Ghising to resign within ten days, GJM jubilant

By Divya Pathak http://www.headlinesindia.com
Friday, February 29, 2008 (18:41:47)
Ghising to resign within ten days, GJM jubilant

Kolkata: Caretaker administrator of Darjeeling Gorkha Hill Council (DGHC), Subhash Ghising is all set to resign from the position which he held for twenty years in the hilly regions of North Bengal. Surrendering to the pressure to quit DGHC, mounting on him from all sides, especially from his rival party Gorkha Janmukti Morcha (GJM), the veteran soldier-turned-leader told Chief Minister of West Bengal, Buddhadeb Bhattacharya, that he would put in his papers in the next ten days.
Ghising's decision was made public in a written statement issued by the Chief Minister's secretariat in Kolkata today. Buddha, in his statement, said that Subhash Ghising has decided to step down from his position within ten days. The statement also mentioned that the decision regarding the amendments of Sixth Schedule in Darjeeling has been put on hold for the moment, and that the Union Home Ministry would reassess the situation before finally taking any decision on the introduction of Sixth Schedule in the hilly regions of Darjeeling district.

In the statement, Buddha said, "I have discussed the latest situation in Darjeeling with all concerned. Yesterday (28th February 2008) the report of the parliamentary standing committee on the issue of the introduction of the Sixth Schedule in the Darjeeling hills was placed in the Parliament. It was proposed in the report that the Union Home Ministry would make a reassessment of the situation in Darjeeling. Meanwhile, Subhash Ghising, administrator of DGHC, has said that he will resign within the next ten days."
Through his statement, Buddha also appealed to GJM activists to end their agitation, and restore normalcy in the hills. Buddha said, "In view of the current discussion, I would urge all concerned to call off their agitation and hunger strike, and help restore normal condition in the hills of Darjeeling."

The CM had met both Subhash Ghising, and Bimal Gurung, Ghising's arch rival and GJM supremo over the past few days, and had heard their demands. While Ghising had demanded introduction of Sixth Schedule in the hills of Darjeeling, Gurung had met Buddha with demands of Ghising's resignation, and the cancellation of Sixth Schedule, so that Darjeeling can be formed into a separate state. GJM leaders had also threatened that they would not leave the city, and continue with the agitation in the hills till their demands were met.
Finally, on Friday, GJM's demands were met, with the CM issuing his statement today. Needless to say, the GJM leaders were ecstatic by the move, and announced relaxation in the ongoing bandh in Darjeeling, starting today evening. Talking to Headlines India, Bimal Gurung said, "We are very happy with the CM's statement. Ghising got what he deserved. For the time being, we have relaxed the bandh, but if Ghising does not resign within March 10, then we will begin our agitation on a larger scale."

Subhash Ghising evaded the media after the CM's statement was issued, but sources revealed that Ghising was very upset, and had withdrawn himself into a shell. Sources also said that Ghising would resign within the next couple of days, after returning to Lalkothi, the secretariat of DGHC.
COURTSY: http://www.headlinesindia.com/state/index.jsp?news_code=71608

Prolific Tamil writer Sujatha passes away

CHENNAI: Sujatha, one of the most prolific writers of contemporary Tamil literature, passed away in a private hospital here late Wednesday after a brief illness. He was 72.

S. Rangarajan, who wrote under the pen name, Sujatha, was known for his versatility in writing. He had a way with words, whether it meant writing short stories, science fiction, plays, pieces on history or screenplay for films.

He played a significant role in taking information on trends in science and technology to the common man through his simple articles.

An engineer, Sujatha was instrumental in designing and producing the Electronic Voting Machine when he was working with Bharat Electronics.

His columns for Tamil weeklies such as Ananda Vikadan, Kumudam and Kalki were widely read and fetched him numerous fans in all age groups. He had drawn thousands of youngsters to Tamil literature with his lucid and engaging style.

Born at Triplicane, Chennai, Sujatha had an exciting childhood at Srirangam, near Tiruchi, where he grew up under the care of his paternal grandmother.

After his schooling at the Boys High School, Srirangam, he pursued his bachelor’s degree in physics at St. Joseph’s College, Tiruchi, where he and former president Abdul Kalam were classmates.

He then did his engineering in electronics at the Madras Institute of Technology.

Many of his pieces reflected his academic background, especially those of the science fiction genre.

All the same, his writing was very accessible to all kinds of readers.

Playwright Crazy Mohan, who visited the writer recently, said, “He is one of the most multi-faceted writers in Tamil. His writing was terrific, consistent and extremely informative. He could write just about anything with amazing ease. Sujatha was certainly a genius.”

source:The Hindu

Bandh to hit Sikkim vehicles as well

Bandh to hit Sikkim vehicles as well
Source:The Statesman News Service
SILIGURI, Feb. 24: Beginning tomorrow, vehicles hailing from Sikkim are also coming under the ambit of the GJMM’s indefinite Darjeeling bandh, which is underway since 20 February. According to the GJMM general secretary, Mr Roshan Giri, the party activists have been instructed not to allow any vehicle to ply along the NH31A to Sikkim from early morning tomorrow.
Until today, the GJMM had kept the vehicles with Sikkim registration number out of the bandh, while vehicles with West Bengal numbers were barred from plying between Siliguri and Sikkim.
The NH31A is the only road link that connects Sikkim to the rest of the country via Siliguri and a sizeable stretch of the arterial road falls in Kalimpong sub-division of the Darjeeling hills. The fresh GJMM diktat means, beginning tomorrow there would be no vehicles plying to and from Sikkim.
In another development, the GJMM has relaxed the indefinite bandh in the cinchona and tea plantations in the hills for a week beginning tomorrow. This, the agitating Hill party say, has been done keeping in mind the plight of the plantation workers.

Left Front peace rally
The district Left Front today brought out a huge public rally from Baghatain Park in Siliguri in support of peace in the Darjeeling hills and a harmonious relationship between all communities in the region. The rally marched up to the Air View More and then returned via Sevoke Road-Bidhan Road. n sns

We saved a green back turtle.

This green turtle was found at the shore trapped in a stray net,we called the wildlife servants and it was freed,we felt the freedom.It all happened on the shores of Smith Island,North Andaman-Diglipur.

FROM NICOBAR TO SIKKIM

Tsunami affected childrens(about 30) from Nicobar islands were brought to Sikkim by an NGO named "Project Hope" for their Education and placed them at Bahai School Gangtok.This picture is taken when they were traveling back to Sikkim in the Ship M.V.Nicobar(February 2008))

SEA LOBSTERS:The Catch

Sea Lobsters from Andamans(India).This lobsters are alive and kicking .It is sold for 150.00 Rs. per Kilo (about 4.00 USD )in the Middle Andaman-RRO,Panchavati.

Mount Kanchenjunga

Higher Himalayas as seen from the road to Pelling from Geyzing.

Gorkhaland Demand

Ghising goes to Kolkata; to meet Buddhadeb
Special Correspondent: THE HINDU

GJM supporters to go to Kolkata and gherao him

Basu: Ghising finds himself in a difficult situation

KOLKATA: Subhas Ghising, administrator of the Darjeeling Gorkha Hill Council (DGHC), who had decided against returning to Darjeeling and stayed on in Siliguri since his arrival there from New Delhi four days ago in view of blocks set up on the roads leading to the hill town by activists of the Gorkha Janamukti Morcha (GJM), came here on Friday.

He is to meet Chief Minister, Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee, on Saturday.

The bandh called by the GJM leadership in the hills — demanding the immediate removal of Mr. Ghising from the post and the scrapping of the move to grant Sixth Schedule status to the region — entered its third day on Friday.

The GJM is also demanding a separate state of Gorkhaland to be carved out of the Darjeeling hills and certain areas contiguous to it.

“Mr. Ghising, who could not return to Darjeeling as he had hoped, has now fled to Kolkata,” GJM president Bimal Gurung told The Hindu over telephone from Darjeeling. “Our supporters will now go to Kolkata and gherao him at the place he has put up.”

On the developments in the hills, veteran Marxist leader Jyoti Basu said: “Mr. Ghising finds himself in a difficult situation with many of his supporters [who are now with the GJM] having turned against him”.
CM reviewing situation

Mr. Bhattacharjee was monitoring the situation in Darjeeling and holding talks with the Centre to press for the speedy passage in Parliament of the two amendment Bills aimed at granting Sixth Schedule status to the region, Mr. Basu said.
‘Bandh will continue’

“The bandh in the Darjeeling hills will continue till our demands are met”, GJM general secretary Roshan Giri said. Thirty-three GJM activists were on hunger strike since February 17 in Darjeeling, Kurseong and Kalimpong and the condition of some of them was serious, he added.

The GJM leadership announced that Municipal Affairs Minister Ashok Bhattacharya too would be prevented from entering the hills. This follows Mr. Bhattacharya’s comments here on Thursday, describing the GJM’s supporters as “outsiders” who were trying to foment trouble in Siliguri.

There could be no further talks here with the State government on the demands, Mr. Giri said, referring to Mr. Bhattacharya’s appeal for a dialogue with the GJM. “If the State government is keen on discussions, it will have to send its officials to Darjeeling to sit for talks with us,” he added.

andamansikkim: vehicles from sikkim (SK numbered) allowed to ply between Siliguri and Sikkim in the NH 31A..Schools and essential services are functioning normally in the hills.

Old Maane Discovered..unearthed in Budhang(central pendam).East Sikkim.

photo:Suresh Khatiwara -pendam.

GREEN GECKO OF ANDAMANS.

GREEN GECKO OF ANDAMANS:This shy and ubiquiotous green lizard took my patience away! when I tried to phtograph it..it slowly hide in to the leaves.. I used my zoom to click this.This lizard is a common sight in the banana and arcanut(supari) trees of Andamans .Its absence in Nicobar Islands is baffling the scientists!

FREE FROM BIRD FLU

All the vehicles(tyres) and passengers(footwears) entering Sikkim were steralised to prevent bird flu entering in to the state.

BENAZIR BHUTTOS HANDWRITTEN WILL..

BENAZIR BHUTTOS HANDWRITTEN WILL..download the pdf.

INTERNATIONAL FLORISHOW-2008

ANDAMAN-2008

ANDAMAN DURING THIS WINTER...30 DEGREE HOT