24 March, 2004; NOW! 1

C M Y K

Air-ConditionedGrocery Shop

Spectrum Color Lab Building, Near Amar/Chaman Garage, Sevoke Road, Siliguri

ph: 2640799, 2640599

for Provisional Goods, Dry

Fruits & All Hotel

Requirements (for kitchen)WHOLE-SALESRETAIL-SALES

at the most reasonable prices

RajdeepRajdeep

Wednesday, 24 March, 2004 Vol. 2 No. 49 Gangtok � Rs. 3

NATIONAL COUNCIL FOR HOTEL MANAGEMENTAND CATERING TECHNOLOGY, PUSA COMPLEX, NEW DELHI -110012

[UNDER MINISTRY OF TOURISM AND CULTURE, DEPTT. OF TOURISM, GOVT. OF INDIA]AND

INDIRA GANDHI NATIONAL OPEN UNIVERSITYANNOUNCES JEE - 2004

FOR ADMISSION TO THE FIRST YEAR OF 3-YEAR BACHELOR OF SCIENCE (B.SC.)PROGRAMME IN HOSPITALITY AND HOTEL ADMINISTRATION

Last date for sale of Information Brochure and Application Form foradmission to the above course has been extended upto April 6, 2004

IMPORTANT DATES

Sale of Prospectus at Institute of Hotel Up to 5th April 2004Management, Near Ayurvedic Hospital,Tadong, Gangtok, Sikkim 737102Last Date for receipt of completed 7th April 2004Application FormDate of JEE Written Test 18th April 2004 [2:30-5:30pm]Centralized Counselling for allotment of Inst. 7th June to 16th June 2004Commencement of academic session 19th July 2004

for details access www.nchmct.org or contact Institute of HotelManagement, Tadong, Gangtok, Sikkim. Ph: 270735, 270557

HONG KONGHONG KONGBAZAAR

Any Item Rs. 90 & Rs. 150

Gift Items, Crockery & Other

Attractive Goods!

HOTEL BAYUL, MG MARG, GANGTOK

FIRST

TIME IN

SIKKIM

introducing

StateBank

VishwaYatra

VishwaYatraForeign

Travel Card

No more foreign cash orTravellers Cheques. Justcarry this magic card toaccess ATMs and shopanywhere in the world

Contact SBI, Gangtok. ph: 202224

a NOW REPORT

GANGTOK, 23 March: A ques-tion mark looms over the national-ity of Shamar Rinpoche, one of thefour regents of Rumtek Monastery,with differing claims surfacingfrom different camps. The confu-sion came to light today at the HighCourt when the Union Govern-ment, one of the respondents in thecase, submitted a communiquéfrom the Bhutan Governmentwhich reveals that Shamarpa is nota Bhutanese national.

Today’s hearing was in connec-tion to Shamarpa’s petition beforethe High Court that since he was aBhutanese national, he cannot bedenied entry into Sikkim in light ofthe Indo-Bhutan treaty which al-lows for free travel of its citizensin the two countries. The Shamarpa,in his petition, said that he neededto be allowed to enter Sikkim sothat he could depose in the ongo-

ing case in the lower court over theKarmapa Charitable Trust and alsovisit a house he owns in Rumtek.The Union and State governmenthave been made respondents in thecase filed last year.

While the Rinpoche’s argumentto be allowed into Sikkim rests on

KATHMANDU, 23 March: Sec-retary General of the United Na-tions Kofi Annan has expressedserious concerns over the increasedfighting between the state and theMaoist rebels in Nepal.

A press statement issued onMonday by the Spokesman forSecretary-General said Annanwas disturbed by the recent es-calation of fighting in Nepal,where the continued instabilityand conflict is having an increas-ingly devastating impact on thelives of ordinary people.

“Civilian casualities and se-rious human rights violations area routine occurrence, and thecountry’s economic and socialdevelopment is being seriouslyhampered,” the statement said.

Annan through the state-ment has also appealed to theGovernment of Nepal and theCommunist Party of Nepal[Maoist] to take immediate stepsto end the fighting and resumethe peace process with partici-pation of all political and civilforces in the country. He alsoadded that he would continue tobe available to assist in thesearch for a solution in any man-ner the parties consider useful.

Courtesy: Kantipur Online

SHAMAR RINPOCHE’S NATIONALITY IN QUESTIONRINPOCHE CLAIMS HE IS A BHUTANESE,

BHUTAN SAYS HE IS NOThis claims to Bhutanese nationality,it is this very claim which has nowcome under the scanner. The docu-ment submitted by the Union Gov-ernment is reportedly the Bhutangovernment’s response to its querieson Shamarpa’s nationality. The let-ter from Bhutan Government revealsthat the Shamarpa had been issueda diplomatic passport “as is done forreligious leaders and other gurus” tohelp with his travel plans and notbecause he is a Bhutanese national.Interestingly, Shamar Rinpoche’sBhutanese passport, records, “Aresident of Bhutan,” under the na-tionality column.

It might also be mentioned herethat an earlier application by theShamarpa to be allowed to enter

Sikkim was turned down by the con-cerned authorities on the ground thathe could not prove his nationality.

The question mark over theRinpoche’s nationality gets evenmore accentuated given the fact thateven the Registration Certificateissued by the Government of Indiato Shamar Rinpoche when he cameto India from Tibet in 1961 expiredin 1994. Reports suggest that al-though the Shamarpa was late inrenewing his RC, he did submit anapplication for renewal only towithdraw it later on the groundsthat he did not need it anymoresince he had been accordedBhutanese citizenship, a claim nowbeing denied by the Bhutanese gov-ernment.

Annan appeals toNepal Govt,Maoists to

resume peaceprocess

SARIKAH ATREYA

GANGTOK, 23 March: Theborn-again Sikkim SangramPradesh [SSP] will now stake claimto all properties that belong to theparty, the first on the list being theSangram Bhawan at the Develop-ment Area here, now known as theCongress Bhawan.

The SSP Working President,Rajendra Upreti declared here to-day that the party would soon is-sue a legal notice to the former

SSP president and present Con-gress chief, Nar Bahadur Bhandariin this regard.

“Now that the Election Com-mission of India has declared thatthe SSP shall continue in the State,we are ready to fight for whatrightfully belongs to the party,”Mr. Upreti told a press conferencehere today.

In a bid to strengthen its caseover its claims on the 10,381 sq. ft.RCC structure located in a primelocation, the SSP also produced a

Deed of Trust of the Bhawan,signed on 5 May, 1988, by Mr.Bhandari, who is also the sole trus-tee of the Bhawan.

As per the Deed, a Trust by thename of Sangram Bhawan Trusthas been formed to oversee themanagement and running of theBhawan. The Deed stipulates thatin event of the SSP being dissolved,the sole trustee would have thepower to dispose of the propertyaccordingly.

Sangramis to claim Congress Bhawan

turn to pg6RENOVATION BIDFOR KPG

SUBDIVISIONALHOSPITAL

DETAILS ON pg 5

HOTELIERATTACKED

OVER TENDERCONFUSION

DETAILS ON pg 3

SSP working president RajendraUpreti at the press conference

2; NOW!; 24 March, 2004

C M Y K

NOW!FIRST WITH THE NEWS

ED-SPACE

Artist, filmmaker, keen photographer, columnist with international magazines...It’s hard to pin Twan Yang down. Born to a Chinese father and Tibetan mother,he grew up in Kalimpong and worked in Sikkim. NOW! serializes Twan Yang’s

autobiography, Houseboy in India...

Today, 24 March is World TB Day.NOW! culls out a detailed report on

the disease from past issues…

Tuberculosis, the scourge of the last century, is backwith a vengeance. Some 50 years ago it was said thatTB was under control. Now experts are warning that

the disease is on the rise on a global scale. The disease isresurfacing again, this time, in some incurable forms. Thenew strains of TB, resistant to conventional treatment arekilling more than 10,000 people annually in India alone.In Sikkim, 150 or more persons are detected with TB everymonth.

The figures are staggering. One person in India is in-fected every minute by Mycobacterium tuberculosis, the bac-teria that cause TB. India bears 30 per cent of the global TBburden and 40 per cent of the total Indian population is in-fected. It kills more people than any infectious disease world-wide - an estimated three million people a year. This, in theface of the fact that only 10 per cent of those infected go onto develop an active form of the disease.

Tuberculosis spreads easily - transmitted by bacteriasprayed into the air by coughing or sneezing. Without treat-ment, a person with active TB can infect up to 15 people a

year. Although the conventional drug therapy is effective,treatment has to be rigorously followed for 6 to 10 monthsand drop-out rates are high. TB patients who stop taking theanti-TB drugs before they are fully cured continue to infectothers and also risk developing and spreading multi-drug

resistant strains of the bacteria.Today, the disease has crossed all barriers of class, caste

and creed. It is no longer confined to the poor and the under-privileged only. The breakdown in healthcare systems, in-creasing mobility of people, overcrowding and urbanizationhave all contributed to the problem.

In Sikkim, the TB scenario is frightening. 1700 to 1800cases are detected every year. The actual figures of TB in-fection in Sikkim could be much higher since those who can

afford it prefer to go to private medical practioners.The anti-TB campaign in Sikkim is managed by the State

TB Cell, which was set up in 1998, with the main aim ofcollecting data and analysis of TB cases in the State. Theirwork has helped Sikkim understand the extent of the prob-lem better. Against a national average of just over 40 TBcases per one lakh population, the figure for Sikkim standsat 87 cases. With a cure rate of less than one-third, the progress

in combating this disease and mortality from it hasbeen slow. Also, factors such as damp weather, darkdingy houses, poorly ventilated rooms and over-crowd-ing seem to be contributing to the spread of the dis-ease in the State.

Over the last few years, about 12,000 TB cases havebeen detected and treated in the State. Available records in-dicate that 10 per cent of the patients admitted and treated inthe Hospital died of TB in 1998. A disturbing feature is thesteady growth of MDR TB. This results from irregular medi-cation and discontinuation of treatment.

The central government, in 1993-94, launched the Re-vised National Tuberculosis Control Programme [RNTCP]with clauses in place to cover for the mistakes in the earlierprogramme. Under RNTCP, the WHO-recommended DOTSprogramme was launched to check the spread of the disease.

returnsthe

FROM THE NOW! FILES

scourge

- contd on pg7

A Moral Quotient On Private Lives

The cervical cancer detection camp held in Gangtok on 23March is a timely effort at effective intervention. This, however, is not about the disease or even the effectiveness of

such camps. What concerns us here are out-dated modes ofprudence still prevalent in administrative conduct. How such at-titudes debilitate well meaning endeavours we shall get to later,but first to the argument – who decides what is proper and whatis indecorous?

Many unmarried women were turned away from the cervical de-tection camp because the central rules governing the camps directedso. The obvious justification being that since only sexually activewomen are at risk of contracting the disease, and because Indianculture does not allow pre-marital sex, it would be unethical to putunmarried women under the scanner for cervical cancer detection!Which century are we living in? Unmarried women can get the testdone at private clinics, but as mentioned earlier, this is not aboutdenying them a free test – it is about putting a moral quotient on theirprivate lives. Because we live in a democracy, we would like to be-lieve that we are free to make the choices we want in our privatelives without having to suffer the humiliation of being denied equaltreatment. The society has always played the role of the moral watch-dog and while some might have their reservations about even thisintrusiveness, there are few who will disagree that no one is comfort-able with either the government or the bureaucracy playing the moralcop. The ongoing attempts at censoring the airwaves of “indecent”content, the recent revelation of who can and cannot avail a govern-ment-sponsored free health camp are overt invasions of personalspaces. The moral-amoral debate is a perennial one. It is also some-thing that is constantly refreshed. Conduct considered unbecomingeven a decade ago does not even raise an eyebrow anymore. This,however, does not mean that the society in general has becomeunprincipled. Just the priorities have changed. And that is how itshould be. The society should find its own balance of what is decentand what behaviour qualifies to be improper. Remember we are talk-ing private lives here. It is downright objectionable for the public rep-resentatives to start setting the limits. For one, their decisions arenot necessarily representative of the society and for another, whenthe government frames a rule, it stays, as is proven by the continu-ance of countless obsolete laws framed for a Subject class by thecolonisers. Laws governing social behaviour are always fluid anddecency falls in the society’s jurisdiction, leaders and the adminis-tration should remain away from it.

Putting a moral quotient on private behaviour also scuttles manyinitiatives. India has to wait only a couple of more years before theabsurdity of down-playing safe-sex in its AIDS awareness drive hitsit in the face. No one is asking the leaders, or even the society forthat matter, to endorse premarital sex, just accept the fact that itexists and frame policies keeping this in mind. Much as it is tempt-ing to impose our beliefs of prudence on others, fact remains thatin a free country, there can be no governance or discriminationbased on personal moral conduct.

-12-

When the week was overwe set out for Benaresbecause my master and

mistress wished to take some holywater from the Ganges river. At theBenares station we found the samethings and customs as in Calcutta.Our destination was a tall house ofthree stories, standing near a Sikhtemple. Next to the house was aHindu temple dedicated to Ram andLakshman. The room where mymaster was staying was on the topfloor, from which I could look overthe whole city all round us. I sawthe river bank with hundreds ofpeople bathing, men women andchildren all mixed together. Also Icould see monkeys jumping fromhouse to house, from tree to tree,and even through the windows.

During the first day I felt veryhot and tired from the journey. Inthe evening I was told to take a bathon the river bank, where a specialplace is made for this purpose. Mymaster gave me a full descriptionbut I did not go there as I was afraid.Near the temple there was a watertap. I asked one of the priestswhether I was allowed to take abath there. “Oh, yes,” he said, “youcertainly may do that and be happy,because it is very pleasant to take abath on such a hot day.” This muchI could understand, for I had alreadylearned a little Hindustani. My dif-ficulty was to reply: Yet I tried in abroken language. Then he askedagain, “Where is your country?”

“My country is Nepal,” I said,because my master had ordered meto reply in this way if anyone askedme who I was and where I camefrom, as a sign that I belonged tothe Hindu religion. And he had alsosaid that if anyone should ask mefor my religion or caste, then I hadto say that I was born a Kshattriya

so no one would think he was keep-ing a low caste servant: and besides,I would get respect for being aKshattriya. So when the priestasked me a second time, I told himI was a Kshattriya boy. He was gladto hear this and asked me with re-spectful words to come to his tem-ple whenever I had the time to wor-ship. I had to accept his invitationor he would have thought I be-longed to a lower caste and then I

would not have been able to talkwith or touch anyone. If they knewI was a Tibetan or a Chinese, theywould not be able to approach mebut would say, “Go away!”

So that evening at eight o’clock,when the temple drums were begin-ning to be beaten, I went for a shorttime to the temple. That same nightmy master told me to keep a choti,which means a hair lock on thecrown of my head: and so nextmorning he took me to a barberwho cut my hair except for this lock

which is the sign of Hindu religion.After a week in Benares, we

went to Lahore, to the house wherethe parents of my mistress lived.The house, which stood in a roadfacing an open space, was two-storied and on the ground floorwere three tailor shops. Inside, alarge staircase mounted to theapartment.

to be continued

From Being A Chinese To AKshattriya Nepali

Democracy does not only allow a person the liberty of holding an opinion, but also expressing it

publicly. If you feel strongly about something that has been reported in NOW! or have an opinion

on some recent development, then share it with a wider audience. While the LETTERS section will

carry responses to articles and news carried in NOW!, ACTION MAIL is about complaints and

grievances. Wherever possible, NOW! shall also search out a response to the Action Mail. If not,

then at least a complaint would have been filed in the public domain.

write to: NOW!, Gairi Gaon, Tadong, East Sikkim.

or email: sikkimnow@rediffmail.com

24 March, 2004; NOW! 3

C M Y K

� NEWSSCAN

a NOW REPORT

GANGTOK, 23 March: Cancerof the uterine is the number onecancer among Indian women.About 1,00,000 women developcervical cancer in a year and eventhough it is curable and its detec-tion relatively easy, most womendie due to this cancer because oflack of information, stigma andunavailability of adequate infra-structure at hospitals for detectionand follow-up treatments, espe-cially in the rural areas.

In an effort to prevent the oc-currence of cervical cancer and as-sure early detection among the fe-male population of the State, theDepartment of Health and FamilyWelfare, along with the Biochem-istry Unit of the Indian StatisticalInstitute, Kolkata, has been organ-ising cervical cancer detectioncamps in the State since 2002. Suchcamps have been held at the STNMHospital and the Singtam Govern-ment Hospital in the East Districtas well as the Namchi GovernmentHospital in South Sikkim.

One such camp was held at theGynaecology OPD of the STNMHospital here today, during whichabout 150 patients were screenedfor cancer.

A detailed medical history andsocial background of the patientsformed the part of the screeningprogramme, based on which the ISIteam will prepare a database on theprevalence of cervical cancer inSikkim. The earlier camps had re-vealed 7 percent of the women inthe State with HPV infection and

COMPENSATION AWAITED

This is in respect of the fatal ac-cident of Maruti van [bearing

number SK-04/4775] on 7 October2003 at Rothak, West Sikkim. Outof the eight passengers on board,two persons Mrs. Rubina Gurung,wife of Mr. SB Gurung, owner ofthe van and one Dinesh Sunar diedin the accident.

Late Dinesh Sunar is now sur-vived by his widow and only child.The owner of the vehicle had prom-ised the bereaved family a compen-sation, but it is unfortunate to men-tion that no such compensation hasyet been made by him to the be-reaved family whose only breadearner has been snatched awayfrom them. The poor family is somiserable that they have no meansto earn their livelihood.

Besides it is even more unfortu-nate to mention that there has beenno action from the police in thismatter till now. Hence, the poor fam-ily remains deprived of the justicethey deserve. It rather seems true thatjustice is deniable to the poor.

I’m very sad to say that the skyhas fallen upon the poor and mis-erable family of Lt. Dinesh Sunar.

A Concerned Relative

a NOW REPORT

RANGPO, 23 March: A IInd year Mechanical En-gineering student at the Sikkim Manipal Institute ofTechnology committed suicide at the SMIT hostelhere on 21 March. The student, who hailed fromBijusari, Bihar, was alone in the room at the time.His roommate had gone out with other friends. Whenhe returned at around 3 pm, he found the door of thetoilet locked from inside. When they broke the door,they discovered he had committed suicide by hang-ing himself from the window of the bathroom.

The deceased’s father, MN Sarkar arrived fromhis hometown a day later to collect the dead body ofhis only child. He returned the same day.

The deceased student’s friends are still not ableto reconcile with his death. Those who knew him areshocked that he could have taken such a step.

“He was a very jolly and happy person and a verysupportive friend,” they say.

Although a bright person with a lot of practi-cal knowledge, he was not doing so well academi-

a NOW REPORT

GANGTOK, 23 March: HotelRendezvous had an encounter of adifferent kind when a visitor madean attempt to stab Sonam Thendup,the owner of the hotel, here yester-day. According to a report filed withthe police, Sonam Thendup and hisbrother Sonam Palden were sittingat the restaurant with three otherfriends when at around 7.30 in theevening a waiter came and informed

150 TURN UP FORCERVICAL CANCERDETECTION CAMP

about an equal number with precan-cerous changes.

“A lot of patients who werescreened during the previous campsand were detected with suspiciouslesions have been called back forfollow-up. We are also expecting asizeable number of new patients,”Dr. Yogesh Verma, consultant, de-partment of pathology, STNM Hos-pital, told NOW!.

In fact, a large number of pa-tients who had queued up for thetests today were first-timers. Mostof the women present had readabout the camp in the papers, orwere told by friends and familymembers.

“I read about the camp in a lo-cal paper. I decided to take the testbecause I feel that prevention is al-ways better than cure,” said a 38-year old mother of three children,adding that such camps should beheld more often and the informa-tion on prevention of cancers inwomen spread to the grassrootslevel so that more rural women canalso participate in such in the fu-ture.

A large number of risk factorsfor the cancer of the cervix havebeen identified which include ex-posure to sexual intercourse at anearly age, early childbirths andmultiple pregnancies. However,infection with high risk HumanPapilloma Virus [HPV] has nowemerged as the most importantcause of this cancer. An examina-tion of the cervix followed by a sim-ple PAP smear test can lead to earlydetection of cervical cancer.

them that a person called JigmeTopgey wanted to meet him. Jigmewas apparently agitated over somecomplaint he believed had been filedagainst him with the Rural Devel-opment Department over the with-drawal of a TDR.

An argument ensued and theaccused whipped out a knife. Eye-witness accounts suggest that whenhe tried to attack Thendup, hisbrother intervened and suffered aminor wound in the resulting scuf-

fle. The accused was then takenaway by friends accompanying him.

A complaint was filed and po-lice records reveal that all the wit-nesses acquainted with facts andcircumstances of the incident havebeen examined and their statementsrecorded.

Efforts are still on to locate andarrest the accused. Police beat pa-trol parties have been sensitized tointersect the black Scorpio in whichthe accused had fled.

over tender confusionHotelier ATTACKED

cally, it is learnt. Having to repeat a year put himunder tremendous pressure. But all acknowledgethat he was a good person who was always therefor his friends.

“At one time, when his roommate was goingthrough depression, it was he who helped him out ofthe bad phase,” recalls a friend.

The reason behind his suicide is still not clear ashe did not leave behind a suicide note, but there areindications that it may have been the pressure of stud-ies that got to him. Already a year behind, he had sixback papers to clear. Although he was trying veryhard, it seems he found it difficult to cope up with it.

Speaking to NOW! on the phone, Director,SMIT, said that the management and the studentsof SMIT extend full sympathy for the bereaved fam-ily. He also acknowledged that the suicide couldhave been prompted because the deceased was far-ing poorly in studies.

The institute remained closed on Monday tomourn the death of the student. A condolence meet-ing was also held and attended by all at SMIT.

Second year student commits suicide at SMIT

ACTIONMAIL

Tharo Line,Lal Market Road.

Ph: 221004, Mobile: 9832062684

SALES & SERVICES

amolaRC E L L U L A RC E L L U L A R

MOBILE PHONES

4; NOW!; 24 March, 2004

C M Y K

POWERPLAY �

SVPL

SoftwareSolutionsNow

WEB APPLICATION

SMART-CARD SOLUTIONS

BIO-METRIC SECURITY

SYSTEMS

Enterprise Resources Planning

Customer Relationship Management

Small & Medium Enterprises Solutions

SPECIAL PACKAGE SOFTWARE

DEVELOPMENT FOR HOTEL &

TRAVEL INDUSTRY

What else should I know????Easy Bank finance available � EMI as low as Rs. 490/- per month

NO HIDDEN COSTS!RATES INCLUSIVE OF FREIGHT + LOCAL TAXES AND ALL OTHER APPLICABLE CHARGES

31-A National Highway, Above Office of Spices Board RSS,

Tadong, Gangtok, East Sikkim

Customer Service Centre

ph: +91-3592-231224

email: svplsikkim@yahoo.com

MY HOME PC @ Rs. 19,606/- only

Intel Celeron 1.8 GHz/ 15”Colour Monitor/ with Intel-basedMotherboard. 128 MB RAM/ 40

GB Hard Disk/ Keyboard.Mouse. Speakers

BIZ BLACK PC @ Rs. 29,987/-Intel Pentium IV/ 2.0 GHz. withOriginal Intel Motherboard. 17”

Colour Monitor. 40 GB Hard-Disk.256 RAM. 600 KVA UPS. 56 kbps

Internal Modem. MultimediaKeyboard. PS2 Mouse with

Pad. 400 Watt Speakers.

NOTEBOOK @ RS. 39,999/- ONWARDS

MARCH, POST-BUDGET PRICES

With the declaration of dates for electing the members of both theLok Sabha and the Legislative Assembly, it is now time for my

youth friends to think over how to help form the government we want.This is a great opportunity for us to decide what kind of governmentthis 21st century demands and identify aspiring candidates fit to gov-ern in a modern Sikkim. The reason why we need to take advantage ofthis opportunity is due to the fact that it is the youth who form thegreatest strength anywhere in the world. This means that it is up to usto take Sikkim in any direction we want, provided we have a true anddedicated leader.

Now, for a moment let us forget what the government gave or didnot give us in the past nine and half years. But in general, I feel thatthere has been a rapid growth in our economic status. The standardof living in Sikkim has gone up and we can see for ourselves theextent to which Sikkim has developed in all aspects. The change is soapparent that we cannot ignore the development that has taken placein many fields from employment to education to religion to tourismto rural development to self employment. Infrastructure in the urbanareas has improved and genuine attempts have been made to upliftthe poor. Perhaps, it is for the first time in the history of Sikkim thatsuch rapid development has taken place within a decade. When I speakof a good nine and a half years, the credit definitely goes to the manat the helm of affairs, the Chief Minister, Pawan Chamling. What hehas visualized for Sikkim and delivered so far is beyond what even ahighly educated bureaucrat or any other intellectual would havethought possible.

As a responsible youth of this state I feel proud to have him asour leader since his vision and dreams are not selfish aspirations butfor everyone who lives here. Dr. Chamling is undoubtedly the leaderdemanded by this century and we youth should all work together tohelp him achieve and fulfill his as well as our dreams for Sikkim.

At this juncture, I appeal to all my youth friends to realize theirrights, duties and responsibilities as the generation which will inheritSikkim and spare a thought for what they want to see in the Sikkimof tomorrow. We should also remember that the days when moneypower and weapons used to be the key elements of winning an elec-tion are long past. Today, the people of Sikkim are mature enough tounderstand the proper meaning of elections and peace will definitelybe the preference in every individuals mind. All that everyone herewants is a peaceful election followed by development, peace and pros-perity.

If you get the impression that I am trying to influence and motivateyou, then you are right, but remember it is in conviction of what I hadto say, for you, us and our Sikkim of tomorrow.

[The writer is a resident of Assam Lingzey]

VIEWPOINTSHAILESH RAI

It’s election timeagain and time forthe youth to Think

Tarjum moves ahead

a NOW REPORT

GANGTOK, 23 March: ChiefMinister and ruling Sikkim Demo-cratic Front president, PawanChamling, has appealed to the vot-ers of Sikkim to reject “anti-peo-ple oppressors and the deceitfulpeople” and ensure the installationof Sikkim Democratic Front Gov-ernment for the third time while ex-ercising their fundamental rightduring the upcoming polls sched-uled for 10 May.

The appeal, made through a pressrelease issued by Rajya Sabha MP,PT Gyamtso, who is also a spokes-person of the SDF, goes on to remindthe people that this was the opportu-nity for the people to “exhibit theirstrength and sense of unity.”

It is a huge responsibility as awrong decision in the exercise oftheir franchise will bring untoldmiseries to the electorate, Mr.

Management-workercommunication gaplimits productivity

AMITAVA BANERJEE

DARJEELING, 23 March:Proper coordination between themanagerial staff and the workersshould exist in order to increaseproductivity, feel most of the work-ers of the tea gardens.

“In many gardens, the manage-ment has only theoretical knowl-edge, but lack proper hands-on ex-perience. Hence there builds up acommunication gap between suchmanagers and the supervisory staff,many of whom are very experi-enced. Thus, in the long run the pro-ductivity of the garden suffers,” feelsND Chettri, Divisional Munshi ofOrange Valley Tea Estate.

This came out at a 2-day work-shop organized by the DarjeelingPlanters Association [DPA], spon-sored by the Tea Board and con-ducted by the National Productiv-ity Council [NPC]. The supervisorystaff of more than ten gardens at-tended the workshop.

Chamling feels. Therefore, he hasappealed to the electors to exercisetheir franchise confidently, withoutany fear or favour and as per theirown will.

He further said that in the two-term mandate given by the peopleto the SDF and following thewishes of the people, “we have sin-cerely adopted people-friendly, so-cial and development schemes andtried to implement them to the bestof our ability. In the process wehave been successful in fulfillingthe assurances given to the people.The development schemes visibleall around are proof of this”.

Through the press release hesays, “Our government imple-mented schemes provide instantrelief to people who are financially,socially and educationally back-ward”. This was to ensure socialjustice and to make Sikkim povertyfree and also self reliant.

Mr. Chamling also assured thathis government intends to “bringabout full literacy in the state, makeit disease free as well as provide fullemployment to the people by theyear 2015”. Schemes related tothese aims have already been initi-ated, he adds.

In his words, “Being the ChiefMinister and also the party president,I wish to reiterate my commitmentto the above as this will be the ulti-mate goal of the SDF party.”

In his appeal, Mr. Chamling hasalso reiterated his call to party sup-porters not to project any individualas a candidate or bring delegationstill the official declaration of can-didates by the party. The party ticketwill be allotted to persons takinginto account the interest of theparty, their dedication towards theparty, their conduct with the publicand also the loyalty of the personto the party, he says.

Chamling urges Sikkim to vote against“anti-people oppressors” again

a NOW REPORT

GANGTOK: A meeting ofRenjyong Mutanchi Rong Tarjum[Sikkim Lepcha Association] washeld at Naitam East Sikkim on 20March under the chairmanship of itspresident, CT Lepcha. The meetingwas also attended by the chairman,Land Use & Env. Board, Nim TseringLepcha and other members of theCentral Executive Committee.

A branch office as well as thevillage level committee [KyongTarjum] was also formed under thePresidentship of Phur TsheringLepcha at Naitam. The activitiesand the achievements of the asso-ciation were briefed to the gather-ing by members of the committee.The locals welcomed the steps be-ing taken by the Tarjum to protectand preserve the culture and tradi-

tion of the community and also oninitiatives being taken to safeguardthe economic and political rights ofthe community in the state.

The meeting also appreciatedand lauded the efforts being madeby the ruling government to provideequitable rights and share in thematter of jobs and assembly seatsfor the Lepcha community.

The locals and the members ofthe committee expressed satisfac-tion and confidence with the lead-ership of Chief Minister PawanChamling, who, they feel, has cre-ated a history for modern Lepchacommunity in his tenure by provid-ing freedom of speech and expres-sion to the “downtrodden” Lepchasof Sikkim who have been “sup-pressed and struggling hard for thelast 333 years.”

The Tarjum president cautionedthe members to be vigilant and stayaway with those self-styled clubsand organisations, “conspired andinstigated by anti-Lepcha elementswith malafide intentions to breakand divide the unity and amity ofthe Lepcha community.” turn to pg 5

24 March, 2004; NOW! 5

C M Y K

� NEWSSCAN

GANGTOK, 23 March: The Mechanised Infantry Regiment commencedwith their white-water rafting expedition on Teesta yesterday, 22 March.The expedition was flagged off by OIC, ECANT. The Expedition is beingconducted by 3 Mech Inf [1/8 GR] from 22 March to 24 March to com-memorate the silver jubilee celebration of the Mechanised Infantry Regi-ment, which was raised on 2 April 1979.

The team comprises of one officer, 3 junior commissioned officersand 17 other ranks. The expedition which started from Manglia [SainoTar] will terminate at Siliguri on 24 March, covering a distance of 135kms over the fast flowing rapids.

a Govt. of India enterprise

Office of the General Manager Telecom

Gangtok : Sikkim

Bharat SancharNigam Ltd.

NOTICE

All BSNL subscribers arehereby informed that all tel-ephone numbers in Gangtokbeginning 222, 223, 224 and225 are being changed in aphased manner to now be-gin 20, ie is the secondnumber of these phones willhenceforth be “0.”

GANGTOK, 23 March:Karnataka has withdrawn the banon the sale of lotteries of sevenstates in Karnataka. A three-linecircular issued by the Karnatakastate government has notified thewithdrawal of the 5 February cir-cular which had imposed a ban onthe sale of lotteries of some states.

The ban was challenged by theSikkim and Meghalaya governmentsin the Karnataka High Court on the pleathat if a state government runs its own

KALIMPONG, 23 March: Thenon-paying male and female medi-cal ward of the Kalimpong sub-di-visional hospital seems to be rightout of the sets of a horror movie.The wooden floors are creaky andunsound, the walls are peeling offand the sanitary system virtuallynonexistent. How the hospital can

dispense with providing goodhealth under such pathetic condi-tions is a good question.

The ward, which has a total of50 beds, was built by the Britishnearly a century ago and hasn’tbeen renovated in the recent past,explaining its rather desolate state.

SR Pradhan, Superintendent,Kalimpong Sub-divisional hospi-tal, explains that a proposal hasbeen put forward to the Depart-

ment of Health & Family Welfare,West Bengal, for the sanction offunds for the proper renovation ofthe ward.

“We have arranged for the pa-tients of the ward to be shifted tothe new complex which was com-pleted last year. They won’t becharged for the beds there thoughwe do charge patients admitted inthe new complex,” he adds.

The new complex has a total of

NAMCHI, 23 March: A two-dayprogramme on Maternal & ChildHealth and Nutrition for the ruralwomen of Singithang GramPanchayat Unit concluded here to-day at Marut Bhawan Namchi. Theprogramme was organised bySingithang GPU in collaborationwith Drishti, a local NGO.

The main objective of the pro-gramme was to inform the ruralwomen on mother and child care,their health and their nutrition.Thirty participants from seven vil-lages under Singithang GPU tookpart in the programme.

The function began with thelighting of the butter lamp followedby a welcome speech by RajuPakhrin, a panchayat member. Theobjectives of the programme werepresented by Bhaskar Rai, presi-dent, Drishti while ZillaAdhyaksha, Mrs. Phurmit Lepchawas the chief guest at the function.

Various topics discussed werewoman and child health, their de-

velopment, immunisation, familyplanning, RNTCP dots and prob-lems arising from alcoholism. Be-sides these, booklets on Informa-tion, Education and Communica-tion [IEC], immunisation, betterchild care, reproductive and childcare were also distributed.

The chief guest, Mrs. Lepcha,in her address, praised the work ofthe Singithang GPU and said thatit was helping a good cause by or-ganising such a training camp onhealth awareness. Appreciating thetraining, she said that involvementof NGOs in the work of thepanchayats was praiseworthy.

Resource persons for the train-ing programme were Dr. RebeccaLama, gynaecologist, Dr. BirendraGurung, Child Specialist, Mr. UMRai, CDPO, South, Dr. Bimal Rai,district RCH officer, Dr. L Singey,district TB official and Dr. CSSharma, psychiatrist. They are all fac-ulty members of Namchi GeneralHospital. IL Sharma, Sub-DivisionalDevelopment Officer was alsopresent for the programme. The train-ees were facilitated with certificates.

49th Day Kutse Shegu of lateex-Panchayat Gyen Tsh.Lepcha who left for hisheavenly abode on 11February 2004 falls on 29March.All the well wishers, friendsand relatives are requestedto join us in offering prayersfor the departed soul at ourresidence at Lum LowerDzongu, North Sikkim.I, the present Panchayat ofLum along with bereavedfamily also take thisopportunity to thank allthose who stood by usduring the time ofbereavement and requestour inability to thank themindividually.

Family member andTshering Gyatso Lepcha,

Panchayat,Lum Village

Ph: 9434179290

Kutse Shegu

The Kutse Shegu of LateTseten Gyatso Bhutia wholeft for her heavenly abodeon 6 February 2006 falls on25 March 2004. All friends,relatives and well wishersare requested to join thebereaved family for offeringprayers to the departedsoul at our residence atPhuntsokgang, Martam,East Sikkim.We would like to take thisopportunity to thank all thosewho stood by us in our hourof bereavement and regretour inability to do soindividually.

All Family MembersPh: 236856, 9434143930,

250659

Kutse Shegu

RENOVATION BID FOR KPGSUBDIVISIONAL HOSPITAL

96 beds and also brings under oneroof the OPD [special], ENT dept,Sonography, USG, X-rays, and Pae-diatrics.

Mr. Pradhan also revealed thata demand for a minimum 8-bed iso-lation ward has been made for thetreatment of infectious diseasessuch as tetanus, measles etc. Pres-ently, such cases are referred to theNorth Bengal Medical College,Siliguri.

KARAN SHAH

Multiple training for unemployed youthNAMCHI, 23 March: A training programme on Mushroom cultivation startedhere today at Sadam Panchayat Bhawan. The programme had earlier beensanctioned in October by the Gram Sabha under Sadam Gram PanchayatUnit. A total of 30 unemployed youth are participating in the training whichwill last 45 days. The Sadam Panchayat Bhawan is also the venue for a cou-ple of other training programmes – bamboo handicrafts and carpet weaving.Both these programmes for the unemployed began here today with 12 par-ticipants in each. The training programmes are to last for 6 months. The pro-grammes are being conducted by the Sadam GPU through the Industries De-partment, informed BB Gurung, panchayat president, Sadam GPU.

Two day healthcamp concludes

at NamchiPURAN TAMANG

MIR turns silver withriver expedition

lottery, it cannot ban other state lotter-ies by taking the high moral ground thatit wants to restrict gambling.

Justice HL Dattu of theKarnataka High Court had earlierstayed the 5 February notificationfor an initial three weeks, leaving itopen to the opposing parties to seekmodifications in the order. The or-der was later extended to 26 March,but before the matter was againheard by the court, Karnataka optedto withdraw its ‘ban’ circular.

Karnataka lifts banon Sikkim lottery

“After a survey of more than 25gardens in each region, we realisedthat training for the supervisory staffand below was nonexistent. We rec-ommended that necessary interven-tion regarding this was a priority,”said PK Bandyopadhyay, RegionalDirector and Group Head of NPC.

The NPC had been asked by theTea Board in 1999 to conduct a sur-vey to find out how productivity oftea gardens could be increased bydeveloping the skills and knowl-edge of the workers.

“Our main aim was to suggestways and methods to increase pro-ductivity of each person. Anothervery important point we discussedwas how quality of life of tea work-

ers affected the productivity of theGardens,” added Bandyopadhyay.

Gautam Roy, Senior DeputyDirector, NPC, believes that thequality of life of workers is inter-related to the productivity of thegarden and for sustainable produc-tivity the quality of life of workershad to be improved.

“This workshop will have amultiplier effect, as the trained su-pervisors will surely pass on theirknowledge to other supervisors andworkers” added Roy.

In the next phase it will beTrade Union members workingwith the Tea Gardens who will betrained followed by a training forthe pluckers. After Darjeeling, theworkshop will move to Dooars fol-lowed by Terai.

Contd from pg 4

Management-worker communication gap...

6; NOW!; 24 March, 2004

C M Y K

NEWSSCAN �

A LIFESTYLE STORE

Hotel Central31A NH Wayph: 222553, 222573, 222105

The latest offeringsfrom Internal

Affairs -Exclusive Wall

Frames, Flowers

and Decorative

Items come with a

wide variety that

lends an exquisite

expression and a

sense of

magnificence to

Stylish Homes.

?Do you consider yourself to be the

“Master of Games”We would like to see it!

First Prize : Rs. 500/-

Second Prize : Rs. 300/-Third Prize : Rs. 200/-

ENTRY FORMS AVAILABLE ATAPTECH COMPUTER EDUCATION (TADONG)

for further information on participation, just drop in at Aptech Computer

Education, Daragaon, Tadong. ph: 03592 232418, 9832048886

LAST

WEEK!

A reputed national newspaper is looking for bright and energetic

students to work on special assignments. If you have the drive to

run around schools within your locality in Sikkim and have a flair

for writing, you are the person we are looking for. Send your

curriculum vitae within two days to: pelsh2k1@hotmail.com

RARE OPPORTUNITY FOR STUDENTS

RANJIT SINGH

GANGTOK, 23 March: Mr.Bhowmick of Bhowmick Calcula-tors, Kolkata, wants to set up a jute-based industry in Sikkim; DebashisBiswas, a CII-member and an inte-rior designer is exploring the possi-bility of establishing a water pack-aging unit; Manas Ghosh of ContechInstruments would like to try Sikkimas a base for the manufacture of elec-tronic weighing machines.

Just three instances of the ea-gerness with which industrialistsfrom the rest of the country are eye-ing Sikkim as a potential launchpad for their products and services.

The three belong to Kolkata-based FOSMI - Federation of Smalland Medium Industries, a 30-mem-ber delegation of which is currentlyin Gangtok for the Vendor Devel-opment Programme-cum-Exhibi-tion, which began on 22 March.Today, 23 March was the final dayof the programme.

FOSMI president, AlokGoswami, disclosed that in a meet-ing with the Chief Secretary, SWTenzing, he had conveyed his assess-ment of what was needed by FOSMI

“Since the SSP party still ex-ists and has not merged with theCongress as Mr. Bhandari claims,the Bhawan will automatically beours,” Mr. Upreti argued.

The SSP will also demand thebalance-sheets of all the profitsmade by the Bhawan to date, headded. “The Bhawan has multi-utility. It has been used as a cin-ema hall and as an auditorium forpublic functions. We will demandthe balance sheets of all these ac-tivities at the Bhawan from Mr.Bhandari,” Kamal Rai, vice-presi-dent of the party said.

The SSP leaders were however,not ready to reveal more details oftheir plan of action.

“We have a very strong casewith us and we will reveal our cardsgradually,” Mr. Upreti said.

Mr. Upreti further said that thereason for the delayed claim on theSSP properties was because theywere waiting for the election Com-mission’s verdict.

“The very existence of the SSPparty was in question. Now that thisconfusion has been resolved, therewill be no stopping us. We shall nowconsolidate the party in a big way andcontinue with our fight,” he said,adding that Mr. Rai would leave forNew Delhi soon to consult legal ex-perts on the property claim case.

The SSP Working President,armed with a fax copy of the order, alsowarned Mr. Bhandari that he shouldnot take the party lightly anymore.

“We have all the legal paperswith us. Let’s see how he will op-pose our claims now,” he said.

Although the entire text of the

Election Commission’s Order wasnot made available to the Press, Mr.Upreti read out the “operative por-tions” of the Order, which says:“However, the party can avail of thebenefit under paragraph 10A of theSymbols Order to use its reservedsymbol subject to the fulfillment ofthe requirements thereunder…”

Mr. Upreti said that according tothe Order, the party will have to sub-mit the list of its office bearers to theECI immediately. “We are in theprocess of finalizing the list,” he said.

On the party’s poll prospects, nowthat it has been officially recognizedby the ECI, Mr. Upreti said that theparty would now “gear up its activi-ties and try and cover lost ground.”

“We have managed to save asinking ship. The ECI’s declarationhas given us a new lease of life.People had almost lost faith in theSSP party and our very identity wasat stake. At one time, we had al-most lost it all, but now, we areready for a new innings,” he said.

The SSP plans to contest in all32 seats of the State Assembly andthe lone Lok Sabha seat which goto poll on 10 May.

“We are also ready for allianceswith any party except the Congress.We cannot join hands with a partywhich has a leader like Mr.Bhandari who earlier, as the SSPpresident and Chief Minister, neverspared an opportunity to bad mouththe Congress,” he added.

“The SSP is one party that hasdelivered to the people in the past. Oursupporters have immense faith in usand now we shall continue to workfor the welfare of the people, as a lotmore is still to be done,” he concluded.

to set up industrial units in Sikkim.“The main hurdle is the avail-

ability of land,” he felt. “You see,Sikkim does not have an industrialestate like other states so it requiresa lot of investment in time andmoney to set up an industry here. Thegovernment has assured us of fullcooperation in many respects but itremains to be seen. Sikkim has a lotof potential as far as agro-based andfood processing industries are con-cerned and local interest and poten-tial should certainly be kept in mindwhile setting up business here.”

Manas Ghosh says that thoughthe Sikkim government has assuredland on lease basis, the lease termis too short.

“They are ready to give us land30-year lease which is too short. Agood part of that time would betaken up in clearing the land andsetting up the industry. So we haveasked for a longer lease period ofup to 99 years,” he said. He is alsothinking of setting up a coal-processing unit here.

Debashis Biswas is more opti-mistic. He reveals that the govern-

ment of Sikkim has already pro-vided them with several sops to at-tract investments. Among them isa 10-year excise and sales tax holi-day, subsidy on capital, a 90 percent subsidy on state transport, a 30per cent subsidy on labour, powerand interest subsidies.

“The government is also pro-viding special incentives to agro-based and food-processing indus-tries”, he said. “We have been toldthat the Rangpo-Singtam area is theindustry belt in this state. We willprobably be setting up units some-where in that area.”

If all goes well and the visitorsare satisfied with the available in-frastructure coupled with the sopsprovided by the government, thenSikkim could truly develop into an‘industrial estate’ as Mr. A.Goswami of FOSMI calls it. Andwith the pouring in of industrialhouses coinciding with the sched-uled opening of the border with Ti-bet for trade this summer, Sikkimcould actually become a ‘Singa-pore’ as Chief Secretary, SWTenzing envisages.

Can SIKKIM do a SINGAPORE?With some effort it could, feels FOSMI

Sangramis to claim...from pg1

a NOW REPORT

GANGTOK, 23 March: WorldMeteorological Day was observedthroughout the world today andGangtok wasn’t far behind in chim-ing in with its own ceremonies. TheMet observatory at Raj Bhawanwas the venue for the function andthe theme was “Weather, Climateand Water in the Information Age”.

It was on this day in 1950 thatthe World Meteorological Organi-sation came into existence. TheWMO, incidentally, is a successorof the International MeteorologicalOrganisation which was estab-lished in 1873.

The theme for this year was se-lected in recognition of the vital roleof technology in advancing mete-orological sciences, which in turnenable National Meteorological andHydrological Services [NMHS] tocontribute to socioeconomic devel-opment and to the protection of theenvironment. More than 90 per centof people killed in the last decadedied due to weather, climate and wa-

WMD inGangtok

ter related disasters.On display at the Met observa-

tory today were weather maps, worldmaps, maps depicting different statesof weather in different parts of theglobe as well as the reports of theMeteorological Department. Therewere also a few books on Meteorol-ogy for those keen in the science.

WMO continues to strengthenits programmes in the pursuit ofthree major goals.

A first objective is to improveweather and climate observationand to reconstruct past climate pe-riods. A second major objective isto refine climate modeling in orderto reduce the uncertainties inherentin long-term climate prediction.

The third objective is to ensurethat advances in climate science ben-

efit all people and contribute to sus-tainable development. WMO there-fore assists countries in the applica-tion of climate data and seasonalforecasts for water management,agriculture and disaster mitigation.

We are all stakeholders in ourfuture climate. It is to the benefitof all nations to work together tobetter understand our climate inorder to adapt to it, and to preventand mitigate any adverse impact.

Recent occurrences of floods,tropical cyclones, droughts andother extreme weather- and cli-mate-related events could well beglimpses of what a change in cli-mate could bring upon us. The fu-ture cost of inaction to protect cli-mate is expected to exceed by farthe cost of timely action.

NOW! can be contactedat 953592 270949

or emailed atsikkimnow@rediffmail.com

24 March, 2004; NOW! 7

C M Y K

� NOW!HEALTHSPECIAL

WANTEDComputer Engineer,

SoftwareProgrammer

Knowledge in VisualBasic and Oracle a

must.Please send in detailresume with passportsize photographs andquote expected salaryto NOW!, Gairi Gaon,Tadong, East Sikkim.

SITUATION VACANTA REKNOWNED INDIAN

TRAVEL AGENCYREQUIRES DYNAMIC

MALE/FEMALECANDIDATES , WITH

FLUENCY INENGLISH,NEPALI/HINDI

FOR ITS SILIGURIOFFICE . PREFERENCE

WILL BE GIVEN TOCANDIDATES WITH

COMPUTERKNOWLEDGE, AND

TOURISM BACKGROUNDAPPEAR WITH

COMPLETE RESUME ON23RD AND 24TH OF

MARCH(2PM TO 4PM ) ATTIRUPATI APEX

BUILDING,3RD FLOOR,SEVOKE ROAD

,SILIGURI.PH: 2526245,2530091

PositivePSummer Collection

STYLEHotel Golden Pagoda

MG Marg, Gangtok

I, Sudip Pradhan, s/o R.K. Pradhan, resident of

DPH Road, Gangtok,have lost my Indian

Passport bearing no. T-716313. If anyone findsit, please contact NOW!or call 9832090888 or

225185

LOST

HOUSING

IN SILIGURIBook your

ownership flats

in Siliguri.

Beside Sevoke Road,

2nd Mile Checkpost

with loan facility.

Contact:Modern AssociatesMayadeep Building,

2nd Floor, 11/22,Kalibari Road,

Siliguri - 734404ph: 2661362,

2543684,98320-57663

DOTS or Directly ObservedTreatment Short-course, is a strat-egy where TB patients are madeto take the drugs in front of healthworkers or trained volunteers forthe total treatment period to makesure that drugs are taken regularlywithout fail and the patient cured.DOTS was launched in the Statein March 2002. There are already

Hidden food addictions un-dermine millions of peopletrying to lose weight - but

you can beat this hefty problem andshed pounds, says a leading expert.

“Addictions to certain keyfoods - particularly sugar, choco-late, cheese, and meat - are ex-tremely common among people butmost people don’t have a clue theyare addicted,” revealed top Ameri-can nutritionist Dr. Neal Barnard,author of the exciting new book

e d i t o r i a l :

9 8 3 2 0 8 0 7 5 3

9 8 3 2 0 17 2 0 2

b u s i n e s s :

9 8 3 2 0 4 2 0 9 6

9 8 3 2 0 8 0 8 3 8

WORLD TB DAY

World TB Day is celebrated throughout the world today to renew the awareness among the worldcommunity about this age-old human malady, its causes, mode of spreading and prevention. It is

also an opportunity for TB workers throughout the world to rededicate their pledge to work with renewedvigour to make the world free from this human menace.

Every second, one person is infected with TB in the world and four persons die every minute. TB killsmore people than any other infectious diseases. More women die of TB than all maternal mortality com-bined. If left untreated, each patient spreads the infection to 10-15 persons in a year.

The disease is totally curable and yet 75 per cent of the patients die due to lack of access to the properdrugs and counselling. This happens because there is no shortcut since it takes at least 6 months of propermedication to rid the body of TB germs.

The theme of the World TB Day 2004 is “Every breath counts – Stop TB Now.”The theme of this year clearly points that each and every individual is at risk in the community where

there is an infected person. Therefore it is the responsibility of every one in the community to contributesomething to make a TB free environment by making themselves aware of the fact that –1. Cough of three weeks or more, evening rise of temperature and night sweats are symptoms of TBand should be referred to the health centres.2. Examination of sputum by microscopy is the best and easiest way to detect TB.3. TB is completely curable through DOTS

“Breaking the Food Seduction.”Instead of blaming their food

addictions, many overweight peo-ple believe they lack willpower.

“But it is not a psychologicalproblem. Those key foods actu-ally produce chemicals during di-gestion that lead to addiction,” ex-plained Dr. Barnard, president ofthe Washington, DC-based Phy-sicians Committee for Responsi-ble Medicine and an adjunct as-sociate professor of medicine at

George Washington University.“Addiction to the foods leads

to many health problems, includ-ing high blood pressure, high cho-lesterol, diabetes and obesity.”

Addictive foods affect the bodysimilar to the way narcotic drugsdo. For instance, sugar and choco-late trigger the release of chemicalsin the brain very much like opiates- and this produces a pleasure sig-nal so that your brain wants you tohave more.

Cheese contains high levels ofcasein, a protein that breaks apartduring digestion to produce mor-

phine- like opiate compounds.“Chemicals are released in the

brain that produce a good feeling,rewarding you for choosing a densehigh-calorie meal and encouragingyou to make it a habit,” said Dr.Barnard

To help those struggling withweight, the expert has a simple planfor beating food addictions:

· Enjoy a good breakfast. “Abowl of old-fashioned oatmeal isexcellent. There is no need to addmilk or sugar - try cinnamon andfruit. This high-fiber meal will fillyou up and keep you satisfied.”

· Eat foods that stabilize yourblood sugar. “Blood sugar dips canlead to exhaustion, moodiness andbingeing. To avoid this, eat plentyof whole grains, green vegetablesand fruit.”

· Slowly cutting down on ad-dictive foods does not work. Stayaway from them for three weeksand you will lose your craving forthem. With your cravings undercontrol, you’re less likely to under-mine your diet with binge eating.

· Be sure to eat enough foodevery day to maintain your idealbody weight. “This tip is directedat calorie-cutting dieters who donot realize that, if they eat too lit-

tle, their bodies stop manufactur-ing an appetite-controlling hor-mone called Leptin.” To calculateyour proper daily caloric intake,multiply your ideal body weightby 10. For example, if your idealweight is 150 pounds then youneed to eat about 1,500 calories aday to maintain it.

· Exercise regularly and besure to get plenty of rest. Dr.Barnard recommends at least ahalf hour of exercise each day.But if you are out of shape, startslowly. A daily walk is a perfectway to begin. “Exercise does notjust burn calories, it resets yourappetite, your mood, your sleepcycle and even your ability to han-dle sugar,” noted the expert.

· Get support from friends andfamily. Enlisting their help makeschanging bad eating habits mucheasier. Encourage them to eathealthy along with you.

“The benefits from followingthis program are tremendous andcan be dramatic,” said Dr. Barnard.“People feel better than they havein decades. Not only will they loseweight and improve their health,but they begin to feel in control oftheir lives.”

FOOD ADDICTION: THE REAL REASON YOU CAN’T LOSE WEIGHTHOW TO BEAT IT

about 530 DOTS centres all overthe State.

The State TB cell is also in theprocess of sensitizing private prac-titioners to refer TB cases to thegovernment hospitals. According toa survey carried out in the country,100 private doctors prescribed 80different treatment regimens, mostof which were inappropriate andexpensive.

Public awareness is necessaryto contain the disease, but equallyimportant are political and ad-ministrative support. Unless allthese factors work hand in hand,TB will remain the potent killerit has always been.

-SARIKAH ATREYA[First published in NOW!

issue dated 03-09 July, 2002]

the scourge returnsfrom pg2

FOR SALE1. A BL land measuring50ft X 40ft on thevalleyside of the roadnear Helipad, Burtuk.2. A good quality shortbody petrol jeep.

Price negotiable.Interested parties can

contact:94340 69369

WALK-IN-INTERVIEWTAAS Secretariat requires a lady office executive urgentlywith the following qualifications.1. Graduate2. Communication Skills3. Computer knowledge with Tally4. Shorthand (preferred)Pl. bring your relevant documents for a walk-in-interview atTAAS Secretariat, Chungyal Building, Gangtok, tel: 220842.Time: 10AM to 2PM / Date: 29 March 2004

Gen. SecretaryTravel Agents’ Association of Sikkim

8; NOW!; 24 March, 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

THEFINALONE �

today in

History24th March

Bring Rs. 64,650/-* Margin Money only

Plus First EMI + Insurance + Service Charge & TAKE AWAYMahindra

XXFestaraMa 2WDAND REST ON EASY INSTALMENT WITHFREE! GIFT HAMPER OF...*

20” COLOUR TV + 170 LTR. FRIDGE + VCD PLAYER + SEAT COVER +WHEEL COVER + FOG LIGHTS + STEERING COVER + WRIST WATCH

HURRY! OFFER VALID FROM 20TH TO 31ST MARCH ONLY!

AUTHORISED MAHINDRA DEALER. 6th MILE, TADONG, GANGTOK. Ph: 270601, 270602

RUSH TO:SIKKIM MOTORS* Conditions apply

* Finance at the sole discretion of MMFSL

Lhendup - 9434137192, Ravi - 9434203528, Vikash - 9434126860, Ajay - 9832079060

ODDLYENOUGH

Tharo Line,Lal Market Road.

Ph: 221004, Mobile: 9832062684

SALES & SERVICES

amolaRC E L L U L A RC E L L U L A R

MOBILE PHONES

we canbe emailed atsikkimnow@rediffmail.com

FOR BEST FLOORINGWooden parquet flooring, LuckyPVC floor tiles, PVC wood plank,tiles, Vista floor, SUper marblex,Wall Heritage Surface, Textures,Spray polish, Japanese technology.

contact:

TIKA ENTERPRISESNear Krishi Bhawan Gate

31 A NH, Uma CottageTadong, Sikkim - 737102

Ph: 231394 M: 98320 96499

9434127481

ARIES: Opportunities for friendship,pleasant associations, and enjoy-able social interactions occur now.Personal relationships are harmo-nious and rewarding.TAURUS: Physical thrills and ex-citement have a strong appeal foryou now. Acting on your spontane-ous impulses and following throughon some of your more unusual or“crazy” desires will yield surprises,mostly positive.GEMINI: A fast pace, with manyletters, phone calls, errands, meet-ings, or discussions, is on theagenda. You may feel mentally rest-less, impatient, and overly eager toget your own ideas across.CANCER: You are contentious, ar-gumentative, and impatient now.Disagreements erupt because youaren’t willing to overlook minor irri-tations as readily as usual. Confron-tations with others may be fruitful ifyou don’t allow your anger to get outof control.LEO: Your physical drive and en-ergy level are high now, and you canaccomplish a great deal fairly eas-ily. You are inclined to take the ini-tiative or to strike out on your own.VIRGO: You are inclined to be ag-gressive and hot-tempered now,particularly when your will isblocked. Your pushiness or com-

petitive attitude is likely to create an-tagonism, hostility, and further re-sistance to your efforts.LIBRA: Underlying or previouslyhidden aspects of a situation cometo light now.SCORPIO: Hidden passions, fears,jealousies, longings, desires, orneeds surface in you now and canstir up trouble in your closest rela-tionships. You are prone to be com-pulsive or demanding in a close re-lationship.SAGITTARIUS: Positively, a rela-tionship can be deepened and re-born now, given new life by yourwillingness to reveal yourself com-pletely to your loved one.CAPRICORN: You are prone to becompulsive or demanding in a closerelationship, to be emotionallydriven and to force things to a headin some emotionally-laden situation.AQUARIUS: Physical thrills andexcitement have a strong appeal foryou now, and you want to do some-thing new and out of the ordinary.You also have a lot of energy andquick reflexes.PISCES:Social relationships, friend-ships, and supportive alliances arestrengthened now. Your energy andconfidence are high and you canaccomplish much in a harmonious,flowing manner right now.

the future, NOW!

DIRECTOR DEFENDS CHOOSINGTINA TURNER FOR GODDESS ROLE

Movie maker ISMAEL MERCHANT has defended castingTINA TURNER as a Hindu goddess in his new movie, following fervent protests from religious groups in Britain.

Protesters threatened to picket theatres showing THE GODDESS,after Turner won the role of SHAKTI, the Hindu symbol of power andenergy - insisting a "sex icon" should not play the part.

But Merchant says the protests are based on misconceptions aboutthe film. He explains in a statement, "Tina Turner is one of the greatartists of our time and has been a practicing Buddhist for the last 20 years.

Newly-single superstar BEN AFFLECK has good news forthe thousands of woman who lust after him - he's lookingfor "a normal woman".

The JERSEY GIRL actor has been reflecting on his life sincehis split with fiancee JENNIFER LOPEZ in January (04) and thinkshe has the perfect solution to the media intrusion which killed theirhigh-profile engagement.

He explains, "It would be easier if the next woman I go out withwasn't an actress. It would be good to date a normal woman."

But hunky Ben - who also stepped out with OSCAR winnerGWYNETH PALTROW - admits he is still trying to understand whatwomen want from a relationship following a string of romantic dis-asters. He adds, "I find women completely baffling. They're a totalmystery and I'm obviously not doing too well in that department."But it hasn't got to the point where I'm taking out personal ads."

AFFLECK LOOKS FOR A 'NORMAL GIRL'

BEYONCE'S BAD HAIR DAY

Even R'n'B superstar BEYONCE KNOWLES has'bad hair' days - she hid from photographers 22MAR 04 after winds ruined her new hair-cut.

The sexy CRAZY IN LOVE singer had just left a LosAngeles hairdresser when high winds wreaked havocwith her new styling - and Beyonce's sense of humourquickly deserted her when she saw nearby snappers.An onlooker says, "She started laughing as the windhad her hair all over the place but then she got an-noyed. "Her hairdo wouldn't sit still and was bouncingall over the place."

World Champion‘Snake Man’ killed

by CobraBANGKOK: Thailand’sBoonreung Buachan, holder of theGuinness Book of World Recordstitle for spending the most timepenned up with snakes, was killedby a cobra that bit him during hisdaily show, a hospital doctor saidon Monday. Boonreung was listedby the “Guinness Book of WorldRecords” in 1998 after living withsnakes in a glass box for sevendays.

Fired for ComplimentingClient’s Good Looks

STOCKHOLM: A female re-ceptionist in an office in southSweden was sacked for sexualh a r a s s m e n t w h e n h e r e m -p l o y e r h e a r d s h e h a dcomplimented a male client oft h e c o m p a n y o n h i s g o o dlooks, a Swedish newspaperreported Monday.

809: Caliph Harun al-Rashidcaliph [786-809] of the ArabianNights, dies.1874: Harry Houdini,magician/ escape artist, isborn in Budapest.1905: Jules Verne sci-fi author[Around the World in 80 Days,Time Machine], dies at 77.1909: Clyde Barrow, the bankrobber of Bonnie & Clydefame, is born in the AmericanMidwest.1924: Greece becomes arepublic1958: Elvis Presley inductedinto army in MemphisTennesse, USA.1962: Mick Jagger & KeithRichards perform as Little BoyBlue & Blue Boys.1980: El Salvador’s leadinghuman rights activist,Archbishop Oscar Romero,62, was assassinated by asniper while saying mass in ahospital chapel.1999: The North AtlanticTreaty Organization (NATO)commences air strikes againstYugoslavia with the bombingof Serbian military positions inthe Yugoslav province ofKosovo.

NOW!e d i t o r i a l :

9 8 3 2 0 8 0 7 5 3

9 8 3 2 0 17 2 0 2

b u s i n e s s :

9 8 3 2 0 4 2 0 9 6

9 8 3 2 0 8 0 8 3 8