14-20 Jan, 2003; NOW! 1

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Near Krishi Bhawan, Tadong, Gangtok. Phone: 270876

Below Power Deptt, Kazi Road, Gangtok. Phone: 227917

Nayuma Building, Namchi Bazar, Namchi, Phone: 263919

Below SNT Bus Terminus, Mangan

Near Sikkim Consumer Cooperative Society, Geyzing

e-mail: ssi_gtk@yahoo.com

NOW AT

MANGAN &

GEYZING

NOW!SIKKIM MATTERS VOL 2 NO 28 � Rs. 5

GANGTOK, WEDNESDAY, Jan 21-27, 2004

AIMING

HIGHSTRUNG

ON pg 23Archery

POLLS

THETURN TO pg 6 & 7 FOR DETAILS

After four years and two months, theperson who had become the public faceof Sikkim Police as the SP [East], AkshaySachdeva, is all set to move on. Sharing alove-hate relationship with theGangtokians throughout his tenure here,he speaks, in an exclusive farewell inter-view, to NOW! about his experiences andmemories as the SP, East,TURN TO pg 13 [extras] MORE

COMPLETE STORY

Bye-bye Akshay

The nation is definitely going for early polls and thestage seems set for a simultaneous Assembly poll inSikkim too. Indications to this end came early with thefirst hint made more than six months back when theruling Sikkim Democratic Front discussed the possi-bility at a CEC meeting. Although early elections werenot announced at that time [in fact an official announce-ment in this regard is still awaited], the suggestion wasvery effective in the hectic activity it triggered. Nosooner had word leaked that SDF was debating the

possibility of early polls that all the fence-sitters inSikkim politics were forced to take sides and showtheir hand. The camouflage of inaction was dumpedand culminated with the induction of former CM, NarBahadur Bhandari in Cong [I]. Now that April polls area very possible scenario, Sikkim can expect even moreheightened politicking. A NOW! feature looks intowhere things stand and where they could be headed...

TURN TO pg 4 FOR DETAILS

It will be inApril. Itwill be atwo-way

battle.

NirutaBreaksKollywoodIce

DETAILS ON pg 20

� ANOTHER CRIMESOLVED WITHOUT A

COMPLAINT FILED

� MELA MANAGERROBBED

� HIT & RUN INGANGTOK

DETAILS ONpg 23

crime watch

2; NOW! ; 14-20 Jan, 2004

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GANGTOK 14-20 JAN, 2004

NOW!SIKKIM MATTERS

ED-SPACE

2

� LETTERSSAMDUPTSE: NOT ONLY

A HIT BUT A SUPER

DUPER ONE

As I approached the majesticstatue of Guru Rimpoche, I

was awestruck by the grandeur ofthe holy sight and tears welled upin my eyes, and I felt myself el-evated up to the heavens.

Truly, it is the best place to be,to attain peace of mind. Sur-rounded by virgin forests, serene,heavenly tranquility transcends allover the place. I hope, it will for-ever remain the same and also noshops and many other catalyststhat pollute the sacred area evercrop up within the vicinity of thesanctum sanctorum.

My sincere thanks go to ourChief Minister of Sikkim who hadthe vision to create such a marvelof spiritual as well as a historicalmonument in Sikkim which isthere for the world to see.R_la, Burtuk, Gangtok[recvd on email]

THOUGHTS ON THE

RHENOCK INCIDENT

Apropos the news report onthe double-murder of minors

carried in the last issue of your pa-per. We were shocked to readabout the incident and even morereviled the gruesome manner inwhich the two were murdered. Wecan only imagine what the parentsmust be going through and extendour moral support to them. Thenews that there was tension in thearea is understandable. It is amiracle that things did not go outof hand. The control that theRhenock people showed in allow-ing the law to take its own courseis commendable. Here we wouldlike to stress on the growing in-flux into our state. Too manypeople from too many places arecoming to Sikkim and working

VIEWPOINTJOHN GURUNG

The crime rate in Sikkim is rising fastleading to an alarming situation. Inthe year 2003 alone, there have been

a significant number of crimes recorded.The crime sheet of Sikkim includes heinouscrimes like murders, murders for theft, rapeof minors etc. Only recently, two veryshocking crimes were reported. One is thecold-blooded murder of two minor girls inRhenock, east Sikkim and the other is thatof brutal murder of one taxi driver fromPakyong. This signifiesthat Sikkim is fast be-coming the hotbed ofcrime and criminal ac-tivities. It is important tonote that peace, which isthe attribute of Sikkim, is fast slippingaway. The free and safe Sikkim is slowlyturning into an unsafe one. It is indeed analarming situation for the people. What isgoing wrong?

It is an obvious and pertinent question thatarises in everyone’s mind. Because it con-cerns all of us. Anyone can fall prey to it. Atthis point we blame the government and lawkeepers for everything. We question the cred-

ibility of the government and the police butwe fail or more appropriately ignore to ques-tion our own credibility. How much have webeen conscious and cooperative in avertingcrime? We never ask ourselves. Here it be-comes necessary to remind that we cannotclap with one hand, it needs both.

To those who question the credibility ofthe police. I would like to tell that the po-lice cannot guard each and every individual.They cannot prevent each and every crime

from taking place. It isout of question for anyefficient police forcearound the globe. Crimeusually occurs in their ab-sence. But it is appre-

ciable to note that our police are very muchefficient and dynamic. They have from timeto time demonstrated their vigour andvalour. If not hundred percent, I bet, theyhave been able to solve ninety percent ofthe crimes. Though they are unsuccessfulin preventing crimes from taking place, theyhave been remarkable successful in bring-ing criminals to justice. Very few criminalshave been successful to slip away from their

hands. So it is to some extent wrong to onlyblame them.

It is pertinent to realize at this point thatmore than anyone else it is we who have abigger role to play in order to check crime.The only thing that is required of us is torealize that our cooperation is very signifi-cant to check crime. We must be respon-sible and cautious. Our law keepers areworking consistently to find out ways andmeans to prevent crime. They have time andagain set up guidelines for the public tofollow, but we have never bothered to fol-low them. To cite an example, in view ofservants being involved in most cases ofcrime, there is constant notice from the po-lice department to the public to provide theidentity of the servants employed for properverification. Especially, of those from out-side the State. But hardly anyone has takenserious note of it. Our careless attitude hasprovided the impetus for the escalation ofcrime. Today, we are at the threshold, if wedo not react now, we will forever lose thepeace of our society.

- The writer is a resident of 5th Mile,Tadong, East Sikkim

We, thePeople,and Crime

and living here. Should they com-mit a crime here and escape, noone will know where to look forthem. We feel that somethingshould be done about uncheckedinflux into Sikkim. We also con-gratulate the police officials whoarrested the culprit in time. Wealso support the demand of theRhenock people that the culprit begiven the highest possible punish-ment.Students from Tadong, EastSikkim

THANK YOU, ALL

This is to express my gratitudeto NOW! for printing of mat-

ter related to the undersigned intwo consecutive issues of the pa-per. It was really an honour forme. Thank you.

I, through your paper, wouldalso like to express my heartiestfeelings to the President andmembers of the Sikkim FootballAssociation for felicitating andpublicising my achievements insuch a grand manner. My veryspecial and personal thanks to Mr.Tempo Bhutia, Mr. MenlaEthenpa and Dr. Sonam T.Ethenpa who were really support-ive in my quest to become a Na-tional Referee and I hope that theywill equally support the new-comer referees who have recentlyappeared in the Referees Courseconducted by the Sikkim FootballAssociation at TNA Ground con-ducted by qualified and interna-tionally experienced instructorsfrom AIFF. I do also hope formore exposure in the future.

I will also not forget to thankMr. Solomon Lepcha, who hadvery kindly encouraged me to in-duct as a referee with Sikkim

Football Association in my initialdays in 1988-89 and his words,“You can do it,” reached me here.Thank you.

Further, I thank all those whohave congratulated me on myachievement and whom I couldnot mention individually byname here.

Thank you.Chamchuk Lama, NationalFootball Referee

IGNORED SNOW

I was away for the New Year andremember speaking to relatives

in Gangtok over the phone aboutthe snowfall at Tashi View Point.Excited, I browsed the net for sto-ries on the rare snowfall inGangtok, but all I got were reportafter report on the snowfall inDarjeeling. I am confused. Snow-fall in Darjeeling [at least the up-per reaches] is not rare. Snowfallon the edge of our town is almostunheard of and yet no one re-ported on it. Even the dailies fromSiliguri were full of photographsof tourists playing in theDarjeeling snow, but nothing onSikkim. Do we ever make newsoutside the political or crimearena?Tashi Bhutia, Gangtok

THE POLL CAMPAIGN

The campaigning has begunand again it will be time for

people here to drop everythingelse - the fields and the petty con-tracts - to join the circus. Vehicleswill be difficult to come by andpromises will be made all over theState. There is bound to also besome communal tension and theneverything will get back to nor-mal. I can only thank god that wewill be having both Assembly andLok Sabha election together.Rajesh Chettri, Gangtok

Sikkim’s Rabbit HoleAlice had to take a courageous leap into the rabbit hole to see alllogic get skewed out of rationality. In Sikkim, all it takes for per-ceptions to get warped is the whiff of an election. The rose-tintedglasses that colour the Sikkimese inference of events throughfour years, suddenly turn into blinkers which block out every thingsave caste considerations and communal exigencies. During anelection year, everything becomes of dire importance. The risingcrime graph suddenly starts shocking people; incidents whichpeople had forgotten start hurting again; too many inferencesare cast on ordinary conversations and people start seeing mon-sters in their own shadows. May be this is how people in moststates react to elections, but given the ridiculously small numberof voting population in Sikkim, the insular divisions that peoplestart compartmentalising themselves into becomes too claustro-phobic for comfort. It goes without saying that this trend is un-healthy, but that is what politics has been reduced to - a numbersgame of vote-banks and vote-shares. While all the schemingand planning that goes into appropriating such vote-banks mightbe the only resort left for leaders who surface only once in a whilewhen elections are round the corner, they remain something thatthe masses should remain distant from. It is they who will have tolive with all the bad-blood that they have created among them-selves after the real beneficiaries of the divide have bagged im-portant portfolios or switched sides.So what do the people do?It is all very easy to say that since it is the people who elect theleaders, they can effect a change in their mind-set too. The pyra-mid of power is too inverted for such a change to come any timesoon. In the meanwhile, the people can just kick back and enjoythe show. Enjoy the free rides to bigger towns, the free lunchesand pocket money, but don’t get suckered into aligning alongpartisan lines that some will definitely want them to. Sikkim hasfailed to meet many of its long-pending demands because thesupport for them was segregated. If any community is seriousabout getting their voice heard, they will have to also cull supportfrom other sections of the population. By themselves, when theythink they are speaking out, they are only playing Chinese whis-per. The message gets too wrapped in a communal colour bythe time it reaches Delhi or even Mintokgang for that matter apartfrom the fact that it is barely audible. As Sikkim prepares to jumpinto its rabbit hole, remember, Alice’s story might have been funto read, it must have been a frightening experience for the pro-tagonist herself. Does Sikkim want to go through that horror?

14-20 Jan, 2003; NOW! 3

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� FROMTHESPOT

ANAND OBEROI

THE FUN GETS STRONGER...MAGHE MELA AT

JORETHANG

JORETHANG: Maghe Sankranti, her-alding the start of the holy month of Maghwas observed from January 14 to 16 allover Sikkim. Hindus celebrated the endof what is considered the inauspiciousmonth of Poush during which all reli-gious ceremonies are forbidden. Astro-nomically speaking, the day marks theSuns reentry into the Southern Hemi-sphere and with it the days start gettinglonger and warmer. For the believers,with Maghe Sankranti begin days ofhealth and fortune. While we leave thatto the beleivers, one thing was certain atJorethang during Maghe Sankranti - thedays of fun had begun.

The Jorethang Maghe Mela, consid-ered to be the biggest in the state, livedup to the expectations of all those whovisited it last week. People of all ages andcommunities from the state and from vil-lages in neighbouring West Bengal at-tended the colourful Mela. The three-dayMela was inaugurated by Minister for Ag-riculture, GM Gurung. According to of-ficial estimates the turnout at the melawas almost double that of last year.

The Mela had everything one couldwish for. From stalls exhibiting all kindsof items for sale to games of fortune andthe ever-popular Ferris wheel.

Amidst the hustle and bustle of thefestive occasion, with mikes blaring thelatest Nepali and Hindi hit songs, wemanaged to speak to some people. ForBishwa Subba, who has been coming tothe Mela for the last two years from

Singla in Darjeeling, it was a lot of fun. “Ihave spent quite a lot of money here, but Idon’t mind because Maghe Mela comesonly once a year and enjoying with friendsand family is all that counts,” he chirps mer-rily.

Pratima Chettri, who had just had a spinin the Rotiping, and was desperately try-ing to get over the stomach churning expe-rience, told NOW! that although there werelots of things that she wanted to do in theMela, it was shopping that she was mostinterested in.

And there was plenty to buy from.Clothes, accessories, home appliances,name it and it was there.

For the hawkers and small time busi-nessmen who had been coming here for thelast few years, the mela offers a good op-portunity to earn money. Says Bakim Ghoshof Siliguri, who has a stall selling soft toys“Earlier my father used to come here butnow I handle business. We come here ingroups every year because business hasalways been very profitable here and weenjoy it here.”

For the children, it were the rides thatwere the most fun. If Nanu, a seven yearold who has come with her parents fromGangtok, enjoyed the pony ride most, thenfor Rajan from Mangan, “the most enjoy-able experience in the Mela was the air gunshooting.

Some of the other crowd pullers at thefair were Raveena’s dance at the Chitrahaarand the two movie halls showing the latestfilms.

The 3-day mela also saw many eventslike the volley ball tournament finals be-

turn to pg 8

AS THE DAYS GROW LONGERNOW! pix

4; NOW! ; 14-20 Jan, 2004

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POWERPLAY �

GANGTOK: The SikkimPradesh Congress Committee-I [SPCC] has expressed “deepanguish and regret” over thetwin murder of minor girls inRhenock on 11 January.

SPCC-I spokesman BirajAdhikari, in a press statement,while extending the Congress’s

Teesta Rangit Pvt. Ltd. requires consulting and facility management services from architectural/ design firmsor individuals designers, engineers and construction professionals to “value engineer” the facility in theircapacity for project closure and pre-opening preparation of HOTEL MOUNT PLAZA, Syari, Gangtok, Sikkimopening with 56 Guest Rooms & Suites , Multi-Cuisine Restaurant, Bar, Business Centre, Meeting & Banquet

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Individual designers/ consultants are also invited to mail personal profiles.

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GANGTOK: The Sikkim BhutiaLepcha Apex Committee[SIBLAC] has once again broughtout the Nathula trade issue and itspresumable impact on the demog-raphy of the State, this time, di-recting its “apprehension” to theConfederation of Indian Indus-tries [CII].

On the eve of the CII seminaron the proposed reopening ofNathula pass for trade in Siligurion January 16, SIBLAC, in a let-ter to the Chairman, CII, signed by

ruling party MLA and SIBLACconvenor, Tseten Tashi Bhutia,SIBLAC expressed its “apprehen-sions” on the “issues of safeguardsof minority Bhutia-Lepcha” of theState, and its “stands on the re-opening of Nathula” for trade.

“One of the main factors re-sponsible for the present resent-ment among the Sikkimese, par-ticularly among the indigenousminority Bhutia-Lepcha people isthe influx and presence of largenumber of emigrants from outsideof the State, neighbouring coun-tries in particular - Nepal and Ti-bet - which have caused immense

social, political, economic andethnic imbalance in the State. TheNathula trade will encouragemore influx… the issue must takedue cognisance of the changingdemography of Sikkim and dis-placement of Bhutia-Lepchapeople from their ancestral land,”the letter read.

SIBLAC has further said in theletter that the “impact of chang-ing demography in Sikkim hasbeen the worst” among all theNorth-eastern states in the coun-try and has expressed “great con-cern” over the “number of outsid-ers that is growing at an explo-sive and unsustainable pace.”

“The increase in population dueto influx has increased the burdenof dependency and reduced re-sources of the State. The presentrate of growth, if not moderatedwill have frightening implicationson the socio-politico security of theminority Bhutia-Lepcha in particu-lar and Sikkimese people in gen-

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“heartfelt condolences anddeep regret” to the bereavedfamilies, has demanded “maxi-mum possible punishment” forthe accused.

Blaming the present SDFgovernment for the “rapidlydeteriorating law and order”in the State, Congress saidthat the indient at Rhenock“reflected the irresponsibilityof the Chamling-led Govern-

ment and its failure towardsmaintaining law and order inthe State.”

“The number of heinouscrimes that occur everyday inthe State and the rising crimerate in the last ten years of SDFrule is alarming, given the areaand population of State in com-parison to other States in thecountry. It reflects the failure of

the SDF government,” the pressstatement reads.

While also criticising thepresent government for “failureto bring justice to the people”in most of the crimes commit-ted in the State in recent times,the Congress has demandedthat all those accused bookedfor such heinous crimes bebrought to justice immediately.

Cong usesRhenockdouble-murderwhip toflay SDF

a NOW REPORT

SIBLAC RAISES NATHULA ISSUE WITH CIIa NOW REPORT

eral,” it said.Reiterating that SIBLAC was

“not against” any development ac-tivity or the opening of Nathula,the letter stresses that develop-ment activities should be “people-centric” and not “displace” themfrom their own land.

SIBLAC further said that CIIshould take note of three pointsbefore opening of Nathula fortrade, which should be “deemed

absolutely necessary.” Thesepoints are - restoring original defi-nition of “Bhutia” by amending theScheduled Tribes/Castes Orders[Amendment’ Act, 2003; safe-guarding the political rights ofBhutia-Lepcha people by amend-ing the Representation of People’s[Amendment’ Act, 1980 and de-limiting reserved constituencies ofBLS to ensure their genuine rep-resentation in the State Assembly.

Nathula

14-20 Jan, 2003; NOW! 5

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PUBLIC NOTICEThe Department of Roads and Bridges, Govt of Sikkim has proposedto construct an Airport at Pakyong, East Sikkim. The salient featuresof the project are as follows:-

1. State : Sikkim2. District : East3. Location : Pakyong4. Total Area Required : 217.50 (approx), which includes 112.50

acres already acquired and additionalrequirement of 95 acres.

5. Length of Runway : 1600 meter6. Length of Airstrip : 2000 meter7. Area of Terminal Building : 4100 Sq meter8. Car Parking capacity : 50 cars9. Air Traffic Control Tower : 15 meter10. Type of Aircraft : ATR-72/500, AUW/21 tonnes11. Capacity of Aircraft : 50 seater12. Total Estimated Cost : 224.00 crores13. Water Supply : The water source has been indicated by

the PHE Department & the cost for thesame is included in the estimate.

14. Fencing : The provision is kept for chain link fencingaround the Airport area.

Whereas by notification of Govt. of India in the Ministry of Environ-ment and Forest No. 60 (E) dated 27th January 1994, issued undersub-section (1) and clause (V) of sub-section (2) of Section 3 of En-vironment Protection Act, 1986 (29 of 1996) as made mandatory un-der Part-II section 3 sub-section (II) dated 10th April 1997, the StatePollution Control Board is required to conduct Public Hearing in theinterest of the public for preparing recommendations based on thetechnical assessment of documents and date furnished by the projectauthorities for obtaining necessary environmental clearance fromMOEF, Govt. of India.

Therefore, notice is hereby given to all persons, including bonafideresidents, environmental groups and other located at project site/sites of displacement, sites likely to be affected to participate andprovide suggestions, views, comments and objections, if any and toattend the public hearing to be conducted on 14.02.2004 at SDMoffice complex, Pakyong, East Sikkim at 10:30 AM onwards. Anyperson, individual interested to submit other written suggestions, viewsor complaints can do so on or before the hearing date, which may beaddressed to the Member Secretary, State Pollution Control Board,Department of Forest, Environment and Wildlife, Deorali, Gangtok.

ST Lachungpa, IFS,State Pollution Control Board, Department of Forest, Environment

and Wildlife

Brushstrokes, an art exhibi-tion organised by SikkimAkademi held its first

show at Jorethang from January14-16 along with the MagheMela. Twenty-four artists show-cased their creations at the 3-dayexhibition held at PanchsheelBhawan, here.

The exhibition-cum-sale wasinaugurated by Minister for Agri-culture, GM Gurung, and wassponsored by Lalit Kala Akademi,New Delhi. It is the first of its kindfor Sikkim.

Rajen Pradhan, PassangSherpa, BB Rai, Sisir Thapa,Vijaymani Thulung were some ofthe artists who exhibited theirwork here. Many of the 165 paint-ings on display were sold duringthe course of the exhibition.

A BRUSH WITH ARTAT JORETHANG

a NOW REPORT

Kiran Rasailly, Chief Engineer,Buildings & Housing Departmentand an acclaimed artist himself,selected the best five paintings, allof which won cash prizes of Rs.5,000 each. A certificate of par-ticipation was also handed overto the artists by the Akademi.

The paintings, most of whichdepicted the reality of life andpeople of Sikkim, were appreci-ated by all visitors.

In fact, the talent on display soimpressed the area MLA, BhojrajRai, that he promised to start anart gallery in this south districtborder town. Needless to add, theidea went down well the artistspresent who pointed out that allof Sikkim did not have a singleart gallery yet.

Encouraged by the response tothe exhibition, Sikkim Akademiaired hopes to make this an an-nual feature.

GANGTOK: A total of 67,520children have been vaccinatedunder the Intensified Pulse PolioImmunisation Programme in theState since September 2003.

According to an activity reportissued by the Department ofHealth & Family Welfare, afterthe three rounds of Pulse Polioimmunization programme con-ducted in September and Novem-ber 2003 and January 2004, the

State is reaching impressive fig-ures in the drive to eradicate po-lio from the State.

In the East District, a total of28,143 children were given poliodrops against 16,737 children in theWest District, 5,464 in the Northand 17,176 in the South District.

The figures also reveal that thevaccination booths set up during thedesignated immunization days areproving to be more successful. Outof the 67,520 children vaccinated,63,451 children were administratedpolio drops at the booths

a NOW REPORT

Pulse Polio immunisationreaches 67,520 children

6; NOW! ; 14-20 Jan, 2004

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UPFRONT �

GANGTOK: It’s final now, come April and Sikkim will go in forsimultaneous polls. In barely two months time. Hectic electioneeringwill now begin in the earnest and new permutations and combinationswill be tried out as contenders to the next government work out ar-rangements to best buttress their shot at power.

Every political party will obviously claim that it is “ready.” No onecan go about asking for votes without at least putting across a confi-

dent face. That apart, it takes more than just for the political parties tobe ready. The election machine is a colossal one and every cog has tofall into place before elections can be held. A case in point is the AndhraPradesh experience where even though the government was dissolvedlong back, elections are still awaited thanks to the ElectionCommission’s wet blanket on Chandrababu Naidu’s plans.

No such speed-breaker seems possible in Sikkim with the State Elec-tion Department confident that it can have everything in place by April.

“We are preparing ourselves for the polls. Even though we have notreceived any formal directives from New Delhi yet, we have indica-tions of an early poll,” said Deputy Chief Electoral Officer, CP Dhakalsaid, while talking to NOW! Needless to add, preparations for the gen-eral elections he was talking about and state elections, which is nowgoing to be simultaneous, are the same.

The Department is presently involved in completing the revision ofelectoral rolls and issuing photo identity cards. The photo voters cardshave been made mandatory for the April elections. “We carried out thesummary revision of the electoral rolls. The final revised electoral rollsis expected to be out on January 20 [Tuesday],” Mr. Dhakal said.

CAMPAIGN ONOUR STRENGTHS,NOT THEOPPOSITION’SWEAKNESSES,CHAMLING TELLSHIS CADRE

SDF CENTRAL EXECUTIVE COMMITTEECLEARS PROPOSAL TO HOLDSIMULTANEOUS POLLS; MANIFESTOCOMMITTEE SUBMITS DRAFT

a NOW REPORT

GANGTOK: It is not yet “offi-cial,” but as close to “final” as itcan get. Sikkim will go in for si-multaneous Assembly polls whenthe nation conducts the generalelections sometime in April thisyear. The party nod to opt for si-multaneous polls was given at a4-hour long central executivemeeting of the ruling SikkimDemocratic Front held here on 20January, Tuesday.

While talk of early polls [theruling SDF’s term ends only inNovember] has been making therounds for quite some time now,it was only with the ruling party’sCEC meeting that it has becomecertain. The party, however, wasapparently serious about the pros-pect as was made obvious onTuesday when, apart from the nodfor simultaneous polls, the CECmeeting also saw the SDF Mani-

festo Committee submit a draftproposal to the Chief Minister.

The campaigning, inform partysources, will begin in February. Add-ing a wicked twist to the launch ofits election campaign, the party hasreportedly decided to start fromRhenock - the Opposition leader NarBahadur Bhandari’s constituencywhich supported him even when histraditional stronghold, Soreong, fellto SDF in the last polls.

These overt shows of strengthapart, Mr. Chamling does not ap-pear to be in the mood to contrib-ute to the Opposition’s publicityin Sikkim. Speaking to the execu-tive members of his party on Tues-day, he urged them to campaignof the ruling party’s strengths andnot the Opposition’s weaknesses.

In his 2-hour speech, the partypresident reiterated that the Oppo-sition “did not hold much water inSikkim” and that the campaigntrail should be directed more at

reaching SDF’s message and its perfor-mance to the people than highlighting theobvious chinks in the Opposition’s armour.

While calling on senior party membersto now focus on contributing towards theparty’s poll prospects, Mr. Chamling saidthe time had come for everyone to workin earnest to return SDF to power.

With the decision on early polls cleared,can talk of possible candidates be far behind?

Informed sources reveal that there willbe some new faces introduced in the up-coming polls. There are also many in theparty ranks who feel they have now grownin popularity and performance to deservea party ticket. With 31 of 32-member leg-islative assembly wearing the SDFcolours, ticket distribution is definitelysomething that will require a delicate bal-ancing act by the Chief Minister.

Incidentally, Mr. Chamling, at the CECmeeting, also made it clear that the tick-ets will be decided “by the party” and thatthere was no need for “delegations” toapproach him supporting the candidatureof different leaders. “Party workers should

AIMING THE GANGTOK: “Yes we are. If the polls are scheduledfor April or even earlier, say in end-March, the Con-gress is prepared for it,” Thukchuk Lachungpa, vice-president and in-charge, General Elections, SPCC [I]said when asked whether his party was prepared forearly polls in Sikkim.

In fact, the Congress seems all too eager to stepinto the election arena and take on the SDF in what itfeels will be a closely fought match. These polls willalso reveal how well the voters have taken in theBhandari-led SSP-Congress merger. The polls willalso be taken as a barometer to measure Mr.Bhandari’s grassroots appeal and whether theSikkimese voters will accept a national party. Con-gress, or for that matter any nationalparty, has never been voted to power inSikkim. They have only appropriatedpower through mergers and defectionsthus far.

But, the Congress is confident thatthey will emerge winners.

“The anti-incumbency factor willplay a major role during the electionsthis time. The Congress is presentlyenjoying a popularity wave under theleadership of Mr. Bhandari never be-fore seen in the State. People want achange and we are offering them justthat,” Mr. Lachungpa said.

The Congress, already in the cam-

PEMA WANGCHUK & SARIKAH ATREYA

turn to pg 10

TWO-WAY FOR SURE,DEFINITELY EXPENSIVEAND POSSIBLY VIOLENT

paign mode, is promising an “attractive” package tothe people that promises “much more” than good gov-ernance.

“Our election agenda will focus on issues such assecurity, unity, communal harmony and fulfillment ofall the promises. We want to give the people result-oriented schemes and not those are populist measures,”Mr. Lachungpa said.

The party will contest candidates from all 32 seats.“Candidates will be given tickets on the basis of theirloyalty towards the party and their winnability fac-tor,” he said.

The party also goes back to the vote-share of thelast elections. With Cong [I] having bagged some 4 percent votes and another 44 per cent of the votes thatwere cast in support of the then Bhandari-led SSP, theyare hopeful that some careful realignments, they will

be able to swing the elections in theirfavour.

Apart from Cong [I], the ruling SDFwill have some competition from smallerplayers in the State. The new-look BJP,its NDA ally at the Centre, and other par-ties like Sikkim Himali Rajya Parishadhave already started working towards theelections. Then there is also thebreakaway SSP faction. None has cre-ated any waves in elections thus far andas things stand the April elections, bothto the Lok Sabha and the State Legisla-tive Assembly, will be a direct confron-tation between the two giants of Sikkimpolitics, Mr. Bhandari and Mr. Chamling.

We will ride the anti-incumbencyfactor to power: Thukchuk

SARIKAH ATREYA

14-20 Jan, 2003; NOW! 7

C M Y K

“BHANDARIDOES NOT EVEN

HAVE A SAFECONSTITUENCYFOR HIMSELF,HOW DOES HE

EXPECT TO LEADCONG TO

VICTORY?”

7

� UPFRONT

We all know that drug abuse exists. We’ve heardabout it, read about it. Some of us have also dealtwith it among friends and family. And yet, most ofus are still unaware about how serious and wide-spread the problem is. Even we at NOW! when westarted working on the three-part drug storyserialised recently were not prepared for the on-slaught of facts and figures that kept coming at us.The story kept getting bigger, and yet, in retrospect,we seem to have only skimmed the surface, onlyrevealed the tip of the iceberg.

So where do we go from here?Now that the story is done, do we just walk away,

forget about it?We couldn’t.We all felt the need to do more, to take it one step

further.We decided to sponsor Lakpa’s rehabilitation.

Today as he undergoes treatment and therapy atHope Centre, we feel happy to have initiated theprocess. Along with Lakpa, we have sent two moreboys to the same de-addiction centre. Money for thisis being raised through contributions made byfriends and even some strangers who have donatedfor the initiative.

We have now decided to take the initiative fur-ther. Get more involved.

We are launching the NOW! Fight Against DrugAbuse Fund. The money collected will be used forlaunching awareness campaigns, sponsoring youthfor de-addiction and working out a long-term reha-bilitation plan for recovering addicts. But we can-not fight the battle alone. We request our readers tocontribute generously towards this fund. Donationscan be made vide cheque to NOW! with a coveringletter marking the cause or in cash at the office. Thecontributions raised in this fashion will be publishedin subsequent issues of NOW! and monthly detailson how the funds have been utilised will be simi-larly published.

It will however take more than just funds to battlesubstance abuse. Recovered addicts need to be re-habilitated into the society and on this front, busi-ness houses can earmark positions in organisationswhere such candidates can be provided employmentprovided they meet the job requirements.

Substance abuse is a social problem which re-quires community participation to solve, hence thisappeal in the public domain.

Let’s hope that together we can make a difference.-NOW!

Read on if you wantto fight substanceabuse in Sikkim

For further details and suggestions on how we can

make the campaign against rising substance abuse

more effective, please contact us at NOW! Gairi Gaon,

Tadong, Gangtok, East Sikkim or call us at 270949 or

email sikkimnow@rediffmail.com

instead focus on the campaigning fromnow on,” he said.

Incidentally, another decision taken atthe CEC with the elections in mind was tohold the SDF Day at one venue this year.The day was being observed at the con-stituency level thus far. Sources reveal thatthe SDF Day, which falls on 4 March, willprobably be held at Rangpo MiningGround. The decision on a single venueshould provide the ruling party with a op-portunity to make a public statement of itssupport base. Minister Health, DD Bhutia,has been appointed the Chairperson of theSDF Day Organising Committee.

Also in preparation of the poll campaign,Lok Sabha MP, Bhim Dahal, has been ap-pointed the Chairperson of the PublicityWing Committee of the ruling party.

Coming back to the party manifesto,although it is still in the draft stage, se-nior leaders hint that the SDF poll-plankwill be its track-record on delivering de-velopment and good governance to thepeople in the past ten years. Emotive is-sues like social engineering of caste and

religious controver-sies will not bestoked and SDF’s suc-cess in institutionalising“participatory gover-nance” with the devolu-tion of powers to thepanchayats will be high-lighted.

The party, it appears hasbeen ready for polls for quitesome time now...

POLLSGooroong sees winning comboin an issue-less Opp and SDF’s

people-oriented politics

a NOW REPORT

GANGTOK: “The upcoming polls will obviously be atwo-way fight between SDF and Con-gress, but the result will definitely beone-way in favour of Sikkim DemocraticFront,” believes a confident political ad-visor to the CM and former CM himself,BB Gooroong.

Mr. Gooroong points out that the peopleare tired of political parties which surfaceonly when elections are round the corner.

“SDF has remained in consistent touchwith the people throughout its two terms.We don’t have leaders who forget thepeople when elections are over. By thatlogic, we never really stopped campaign-ing. Now, the party president has furtherrevamped all the frontal organisations ofthe party and everyone is prepared. Wealways were,” Mr. Gooroong contends.

Stressing another factor he sees as theSDF’s strength and Opposition’s weak-ness, Mr. Gooroong points out that SDFis “cadre-based” party while the Con-gress is in disarray.

“Our party workers and supportershave always remained with us. We godown to the grassroots while the Con-

gress makes only a superficial show of comeback everytime there are election. At present, they are also in dis-array with the their composition confusing not only thepeople, but also the party-members. The Sangrami-

Congressi factor is disorienting every-one,” he says.

“At present, Mr. Bhandari does noteven have a safe constituency for him-self. How does he expect to lead an en-tire party to victory?” he quips.

He further maintains that the Oppo-sition has neither issues at hand norpromises to make. “In fact, they are tak-ing the existing schemes of the govern-ment and just adding to them. They arethat bankrupt for ideas,” he said.

When asked to comment on SDF’sgameplan, he says that they will go topolls with issues of development andgood governance.

“We have a good a track-record onboth counts and it will not take muchconvincing. We don’t want to get intoemotive issues. Our ten years in powerreflect our commitment to such issues.We will let our performance speak foritself. The bhagidari [participatory] formof governance that we practice withmore power at the grassroots will alsowork to our benefit,” he adds.

8; NOW! ; 14-20 Jan, 2004

C M Y K8

RECAPSIKKIM �EMPLOYMENT NOTICEApplication are invited from the eligible local candidates for filing up of 15posts of Jr.Engineer (Civil) under various Departments in the scale of Rs.5000-150-8000 plus other admissible allowances under the Rules.

1. The above posts will be filled up from the following categories ofcandidates:

2. Categories of Candidates: No. of postS.T. - 03S.T. (Women) - 01S.T. (Blind or low vision) - 01S.C - 01M.B.C. - 02M.B.C (Blind or low vision) - 01O.B.C. - 02U.R - 02U.R. (Women) - 02TOTAL - 15 Posts.

3. Any post falling vacant on or before the date of final selection will alsobe included and filled up in accordance with 100 Point Roster.

4. Education Qualification : Diploma or Degree in Civil Engineering& Eligibility conditions : from recognized Board / Institution of

Technical Education.

5. Must be able to speak, read and write atleast one of the State Languagenamely: Nepali, Sikkimese, Bhutia, Lepcha or Limboo.

6. The age of the candidate shall not be below 18 years and above 30years as on 31.12.2003.a) Upper age limit is relaxable as under :-

5 Years (in service candidate on regular establishment)5 Years for ST / SC candidates.3 Years for OBC candidates.

7. Documents: Valid Local Employment Card issued by Department ofPersonnel in case of Un-Employed candidate, Sikkim SubjectCertificate/ Certificate of Identification, School Final Pass Certificate,Mark sheets of class X & XII, Degree / Diploma Certificate, ST/SC/OBC certificate as the case may be. No Objection Certificate from theSecretary/ Head of the Department in the case of in service candidate.

8. The selection will be made through open Competitive Examination.Syllabus of the written Examination are as under :Paper/ Subject : a) All Subject of Civil Engineering Course.

- 50 marks -b) General Knowledge /Current Affairs

- 20 marks -c) English - 30 marks.

Candidate seeking admission for the Examination should obtain aprescribed form from the Office of the Deputy Secretary, Roads & BridgesDepartment, Gangtok on production of S.B.S Bank Receipt for Rs. 50/-credited under Revenue Head : 0059 – Public Works – 80 – 800 otherreceipts (i) Roads & Bridges along with attested photocopies of thedocuments must reach the Deputy Secretary, Roads & Bridges Department,Gangtok on or before 17.02.2004 thereof and no application will beentertained after due date. Selection of Candidate will be made on thebasis of Written Examination followed by Viva- Voce test. Date of WrittenExamination and venue will be announced later on.

No TA / DA is payable to those sitting in the Examination.Joint Secretary,

Roads & Bridges Department

R.O

No.

179

/IPR

/03-

04 d

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004.

GANGTOK: National YouthWeek was celebrated with greatzeal and enthusiasm all overSikkim from January 12-19.

The week long programmestarted from January 12 whichfalls on the birthday of Dr BRAmbekar who is considered as theYouth Icon of India. Theprogramme consisted of giving ofawards to the most outstandingyouth clubs and the best socialworkers in the district, with cul-tural programmes and awarenessgenerating camps held throughoutthe week.

National Youth Week was or-ganized by various NGOs in col-laboration with Nehru YuvaKendra, Gangtok at different ven-ues in the East District. The weeklong programme started fromRongli on January 12 with otherprogrammes being held atChongey and Ranipool.

The programme commenced atDikchu on 19 January. Organizedby Dikchu Youth Welfare Asso-ciation, the function had NimaDawa Sherpa, Chief Advisor,DYWA, as chief guest. Alsopresent were Panchayat members,Bazaar committee, local NGOsand the general public.

The day had activities likegeneral awareness camp for thelocal people, culturalprogramme, physical endurancetests for the youth and athleticsfor the children.

Wangchuk Dukpa, Area NSV(National Service Volunteer)wholeheartedly thanked the Dis-trict Youth Coordinator, NYK,

East, JK Limboo for providingand informing about the variousschemes that were benefiting thelocal people of Dikchu. He saidthat Schemes like Youth ClubDevelopmental Programme andSocial Promotion Programme, aswell as work camps and voca-tional training courses were mak-ing the villagers aware of the waysthey can be self sufficient andhappy. He further stated that theDikchu Youth Welfare Associa-tion would always cooperate andwork hand in hand with NehruYuva Kendra.

The National Youth Weekwas also celebrated atRamabung, South Sikkim. Orga-nized by NGO Yuva Jyoti Sang,the event which was sponsoredby Nehru Yuva Kendra, Namchiwas held under the guidance ofSuren Mohra, National ServiceVolunteer.

The theme of the programmewas ‘Youth as the heritage of fu-ture’. More than thirty partici-pants from 12 clubs took part inthe programme. Minister for Ru-ral Development, Girish ChandraRai was the Chief Guest at theprogramme. Appreciating the ef-fort of the youth, he sanctionedthe building of a community shedcosting Rs. 70,000 at Ramabung.Zilla Panchayat, HK Khaling wasthe Guest of Honour.

Cultural programme, quiz anddebates were held at the function.These were sponsored by RajKumari Thapa, in the name of herlate grandmother, Dil Sari Rai.

A volleyball tournament wasalso held, with the final match be-tween YJS and 9 Star Sadam, withYJS lifting the trophy.

A WEEK FORTHE YOUNG

12-19 JAN, 2004

a NOW REPORT

tween CLC Chakung and Siliguriwhich CLC won with a cash prizeof 30,000 with the runners-upteam winning Rs. 20,000. Therewas also a friendly match betweenthe MLA team and the youthteam. Besides these there werefolk dances and music fromSikkim, Assam, West Bengal andOrissa which were presented bythe department of Culture, Gov-ernment of Sikkim and Eastern

Zonal Cultural Centre, Kolkata.All in all the Maghe Mela at

Jorethang was a huge success forthe organizers and a great eventfor the public. Police say they hadno problems and everything wentoff quite smoothly. People in theirfinest clothes were happy and inthe best of moods.

The festive air at Jorethangwas symbolic of the great joy thatthe Maghe Mela brings to thepeople of the state.

Contd from pg 6

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14-20 Jan, 2003; NOW! 9

C M Y K 9

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MANGAN: The Janata Melashifted to North Sikkim with theChief Minister Pawan Chamlingkicking off the Mela for theLachen-Mangshila and Dzonguconstituencies here on 12 January.

Area MLA, Lachen-Mangshilaand Minister for Power, HisseyLachungpa, Minister for Tourismand Land Revenue, KT Gyalsten,MLA [Dzongu], Sonam GyatsoLepcha, Deputy Speaker, PaldenLachungpa, Rajya Sabha MP, PTGyamtso, District Collector,North, secretaries and senior of-ficials of various government de-partments and local Panchayatsrepresented the state administra-tion at the Janata Mela.

The Chief Minister made a to-ken distribution of variousschemes under Rural Housing,Chief Minister’s Self-Employ-ment Scheme, LPG connection,Old Age pensions, etc to the ben-eficiaries. He also handed over ascholarship certificate and awardto Rinkila Bhutia, a student ofMangan Senior Secondary Schoolfor winning the first prize in anessay competition and also mak-ing it to the merit list of the ClassX examinations in the State.

And then, it was time for poli-tics. Addressing a huge gathering

Mangan Janata Mela, 12 January, 2003

MANGAN: The Sikkim HimaliRajya Parishad party [SHRP]kicked off its election campaignin North Sikkim at a public meet-ing held here on January 16.

SHRP president Dr. AD Subbaled the meeting here at the OldBazar, which was also attended bythe party’s North District presi-dent, Peter Lepcha and otherprominent members of the party.

Addressing the gathering, Mr.Lepcha gave his reasons for join-ing the party, which he said was“democratic” and “committed” towelfare of the people. He said thatthe SHRP was the only partywhere the distinction between therich and the poor was nil andtherefore, it understood the prob-lems of the poor people.

“Being a retired Revenue Of-

GANGTOK: The GangtokSafai Karmachari Welfare As-sociation [GSKWA], hasthanked the Eastern HimalayanTourism Association, Gangtokfor monetary contributions

at the Public Ground here, Mr.Chamling said that the JanataMela, launched by the SDF gov-ernment two years ago with thesole intentions of providing ben-efits “directly” to the people at thegrassroots, has been a big success.

He refuted allegations made bythe Opposition parties that the vari-ous schemes launched by the SDFgovernment were populists in na-ture by saying that the Oppositionparties were hardly aware of thedifference between terms such as“grants, loans and benefits.”

“The Opposition leaders areinvolved in spreading rumoursand misguiding the people of theState on the various welfareschemes launched by my govern-ment directly for the people. Theprevious government under NarBahadur Bhandari came nowhereclose to providing such benefitsto the people. That our effortshave directly benefited the peopleis evident for all to see,” he said.

Mr. Chamling said that theopposition leaders should re-member that it was his govern-ment that managed to achieveOBC status for the left out com-munities in the State.

“During his tenure when theMandal Commission was formedand the demand to include theChettri, Bahun and Newar com-munities was raised, Mr. Bhandariopposed the inclusion. It was onlyafter the SDF came to power thatthe matter was again pursued andachieved. We were also success-

ful in achieving tribal status tothe Limbu and Tamang commu-nities,” he said.

The Chief Minister alsoasked the people not be getswayed by the false promisesand rumours spread by the Op-position parties.

On the issue of the seats re-served for the Bhutia-Lepchasin the State Assembly, the ChiefMinister said that he has beenconsistently reiterating that theBL seats were safe, even afterthe inclusion of Limbu-Tamangin the Scheduled Tribes list.

Mr. Chamling then spelt outthe various people-centric poli-cies and programmes of theSDF government and his visionto make Sikkim a model Stateby 2015 - free of poverty andcomplete in literacy.

Given the scale at which theJanata Melas have beenlaunched and perhaps becausethere is still some red tape in-volved in shortlisting the ben-eficiaries, some potential ben-eficiaries approached NOW!with the complaint that their“panchayat” has repeatedlyduped them into submitting de-tailed records and documents,but never getting them includedin the list of beneficiaries. Somehad already received the firstinstalment of benefits, but werebeing made to run from pillarto post by the panchayats to re-ceive the second instalment,they alleged.

DEEPAK SHARMA

THE JUGGERNAUT ROLLS NORTH

Perhaps the most interesting display at the Janata Mela was theone at the Roads & Bridges Department. The model of the JorethangSuspension Bridge attracted a large crowd and provided the De-partment with an opportunity to disseminate information on its ef-forts at improving the road network in north Sikkim.

On display at the Cooperative Societies of North Sikkim stall at the Mangan Janta Mela were local, bio-organic products from villages of north Sikkim. The exhibition-cum-sale displayed reasonably priceditems ranging from vegetables to pickles to churpee to locally weaved carpets and mattresses. The stallprovided an encouraging outlet for local cooperatives.

made by it to the Association.Pempa Bhutia, president,GSKWA, in a letter to the Gen-eral Secretary, Eastern Hima-layan Tourism Association, hasexpressed the Association’sgratitude for donating Rs.10,001 towards the welfare of thesafai karmacharis of Gangtok.

ficer, I decided to support Dr.Subba’s party because I am con-vinced that this party can do a lotfor the underprivileged people ofthe State,” he said.

Criticising the ruling SDFgovernment’s Janata Mela and thewelfare schemes, Mr. Lepcha saidthat these welfare schemes wereactually central schemes just be-ing distributed by the State gov-ernment. He said that the SDF wasmisleading the innocent people ofthe State by claiming the schemesto be theirs.

Various senior members of theparty also addressed the crowd,and all preferred to criticise theruling SDF government. Theyblamed the SDF government forthe rising crimes in the State, say-ing that murders and rapes wereoccurring almost on a daily basis.They all expressed their concernsover the safety of the people in

the State and criticised the admin-istration for failing to check therising crimes in the State.

The various speakers alsospoke at length about the unem-ployment problem in Sikkim, thedrug problem and increasing men-tal illnesses and suicides. They allsaid that the SDF government hadfailed to fulfil the aspirations ofthe people of the State.

Dr. Subba, in his address, saidthat the main reason behind theformation of the party was to workfor the welfare of the people andfight corruption in the State.Echoing the same anti-SDF sen-timents as his fellow party mem-bers, Dr. Subba said that the ben-efits are only reaching thosepeople who are a members of theSDF party and have put up anSDF flag on their houses. He saidthat most of the Central grants arebeing “misused” by politiciansand bureaucrats.

SHRP makes its SDF-hatingways clear in Mangan

a NOW REPORT

a NOW REPORT

Gtk safai karmacharis thank EHTA

10; NOW! ; 14-20 Jan, 2004

C M Y K10

DEVELOPMENT �

The Power Department has been making earnest ef-forts to maintain regular power supply in the State. Inthe last few weeks there has been interruption in powersupply in Gangtok and in the East district of the State.The main reason for this is limitation of power drawingcapacity from the grid. we strongly feel the importanceof maintaining regular power supply in view of the factthat our young ones are preparing for their Board Ex-aminations. - If all the consumers extend their co-operation theDepartment can continue to maintain regular powersupply in the state.- We appeal to all our consumers to take the follow-ing actions to help the department to maintain regu-lar power supply.

1. Do not use heaters, geysers, electric irons and otherelectrical gadgets during the peak hours i.e. 17.00 hrsto 21.00 hrs.2. Switch off the lights, which are not necessary.3. Replace your bulbs with compact fluoroscent lamps4. Do not use compound with lights and flood lights.

Use of electric welding sets, industrial loads, motor ofany kind is restricted from 06.00 hours to 09.00 hoursand 17.00 hrs to 21.00 hrs till further notice. If anybodyis found using electricity for such purposes the serviceconnection will be disconnected and heavy fine will beimposed.The Department Appeals to all the consumers for theirkind co-operation in the interest of our consumers andtheir children.

R. K. PradhanChief Engineer (HQ)

Power DepartmentGangtok

APPEAL

To spread awareness aboutthe detrimental effects ofpollution and the hazards

of dumping garbage in the open,the State Pollution Control Boardhas sponsored a series of streetplays to drive home the message.

The first of the street plays wasperformed at Jorethang during theMaghe Sakranti Mela on January15, at two venues.

“The main pollutant duringsuch large gatherings is the wastegenerated by the people, and themain aim for conducting suchplays is to sensitize the people andgenerate awareness amongstthem,” said Dr Gopal Pradhan,Senior Scientist, SPCB.

The play, called ‘Shanti’ wasperformed by Sikkim AmateurTheatre. Written and directed byRanjit Kumar Singh, the mainroles were enacted by Dilip Rai,Devendra Sunar, Sampten Bhutiaand Prakash Chettri.

The large gathering watchingthe play seemed quite keen tohear about the various ill-effectsof pollution on the environmentand the people.

Speaking to NOW!, a group ofbystanders admitted that the“message had gone through” andthe gathering had appreciated the

efforts of the participants to givethem this message. Some evenwanted these plays to be con-ducted in other districts.

SPCB sources inform that al-though the dates have not yet beenfixed, these plays will be pre-formed at all the four districts.

STREET PLAYS ONMAN AND HIS

WASTEFUL WAYS

On the issue of voters’ identitycards, the Department recentlylaunched its second round of issu-ing photo IDs. “From January 12this year, we have relaunched thephoto identity cards programme inall the four districts of the State.This is mainly for those who wereleft out during the first round heldlast year. Also, those voters whohave lost their cards can get newones made during this round, alongwith those newly enrolled in thevoters list and those who have at-tained 18 years of age for thesepolls,” Mr. Dhakal said.

The Department is confidentthat the entire process of issuingphoto identity cards would beover by the end of February.

“We have already completedabout 76 percent of the processand hope to achieve 100 percenttarget by the end of February,” Mr.Dhakal said.

This year’s polls will also seeelectronic voting machines beingused for the first time in the State.The Central Election Commissionhas already directed the Depart-

Contd from pg 6

Two-way for sure, definitely expensive, possibly violent

ment on the compulsory use ofEVMs during the polls.

The elections don’t come cheapeither. Simultaneous polls will toteup a bill of not less than Rs. 1.5crores in organising. This is justwhat the State will spend. What theparties invest will be completelydifferent set of economics.

In fact, the Opposition leaderNar Bahadur Bhandari is alreadymaking public declarations thatthe upcoming polls will be a con-test between “dhan-shakti and

jan-shakti.” He would obviouslyhave us believe that the money iswith the ruling SDF and thepeople with him and Congress [I].Expensive elections will not benew to Sikkim. The 1999 pollssaw every side pump in a lot intothe campaigning. It will not bemuch different this time around.

What is however clear is that thepolls will be a two-way contest be-tween the Bhandari led Cong [I]and Mr. Chamling’s SDF. The equa-tions were only a little different lasttime around. Although Congresswas in the contest, as the final tallyshowed [Congress bagged barely 4per cent vote-share], the fight wasalways between SSP and SDF in thepeople’s minds. And, since politics

and parties in Sikkim are so person-ality driven, this time again, it willbe a face-off between Mr. Chamlingand Mr. Bhandari.

There will be of course theusual round of defectors from oneparty to the other, when the tick-ets are decided. But that is a give-away of a “leaders” lack of vote-base. If strong enough to win, whywouldn’t the parent-party havegiven him a ticket instead. Elec-tions are after all about winning.They at best play the role of spoil-sports, splitting some votes away.

As things stand, Mr. Chamlingby virtue of being in power andhaving had a decent two termsholds the upper hand. Mr.Bhandari, on the other hand, will

have to first convince the peopleon the reasons why he joined anational party that he hadwhipped so often from publicplatforms in the past. He has alsobeen a rather reticent Oppositionleader throughout the present termand Mr. Chamling’s constant re-minders that only SDF remainedwith the people throughout while“others” surfaced only when elec-tions came about, will be a diffi-cult argument to downplay. Spe-cially so because Congress inSikkim has traditionally been aparty which activates itself whenelections are round the corner.

Also the fact that Congress isnot yet riding an anti-SDF wavewill make a bid at its power diffi-cult. SDF, in 1994, when it rodethe strongest wave since the sev-enties, it made it power barely bythe skin of its teeth. Ditto for Mr.Bhandari back in 1979 when hehad managed to catch the massimagination.

But then democracy has ma-tured much even since 1994 andthe voting preferences are some-thing that not even the most “sci-entific” of psephology cannot pre-dict accurately. What is certain isthat Sikkim is going for simulta-neous polls in April; that it is go-ing to be a two-way contest; ex-pensive; and, if Congress is con-vinced of its chances, also violent.

THE TIME WHEN LEADERS START TAKING A HEADCOUNT OF THEIR SUPPORT-BASE

14-20 Jan, 2003; NOW! 11

C M Y K 11

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Centre of Exam: Kyi-de-Khang School, Nam Nang Road, Gangtok.Date: 8th February 2004 (Sunday). Time : 10.00 AM. Reporting time : 9.15 AM.

For details contact - Bright Careers Academy, Opp. Rajeev Distributors, Tadong, Gangtok.Phone 270797, 9434070797, Mr. Sudershan – 98320 55140.

Note: No applications after the above mentioned date will be accepted.

GANGTOK: The Sikkim PostGraduate Association, on Tues-day, 20 January, launched a statewide peaceful agitation to ex-press its dissatisfaction over theexisting policies of the govern-ment, particularly on educationand unemployment and also toimpress upon the youth the needto be aware and self-sufficient atall times.

The SPGA has started a state-wide “Walk for a Cause” from

GANGTOK: With the idea toequip students with techno-managerial skills to enable themto make them “industry-ready”by the time they pass out, theSikkim Manipal Institute ofTechnology [SMIT], Majhitar,has put lot of emphasis on In-dustry-Academia interaction aspart of its curriculum.

Under this innovativeprogramme, the final semesterstudents of B-Tech and Mastersof Computer Applications [MCA]are deputed to work on specifiedprojects in the Industry for onecomplete semester of 16 weeks.The basic aim behind this is togive the students a feel of the pre-vailing environment of the indus-try and to expose them to prob-lem solving techniques. The ex-posure to the Industry gives thestudents some hands on experi-ence and provides them with anopportunity to put theoreticalknowledge into practice. This in-

Tuesday and are confident thatthis unusual initiative will cre-ate the right awareness amongthe youth.

“We will reach our message toevery nook and corner of thestate, this will hopefully makeour youth become aware of theiruntapped potential,” say mem-bers of SPGA.

This was decided at an execu-tive body meeting held atSikkim Employees Guest Housea day earlier.

The SPGA General Secretary,Padam Bahadur Chettri, who pre-

sided over the meeting expressedthe disappointment of SPGA overthe non-inclusion of the locals invarious posts of lecturers in theState Government College in theyear 2001 and said that non-Sikkimese people should be onlyappointed when “suitable andqualified” local people are notavailable in the state as per therules of Article 371, which givesthe state special concessions.

He has also filed a writ peti-tion about this in the HighCourt, with regard to non imple-mentation of the rule which

guarantees this right.SPGA, which was formed last

year, has been continuing its fightover what they see as an unfairpolicy of the state government.

The association has been em-phatic over the cancellation of thecontroversial list for the appoint-ment of lecturers prepared by theState Public Service Commission.The list, the association says, goescompletely against the protectionof the public interest in the stategovernment employment and dis-regarded a number of deservinglocal candidates. They subse-

quently pressurized the Depart-ment of Education and the SPSCto cancel the controversial ap-pointment of lecturers.

The meeting emphasized onthe need to create a state employ-ment exchange for recruiting can-didates. They have also demandedfor State Level Eligibility Test[SLET], the setting up of a StateCouncil of Educational Researchand Training, and state cadre forassistant lecturers.

It will be interesting to see howfar the SPGA’s talk and walk takesthem this time.

LOCAL POST-GRADUATES TO MARCH THESTREETS IN AN AWARENESS DRIVEa NOW REPORT

novative structuring of the cur-riculum has helped the Institutein its placement services.

According to a press release,this year, 259 students have beendeputed to work in various tech-nological establishments from thefirst week of February to the lastweek of May.

The students will return to theCollege in June to present theirProject Reports. Experts in the In-dustry as well as external exam-iners from the University willevaluate the Reports. Studentswill be doing their projects in re-puted companies and establish-ments such as Tata ConsultancyServices, Cognizant TechnologySolutions, HCL, IBM, BhartiTelecom, BARC-Mumbai,CSRDC-Hyderabad, ISI-Kolkataand ISRO-Kharagpur.

The Sikkim Manipal Univer-sity also awards merit scholar-ships to those meritorious stu-dents joining the B Tech coursesat SMIT. In a meeting held on

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January 17, the SMIT Scholar-ship Committee awarded schol-arships to 32 students who ob-tained more than 80 percentmarks in Class XII and whoseparents’ income were less thanRs. 3,00,000 per annum.

Out of the 32 students, MallikaMohan topped the list with 97.66percent marks.

a NOW REPORT

12; NOW! ; 14-20 Jan, 2004

C M Y K12

Pure Platinum EntertainmentPure Platinum Entertainmentpresents

Sur SudhaSur Sudha

LIVE!IN GANGTOK

also featuring Anil Sathi

31st JAN, 2004

SIKKIM GOVT

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ested in Nepal’s Musical Ambassadors!

14-20 Jan, 2003; NOW! 13

C M Y K 13

extrasTHE NOW! 8-PAGE SPECIAL

NOW!

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After four years and twomonths, the personwho had become the

public face of Sikkim Police asthe SP [East] - seen often onthe streets organizing the cha-otic traffic on our narrowstreets or patrolling with hissubordinates – AkshaySachdeva is all set to move on.Sharing a love-hate relation-ship with the Gangtokians,Akshay was instrumental inpushing through the enforce-ment of some strict rules dur-ing his tenure in East district.“It was all for the benefit of thecommon people,” he main-tains. He returns to SikkimArmed Police as its Comman-dant on a promotion [he is nowa Senior SP] and with the elec-tions coming up in a couple ofmonths, will have his handsfull with the run-up and thepolling which is sure to flare upin some places.

NOW!’s ANAND OBEROIcaught up with him for a fare-well interview even as he wasgetting the records in order inhis office to hand-over chargeto Sreedhar Rao, SP [west]who is the new Super for EastSikkim. Excerpts:

The SP East’s post is perhapsthe more high profile andpowerful of all posts inSikkim Police. How does itfeel then to move on?

Actually, all postings areequally challenging. Much as

I will miss being the East districtSP, I draw comfort from the factthat the district was stable duringmy tenure. The moving on ismade even more pleasant by thefact that I leave with a promotion.That apart, I have always lovedbeing the Commandant of SikkimArmed Police. If you recall, I heldthat post before taking over as SP[East] in 1999. The demand ofphysical and mental endurancethat SAP makes is very challeng-ing and I really enjoy working andtraining with the boys.

There is a lot that youmanaged to cram into yourfour-year tenure. Could yourun us through some ofthem?

I am sure that you too will agreethat the most visible initiatives

were taken in traffic control.Some 1,500 traffic signboardswere put up in East district dur-ing my tenure and traffic rules andnorms were enforced strictly. All

“bye-bye!”

STYLEHOTEL GOLDEN PAGODA,MG MARG, GANGTOK.

available at:

“I HAVE ALWAYSBELIEVED THAT THEPOLICE HAS A ROLE

TO PLAY INDEVELOPING A

SENSE OFDISCIPLINE AND

DUTY AMONG THEPEOPLE”

“THE INCREASEDVISIBILITY OF THE

FORCE AND THEIMPROVED

TEAMWORK HASHELPED IN

INSTILLING MORERESPECT FOR THELAW AMONG THE

PEOPLE.”

Sr. SP Akshay Sachdevathis most people would know,what they might not be aware ofis that the traffic police raised Rs.40 lakhs in fines during this pe-riod. This diligence of my staff hasnow resulted in more disciplinedtraffic on the streets. I have al-ways believed that the police hasa role to play in developing asense of discipline and dutyamong the people and it is to thisend that even the strictest of ruleswere enforced. Now the realiza-tion has seeped in and strict en-forcement is no longer required.

In the field of law and order,my colleagues and juniors haveproven to be very efficient andeffective. There were no majorproblems on these fronts in thepast four years. All heinouscrimes were solved in record timeand the accused nabbed.“Spiderman” was the only onewho got away during my tenure,but now, even he is behind bars.The civil situation never went outof hand. The panchayat electionswere completed smoothly andthere was always a semblance oflaw and order.

What we have also achievedis a better rapport with the people.They are now more cooperativeand understanding with policeinvestigations, mediations andenforcement.

But if you were asked to pickone achievement that makesthe entire four years in EastSikkim worth it, what wouldthat be?[After thinking deeply for sometime]

That’s a tough one. But if I hadto pick just one, then I would

say it was the success in raisingthe morale of theforce. The confi-dence-level ofthe police herehas increasedtwo-folds, that, Ican assure you.The increased visibility of theforce and the improved teamworkamong them has also helped ininstilling more respect for the lawamong the people. Yes, that isone achievement that will remainwith me of my tenure as SP, East.

Are you satisfied with yourtenure?

Yes. In fact, I feel a great degree of satisfaction with re-

gard to my tenure and know thatI have tried to the best of my abil-

ity to control and establish Law. Ialso draw satisfaction from thefact that throughout my duty inoffice, I have worked with sincer-ity and with the intention of ben-efiting the ordinary people.

Since you worked so closelywith the people here, anyparting words for them?

First I would like to call on themnot to harbour any hard feel-

ings or ill-will about the timeswhen we had to take rather strictmeasure at all levels to ensurebetter traffic sense and for themaintenance of law and order.

Please remem-ber that it was alldone for the ben-efit, bettermentand in the inter-est of the public.I apologise if

some people felt hurt some-times, but stress again, it was allfor the greater common good. Iwould also like to thank all thepeople of East Sikkim for theirsupport towards the various ini-tiatives taken by the district po-lice.

Final words …

All I can reiterate is that theyshould continue working

without fear or favour and in thepursuit of that end, take whatever

criticism comes your way in yourstride. Do not lose focus and vi-sion during the call of duty.

I would also like to thank theChief Minister and my seniors forthe opportunity they gave me andfor their continuous guidance andsupport. As for my colleagues andjuniors in the district, I would liketo thank them for their support andfaith in me. Thanks are also dueto the general public, for their un-derstanding, and the media, forhaving always striven to reach thecorrect picture to the people.

ONRECORDAKSHAY SACHDEVA inhis farewell interview

14; NOW! ; 14-20 Jan, 2004

C M Y K14

extras

The Rajdhani these days isabuzz with anxious students preparing for the up-

coming board exams. With freecoaching classes and new tutori-als coming up every other day, thepromise of taking students here toa new level of competition seemsclose to deliverance. In a first, aneducation Help-Line has alsobeen set up to offer free counsel-ling and guidance to the studentsover the phone.

Old timers will recall with nos-talgia how easy things were ear-lier. But times change and so dothe ground rules. A new competi-tive world means students have totry that much harder to carve aniche for themselves.

Gangtok has been witnessingthe mushrooming of coachingclasses and tutorials. Whateverdetractors may say, fact is moststudents find this last minuteguidance quite helpful.

Career Counselling, as thename suggests has been counsel-ling students on board examina-tion question patterns and also of-fering expert guidance on medi-cal and engineering entrance ex-aminations. The institute also of-fers coaching classes for the boardexams.

“We have now started onlinefacilities for students appearingfor the board exams. Studentsfrom any part of the state can con-tact us and take suggestion aboutnew syllabus, suggestions onquestion pattern, etc. on thephone,” informs Mr. Dey, of Ca-reer Counselling.

The institute will also conduct

a mock test for students appear-ing for the board exams, to famil-iarize them with the style and for-mat of question papers. Futureplans include providing libraryfacilities for high quality booksand teaching through the audio-visual medium.

was only last year that the firstbatch of students appeared for theAIEEE, the students who sat forthe exam were not prepared orfamiliar with the exam pattern,due to lack of coaching guidelinesand model papers and could notperform well.

INTHECITY

GET COACHED

The board exams are almost upon us and with the schools closed for the

winters, more and more students are opting for tutorial classes to firm up their

chances of not only tackling the board exams, but also the competitive exams

that come later. SAGAR CHETTRI reports

FOR SUCCESS

“Earlier the students used toget placement in engineering col-leges on the basis of marks, butnow they are selected on the ba-sis of their performance in theAIEEE, and in the near future theymay have to compete on an allIndia basis, we want to help thestudents who are struggling tocome up but are not getting theway,” say teachers at the institute.

To help the students, BrightCareers Academy will conduct amodel exam of AIEEE to prepareand increase their confidencelevel. BCA will conduct themodel exam at Kyi-de-KhangSchool, Nam Nang, on February8 at 10 am.

Their answers will be checkedand results will be sent by post.Applicants should fill up applica-tion form printed in the paper andsubmit it by hand at Bright Ca-reers Academy on or before Feb-ruary 1.

What the mushrooming ofcoaching institutes has done forthe local students is that it has cutdown on the budgets set asideearlier for “board preparation.”The availability of professionallyrun tutorials conducted by expe-rienced teachers has seen to it thatthey no longer need to walk fromone tuition class to the other thewhole day or camp in Siliguri af-ter enrolling in a tutorial there.

Fact remains that most stu-dents, specially those who haveopted for the Science stream needto be coached in the run-up to theboards and since schools areclosed for winter vacations, theyseldom have any other optionsavailable.

BCA is going to start its regu-lar classes for AIEEE from March20 onwards. For further detailscall 270797, 9434070797 or9832038669.

For online guidance, call Ca-reer Counselling at Ph. 226510,9434153355.

Another tutorial, Bright Ca-reers Academy, is now focussingespecially on students who wantto sit for the All India Engineer-ing Entrance Exam [AIEEE]. It

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C M Y K 15

extras

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Come 31 January, and Gangtokiansare in for a musical treat. Themuch-acclaimed trio who form “Sur

Sudha” will be performing at Sikkim Gov-ernment College auditorium from 4 pm on-wards. Although music concerts arenothing new to the capital, this onepromises to be, well, different.

With Surendra Shreshta ontabla, PremRana Autari

on flutea n d

Tara Bir Tuladhar on sitar, Sur Sudha of-fers music for the soul. The trio who cametogether 14 years ago with the aim of in-terpreting and presenting the myriad mu-sical tradition of Nepal, seek out traditionaltunes from the many remote areas ofNepal, from the Terai, or lowlands, to thevillages high in the Himalayas. Their com-positions take listeners on a musical jour-ney through Nepal.

The programme, at Gangtok, is beingorganized by Pure Platinum Entertainment,a unit of Falcon International, with SikkimTourism playing the role of the major eventsupporter.

A portion of the funds raised will go toHope Centre, a drug rehabilitation centre,in Gangtok.

Through its music, Sur Sudha bring tothe world the message of peace pro-pounded by Lord Buddha, and demon-strate how two of the world’s great religionsHinduism and Buddhism find perfect fu-sion in Nepal.

Sur Sudha seeks to promote these ide-als through traditional Nepali instrumentalmusic rendered with the flute, sitar and tabla- three instruments most popular in Nepal.

The three talented musicians have builta reputation for their innovative interpre-tations of traditional Nepali folk tunes and

for composing their own original music,stretching the parameters of a formal set-ting of a trio.

Known as Nepal’s musical ambassa-dors, the trio have performed extensivelyall over the world and have many interna-tional music awards to their credit. Theyhave been the subject of television docu-mentaries in France and Germany andhave played in over 2,000 concerts, trav-elling from the steps of ancient Hindutemples to the concert stages of Europe,India, Japan and the USA. They have alsoperformed many times at the Nepal RoyalPalace as Royal Musicians.

The group held second position in theKALX World Music Chart for the week end-ing May 11, 1998 as the most frequentlyplayed international music. This apart, SurSudha remained in the top ten in the KALXWorld Music Chart for months as popularworld music in 1998.

The trio have already released five CDs- Melodies of Nepal, Image of Nepal, Fes-tivals of Nepal, Third Eye and Symbol ofNepal and are coming with new albumdedicated to Mt. Everest.

All are trained in classical music, but itis the blend of the folk that imbibes theirmusic that makes them stand apart. Not aperformance to be missed.

a NOW REPORT

NEPAL’S MUSICALAMBASSADORSTO BRING THEIRCOMBO OF THECLASSICAL ANDTHE FOLK TOSIKKIM...

The trio who make Sur Sudha

From the World Music Charts to SGC, GangtokAROUNDTOWN

SHEHAR MEIN KAALA!The Information & Public Re-lations Department office hereat Tibet Road had an entertain-ing Saturday. A Kaala [CivetCat] was noticed, despite itsrather effective camouflage,sleeping on the ledge of theopposite building.

The fact that it is a wild ani-mal, even though barely as bigas a dog, was enough tospread panic. Frantic callswere made to the Forest De-partment to despatch its trap-pers to whisk away the animal.

The Kaala, on its part, af-ter some disinterested looks atthe crowd that had collectedunder the building, decided itwas time for its Saturday nap.It slept through the severalpebbles thrown, perhapswarmed by the heat from thesub-baked concrete slab.

And, the Forest Deptt. trap-pers never turned up. Perhapsthey knew only too well that theanimal is harmless and essen-tially a herbivore with a weak-ness for large cardamom and

A Kaala [Civet Cat] decidesto take its Saturday siestaon the ledge of a TibetRoad building.

an occasional taste for smallbirds and eggs. Its surfacingin Gangtok is not even rare. Acommon visitor to areas likeForest Colony and Burtuk, aKaala was also trapped in thePower Department officesome years back. At that time,it caused a near stampede inthe corridors of power when itstrolled through.

They are not shy animalsso they don’t normally runaway when they see peopleand many mistake this attitude

for aggressiveness and panic.Needless to add, the forestsand cardamom fields are theusual foraging grounds for theCivet Cats. They go urban onlywhen their natural habitatstarts shrinking. The Hima-layan Bear that terrorisedSITCO some years back be-ing a case in point.

A wildlife expert from theState, when asked whether theanimal was dangerous, said:“Not at all. In fact the only dan-gerous animal is man.”

a NOW REPORT

NOW!sikkimnow@rediffmail.com

email

270949

16; NOW! ; 14-20 Jan, 2004

C M Y K

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The joint jhora-cleaning operation launched by theState Pollution Control

Board and UD&HD is almostcomplete. According to the de-partments, 9 jhoras in and aroundGangtok were cleaned byUD&HD labourers in the lastmonth and a half since the‘Abatement of Pollution’ cam-paign was launched.

But things seem to be backwhere they started. There is noperceptible difference as the resi-dents continue to dump garbagedirectly into the jhoras with impu-nity. Although the concerned de-partments had made it clear tothe local residents that this clean-ing drive would be a one time ini-tiative, with the responsibilitythereon being of the local peopleof the area, the message, itseems, has not got through.

The centrally sponsoredscheme, the first of its kind in thecountry is aimed at catalyzingimproved civic sense among theGangtokians but the people re-main unconvinced that they mustshare the responsibility for keep-ing their own area clean.

Minister UD&HD, TT Bhutia, inhis speech on 30 November atBishal Gaon, when the drive waslaunched had urged the localresidents to form committees toensure the general cleanliness oftheir neighborhoods, “This is yourproblem and the solution shouldbe initiated by you. We can ofcourse facilitate the process”, hehad said.

But till now no committeeshave been formed as advised bythe department. No one has yetcome forward to take the initiative.

According to Dr. GopalPradhan, Senior Scientist, SPCB,most of Gangtok’s daily genera-tion of 27,500 kgs of garbage isdumped directly dumped into thejhoras. The damage this un-

healthy practice does to the envi-ronment is drastic and its time forthe people to start doing their bit.

“The concerned departmentshave already done their duty, theyhave also given special initiativeslike the cleanest jhora award tothe most responsible locality, butit does not seem to be working,”he said.

“ There’s no point blaming usfor everything. The departmentsare doing so much but there isno feed back from the people, al-though the work is for their ben-efit, there is no appreciation and

The Sikkim Polution ControlBoard and UDHD initiative atwork. A total of nine jhoras werecleaned in the rajdhani in the hopethat the local residents would takecare not to “pollute” them again.It remains a hope.

no participation from them,” hecomplains further.

The SPCB and UD&HD havetaken the initiative to keep thejhoras clean, now it is up to thelocal residents to come forward.Local NGOs, Panchayats, eldersand youth should take part inmaking this drive work. The De-partments will welcome sugges-tions and views from the peopleand say they are ready to coop-erate in any way.

So what are we waiting for?

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C M Y K

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17

LiTNOWWHEN THE HILLS WRITE

�the consolation that a bottle of Hit and aplate of lung curry would provide beforehe drowned in that inevitable avalanche ofself pity that was slowly building up some-where inside him. He had in his pocketabout a hundred rupees that he had earnedfrom a designing job for a local daily. Therest depended on Amala’s mood.

Amala seemed a little surprised to seeNabin at 10 in the morning but she kept itto herself and instead asked him what hewanted. Nabin told her that he needed theusual and then sat on the wooden benchquietly contemplating the prayer wheel thatrotated in the thermals provided by the but-ter lamp that flickered obsequiously beforethe scarfed idol of Buddha. He could sensethat he was alone and this realisation madehim jealous of all the lucky folks at the gov-ernment offices – folks, who would be atthis very juncture, pushing files, typing let-ters, sipping tea and engaging in sundryother useful acts that would guarantee themthe reassuring comfort of a salary at the endof every month. It was too bad that in thegreater scheme of things he was out of thisloop of welfare and would remain so if hekept failing in these little exams that weremeant to test whether he was good enoughto teach something, anything, to kids ofclass one or lower.

The more he thought about it the lessersense it made and he had almost reachedthe breaking point of this cognitive endeav-our when salvation arrived in a bottle ofHit beer and a plate full of lung fry. He tooka sip of the beer and then nibbled stingilyat a tiny morsel of the fry. It tasted just di-vine and he then realised just what he hadbeen missing. All that negative emotionbegan to simply melt away. He was onceagain filled to the brim with a brave confi-dence that all was not lost and that his timewould yet come.

Amala, sensing that Nabin had regaineda measure of good humour, decided tolaunch her own little investigation into theprobable causes of his early morning mel-ancholy. Nabin rudely interrupted by thedown-to-earth nature of Amala’s queryopened his heart out to her. Somewhere inhis mind, fogged by the potent vapours ofthat noxious fluid, he reasoned that Amalawas genuinely empathising with his pre-dicament and that she would really dosomething for him, like ask her daughterto take him to America or something aswonderful. She was after all his own ageand maybe there were things written in hiskarma that promised him rewards fargreater than the government job that he sodesperately sought. Amala indeedempathised but in a manner different thanwhat Nabin thought in his inebriated opti-mism. Amala wished the best for Nabin butknew that he was too much of a loser. Asense of overpowering pity welled up inher bosom and she felt she that she had todo something for him. It had to be some-thing more compelling and effective thanthe lung curry which so many thought wasthe pinnacle of her culinary accomplish-ments. And she knew what exactly it wasthat Nabin needed.

Nabin’s hurt meanwhile had turned afull circle and that artificial high that thebeer had generated was now slowly givingway to a quiet, simmering, nasty, indigna-tion that he felt not just towards the worldand the government and his life but moreimmediately towards Amala who stoodthere in front of him in that confident, richpose of hers with her good life, so success-ful, so carnivorous and commercial. Hismoney was now running out and it wouldneed just one indiscreet remark on Amala’spart to let his latent rage spill out in one

Nabin Limbu led as normal an existence as any 23-year-old freelance DTP professional who dreamed of landing agovernment job before he crossed the age limit for suchluxury. He did not smoke, but occasionally hung out withhis friends to binge-drink with them at the neighbourhoodchaang joint run by Amala, a middle-aged Tibetan hagwho had come to Kalimpong during the early sixties.

This woman had one daughter who was majoring inAmerican studies from a university in the US and a sonsomewhere in Dharamsala with His Holiness’s gov-

ernment in exile. Both were acutely embarrassed bytheir mother’s present vocation but they could dolittle to convince Tshering Nima to take up an alter-native career. Her daughter, a pragmatic girl whovalued the entrepreneurial skills of her people, sug-gested that she sell noodles, while her son wouldrather have her live a quiet religious life spent count-ing her 108-beaded rosary. But Tshering Nima

would have none of it. She had struggled all her lifeand she would not suffer these upstarts to tell her

what to do. So she religiously got up at five every morn-ing to visit the beef stalls to fetch her daily quota of ox-

tail bones, lungs and a general assortment of other bovineappendages from which she could conjure up a tasty sidedish for Nabin Limbu and company.

Nabin loved the spongy lung curry that went down sowell with Hit beer. Tshering Nima had a little secret upher sleeve as far as the beef lung was concerned. The dishthat she prepared was like no other and Nabin Limbu andhis friends would feel a nagging incompleteness in theirlives if they stayed away from it for more than three days.The lung curry did not cost much and was perfect for theconscience - whatever guilt they felt in squandering theirmoney on beer and chaang was considerably allayed bythe protein-rich nourishment that they imbibed fromTshering Nima’s delectable lung fries.

Today, once again, Nabin Limbu found himself beingdrawn by an inexorable force towards Amala’s establish-ment. This time however the call was not so inexplicable.He knew exactly why he was moving with such great senseof purpose towards Amala’s bedroom that also served asa makeshift pub and prayer room. The simple reason was,he had failed the primary teacher’s exam for the third timein a row and although he was no escapist, he really needed

by PRAVEEN MOKTANturn topg 22

A strange delusion

Surrounds me tonight

I have the urge to create

It’s all alive and booming

Yet in its dearth, its held back

Almost subdued and negate.

So much fire burning

Yet so little heat so less light

Like knowing a lot

Only to be uselessly forgot

Still then I write

To satisfy the urge

To play with an ocean, splurge

Even with a pen in my hand

Grazing upon this page

Like clouds just drifting over bald land

All of these emotions trapped in a cage

Fighting battles to be free

Merely to come out in vivid

expression.

So is the desire to give birth

To the flame burning within.

Make it rise from the solid still

Burn ravaged like oil and stop as ash

Twisted irony likeness to a Prima Dona.

Tumbling down a void in dark destitution

Only to gush out like quicksilver

flowering

A flame of words, on paper burning

No wonder this is like the hunger

To be forever learning

Discovering new secrets of oneself

In an endless symbiosis

With insatiable tides of unclear

synapses.

As endlessly burning as true love and

its fire

To end but with one event

Then again it begins, all over again

Till then it ends.

The cycle infinite

Going on and on

Similar to another day that finished

By the night,

The hunger never done

Never satisfied.

Forever then spent in searching

For I know I’ve been inspired,

To say I know, I know nothing.PRAMOD HINGMANG

Holy Cross School

The

InfiniteCycle

18; NOW! ; 14-20 Jan, 2004

C M Y K18

extras

NOW!

FUTURE NOWthe

isARIES You will be dissatisfied.You must ensure that your ve-hicle is properly maintained. Stu-dents may not do too well. Youmay face some enmity. There isa chance of a change in sur-roundings. There may be a needto borrow more money. Minorhealth problems are indicated.TAURUS You may take onnew business. You will have toput in extra effort towards this.You will not get much supportfrom others. Your family, withthe exception of your mother,will help you. You may sufferthroat infection, cold, coughand gastric problems.GEMINI You will be happier

making money through specu-lation. Those in the teaching pro-fession and lawyers will do well.You may travel more. Popular-ity and fame will be high. Thiswill be a more peaceful week.CANCER There will be greaterresponsibilities. You will need toput in a lot of effort in order toget better commissions. You willhave the support of some jun-iors and creativity will flourish.You make new purchases. Youmight have to travel.LEO Expenses will be more thisweek. There will be no peace athome. You may take a wrongdecision and get involved in ar-guments. Minor accidents are

indicated. This is not a good timeto make an investment. Youmust be careful around women.VIRGO Those who are in thepartnership business will makea profit. Your wife, and some el-ders are likely to lend you theirsupport. You will be in a finan-cially sound position this week.You must watch your health,since there are indications ofcold, tonsils or TB. There arechances of travelling abroad.LIBRA You will face greater ten-sion in business. You must takeless risky decisions. You arelikely to face greater anguishand distress. You may lack abil-ity in certain kinds of work. Youwill have to ask others to helpyou, and possibly postpone newthings if you want them imple-mented successfully.

SCORPIO You will have excel-lent support from others. Specu-lation will be profitable. You mayhave minor health problems.Family life will be good. Careergrowth will be excellent. Youmay make new purchases.SAGITTARIUS You will havemore problems in business.There is a lower chance of get-ting things done. You may getirritating feedback and you mayfind yourself helpless in a toughsituation. So you should be pre-pared to give up. Also be cau-tious around those may not haveyour best interests at heart.CAPRICORN You will have un-expected, effortless luck. Thispromises to be a good time foreverybody, especially for profes-sionals. Health and educationwill be good. However you may

be unrealistically hopeful aboutthe future, and are likely to bedisappointed.AQUARIUS You will havehigher profits. There is achance of a change of sur-roundings. You may have shorttrips also. Children’s healthmay not be good. There mightbe a misunderstanding be-tween husband and wife. Youmay introduce new technologyto build up your business. Fam-ily life will be good. You willmanage your affairs well.PISCES You will be more en-gaged in work. You will enjoypopularity, health and wealth.Family life will be peaceful andthere will be cooperation be-tween all the members of thefamily. There is a bright chanceof going abroad. You might get

Winter is the time whenyour skin and hair needs

that extra care to keep thatglow going. Rejoice. Yes, that’sthe name of a new shampoolaunched by Procter & Gamble.The three-in-one family packshampoo promises silkysmooth hair, long lasting fra-grance and is anti-dandruff. Ifyou think that’s promising toomuch, take a look at the price.Only Rs. 39 for a 100 ml bottle and Rs. 75 for double the size.More on hair. Dabur Anmol Mustard-Amla hair oil is now avail-able for only Rs. 10.

If dry skin is bothering you, you can try the newoffering from Lotus Herbals. A Shea Butter and

Real Strawberry combo, this 24 hr moisturizercosts Rs. 135 for a 120 ml sachet.

There’s no stopping Lakme, who keep com-ing out with new stuff all the time. This timeit’s Lakme Rose Powder with sunscreen.Powder and sunscreen! Now I’ve seen itall. Cost Rs. 50.Enrich your chapped lips with Lakme En-

rich lipsticks. Priced at Rs. 115 each, thesecome in various shades and promise that extra care

your lips need in this cold season. Also new, the Lakmetwist-up eye pencil for Rs. 125 and the Lakme TreasurersSparkle Dust, a roll on powder that will add that extra shine toyour skin for Rs. 105.Check these out at Yeti Cosmetics, MG Marg.

Ladies who have time and money to spend can also visit theSale going on above Liberty Shoes Showroom, New Market.

Fancy blankets, quilts, cushions, pillow covers, bed sheet andmany other items are available to give that extra warmth and colorto your home. The sale, which started on December 30, will con-tinue till February. Discounts offered are between 20% to 30%.The sale is heavy on blankets of all kinds with brands like Eski-mos, Signature, Platinum and Korean blankets fighting for shelfspace. Jaipuri washable quilts and thermal blankets also soldat quite reasonable prices. No reason you can’t stay warm now. Small baby blankets and soft toys are also available for the littleone. You can also check out the new arrivals, laundry bags andtraveling chairs. Perfect to plonk them in the middle of the roadand park yourself after that big shopping trip. We think of every-thing to make life that much easier for you. Till next week then.Enjoy!

Struggling to graduate fromNew York University andafford her microscopic stu-

dio apartment, Nanny takes a po-sition caring for the only son ofthe wealthy X family. She rapidlylearns the insane amount of jug-gling involved to ensure that aPark Avenue wife who doesn’twork, cook, clean, or raise herown child has a smooth day.

In between looking after fouryear old grayer and run-ning a thousand errandsfor Mrs. X, his rich uptightmother, Nan is trying tohave a life. There’s col-lege, shopping, herfriends, her cat George.And the gorgeousHarward boy from the sixth floor.

But the X family’s dramaskeep intruding – visits from Mr.X’s predatory mistress, cata-strophic family outings and as afinal straw, the case of the mar-riage-destroying panties.

When the Xs marriage beginsto disintegrate, Nanny ends upinvolved way beyond the boundsof human decency or good taste.Her tenure with the X family be-comes a nearly impossible mis-

sion to maintain the mental healthof their four-year-old, her own in-tegrity and, most importantly, hersense of humor. Over nine tensemonths Mrs. X and Nanny per-form the age-old dance ofdecorum and power asthey test the limits ofmodern-day servitude.

The wicked fascina-tion of this novel lies in allthe wacky tidbits about lifein the social stratosphere.

The details, dev-astating as theyare, ring true, mak-ing the book impos-sible to put down. Anabsolutely addictivepeak into the utterlyweird world of child

rearing in the upper social strata,the book is required reading forparents and the women who theyhire to do their parenting.

The book has become abestseller with the film rights al-ready sold. Julio Roberts lent hervoice to the audio book version.

In Gangtok, the book isavailable at Rachna Books,

Development Area.

“The Nanny Diaries”by Emma McLaughlin

&Nicola KrausTwo real-life nannies

paint a wickedly funny

portrait of their pampered

charges — and the kids’

even more spoiled and

demanding parents

CHILD-REARINGCAN BE WICKEDLY

FASCINATING

GANGTOK: The BreastfeedingPromotion Network of India[BPNI] has chosen Sikkim for theBest State Award for creatingawareness on the importance ofbreastfeeding for infants. Sikkimpromoted the concept aggres-

sively during the 12thBreastfeeding Week that was ob-served from August 1-6, last year.

With a theme of“Breastfeeding in GlobalizedWorld for Peace and Justice,” theprogramme was organized in allfour district of the state.

Radio talk shows, quiz com-

petitions and other programmewere held for women promotingthe concept of breastfeeding be-ing best for baby. Officials at theSocial Welfare Department areobviously happy with their suc-cess on the programme and saythat it’s an honor to get recogni-tion from a national level organi-zation like BPNL.

a NOW REPORT

Sikkim’s promotion of breastfeedingjudged best in country

14-20 Jan, 2003; NOW! 19

C M Y K 19

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Dear Mom and Dad,Happy Anniversary! Wishingyou two many more years ofundying love andtogetherness.Much Love, Nannu & Chhotu

Hey D and R,Looking forward of seeingthe two of you soon. Dowhatever, but please, pleasedon’t take the bus!Hugs, Sweets

PrettyinPink,Thinking of going bald prettysoon. Now, dare copy that!!!Love you as muchanyways!!!BlackMagicWoman

Dear IVY,Many Many Happy Returnsof the Day! (25th January).Hope our friendship remainsforever.Love,Diki, Tashi, Yeshi & Seden

Dahling Honeybuns,Lets make beautiful musictogether. Now that I knowfrom where you get theinspiration from! Toffee

last week’s winning message:Dear Shikha [Sichey] here’s wishin uand u’r family a happy New Year andmay prosperous and joyful times lieahead. Goodspeed in everything udo. An ardent admirer. Lazy Snake

Closing Date: 1st February, 2004Date of Screening Test: 8th February 2004

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extras

SIMULTANEOUS RELEASE 11AM, 2:15PM, 5:30PM

Starring:Amitabh Bachchan, Akshay Kumar,Ajay Devgan, Tusshar Kapoor &Aishwarya Rai

Niruta Singh, of Darjeeling,has been recognized asthe best actress in the

Nepalese film industry.She was honored at the larg-

est Nepali film awards ceremonyever, organized by Dabur Nepaland TV channel Nepal One lastSaturday in Kathmandu.

At a five-hour extravaganza,the Dabur Anmol awards weregiven away for the first time tohonor excellence and achieve-ments in the 52-year-oldNepalese film industry.

The programme, attended byNalini Singh who heads NepalOne, had a strong Indian presence.

“Lahana”, directed by TulsiGhimire who hails fromKalimpong was nominated formost of the 26 categories, rang-ing from best costume to best filmand best actor. However, thoughGhimire bagged the award forbest editing, and “Lahana’s” leadpair was selected for the best ac-tress and actor awards, the bestfilm and best director tributeseluded him.

Readers will recall the grandpremier of ‘Lahana’ in Gangtok inAugust 2002, which had NirutaSingh and Dilip Raimajhi, alongwith Director, Tulsi Ghimere in at-tendance.

The presence of local boysUttam Pradhan from Singtamalong with Karma Loday fromBaluwakhani and BikashChamling, son of the ChiefMinister drew huge crowdshere.

The film had also beenextensively shot in Sikkim.In effect, the Nepali filmawards had more connec-tions to Sikkim than just theorganiser, Channel One,Nalini Singh’s more suc-cessful venture since thebotched TV-Live experi-mented in Sikkim.

At the awards,Nepalese actor Dilip

Raimajhi, the Shah Rukh Khanof Nepal, pipped Rajesh Hamal,the Amitabh Bachchan of Nepal,for the best actor award, andmusic director Sachin Singhpicked up the trophy for bestbackground score.

Niruta had the joy of beingchosen the best actress afterhaving lost the place earlier. Lastyear, she had lost to popular starJal Shah, who won the Lux FilmAwards. Despite the roaring suc-cess of Darpan Chaaya andLahana, Niruta has had a ratherrough run as far as acceptancein Kollywood [as the Nepali filmindustry is referred to]. The indus-try, for example, has awarded onUgen Chophel of Sikkim for con-tribution towards the Nepali filmindustry. Tulsi Ghimire has beenroutinely ignored for any majoraward thus far.

Niruta Singh, who scaled newheights of success with her ear-lier film “Darpan Chaaya” hadsaid in an interview to NOW! thatshe was overwhelmed by the re-sponse from the people of Sikkim

to her performance in both‘Darpan Chaaya’ and ‘Lahana’.

Ghimire’s film also enabledBollywood-based singer UditNarayan to win the award for bestmale playback singer. In thesinger’s absence, the trophy wascollected by his wife.

Besides Ghimire’s film, direc-tor Bijaya Chalise’s Sholay-likethriller “Muktidata” was the othermajor contender, sweeping manyof the other awards.

“Muktidata” had hit the head-lines last year when it was shot inthe Tibetan area of Mustang, set-ting a record for being shot in oneof the highest altitude locations.

Besides bringing the whiff ofa unique way of life and culture,“Muktidata” was also unusualbecause of the confession by itsproducer Rajendra Thakuri, whoalso owns a tourist agency, thatthe film was made to boost visi-tors to Mustang.

Dabur Nepal established itselfin the cultural calendar of Nepalby becoming the sponsor of theMiss Nepal pageant.

Niruta “Darpan Chaaya” Singhbags best actress award

DARJ GIRL BREAKS KOLLYWOOD ICE

AETBAAR

Khakee

Simultaneous Release

starringAmitabh Bachchan, Dimple Kapadia

Bipasha Basu & John Abraham

14-20 Jan, 2003; NOW! 21

C M Y K 21

19-25 November, 2003� DESPATCHES

The most perfect thing aboutKalimpong is its weather. This isnot what you can say for Darjeeling

where it becomes a kind of a necessity toinvent poetic excuses for the inconsistencyof the weather gods. In Kalimpong there isperfection about the way the blue skiesspread their benevolent tents above us inthe winters. The dryness is almost benign.The grasses have to dry; the skin has to giveaway to the winter cracking that can onlybe cured by the perfumed antiseptic-nessof Boroline. Boroline – that white petro-leum jelly so redolent of the winter memo-ries that it makes one almost pine for thosenights of deep sleep under the warm secu-rity of freshly fluffed cotton and the smellof the good liniment whose aromasymbolises an entire season.

The good thing about the Kalimpongwinter is its lack of pretension. There areno snowfalls. Thus no shifting of the snowto make second hand snowmen that fit intoour Enid Blyton ideals. Also no Archiecomic hangover in trying to roll over thehillside in improvised skies. That is forother places where things have to beworked out so that they can sell or fit intosome postcard prescription.

Kalimpong’s is a season of its own. Thewinter comes and goes. No one wants tosell it. For the Lepchas it’s a harbinger ofthe New Year, which they never fail to cel-ebrate the old way. For the secular rest,winter is the time to go for picnics. This isa ritual that is as pleasantly persistent asBoroline. There is, as the good book says – a time for everything. A time to go to Deoloand look down upon the town and a time

OUR WINTER OF CONTENT

by PRAVEEN MOKTAN

Kpgstate

a

of mind

to rest it out at Relli andlook up at Kalimpong.The picnic like themomo is a Kalimpongmetaphor. It comes af-ter the hard work andthe usual heartbreak ofthe harvest. [By theway, Kalimpong stillhas its terraced fields ofpaddy and the bi-weekly haat whereamidst the noisy, smelly confusion of com-merce, people still find fulfillment in dis-playing or touching, feeling and experienc-

ing the colour and texture of diverseheaps - be it that of the pumpkin orthe avocado. After all, it does not

make sense to sellpumpkins if you are notproud of their benevo-lent rotundity.]

Picnics inKalimpong hark atmany good things un-der the umbrella of oneenterprise. Families re-

bond, the driver union finds an opportu-nity to reunite its flock and engage in onelast annual activity that will cap their year-

long profligacy. It’s a hiatus, a reason toescape, to displace oneself geographicallyand temporally to a different realm by theriverside in the sand or some other localewhere the anonymity of the exercise willallow one to express oneself in many ges-tures.

For the students the winter is a vacuumthat can be filled by any kind of growth.So while an entire generation once wastedits winter with catapults chasing after elu-sive bulbuls the present lot much morestreet-smart and cocky would rather hauntthe NIIT or the APTECH.

Winter in Kalimpong is that twilightseason where, allegorically speaking, oneis caught between the coldness of colonialDarjeeling and the pretentious heat of ahasty, all-selling Siliguri. Kalimpong iswarm. It’s not just the warmth of tempera-ture. It’s that human warmth of closenessthat comes in doing things together – of sit-ting beside the fires and swapping tales, ofgoing for tuitions, of just playing out in thestreets to test out the truth of that old ad-age that the “cold of the young are nibbledway by the goats”.

It’s also the bright botanical warmth ofthe bougainvillea blossoms and the poinset-tia petals that sometimes send their hybridfingers a little hesitantly into the same balmyblueness that their wild cousins have beenpiercing with instinctive impunity for aeons.

Bhutan’s Royal MonetaryAuthority [RMA] has is-sued a notification cau-

tioning Bhutanese public againsta get-rich-quick money makingscheme, Gold Coin Pyramid, get-ting popular in Thimphu andPhuentsholing. This schemecould jeopardize personal savingsand drain out foreign currencyfrom the country, the RMA haswarned reports Bhutan’s onlyEnglish weekly, Kuensel. Appar-ently it is still unclear whobrought the scheme [or scam asRMA would have its people be-lieve] toBhutan, but the weeklyreports that “a lady from Sikkim”is marketing it in the Land ofThunder.

The pyramid scheme, it islearnt, uses commemorative coinsfrom Gold Quest International [aninternational company retailinggold coins based in Hong Kong].The scheme promises a 13 -gramBhutanese gold coin for becominga member and subsequent returnsin hard currency. The first inves-tor pays Nu [Bhutanese currencyNgultrum is exchanged at par withthe Indian Rupee] 30,000 and getsa gold coin. He or she has to per-suade another two people to be-

Bhutan’s Royal Monetary Authority issues warning againstlady from Sikkim and her get-rich-quick scam

come members who also pay Nu30,000 each and get a gold coin inreturn. In the meantime, the intro-ducer is promised a commission ofUS$ 40, which will keep on grow-ing in relation to the number ofmembers in the pyramid.

According to the RMA, thescheme is illegal under theBhutanese law which barsBhutanese nationals from engag-ing in any financial services“without a license to operate inaccordance with the requirementsof the Act”.

The legality apart, the very factthat the pyramid cannot be sus-

tained for long and that only thoseat the top of the pyramid can ex-pect to make any money out of thescheme does not seem to havediscouraged too many Bhutanesefrom giving it a shot.

The scheme reportedlysprouted from Chennai and has du-plicated the RMA seal of authen-tication to make it look like a le-galized financial business. A verysubtle misleading since RMA of-ficials have clarified that the sealwas to certify the authentication ofgold given to the Gold Quest com-pany in Hong Kong, the authorizedcoin minter of RMA.

Many countries have bannedthe Gold Quest pyramid scheme.In Chennai, where the company’sIndia headquarters is based, thereare reports of complaints allegingpayments ranging from Rs.16,000 to Rs. 43,000 without anygold coin or cash in return. Thepyramid may have run itself outin India, but was just warming upin Bhutan when the RMA damp-ener came about. It will, however,be interesting to know who the“lady from Sikkim” is andwhether she was actually playingout a scam in Bhutan or was her-self conned into it.

Even as India and China debate the hows and whensof trade over Nathula, a

large number of Indian brands ofrice and other consumer goods,which should legally not be there,find pride of place on displaycounters all over Lhasa and othercities of Tibet. These goods arenot imported from India but

NATHULA CAN WAIT. INDIAN GOODS SMUGGLEINTO LHASA THROUGH NEPAL

smuggled into China from Nepal,it is learnt.

Interestingly, such activitiesare going on right under the noseof officials at the Nepal-ChinaTatopani customs checkpost, de-spite the fact that the country’strade treaty and treaty on controlof unauthorized trade with Indiabars Nepal from re-exporting fin-

ished Chinese goods to India andIndian goods to China. As a visitto a local shop even in Gangtokor shops in Lhasa will prove, noone takes these treaties seriously.

A news report in a Kathmanduweekly quotes Nepal’s ConsularGeneral at Lhasa, Lila ManiPaudel, as conceding that such ac-tivities, which go against the trade

treaty, are going on at rampant rate.Quoting information culled

from the Lhasa commerce mission,the Kathmandu weekly, claims thatbrands of Indian rice includingLalkila, Nature’s Gift Regular,Aarati and Long Grain PremiumWhite Rice, among others arewidely seen in the Chinese market.

Interestingly, the Nepali trad-ers in Lhasa deny having anyknowledge of how the Indian rice

turn to pg 22

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22; NOW! ; 14-20 Jan, 2004

C M Y K22

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violent fit that his Limbu bloodmade him genetically capable of.Amala understanding everythingabout what was going on insideNabin Limbu quietly strode intoher kitchen and opened the lid ofone of the giant vessels in whichshe kept her stock of chaang. Sheunfolded the blue polythene thatwas responsible for keeping thestuff airtight and with a pair ofpincers took out a wriggling pairof maggots that had gorged them-selves on that over-fermented

mixture of millet and wheat andwere now tumescent and heavywith the richness of white mag-goty protein. She put them insidea glass full of water and watchedthem sink in a short white cloudyburst of disintegrating worminess.Tshering Nima then stirred the or-ganisms so that they were com-pletely subsumed into that swirl-ing syrup of turbid potency.

Nabin Limbu was swimmingin a confused blurred fluid ofemotions that he could barelycomprehend, when amala servedhim that wormy concoction with

enters Lhasa via Nepal. The In-dian traders, however, openly ad-mit that they smuggle thesethrough Tatopani.

“On one hand, such smugglingis eroding away the market ofgenuine Nepali exports, ascheaper smuggled goods are dis-placing expensive Nepali goods,on the other, this has increasedfear of developing Nepal as a tran-sit for unauthorized trade betweenIndia and Tibet,” said Paudel, theweekly reports. Nepali brandedrice, for example, is priced at Rs.115 per kg while similar qualityIndian rice prices at Rs. 80 per kg.

Many in Nepal believe that theexistence of this smuggling route

Contd from pg 21is the reason why a large quantityof rice enters Nepal, both throughofficial and unofficial gateways,even during the season when lo-cal supply is good and the gov-ernment imports millions oftonnes equivalent of rice to bridgethe national deficit.

However, the cross-bordersmuggling is not limited to ricealone. Raw leather, various brandsof powdered spices of BabaMasala Company, shampoos,soaps, toothpaste and fairnesscreams of Hindustan Lever,Nestle and other reputed brandsof Indian companies too aresmuggled through Tatopani forsales in Lhasa, the report alleges.

Although the traders on eitherside are not complaining, the

Nepal government appears tohave taken strong note of the prac-tice. Nepal’s Consul General hasreportedly contacted concernedNepal government offices likeMinistry of Industry, Commerceand Supplies [MoICS] and De-partment of Customs in this re-gard. It may be noted that citing“trans-shipment” of Chinese gar-lic via Nepali territory, India hadimposed a ban on import of allNepali garlic to India. China, too,fears Nepal can raise similar prob-lems if the issue is not dealt withimmediately. This could costheavy to Nepal considering thefact that it already suffers a tradedeficit of Rs 9 billion with thenorthern neighbour including Rs.3 billion with Tibet alone.

Kutse SheguThe Kutse Shegu (49thDay) of Late D. B. Lama Theeng (88)falls on 23rd January 2004 (Friday). All friends, well wishers andrelatives are requested to join us for the prayer ceremony atour residence at Upper Sichey below Holiday Hill, Gangtok onthe above date.We also take this opportunity to thank all those who stood by usduring the time of bereavement & regret our inability to thankthem individually.

Mingma Lhamu (wife)

Suren Lama, ST Lama (sons)

Laxmi, Jayanti, Indu, Meera, Kanta, Usha, Asha , Anupama (daughters)

HP Chettri, BK Rasaily, Col. K. S. Salaria, SD Tsering, Khandu Thungon,

Tsering Thendup Bhutia, Sonam Dawa Lepcha (sons-in-law)

Lamin, Purnima and Sarala (daughters-in-law)

Kutse SheguThe 49th Day Kutse Shegu of our beloved mother Late B. Bhutiawho left for her heavenly abode on 10th December 2003 fallson Tuesday the 27th January 2004. All well wishers, friendsand family are cordially requested to join us in offering prayersfor the departed soul at our residence at Middle Tadong (nearMaskay Petrol Pump). We would also like to take this opportunityto thank all those who stood by us during the time of ourbereavement.

Karma Tsering Bhutia (son)

Ninjey Bhutia (daughter)

Phones: 231532 / 231629

ANTHYESTI KRIYAThe Anthyesti Kriya of late Dipshika Pariyar (aged 3 years, D/OMr. Sujit Pariyar) and late Sristhika Pariyar (aged 5 years, D/OMr. Subash Pariyar) of Rhenock Bazar, East Sikkim, who werebrutally murdered on January 11, 2004 at Rhenock falls onJanuary 22, 2004 (Thursday).All relatives, friends and well-wishers are requested to join usat our residence, above Haat Bazar, Rhenock on January 22,2004 to offer prayers to the departed souls.

Mr. Subash Pariyar

Mr. Sujit Pariyar and all members of the bereaved family.

Rhenock Bazar, East Sikkim

Dipshika Shristhika

such a sweet, innocent beatificsmile on her face that the lastthing that he remembered as heslumped on the table was a fuzzyimage of her countenance per-fectly at peace with itself.

Nabin Limbu, DTP profes-sional, who dreamt of a govern-ment job, quietly disengaged him-self from consciousness and en-joyed at the courtesy of anempathising Amala a few hoursof a wormy nirvana that was tosay the least very organic andspiritual.

Contd from pg 17

AMALA AND THE WORM

Nathula can wait. Indian goods smuggleinto Lhasa through Nepal

T’NITES ALUMNI ASSOCIATION(An Association of Ex-Students of TNSS School)

PICNIC-CUM-ELECTION

All the members of the T’nites Alumni Associationare cordially invited to a picnic party at SaramsaGardens, Ranipool at 9 am on Sunday the 1st

February 2004 where election of the ExecutiveCommittee for the session 2004-2006 will also beconducted as per Clause 9 of the Memorandum andArticles of the Association.

MENLA ETHENPA

GENERAL SECRETARY

Sikkim roads get their first Vitara

Maruti Suzuki’s New Grand Vitara XL 7, the most powerful SUV onIndian roads, gets dolled up for its handover to a local customer atEntel Motors. a NOW! pic

a NOW REPORT

GANGTOK: The highest sellingSports Utility Vehicle, or SUV asthey are known in short, in the US[and the Americans know theircars], the New Grand Vitara XL7, made its Sikkim debut on 16January, last Friday, when EntelMotors, the Maruti Suzuki deal-ers in the State, handed over asparkling “Grove Green Pearlmetallic” beauty, all waddled inkhadas and festive baloons to abeaming local customer.

Priced at just under Rs. 18lakhs, the new Vitara was launchedin India in November last year andEntel now holds the privilege ofselling the second such vehicle inthe Eastern region. Powered by a166 bhp engine, Vitara is also themost powerful SUV on Indian

roads. Little wonder then that it isalso the flagship vehicle of MarutiSuzuki. It is also the only vehicle

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ROBBED

While the public enjoyed theMaghe Mela at Saramsa,

the manager of the Anand Melawas not too happy at the end ofthe day. In a written FIR to thelocal police, the manager, SKKhawas, claimed that one KungaBhutia of Ranipool Bazaar, hadstolen Rs. 7,000 from Meena Ba-zaar, Saramsa and fled away. Af-ter the FIR was filed, the policetook immediate action and ar-rested Kunga Bhutia. However,only half of the stolen amountwas recovered from him. Fur-ther investigation is going onto recover the rest.

HIT & RUN

Ramesh Sharma of Tibet Roadand two of his friends were

hit by a speeding car at GoshkhanDara, Tatangchen. A speedingMaruti car hit the trio causing in-juries to all three. While Mr.Sharma suffered a broken leg, theothers got away with minor inju-ries. The victims were sent toSTNM Hospital, Gangtok, formedical examination after theyfiled a FIR with the police. Thepolice subsequently arrested thedriver of the vehicle who was thenreleased on bail.

SHOT DEAD?

On 18 January the body ofJCO OPS Yadav of 617

EME was brought to STNM Hos-pital, Gangtok with gun shotwounds on the head. Accordingto official records the Army Duty

Medical Officer, recorded thatYadav received the wound whileon duty.

After investigation of thebody by military doctors, in thepresence of witnesses, the bodywas taken to STNM for the postmortem. During the course of theinvestigation police officers vis-ited the spot but could not inspectit as it was sealed by the army au-thorities. The police will nowcarry on the investigationwith assis-

t a n c efrom the army.

ASSAULTED

Returning home from theMaghe Mela at Jorethang on

January 15, Bishal Subba andfriend Tenzing Bhutia were alleg-edly assaulted by Bimal Subbaand others of Majhi Gaon,Jorethang. Both sustained inju-ries. No arrest has been made sofar and the case is still under in-vestigation.

Local Police of Jorah re-ceived a complaint from BishnuRai of Jorah stating that on 18January at 8:30 am, her husbandwas badly beaten up by NirmalPradhan and Binod Pradhan ofJorah with blows and stonescausing severe head injuries. Thevictim was referred to STNMHospital, Gangtok for medicalexamination and the case is stillunder investigation.

ANOTHER CRIMESOLVED WITHOUT ACOMPLAINT FILED

The Tadong Outpost seems tohave fine-tuned the knack to

solve crimes even before they arereported.

While the arrest of two per-sons for the double-murder of amother and daughter at PS Roada month back was a high-profile

case, last week, the beat-dutycops did a repeat. This time,recovering a cache of stolengoods even before anyonehad noticed the theft. Apparently, cops on patrol-

ling duty last week found a stacklying on the road. On closer in-spection, they realised that thestack included a colour TV, a gasstove and cylinder, a VCD player,a music system and other house-hold items. Obviously, the bur-glars had run away when they sawthe cops approaching and left theloot behind. The burglars were notcaught.

The theft was noticed only thenext day, since the tenants of theburgled flat were away on holi-day and it was only afterneighbours pointed out that thedoor was ajar that the landlordnoticed the break-in. When he ap-proached the Tadong OP to file acomplaint, he was pleasantly sur-prised to find all the itemsburgled, safely in their posses-sion. No wonder Tadong residentsfeel among the safest in Sikkim.

�

crime watch

24; NOW! ; 14-20 Jan, 2004

C M Y K

Published by Lt. Col. (retd) P. Dorjee and printed at Darpan Publications Pvt. Ltd, Siliguri. Editor: Pema Wangchuk. Executive Editor: Mita ZulcaNow! Near Ayurvedic Clinic, Gairi Gaon, Tadong. East Sikkim. ph: 03592 270949 email: sikkimnow@rediffmail.com

24

KAMAKHYA SIDHA ASTROLOGY TANTRAYOGI’S NEWSSince last six years Shastriji using Astrology Science in givingSuccess too many human beings by making impossible intopossible.Our worshipper Guru Acharaya Professor Dr. ShivshankarShastriji (State Astrology) through Astrology Study and Divinecapacity of Meditation has spread a light in India for welfareof different problems of Mankind Since last five years.Swamiji, taking the responsibility of “Vishwa sewashramSangh” & “Astrological Research Project”, “Viswa JyotishVidyapith” in Siliguri under the Human Research DevelopmentMinistry Govt. of India has succeses to create a new belieftowards the Astrology study to the people of North Bengal,Sikkim, Bhutan, Assam and Nepal. Shastriji divine “Power”Astrology and through Meditation of Tantra many ChildlessCouples have achieved the happiness of child. Problems failure

by Doctor giving birth of child ever after the presence of balanced Simons between husband& wife, sexual & physical weakness, obstacles in marriage, unsuccess in love affairs,unhappiness in marriage life, family troubles, attract towards other women being wife,troubles in child education bring child towards right path, too much alcoholic, Suddenunsuccessful in business and got no Success even after every attempt, Sudden stopped ofMoney, Victory over enemy, physical security from uncertain enemy to get success injudicial affairs, got no promotion in service. Right prediction about kids, Relief fromunwanted planets, Horoscope study as making Horoscope from computer etc could besolved at right time. You all along with your family members come to Swamaji and get theproblem could solved. Swamaji has honoured from our country and from outside world forhis service towards the Astrology & Tantra has been honored by “Jems Silver” in 2001from “American Institute of astrological Science” (New York, U.S.A.) InternationalFederation of Astrology & Spiritual Science (Govt. of Sri Lanka) had honored Swamiji byGold Medal in 2001. For his unprecedent Astrology Power Swamiji has been honoured by“Bharat-Bandhu” in Kolkata by the Governor of Utter Pradesh Bishnukant Shastriji in22nd January 2000. While vice-chancellor of Rajasthan University and Pondichery honoredGold medal. Has been honored by “Bharat Mata Samman” & “Life Achievement Award.”

SINCE OBLIGED BY

K. N. LAMA, Supdt. of Custom, Siliguri, Ph. 2661602 (R), 98320-61432DR. R. K. AWASTHI, Senior Scientist, Sikkim, Ph. 03595-23130 (O)D. B. SINCHURI, Manager, Youth Cebtre, Ministry of Education, Thimpu, Bhutan, Ph.324506 (O)SAILAZA CHHETRI, Senior Air Hostess, Kathmandu, Nepal, Ph. 4780873HIRAMANI SEWA, Salbari, P.O. Sukna, Ph. 0353- 2512523 (O)

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GANGTOK: The Vth ChiefMinisters Gold Cup ArcheryTournament got off to a flyingstart on Sunday, January 18 withlast years winners Pagang Gumpaknocked out of the tournament bySikkim Police. The three-set gamesaw Pagang Gumpa winning thefirst set, while Sikkim Police wonthe second and the third set.

Organized by the Sikkim Ar-chery Association (SAA), thetournament will have 20 teamsfrom Sikkim, Bhutan, Darjeelingand Kalimpong battle it out for thetournament trophy.

The tournament follows theknock-out system with each teamplaying seven players in a threeset game.

The opening ceremony hadRajya Sabha MP PT Gyamsto asthe Chief Guest, who also de-clared the tournament open. Alsopresent were PK Pradhan, Presi-dent, Sikkim Olympic Associa-tion, V.B. Pathak, Secretary, Infor-mation and Public Relations andmany other officials from Sports& Youth Affairs Departmentalong with a big gathering of lo-cal people.

Speaking to NOW! officials ofSAA said that the tournament willoffer the local teams a good op-portunity to hone their talent.Sikkim is home to many archersof repute, including Tarun DeepRai, Chungta Sherpa and Ram

Bahadur Tamang.The state government has also

been encouraging the sport byoffering financial incentives forgood performance.

The winning team of this year’stournament will walk away with a

gold cup made of 8 kilos of goldand 9 kilos of silver, costing Rs.2.6 lakhs along with a cash prizeof Rs. 25,000 along with certifi-cates. The cash prize for secondand third position are Rs. 15,000and Rs. 10,000 respectively.

CM’S GOLDCUP ARCHERYTOURNAMENT

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