Sikkim Toward Eco-City

Gangtok( By D.B.Rai): Sikkim is heading toward becoming eco-city as chief minister Pawan Chamling has declared that 165 gram panchayat units of the State will be turned into a village tourism centre thereby making Eco-city. In the Ist State Level Tourism Stake Holders Meet cum World Tourism Day celebration-2008 jointly organized by Tourism Department and Travel Agent and Association of Sikkim (TAAS)  held at Chintan Bhavan on 27th September , Mr. Chamling said the state government is going to introduce village tourism in all 165 gram panchayat units of the State. He also announced year 2010 will be declared Tourism year in the State. The declaration to 2010 as Tourism year is of course will boost the promotion of tourism in the State in great way. It is just as well that chief minister Chamling is very concerned for the promotion of village tourism in the State as he has already envisaged village tourism is the main source of income of the State and has great potentiality of its flourishing.

As to the development of village tourism, he said village tourism will be promoted in the State without hampering the culture and tradition of the society.
For the promotion of the tourism he informed the government has decided to give skill development training to every five youths for tourist guides, drivers and cooks of each Gram panchayat units. This will create employment for the local educated youths as well as the money of the tourists would not go outside State that what is happening in existing tourism business in the State. So, this will also ensures benefit to villagers of selling their home products from vegetables to handicrafts. otherwise if such  man powers  weren’t developed, tourism would  be for the few handful people of the  towns and  outside of the state as well as  Sikkimese people would have to be remain just the  monkeys  of Teesta who cannot develop themselves  despite of  the close contacts of human being.

Promotion of Village tourism is also the promotion of Green Mission. Today, the world is suffering from global warming due to growing number of industries that emanates carbon-di-oxide in great quantity. Everywhere are natural calamities and disasters. There are unprecedented weather changes in the earth that are suffering human lives and society. Though village tourism is also one kind of industry, it is eco-friendly. It is, therefore, suitable for this global system. The Green mission campaign of the government according to chief minister is widely appreciated by international community. He, however, has expressed dissatisfaction with the Sikkimese people of not appreciating the mission up to the mark. On the occasion, he said “The green mission has been greatly appreciated by the people of outside state. There is excitement on it. Even the prince of England Charles has sent me a letter appreciating my initiative,”
Chief Minister has directed even the head of the departments to take to their service not as duty but as mission to make Sikkim beautiful and green. In his view this age is the age of mutual understanding and accordingly he advised the senior officers not to order their juniors and lower rank people rather they should rope them in to discharge their duty so that the good result will come out without much ado.

So, the call of Chamling how much would fetch good result is depend upon the response of Sikkimese people. They have the potentiality to translate the dream of Chief Minister if they accept it by heart. Otherwise, Chamling’s dream will have the same fate what had happened to enlightened despot King Fredrick II who at last told his men to write some epigraph in his tomb thus: Here is slept that man who never become successful.

Sikkim Bandh observed peacefully on September 29

Gangtok, September 29: After a long period, the people of Sikkim witnessed the 12 hours bandh called by the Ruling Sikkim Democratic Party in protest of the burning of effigy of Chief Minister Pawan Chamling recently in Siliguri by some youths of Shiv Sena. All the Government offices, business establishments and schools remained close and the life came into stand still.The last bandh was observed in 1997 by the opposition party in the State protesting the decision of state Government for implementing the Central Employment exchange rule.

   The various political parties in the state criticized the ruling party for observing the bandh.

5 North-East  girls Trafficked,NE Support Centre raises concern

New Delhi, September 29, 2008 (North East Support Centre & Helpline)-Public Affair National Secretary of All India Christian Council Dr. Sam Paul led a delegation to Malaysian High Commission, New Delhi and National Commission for Women today to seek the urgent intervention for safe repatriation of five North East trafficked girls in Malaysia.

     The delegation includes New Delhi based Human Rights Activist Madhu Chandra, who is also the Regional Secretary of All India Christian Council and Spokes Person of North East Support Centre & Helpline along with Advocate Ms. Lansinglu Rongmei, the President of North East Support Centre & Helpline.
      National Commission for Women assured to seek help from the Ministry of External Affair to look into the matter and act accordingly. Malaysian High Commission has also assured the delegation to do all possible after hearing from the Indian counter part.

      NE Support Centre & Helpline has contacted the Christian pastor under whose care; the five trafficked girls have taken shelter in Kuala Lampur. NE Support Centre & Helpline is reported of their safe under the care of pastor and his family.

     One of the victims told NE Support Centre & Helpline over the phone tonight, “I and my four friends from Manipur were taken to Singapore with the promise of job and latter taken to Kuala Lampur by the agents and forced to work in a bar illegally.” She further says, “We managed to escape from the clutches of those agents who have trafficked us and we went to Indian High Commission at Kuala Lampur to seek help but the Commission asked the pastor to keep us under his shelter.”  Earlier, the Outer Manipur constituency MP, Mr. Mani Charanamei has written to External Minister Shri. Parnab Mukherjee about those trafficked girls and sought help from the ministry.     In connection to the alarming issue of human trafficking, targeting the young women from different parts of North East India, Madhu Chandra says, “The public of the region, particularly the youngsters and guardians must be sensitized about different groups and individuals offering the easy jobs and make ascertain of their genuiness.”
    Ms. Lansinglu Rongmei also urged the state governments of North Eastern States to alert the public awareness and security machineries to take up steps to prevent from further human trafficking.  Dr. Sam Paul urged the Malaysian High Commission to keep loop on those agencies operating human trafficking in different cities and towns of North Eastern states. “Other South Asia High Commissions in India will also be alerted about human trafficking agents based in the region,” says Dr. Paul.    North East Support Centre & Helpline (www.nehelpline.net) is combined initiative of various human rights activists, social workers, students, journalists and lawyers seeking to prevent harassment and abuses meted out to women, North East People and tribal communities of different states.

Chief Minister Chamling urge the Indian Nepalis to participate in National Building process and make New Identity in India

Gangtok: Chief Minister Dr. Pawan Chamling while addressing a mammoth gathering of eminent Nepali persons from across the country said that Indian Nepalis wherever they stay must accept their present condition and change their outlook and make effort to make a new identity in this soil. He said. " I am repeatedly saying that the demand for Gorkhaland is a constitutional demand. It is the time to examine and find out by the people of Darjeeling that why the demand could not be realised so far? Why the people were silent when the demand of Uttaranchal, Chatishgarh and Jharkhand were being fulfilled? He said that the Indian Nepali now onwards must give stress on quality education and must work for being a good human being and a good citizen and establish a new identity in India. Everybody can be a successful person, but we must be successful as well as good persons, he added.

     While talking about the incident of burning of his effigy at Siliguri by some youths belonging to Shiv Sena, he said," This is not the attack on individual Pawan Chamling, but it is the attack on the whole Indian Nepali community. What is the meaning of burning socalled effigy of Pawan Chamling? Because, he has established his identity in India that an Indian Nepali also can run governance successfully. Now, Pawan Chamling is the senior most Chief Minister in India who is running the government for 14 years in Sikkim. The people who burnt effigy is a glaring example of the attack on the Indian Nepali. The Indian Nepali must react and give fitting reply. " He ridiculed such act that after running 14 years of governance in Sikkim, somebody accused him as citizen of Nepal and he said that he won't reply it.

     On the occasion, many renown Indian Nepali personalities like former captain of Indian Football team Col. Puran Thapa, Former Chief Secretary of Andra Pradesh, Shri Trilok Kumar Dewan, former Police commissioner of Mumbai Lalit Dutraj, Mrs. Usha M. Rai, Telefilm producer and direcor, Mumbai, journalist Swaraj Thapa, Joel Rai, Dr. Kumar Bhandari, Dr. Sunita, K.C. Pradhan, First woman everest conqueror from Sikkim Miss Fulmaya Tamang and others were felicitated.