CMYK 11 - 17 OCT, 2006, GANGTOK [email protected]VOLUME 1 NO. 5. Rs. 10 LACHEN PIPON IS ANGRY FIND OUT WHY on page 3 ‘PILFERAGE’ worth THE COMPLETE STOR THE COMPLETE STOR THE COMPLETE STOR THE COMPLETE STOR THE COMPLETE STORY ON P Y ON P Y ON P Y ON P Y ON PAGE 2 AGE 2 AGE 2 AGE 2 AGE 2 SPIDERMAN ESCAPES, AGAIN! Rs. 2.68 crores uncovered at STCS GANGTOK: Spiderman strikes! And he has given the police the slip yet again. The fourth such escape for the 22 year old in a row. This time he has escaped from the undertrial hazaat of the district courts at Namchi, the south district headquarters. Sikkim’s most wanted criminal Rakesh Rai known more popularly as Spiderman for his ability to climb high rises and scale walls has fooled Sikkim police yet again, giving them the slip while being produced for the trial hearing for his double murder case at the Namchi district court in the afternoon today. He was driven to Namchi from the state jail at Rongyek here in Gangtok this morning. According to Superintendent of Police (South) Mrinalini Shrivastava, the escape took place around 12.30 pm on 10 October and the district police were informed immediately. The police have launched a massive man hunt for Spiderman with all the outposts being asked to keep vigil as well as several search teams being sent off to various locations. Sniffer dogs have been pressed into service. The checkposts at Melli, Rangpo, Ramam have been alerted. Police have also been asked to keep vigil at the river routes in Jorethang as well as several other jungles in the district. Spiderman strikes! And he has given the police the slip yet again. The fourth such escape for the 22 year old in a row. This time he has escaped from the undertrial hazaat of the district courts at Namchi, the south district headquarters. PEMA L SHANGDERPA reports for MIDWEEK Continued on page 4 OFF TO OXFORD on page 19 96 Crores In Dispute NO BUMPER WIN FOR SIKKIM IN LOTTERY ON PAGE 8 THE JOURNEY OF JC WHITE on page 6 THE JOURNEY OF JC WHITE on page 6 THE JOURNEY OF JC WHITE on page 6 THE JOURNEY OF JC WHITE on page 6 THE JOURNEY OF JC WHITE on page 6 DUMPED, CHARRED AND STILL STANDING TALL
THE COMPLETE STORTHE COMPLETE STORTHE COMPLETE STORTHE COMPLETE STORTHE COMPLETE STORY ON PY ON PY ON PY ON PY ON PAGE 2AGE 2AGE 2AGE 2AGE 2
SPIDERMAN ESCAPES, AGAIN!
Rs. 2.68 croresuncovered at STCS
GANGTOK: Spiderman strikes! And he has given the police the slip yet again. Thefourth such escape for the 22 year old in a row. This time he has escaped from theundertrial hazaat of the district courts at Namchi, the south district headquarters.
Sikkim’s most wanted criminal Rakesh Rai known more popularly as Spidermanfor his ability to climb high rises and scale walls has fooled Sikkim police yet again,giving them the slip while being produced for the trial hearing for his double murdercase at the Namchi district court in the afternoon today. He was driven to Namchifrom the state jail at Rongyek here in Gangtok this morning.
According to Superintendent of Police (South) Mrinalini Shrivastava, the escapetook place around 12.30 pm on 10 October and the district police were informedimmediately. The police have launched a massive man hunt for Spiderman with allthe outposts being asked to keep vigil as well as several search teams being sent offto various locations. Sniffer dogs have been pressed into service. The checkposts atMelli, Rangpo, Ramam have been alerted. Police have also been asked to keep vigilat the river routes in Jorethang as well as several other jungles in the district.
Spiderman strikes! And he has given the police the slip yet again.The fourth such escape for the 22 year old in a row. This timehe has escaped from the undertrial hazaat of the district courtsat Namchi, the south district headquarters. PEMA L SHANGDERPAreports for MIDWEEK
Continued on page 4
OFF TO OXFORD
on page 1996 Crores In Dispute
NO BUMPER WIN FOR
SIKKIM IN LOTTERYON PAGE 8
THE JOURNEY OF JC WHITE on page 6THE JOURNEY OF JC WHITE on page 6THE JOURNEY OF JC WHITE on page 6THE JOURNEY OF JC WHITE on page 6THE JOURNEY OF JC WHITE on page 6
DUMPED, CHARREDAND STILL STANDING TALL
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GANGTOK: One of Sikkim’sbest known and biggest publicsector undertakings, the StateTrading Corporation of Sikkim(STCS) has come under thescanner of the Comptroller andAuditor General of India.
According to reliablesources, STCS has been pulledup by the office of theAccountant General, for‘pilferage’ of Cement andLiquid petroleum gas (LPG).STCS is the authorized agencyfor the supply of the two goods.While they supply cement tothe State Government they arealso the authorized distributorsof LPG cylinders in the state.
Sources inform that adetailed review andperformance audit of STCSbeing carried out at present bythe CAG has revealed that bothCement and LPG were‘pilfered’ to the tune of Rs.2.68 crores. The figure is,however, cumulative with theshort supplies having beenpassed down the years for thepast several years. Majority of
the pilferage was found to bein the case of cement.
A physical verification ofthe stores is said to haverevealed that there were shortsupplies of both the goods inthe stores. It has also beenlearnt that this is the first timethat the audit has carried outsuch physical verification ofthe goods in the state. Theverification was carried out bySTCS themselves in presenceof the personnel from the audit.The verification was insistedfor ‘public interest’ sincepublic funds were involved.
The audit has found out thatthe accounts in the registers didnot tally with the goods in thestore when the verification wascarried out, with the figurerunning above 2.5 crores. Thegoods which were foundunaccounted for tantamount topilferage.
Meanwhile, it is learntthat the charteredaccountant of the STCS hasalso been hauled up by CAGsince they had beencert i fying the reportswithout test checks or
physical verification. Thechartered accountant auditsthe STCS accounts everyyear. Without verifying orwithout veracity they hadcert i f ied the accountsannually purely on ‘bookvalue’.
A major cause for thepilferage is said to be the weakinternal control system in theCorporation. This wasinformed to the managementby the audit when they heldregular discussions. STCS wasalso advised to improve theirchecks and balance system.The department themselveshad never carried out such aphysical verification.
High sources within thegovernment have revealed thatthe office of the AccountantGeneral under the CAG hasasked the State Government fora Vigilance enquiry into thepilferage. They are said to havealready written to the StateGovernment with the request.
STCS itself has alreadyinitiated actions within thedepartment for collection of the‘pilfered’ goods.
GANGTOK: With the State Trading Corporation of Sikkim(STCS), under threat of a vigilance enquiry, the STCSmanagement has initiated damage control measures startingwith internal enquiries. It has now surfaced that the ‘pilferage’took place at the supervisory levels with the store keeper anddistributors being indicted for the lapses, which led tomisappropriation in the supplies. STCS has attached theproperty of the store keeper as a means of recovery with someRs. 26 lakhs recovered from him so far. Apparently, the storekeeper has admitted to the misappropriation and themanagement at STCS hopes to make further recoveries.
Enquiry committees have been formed and two separateone man enquiry committees have been instituted to look intoand investigate the pilferages in the supply of cement and LPG.While the chief general manager Gyamtso Bhutia will enquireinto the lapses in Gangtok, general manager Menla Ethenpawill investigate into the Jorethang lapses.
It has been learnt that apart from the various lapses like notchecking and keeping a tab on the supplies of cement to thestore, even the sale proceeds in the case of LPG were notdeposited on time. This had continued regularly at thesupervisory levels leading to the huge accumulation ofunaccounted accounts. “We have formed our internalcommittees and once they place the report we will fix theresponsibilities on those who are involved” STCS Managingdirector Tempo Bhutia said while speaking to Midweek. Bhutiaalso said that the management was verifying their accounts tosee if the pilferage actually amounted to the huge figure aswas being quoted.
Recently, the board of directors of the Corporation held ameeting to discuss the issue and they have forwarded asuggestion to the State Government to form a committee tolook into the details. Personally for Bhutia, well known forhis managerial abilities and as one who has worked hard togive a new image to STCS, this has come as a huge blow andhe admits to feeling ‘let down by his supervisory staff’.
STCS under the scannerPerformance audit finds ‘pilferage’ of Cement,
LPG worth Rs. 2.68 croresa MIDWEEK REPORT
STCS initiates enquiryfollowing audit revelations
a MIDWEEK REPORT
GANGTOK: Sikkim will hostthe two-daylong meeting ofCommerce and IndustriesMinisters of the North Easternstates in the last week ofOctober. The meeting willdeliberate and review the NorthEast Industrial Policy [NEIP]1997 and 2003 as well as onthe Look East policy of theunion government, besidesthrashing out several issuesconnected with border trade inthe NE region.
Speaking to MIDWEEK, theState Commerce and IndustriesMinister RB Subba informedthat the Forum of CommerceMinisters of the North East,headed by Assam CommerceMinister Pradyut Bordoloi as itschairman, will meet here todiscuss how best the industrialpackages can be modified forthe NE states and attract moreinvestors to the region.
The Gangtok meet will be asequel to the recent meetingheld in Guwahati as well as
their delegation to New Delhiwhere they met Prime MinisterManmohan Singh and theUnion Commerce Minister,asking for several sops andextension of the excise subsidyunder the New Industrialpolicy, the Minister stated.
One of the bigger aspects ofthe NEIP is the demand of theNE ministers to extend theExcise subsidy under the NEIPwhich expires in March 2007.The ministers want the subsidyto be extended up to 2017which was also the demandplaced before the primeminister in their Delhi tourrecently. Mr. Subba said thatboth the Prime Minister and theCommerce Minister gave apatient hearing but it was stillleft to them to pressurize andpush harder for the cause.
In the case of Uttaranchal,Himachal Pradesh and Jammuand Kashmir, the excisesubsidy was already extendedbut it was not done for the NEstates, Mr. Subba said, adding,““In real terms these states are
much advanced than Sikkimand North East as far asindustrial development isconcerned. When they have gotthe extension why not us?”
“We want to make our casestrong when we meet to discussso that we can again approachthe Government of Indiaunitedly,” he added.
Several incentives and sopsare also likely to be demandedunder the new industrial policyto attract investors to theregion. Setting up of specialeconomic zones in the regionis also likely to come up duringthe two day deliberations. Theministers will also discussborder trade through Moreh inManipur, the two other bordertrade through ArunachalPradesh, one in Nagaland andthe one through Nathula inSikkim.
The Commerce andIndustries Minister also saidthat while a new IndustrialPolicy 2006 for the countrywas being framed, the forumwanted to discuss and suggest
various schemes and subsidiesfor the NE region for the policy.
He, however, said that therewere still misgivings andmisunderstanding at thebureaucratic level in NewDelhi who have this notion thatthe money is not being utilisedand put into proper use in theright places. “They have notvisited the region and aremistaken in thinking since thisis not the real picture,” he said.
Speaking on the Nathula
NE Commerce Ministers to meet in Gangtoka MIDWEEK Report trade, Mr. Subba said that
while the volume of trade wassmall, it was the confidencebuilding measure between thetwo countries that wasimpressive. He said that tradersfrom both China and Sikkimwere very happy with the tradeso far and the Chinese traderseven invited traders from thisside to interact at theRinchinggang trade mart on thelast day of trade on 30September last month.
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Asst. General Manager,SBI, Gangtok.
STATE BANK OF INDIA“Light of Sikkim” Building, M.G.Marg,Gangtok-737101 Sikkim
NOTICE
a MIDWEEK REPORT
GANGTOK: It’s ‘hardware’as well as ‘software’ that ismaking Lachen Pipon ChyoRabzor Lachenpa’s head spinand fume with anger. ThePipon of Lachen Dzumsa hascome out in the open withallegations against formersenior north district officials,whom he accuses ofmisappropriation of fundsunder the United NationsDevelopmental Programme[UNDP] schemes sanctionedfor Lachen Village. The no-nonsense Pipon does not mincewords in making directaccusations against PW Lepchaaka Joe, the former subdivisional officer (Mangan)and PS Targain, former districtcollector (North).
He claims he wants to exposetheir misdeeds as he is answerableto the people of Lachen who needto know the truth.
The funds to the tune of Rs.70 lakhs were sanctioned underthe Rural Tourism ‘hardware’Scheme (RTS) and the GOI-UNDP Endogenous Tourism‘software’ project (ETP).Claims that works totaling uptoonly Rs. 14 lakhs have beenavailed by the people ofLachen under the schemes sofar, the Pipon now wants theofficials to be accountable forthe balance amount.
Under the ‘hardware’schemes fel l theconstruct ion of a giant
prayer wheel in the villagefor Rs. 7 lakhs, developmentof area around the prayerwheel at a cost of Rs. 2lakhs, i l luminat ion ofvillage street lighting for Rs.7 lakhs, provision offlatstone footpath for Rs. 15lakhs and funds forbeautification and fencingof Lachen monastery,construct ion of toi le ts ,erect ion of s ignage andconstruct ion of internaldrainage, the works totalingRs. 40 lakhs. The Pipon hasclaimed that the giant prayerwheel and the monasterygate was left unfinished andwas completed by them
through their own fundsrecently. “In our religionleaving such worksunfinished is a bad omenand does not reflect well forthe village and in fact for thewhole of Sikkim, as Lachenis the fountainhead of thestate. So we decided to takeup the work on our own andwe have completed it underthe Food For WorkProgramme [FFWP],” thePipon told Midweek.
He also said that thepeople of Lachen toiled tocomplete the f lats tonefootpath in the village. “We
Why is Lachen Pipon angry?brought the kalo patharfrom Muguthang some fiftyki lometers away andcompleted the footpath” thePipon added mentioning thatthe other works l ike thestreet lighting and internaldrainage were carried outshoddily. Even the drainagework was carried out by uson our own,” the Pipon said.Besides the works l ikebeautif icat ion of theDzumsa complex were takenup by them and they plantedsaplings under the greenmission while they are notaware of what happened tothe Rs. 3 lakhs sanctionedfor it under the UNDP fund.
Under the ‘software’schemes of the project ,funds were earmarked forconducting workshops forawareness on tourismindustry, socialmobilization, conductingbasel ine survey andtrainings for vis i torhandling, skill development,local hospitality, guides andreception. While funds wereset aside, no such trainingsor workshops have evertaken place. He said insteadof the villagers being sentfor exposure and study tripsoutside to places wheretourism is flourishing, it wasoff icials and inf luent ialpeople who made the trip toLadakh spending almost Rs.
3 lakhs. “There werecomplaints that some of thevi l lagers including theformer Pipon who were partof the t r ip were kept indormitories in the Delhiheat. There were also nointeractions in Ladakh”, heclaimed.
He a l so accused theofficials of not paying anyvisi t to the area despiteseveral requests by themfor an inspection, sayingthat the co-ordinator wassupposed to have mademonthly visits.
Informing that the matterhas been now been broughtbefore the UNDP officials,the Pipon has asked theofficials to give details of themoney given to the previousPipon who has since expired.“The officials claim that theyhave handed some money tohim. One cannot blamesomeone who has alreadypassed away and if therewere any transactions pleasefurnish the details includingthe cheque details since itmust have been doneofficially,” he said.
The Pipon also feels thatLachen was being neglectedwhile all the developmentwas in Lachung, “We are likeorphans. Lachung has theminister and officials to backthem while we have no one,”he said.
a MIDWEEK photo
44444 11 - 17 Oct, 2006
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GANGTOK: Work on the1,200 MW Teesta –IIIhydroelectric plant is to startin January 2007. This wasdisclosed recently by Hydropower company Teesta Urja.The Rs. 6,000 crore project isthe biggest hydel project tocome up in north Sikkim.According to the company, theproject has received techno-economic and environmentclearances and is likely to getforest clearance within amonth. The mega project isexpected to make the stateself-sufficient in electricitygeneration and also enable itto sell surplus power to otherstates. The project would becompleted in four-and-a-halfyears. It envisages building adam on the Teesta river atChungthang from where a13.32 km long tunnel wouldstretch to Singik. Anunderground powerhouseconsisting of six units of 200MW each would beconstructed at Singik.
But even as preparationsare on full swing to kick startthe project, doubts have beenexpressed over its location.According to the “CarryingCapacity Study of Teesta
Basin in Sikkim”, a studyinitiated at the instance ofMinistry of Environment &Forests, Government of India,the proposed area falls onZone-VI of seismic zoningmap of India. An earthquakeof the magnitude of 6.0Richter scale was recorded onNovember 19, 1980, withepicenter located 15 km ENEof Gangtok and focal depth of47 km. Importantly theepicenter lies on the surfacetrace of Gangtok lineamentand this project area also liesalong this lineament. Thestudy suggests that acomprehensive seismicsurveillance plan isformulated during the initialplanning stage of any hydro-electric project in this regionto tackle the probability ofoccurrence of earthquakes.
The study also states thatthe project is situated in oneof the most ecologicallysensitive area of Sikkim. Thegeological sensitivity of thecatchment is characterized byhuge deposits of moraines in
the catchment upstream.These deposits areprecariously placed and are inequilibrium with the naturalconditions of these areas.Some of the glaciated areashave a history of beingblocked by the debrisresulting in the formation oftemporary lakes, which uponbursting are known to bringthis material downstream todeposit at various places inthe river. This is evident fromthe recent deposit of debrisalong the course of LhonarkChhu as evident from recentsatellite data. A number ofsmall and medium sizedglacial lakes have developedin these areas. All these lakesare potential source of hazardgeneration. The Glacial lakeOutburst Flood [GLOF] cancreate havoc in downstreamarea endangering thestructures and habitations.The study has asked forproper monitoring andobservation of the behaviourof these lakes. Any activityresulting in displacement of
Huge sediments, flowinginto the river through landslideactivity may lead to siltationproblem, causing flash floodsto occur endangering thestructures.
Meanwhile, the appeal filedby the Affected Citizens ofTeesta [ACT] with the NationalEnvironmental ApellateAuthority [NEAA], NewDelhi, in protest against theenvironmental clearance givento the 1200 MW Teesta HydroEnergy Power project is tocome up for hearing onWednesday, 11 October.
Dissatisfied with what itcalls a ‘total mockery’ of the
Public Hearing for Stage 3 theSikkim Pollution ControlBoard conducted inChungthang in North Sikkimon 8 June earlier this year, ACThas filed an appeal with theNEAA to cancel theenvironmental clearancegranted to M/s Teesta Urja Ltd,the developer for the TeestaStage III power project.
The State PollutionControl Board was alsoserved a legal notice to refrainfrom forwarding what theACT calls, ‘anti-environmentand anti-people’. ACT is alsoaccusing the SPCB of‘hurriedly forwarding adistorted version of theproceedings of the PublicHearing to the MOEF, and theexpert committee set up bythe MOEF also accepted theproceedings in grossviolations of the instructionslaid down for MOEF forenvironmental clearance.
Work on 1,200 MW Teesta-III hydel project
to start by Jan ’07
Experts claim project located in earthquake prone zone,
express concern over location
RHEA SHARMA
GANGTOK: With the 31September deadline for theaffiliation of Sikkim ManipalInstitute of Medical Sciences,Tadong, by the MedicalCouncil of India set by theMBBS students over, 99interns here have resumed theirstrike after the puja break.
Upset by MCI’s delay ingranting affiliation to SMIMS,the students, who have passedout from the college and are tocomplete their one yearinternship next year as juniordoctors in Central ReferralHospital, have gone on anindefinite strike and boycottedtheir duties. The students areresolved that the strike will goon until the affiliation comesthrough and the State MedicalCouncil is set up.
The interns had called offthe strike earlier in July aftercarrying it on for two weeks
after receiving assurance fromthe SMIMS authorities thatthe affiliation would comethrough by 31 September andthe State Medical Council setup within the same deadline.
The matter relating to theimmediate affiliation of theinstitute had been taken up by theSMIMS authorities with theMCI and the Union HealthMinistry earlier in August. Notonly had the Ministry respondedpositively to this, it had alsooverruled MCI’s objection toSTNM Hospital being used bythe SMIMS students.
Following the Ministry’sdirective, the MCI officials hadvisited SMIMS for a finalinspection in the first week ofSeptember and were to submitits final report on a prioritybasis. However, the council’sdelay in submitting its reporthad resulted in further delay inthe procedure relating toSMIMS’s affiliation.
The Vice Chancellor ofSikkim Manipal University, KJayakumar, meanwhile saidthat the matter was discussedin detail with the UnionSecretary in the Ministry ofHealth and it was decided thenthat the MCI affiliation will notbe delayed beyond Octoberend. He said it was only amatter of time that theaffiliation would be granted.He said that the executivecouncil of the MCI was slatedto meet on 18 October and itwould be known after thissitting.
He also said that the SikkimMedical Registration Act andthe setting up of the StateMedical Council passed by theSikkim Legislative Assemblyearlier this year was sent to thePresident for his assent and hadnot come back since. Anyfurther action on it would comeonly after the assent of thePresident.
Strike resumes at SMIMSa MIDWEEK Report
Police said that he removedthe iron frame of the ventilatorand escaped through anotherhole in the narrow passage inthe back of the building. Hethen crossed the short fences tofreedom. All this while therewere several other convicts andundertrails inside the hazaat, aswell as escorts from the statejail and the Reserve linesguarding outside.
The frame of the ventilatorwas recently installed with theplaster still fresh. Therenovation was done recentlyas part of the initiative to giveimproved and cleaner cells inthe courts.
Spiderman had made histhird attempt to escape from theprison in July last year
Jail authorities, however,had foiled the bid. Havingmanaged to remove the nutsand bolts of the locked door toCell No 4 (solitaryconfinement), he had attackedtwo warders who were on dutythen. Both the constables werestruck with wooden plankswhile fast asleep. The guards’cry for help had alerted theauthorities, who nabbed theconvict.
The most wanted criminalhas been accused of numerousthefts and a double murder. But
what brought him first to theheadlines was the theft in a fourstar hotel at M G Marg, wherehe robbed Swedish Boforsengineers of their money andbelongings. He had scaled thewall and entered the roomsthrough the windows. Herepeated this at another hotelwhere he robbed foreign anddomestic tourists.
In September 2004 he hadescaped from the state jail atRongyek by scaling the wallswith the help of a fibre opticcable tied to a watchtower. Hewas rearrested a week later inJorethang after an attempt toenter the malkhana of thedistrict court at Namchi todestroy evidence against him.
Spiderman had also escapedfrom the ventilator of a toiletat the district court in Gangtokafter his arrests in the robberiesat the Gangtok hotel earlier. Hewas being produced there forthe trial hearings. Later, afterhis rearrest in Siliguri, hisinvolvement in a doublemurder was discovered. He hadkilled Sonam Dadul Bhutia inthe Dentam-Pelling road.Several days later he killedBhutia’s girl friend and threwthe body off the road near thecoronation bridge on the 31 Anational highway near Siliguri.
Spiderman escapes, again!Continued from page 1
5555511 - 17 Oct, 2006
CMYK
SPORTS
GANGTOK: They haveplayed in Nepal as a team andhave already made a mark thereby lifting the National LeagueChampionships as well as theDharan Cup.
Nigeria United is now herein Sikkim albeit with a differentname GMHK Lions XI as the‘surprise’ team to participate inthe 28th All India Governor’sGold Cup Tournament beingplayed at the Paljor Stadium.The team is already garnering
huge support and fan followinghere in Gangtok, especiallyafter their first win against lastyear’s Gold Cup championsBSF Jallandhar.
The team comprises ofplayers who have played forbigger clubs and teams in bothNepal and India. “We are agood team and we hope toperform well here. There arealready very high expectationsand lot of support and it isimportant we play well,” FujaTope, the coach of GMHKLions told MIDWEEK.
GANGTOK: The 28th AllIndia Governor’s Gold CupTournament is Sikkim’sbiggest sporting event. Theevent is much bigger this yearwith prize money of Rs. 5 lakhsannounced by the SikkimFootball Association.
However, the huge prizemoney and the new ‘ultramodern’ Paljor Stadium hasfailed to woo the bigger namesin soccer. There was a timewhen the presence of highprofile teams like East Bengal,Mohun Bagan, JCT and Mohd.Sporting, etc., were a constantbut although the facilities havegot better, the participatingteams not so.
For Gangtokians, waiting allyear for this annual event, thenon representation of big teamshas come as a dampener. TheAll Nigerain team GMHK
Lions was the only solace forfootball aficionados in Sikkimthis time.
One remembers the oldPaljor Stadium where the bigguys came to play in thesandy field with supporterscheering on from run downwooden stands. “Goa andBengal are the most wellknown states as far as footballis concerned. We are yet tosee a good club or team fromthese two states play” is whata football fan had to say toMidweek. Adding that evenlast year’s runners-up TataFootball Academy did notmake it this year and the onlyother team from Bengal,Calcutta Customs, were outof the tournament.
SFA, however, clarified thatthe big teams were playing theIFA shield and that is why theycould not make it to thetournament this time.
Gangtokians root for all Nigerian team
Strikers Muri Subair, EzeCollins and Daniel Ekong, whohave earlier played for SportingDe Goa and Air India are someof the players to watch out for.Another ‘star ’ is AbdulOkegbimiro.
While they responded to aninvitation made to teams inNepal by Sikkim FootballAssociation (SFA) to participatein the tournament, threemembers have sponsored theirparticipation here. HumanResources DevelopmentMinister G.M Gurung, Health
Minister Hishey Lachungpaand SFA Vice President andBhaichung Bhutia’s mentorKarma P Bhutia have chippedin to patronize the team for theirSikkim tour. That is also howthe name GMHK evolved. Theletters stand for the acronym ofthe three patrons.
Their Sikkim tour willcreate visibility for the talentsand make it easier for them tobe picked up by other teamsand clubs from India.
Coach Tope, who alsodoubles as the manager of the
players said that while they do nothave any corporate sponsorshipsat the moment, any help comingtheir way would be appreciated ifgiven a chance. “Our intention isalso to market the players for thebigger teams. We have plans togo to Malasia next to play in theleagues there if we are lucky withsponsorships,” he toldMIDWEEK.
With the huge local supportbehind them, the Lions alreadylook like the favorites to clinchthe title this year. Way to Go,Lions!
a MIDWEEK Report
Midweek photos
Lack of starteams
disappoint fansa MIDWEEK Report
66666 11 - 17 Oct, 2006
CMYK
ROUND-UP
A part of the pillar that once held White’s bust with the inscriptions still intact (TOP LEFT) and the bust asit stands today at the picnic spot at Namli. Midweek photos.
DUMPED, CHARREDAND STILL STANDING TALL
Crisscrossing heaps of garbage dumped along theroute to the upcoming science city at Namli andnext to the Rani khola is an upcoming picnic
spot with swimming pools. The construction activityis still on at this sprawling 7 acres of land. A bronzestatue of a mustachioed man under the shade of amango tree attracts attention. On a closer look, youfind it is none other than John Claude White, the firstBritish political officer to Sikkim.
How the bust got here is an interesting story initself. White’s bust atop the pillar was first installedat the present Mintokgang-Whitehall junction here[then the part of the Palace ridge] in the capitalsometime in 1932 when the White Memorial Hall wasbuilt to commemorate his services to Sikkim. Thestatue was uprooted from the Mintokgang-Whitehall-Ridge junction in the early 1980s and replaced bythat of the first Prime Minister Pandit JawaharlalNehru. It was then dumped at the dingy store roomof the PWD building at Zero Point here, where it layfor almost a decade. In the early nineties, when a majorfire destroyed the building, the bust fortunatelysurvived the fire. Basudev Pradhan, a contractor andbusinessman from Ranipul, got the contract to clearthe debris. Realizing the historical significance of thestatue, he decided against disposing it off to scrapdealers along with the charred remains of the building.
Today, the statue finds a ‘respectable’ resting placeunder the shades of a mango tree at his resort in Namli.
White’s bust atop the pillar was first installed atthe present Mintokgang-Whitehall junction here inthe capital sometime in 1932 when the WhiteMemorial Hall was also built to commemorate hisservices to Sikkim.
John Claude White was not only the first BritishPolitical Officer of Sikkim but also its most famoushistorian, being the first to capture the people, thelandscapes and the monuments of Sikkim Himalayasin camera. Having governed the state for almost 20years, he has rendered many invaluable services,including the introduction of a proper administrativesystem.
John Claude WhitePolitical Officer in Sikkim from 1889-1908
Erected by public subscription in commemorationof his many
valuable services to the Sikkim state
This is the inscription on the half broken stonepillar on which stood the bronze bust of the mostfamous Britisher who lived and worked in Sikkim
for the better part of his life. His many‘valuable services’ have been long forgotten.Even the bust of this engineer-administrator-photographer-historian on Sikkim has had anigmonious journey down the era, weathering
several disgraceful moments, ravages of timeand even a fire. Finally the statue of JOHN
CLAUDE WHITE has got a respectable restingplace at a picnic spot in Namli. PEMA L
SHANGDERPA and KARCHOONG DIYALI track downthe bust and its journey so far.
He is also responsible for giving Sikkim most ofits old laws, rules and regulations, land reforms andtaxation system, many of which are today protectedunder article 371 [f] of the constitution that ourpoliticians and leaders resort to at regular intervals toclaim Sikkim’s special status.
Claude White also built the present Raj Bhavanduring his tenure here which was then called the “TheResidency” or Burra Kothi. After Independence, itbecame the Political Office of the Government of Indiaand later the Raj Bhavan with the merger of Sikkiminto the Union.
White visited Sikkim in 1887 for the first time. Inthe following year, he joined the expeditionary forcesent to the Sikkim-Nepal war as Assistant PoliticalOfficer and stayed in Sikkim as the first PoliticalOfficer for twenty years. During that time, he went tothe Talung glacier and also Lhonak. When he returnedto Lhonak in 1902 as a member of the Sikkim-TibetBoundary Committee, he carried out detailedexplorations. In 1903-04, he accompanied theYounghusband Mission to Lhasa.
White was also a keen photographer and was associatedwith the Calcutta-based studio of Johnston and Hoffman.He started writing articles for the Geographical Journaland the National Geographic Magazine with photographsto accompany them. He focused on the sublime more thanon the beautiful in his landscapes and photographs ofgaunt, forbidding mountains and imposing buildings inNepal, Sikkim and Tibet. White has taken some of theearliest and most breathtaking views of theKhangchendzonga and Sinolchu.
However, none of White’s recorded documents ofthe period can be found at the State Archives heretoday. On the final part of his tour recent tour ofEurope, chief minister Pawan Chamling, who reachedLondon, seemed to be keenly interested in the politicalhistory of Sikkim and requested the Britishgovernment to provide him historical documentspertaining to the influence of the British in Sikkimfrom the British Library in Euston, London. For abetter understanding of the bygone historical links,
Chamling solicited the details of the agreement in the1930s when Darjeeling was gifted by Sikkim to theruling British government in India. He has also askedfor the document written by John Claude White whowas the first administrative official posted in Sikkim.
However, the respect due to Claude White, alegend in his lifetime, has not been given to him.Today, the journey of his bust is a sad reflection ofour disregard for history. Even the White MemorialHall (below), which was built to commemorate hisservices to Sikkim, remains a neglected heritagesite which is used only as an entrance to the Annexebuilding which houses the Sports and Youth AffairsDepartment and several other offices,
7777711 - 17 Oct, 2006
CMYK
ROUND-UP
a MIDWEEK REPORT
GANGTOK: On turning six,Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limitedhas announced several offersfor the festival season till theend of the year, which includesreduction in rentals from Rs.299 to Rs. 225 per month. Theyhave also revised the tariff forall calls with calls coming toas low as Rs. 1. 10 for 180seconds call.
These offers wereannounced on 6 October by SCAhluwalia, General ManagerTelecom, Bharat SancharNigam Limited Sikkim. Hewas speaking to the media hereon the achievements and futureplans of BSNL Sikkim inrelation to BSNL completingsix years of operation in thecountry on 1 October. Duringthe meet, the GM alsoinformed that Sikkim hastopped the national list forbeing the state with the highesttele-density with the density oftelephones standing at morethan 20 for a population of 100.
The BSNL is also offeringfixed line pre-paid schemeswhile post paid BSNL callers
can now avail calls within thecircle at 40 paise. In broadbandservices, one can now availunlimited download andupload facility on Data Onebroadband for Rs. 900 permonth. The Excel Power alsoallows BSNL mobile users tocall one land line and mobilenumber frequently used at 10paise per call.
They have also beenoffering rebates from 10 percent to 20 per cent onoutstanding dues of landlineconnection for more than twoyears. A new mobile user nowget 200 SMS free withactivation for the first twomonths while full talk time onall recharge vouchers.
Mr. Ahluwalia informed thatthe BSNL is aiming to furtherrestrengthen the basic telephonenetwork to make it more reliableand the services will be availablein all the villages of Sikkim bythe end of the year. Wirelesstechnology is being introducedin the remote and inaccessibleplaces. BSNL has alsocommitted to provide high speedbroadband internet services to allthe towns, sub divisions and
Offers galore from BSNL
SIKKIM HAS HIGHEST TELE DENSITY
district headquarters and thebigger villages.
Besides this, BSNL, whichhas 62, 000 mobile users inSikkim alone, has beenmaking the mobile servicescongestion free and availablein all the nook and corners ofSikkim, including main roadsand villages, informed theGM. For this purpose, BSNLhas planned 50 more basetransmission stations in all theinteriors of Sikkim in the nextfew months. They will also beusing state of the art overlayaccess network and opticalfibre to build high speed datanetworking within this year atselective places. They will beinstalling underground OFCfor more than 100 kilometresin order to strengthentransmission network andminimize the overhead cablenetwork.
The BSNL, however, hasbeen plagued by cable theftsin various parts of the state andhave appealed to the people,civil administration and thepolice for help to takeeffective measures tominimize such thefts.
GANGTOK: The State Bankof India [SBI], Gangtokbranch, will go online by theend of this month, hopefullymaking transactions moreefficient and faster. This wasannounced on 9 October by thebank’s Regional Manager RGhosh during an interactivemeet held here between thebank officials and the ‘citizensof Gangtok’.
The bank, it was informed,had also recently tied up withthe Indian Railways and was inthe process of installing ATMsat railway stations. In fact,installation of the bank’s ATMsat popular tourist destinationsin Sikkim was one of the
SBI holds interactive session with customerssuggestions made to the bankofficials by those attending themeet. To this, the officialsassured that Gyalshing wouldsoon get an ATM, followed byinstallation of ATMs all overSikkim in a phased mannerdepending on the economicviability of the place.
Suggestion to accord Sikkima regional office of its own wasmade by former TourismSecretary Tashi Densapa. Hepointed out that besidesSikkim’s status as a state ofIndia and existence of a largenumber of the bank’s branchesin the state, it would make senseto open a regional office hereinstead of making the bank’s
clients depend on the Siligurioffice for sanction of loans, etc.He further suggested that if thebank’s facilities and schemeswere made available in smallertowns and rural areas, it wouldboost SBI’s credibility in theseareas.
Other suggestions placedbefore the bank authoritiesincluded giving the bank’sinteriors a facelift, besidesensuring that customers haveenough privacy while handlingtheir account details so thattheir confidential details are notcompromised, better marketingstrategies and attractive offers,and accessible extendedcustomer service.
The State Government haslost out on almost ahundred crores over the
last 5 years due to a deal gonebad between the Directorate ofLotteries and marketing agentTashi Delek Gaming Solutions.The case is now in arbitrationunder the jurisdiction ofRetired Justice Maloy SenGupta. A claim for around Rs.96 crores was filed by theDirectorate of State Lotteries inAugust 25, 2005. 17 sittingshave already taken place withthe next one slated to be heldbetween 22-25 November. TheDirectorate of Lotteries ishopeful that this will be the lastone with the judgment going inits favour. ‘We are hopeful fora favourable response,” said
CM Sharma, Director, StateLotteries, speaking toMidweek
The State Government hadentered into an agreement inAugust 2001 with the latter fora period of seven years foroperation, maintenance andmarketing of the State’s onlinelottery. According to theagreement Government ofSikkim was to get 20 per centof the gross revenue earnedthrough sale of tickets everyyear for seven years, which wasto be deposited with thegovernment on a monthly basis.
The government introducedtwo lottery schemes, theSikkim Super Lotto andSikkim Thunder Ball in 2002.Due to stiff competition fromonline lottery business ofother States and imposition of
ban on sale of lottery ticket bythe government of Tamil Naducausing fall in sale of tickets,the marketing agent requestedthe State Government in June2003 to lower the state sharefrom 20 per cent to 5 per centin both the games so that theprize pool could be increasedfrom 45 per cent to 60 per centwith a view to make the gamesmore attractive and increasethe ticket sales.
The cabinet approved theproposal in November 2003with the condition that arrearsof revenue should be clearedwithin 15 days. The matter wasto be reviewed after a periodof three months for insertingenabling clauses in theagreement. But even till July2004 the conditions laid downby the cabinet were not
NO BUMPER WIN FOR SIKKIM IN LOTTERY
96 Crores In Disputeadopted. Although thereduction in the state’s sharefrom 20 per cent to 5 per centwas immediately effected fromthe sale of the online lotterydraws with effect from 25November 2003,corresponding increase in theprize pool from the existing 45per cent to 60 per cent was notmade by the marketing agent.
Even the minimum assuredrevenue of Rs. 45 crore for2003-04 and Rs. 65 crore for2004-05 was not paid. Inaddition, there was clearviolation by the marketingagent of Clause 12 of theagreement, which stipulatedthat sale proceeds would bedeposited with the Governmenton a monthly basis.
Now with the matter underarbitration, the State
Government is hopeful that thejudgment will go in its favour.It is worth remembering herethat the last time the StateGovernment went intoarbitration against MK Subbain 1993, over lottery funds, thecase was awarded to the latterwith the government beingasked to pay damagesamounting to Rs. 33 crores.The government appealedagainst the decision and after along protracted legal processwhich took almost ten years,the case came up for hearing atthe Supreme Court, whichfinally dismissed the case. Ifthe present case is to bedragged for as long, each yearthe State Government willcontinue to lose a large amountof money with no guarantee ofever getting it.
RHEA SHARMA
GANGTOK: A petition hasbeen made to the State ChiefInformation Commissioner bythe state unit of BharatiyaJanata Party [BJP] to initiateaction against the StateInformation Officer of StateTrading Corporation of Sikkimfor flouting the Right toInformation Act, 2005.
In its petition dated 5October, the party hasdemanded that the official bedirected to provide informationto the party it had requestedearlier and imposition of apenalty of Rs. 25,000 on thesaid officer for not providingthe information within 30 daysas prescribed by the Act.
In its press release, BJP hasaccused the STCS InformationOfficer of not offering anyreasons for rejecting the party’srequest and failing to informthe applicants the period withinwhich an appeal against suchrejection could be made.
Stating that this willprobably be the first case inwhich the Commission hasbeen petitioned to take actionagainst an information officerfor denying information as perthe Act, the party has expressedits hope that the Commissionwill “prove its impartiality andcredibility”.
The BJP has furtherappealed to the State ChiefInformation Commissioner todirect the Departments ofPersonnel, AR and Trainingand Rural Management andDevelopment to provideinformation requested by it,which it is yet to receive, onCDs or floppy disks.
Earlier on 28 August, theparty had requested the ChiefInformation Commissioner touse the power under section 18sub-section I [f] of the Rightof Information Act, 2005, and
amend the State Right toInformation Act and include aprovision to make informationavailable in electronic format,such as CDs/ floppies or email.The rate for providinginformation on such electronicformat should be fixed at Rs.50 at par with the Governmentof India and most of the stategovernments, the release adds.
The party has further demandedthat the application fee should bereduced from Rs. 100 to Rs. 10 andthe charge of photocopied materialfrom Rs. 10 to Rs. 2.
BJP wants easier access toinformation under RTI
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HEE-BERMIOK: There is nodearth of young talents in ruralSikkim. This was amplyproved during a District LevelSong and Dance Competitionorganised here recently by Hee-Bermiok TourismDevelopment and HeritageConservation Society of WestSikkim. The competition heldover two days, on 27 and 28September, saw nearly ahundred participants from WestSikkim vie for the top spots inthese two categories.
Among the 26 participantsin the dance category, securingthe top five spots were PoojaKharel [Soreng], Kiran Karki[Soreng], Rupesh Nepal[Bermiok], Suren Subba andChandra Kala Portelrespectively. Similarly, in thesong competition, NandaKumari and party of
Gyalshing, Priyanka and partyof Legship and Nimkit Lepchaof Central Martam secured thefirst three spots among the total72 contestants.
The first and second placewinners in both categories wereawarded cash prizes of Rs.10,000 and Rs. 7000 as well astrophies and certificates byForest Minister SB Subedi, thechief guest of the concludingday’s programme who alsotook on the stage and presenteda Nepali song.
Also to leave their markduring the talent hunt showwere Poonam Rai and AshaLepcha, both 10, who despitenot having won any prizes,enthralled the audience withtheir beautiful voices.
Applauding the talentedyoung participants, Winnie FredRai, a post graduate teacher ofGyalshing Girls’ Secondaryschool and one of the judges of
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the dance competition, observedthere were only winners in thecontest.
Apart from thecompetition, anotherhighlight of the programmewas the commendablepresentation of Sabin Rai’sKalo Kalo Raat Ko byAbhishek Shah, PrashantRana, Kushal Rai, KushalKhawas and GyaltsenTamang of SpringdaleAcademy.
The contest, which was ahuge success, shall now beturned into an annual feature ofHee-Bermiok. Plans are alreadyon to turn this competition intoa state-level event.
Present on the first day ofthe programme as the chiefguest was Sanchaman Limboo,Advisor to the Chief Minister.Area MLA and the patron ofthe Society, NK Subba, waspresent on both days.
Since its formation three years ago, Hee-Bermiok TourismDevelopment and Heritage Conservation Society hasbeen working towards developing and promoting Hee-
Bermiok as an eco-tourism destination. The society has beenactively organising various activities related to tourismdevelopment and heritage conservation. Their efforts have todayborne visible results with the area witnessing development oftourism infrastructure in the past couple of years.
Besides its wealth of natural resources, the area also has arich cultural heritage. The society also aims to incorporatethese two and promote village tourism. It already has startedworking towards developing and promoting the concept ofhome-stays in the area for both national and foreign tourists.
Apart from eco-friendly village tourism, the society feelsspiritual tourism is another area that needs to be tapped. TNSharma, president of the society, says the area has ample placesof religious importance which could be promoted among thetourists. The famous Sirijunga Falls and the Sirijunga HolyCave located at the confluence of Kalez and Reshi Khola atthe foothills of Martam village is one such area.
There is also a beautiful Limboo temple known as Manghimat Martam. This is the area where Teyongsi Sirijunga, afterarriving here from Nepal, is believed to have first impartedhis teachings on the Limboo script and literature to the people.This is also the spot where Sirijunga gave his preaching onYuma Samyo to his followers.
In addition to this, there are a few cave temples of religiousimportance, the big statue of Teyongsi Sirijung at Hee-Bermiokconstituency, as well as man-made tourist spots like a boatablelake at Hee-Kyangbari. Once the construction of a 13 km trekroute from Hee-Kyangshari to Barsey is completed, it can alsoserve as a mountain biking route.
To make its presence felt in the tourist map, Hee-Bermiokhas already launched its own website. The society has furtherput in its bit and published a tourist brochure and created adocumentary CD. A constituency profile has also beenpublished to provide information on the area. Heritage Festivalis another annual feature organised by the society every yearin May.
Song and Dance at Hee-Bermiok Wooing Tourists
GANGTOK: Though thesix-day long puja breakwas officially over somedays back, Sikkim, i tappears, is yet to get overthe holiday mood. Withthe state governmentemployees gett ing theafternoons off after 2 pmto watch the footballmatches at the ongoingGovernor ’s Gold CupFootball Tournamentbeing played here at thePaljor Stadium, thegovernment offices herewear a deserted look.Football season apart, itlooks l ike the mood towork is all lost with hardlyany attendance in offices
since i t reopened on 6October. Apparently, anoffice memorandum wasfirst released in 1995granting the employeesearly leave in theafternoons to watch theGold Cup matches.Sources said thataccording to certainclauses and para in thememorandum, it was notnecessary for a circular tobe released every year andthe leave could be takenaccording to ‘precedence’.
However, anotherparagraph in it mentions thatthe employees would have toeither produce certificates ortickets, including seasontickets, to the heads of thedepartment or relevant
It’s a Holiday!authorities to take the leavefor the ‘period of the match’.
The holiday mood is tocontinue till Diwali is over.Soon after the footballseason ends on 19 October,the administration againgoes for a five day breakfrom 21 to 29 October forthe Diwali.
Government employeesin Sikkim enjoy some 40days of holidays, includingboth national and stateholidays. Add another 53Sundays and 12 secondSaturdays and it is 105days off in a year. Notadded to the totalcalculation is the onemonth of earned andcasual leave each employeeis entitled in a year.
a MIDWEEK Report
PJ PRADHAN
1010101010 11 - 17 Oct, 2006
CMYK
OP-ED/FEEDBACK
Vol. 1 No. 5
INBOXs i k k i m . m i d w e e k @ g m a i l . c o m
HELP SAVE LIVES
It is encouraging to see thatsomebody has shown real
concern about a fragile subjectof suicide. Yes! I am takingabout an article“Contemplating Suicide” inMidweek dated 27 Sept-03 Oct06, by the editor of Now! Mr.Pema Wangchuk.
It is true that in the recenttimes, the rate of suicide hasreally gone up in our tiny state.It is time that all of us startgiving this issue a seriousthought. Sources and statisticsunveils that 100 personscommit suicide in Sikkimevery year. And this is only theofficially reported and recordedfigure. If the unreported casesare also taken into account, thefigures could be horrifying.
Kudos to Mr. Wangchuk forhis viewpoints and suggestionsin the said article. He honestlydeserves a pat on his back forwriting about such a seriousand sensitive issue.
If truth be told, awarenessdrives against suicides invarious schools is not sufficientto prevent this ailment. As thesubject being very delicate andholistic, a detail action plan isrequired. Further, a one manshow is not enough to removesuch taboo and stains from thesociety.
It is rightly stated thatdecision to commit suicide isnot of a stable mind. Such isthe proverb which says “emptymind is a devil’s workshop”.Hence we can draw ahypothesis that an empty mindleads to depression and theperson becomes self-destructive. I am sure thatmedical science will not agreewith my statement but there istruth in what I said. [I am nottrying to contradict anyindividual’s views; I’m justpresenting a simple approachto make the subject of suicidemore understandable].
Suicide is a topic of verysensitive and complicatednature. Thus, to resolve thiscalamity, participation ofpeople from all walks of life isvery important, regardless oftheir caste, creed, professionand religion.
In this regard, CARE[Concerned for CompleteLife], an NGO, has comeforward to curb this disease andfight [up to some extent]against it. CARE has alreadyorganised several awarenessprogrammes in various schoolsof Sikkim with a theme
“Cheerful and CompleteLiving”. We are determined tocontinue such awarenessprogrammes in variousinstitutions and localities ofSikkim, duly consideringdifferent age groups and levelsof people. No doubt, it is hardto bring the involvement ofpeople together in one platformbut the efforts are on.
It is also true that we cannoteliminate suicide completelyfrom the society, but if effortscan be made to discourage it byvarious means of awarenesscamp, then certainly thepresent suicide rate can bebrought down.
Starting from providing freetuition to underprivilegedstudents of the society, CAREis involved in holdinginteractions among studentsand individuals with elite groupof scholars, replying to thequeries made by depressedpeople. Our counselors are alsomaking house visit to offercounseling to depressed person[on request, dulymaintaining anonymity] and ofcourse, providing hotlinecounseling numbers.
Therefore, I take thisopportunity and platform toappeal all those likemindedscholars/ healthy sponsors tocome forward and extend theirsupport to this noble cause.Meanwhile, I extend mygratitude to Mr. Wangchuk forhis inspiring and suggestivearticle.
The following numbers -99326-46646, 98323-04261,98320-90058 and 97330-91092 of CARE – are alwaysobliged to respond andwelcome those willing to joinhands.
Ongdup Lepcha,Secretary, CARE
HOTELIERS SHOULD
CONTRIBUTE TOO
Kudos” for having launchedMidweek, which is
refreshingly wholesome. Withall those pages to read, it reallydoes justice to the capacity ofthe team behind it. I mustconfess it was also great to readJigme N Kazi and hope to seemore of his articles in future.
The high point of yourpaper was obviously thecoverage on the Police“DUGDI”. This was one of thestrongest initiatives from theFourth estate to highlight oneof the most unreported butfrequently committedharassment to the people. I
hope the civil society alsoreacts to these kinds ofharassment in the state. But Ialso feel you should do a writeup on the contribution thathoteliers need to maketowards society. Gettingtourists to the state is acollective effort and they alsoneed to give back something inreturn.
Finally, in the process ofexposing the dugdis, hope u rnot getting the brunt of theexposure, if that happensthe society has the right toknow it and I feel it will.Only natural for Midweek topublish the same.
Yap YumRec’d on email
SENSATIONALISM
SUCKS
Stories like ‘Dugdi’ may helpyou sell the paper as people
like to read this kind of articlebut it does not make for goodresponsible journalism. Thereis no place for suchsensationalism in this smallpeaceful town
SK Rai
RICOCHET
I must say that those who livein glass houses must be
careful that the bricks theythrow at others do not reboundon them. This relates to thecritique of the government site.There too many spelling andgrammatical mistakes in yourown copy that criticises thegovernment site on the samegrounds.
Karma Sonam
BE YOUTH ORIENTED
I have been following yourpaper since its first edition
and I must say they are betterthan anything the state has seenin the past few years. The lookis clean, the images finely used.
By the way, can you give thepaper an overt YOUTH push?It can be a general paper, ofcourse, but with a definite biasin favour of the youth. Thereis a great need for a youth-based paper. Doesn’t mean yougo funky all over the place, butaddress all the needs andproblems of the youth,especially Sikkimese youthtoday. Even today, they needperspective, they need to lookoutwards, understand thenational scenario, if possiblewithout getting mired in thenational corruption [financialand cultural].
Sujit ChakrabortyReceived over email
A shocking news item hasbeen published in yourMidweek news paper on
its front page in its 27September to 3 October 2006Gangtok edition with theheadlines “DUGDI”.
A letter addressed to somehoteliers of Gangtok by SP/Crime Branch of Sikkim Policewas also published, requestingfor 2 complimentary rooms intheir respective hotels in viewof the ensuing All India PoliceFootball Championship beingheld in Sikkim.
The letter reflects the veryhumble nature of the requestmade by Sikkim Police. In fact,the hosting of such aprestigious NationalChampionship requires thecooperation of all sections ofsociety. This is a State Levelevent and we are proud thatSikkim Police is hosting theChampionship.
The Sikkim Hotel and
Restaurant Association has notreceived any complaint fromany hotelier of Gangtokregarding “Dugdi” or any sortof pressure from Sikim Policefor booking of rooms. TheSikkim Hotel and RestaurantAssociation stronglycondemns the article, itscontents and the way the letterof SP/Crime has beeninterpreted by a mischievousand perverted mind and theattempt to tarnish the image ofSikkim Police as well asSikkim Hotel and RestaurantAssociation.
Sikkim Hotel andRestaurant Association herebydeclares full support to SikkimPolice and extends all help andassistance possible for makingthe All India Chamionship, agrand success.
Ashwin OberoiVice President
Sikkim Hotel &Restaurant Association
SHOCKING AND FALSE REPORT
Send in your feedback and queries to sikkim.midweek
@gmail.com OR post it to:
Midweek, Near Hotel Yatung, Nam Nang, Gangtok - 737101
Phone: 03592 320169
Need for proper rehabilitation
The ban on child labour has come into force fromTuesday but there is little cheer for millions of workingchildren as their future appears uncertain in the
absence of a comprehensive rehabilitation package.Questions have been raised on how the government willensure the effective implementation of the Child Labour[Prohibition and Regulation] Act that bars children under14 years from working as domestic help or servants atroadside eateries and other non-hazardous jobs.
While the Central government has decided to crackthe whip, a ban without a proper rehabilitation plan willbackfire. As per official estimates, 11 million children inthe country work doing odd jobs. Unofficial figures put itat 75 million. Most often its crippling poverty forces themto send their children, sometimes as young as five or six,to work in other people’s homes or in factories. Most ofthese children are made to work in unhealthy conditionsfor long hours and paid poorly.
Even though the intentions of the Union governmentmay be sincere but the implementation of the Act wouldbe quite difficult. To see the Act work, the governmentwould have to come up with a plan to help these childrenand their families. Extreme poverty is one reason whyparents of children are compelled to send their kids forwork. Illiteracy is another. Therefore creating awarenessamong the poor parents would help them to help the kidsfirst. At the same time the employers find cheap labour inchildren. The employers also need to be educated. Butcan a mere ban resolve the complex socio-economicsissues involved? There is also a growing concern on thefate of the children once the ban comes into force. Whatwill happen to the children? Who will take theirresponsibility?
There is no point freeing children from employment iftheir families have no viable alternative source of incomebecause they will simply find themselves new work. Ifthe ban is to be effective, then the government mustintensify its schemes to reduce rural poverty, and offerbetter opportunities to convince parents and children thatit really is worth staying in school.
111111111111 - 17 Oct, 2006
CMYK
ESSAY/PUBLIC DOMAIN
Thanks for being out on the standscoz reading in Gangtok can getreal boring especially with all the
ministerial and bureaucratic blues thatare featured all the time!
A nice space to share concerns andhere I go!
1. Agree with “Pseudo Name” whenhe says that VIPS & Cops can parkeverywhere they feel like. It’s a shamethat they make the rules and they twistit all the time to suit themselves.Another thing that no ordinary citizencan understand is that, why do peoplewith red VIP lights feel that they have alicense to drive fast and almost bulldozeeverything along the way!! At the ratethat these people change new vehiclesand speed/rip them...I’m sure a lot ofus would gladly love the memorialholiday we would get in their memoryin the event of a crash!
2. Dugdi! Well nothing new. Policeall around the world are thesame...Gangtok is no exception! Anhonest observation...Policing inGangtok is fine minus the foul languageand the alcohol breaths of the policemenafter dark!
3. The other day I happened to go tothe hospital because one of my friendswas very ill and was admitted to theemergency ward. Being a rather healthyperson that I am [ahem] I had never hadthe opportunity of visiting theemergency ward and also its muchfamed toilets! Well, I never knew I wasin for a real surprise and utter disgust.
Congrats to the Midweek teamfor the good effort you have putin at a time when there is really
a need for it. Few papers which werereadable in town have now gone downthe line and joined the same club. Hope
The patients in the said ward need themost care and I honestly felt the hospitalwas almost 40 years behind. Wheredoes all the money go? I mean we justhave 2 major hospitals in Sikkim andthat too in such a sad state of affairs. Itstinks, man! Swear it stinks!
Friends say that I crib a lot, maybeso, maybe not...who knows...but here Iwrite...to crib and crib...but I think I ama citizen of this land and it is our dutyto crib as unequals.
Lastly, please do keep us updated onthe Public hearings on the hydelprojects. Its a blot on our democracythat simple people who do not wantsuch projects to ruin the land aremarginalized and fooled in the hope thata big structure, a tunnel, turbines andherds of technicians from all over thecompany flock together, make coloniesand change the face of the area forever.Benefits, economically, it sounds goodbut everybody knows that it is officialIndian Govt Policy to make dams allover the North East and feed powerhungry India and in the process…thecorruption and the money. Well all ofus have seen things here. People don’tknow there are more than 24 dams beingconstructed all over Sikkim and beingdone so by little known companieswhich have been registered just a littlewhile ago and no credentials at all, mindyou! 24 dams include the 6 major onesall over Teesta and also aroundDZONGU, the only place in the
It’s my right to crib!
you maintain yourself. Actually, I am nothere to congratulate you but for a causewhich has been in my mind for some time.I read the column “Just a couple ofQuestions” in your last issue. Even I havemany questions for the Government butthis time I’ll pose just a few of them which Ihope will be printed and thus reach thealways deaf ears.
I want to draw the attention of theGovernment to the construction of thefootpath from Ranipool to Gangtok. It’sindeed a noble work done which shouldhave been done long before. But theimplementing agency which hasundertaken the construction of thefootpath has not only done theconstruction work very badly but evenbefore the completion of the work itseems to badly need a good repair job.The tiles which have been used are veryslippery during rains and you know theweather of Gangtok.
Secondly, I believe a total of 54 feethas to be left for the road reserve. It isunderstandable that at some places itwas impossible to leave 54 feet for theroad but at certain places where thiscould have been possible, it has beenignored on the request of the buildingowner, thereby regularizing theencroachment of the road.
If you happen to walk through the
Concept good,
not implementation
A section of the newly constructed ‘foot’path (literally) near the Nirman Bhawan.a Midweek photo.
A friend conducting a linguistic survey in Sikkimshared an interesting finding the other day. The respondents, mostly students, use one language
for communication [with friends, elders and parents],record a second language as their mother tongue andwrite letters [or for that matter, prepare shopping lists]in a third language. It would have been wonderful ifthe respondents were proficient in all three languages.Unfortunately, most have only a working knowledgeof the three. While Nepali serves well as the linguafranca, the command over it in most cases is onlycolloquial. Ask students to write an essay in Nepaliand only in the very rare cases will somethingimpressive be tabled. The mother tongue for most isonly of sentimental value and proficiency levels arelimited to understanding smatterings of it and theability to offer the right greetings. English, the thirdlanguage mentioned above, is used as a handy tool towrite Roman Nepali while preparing lists.
Admittedly, a very wide generalisation is being madehere, but the generalisation holds. It is a weird situationin most classrooms - while Nepali texts have to beexplained in pidgin, English stories have to be explainedin Nepali, Mathematics is explained in Nepali, but solvedin English and for Science, most opt for the rote route!And, all schools in Sikkim are English Medium! Peoplewatch Hindi movies and TV serials, but read Englishnewspapers. Groups rue the assaults on their identity inan alien tongue and write their graffiti in another….
Languages are in a very incoherent stage in Sikkim atpresent. While there are many efforts underway to revive
and cultivate ethnic languages, these gestures have notbeen able to rise beyond, well, being gestures. This couldbe because the intended audience is not receptive enough,or because the gestures are too token in nature. Eitherway, there is more than just the language at stake here.
We often hear about the Sikkimese way of life beingunder threat. Before we even begin trying to salvagewhat remains of our respective cultures, we should firstagree that no culture can survive once its language islost. Since most ‘mother tongues’ here are essentiallydialectal in nature and have no great reserves of literature,once a generation stops using it, it is lost. Earlier,indigenous communities could rely on traditionaleducational systems to ensure their cultural survival, thissupport system does not exist anymore. Moderneducation has put paid to that. Earlier, the language wouldget passed down around kitchen fires and along with itwould slip through the essence of ethnic cultures andtraditions. As Sikkim grows more cosmopolitan, outsideinfluences have edged out this form of education also.The formal education system, which, even though itincludes many indigenous languages in its curriculumdoes not, however, include the subtlety with whichcultures were earlier fostered. At best, the schools canequip the students with the language, which they shouldthen utilise to further their learning.
Unlike the present trend where the learning curve ends
with the schooling years, when it comes to conservingcultures and identities through language, the learningshould in fact begin once the language is mastered. Thisbecomes necessary because indigenous languages arefinding fewer and fewer people using them and the fewwho have mastered the tongue need to record whatever itis they can cull from the older generation so that someelement of their identity survives the march of time.
In fact, this is one aspect of the cultural revivalismafoot all over the Hills that needs special attention.While it is all too easy to play the role of the victimisedand collect sympathy, it is in substantiating these voicesof concern with real action that the Hill communitiesare failing. This applies not just to the minority Lepchasand Bhutias of the Hills but also to the Nepalis, who inthe national context are in minority. All three are asmuch at risk of being swamped out of their individuality.This, not because the majority is Evil, but because theminority is not honing its survival skills well enough.
It needs no reiteration that language is the link to identity.It is language that keeps cultures alive. For example, thedifferences in the way Nepali is spoken in the Hills and inNepal where it was born, elucidate the differences in theidentity of Indian Nepalis and the Nepalese from Nepal.The nuances of each language highlight the influence ofthe past which shapes the present of individual communities.Languages are more than just tools for communication andit is not enough to just be able to speak and understandthem. To sustain cultures, they need to be written and read.Do we have enough of that happening around us?
The writer is Editor, NOW!
continued on page 15 continued on page 15
LANGUAGE BARRIERPEMA WANGCHUK
FRINGE BENEFIT
1212121212 11 - 17 Oct, 2006
CMYK
NATION
Thirty-four year old humanrights activist IromSharmila Chanu is a one-
woman army who has not takenany food or water for the pastsix years in protest against theArmed Forces [SpecialPowers] Act. Sharmila hasbeen trying to revoke the Actin Manipur after security forcesin Malom in Manipur gunneddown 10 innocent bystandersnear the Imphal Airport on 2November, 2000. The ArmedForces [Special Powers] Actonly applies in Kashmir andinsurgency-affected NorthEast, which gives soldierssweeping powers to killsuspected rebels, with virtualimmunity from prosecution.
Human rights groups say it hasgiven the Army the license tokill, torture and rape withimpunity.
Even as Ms. Sharmila’s herbattle enters the sixth year,there seems to be no positiveresponse from the powers thatbe. Her struggle has been calledby many as the longest politicalstruggle of its kind.
Shortly after beginning herfast in Imphal, Sharmila wasarrested and charged withattempted suicide. Since then
authorities have been force-feeding her through a nasal tubein the government-run hospitalin Imphal. Sharmila had beenkept in a dimly lit and damphospital room, guarded aroundthe clock by security women incivilian clothes and barred frommeeting her family members,supporters or friends.
The maximum term for heroffence is one year and policehave been in the habit ofreleasing her every year, only torearrest her the following day.
After her release fromjudicial custody in Manipur on3 October a small group ofsupporters and human rightsactivists took advantage of herday of freedom to smuggle herthrough Imphal’s high securityairport and onto a plane to NewDelhi. Soon after arriving,Sharmila made for Rajghat, the
Irom Sharmila, a one-woman army
memorial to India’sindependence hero MahatmaGandhi who made fasting apotent political weapon againstBritish colonial rule.
Sitting cross-legged on thelawn beside the memorial witha white shawl over her curlyblack hair, she said thegovernment had betrayedGandhi’s memory in itsreaction to her peaceful protestand its treatment of the peopleof Manipur.
“I would like to follow histradition, his ideology,” shesaid. “Maybe you call it asacrifice but to me it is simplya bounden duty.”
After offering floral tributesat Gandhi Samadhi, Sharmilacontinued her fast at JantarMantar before being arrestedagain in a late night swoop bythe Delhi police on 6 October
and taken to the All-IndiaInstitute for Medical Sciencesfor urgent medical treatment.At the time of her arrest, herpulse was 47 - compared to thenormal range of 60-80 - and shewas running a temperature.
While there has been noresponse from the government,Manipuri students and generalpublic have shown theirsolidarity to Sharmila’s cause.Even as more than 100 policepersonnel arrested her,Manipuri students and othersupporters sang ‘We shallovercome’. Protest sessionswere also held at different partsof Manipur on 6 Octoberprotesting against the allegednegligence of the Governmentof Manipur towarddeteriorating health conditionof Sharmila. Students andgeneral public who participatedin the protest session held intheir respective localities from10 am to 4 pm held placard andfestoons with slogans like‘Remove AFSPA fromManipur’ and ‘Save Sharmila’.
While the rest of the country is just catching on to the mantra of ‘Gandhigiri’,a new term for Gandhian non-violent mode of protest made famous by aBollywood blockbuster, a Manipuri woman has been carrying on her lone‘satyagraha till death’ for six years now, though without much fanfare.
NEW DELHI: Boosted by adictate from the Prime Ministerto stop employing children asworkers, states have been askedto raid the premises of the VIPsfirst. Hence, Tuesday onwards,houses of top politicians,ministers, bureaucrats andpolice officials will be underthe scanner as the inspectors goknocking.
“Penalising VIPs wouldsend a strong message in thesociety and would act as adeterrent for others,” said anofficial from union labourministry.
The Child Labour(Prohibition and Regulation)Act 1986, prohibitsemployment of children up tothe age of 14 years as domestic
servants or servants in dhabas(roadside eateries),restaurants, hotels, motels,teashops, resorts, spas andrecreational centres.
Violators face a prison termof up to two years and/or a fineof up to 30,000 rupees.Employing children in glass,carpet, zari factories andslaughter houses have alreadybeen banned in the country.
According to census data,about 12 lakh children areemployed in India in varioushazardous jobs while 1.2 lakhwork in households and 71,000slog in eateries etc.
However, activists say thefigures are higher. They fearthat the law could result inunder-age workers getting
pushed into hidden and moredangerous jobs.
While a centralised toll-freehelpline number - 1098 - hasbeen set up in 70 cities wherethe distressed children can callfor help, the states have madetransit homes to shelter therescued children.
Arrangements has beenmade by state governmentsto accommodate f reedchi ldren in the SarvaShiksha Abhiyan andNat ional Chi ld LabourProjec t . According tolabour ministry officials,the rescued children will beescorted by police back totheir home states, whereNGOs will be in charge oftheir rehabilitation.
VIP premises will be raided firstPENALISING THEM WILL SEND A STRONG MESSAGE, SAYS LABOUR MINISTRY OFFICIAL
NEW DELHI: With 40 fresh cases of dengue in thenational capital, the number of patients suffering fromthe viral disease today rose to 997.
One person succumbed to the disease at the AIIMS lastevening, taking the total number of deaths in Delhi to 23.
“Forty new cases of dengue were reported in the capitalsince yesterday,” Delhi Health Secretary D S Negi said.
Of the 40 fresh cases, 34 were admitted to the AIIMS,where 173 people undergoing treatment for the viral.
Thirtyfour people, including Prime MinisterManmohan Singh’s son-in-law Vijay Tankha, have beendischarged in the past 24 hours ending 8:00 a.m., officialssaid.
This year, the number of dengue cases have registereda nearly a three-fold increase compared to thecorresponding period last year when it had affected nearly300.
Sprucing up its dengue-control measures, the NCTgovernment yesterday issued instructions for closing downall water fountains, including those at Rajpath and inresidential premises.
“We have asked the authorities to ensure that water isdrained out from all the fountains,” Negi said addingMCD’s Zonal Deputy Commissioners were asked tocoordinate the activities of sanitation and malaria controlto ensure cleanliness in the city.
AIIMS, which has the maximum number of patientsafflicted by the disease, has also augmented its facilites bydrafting additional doctors and creating a new emergencyward for dengue.
Delhi accounted for 71 fresh cases yesterday while 61patients were admitted on Sunday and 81 on Saturday.
Delhi dengue toll rises to
23, 40 fresh cases reported
131313131311 - 17 Oct, 2006
CMYK
BLOGFACTORY
Abey saala chinkyOye chinky
Ching chong bhen ch*d chinky
These are just some of the few racial slurs peoplehurl at you everyday when you walk the streetsof Delhi or other metros here in India if you
happen to have a mongoloid facial character. You’llget that treatment everywhere for committing just onesimple sin: Being born with “slit eyes”. Ah! What acrime! Completely unforgivable! Society must neveraccept such a heinous violation of our IndianConstitution. Burn every slit eyed male and femaleyou see so that they don’t dilute the proud Aryan andDravidian bloodline.
I, for one, am the last person to be insulted by theword “chinky”. I guess one reason why the worddoesn’t mean anything to me is because of myupbringing. I’ve always been in a really diverse multi-cultured gang of friends where we used to utter racialslurs, expletives and other profanities freely at eachother and none of us were the least bit offended byany of those “insults” as we were the closest of allfriends [which doesn’t mean that we utter racial slursat other people we don’t know. This was strictly only-within-our-gang thingie].
Yet as my small World started getting bigger andbigger, I soon came to realize that people, a hell lot ofother people, people I haven’t even met before, wouldcuss at me using that racial slur. The differencebetween my closest friends calling me a chinky andthese strangers calling me a chinky is HUGE. Thelatter does it so in a very derogative, demeaning andoffensive manner, all because of my race. Even whenyou don’t mean to offend anybody, identifying otherraces with a racial slur meant for that particular raceis indeed a racist action.
In my three years as a blogger, I have politelyrequested many bloggers who would generalize andidentify us [Northeast people] as “chinkies” on theirblog not to do so since the word is a derogatory slur.There are many Indian blogs out there where peoplewould say stuff like “there were many chinky peoplethere”, “he’s a stupid chinky”, “it sounded like achinky language”, “we decided to eat chinky food”,“the waiter was a chinky guy”, “we watched a chinkymovie”, “there were two chinkies playing for theopposite team”, “the pub was filled with chinkies, likea bloody invasion”, etc [These are all actual entriesmade by people on their blogs]. I never protest to suchstatements but rather try to tell them gently that chinkyis an offensive slur. Some of them even replied that
they didn’t intend to offend anybody. I don’t think“having no intention to offend anybody” gives thatperson the right to use racial slurs meant for otherraces. And if they really did not intend to offendanybody, then why use a racial slur in the first placeanyway? I find that strange.
I used to wonder why other Indians would call usby that name just to have some strange satisfaction.Because “chinky” is actually derived from the racialslur “chink” which was solely in reference to theChinese [not that I’m saying that’s okay]. I guess to anarrow minded ego-centric “stereotyper”, everymongoloid person comes from China, and still holdsa valid Chinese passport, just because “we all lookthe same”.
The Racial Slur Database even defines “Chink”as: Asian equivalent of “Nigger” for blacks. Twopossible origins: the dictionary definition is “A narrowopening or slit”, meaning a reference to their eyes.Or could also refer to the sound of someone workingon a railroad, which Chinese immigrants helped buildin 1800’s America. Technically should only refer toChinese, but used for all Asians.
Yet somewhere down the line, the word “chinky”suddenly transformed into a word meant to insult otherIndians from India’s North-east. As if to show us thatwe are not welcome to the rest of India, or to remindus everyday that we have a “non-Indian” face and thatanybody not having a picture-perfect “typical Indian”facial feature is not accepted as an Indian.
Some people from the Northeast found thatpopular Aamir Khan’s Coca cola Ad “thande ketadka” offensive because of the way he imitated theMongoloid Race, especially after Northeast studentsall over India immediately became the butt of crudecomments such as “chinky ke phadka” thanks toCoke and Aamir Khan. I personally don’t findanything wrong in that Ad but there’s this other Ad
by a dog food company called Pedigree, where thedog featured in that Ad is ostentatiously called“chinky”. And the people in that Ad would throw abone or a ball and proudly say “chinky, go fetch”and laugh their hearts out. And that Ad appeared likea hundred times on National Television [even tillnow]. I’m sure members of the Censor Board toomust have had a hearty laugh at the dog being called“chinky”.
India still has a long way to go in terms of educatingits masses that there are also people of mongoloidlineaments included in what constitutes an Indian. Butuntil that is done, India’s so called “chinkies” willcontinued to be stared at, goggled at and even jeered atby the vast majority that simply do not understand us.
The only solution to this gross stereotyping[misunderstanding] is Education. School childrenshould be made more aware of India’s Northeast atan early stage. One paragraph mentioning brieflyabout the Northeast in our geography text bookswill not do. So many people don’t even know theseven sister States of India [eight includingSikkim], and some of those who do know a bit aboutthe existence of these States, think people fromthese places are all cannibals, a hilly jungleoccupied by tribals ready to bite off your knockersanytime. Some people even think that everymongoloid person walking around in India is aNepali. Yes, I know learning about Rana PratapSingh or Rani of Jhansi is important in our Indianhistory syllabus. But I feel learning about India’sNorth east is also equally important, if not more.Because these children, the future of tomorrow’sWorld, are going to grow up where they will nevermeet Rana Pratap Singh again but most definitelywill meet a person from India’s North East.
Illusionaire is a prolific writer from Mizoram,currently pursuing his MBA in Mumbai.
Every once in a while, when weleast expect it, someone,somewhere ends up striking a deepchord within us – be it through acasual remark, a well thought outessay, an unusual musiccomposition or even a blog post.During our recent ‘blog surfing’, wecame across Illusionaire’s blog poston racism that eloquently spokeabout how, despite being Indians,some of us are yet to findacceptance in the mainstream,thanks to stereotyping. And we justhad to share it with you. Whatfollows are excerpts from thearticle. To read the entire article,visit his blog at...
BANGALORE: Low-costairline Air Deccan announcedon Saturday that it would offer3 lakh tickets at Rs 6 (plustaxes) each for travel betweenOctober 30, 2006, and March25, 2007. The bookings for thesame will open from tomorrow.The scheme was in addition toits plans to offer the samenumber of tickets at threerupees each to mark its thirdanniversary. “The schemewould encourage and enablemany more people especially
first time fliers and railpassengers to take-off to skies,”the airline Managing DirectorCapt G R Gopinath said. In thepast, during peak seasons aswell as holidays, Air Deccanhad boldly offered popularoffers such as air tickets at Rs1 and Rs 3 and even a fly-for-free offer, he added. He pointedout, “As part of ‘DestinationNumber 1’ campaign, which ison till November 30, in case aflight is delayed by more thanthree hours or cancelled on the
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3 Lakh passengers get to fly at Rs. 6 eachNEW DELHI: Selling property over the Internet, or electronicauction, is slowly emerging as a trend on the real-estate market.Sources say the Income Tax Department might consider using itto reach a larger audience and attract a larger number of bids.But the department might face a problem on the issue. Section 4(E) of the IT Act, 2000 prohibits electronic transfer of property.But it does not prohibit auctioning of property. Sources say theGovernment plans to make the best use of this loophole. HSBCBank was the first to e-auction its properties last year. It wassoon followed by the TVS group. Earlier this year IDBI Bankalso tried, but had to cancel the e-auction, because of aninadequate response. All the three companies used real-estateconsultancy CB Richard Ellis to conduct e-auctions. Now theGovernment has approached the firm and the proposal awaitsFinance Ministry’s approval.
day of travel, we are offeringfree tickets to our passengers.We are confident that ourdynamic pricing of tickets willgive us an edge over ourcompetitors and bring us closerto our vision of making airtravel commonplace in India.”
Since its inception in August2003, Air Deccan had carriedover 6.6 million passengers.The airline has recorded an on-time performance (within 1hour) of 98.33 per cent forAugust 2006 the release said.
GANGTOK: There is goodnews for the first generationentrepreneurs from theNorth East region. NorthEastern DevelopmentFinance Corporation Ltd.[NEDFi] has modified andreduced the interest rates ofits four existing schemesunder the North East EquityFund Scheme [NEEF] toprovide credit access to thefirst generationentrepreneurs.
Under the modifiedinterest rate, the new rate forthe North EastEntrepreneurs DevelopmentScheme is 8.76 per cent perannum. The maximumproject cost for this schemeis Rs. 25 lakh. Similarly, theinterest rates for schemes likeWomen Enterprises
Development, JuteEnterprises Developmentand North East Handloomand Handicraft have nowbeen fixed at 7.35 per centper annum. The maximumproject costs for theseschemes are Rs. 5 lakh, Rs.10 lakh and Rs. 20 lakhrespectively. The new interestrates will be eligible forprojects sanctioned after 1October, 2006.
In keeping itscommitment to providecredit to industrial units inthe North Eastern region, thecorporation has furtherannounced new reducedinterest rate to theseindustrial units from theexisting 13 per cent perannum to 12 per cent annumfrom 1 October.
NEDFi offers moreincentives
Just click to get your house soon
In the Global CorruptionIndex, a survey of 133 nationsconducted by TransparencyInternational [an anti-graftwatchdog], India stood 83rd inthe world, alongside Malawiand Romania.
India recorded a score of 2.8out of 10. Last year, India’sscore was 2.7 out of 10, but itstood 71st in a list of 102nations, unlike 133 this time.
Finland with a score of 9.7has been ranked first, makingit the least corrupt nation onearth. A score of 10 means acountry is seen as being ‘highlyclean’, and a score of zeromeans ‘highly corrupt.’
Bangladesh had the dubiousdistinction of being the world’smost corrupt nation with ascore of 1.3, worse even than
Nigeria and Haiti, which hadscores of 1.4 and 1.5,respectively to stand 132nd and133rd. However, Asia as awhole fared badly in the reporton corruption, with manynations in the region beingcounted amongst the worst inthe world for graft amongpublic officials and politicians.
Thailand stood 70th with ascore of 3, while China and SriLanka were both on the 66thposition with a score of 3.4,followed by South Korea with 4.3on the 50th position and Malaysiawith a score of 5.2 was at 37th.
The Berlin-basedTransparency Internationalsaid the survey did not includeall the nations in the world forwant of data.
Finland, Iceland, Denmark
and New Zealand topped theworld rankings. Hong Kongwas equal 14th with Austria ona score of 8, while Japan wasequal 21st with a score of 7.
Meanwhile, Peter Eigen,head of based TransparencyInternational, said that richnations need to do much moreto help developing countriestackle endemic corruption.
“Nations starting with ahigh degree of corruptionshould not be penalised sincethey are in the most urgent needof support,” he said.
He urged the leaders ofdeveloping nations to put inplace anti-corruption measures,“but they also urgently requirepractical help tailored to theneeds of their nationalstrategies”.
Believe it or not, but corruption in India has dropped - slightly
India less corrupt than before
151515151511 - 17 Oct, 2006
CMYK
CAPITAL
stretch from MP Golai toManipal Gate you will find outthe irregularities. I was oncewalking through the stretch andto my surprise found out thatthe road just below the collegeground is not even sufficientfor free flow of two vehicles ata time. This could have beenavoided had the implementingagency been a little cautiousabout the job which they aredoing. This will now remain formany years to come and posea permanent problem. Thesetypes of irregularities should beavoided while constructingpermanent structures.
I do hope that this letter ofmine sees the light of the day.
world for the Lepchas and alsoa very hot biodiversity spot!Streams from sacred TholungChu to just about every smallstream is being dammed, bigand small. Add Sikkim’s 24Dams and the others in theNorth East. It’s over 100!Sadly, voices in Dzongu aresilenced officially and we don’thave influential families, astrong lobby, a change in govtand personalities like DannyDenzongpa helping the causeof Dzongu and other placestoday.... like the concernsshared about Rathong Chu 10-12 years back.
N. PradhanRec’d over email
It’s my right
to crib!
Concept good,
not implemention
PUBLIC DOMAIN
continued from page 11
GANGTOK: The District andSessions Court here has deniedbail to the alleged members ofthe masked gang who hadattempted to rig the lotteryresults in their favour lastmonth. The bail was denied bythe court on 29 September.
The group of accused hadfiled an application for bailearlier on 18 September.Though the court hadscheduled its hearing on 23September, the hearing wasadjourned to 26 September asthe hearing could not takeplace due to lack of time. Thehearing had to be rescheduledagain to 27 September as the
regular public prosecutorcould not present himself incourt and the replacementprosecutor had sought anadjournment.
The hearing finally tookplace on 27 September.Besides the InvestigatingOfficer who submitted a onepage written objection, thepublic prosecutor also raisedstrong objection against thegrant of bail. Though the court,after lengthy deliberations,stated it would pronounce its
judgement the next day, on 28September the court stated thejudgement was not ready andwould require one more day.
On 29 September, the courtin its judgement denied bail tothe alleged members of themasked gang.
The group had been arrestedby the police for entering theLotteries Department lastmonth, on 11 September, andattempting to coerce the judgesthere to sign their numbers asthe winning ticket.
Court denies bail to ‘masked gang’a MIDWEEK Report
GANGTOK: After cooling his heels in the state jail for a fewdays, Debashish Mukherjee, chief production manager of VishalTelefilms, has been brought back into police remand followinganother fresh complaint of fraud lodged against him by TNPradhan.
The complainant has mentioned that Debashish had defraudedhim of a considerable amount of money. After Debashish wascharged under 490/420 and 409 of the IPC, he was producedbefore the Chief Judicial Magistrate and a police remand againsthim obtained.
The accused had been arrested earlier on 13 September oncharges of conning a large numbering people into loaning himlarge amounts of money.
Conman Debashish back in
police remand
a MIDWEEK Report
GANGTOK: The mood isjubilant at Tadong SeniorSecondary School. Andthere is more than onereason for the school to bejubilant about. Two of itsclass X students, BimlaLimboo and ChodenBhutia, have secured firstposit ion in the NorthEastern Region Level Quizcompetit ion held atGuwahati on 28September. The quiz on‘Renewable Sources ofEnergy’, hosted by famousBollywood actor AnupamKher, was organisedjointly by Zee News and acentral governmentagency and aired by thechannel on 9 October.
The two students, whodefeated contestants fromSt. Nicholas High Schooland Falter High School ofGuwahati and MarweaiHindi High School ofDibrugarh, wil l nowrepresent the region at thenational level competitionat Mumbai to be held nextmonth.
Earlier on 6 October,Repandi Lepcha, a class Xstudent of the same school,had bagged secondposition in the nationallevel science seminar heldat Visvesvarya Industrialand Technology Museumin Bangalore. Altogether34 schools from all overIndia had participated inthe seminar which had‘Conservation of Bio-Diversity – Prospects andConcerns’ as its theme.Repandi will now receive amonthly scholarship of Rs.500 for the next two years.
Tadong SSS
students excel
at national levela MIDWEEK Report
ONLY AT:
Krishna CompanyNew Market, Ph: 03592 645502
SPECIAL BOOK EXHIBITIONVisitors browse through a wide range of books on art, culture and history during aSpecial Book Exhibition held at White Memorial Hall, Gangtok. The exhibition, heldfrom 6 to 8 October, was organised by the Publication Division of the UnionMinistry of Information and Broadcasting in collaboration with the StateInformation and Public Relations Department. The exhibition cum sale also had ondisplay Gandhian literature, children’s literature, reference books and multimediaCDs.
The skin is the largest organ of the human body and covers itcompletely except at the orifices. It is multi-functional, theprime function being the protection of the body from external
influences. It is basically composed of three layers-epidermis,dermis and subcutaneous tissue [fat]. The thickness of the skinvaries from one area of the body to the other. The thickest skin isfound on the palms and soles and the thinnest skin is on theeyelids and the scrotum - thus the palms and soles are the toughestportions of the skin and can tolerate higher degrees of externalonslaught than any other skin area. The skin contains differentcells serving different purposes including immunity and colour.It also houses the appendages of the skin - meaning the hairfollicles, the sweat glands, the sebaceous glands and the nails.
The skin itself is prone to various diseases, some of whichcan be diagnosed at a glance and treated accordingly and someof which may require laboratory examinations including a biopsy.Different individuals, under different conditions may showvariations in the same disease so it is important to avoid over-the-counter or self medication as this may obscure the appearanceof the basic lesions and also yield complications. At this point, itwould be appropriate to refer to the inadvertent and rampant useof topical [locally applied] steroids like Betnovate, Diprovate,Dipsalic, etc., in our state. Medications like these, when usedunder prescription, are indispensable and curative but can createmany unwanted effects if misused.
Healthy skin can be maintained by very simple procedureslike washing/ bathing frequently, always keeping the skinmoisturized, using sunscreen. A good sunscreen will not onlyprevent your skin from aging prematurely but, when usedproperly, will give you almost cent per cent protection againstsun-induced skin cancers.
IF YOU ARE suffering froma stuffy nose, sore throat andbody ache, you are justanother in a long list ofpeople doing so, here inGangtok. According todoctors, cases of cold and fluare on the rise and quitecommon at this time of theyear. Although symptomsmay seem similar, there is adifference between cold andflu and both require differentkinds of treatment.
IS IT A COLD OR THE
FLU? KNOW THE
DIFFERENCE
A cold and the flu (alsocalled influenza) are alike inmany ways. But the flu cansometimes lead to more seriousproblems, such as pneumonia.
A stuffy nose, sore throat,and sneezing are usually signsof a cold. Tiredness, fever,headache, and major aches andpains probably mean you havethe flu.
Coughing can be a sign ofeither a cold or the flu. But abad cough usually points to theflu.
KNOW WHEN TO
CALL YOUR DOCTOR
You usually do not have tocall your doctor right away ifyou have signs of a cold or flu.But you should call your doctorin these situations:· Your symptoms get worse.· Your symptoms last a longtime.· After feeling a little better,
you show signs of a moreserious problem. Some ofthese signs are a sick-to-your-stomach feeling, vomiting,high fever, shaking, chills,chest pain, or coughing withthick, yellow-green mucus.
TRY TO AVOID
GETTING A COLD
· Wash your hands often. Youcan pick up cold germs easily,even when shaking someone’shand or touching doorknobs orhandrails.· Avoid people with colds whenpossible.· Sneeze or cough into a tissueand then throw the tissue away.· Clean surfaces you touch witha germ-killing disinfectant.· Don’t touch your nose, eyes,or mouth. Germs can enter yourbody easily by these paths.
TRY TO AVOID
GETTING THE FLU
A flu shot can greatly loweryour chance of getting the flu.The best time to get the shot isfrom the middle of October tothe middle of November,because most people get the fluin the winter. The shot can’tcause the flu. But you may feelsore or weak or have a feverfor a few days.
PRESCRIPTION
MEDICINE CAN
PREVENT FLU, TOO
If you are one of those whoshould not get the flu shot, askyour doctor about prescriptionmedicine to help prevent flu.
And if you get the flu, taking
this medicine within the first 48hours can make your illnessless serious.
BUT DO NOT TAKE
ANTIBIOTICS FOR A
COLD OR FLU
Antibiotics won’t workagainst cold and flu germs.
And, you should takeantibiotics only when reallyneeded.HELP YOURSELF FEEL
BETTER WHILE YOU
ARE SICK
A cold usually lasts only afew days to a week. Tirednessfrom the flu may continue forseveral weeks.
TO FEEL BETTERWHILE YOU ARE SICK:· Drink plenty of fluids.· Get plenty of rest.· Use a humidifier - an electricdevice that puts water into the air.· Take a cough and coldmedicine you buy without aprescription. It may help.
PROTECT YOUR
CHILDREN FROM
‘SALICYLATES’ IN
COLD MEDICINES
Do not give aspirin or othersalicylates to children or teen-agers with symptoms of a coldor flu.
If you aren’t sure if aproduct has salicylates, askyour doctor or pharmacist.
Young people can get sickor die from a rare conditioncalled Reye syndrome if theytake these medicines while theyhave these symptoms.
CHOOSE THE RIGHT MEDICINES FOR YOUR SYMPTOMS MAKE SURE THE LABEL
STATES THAT IT TREATS YOUR SYMPTOMS.IF YOU WANT TO: CHOOSE MEDICINE WITH:
Unclog a stuffy nose Nasal decongestantQuiet a cough Cough suppressantLoosen mucus so that you can cough it up ExpectorantStop runny nose and sneezing AntihistamineEase fever, headaches, minor aches and pains Pain reliever (Analgesic)
What to Do for Colds and Flu
Dr. T PEGGY
Cosmetologist & Dermatologist
If you’re suffering from backache, your potbelly maybe to blame. The weight of a bulging tummy increasesthe curvature of the back, which places greater strainon the vertebra and lower back muscles, according tothe Rabin Medical Center in Israel. It’s also difficultfor the weakened, distended abdominal muscles tosupport the spine.
So, if there is no medical explanation for your achingback, try eating less and exercising more. Swimming,especially backstroke, is an excellent way to exercise andstrengthen your abs.
I just got back from a greatholiday. It was all the morespecial because I finally
took some time out for myself.A confirmed cleanliness freak,I finally learnt to let go andrelax this holiday.
For starters, I deliberatelyleft my travel iron at home.Also my considerable array ofcleaning fluids. No iron, nocleaning fluids, no extra work.For once I was ready to put upmy feet and enjoy my holiday.
I did not like what I hadbecome over the years. Icontinually obsessed over thesafety of my kids, about dirtand germs and a clean house.Any spare time I had, I’d landup tidying up the place, onlyto see two tornados tear it aparta little while later. It was anendless cycle, a vicious circlein fact. My cousins and friendsjoke that the clothes in mywardrobe are precision foldedand lined using a ruler! A friendrecently confessed she actuallyquickly dusted the office beforeI landed up!
I guess in trying hard to be thesuperwoman I’m not, I’d tried too
hard and lost touch with thenormal woman I am, with herown needs and desires. When wasthe last time I’d allowed myselfto enjoy a good read, or take aquick nap on a hot afternoon? Irealized a clean house was nocompensation for a perpetuallyuptight obsessive wife andmother, it couldn’t possibly havebeen fun for my family especiallysince I’m the DIY types.
This holiday, I wasdetermined to set the equationstraight. So I took time out formyself. I did not cringe when thebedsheets were rumpled, or thefloor a trail of crumbs. I let thekids go out and romp aroundhappily in the park
without hanging around themlike an overanxious drip. I gavein again to the decadent pleasuresof a long read followed by aquick snooze on the sofa.
Had I had the iron or thecleaning fluids, I know whatwould have happened to mylazy afternoons. Yes, I’d haveironed and scrubbed my wholeholiday away. Yeah, and thefreshly ironed clothes would’vebecome rumpled in five secondsflat and my clean floorssplotched all over in no time.
It sets you thinking how youallow yourself to get so caughtup in day to day chores that youplain forget how to relax. It gets
so bad after some time thatyou actually feel guilty
CHECK OUT THESE THREE WOMEN
Shivani, 28, is a bright an exuberant young lady who onceworked for a private bank but decided to be a homemaker onceher son was born. Though the baby is two years old, Shivaniprefers to hold his hand everywhere because she’s afraid he willstumble and fall.
Alisha, 32, a teacher at a school in Mumbai, will not send her5-year-old for swimming lessons. The reason: She fears he willdrown.
30-year-old homemaker Priya got married soon after collegeand never worked. She carries her 6-year-old’s tiffin box to everyrestaurant they visit because she fears that her daughter will getsick eating outside food.
All these women come from different backgrounds, are ofdifferent ages and have children of varied age groups. Yet theyhave one thing in common: all are overprotective parents.
Being an OP (that’s what we’ll name it henceforth) comesnaturally to many a parent.
While it is good to be protective, one should know where todraw the line so as to not step into your child’s individual space.In the long run, it could stifle your child’s growth.
Child psychologist Jinisha Chedda, who manages her owncounselling centre Sol’s ARC in Kandivali, Mumbai, cautionsagainst this behaviour. ”Constant interference from parentsdeprives the child of the opportunity to explore the worldemotionally and physically. This is a must if children are tobecome confident, responsible and independent adults, “ shesays.
You may be genuinely concerned but the more hyper you areabout your child, the more stressed out you are going to get. And,the more finicky, extra-delicate and cranky your child is likely tobecome.
“Being a hyper-concerned parent takes the fun out of parentingand increases stress levels amongst parents as one gets more and
more obsessed with their child,” says consultant counsellorMukta Rege. Working at Sinara Education & CareerConsultant Pvt Ltd, Mumbai, where she conducts career
guidance courses and counsels students, she has had afair amount of experience in dealing with them.
ARE YOU BEING OVERPROTECTIVE?
Answer these questions. You will know you are crossingthe line when you have responded positively to at least fourof them.1. You rule out activities that involve being away from yourchild like overnight camps.2. You rule out physical activities that could result in anaccident like rock climbing or horse riding.3. You constantly worry about the well being of your child
to the extent it makes you anxious. For instance, even ifyour child is eating well, you wonder if the food is right, well
cooked, overcooked, if it is easily digestable, and so on and soforth..4. You feel secure ONLY when your child is under yourwatchful eye.5. You are always helping your child in projects, homework orassignments because you don’t want your child getting upset overmistakes or getting stressed out.6. While it is normal for a child to fall sick, an OP gets obsessedwith getting the right medicines and running helter-skelter for adoctor’s appointment making the child feel sicker than s/he actuallyis.7. You always think of the worst that could happen to your child, beit when walking, talking, playing, going to school, eating outsidefood etc.8. When your child has got into an argument or fight with anotherchild, you intervene and try to solve it for them.GET A GRIP ON YOURSELF
· It is important to identify and tackle your fears as early as possible.You probably need more help than your child! Such behaviourcan lead to constant bickering, and in turn create a rift betweenyou and your child as s/he grows older.· If you are finding it too tough to mend your ways, seek counsellingto nip the habit in the bud.· Reading books on how to handle and talk to your child can alsobe helpful.· THINK before you act or, rather, react. Be it an unfinished mealor a messed up living room.· Remember, no kid has escaped scraped knees, fractured handsand mosquito bites. It’s all a part of growing up. You can alsotackle your fear by watching how other parents handle their kids.· Be assertive, not hyper, while talking to your child. For instance,if a 5-year-old has a knife in her hand, do not get all worked upand scream: “You’ll cut yourself and bleed”.Instead gently but firmly say, ”When you become as old as mummyyou can use that, now you can use a plastic one.”
about taking a little time off foryourself. There’s the weight ofexpectations, yes, but most ofthe expectations are unrealisticand self created.
Many of my old schoolfriends show the same tendencyto neglect their own needs asthey struggle with the multipledemands of home, work andkids. Something’s gotta give.The first thing that goes out ofthe window is your goodhumour. The stress levels arepalpably higher, and yes, wetend to be irritable and snap atthe menfolk and the kids as well.We are constantly busymentally ticking off in our headsthe list of chores yet to be donethat we only half heartedly listen
to the childish prattle going on.But kids grow fast and there’smore to life than just work,work and more work, whetherin the office or at home.
So ladies, take time out toindulge yourselves withoutfeeling guilty. That guilt is yourown creation. Relax, take timeout just for yourself, indulgeyourself and your family willonly thank you. For you willbe relaxed and a much moreindulgent person after sometime recharging your batteriesdoing what you enjoy. We’reonly human and we need timeout for ourselves.
This week we bring you afeature on overprotectiveparents which we think ismighty relevant to many localparents who struggle to bringup their children in a Sikkimwhich is a far cry from thesedate place they themselvesgrew up in. The trick is to carebut not to obsess, for in tryingtoo hard to protect our children,we actually impede their spiritsand development.
Have a good week!- TINA
PARENTING PLAN FOR OPS
Age of child: 1-2AIM: ENCOURAGE
PHYSICAL ACTIVITYEncourage your child to walk andprevent carrying him/her around.Remember unless your child falls,s/he will never know how to get up.“Constant carrying around willhamper your child’s physical growth;then parents become paranoidabout finding the right psychiatristor physiotherapist to resolve thematter,” says Jinisha.
Age of child: 2-3AIM: HELP YOUR CHILDUNDERSTAND THINGS
Instead of issuing orders, try tappinginto your child’s growing intelligenceto help her/him be more cautious.For instance, if your child wants toput her fingers in a hot cup of coffee,a straight “No” would block hernatural curiosity. Instead say thingslike, “Oh! It is very hot. Hot thingscan hurt you my love.”After that make her touch the mugbriefly or show her how candles, thestove etc are lit to demonstrate theconcept of heat. She will rememberwhat you mean by “hot” the next time.
Age of child: 3-5AIM: TEACH
PERSONAL SAFETYSometimes children can be over-friendly and it could be a cause ofconcern for parents especially intoday’s world .When your child is old enough tobe alone with people, teach yourchild basic rules about personalsafety such as, “No talking tostrangers” or “Don’t accept food orchocolates from people you don’tknow”. Basically, try and equip your childto take care of himself.
1818181818 11 - 17 Oct, 2006
CMYK
YOUTH
The new Guns N’ Roses album will be released next month,it has been claimed. Chinese Democracy has been mootedfor around a decade by Axl Rose, the only surviving member
of the band since their days of rock ‘n’ roll world domination.However, with the group recently completing a relatively
successful and trouble-free European tour and scheduling moredates in the US, new recordings also seem imminent.
According to claims in Rolling Stone, Chinese Democracyhas officially been scheduled for an American release date of 21November.
Earlier in the month, a cryptic statement from the group backedup such speculation, insisting “there are 13 Tuesdays left betweennow and the end of the year”. There has so far been no officialconfirmation on these reports.
Current line-up: Axl Rose [lead vocals], Robin Finck [leadguitar], Ron ‘Bumblefoot’ Thal [lead guitar], Richard Fortus[rhythm guitar], Tommy Stinson [bass guitar], Bryan ‘Brain’Mantia [drums], Dizzy Reed [keyboards], Chris Pitman[keyboards]
Beck brings back his hip-hop flavour, RubenStuddard discovers his
inner R Kelly, and theSpringsteen-obsessed Killersare prepping to hit their fanswith the wild, the innocent, theSam’s Town shuffle. That’s notto mention new albums fromBrooke Hogan, Lloyd Banks,Lady Sovereign, Diddy, andMy Chemical Romance. Withall these artists/bands releasingtheir new material this month,we suggest you fix yourself anice big bowl of popcorn,switch on VH1 and catch thenew videos. And just to whetyour appetite, we’ve got foryou the latest lowdown on theirnew sounds.
BECK - THE
INFORMATION
The sound:Beck goes back tohis Odelay vibe,dropping beats,old school electro,folk, randomsamples, andf u n k e d - u pgrooves - yup, aw e l l - f o c u s e dswirl of elements.
What to expect: Beck hasworked on this new 17 trackdisc for three years. Thesesongs should be a nice additionto tunes likeNausea, whichfeatures sung-rapped lyrics overacoustic guitar and12 different layersof plinkingpercussion. ThinkG r a n d m a s t e rFlash meets theGo! Team in JimM o r r i s o n ’ sbedroom.
EVANESCENCE - THE
OPEN DOOR
The sound: Big, bad multi-layered goth rock with lots ofdrama.
What to expect: This issinger Amy Lee’s time to shine.Following the departure ofsongwriting partner and bandco-founder Ben Moody, she’sin charge of the whole deal.The full-throated roar of CallMe When You’re Sober sets thetone. Lee says the dark,aggressive disc is the first to
feature lyrics addressing someintensely personal issues -something she felt she couldn’tdo in the past.
MY CHEMICAL
ROMANCE - THE
BLACK PARADE
The sound: Explosive gothrock with a seriously proggyedge.
What to expect: TheseJersey boys have left their emoroots behind on an ambitiousc o n c e p talbum thattells thestory of ateen namedThe Patientw h oe x a m i n e s
all aspectsof mortality.For thisdisc, theMCR takes
on the BlackParade nameas their alterego. Them u s i c
features anu n l i k e l ycollaborationwith LizaM i n n e l l iand suchh e a r t -w a r m i n g
song titlesas: Dead!, This Is How IDisappear, I Don’t Love YouLike I Did, Cancer and FamousLast Words.
DIDDY - PRESS PLAY
The sound: Diddy on thedancefloor.
What to expect: Thoughit’s not the buzzed-about dancealbum Diddy’s been workingon for several years, this newjoint does find him mixing amore club-friendly sound withhis pop-tinged raps on songslike the electro-style Come toMe, which features Pussycat
Dolls singer NicoleScherzinger. His first soloalbum since 2001’s poorlyreceived The Saga Continuesalso boasts collabos withOutkast’s Big Boi, Nas, Fergie,Christina Aguilera, Mary JBlige, Jamie Foxx, Brandy,Keyshia Cole and Ciara. Andthough he’s known forproduction, Diddy also letsome others - including KanyeWest, Pharrell and Will.I.Am -
twiddle knobs thistime around.
JOHN
LEGEND -
ONCE AGAIN
The sound:Heartfelt vibe,smooth soul - whatelse were youlooking for?
What toexpect: After his
Grammy-grabbing debut, thedapper R&B crooner returnswith another collection ofbedroom tales and romanticlaments. Pal Kanye West
pitches in onproduction, asdoes the suddenlyu b i q u i t o u sWill.I.Am.
THE KILLERS
- SAM’S
TOWN
The story:These Vegasrockers channel
the ghosts of BruceSpringsteen and U2 on a set ofsongs that aim for the rafterswith a big, fat arena-readysound. The boys smearspaghetti western guitars,swooning strings, and some oftheir patented new wave magicinto a set that singer BrandonFlowers says is one of the bestalbums of the past 20 years.
LADY SOVEREIGN -
PUBLIC WARNING
The story: It’s hard enoughbeing a white rapper. But awhite female rapper... fromEngland? She may look like apint-sized Sporty Spice, but20-year-old Sovereign rippedthese snotty, electro hip-hoprhymes hard enough toconvince label boss Jay-Z tosign her. An ass-kicker, nodoubt.
THE SONG
REMAINS
THE SAME
What’s wrong with me?
I’ve got this strange and
bizarre love for old soul
ballads.
I went to Hotstuff KARMA today and bought 1000
BUCKS worth of old soul cd’s just to listen to ballads.
I think I need to join some sort of REHAB program
designed to wean people off of old romantic soul
songs.
I listen to these records, and I have visions of slow
dancing in an almost empty bar somewhere in Goa
and the people drinking cheap feni out of fancy
glasses and big monstrous BULLETS parked outside.
...SIGH. ... Right now I’m listening to this one CD
right now that is nothing but obscure soul love songs
from the early 70’s. Strings and Piano and really
quiet drums, how nice.
Many years ago Kailash and I WOULD have these
slow dance/make out parties and they were so much
fun. ‘Get it On’, ‘If you don’t know me by now’,
‘Purple rain’,etc. I miss those slow dance parties.
SIGH, again.
You got to excuse me if this sounds infantile,
but...you know what’s nice? Reminding yourself of
things that you like. Just think of things that you
love and it tends to make you happy. Playing the
guitar. Sunlight coming through my window in the
morning. Swimming in the TNA pool. George BUSH
and Saddam Hussain being lovers in ‘South Park’.
Watching Gibbon monkeys playing on Discovery.
Warm MONSOON rain etc.
I know it sounds very, very silly, but it works. Try it
GANGTOK: Two youngscholars from Sikkim, NingkuLachungpa and her sisterNorma, have got admissionsinto the Oxford BusinessCollege in Oxford, UnitedKingdom, two of the very fewfrom Sikkim.
Prior to getting admitted intothe university, the two appearedfor the International EnglishLanguage Testing System[IELTS] conducted by theBritish Council, Kolkata, andscored very high on the bandscores. While Ningku scored7.5 out of 9, her sister Normascored 7 out of 9. The scores arebased on band scores, thehighest point being 9.
Both the sisters will bepursuing the Master ofBusiness Administration[MBA] programme in thebusiness college. They will bestudying finance, marketingand human resourcemanagement as a part of theircourses in the college.
Ningku, who studiedeconomics for her graduation,said that the chance to pursue
MBA in this prestigiousinstitute would give her moreexposure and added she wantedto join the corporate worldonce she completes her course.
“I hope to understandinternational business andstrategies better and gain exposureso that I can try my luck and workhard to join the corporate world,”she told MIDWEEK.
Pursuing to get admissionsinto the business college, thetwo took help from EverestInternational Study Abroad[EISA], a consultancy servicewho have recently opened up acentre here in Gangtok.
“Both of them were verybright and scoredsurprisingly very high in theIELTS and admissions forthem in the business collegecame very easily,” YashGurung of EISA said.
The MBA programme at thecollege also comes at a cost of6000 pounds for a student. Tenper cent of the fee, however,has been borne by the BritishCouncil as scholarship.
Congressman ThukchukLachungpa, who is the proudfather of the two, beaming with
joy said that it was natural forhim to be very happy that theygot a chance to study in thisprestigious institute renownedthe world over.
“Initially, I did not expect
1: What month was named for the godof war?
A: JulyB: MarchC: SeptemberD: April
2: What month was named for the godof beginnings and doors?
A: DecemberB: AugustC: JuneD: January
3: What month was formerly called“Sextilis” and later renamed to honor aRoman emperor?
A: AugustB: NovemberC: FebruaryD: June
4: What month may take its name eitherfrom the Latin word for “to open,” or thename of the goddess of love?
A: MarchB: OctoberC: MayD: April
Question 5: What month might benamed either for the goddess of honoror the mother of Mercury?
A: May B: DecemberC: February D: June
Off to Oxford
they would score very high inthe open category tests butwhen the results were out, Iwas taken aback and I haveencouraged them to go for thecourses,” Lachungpa said.
“I wish more and moreSikkimese students come outwith merit and pursue higherstudies in such institutions. Itis purely hard work that leadsto merit,” he said.
Eyeing Oxford: Norma & Ningku Lachungpa. a Midweek photo
6: What month, despite its placement inthe year, has a name meaning “seven”?
A: SeptemberB: OctoberC: NovemberD: December
7: Similarly, what month’s name means“nine”?
A: SeptemberB: October C: NovemberD: December
8: What month takes its name from theRoman festival of purification?
A: JanuaryB: FebruaryC: AprilD: May
9: What month was renamed for afamous Roman emperor in the year ofhis assassination [44 BC]?
A: JanuaryB: JuneC: JulyD: August
10: Which month is named for the headRoman goddess?
A: FebruaryB: MarchC: MayD: June
QUIZ
Naming the MonthsDays of the week and months of the year have been named for everythingfrom leaders and gods to celebrations that took place during those months.If you know your history and mythology, you should do well... and if not, giveit your best guess!
ANSWERS: 1 B, 2 D, 3 A, 4 D, 5 A, 6 A, 7 C, 8 B, 9 C, 10 D
The Indian Institute of Technologyhas made it to the league of bestuniversities in the world while
Oxbridge claimed second and thirdplace in a survey of top 100 universitiesin the world published on Wednesday.
Both Cambridge and Oxford werebeaten by the American ‘Ivy League’ rivalHarvard while two British universitiesleapfrogged over US rivals - MassachusettsInstitute of Technology, Yale and Stanford- to claim prized positions.
India’s I IT i s ranked 57th ;Imper ia l Col lege , London,graduated to No. 9 while LondonSchool of Economics andUniversity College London andEdinburgh made it among the top30 in the la tes t Times HigherEducation Supplement - QS WorldUniversity Rankings.
The University of California atBerkeley i s p laced e ighth andPrinceton Universi ty is ranked10th.
As many as 39 Europeanuniversities appear in the top 100,with UK’s share alone being arecord 29 (last year it was 23).Among the top 200, Europe’s sharehas gone up to 86.
The rankings were based on theresul t s of a survey of 3 ,703academics from across the world,spanning various disciplines.
The latest THES - QS WorldUniversity Rankings underline thefierce competition between leadingunivers i t ies across the wor ld .Although Harvard is still at the top,the gap between it and its nearestrivals has closed markedly andthere are a lot of changes furtherdown the table.
IIT makes it to Top 100
a MIDWEEK Report
a MIDWEEK Report
Masters Education PointTibet Road, Gangtok
WINTER CRASH COURSE
STARTS FROM 1st WEEK OF DECEMBER 2006
REGISTRATION GOING ON FOR CLASS X & XII
C B S E , I C S E & I S C 2 0 0 7
LIMITED SEATS ONLY!!!& ALSO REGULAR CLASSES FOR CLASS VII TO XII
GOING ON IN FULL SWING
CONTACT: 201161 (O)9232514579 (O)
9434357076 & 9434143925
Send in your
feedback and
queries to
sikkim.midweek
@gmail.com
OR post it to:
Midweek
Near Hotel Yatung
Nam Nang
Gangtok - 737101
Phone: 03592 320169
2020202020 11 - 17 Oct, 2006
CMYK
ENTERTAINMENT
SHOWING FROM FRIDAY
ULTRA SURROUND SOUND:SHOW TIMINGS:
11:00AM / 2:15PM / 5:30PM
FROM FRIDAY
1 1 : 0 0 A M , 2 : 1 5 P M , 5 : 30 P M
THE BIG REVIEW
BOLLYWOOD
snippets
THE
HOTLINE
320169
Are we really who wepretend to be? That’s the
question posed by MartinScorsese’s grandly twisted newcops-and-robbers epic TheDeparted, a remake of a HongKong film [Infernal Affairs]about moles on opposite sidesof the law. As potboiler thrillersgo, Infernal Affairs is noslouch; in Scorsese’s hands,though, the riveting drama ofthe original is elevated to thelevel of Shakespearian tragedy.
To be fair, he has a dreamcast - Jack Nicholson! LeonardoDiCaprio! Matt Damon! Uh,Mark Wahlberg - and acrackling script that turns eventhrowaway watercooler scenesinto pinballing conflicts.
William Monahan’s scripttransposes the action toBoston, where a joint FBI-Massachusetts task force ishunting an Irish mobster[Nicholson, a Bostonianapparently by way of Neptune]with the help of a hot-temperedcop so deep undercovernobody knows he’s not a crook[DiCaprio]. The mobster,meanwhile, has an inside manin Matt Damon, working as agolden-boy detective withsome decidedly darkallegiances. When things start
to smell fishy, The Departedbecomes a game of chessbetween two skilled fakers whoonly need to know the identityof their opponent to win. Thebody count rises and facadescrumble as each rat attempts tosmoke the other out.
This sort of spy-versus-spyjob is an easy thing to mangle,but Scorsese’s shooting andstorytelling is in top form. TheDeparted ’s narrative glides,and flashbacks seem not onlyseamless but necessary - vital totelling a complicated story at ameasured pace that nonethelessbursts with vivid urgency.Scorsese stages the tense sceneswith his usual visual flair anddeftly matches the rhythm of theediting to the brutality of theviolence on screen.
And all the while, he keepsthe message-ball bouncing -when push comes to shove,what kind of choices can wemake about who we are, andwhat do they cost us? TheDeparted may not offer anyanswers, just that honest menand liars share the samegraveyards, but it dares you tothink about the question. Whilethis may not be Scorsese’sfinest film, it is without a doubthis most entertaining. TheDeparted is here to stay.
VIDHU TO SEND
‘LAGE RAHO...’
TO THE OSCARS
Inundated with letters ofpraise from fans and
audiences across the globe,producer Vidhu Vinod Choprahas decided to send Lage RahoMunnabhai to the 2007Academy Awards as anindependent entry. Ken Naz ofEros International, USA, willbe preparing the applications toseek entry for the film at theOscars.
Apart from this, LageRaho... has added anotherfeather to its cap. It’s beeninvited for a special screeningat the University of SouthernCalifornia. Chopra will soon bevisiting Los Angeles for thescreening of the film.
What’s more, nowMunnabhai and Circuit willsoon be seen as part of a comicbook series. Rajkumar Hirani& Co. has drawn somesketches for Munna andCircuit, which will hopefullyserve as the illustrations in aseries of adventures. VinodChopra Productions willmarket the comic books and theproposed animation films.
BACHCHAN TO WIELD
A SCORPION STICK
Amitabh Bachchan will not brandish a belt made of
bullets [famously used by theoriginal Gabbar during the‘Kitne aadmi the’ sequence] inRam Gopal Varma’s Sholay butwill carry a specially craftedstick with a scorpion head, acustomized piece made ofbrown leather.
“Gabbar is the mostimportant character in Sholayand his look has to be minutelytaken into account. Althoughthe look is still under variousstages of consideration, theyhave finalized on the scorpion-headed stick, which will play aprominent part in Bachchan’scharacter. We need to give hima prop that will have the sameimpact as Gabbar’s leather belt.Amitji is happy at the prospectof using this as his prop,”informs a source from theproduction unit.
Trust Mr and Mrs Smith to decoy the waiting media.Celebrated Hollywood couple Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt,here to shoot for the film A Mighty Heart, gave the slip to
mediamen and took a round of the city in an auto-rickshaw lastweek.
The couple and their three children, who arrived at Pune on 5October from Mumbai by a chartered flight for the month-longshoot schedule of the film based on the murder of Wall StreetJournal reporter Daniel Pearl, are staying at the Le Meridien.
Angelina and Brad boarded the auto-rickshaw from abasement parking lot while a car deliberately drove out of themain exit to divert the attention of the large number of journalistswho had gathered at the hotel. Reporters and photographers,including those from the international media, have been scouringthe city for any information on the stars.
A cameraman of a TV news channel was able to get a fleetingglimpse of the star couple, which meant partial success for themediamen as many got to share the “photo feed”. The film isbased on a book of the same name by Pearl’s wife Marianneabout his abduction and killing by militants in Karachi in 2002.Angelina plays Marianne in the film being co-produced by Pitt’scompany.
STARRING:Jack Nicholson, Leonardo
DiCaprio, Matt Damon, MarkWahlberg, Martin Sheen,
Martin Scorsese, Brad Grey,Jennifer Aniston, Brad Pitt,
Graham KingDIRECTED BY:Martin Scorsese
○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○
Brangelina tour Pune in
autorickshaw
212121212111 - 17 Oct, 2006
CMYK
ENTERTAINMENT
Just incase you arewondering what is thatabsurdity standing in for
this piece’s headline, you’veprobably not joined the chatrace. And if you think we aregoing to discuss earthenwareand Immoral Traffic[Prevention] Act here thisweek, I’m willing to bet myentire month’s salary thatyou’re seriously losing it.
For the uninitiated, thatheadline, especially theacronyms, holds the power tosave your neck. Imagine ascenario where you’re chattingonline with your buddies,bragging about your day’sexploits and/ or making plansto skip school/ collegetomorrow and go watch thelatest flick at Vajra Cinema.Just then the Good Lorddecides to play spoilsport andin walks your dad/ mom, theireagle-eyes fixed on yourcomputer screen and theirverbal talons ready to pounceon you at the slightestprovocation. You know that but
your friend doesn’t, andchances are his/ her nextmessage may get you groundedfor the rest of your life. So whatdo you do? You simply typePOTS [short for Parents OverThe Shoulder, which means myparents are watching, I can’treally talk] or POS [Parents arelooking Over my Shoulder] orP911 [P = Parents and 911 =Emergency; in other words,either drop the subject or watchthe language].
That, my darlings, is themagic of chat lingo/ acronyms.Not only has acronyms takenover our chat rooms andapplets and given the Queen’slanguage a run for its ‘standard’vocabulary, it has also proved
its health benefits. Besidesnegating the need for typingout entire words and sentencesand preventing ‘chat wrist’ [iftennis players can have tenniselbow, chatters can have chatwrists too!], the ‘code words’also keep out parents fromeavesdropping, thus saving thechatters’ hide.
Gone are the days when theword ‘avatar’ was restricted toreligious ideas. In today’svirtual world, an avatar or AVis a graphical representationoften used in chat rooms todepict a person who’s in theroom and chatting. AndBIBLE? Well, it stands forBasic Information BeforeLeaving Earth. But hey, your
parents don’t need to knowthat, right? And if they’re underthe impression that you’vesuddenly found god and decideto hike your allowance, there’snothing like it.
During a chat session witha sexy siren [who in allprobability is a fat, hairy,married guy with a fake AV],you are forced to be AFK[Away From the Keyboard] fora while to take a leak. Uponyour return, you see yourbrother has not only taken holdof the computer but alsoexchanged email IDs with that‘girl’, you mentally - and alsoverbally if your brother is lessmuscular than you - label hima PITA [Pain In The A$$]!
TOP 5 ARRIVALS At GOOD BOOKS
1. Like The Flowing River - Paulo Coelho; Rs. 295
2. The 8th Habit : From Effectiveness to Greatness -
Stephen R Covey; Rs. 575
3. Tea, Legend, Life and Livelihood -
GP Baroowah; Rs. 2000
4. Many Lives Many Masters - Dr. Brian Weiss; Rs. 350
5. The Buddha Cries! Karmapa Conundrum - Anil
Maheshwari; Rs. 200
And what do you say whena virtual stranger tries chattingyou up? DIKU [Do I KnowYou?]. From its humblebeginnings, the word ‘beg’ hastoday also taken the form of anacronym standing for a BigEvil Grin, which you flash aftersaying UYA [Up Your you-know-where] to an irritatingchatter. Wicked, huh?
If you receive an onlinemessage that reads GAL, itdoesn’t mean other chatters areenquiring about your gender.They are simply offering youan unsolicited advice - Get ALife. Ouch! And if they say FUand you can’t figure this oneout, you shouldn’t be online.
And when you read anentire article ODing onacronyms and chat jargons, failto make head or tails of it andrealise a little too late that youcould have better utilised thetime spent reading that uselessarticle, that, my friends, is aclear indication that you shouldGAL.
JK [Just Kidding]!- SERAH BASNET
THE 8TH HABIT: FROM
EFFECTIVENESS TO GREATNESS
by Stephen R Covey
In the 7 Habits series,international bestselling
author Stephen R Coveyshowed us how to become aseffective as it is possible to be.In the eighth installment of thisseries, The 8th Habit: FromEffectiveness to Greatness, heopens up an entirely newdimension of human potential,and shows us how to achievegreatness in any position andany venue.
LIKE THE FLOWING RIVER
by Paulo Coelho
Like the Flowing River is an intimate collection of
Paulo Coelho’s reflections andshort stories. These arepowerful tales of living anddying, of destiny and choice,
of love lost and found.Sometimes humorous,sometimes serious, but alwaysprofound, this book, like all ofCoelho’s work, explores whatit means to be truly alive. Anold woman explains to hergrandson how a mere pencilcan show him the path tohappiness... instructions onhow to climb a mountain revealthe secret to making yourdreams a reality... the authorlearns three important lessonswhen he goes to the rescue of
a man in the street. Pauloshows us how life has lessonsfor us in the greatest, smallestand most unusual ofexperiences.
Like the Flowing Riverincludes jewel-like fables,packed with meaning andretold in Coelho’s inimitablestyle. Sharing his thoughts onspirituality, life and ethics,Paulo touches you with hisphilosophy and invites you togo on an exciting journey ofyour own.
All of us, Covey says, havewithin us the means forgreatness. To tap into it is amatter of finding the rightbalance of four humanattributes: talent, need,conscience and passion. At thenexus of these four attributesis what Covey calls voice - theunique, personal significancewe each possess. Coveyexhorts us all to move beyondeffectiveness into the realm ofgreatness - and he shows ushow to do so, by engaging ourstrengths and locating our
powerful, individual voices.Why do we need this new
habit? Because we haveentered a new era in humanhis tory. The wor ld i s aprofoundly different placethan when The 7 Habits OfHighly Ef fec t ive Peoplewas originally published in1989.
The challenges andcomplexity we face today areof a different order ofmagnitude. We enjoy fargreater autonomy in all areasof our lives, and along with this
freedom comes the expectationthat we will manage ourselves,instead of being managed byothers. At the same time, westruggle to feel engaged,fulfilled and passionate.
Tapping into the higher reachesof human genius andmotivation to find our voicerequires a new mindset, a newskill-set, a new tool-set - inshort, a whole new habit.
C O N T A C T : 9 8 3 2 0 3 1 9 2 9 E M A I L : p e l s h 2 3 @ g m a i l . c o m
A D V E R T I S I N G / P R I N T I N G / P U B L I S H I N G / D E S I G N / E V E N T M A N A G E M E N T
2222222222 11 - 17 Oct, 2006
CMYK
ETCETERA
SLIGHTLY-OFF-CENTRE/SLIGHTLY-OFF-CENTRE
by KARCHOONG DIYALI
The Dasain celebrations are limited to their balcony for thesethree siblings at Namli village
www. s hu t t e r s p e e d c h r on i c l e s . b l o g s p o t . c om
WHODUNNIT?
Who wrote the‘Dugdi’ story? And
which hotels complained?That seems to be the latestinvestigation launched bythe police. Is thatimportant? And isn’t thatanother form of ‘dugdi’.After all, what will thepolice do once they find outthe real ‘culprits’? Giveus another lead, perhaps!Just for the record, wereally have no personalenmity with the copshere and believe they area fine lot. But somepeople will say anything. Theother day, a useless sort offellow was shooting his mouthoff about the police not doinganything for the people. I wasso angry and reminded himabout traffic management andheading all those sports bodies,but he was so not impressed.Is it their fault that we live insuch a peaceful and crime freeState that we can even affordto ask the centre to give us a‘Peace Bonus’. Footballanyone?
THANKS SHRA
The Sikkim Hotels &Restaurant Association
has displayed rather strangebehaviour by coming outagainst the Midweek story with
a press release. For one, theyobviously don’t represent allthe hotels, for it was not onebut very many hoteliers whohad complained to us and ifthese guys too support theSHRA press release, what canwe say. But, according to buzz,the SHRA is ‘defunct’ andmany in the trade are upset withthe gentleman who drafted theletter. One is left to wonderwhether he got the ‘request’letter too and whether he hasoffered rooms in his hotel, ifhe has one.
FEAR FACTOR
People are getting so verycarried away by our last
issue and are inundating uswith letters and calls of support
as well as personal ‘dugdi’stories. But, c’mon guys,we cannot serialize this,y’know, police hai panganahin lene ka, ok? DarnaZaroori Hai. But, I HAVEto relate just one story thatwas told to us. Apparently,the police recently won avolleyball tournament, afterwhich they placed thetrophy somewhere alongthe highway. Everyvehicle that passed thatway was told to give Rs.100 as ‘celebration’money. Some drivers havecalled this ‘dugdi’, but me,
I think it was just a ‘simplerequest’.
ADDING INSULT TO
INJURY
Police officers had variedreactions to the story.
While some were ‘hurt andangry’, others were merelyamused. But, one officer tookus by surprise. He was upsetonly about one thing. The costcalculation we had done. Howcould we, he asked, evensuggest that senior policeofficers would stay in Rs. 2000a night rooms. The roomswould be atleast Rs. 4000 andwe had got the figures totallywrong!
Now, that’s something wewill be happy to apologize for.
LONDON: A 23-year-old British policeman from the WestYorkshire force has been crowned Mr. Gay UK. Mark Cartersaid he was “over the moon” after winning the title, which isthe male equivalent of Miss Great Britain, reports the DailyMail.
The report said Carter, who will have a year of personalappearances and photo shoots, defeated 25 other contestantsfor the title.
“Two years ago I used to cry myself to sleep at night, I was sodaunted by the prospect of coming out, but when I did, it wasthe best thing ever,” he said. “I was so happy I could finally bemyself. I thought telling people I was gay would mean no onewould want to know me, but at the Mr. Gay UK final, I hadmore people together, supporting me, in one place than I’veever had in my life.”
Policeman crowned Mr. Gay UK
BELFAST: Northern Irishauthor Jason Johnson is set tosell the right to appear as aliterary character in his thirdbook to the highest onlinebidder. Johnson, who wrote thenovels Windlicker and Alina,decided to put the character’sidentity up for auction in orderto help pay his bills, but hisoffer to publish an individual’sidentity alongside charactersincluding a psychiatric patientand a former flasher could
draw some significant interest,said the Sunday Observer.
“My motives are purelyfinancial, because I need topay the bills while I writeand I ’ l l do pre t ty muchwhatever I can for that,” the37-year-old author said ofhis unusual sale. “Sittingaround all day and makingthings up is just about all Iwant to do with my days. Idon’t care what people’smotives for bidding are,
that’s up to them. But aselling point is that it is theoffer of a kind of ticket toimmortality and that it willgive them something to sayat parties, or maybe justinto the mirror.”
Johnson told the paper thathe came up with the idea forthe online auction from adocumentary’s website contestthat focused on an individualbuying their way into aHollywood production.
Author selling literary immortality
SANTA BARBARA, Calif.: A new California company,BabyToupee.com, is selling a series of wigs based on infamouscelebrity hairstyles and designed entirely for babies to wear.
The New York Post said that the Santa Barbara businesswill offer parents the chance to purchase wigs for their infantsstyled after celebrities such as singers Bob Marley and Lil’Kim, and even one based on real estate mogul Donald Trump’sfamed mane.
“To see a baby with a little Rasta hat and dreadlocks isreally funny,” BabyToupee.com co-founder Graham Farrarsaid.
The paper said that to date the company, which also offersa style based on “Snakes on a Plane” actor Samuel L Jackson,has received thousands of orders for the $30 wigs.
Firm offers celebrity toupees
for babies
DALLAS: A high schoolmusic teacher cooled herheels in a Texas jail for threedays for a seatbelt lawviolation while officials triedto find her paperwork.WFAA-TV in Dallas reportedthat Theresa Dobbs was heldfor three days in the LewSterrett Jail for showing uplate for a hearing on a $50seatbelt violation.
It was after the court hearingslipped her mind that the Cityof Dallas decided to show her
who was boss. But City Hallofficials say they’re notresponsible for the clericalerror. They insist the problemis with Dallas County. Amortified Dobbs, who has nocriminal record, was taken tojail by sheriff’s deputies inhandcuffs from her school. Shewas one of 28 women in a celldesigned for eight.
“You had to find a patch ofconcrete on the floor to sleep,”said Dobbs, whose only crimewas not buckling her seatbelt.
Glitch leaves teacher in
jail for 3 days
call
320169
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CMYK
You are moving andthinking fast thisweek. It may be alittle too fast. Usecaution when
driving, with tools, and alsowith fire. Your reflexes arealmost too quick to managesmall tasks at your best. Onthe positive side, your body willappreciate heavy activities thatrequire use of large muscles
You are likely toencounter someoneyou ‘should’ meetthis week. Thisperson happens
into your everyday, normallife. He/she is a teacher foryou and will offer help orknowledge that can assist. Itis even possible that a lastingbond will develop betweenyou. Health issues improve.
This is a supremelybusy week for thetraveling, talkativeTwins. You aresorting and
organizing data or things asquickly as possible and stillcannot accomplish it all. Itappears you are focused andintense, yet fatigued. Newthings are happening in work/career.
Whether you aretraveling or at home,your frame of mindis happy andromantic. Good
news comes concerning afamily member. Any mattersrelated to property shouldwork out favorably. You haveincreased interest in art,beauty and things pleasing tothe eye.
This is an excellentt ime for shortdistance travel and/or study andpractice of
language arts. Socialactivit ies are particularlypleasant. You likely will feela special kinship tosignificant other[s] now. Yourefforts in any educationalarena gain applause andappreciation.
Avoid allowing yourmind to obsessover fears or thingsthat have not yethappened. You do
not have to f low withwherever your imaginationwants to go. Take control andyou will be much happier.Relat ionship[s] withsignificant other[s] in yourlife are flowing smoothly now
ETCETERA
by PANKAJ THAPA
JEST LIKE THAT by PANKAJ THAPA
Have you ever wonderedhow the Big Man upthere decides to deal you
cards when you never wantedto play in the first place? Andthe cards he deals you aretypical of a rummy[“crummy”?] round - the jokeryou so desperately need isalways below or above the cardyou draw - it’s just a questionof timing, bad timing. Takeanother instance - your out-of-town friends decide to give youa weekend visit. They enter yourhouse at about the same timeyour gas cylinder and all thetaps decide to sputter and blob.Of course you won’t knowabout it. Not yet. You’ll knowabout it at the precise momentwhen you’ve got your guestsspellbound with yourcliffhanger of an anecdote aboutmushroom hunting… and thegods send their messenger in theangelic form of the better halfwearing a non-angelic look ofexasperation. The fascinatingdetails of the mushroom huntcan wait. Changing the gascylinder cannot.
Then there’s man’s BestFriend, the Television [dogswent out with World War II,y’know]. Any event that has youglued to it will patiently wait tillall the soap/ biscuit/ toiletcleaner ads are over and then,just as Dravid hits a six orBeckham bends it, the powersthat be decide the power will notbe. The power eventuallyreturns when the remote is nolonger in your power. Amen.
Another recent fun toy forthe Big Man to try our witsis the cell phone. This littlegadget is single-handedlyresponsible for making malehairstyles resemble jhum
fields of the northeast - baldpatches in a dense forest.BSNL no longer enjoys thedubious distinction of beingthe worst mobile networkservice in town. Lately,Reliance is working [or notworking] overtime to try andsnatch that distinction fromBSNL. But if you’re stuckwith a lonely evening, dialany number on ei ther aBSNL or a Reliance phoneand 9 times out of 10 you’llget a sweet lady with asingsong accent telling youhow congested the line is, orwhy the number isunavai lable . Who caresabout the number when youcan l is ten to this huskyvoice? Keep talking, honey.[She probably looks likeSharon Stone anyway -white dress, black couch -you get the picture.]
These little mobile devilsalso possess an exquisitesense of timing - bad timingthat is. You never seem toget through but your 5-yearold wil l happi ly dial a
Cochin number and getthrough on first attempt. Oryou would get a sore thumbtrying to call your wife totell her you’ll be home late.When you do reach home inthe wee hours and try toexplain why you could notget through, do notdemonstrate by dialing hernumber on your cell. Yup.First attempt and her phonegoes “brrr..brr..brrr”.
More cases of BadTiming - the traffic cop inSiliguri flags you down when your insurance papershave lapsed last month, andwhile fumbling with thepapers and your patheticfour-word-max Bengali, youdiscover your pol lut ionpapers are also three monthsoverdue. Standing there inHigh Noon heat, with Mr.Cl in t -S i l igur i -Eas twoodglaring through his “Roy-Bans”, you think it couldn’tget any worse. Well, theycan, and they do . Mr.Eastwood turns out to be anhonest cop who almostchokes with indignat ionwhen you suggest hesurreptitiously “settle” thematter. [Rare, I know, butthey do exis t . ] His wayinvolves trudging to theBank, paying the f ine,locating a pollution controlunit and trudging back to getyour papers finally releasedfrom Mr. Serpico. By whichtime, it’s time you headedback for the hills anyway;poorer by a few hundredsand minus that deliciousmaach-bhaath you’d beencontemplating on your waydown. Dalda-based vegmomos anyone? Eeeyuck!!!
Bad Timing
Energies of theweek favourromance, the arts,music, and all thethings we use for
escape from the humdrum.Give special attention towhomever enters your lifethis week. This person islikely to bring a message ofhope and encouragement -maybe even love.
Mercury remains inyour sign for twomonths because itwill be turningretrograde on 29
Oct. through 17 Nov. Be verycautious about makingsignificant decisionsthroughout this period. Theprobability is strong thatimportant factors may alter oryou will change your mindlater. Love life is favourednow.
This is a highlyfavourable time toreflect, meditate,and think deeplyabout where you are
in life. Focus your attentionwith whatever tools you haveon hand: self-hypnosis,dreamwork, journaling, orpsychotherapy. Yourunconscious is wanting tomake contact. Encourage it.
A project begun thisweek will requireapproximately 10days to completeand may not really
be worth the effort. Thinkabout it before you start. Theavailable energies are bestused to concentrate attentionon something mental.Romance is unexciting, butthis is temporary.
You may be mildlydisturbed by newsconcerning yourcareer, an authorityfigure, or place of
business. Mobility may be atemporary problem.However, activities related tothe law, education, anddealing with those from adistance are given a ‘go’signal.
You could be therecipient of smallgifts and/or favours.Small debts owedto you are paid and
you may benefit frompartner’s resources. Activitiesinvolving travel, the law, theinternet, education, andpersons from a distance arefavoured. All in all, a fineweek for the Fish.
2424242424 11 - 17 Oct, 2006
CMYK
Printed at Baba Offset Works, Tadong. Publisher & Editor : Mita Zulca. MIDWEEK, Near Hotel Yatung, Nam Nang, Gangtok - 737101. Phone: 03592 320169 Email: [email protected]
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OSLO: Scientists have founda fossil of a ‘Monster’ fish-likereptile in a 150 million-year-old Jurassic graveyard on anArctic island off Norway. TheNorwegian researchersdiscovered remains of a totalof 28 plesiosaurs andichthyosaurs - top marinepredators when dinosaursdominated on land - at a siteon the island of Spitsbergen,about 1,300 km from the NorthPole.
“One of them was thisgigantic monster, withvertebrae the size of dinnerplates and teeth the size ofcucumbers,” Joern Hurum, anassistant professor at theUniversity of Oslo, toldReuters on 5 October.
“We believe the skeleton isintact and that it’s about 10meters [33 feet] long,” he toldReuters of the pliosaur, a typeof plesiosaur with a short neck
and massive skull. The teamdubbed the specimen ‘TheMonster’.
Such pliosaurs are knownfrom remains in countriesincluding Britain andArgentina but no completeskeleton has been found, hesaid. The skull of the pliosaur- perhaps a distant relative toScotland’s mythical Loch Nessmonster - was among thebiggest on record.
Scientists would return nextyear to try to excavate the entirefossil, buried on a hillside.
Plesiosaurs, which swamwith two sets of flippers, oftenpreyed on smaller dolphin-likeichthyosaurs. All went extinctwhen the dinosaurs vanished65 million years ago.
The scientists rated thefossil graveyard “one ofthe most important newsites for marine reptiles tohave been discovered in
the last several decades”.“It is rare to find so many
fossils in the same place -carcasses are food for otheranimals and usually get tornapart,” Hurum said. Hurumreckoned the reptiles hadnot all died at the same timein some Jurass ic-eracataclysm but had died overthousands of years in thesame area, then becomepreserved in what wasapparently a deep layer ofblack mud on the seabed. Attha t t ime, the area ofSpitsbergen under waterseveral hundred km furthersouth, around the latitude ofAnchorage or Oslo.
Hurum said the presence offossils was also an interestingpointer for geologists huntingfor oil and gas deposits in theBarents Sea to the east. “Askull we found even smells ofpetrol,” he said. [Reuters]
‘Monster’ fossil found in Jurassic graveyard
An artist’s impression of a ‘Monster’ fish-like reptile, whosefossil was found on the Arctic island of Spitsbergen, offNorway, catching a smaller plesiosaur, in this image fromthe Natural History Museum, University of Oslo.
