Daily Archives: July 14, 2012
Mamata hill sop amid model code
FROM INDIAN EXPRESS
Mamata Banerjee accepts greetings at Bhanu Bhakt Jayanti programme in Kalimpong on Friday. PTI
Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Friday announced several development schemes for Kalimpong, a town in Darjeeling hills, putting the model code of conduct, which is in force in the region ahead of the July 29 GTA polls, in question.
The model code was imposed in the area on July 3.
On the issue of holding meetings in the area ahead of the polls, Banerjee said she had taken special permission for it. “I know that prior to the elections, government cannot organise any such public events. But we had to celebrate the birth anniversary of the great Nepali poet Bhanu Bhakta and that is why we took special permission to organise this programme,” she said.
The chief minister, however, did not explain whether she had taken permission to announce several schemes for the region during a programme to celebrate the birth anniversary of the poet at a time when the model code of conduct was in force.
Banerjee announced various tourism schemes and announced to set up Nepali Language Council in Mongpoo in Darjeeling on the lines of Lepcha Development Council.
Urging the people of the hills to maintain peace in the upcoming GTA elections, she said: “Even though, the GJM has won in the election, the people of the hills should maintain peace in the area. There will be a lot of development in the area and the area will get grants from the Centre.”
Sunil Chhetri set to join Portuguese football club Sporting Lisbon
FROM MSNNEWS.COM
The Indian football captain Sunil Chhetri would don the famous Green and White colours as part of the B team of Sporting Clube de Portugal next season.
New Delhi: In a surprising turn of events, Indian football captain Sunil Chhetri is all set to join popular Portuguese football club Sporting Lisbon.
Chhetri would don the famous Green and White colours as part of the B team of Sporting Clube de Portugal next season. The club president and the player himself were expected to address the media on Thursday to make a formal announcement.
Though the Indian striker had quite a disappointing season with Mohun Bagan last time as he could score just five goals in the I-League, he was in a stellar form for India in the SAFF Championship.
This is going to be Chhetri’s second stint abroad after a short stay with MLS side Sporting Kansas City for whom he signed on March 24, 2010 but failed to make an appearance in the league.
In a statement, Chhetri expressed his happiness on joining the European giants Sporting Lisbon and said it was a dream come true for him.
Mamata congratulates GJM candidates
FROM IBNLIVE.IN.COM
Kolkata, Jul 13 (PTI) With Gorkha Janamukti Morcha (GJM) candidates winning uncontested 28 of 45 seats in the Gorkha Territorial Administration (GTA) polls in Darjeeling hills, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee today congratulated them for their participation in a “democratic process”. The chief minister said after many years new members will take office in the new hill council as per the GTA agreement. “They will take oath next month.
I congratulate all of them for their participation in democratic process,” she wrote on her latest post on Facebook. “I convey my best wishes and full support to their sincere efforts of bringing peace, development and prosperity in Darjeeling,” she said. Polling will be held on July 29. Banerjee met GJM president Bimal Gurung at Orchid House in Kalimpong earlier in the day where she was present for the observation of the 198th birth anniversary of Nepali poet Bhanu Bhakt.
CM asks Hills people to focus on tourism
FROM THE STATESMAN
KURSEONG, 13 JULY: Chief minister Mamata Banerjee urged the people of the Darjeeling Hills to work for the development of tourism.
Addressing the 198th birth anniversary programme of the legendary Nepali poet, Aadi Kavi Bhanubhakta Aacharya, she said tourists keep complaining of want of sufficient number of lodging facilities in the Hills. “Many of them are being forced to spend the nights in their vehicles. I am convinced that the situation can be improved if the locals and the tourism department arrange accommodation for the tourists. The number of tourists is growing with peace having returned in the Hills. Tourism potential being fully explored would go a long way in developmentally transforming the Hills. The need of the hour is planned promotion of tourism,” she said.
Slides block highway
FROM THE TELEGRAPH
BY NIRMAL MANGAR
Gangtok, July 13: Two landslides near Singtam on NH31A cut off Sikkim’s only road link with the rest of the country for almost two hours today.
Traffic was restored around 2.30pm.
The first landslide occurred at 32nd Mile near the Water Garden Park around 12.30pm followed by another at Martam Jhora after 15 minutes.
Around 200 vehicles, 20 of which were carrying tourists, were stranded on the highway.
Singtam is 24km from Gangtok.
“Debris and boulders were removed as soon as news of the slides was communicated to us by the police station. Two excavators were deployed. The landslides happened because of heavy rain on Thursday night,” said the chief engineer of the Border Roads Organisation, Brigadier Rajeev Sahani.
Around the same time two more landslides occurred at Lema between Chungthang and Lachen in North Sikkim, disrupting traffic for almost three hours.
Lema is 10km from Chungthang.
Hill peace message
FROM THE TELEGRAPH
BY ARNAB GANGULY
Mamata Banerjee in Kalimpong on Friday.
Picture by Sanat Kumar Sinha
Kalimpong, July 13: Mamata Banerjee today held a brief meeting with Gorkha Janmukti Morcha chief Bimal Gurung after which both leaders spoke of promoting peace in the hills.
The Bengal chief minister, here to attend a programme to commemorate the 198th birth anniversary of the Nepali poet Bhanu Bhakta Acharya, interacted with Morcha leaders.
Later on, she had a 30-minute meeting with Gurung, after which Mamata said: “I am happy that the GTA election is happening. Once the elections are over, the Centre will release Rs 200 crore. I don’t want to see bad roads. All of us will work together. There will be no problem.”
The chief minister said though she had no time to go to other places or even for her own party, she would keep visiting the hills, if required “a thousand times”. “I don’t come to occupy your land or for politics. I haven’t come here to campaign for my party. If I don’t come then there would be no development. People get to know of these places because I come here,” she said.
Gurung said: “There were misunderstandings on certain issues but the air has been cleared now. We are committed to work with the government for the development of the hills.”
CM bumpy ride triggers road meet
FROM THE TELEGRAPH
The potholed NH31D about which Mamata Banerjee complained recently. File picture
Calcutta, July 13: Mamata Banerjee’s outburst on the bad condition of highways in north Bengal today triggered an emergency meeting between officials of the National Highways Authority of India and PWD minister Sudarshan Ghosh Dastidar at Writers’ Buildings.
The Telegraph had reported how all through her 45km journey along NH31D on Tuesday, the chief minister had complained about the bumpy, bone-jerking ride.
Sources in the state secretariat said she later called up the state PWD minister and told him to do something about the condition of national highways across the state.
“We do send proposals to the Centre to repair the national highways and send in grants for repairing state highways. But too much time is consumed in processing the proposals. Also the money spent is much less than required,” said Ghosh Dastidar, after the two-hour meeting with NHAI officials.
In the meeting, several national highways that needed immediate repairs were listed.
Morcha role for 28 – Winners put on poll duty
FROM THE TELEGRAPH
BY VIVEK CHHETRI
A girl with a Lepcha flag in her hand waits with her parents for Mamata Banerjee’s arrival in Kalimpong on Friday. Picture by Chinlop Fudong Lepcha
Darjeeling, July 13: The 28 Gorkha Janmukti Morcha candidates declared uncontested winners in the GTA polls have been asked by party chief Bimal Gurung to oversee campaigns in the remaining seats that go to polls on July 29.
Although the hill party has got the majority in the GTA Sabha before the contest, the move is an indication that Gurung is not ready for a defeat in even a single seat as it will be blow to the Morcha’s boast of “99 per cent support of the hill population”.
Today, Gurung called the “winning” candidates to Darjeeling and assigned them specific responsibilities.
Binay Tamang, the assistant general secretary of the Morcha, said: “Prakash Gurung, Ratan Thapa and Narbu G. Lama have been asked by the party chief to leave for Kalimpong immediately and help the four winning candidates from that subdivision and oversee the party’s campaign. They will help our candidates in nine constituencies.”
Sources said the party has already chalked out a campaign plan for Kalimpong and Gurung has decided to hold meetings at Relli-Samthar, Gidabling-Nimbong, Samsing-Kumai and Rongo-Jhaldhaka-Todey constituencies in the subdivision.Observers said rebel Morcha candidate Sanchabir Subba, who was expelled from the party yesterday, could pose a challenge to Morcha candidate Kalyan Dewan.
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