of Justice Patra.
Retired Justice RK Patra
headed several Commissions of Inquiry in the
State.
“The late Justice was
loved and respected by
one and all for his simplic-
ity, gentlemanly behavior
and above all as a jurist
par excellence. Though an
astute jurist he possessed
a great deal of compassion, kindness and other
humanely attributes which
set him as a man with very
good heart,” said Chamling in his condolence
message.
State Law minister
R.B.Subba will represent
the State Government in
paying condolence to Late
Justice Patra in Odisha.
stration Sinha the BJP state
president said, “The TMC
had been knocking the
doors of all political parties
to save its leaders from getting arrested by the CBI in
connection with multi-crore
Saradha scam.” “Finally the
Congress came to its rescue as its senior leader Kapil
Sibbal took up the TMC’s
case in the Supreme Court
against the CBI’s investigation against the TMC leaders.”
He assured that he would
take up the plight of the chit
fund victims of West Bengal with senior central BJP
leaders. Ahluwalia the Lok
Sabha MP from Darjeeling
promised that he would
fight for the cause of chit
fund sufferers in the parliament.
Former Naxalite leader
Asim Chatterjee and PDP
leader Samir Putatuna who
are also the president and
general secretary of Chit
Fund Sufferers’ Unity Forum are backing the sit-indemonstration. They were
present today also.
All political parties except the TMC are extending their solidarity towards
the movement of chit fund
victims.
Yesterday the Congress
leaders addressed the demonstration while senior Left
Front leaders are supposed
to make speeches from the
venue on Thursday.
Leaders of UBASS said
that all parties have been invited to address the sit-indemonstration. TMC leaders have not turned up so
far and it is unlikely that
they would do so on Thursday.
Today other speakers
also accused the TMC and
the state government for
protecting the tainted leaders when the chit fund
companies’ victims are
committing suicides, everyday.
CMYK
BJP soother for chit fund sufferers