‘Mercury set to soar in South Bengal; thunderstorms to continue in North’

May 30, 2024 Kalimpong News Leave a comment

MP, 30 May 2024, Kolkata: The Regional Meteorological Centre in Alipore said that mercury is set to soar in South Bengal districts while the North Bengal districts will continue to witness thunderstorms as Cyclone ‘Remal’ weakened into a depression.

Temperature is expected to go up by 3-5 degree Celsius in South Bengal in the next three days, the MeT office said.

There is however a possibility of thunderstorms in some parts of South Bengal in the weekend. Meanwhile, the monsoon is expected to make an onset over Kerala and some parts of northeast India during the next 24 hours, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) said in its Wednesday bulletin.

The IMD said that the conditions are expected to become favourable for further advancement of the southwest monsoon into some parts of the South Arabian Sea and the remaining parts of Maldives and the Comorin area, some parts of Lakshadweep area, some more parts of the Southwest & Central Bay of Bengal and Northeast Bay of Bengal during the same period.

Last year monsoon onset was delayed by a week on June 8. The Alipore MeT office said that there is no weather alert and hence the fishermen can venture into the sea. Cyclone “Remal” has paved the way for the Monsoon to set in.

According to the IMD, the normal monsoon onset over Kerala is June 1 and thereafter it advances northwards and then to the rest of the country around July 15. Monsoon normally advances over northeast India around June 5.

Several parts of South Bengal remained partially cloudy on Wednesday. Coastal areas also remained cloudy. The temperature will go up in south Bengal districts from Wednesday.

https://www.millenniumpost.in/bengal/mercury-set-to-soar-in-south-bengal-thunderstorms-to-continue-in-north-565865

Health, Regional, West Bengal

Drinking water blue in Siliguriover report of contamination

May 30, 2024 Kalimpong News Leave a comment

EOI, SILIGURI, MAY 29, 2024 : Mayor of Siliguri Gautam Deb has announced a temporary prohibition on the supply of drinking water supply in the municipal areas from May 29 to the afternoon of June 2due to contamination of water.

While water would continue to be supplied daily in municipal areas, city residents have been strongly advised against consuming it.

Except using it as drinking water, the supplied water remains suitable for use in other purposes. Reports indicate that a decrease in Biochemical Oxygen Demand has led to contamination of the drinking water supply.

On Wednesday, Mayor Gautam Deb addressed the issue at a news conference held in the Siliguri Municipal Corporation (SMC) and stated that water samples had been dispatched to Kolkata for testing, and the results were expected to be available in five days.

Meanwhile, the water should not be consumed until the reports arrive.

To address the issue,the SMC has arranged for alternative sources of drinking water, including the distribution of 100,000 water pouches.

Additionally,15,000 to 20,000 pouches would be distributed in each of the five boroughs, and drinking water tankers would be dispatched to every ward.

Siliguri MLA Shankar Ghosh criticized Mayor Gautam Deb, alleging a failure in municipal governance.

He pointed out that residents had already been consuming contaminated water for the past 15 to 16 days and held the Mayor and the Municipal Council accountable for the situation.

Students participate art competition on the occasion of 164th Birth anniversary of Kobi Guru Rabindranath Tagore organised by MLA Prithiraj Rabha at Tezpur—— UB Photos

Entertainment, Health, Regional

GTA launches hiking trail to mark Tenzing’s birth anniversary

May 30, 2024 Kalimpong News Leave a comment

EOI, DARJEELING, MAY 29, 2024 : To mark the birth anniversary of
legendary mountaineer Tenzing
Norgay Sherpa, the Gorkhaland
Territorial Administration on
Wednesday introduced a day long
hiking trail for outdoor adventure
enthusiasts.

May 29 marks the 110th birth
anniversary of Tenzing Norgay
and 71st year of summit of
Everest. On this day in 1953
Tenzing and Sir Edmund Hillary
scaled the highest peak on earth
for the first time.

The hiking trail will start
from Chowrasta, the most popular
square of Darjeeling and end at
Sidrapong which is considered as
the first hydroelectric project of
Asia. The 10 km trail will take
tourists through picturesque
landscapes and lush green tea
gardens. There will be stops at the
Tibetan Museum, Tenzing’s
house, Ava Art Gallery, the
historic Burdwan Palace and the
Arya tea garden,
all of which are
located in low
altitude and
tourist hiking
friendly.

“In the past too
the GTA
introduced short
hiking trails for
tourists and
adventure
enthusiasts. This
year we have
launched a 10 km
trail from
Chowrasta to
Sidrabong. We
have already conducted a trial run
and have found that is will be
convenient and easy for the
tourists,” said the GTA’s
department of adventure
tourism, coordinator, Dawa
Gyalpo Sherpa. The return
journey will be by vehicles via
the Orange Valley tea estate.

Last year, the GTA introduced
a 12 km hiking trail from
Chowrasta to Tiger Hill. “With
these long hiking trails, we intend
to promote eco-friendly tourism
and encourage tourists to take up
healthier travel activities,” the
GTA adventure
tourism
department
coordinator saikd.

The
Himalayan
Mountaineering
Institute organized
a programme
during the day to
commemorate
Tenzing’s birth
anniversary. Floral
tribute was offered
at the Samadhi of
Tenzing located
within the HMI
premise.

“It is a matter of great pride
that he (Tenzing Norgay) was the
first field director of our institute.
We continue to follow in his
footstep. The tourists got to know
about the birth anniversary of the
first person to summit Everest and
his connection with the HMI,”
said the HMI principal, Group
Captain Jai Kishan. Tenzing died
on May 9, 1986 in Darjeeling and
was cremated inside the HMI and
his Samadhi has now become a
popular must visit spot.

Tenzing’s son Jamling
Tenzing Norgay reiterated the
demand for conferring the
legendary figure with the Bharat
Ratna. “It is the demand of the
Sherpa community and people of
Darjeeling Hills. My father was
the first Indian to summit Everest
and bring the country to limelight
just a few years after the British
left. My father was also the first
non-political recognized icon who
inspired people all over the
world. We will continue to
request the Government to
respect the wish of the people,”
he said.

Regional, Sikkim

Steps to ensure public safety following rise in level of Teesta

May 30, 2024 Kalimpong News Leave a comment

EOI, PAKYONG, MAY 29, 2024 : The Pakyong district authorities have started taking measures to ensure public safety in view of the rising level of water of river Teesta.

In accordance with the directive of District Collector Pakyong, Sub-Divisional Magistrate Rangpo Thendup Lepcha, accompanied by the Municipal Executive Officer Rangpo Nagar Panchayat and officials from the Sikkim Departments of Fisheries and Forest and police personnel on Wednesday conducted an inspection at the River Teesta belt of Rangpo
subdivision and the River Rangpo belt to assess the situation and ensure the safety of common people in light of the rising water levels of the River Teesta.

The Central Water Commission (CWC)
issued an alert at 1 am on Wednesday due to the rising water levels of the River Teesta, urging people along the basin to remain vigilant.

The alert serves as a reminder for residents to take necessary
precautions and stay away from the river.

An awareness campaign was conducted in the IBM area and Mazigoan Rangpo, using loudspeakers, to instruct the people to stay away from the river, starting from 5 pm onwards.

This proactive measure was aimed to prevent any potential accidents or
mishaps due to the increasing water levels. The Forest Department has also mandated the closure of quarries after 5 pm.

This step has been taken to ensure the safety of workers and to prevent any harm that may be caused by the rising water levels.

The Fisheries Department has already issued a notice forbidding fishing for three months from April 1 to June 30, in view of the mating season and to ensure sustainability.

This measure is critical to maintaining ecological balance and
protecting the the fish population of the river.

Regional

Landslides are difficult to predict : Mechanical analysis enables to estimate the vulnerability

May 30, 2024 Kalimpong News Leave a comment

Editorial, EOI, 30 May 2024 : For the people of the hills of Darjeeling, Kalimpong and Sikkim, landslides are of common occurrence. Now in the wake of the devastating landslide in the mountainous Enga province in Papua New Guinea late last week with estimates of the death toll varying between 670 and 2,000 the University of Sydney has offered some explanations as to what causes landslides and if landslides can be predicted to save lives.

As the Papua New Guinea experience has underscored, rescue is challenging in the event of a landslide. Secondary slides and rock falls hamper efforts in the search zone. Because of lack of access, it becomes difficult to move heavy digging machinery to the landslide zone. Roads need to be cleared or repaired for assistance and equipment to arrive. t is difficult to locate potential survivors as landslides carry away buildings and their occupants in an unpredictable manner.

Landslides happen when the pull from gravity exceeds the strength of the geomaterial forming the slope of a hill or mountain. Geomaterials can be as varied as rocks, sand, silt and clays. Then, part of this slope starts sliding downhill. Depending on where the slope fails, the material sliding down can be just a few cubic metres or a few million cubic metres in volume.

But why do slopes fail?

Most natural landslides are triggered by earthquakes or rainfall. Earthquakes shake the ground, stress it and weaken it over time. Rainwater can seep through the ground and soak it and add weight to the slope. The ground is often porous like a sponge.

Another adverse effect of water is erosion, causing slopes to fall. Groundwater can also dissolve rocks within slopes. Human activities also contribute to the chance of landslides. Deforestation has a negative impact on slope stability, as tree roots naturally reinforce the ground and drain water out. Mine blasts produce small earthquake-like ground vibrations that shake slopes nearby. It is difficult to predict and mitigate landslide risk effectively.

The thousands of deadly and costly landslides occurring every year worldwide suggest so. To warn people of a coming landslide, one would need a prediction for earthquakes and rainfall, in addition to a perfect knowledge of the slope-forming geomaterial.

Geomaterials may include multiple, entangled layers of various kinds of rocks and particulate materials, such as sand, silt and clays.

Their strength varies, and their spatial distribution dictates where the slope is likely to fail. To accurately assess the stability of the slope, a three-dimensional mapping of these materials and their strengths is needed. No sensor can provide this information, so geologists and geotechnical engineers must deal with partial information obtained at a few selected locations and extrapolate this data to the rest of the slope.

The weakest link of the chain, such as an existing fracture in a rock mass, is easily missed. This is an inevitable source of uncertainty when trying to predict how much material might slip. It is known that the larger the volume of a landslide, the farther its runout distance. But it is hard to gauge the exact size of a landslide, making predictions of runout distances and safe zones uncertain.

It is always uncertain when a landslide will occur. Mechanical analysis enables one to estimate the vulnerability of a slope in a particular scenario, including earthquake magnitude and distribution of groundwater. But predicting if and when these triggers will happen is a difficult task.

National, Politics

Anticipating INDIA bloc victory, women rush to open India Post accounts to get Rs 8.5k per month

May 30, 2024 Kalimpong News Leave a comment

PTI, 29 May 2024, Bengaluru : An otherwise silent General Post Office in Bengaluru is witnessing an unprecedented rush of women hurrying to open India Post Payment Bank accounts, anticipating a monthly deposit of Rs 8,500 into their accounts if the INDIA bloc comes to power at the Centre.

The elections are still in the process but women, largely from the minority communities sporting burqas, stood in long queues to open the account.

Some of them believed that opening the IPPB account would ensure that they get Rs 8,500 per month.

A woman said she stood in the queue early in the morning itself. Another said everyone in her neighbourhood was saying that money would start coming from the day the account is opened, so she too came to open an account.

Most of the women the news agency spoke to were from Shivajinagar, Chamarajpet and surrounding places in the city. Talking to reporters, Chief Post Master of GPO Bengaluru H M Manjesh said people have been coming to the office to open IPPB accounts in the belief that the Department of Post would credit Rs 2,000 or Rs 8,500 into their accounts.

“Actually it is a rumour. Somebody has spread this rumour. The department will not pay any amount to them. However, this account can be used for any type of online transaction or even Direct Benefit (Transfer) scheme,” Manjesh clarified. He said that the department has already informed the customers about this.

“We have displayed some posters also. In spite of that, customers are requesting that we open IPPB accounts for them.” There was such a rush that more counters were opened outside the GPO building, under the open sky, he added.

“Earlier we used to open 50 to 60accounts in a counter. Now we have made separate arrangements. We have brought our postmen for this purpose and regularly we are opening around 500 to 600 accounts, sometimes even 1,000 accounts in a day,”Manjesh said.

According to sources in the department, this rush has been witnessed for the past three days. It is learnt that some Congress MLAs spread the rumours, believing which the women made a beeline for the GPO. The MLAs said that the women will start getting money after June 4 “when the INDIA bloc will come to power”.

The Congress has made a promise to launch the Mahalakshmi scheme under which Rs 8,500 will be directly credited into the account of women heads of families belonging to Below Poverty Line (BPL) category. It is similar to the Gruha Lakshmi guarantee scheme started by the Karnataka government in which Rs 2,000 is paid to women heads of BPL families.

Health, National

Heatwave strikes Delhi, maximum temperature highest in 79 years

May 30, 2024 Kalimpong News Leave a comment

PTI & Agencies, 29 May 2024 : Amid the intense heatwave in northern India, several cities on Wednesday witnessed temperatures well above 45 degrees Celcius.

Delhi’s Mungeshpur on Wednesday logged a maximum of 52.9 degrees Celsius, the highest ever temperature recorded in the city, even as the India Meteorological Department said it is examining sensors and data of the area’s weather station for error.

Delhi’s primary weather station Safdarjung Observatory on Wednesday recorded a maximum temperature of 46.8 degrees Celsius, the highest in 79 years, according to India Meteorological Department (IMD) data. It was 46.7 degrees Celsius on June 17, 1945.

Apart from the national capital, several places in Northern India are also reeling under the sweltering heat with temperatures hovering close to 50 degrees Celsius.

Here is a list of 10 other hottest places in India today:

Haryana’s Mahendragarh- 49.4 degrees Celsius

Delhi’s Najafgarh- 49.1 degrees Celsius

Haryana’s Rohtak- 48.8 degrees Celsius

Uttar Pradesh’s Prayagraj- 48.8 degrees Celsius

Punjab’s Bhatinda – 48.5 degrees Celsius

Uttar Pradesh’s Agra- 48 degrees Celsius

Madhya Pradesh’s Gwalior- 48 degrees Celsius

Haryana’s Rohtak- 47.7 degrees Celsius

Rajasthan’s Alwar- 47.5 degrees Celsius

Uttarakhand’s Dehradun – 43.1 degrees Celsius

The national capital and large swathes of north India have been reeling under heat wave conditions for the past few days, with at least three weather stations here — Mungeshpur, Narela and Najafgarh — recording nearly 50 degrees Celsius even on Tuesday.

Delhi’s primary weather station Safdarjung observatory on Wednesday recorded a maximum temperature of 46.8 degrees Celsius, the highest in 79 years, according to India Meteorological Department (IMD) data. It was 46.7 degrees Celsius on June 17, 1945.

On the temperature at Mungeshpur, the IMD, however, said it is examining sensors and data of the weather station for the area. “The maximum temperature over Delhi-NCR varied from 45.2 degrees Celsius to 49.1 degrees Celsius in different parts of city.

Mungeshpur reported 52.9 degrees Celsius as an outlier compared to other stations. It could be due to error in the sensor or the local factor.

IMD is examining the data and sensors,” the department said in a statement.

In a post on X, Minister of Earth Sciences Kiren Rijiju said, “It is not official yet. Temperature of 52.3 degrees Celsius in Delhi is very unlikely. Our senior officials in IMD have been asked to verify the news report. The official position will be stated soon.” Other areas of the city also sizzled with maximum temperatures recorded at 49.1 degrees Celsius in Najafgarh, 49 degrees Celsius at Pusa and 48.4 degrees Celsius at Narela, according to the data.

The temperatures soared in the national capital as hot winds blew into the city from Rajasthan, according to officials.

In the evening, there was a sudden change in weather, with drizzle in some parts of the city. However, this could increase the humidity level, compounding the unease for people as forecast shows heat wave and hot weather condition not relenting in the coming days. Delhi’s relative humidity oscillated between 43 per cent and 30 per cent during the day, according to the IMD. The city has been witnessing a steady rise in temperatures in the final days of May.

For Thursday, the IMD predicted partly cloudy skies with heatwave conditions in a few places along with the possibility of thunderstorms and dust storms accompanied by very light rain and drizzling with gusty winds at speeds of 25 to 35 kmph.

Delhi Lt Governor VK Saxena directed that a paid break from 12 noon to 3 pm be given to labourers, along with water and coconut milk at construction sites, as he flagged the “lack of sensitivity” on the part of Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal.

Hitting back, Health Minister Saurabh Bharadwaj said the AAP government was making heatwave preparations even before the LG office became active and urged Mr Saxena to “give up negativity”.

Mr Saxena directed that the three-hour break for labourers has been implemented by the Delhi Development Authority since May 20 and will continue across all sites till temperatures come down below 40 degrees Celsius, according to a letter sent to Delhi Chief Secretary Naresh Kumar by the principal secretary to the Lt Governor.

The Delhi government announced that a fine of ₹ 2,000 will be imposed on water-wasting activities like washing vehicles with a hose and using domestic water supply for construction and commercial purposes amid unprecedented summer heat.

Water Minister Atishi has directed the Delhi Jal Board (DJB) to deploy 200 teams across the city to prevent wastage of water.

The extreme summer heat also pushed Delhi’s peak power demand to an all-time high of 8,302 MW on Wednesday afternoon, officials said.

It is the first time in the history of the national capital that its power demand has crossed the 8,300-MW mark. Power distribution companies had estimated the power demand to peak at 8,200 MW this summer, the discom officials said.

The threshold for a heatwave is met when the maximum temperature of a weather station reaches at least 40 degrees Celsius in the plains, 37 degrees in the coastal areas, and 30 degrees in the hilly regions, and the departure from normal is at least 4.5 notches.

A severe heatwave is declared if the departure from normal exceeds 6.4 notches.

In a forecast released, the IMD has urged “extreme care for vulnerable people” due to the heatwave.

Explaining the reason behind the scorching heat in the outskirts of Delhi, Mahesh Palawat, Vice President of Meteorology and Climate Change at Skymet Weather, said: “In open areas with vacant land, there is increased radiation. Direct sunlight and lack of shade make these regions exceptionally hot.” Palawat added that when wind blows from the west, it affects these outlying areas first in Delhi contributing to rise in temperature.

Kuldeep Srivastava, the regional head of IMD, said the city’s outskirts are the first areas to be hit by hot winds from Rajasthan.

“Parts of Delhi are particularly susceptible to the early arrival of these hot winds, worsening the already severe weather. Areas like Mungeshpur, Narela and Najafgarh are the first to experience the full force of these hot winds,” he said.

Open areas and barren land are contributing to higher temperatures due to increased radiation, said IMD’s Charan Singh.

National, Politics, West Bengal

Mamata challenges Modi to prove his claim on providing funds to Bengal

May 30, 2024 Kalimpong News Leave a comment

PTI, Kolkata, May 29, 2024 : West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Wednesday accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the BJP of “spreading lies” about funds being provided to the state and challenged the PM to prove his claim.

Addressing a rally at Metiabruz in Diamond Harbour constituency, the Chief Minister said she was “ready to sacrifice her life” but wouldn’t allow divisive politics of the saffron camp such as the CAA, NRC and UCC in the state.

“Prime Minister while addressing rallies in Bengal is saying the Centre has sent funds for the state which the TMC has siphoned off. He is saying the Centre had sent funds but those were looted by us. The PM is lying. I challenge him to prove that the Centre has released funds for the state. This is a blatant lie,” she said.

Reacting to Banerjee’s remark, BJP state spokesperson Samik Bhattacharya said, “The Prime Minister has only tried to highlight the corruption during the TMC regime. It is a well-known fact that the TMC is neck-deep in corruption. The remarks by the Chief Minister reflect that she is rattled after being exposed.” Claiming that the BJP will pay for their arrogance in the polls, Banerjee said the PM’s recent remarks that the BJP’s best results will come from Bengal is “actually an admission that the party will face a rout in other parts of the country.” “So does that mean that the BJP will lose elections in Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra and Bihar? It seems the saffron party has conceded defeat even before the polls are over,” she said.

The CM alleged that the BJP has been spreading canards through misleading advertisements.

“As part of Modi Babu’s guarantee, they were publishing misleading advertisements in newspapers against us. We lodged multiple complaints but there was no action. Yesterday, the High Court also stated it is illegal. They don’t release MGNREGA funds but spend crores on conspiracies, to buy votes and spread propaganda,” she said.

Expressing skepticism about the BJP’s ambitious target of achieving 400 seats in the Lok Sabha elections, she said people will reject them.

“The entire country has understood that the BJP is a party full of thieves. It is the TMC which will show the way after the elections,” Banerjee said.

The TMC had walked out of the INDIA bloc in West Bengal in January but asserted that she would continue to be part of the opposition bloc at the national level.

Vowing not to allow the implementation of CAA and NRC in the state, she said, “If people do not want divisive CAA, NRC or UCC that will erase our diversity, they must vote against the BJP.”

Health, Sikkim

Staff at Sikkim High Court to get menstrual leave

May 29, 2024 Kalimpong News Leave a comment

Prajwal Khatiwada, the registrar general of the high court, issued a notification to the effect on Monday with the approval of Chief Justice Biswanath Somadder

Vivek Chhetri, TT, Darjeeling, 29.05.24 : Sikkim High Court has decided to grant menstrual leave to women employees for up to three days every month.

Prajwal Khatiwada, the registrar general of the high court, issued a notification to the effect on Monday with the approval of Chief Justice Biswanath Somadder.

“Women employees in the High Court Registry may henceforth avail menstrual leave of 2-3 days in a month, provided they approach the Medical Officer attached to the High Court first and obtain the latter’s recommendation for such leave,” reads the notification.

The notification added that “their leave account shall not be debited on availing such leave”.

Anamika Sharma, the project manager of DLR Prerna, a non-government organisation in Darjeeling that regularly conducts menstrual hygiene workshops, welcomed the move. “This is such good news on World Menstrual Hygiene Day which is celebrated today (Tuesday). Such a move is a great motivator to educators like us,” added Sharma.

She said it was not long ago that people, including menstruating women, would refuse to talk on the issue. “I think the continuous sensitisation on the subject is bringing about a change,” said Sharma.

The issue of mandatory paid menstrual leave for women employees was much debated in the country recently after Union women and child development minister Smriti Irani voiced her opposition to the idea.

Responding to a question in the Rajya Sabha by MP Manoj Kumar Jha on paid menstrual leave, Irani said menstruation is a natural part of life and should not be treated as a handicap. “As a menstruating woman, menstruation and the menstruation cycle is not a handicap, it’s a natural part of women’s life journey,” Irani said.

Warning that such paid leave could lead to discrimination against women, the minister further said: “We should not propose issues where women are denied equal opportunities just because somebody who does not menstruate has a particular viewpoint towards menstruation.”

Irani’s statement drew flak from certain quarters.

Few countries have already implemented the national menstruation leave. These include Japan, Indonesia, South Korea, Taiwan and Spain.

In India, Bihar had introduced two days of menstrual leave in 1992.

Courtesy & source- The Telegraph

National, Sikkim

Bridge swept away, traffic hit in Sikkim

May 29, 2024 Kalimpong News Leave a comment

When a flash flood had occurred in the Teesta because of the outburst of the South Lhonak lake in October last year, the bridge over the river at Toong in the Mangan district of the mountain state was washed away.

TT, Siliguri, 29.05.24 : A temporary bridge over the Teesta in northern Sikkim was on Monday washed away by the river swollen by heavy rain, prompting the administration to realign routes for traffic in the area.

After the natural disaster, local transporters took the initiative to build a temporary wooden bridge over the river to facilitate travel between Mangan, the district headquarters and Chungthang, which is at the junction of popular tourist hotspots of Lachen and Lachung.

“The wooden bridge has been damaged and cannot be repaired. So, vehicles will have to take the Sangkalang- Shipgyer route, instead of the Chungthang-Mangan road,” said a source in the administration.

A circular mentioning the diversion of the route was issued by the Mangan district collector on Tuesday.

“As the route is narrow, there will be one-way traffic between Chungthang and Sangkalang from morning till evening. The vehicles on emergency duty, however, will not face any restriction,” the source added.

Vehicles heading to Sangkalang (on the way to Mangan) from Chungthang will be allowed to move from 5am to 8.30am and again from 2.30pm to 3.30pm.

On the other hand, vehicles heading towards Chungthang from Sangkalang will move along the route from 10am to 1pm and from 4pm to 6.30pm, said sources.

In Mangan, officials of the district administration held a meeting on Tuesday to discuss compensation for the land needed for a road connecting Mangan and Lachen via Toong. The road was extensively damaged in last year’s flash flood and the project will be undertaken by the Border Roads Organisation (BRO) and the General Reserve Engineer Force (GREF) under the defence ministry.

Representatives of the BRO said those who had provided land for the project would get compensation while underscoring that they should extend cooperation for the project.

Health, National, Regional

North, central India sizzle under severe heatwave, nearly 50 degrees Celsius in parts of Delhi

May 29, 2024 Kalimpong News Leave a comment

The IMD said respite from the heatwave conditions could be in sight after May 30

PTI, New Delhi, 29.05.24 : Large parts of northern and central India were in the grip of extreme heatwave conditions on Tuesday with the mercury crossing 50 degrees Celsius in Rajasthan’s Churu and Haryana’s Sirsa and settling nine notches above normal in Delhi.

At least three weather stations in Delhi recorded maximum temperatures of 49 degrees Celsius or more. Mungeshpur and Narela in Delhi clocked 49.9 degrees followed by Najafgarh at 49.8 degrees Celsius, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) said.

This was the highest maximum temperature recorded in the capital this season. However, Mungeshpur and Narela weather stations came up in 2022 and have records only for the last three years.

The IMD said respite from the heatwave conditions could be in sight after May 30.

It said that a fresh western disturbance was expected over parts of northwest India on Thursday which could bring isolated rainfall over the region on the weekend.

IMD Director General Mrutyunjay Mohapatra has attributed the heatwave conditions over northwest and central India to the absence of western disturbances during the latter half of May.

Western disturbances are extra-tropical weather systems formed over the Mediterranean Sea that move from the west to the east.

According to the IMD, 10 weather stations recorded the highest-ever maximum temperature and the highest for the month — Agra-Taj (48.6 degrees Celsius), Dehri in Bihar (47 degrees Celsius), Hamirpur in Uttar Pradesh (48.2 degrees Celsius), Jhansi in Uttar Pradesh (49 degrees Celsius), Narnaul in Haryana (48.5 degrees Celsius), Ayanagar-Delhi (47.6 degrees Celsius), New Delhi-Ridge (47.5 degrees Celsius), Rewa in Madhya Pradesh (48.2 degrees Celsius), Rohtak in Haryana (48.1 degrees Celsius), and Varanasi in Uttar Pradesh (47.2 degrees Celsius).

In some much-needed relief, south Rajasthan districts of Barmer, Jodhpur, Udaipur, Sirohi and Jalore recorded a drop in temperatures up to four notches on Tuesday due to moist wind incursion from the Arabian Sea, indicating the beginning of abatement of heatwave conditions over northwest India.

Numerical weather prediction models showed that this decreasing trend would further extend northwards, bringing gradual respite from heatwave conditions from May 30 onwards.

Also, the incursion of moist winds from the Bay of Bengal from Wednesday onwards is likely to result in a gradual fall in maximum temperatures over Uttar Pradesh from May 30, the IMD said.

“Today, heatwave to severe heatwave conditions prevailed over most parts of Rajasthan, Haryana-Chandigarh-Delhi, in many parts of Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh and in isolated pockets of Bihar and Himachal Pradesh,” it said.

It said that heatwave conditions also prevailed in many places over Vidarbha, in some pockets over Jammu and Kashmir and in isolated pockets of Uttarakhand and Chhattisgarh.

Churu in Rajasthan was the hottest place in the country with a maximum temperature of 50.5 degrees Celsius, followed by Sirsa-AWS in Haryana (50.3 degrees Celsius), Mungeshpur and Narela (49.9 degrees Celsius), Najafgarh (49.8 degrees Celsius), Sirsa (49.5 degrees Celsius), Ganganagar in Rajasthan (49.4 degrees Celsius), Pilani and Phalodi in Rajasthan and Jhansi (49 degrees Celsius).

Warm night conditions in isolated pockets are very likely to prevail over Uttar Pradesh, east Madhya Pradesh, Punjab, Haryana, Chandigarh and Delhi over the next few days, the weather office said.

The scorching heat prompted the Haryana government to advance summer vacations in all state-run and private schools to Tuesday.

The deadly heatwave is testing power grids and leading to water shortages in parts of the country.

According to the Central Water Commission, water storage in 150 major reservoirs in India dropped to just 24 per cent of their live storage last week, exacerbating water shortages in many states and significantly affecting hydropower generation.

The Maharashtra irrigation department said that the water stock in Jayakwadi dam in the drought-prone Marathwada region stood at a mere 5.19 per cent of its capacity on Monday after recording an evaporation loss of 1.15 MCM (million cubic metres) in a single day due to the heat.

The intense heat has already driven India’s power demand to 239.96 gigawatts, the highest so far this season, with air conditioners and coolers in homes and offices running at full capacity.

Experts anticipate that power demand could rise even further and surpass the all-time high of 243.27 GW recorded in September 2023.

Severe heatwaves have impacted a large number of people in parts of India for three consecutive years, affecting health, water availability, agriculture, power generation, and other sectors of the economy.

National, Politics, West Bengal

Why CBI, ED action against Suvendhu Adhikari and Tapas Roy stalled: Congress to PM Modi

May 29, 2024 Kalimpong News Leave a comment

Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh also asked if the prime minister prioritised his PR over vaccines and funds under the National Health Mission

Narendra Modi and Jairam Ramesh (inset): File

PTI, New Delhi, 29.05.24 : The Congress on Wednesday asked Prime Minister Narendra Modi whether he was withholding Rs 7,000 crore of paddy procurement funds to West Bengal and if the CBI case against Suvendu Adhikari has got “washed away” in the BJP’s washing machine.

Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh also asked if the prime minister prioritised his PR over vaccines and funds under the National Health Mission.

“Today’s questions for the outgoing PM’s West Bengal visit: Is the outgoing PM withholding Rs 7,000 crore of ration funds so that his face is plastered on ration shops? Did Suvendu Adhikari’s CBI case get washed away in BJP’s washing machine? Does the PM prioritise his PR over vaccines for India’s children?” he asked in a post on X.

He posed the questions on a day the prime minister is campaigning in West Bengal for the last phase of elections on June 1.

“In an incredibly petty move, the Centre has been withholding National Food Security Act funds from West Bengal for not displaying the outgoing PM’s face on ration shops. In an attempt to coerce the state government into displaying sign boards and flexes featuring the outgoing PM’s photos, the Centre has withheld Rs 7,000 crore of paddy procurement funds,” Ramesh charged.

He said this could seriously hinder the state’s paddy procurement and the availability of rice for the public distribution system.

“Why has the outgoing PM so callously neglected the health and wellbeing of the people of West Bengal? Is his publicity more important than people’s daily food?” the Congress leader asked.

He said in April 2017, the CBI filed an FIR against then TMC MP Adhikari in connection with the Narada scam.

In April 2019, the CBI sought sanction from the Lok Sabha speaker to prosecute him and in December 2020, Adhikari joined the BJP, and the CBI never received the Lok Sabha speaker’s sanction.

Similarly, he said, TMC leader Tapas Roy was raided by the ED in January this year in connection with a money laundering case and by March, he had also joined the BJP. Just a few months prior to his joining, Adhikari had alleged that Roy was involved in a municipal recruitment scam but this allegation also “disappeared” once Roy joined the party, he alleged.

“The PM’s ‘Bhrashtachar Hatao’ slogan is shamelessly plastered all over the country even as his party is busy handing tickets to corrupt politicians.

“Can the outgoing PM shed any light on why CBI and ED action against these leaders has been stalled? How can the BJP make pretensions to eradicating corruption when their ‘washing machine’ is clearly at full spin in West Bengal?” Ramesh asked in his post.

He also alleged that the government has blocked the National Health Mission funding to over 11,000 sub-health centres in West Bengal. These sub-health centres form the first line of defence for India’s poor – they are staffed by nurses and provide vaccines for children, tablets, and medicines for common fever, malaria, TB, and other infectious diseases, he claimed.

While the sub-centres are supposed to be called Ayushman Bharat Health and Wellness Centres, the state government had named them Sushasthya Centres, he claimed, adding that in a letter on November 25 last year, the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MoHFW) wrote to states, ordering them to rename sub-centres “Ayushman Arogya Mandir” and paint them orange.

The medical community has criticised this attempt by the BJP to “saffronise” medical centres, and the state government has refused to implement it, he said.

“In a petty and vindictive move, the Modi Sarkar seems to have blocked funds just because the state government refused to paint sub-centres a different colour. This comes after the Centre has already blocked state funds to MGNREGA and a Central housing scheme.

“In their vindictiveness, why is the BJP denying essential health services to the poorest communities in the state? Does the outgoing PM prioritise his PR over vaccines for India’s children?” Ramesh asked.

Crime, National, Regional, States

Adult or juvenile: Supreme Court passes slew of guidelines on heinous crimes

May 29, 2024 Kalimpong News Leave a comment

A bench of Justice C.T. Ravi Kumar and Justice Rajesh Bindal passed the directions while disposing of an appeal filed by the mother of a juvenile challenging the order of a juvenile justice board in Karnataka that her son be tried as an adult in a case relating to rape under the POSCO Act

R. Balaji, TT, New Delhi, 29.05.24 : The Supreme Court has passed a slew of guidelines for courts to follow in cases related to juveniles, particularly on the question of whether the juvenile/child in conflict with the law deserves to be treated as an adult for heinous crimes or under the Juvenile Justice Act.

In view of the discussions, the appeal was disposed of with the following directions:

(i) The provision of Section 14(3) of the act, providing for three months for completion of a preliminary assessment (of the juvenile’s mental status) under Section 15 of the act, is not mandatory. The same is held to be directory. The period can be extended for reasons to be recorded in writing by the chief judicial magistrate or as the case may be the chief metropolitan magistrate.

(ii) The words “children’s court” and “court of sessions” in the Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act, 2015, and the 2016 rules shall be read interchangeably. Primarily jurisdiction vests in the children’s court.

However, in the absence of constitution of such children’s court in the district, the power to be exercised under the act is vested with the court of sessions.

(iii) Appeal under Section 101(2) of the act against an order of the board passed under Section 15 of the act can be filed within 30 days. The appellate court can entertain the appeal after the expiry of the period, provided sufficient cause is shown. Endeavour has to be made to decide any such appeal filed within 30 days.

(iv) In all the orders passed by the courts, tribunals, boards and the quasi-judicial authorities, the names of the presiding officer and/or the members who sign the orders shall be mentioned. In case any identification number has been given, it can also be added.

(v) The presiding officers and/or members while passing the order shall properly record the presence of the parties and/or their counsels, the purpose for which the matter is being adjourned and the party on whose behalf the adjournment has been sought and granted.

A copy of the judgment will be sent to all the registrar generals of high courts for circulation amongst the judicial officers and the members of the juvenile justice boards, the directors of the National Judicial Academy and the state judicial academies.

The apex court passed the directions after senior advocates Sidharth Luthra and R. Basanth complained that many children’s courts and juvenile justice boards were not following the statutory rules prescribed under the act.

Cong on Rajkot probe

The Congress on Tuesday demanded a probe under the supervision of a sitting Supreme Court or high court judge into the fire at the Rajkot game zone and alleged that the BJP government in Gujarat was “not serious” about taking action in the case.

Economy, Regional

One day hill trail for hikers: GTA to introduce route to commemorate Tenzing’s Everest summit

May 29, 2024 Kalimpong News Leave a comment

On May 29, 1953, Tenzing Norgay and Edmund Hillary scaled the world’s highest peak for the first time

Darjeeling’s Mall or Chowrasta from where the Tenzing Norgay Hiking Trail will start.: File picture

Binita Paul, TT, Siliguri, 29.05.24 : The Gorkhaland Territorial Administration (GTA) will introduce a one-day-long hiking trail for adventure enthusiasts and tourists in general in the hilly terrains of Darjeeling on Wednesday to commemorate the 71st anniversary of the Mt. Everest summit.

On May 29, 1953, Tenzing Norgay and Edmund Hillary scaled the world’s highest peak for the first time.

S.P. Sharma, the GTA’s chief public relations officer (PRO), said the tourist-friendly one-day trail in Darjeeling had been conceived earlier but was never launched.

“From tomorrow (Wednesday), the trail will be active for tourists. Tenzing Norgay had traversed the route to practise trekking several decades ago,” he said.

Mount Kanchenjungha as seen from Tiger Hill, the last destination of the trail. : File picture

The trail, Sharma said, will start from Chowrasta, the popular promenade in the heart of the hill town, and move through picturesque landscapes and charming villages.

“It will move through the quaint hamlet of Toongsung and people can experience the serenity of Lambadara and immerse themselves in the rich cultural tapestry of Gurung Gaon,” the GTA PRO said.

After Gurung Gaon, tourists will experience the adventure of crossing the Rungdung river.

“As one descends, the trail leads him/her to Rangeyroong, offering panoramic vistas of the majestic Himalayan peaks,” Sharma said.

In the final leg, a tourist or a trekker will move to Gaddikhan while the last destination will be Tiger Hill.

“We would like to invite tourists to experience the legacy of Tenzing Norgay and celebrate the spirit of mountaineering on the Tenzing Norgay Hiking Trail,” he added.

Sources said the hiking trail would be 12km long. “This trail is a moderate challenge and requires around five to six hours of walking at a height of 8,500ft. Along the way, tourists can witness diverse flora and fauna, including rare orchids and vibrant birds,” said a source.

Dawa Gyalpo Sherpa, the coordinator of adventure tourism at the GTA, said: “Trekking is for long trips while day-hiking is a one-day trip. We recommend it for tourists with families. We are also launching a second trail tomorrow (Wednesday),” he said.

Sherpa said the Tibetan Museum, the house of Tenzing Norgay, the Ava Art Gallery and the historic Burdwan Palace (Rajbari) fall along the second trail.

He said tourists could have a tea break at Shiv Eco-Camp before venturing through the serene Arya tea estate where they could check out the process of making the world-famous Darjeeling Tea.

Tourists will also visit the Sidrapong hydro-electrical project, which is recognised as Asia’s first hydroelectric project. From Sidrapong, tourists will drive back to Darjeeling via the Orange Valley tea estate.

“This will be a 10km-long trail with moderate difficulty level. The altitude will be from 6,800 feet to 3,600 feet. This adventure walk offers a unique opportunity to explore the region’s cultural, historical and natural heritage while promoting eco-tourism and sustainable travel practices,” said Sherpa.

Tourism stakeholders said many visitors to Darjeeling would prefer short treks.

“Usually, trekkers head for Sandakphu (the highest point in Bengal). But it takes four to five days to cover the entire route and many couldn’t afford it because of the lack of time and health reasons. They will now have the option to join these shorter treks,” said a tour operator based in Siliguri.

Politics, Regional

Hamro Party prez writes to Chief Minister seeking intervention

May 29, 2024 Kalimpong News Leave a comment

Amitava Banerjee, MP, 28 May 2024, Darjeeling: Ajoy Edwards, Gorkhaland Territorial Administration (GTA) Sabhasad and president Hamro Party, in a letter to Chief Minister Mamata expressed concerns over the fate of areas affected in the October 4, 2023, Teesta flash floods in Kalimpong district with the monsoons fast approaching.

He further urged the Chief Minister for the rehabilitation of the affected families displaced in the flash floods.

“As you are aware, due to the flash flood in the Teesta basin during the intervening night of October 3 and 4, 2023, National Highway 10, other connecting roads, villages, bazaars, bridges, buildings and the Teesta hydropower station have been submerged and washed away.

This has severely affected communication with international borders and the strategic position of Sikkim, as well as the Kalimpong and Darjeeling districts (GTA region). It has been found that 335 houses, including 223 houses in Rangpo, 10 houses in Tarkhola, 3 houses in Mamkhola, 45 houses in Bhalukhola and Malli, 39 houses in Testa Bazar and Teesta Bridge, 9 houses in Galle Khola, 4 houses in Rayang and 2 houses in Bangay have been partly or fully damaged.

At this moment, affected people are residing at various relief camps,” stated the letter. In his letter, Edwards wrote: “With the monsoon season approaching, the hill people are deeply concerned about the fate of the displaced families and individuals who are currently staying in various relief camps.”

He further mentioned that with heavy siltation owing to the flash flood and with the quality of work on riverbank protection, highway (road) protection and other related works concerning the Teesta River may not have been maintained, the National Highway 10, would not be able to bear the brunt of the upcoming monsoon.

“In such an event, the vehicles from Sikkim and also Kalimpong run via Ghoom and Darjeeling. Already our roads are overburdened and are facing serpentine traffic jams.

The Government of West Bengal and Sikkim should coordinate to work out and streamline the traffic flow in case of such eventuality so that traffic can flow smoothly” stated Edwards, talking to the Millennium Post.

“Furthermore, initiatives for relief distribution and rehabilitation aimed at supporting displaced families and individuals affected by the Teesta River disaster should be completed without any delay,” urged the letter.

Edwards has also written to the Chief Minister of Sikkim; Union Ministry of Road Transport and Highways; Principal Secretary, GTA and the District Magistrates of Kalimpong and Darjeeling and to the Northeast Frontier Railways.

Courtesy & source- Millennium Post

https://www.millenniumpost.in/bengal/hamro-party-prez-writes-to-chief-minister-seeking-intervention-565686

Regional, Sikkim

Singalila Range claims three lives: one at Sandakphu two at Chewa Bhanjyang

May 29, 2024 Kalimpong News Leave a comment

Photo courtesy: Bir Yakthungba FB

EOI, DARJEELING, MAY 28, 2024 : Twenty-nine-year-old Tanmoy Kundu, a resident of of Kaliyaganj in the North Dinajpur district of West Bengal, was declared dead in a hospital on Monday after being brought back from Sandakphu.

There are reports that the bodies of two residents of Yuksom in Sikkim were found on Monday at Chewa Bhanjyang. Both Sandakphu and Chewa Bhanjyang are in the Singalila Range. Kundu along with six others went to Sandakphu, standing at an altitude of 3636 metres, a popular tourist spot 61 km from Darjeeling on May 24, it is believed that the two from Sikkim had started their trekking from somewhere at Gochela, also in Sikkim.

T. Basak, one of the friends that had gone with Kundu, said that on their way to Sandakphu they had made a night halt at Tumling and reached Sandakphu the next day. He said they were to return on May 27.

“On the day we were to return, Kundu complained of stomach aches but we did not take it much seriously as he was saying the pain was minor. But after awhile he started to complain of breathing problems which is when we started to get worried.

A tourist in the next room was a doctor who took a look at him and advised us to admit him to the nearest hospital as soon as possible,” said Basak.

“With no medical facilities at Sandakphu or anywhere near, we hurriedly brought Kundu to the Sukhiapokhri hospital where he was declared dead,” he added.

The hospital at Sukhiapokhri is about 39 km from Sandakphu which Basak claimed took them about two and half hours to reach.
The body was brought to Darjeeling late on Monday night with his autopsy done on Tuesday. The results for the cause of death have not yet been announced.
His family members also arrived in Darjeeling late on Tuesday evening and took the body back home in an ambulance.

Gorkhaland Territorial Administrator Adventure Tourism Department Chief Coordinator Dawa Sherpa said:“ The cause of death could be due to Kundu suffering from high-altitude pulmonary oedema.

The problem nowadays is that tourists from other cities go straight to Sandakphu without acclimatizing. It is learnt that Kundu was complaining of headaches and chest pain from the first day. These are the symptoms of altitude sickness.

”Sherpa said that such sickness was seen among people when they were above 9000 feet whereas Sandakhpu stood at a height of 12,000 feet. “In such cases the only solution is making the person descend to a lower altitude as soon as such symptoms are shown,” said Sherpa.

He also claimed that in Sandakphu there were some trained staff in medical emergencies with oxygen who had managed to save a lady from Bangladesh last week when she complained of similar symptoms.

Speaking about the two bodies also found, Sherpa said: “Two bodies were found by the SSB at Chewa Bhanjyang yesterday in a separate incident. Like Sandakphu, that area also falls in the Singalila Range.

This range starts from Sandakhpu and ends at Chaurikhang in Sikkim which connects to the famous trekking route Gochela. The two could have probably trekked from somewhere there till where the body was found.

The cause of their death is yet not known.”Speaking about preparations at Sandakphu for such emergencies, the GTA tourism department’s chief coordinator said that they had opened an information centre at Manebhanjyang to make tourists aware of many things they should take care of while visiting the area.

He said that tourists however did not make it a point to visit it and straightaway headed to Sandakhpu.

“We are also planning to have a meeting with our higher ups to decide on tourists wanting to go to Sandakhpu being asked to submit a medical certificate. We want to see if they are fit to go there or not, so such things do not happen,” he said

According to the news published by Sikkim News 24, the bodies of the individuals found deceased in Singalila National Park have been identified and transported down the hills for post-mortem examination in Gangtok. The deceased have been confirmed as Puran Gurung, a tourist guide and resident of Yuksam in the Geyzing district, and Sabita Subba, a resident of Tikjek, Geyzing.
According to information from locals, they trekked the Gochala route, stayed at a homestay in the north, and then visited Singalila National Park on May 19. It is suspected that they were struck by lightning, a hazard common in the region.

Politics, Sikkim

Golay’s call for collective effort pregnant with significance

May 29, 2024 Kalimpong News Leave a comment

EOI, Editorial, 29 May 2024 : The call for collective effort between Sikkim and Darjeeling to secure tribal status for communities made by Chief Minister of Sikkim Prem Singh Tamang at a cultural event of the Kirat Khambu Rai community is pregnant with significance; all the more so because the Chief Minister has issued the call in the presence of Gorkhaland Territorial Ad-ministration Chief Executive Officer Anit Thapa, a senior leader from the hills of Darjeeling.

The immediate reason for the call of the Chief Minister is surely the clear signal from the outgoing BJP government at the Centre that after the formation of the new government the demand for tribal status for communities would be taken up after the elections.

With the BJP ahead in the race for the formation of the next government, there is the expectation in the hills that the long-standing demand would now be taken up. Here, Sikkim and the hill areas of Darjeeling and Kalimpong have almost the same demand.

While the demand in the hills of Darjeeling and Kalimpong is that 11 left-out Gorkha communities be included in the Scheduled Tribe list, in Sikkim the same demand has been made for 12 com-munities.

Eleven of the 12 communities are also the same; so there is a strong ground that Sikkim and Darjeeling should move in tandem with this demand and it is reasonable to expect that the demands of Sikkim and Darjeeling would be fulfilled simultaneously.

It is true that Sikkim and Darjeeling have justified their demands on different grounds but that may not make a significant difference.

Darjeeling wants scheduled tribe status for 11 left-out communities as the permanent solution for the political issues of the hills. If all the different strands of the larger Gorkha community are recognized as scheduled tribe, it would be easy to bring the autonomous hill council under the purview of the Sixth Schedule of the Constitution; with more administrative and financial powers. Sikkim, on the other hand, has justified the demand on the ground that during the rule of the Chogyal all these communities used to be treated as tribes.

In Sikkim, of course, Delhi will have to take cognizance of the extra protections accorded to the Bhutia and Lepcha communities under Revenue Or-der no. 1; a legacy of British rule but protected under Article 371A of the Constitution.

From the historical point of view, it will be justified if the Centre treats the people of Sikkim and those of the Darjeeling hills at par while examining the issue of tribal status for communities. For, people belonging to the same communities inhabit the two adjoining hills of Darjeeling and Sikkim.

Darjeeling was once a part of Sikkim; to be separated and included in British territory in 1835. Now 75 years after Independence there is ground for justification if the wheel turns.

It is a different question, however, if the wheel will turn full circle as the solution for the political problems for these hills. In Darjeeling, there are political parties and groups which support this idea.

The view is different in Sikkim where the ethnic Sikkimese people enjoy several protections under the Sikkim Subject Certificate and the Certificate of Identification. If Sikkim and the hills of Darjeeling and Kalimpong are brought under the same political umbrella, these rights may get diluted.