Rai fresher’s welcome and traditional fashion show held

Pappu Mallick

GANGTOK September 4: All Sikkim College Rai fresher’s welcome and traditional Rai fashion show programme was held today here at Janta Bhawan.

The programme was organised by Akhil Kirat Rai Sangh College unit, Tadong and former Rai students.

 During the occasion MLA Bek Bahadur Rai was the chief guest.

Addressing the gathering, general secretary of All Sikkim Rai student Association Hemant Rai said that the association has been conducting social work and want to preserve culture, tradition and language of the Rai community. The association does not want to see generation gap and want to encourage the coming generation to preserve the culture, traditional and language.

Similarly, the president of All Sikkim Rai youth Wing Ashit Rai said that the association has been organizing such type of programme every year. Speaking about the role of youth, he said they will have to play vital role. He added that the State Government has also been encouraging youths by initiating different types of training programme.

                On the occasion traditional fashion show and culture programme were also performed by the Rai students, who later welcomed the freshers. (Pic & Text Pappu Mallick)

BDOs & Panchayats sensitised on issuance of trade license

‘Issuance of trade license by Panchayats has added a new chapter in the delegation of power’

Pappu Mallick

GANGTOK, September 2: The State level orientation programme on the issue of ‘trade and hawker license’ by PRIs was held today here at Chintan Bhawan.

The programme organised by the State Rural Management and Development Department in co-ordination with the State Urban Development and Housing Department saw the presence of BDOs and Panchayats of all four districts.

In his opening remarks, the Secretary RM&DD, AK Ganeriwala informed that the issuance of trade license by the Panchayats has added a new chapter in the delegation of power in the State. This programme, he said has been organised to sensitise the BDOs and Panchayats on the issuance of trade license so that the very objective could be fulfilled in true spirit. Stating further, he said that 10 Gram Prashasan Kendra are under construction and 20 others will also be constructed in the near future. Highlighting on the enhancement of seats for women in Panchayat, he said that the bill which was recently passed by the Assembly, empowers women of the rural areas by giving equal status in local governance.

The Secretary lamented that the monthly honorarium is also being provided to the Panchayats by the State Government and in the same manner he also appealed to them to be vigilant and transparent while discharging their duties.

The Addl. Secretary UD&HD, Sonam D. Chankapa and other officials of the department made the power point presentation on the guidelines for issue of trade and hawker licenses and announcements of notified towns and bazaars classification.

According to their presentation, the Licensing Authority is the Secretary UD&HD. The issuance of trade and hawker licenses in the rural areas and the Municipal areas have been delegated to the Gram Panchayats, Gangtok Municipal Council and the Nagar Panchayats.

There are some criteria for the issuance of licenses like the applicant must be 18 years and above and should possess Sikkim Subject Certificate or Certificate of Identification. NOC from house owner, occupancy certificate of building in case premises fall under notified area, recommendation from MLA etc. are other criteria.  

The meeting also elaborated on the other procedures for obtaining trade licenses, criteria for the issue of hawker license, validity of license, conditions for renewal and cancellation. The bazaars and towns of all the districts have also been identified as Bazaar class-I, Bazaar class-II, Bazaar class III, and Rural Marketing Centres.

Earlier, the programme began with the welcome address by Deputy Secretary, RM&DD while the programme was rounded off by the vote of thanks proposed by Director Panchayat.

Cancer patient pleas for funds

Pappu Mallick

GANGTOK, September 1: A resident of  32 No., near Singtam in East Sikkim, Shyam Kumar Chettri (18), who has been suffering from knee cancer since January 2011 is being compelled to stay at STNM hospital here owing to lack of finance.

Speaking to media persons here today, Chandra Bahadur Chettri, the patient’s step father said he failed to take Shyam Kumar for treatment outside of the State as the amount of Rs 20,000 given by the State Government did not reach him on time. “A person who received this amount on my behalf misused the money and failed to reach me,” said Chandra Bahadur, an illiterate farmer. 

He did not disclose the name of the person who had misused his money but said the amount was given back only when a neighbour lodged a police complaint. “If I had got the money on time, my step son would have been cured by now,” he said.

However, when the his condition worsened, there was no option but to re-admit Shyam Kumar at STNM Hospital on August 28.

According to the doctors at STNM, the patient, who has been referred to a hospital in Delhi, should be immediately taken there and treatment started as soon as possible.

Losing all hope, Chettri has appealed to all people to help him save his step son’s life. Individuals and organizations willing to chip in help are required to contact (Pappu Mallick) in this number 9609869271.

Sacked & Admitted on Seventh Day

 (Pic by Pappu Mallick)

Progressive farmer Yong Tsehring Lepcha (44) was today admitted at STNM hospital at 5.20 pm after his health deteriorated on the 7^th day of his fast in support of national anti-corruption campaign of Anna Hazare. He was conducting his hunger strike from the parking lot near Paljor Stadium since last Saturday.

            “I agreed to be admitted in the hospital on doctor’s advice. I was okay during the day but when doctors checked me again, I was advised to be admitted in the hospital. I will continue my fast in support of Hazare from the hospital bed. My fast continues”, said Lepcha who is being administrated drips at the hospital.  

            Lepcha, the SDF youth front vice-convener from Nimtar was also expelled from the party today.

SHRP goes bald against Public Order bill

PAPPU MALLICK

GANGTOK, August 25: Continuing the party’s strong protest against the disputed Sikkim Prevention and Control of Public Order bill, ten members of Sikkim Himali Rajya Parishad (SHRP) party today shaved their heads and walked bald around in the heart of the capital with placards hanging down their necks.

            Defining their act as a ‘peaceful protest’ against the bill, the SHRP workers walked from Nam Nang towards MG Marg and concluded at Titanic Park. Those SHRP functionaries participating in this protest were Gyalpo Tamang, MB Rai, LM Limboo, Om Prakash Bista, Dhan Bahadur Mangar, SP Sharma, RL Ghimirey, KB Dahal, Jacob Tamang and SB Subba.

            Speaking to reporters, SHRP president AD Subba warned the State government that if it does not withdraw the Public Order bill tomorrow in the Assembly, his party will start a ‘jail bharo’ movement from Gangtok. We have many programmes and are waiting to see what happens in the Assembly tomorrow, he said.

            SHRP general secretary Tara Shrestha said that the party has many programmes and activities lined up for this year.

Public Order bill withdrawn

 State govt heeds Raj Bhavan advice

Pappu Mallick

GANGTOK, August 16: Under fire from opposition political parties and widespread concerns among the civil society on the introduction of ‘Sikkim Prevention and Control of Disturbance of Public Order Bill’ since August 11 which culminated in a prod from the Raj Bhavan, the Sikkim Democratic Front (SDF) government today announced to withdraw the controversial legislation already dubbed as a ‘black bill’ by the opposition political parties.

            “The Sikkim Prevention and Control of Disturbance of Public Order Bill, 2011, Bill No. 10 of 2011, which had been introduced in the Assembly on 11th August 2011 has been decided to be withdrawn by the Government as per the Rules of Procedure and Conduct of Business in the Sikkim Legislative Assembly”, reads a one-sentence press statement from the State Information & Public Relations department issued today late in the afternoon.

            The bill had been tabled in the Assembly by Chief Minister Pawan Chamling in his capacity as the home minister and was scheduled to be discussed and voted on April 26 in the Assembly whose all the 32 seats belongs to the ruling SDF party.

The bill seeks to provide a special law to address social vices and offences being committed disturbing public order which effect peace and tranquility in Sikkim and states that ‘holding of processions or hunger strikes or squatting, or shouting of slogans or waving of black flags or such other agitational methods, having tendency or the potentiality of promoting enmity or hatred or disaffection between groups or sections or communities on grounds of religion, race or caste shall be deemed to be disturbance of public order’. Conviction under these offences by a special trail court proposed to be set up in all the four districts will lead to minimum five years imprisonment along with Rs. 50,000 fine.

            The opposition political parties including the State units of BJP, Congress and CPIM had been jointly expressing their outrage of ‘violation of fundamental rights of citizens to express their dissent as allowed in a democracy’ and had demanded withdrawal of the bill besides a swift intervention from Governor BP Singh.

The opposition political parties boycotted yesterday’s ‘high tea’ invitation from Raj Bhavan on Independence Day celebrations to register their protest against the bill and to demand its withdrawal. On Sunday, regional political party Sikkim Himali Rajya Parishad (SHRP) party supporters had torched the effigy of Chamling in protest against bill.

            A one sentence press statement from the Raj Bhavan yesterday informs that the Governor ‘advised the State government to withdraw the Prevention and Control of Disturbance of Public Order Bill introduced in the Legislative Assembly on 11th August, 2011’.

            The two press statements issued yesterday and today by the Raj Bhavan and State government follows a meeting of the Governor and Chief Minister yesterday, first during the Independence Day football tournament final at Paljor Stadium and later at the ‘high tea’ party at Raj Bhavan in the afternoon hours.

            It is understood that Chamling had previously discussed about the rising opposition on the bill with his cabinet colleagues and senior government officials and continued the discussions with the Governor also when the duo shared dais at Paljor Stadium and Raj Bhavan.

            Immediately after the tea party ended at around 6:30 pm and the guests left Raj Bhavan, the press release was issued by the Raj Bhavan informing about the Governor’s advice to the State government to withdraw the bill.

            The opposition political parties here have asserted that their ‘protest’ will continue until the bill is formally withdrawn in the Assembly on August 26.

            “We do not believe the State government until and unless the bill is withdrawn in the Assembly on August 26. Our opposition to the bill continues and we will continue our protest”, said Sikkim National People’s Party (SNPP) president Biraj Adikhari after a meeting of all the opposition political parties in Gangtok.

            “We will give recognition to the State government’s press statement of today on the bill only when the Chief Minister formally withdraws the bill on August 26”, said State BJP president Padam Chettri.

            The opposition parties have decided to send a representation to the President of India tomorrow expressing their concerns on the bill.

            Meanwhile, a Sikkim Pradesh Congress Committee (SPCC) press release informs that a party delegation led by its acting president Kunga Nima Lepcha called on the Governor today morning and submitted a memorandum requesting immediate withdrawal of the Sikkim Prevention and Control of Disturbance of Public Order Bill.

During the course of discussion the members of the delegation apprised the Governor about the intent of the Bill and prayed for prevailing upon the State Government for immediate withdrawal of the Bill for the sake of protecting democracy, the release states. The SPCC team also questioned the necessity for such bill when the SDF government is pressing for a Peace Bonus with the Centre. The Governor gave patient hearing to the delegation and assured that the democracy will be protected at all cost, the release states.

Short But Fiery Stay of ‘Prevention and Control of Disturbance of Public Order Bill’

Aug 11: Chamling tables the Bill in the Assembly. Speaker announces that the Bill will be discussed and voted on August 26. Opposition political parties give a furious reaction and dub it as ‘Black Bill’.

Aug 12: Opposition political parties jointly announce to launch a protest movement against the Bill. Boycott of Raj Bhavan invitation on Independence Day is also announced.

Aug 14: SHRP torches Chamling’s effigy at Gangtok to protest against the Bill.

August 15: Governor BP Singh advices State government to withdraw the Bill.

August 16: State government announces to withdraw the Bill.

SHRP torches Chamling’s effigy

Street protest against Public Control Bill

Pappu Mallick

GANGTOK, August 14: The Sikkim Himali Rajya Parishad (SHRP) party supporters today torched the effigy of Chief Minister Pawan Chamling in Gangtok to register their protest against the controversial ‘Sikkim Prevention and Control of Disturbance of Public Order Bill’ tabled in the Assembly on August 11 which has triggered a political furore here in Sikkim.
    A group of SHRP workers waving black flags gathered here at Sisha Golai near Lall Bazaar supermarket along the NH 31A and torched the effigy with the name of ‘Pawan Chamling’ written on it at around 1.45 pm.
    Minutes earlier, Chamling’s motorcade had breezed past this stretch proceeding towards his official residence, Mitokgang.
    Shouting slogans against Chamling and the controversial bill, the SHRP supporters marched into the highway torching the effigy. Traffic along this bustling highway was stunned for almost 10-15 minutes as the SHRP supporters continued their slogans against the bill.
    A team of police from Gangtok Sadar police station soon arrived at the spot and arrested eight SHRP workers and seized the party’s flag, poster and black flags.
    The arrested SHRP workers were Om Prakash Bista (40), Lalman Subba (53), Gobind Sharma (40), MB Rai (51), Glaypo Tamang (36), Gopal Chettri (36), Dhan Bahadur Thapa (22) and Binod Sharma (40). They have been booked under section 169 of Sikkim Police Act 2008 for creating nuisance at public places.
    This is the second recorded incident of Chamling’s effigy being torched in Sikkim though SHRP has claimed of doing a similar act on August 12 in a remote location in West district. On August 8, 2007, the party had torched the Chief Minister’s effigy at Gangtok in the alleged suppression of opposition political parties by his government.
    The controversial ‘Sikkim Prevention and Control of Disturbance of Public Order Bill’ to be debated and voted in the Assembly on August 26 has attracted a strong reaction from all the opposition political parties.
    Leaders of different opposition political parties have jointly expressed their unanimous condemnation of the bill which proposes to a special law to address social vices and offences being committed disturbing public order which effect peace and tranquility in Sikkim.
    The State units of Congress, BJP and CPIM along with regional parties namely SHRP, Sikkim National Peoples’ Party (SNPP) and Sikkim Liberation Party (SLP) have jointly decided to protest against the bill. Rejecting the provisions of the bill as outright violation of fundamental rights of citizens, the opposition political parties have announced to start a protest campaign which will start with the boycott of the Independence Day high tea invitation from the Raj Bhavan on August 15.