Road work near Gangtok telephone exchange likely to disrupt telecom network in Sikkim

Pappu Mallick

GANGTOK, August 12: Poor telecommunication network in Sikkim will get worse as Border Roads Organisation (BRO) will be undertaking major repair work of the Highway NH 31-A below the main telephone exchange here from August 13.
Repair work has been necessitated due to the dangerous caving in of a portion of road (NH 31-A) below Ruchi Clinic.
In a press release issued today, Dy General Manager Tshering Dukpa said almost all landlines, broad-bands, leased lines (Government and private) and mobile telephones are going to be disrupted during and after the repair work as the damaged cables need to be restored manually.
Coincidentally, all primary cables as mentioned above are laid across the portion of the road that need to be repaired immediately as finalized in the meeting held at the chamber of Gangtok Municipal Corporation Mayor on August 10.
The DGM added that the main telephone exchange in Gangtok, is the backbone of telecom network in the entire State as most of the branch exchanges, all mobile/cellular services and other leased circuits are centrally operate from this exchange. He added that a large number of primary cables, being used for all above mentioned telecom services, are also likely to be damaged or cut, despite utmost efforts to protect the cables.

Street in spate!

With garbage throttling the flow of the jhora near the Telephone Exchange in the Capital, Thursday’s heavy rain diverted the course of the water to the highway, transforming it like a street in spate. (pic: PAPPU MALLICK)

Woman shops for Rakhi

A woman shops for a Rakhi at a shop ahead of Raksha Bandhan festival in Gangtok. The festival of the ‘bond of protection’ will be observed on August 13. (Pic: Pappu Mallick)

GJM seeks Sikkim’s human resource for GTA

Sikkim will indirectly benefit from GTA: GJM

PAPPU MALLICK

GANGTOK, August 7: The Gorkha Janmukti Morcha (GJM) today expressed its anticipation on a favourable support from Sikkim government for providing necessary human resource for a smooth operation of Gorkhaland Territorial Administration (GTA) as the neighbouring Darjeeling hills lack such expertise.

            This was recorded by GJM vice president Kalyan Dewan and publicity joint secretary Binay Tamang on Sunday during a restructuring of Sikkim GJM unit here at Gangtok. The two Morcha functionaries pointed out that there is pressing need of capable human resources for running GTA, an area where Sikkim could help. The GTA formation will directly benefit the hill people and Sikkim will also benefit indirectly, they said asserting that the GJM will not interfere in Sikkim politics.

            “The Sikkim government and people here have been extending support in every front to the Gorkhaland movement. We are eternally grateful to them. Both Sikkim and Darjeeling share blood relations and we want to maintain such consanguinity forever”, said Tamang while addressing the restructuring meeting.

            Tamang said that GTA is the final stepping stone for Gorkhaland demand.

            “We cannot climb a mountain at one go. For this we have to reach the base camp. The GTA is the final base camp for Gorkhaland. From here the route to Gorkhland will be easy”, said Tamang. He claimed that addition of ‘Gorkhaland’ word in the GTA was a major success of GJM adding that now the Indian Gorkhas will not have to face the ‘foreigner’ slur.

            Tamang said that several infrastructures are planned within the first three years of GTA. We are committed to establish a corruption-free society in the hills, he said highlighting the special economic packages for GTA from Centre and West Bengal government.

            Earlier in his address, Dewan said that GTA is a temporary arrangement and from it, a new State will take life. He said that the GJM has agreed for GTA keeping in mind the developmental needs of the Darjeeling hills adding that Gorkhaland movement will be given continuity. We have not stopped our Gorkhaland movement, he said.

            The GJM vice president thanked Chief Minister Pawan Chamling for passing the Gorkhaland resolution in the Sikkim Assembly and the people of Sikkim for supporting the cause of their Darjeeling brothers.

            Later, the new executive committee of Sikkim GJM unit was announced which saw Bhawani Pradhan retaining his president post. The executive members are Dipen Dewan, BB Thapa, Dawa Sherpa and Jiwan Thapa as vice presidents, Sudip Rai as secretary, Bimal Pradhan, Ajay Meghi, Suman Kawas, Umesh Chettri and Kumar Rai as joint secretaries and social worker Kuber Chandra Dahal as chief advisor. The other advisors are Saran Karki and Kishore Sherpa.

            The Sikkim GJM treasurer is Ujjwal Rai and Satyam Tamang while Sauraj Rai is the publicity secretary.

Rotary Club observed Painting competition: on-spot

Pappu mallick

GANGTOK, August 6: The Rotary Club South today held an on-spot painting competition in Gangtok today where ten schools and two organizations participated. The painting competition was held to generate awareness on polio, said Rotarian Sunila Verma.
Citizen Forum chairman and former minister T Lachungpa was the judge on the occasion.
The competition was divided into 5 categories. In the first category for students of class 3 to 5, Asher Subba from Holy Cross was adjudged first. The winners in other categories were Tushar Subba from Kala Niketan, Panal Pradhan from Holy Cross, Abhisek Ghimire in differently abled children category and Diwakar Lamichaney in open category.

WWF conducted a rally : walks for Forests

Pappu Mallick

GANGTOK, August 6: The WWF-India today conducted a rally under the theme ‘Walk for Forests’ participated by school students and NGOs in Gangtok to commemorate the International Year of Forests 2011 as declared by the United Nations. The rally started from private taxi stand near Police Headquarters and concluded at Tashi Namgyal Academy premises.
Students participating in the walk carried placards driving home the importance of green cover for planet Earth. The organizers informed that walk was conducted to raise awareness among the people and to show their love and concern for forests. The walk was specially targeted for urban youths and students as they should understand and acknowledge the importance of forests.
The campaign is being undertaken nationwide by the WWF where more than 20 States including Sikkim are participating.

Nationwide bank strike cripple services in Sikkim

Pappu Mallick

 

GANGTOK, August 5: Bank services in Sikkim was crippled in Sikkim today due to the all India bank strike called by the employees to divest government stake in these state-run institutions, besides to demand a host of welfare schemes.

The nationwide strike had been called by the United Forum of Bankers Union (UFBU), the umbrella organization of five workman unions and four officer unions of public sector and private sector banks in the country.

Nearly 10 lakh bank employees and officers of public sector banks, private sector banks, regional rural banks, co-operative banks as well as foreign banks struck work today.

Even the ATMs were shut, debarring consumers from withdrawing money for instant need.

The employees have opposed banking sector reforms and protested out-sourcing of bank jobs, to scrap Khandelwal Committee recommendations and to settle pending issues and demands raised by UFBU.