“Times They Are A - Changing”

I have borrowed this title from one of the most historical and revolutionary song of the 20th century; in this song Bob Dylan captured the essence of turbulent 60’s and 70’s in such a wonderful manner, that it went on to become an unofficial anthem for numerous revolutionaries world over. You must have started to wonder, what has that got to do with Darjeeling??? You must be thinking something to the tune of “we all know the times have always been changing, what’s the big deal??” I agree completely, for Darjeeling times have always changed from bad to worse; there’s too little to be happy about the changing times, but somehow I can’t help being optimistic about the current times.

We are now well into a new year, and looking at the turn of events in recent days; it has already shown promise of being different than all the past years. People have started to realize that they hold the power to bring about a change for good, if they want to; and that’s what makes this an exciting year to look forward to.

Let me start by making a special mention and passing on heartfelt congratulations of many across the globe to Mr. Janam Rai, a simple man from Meribong Salu Tea garden; who is I believe the first person in Darjeeling to fight for his constitutional right to information (RTI). He fought the apathy of Darjeeling district magistrate and got the information regarding the detail development of his region. It might seem trivial and unimportant to many, but to me it marks the beginning of a new era, in terms of rising awareness, consciousness, self-esteem and confidence of the hitherto “insignificant individual”. It marks the beginning of an era where individuals will start to realize the “power of ONE”; an era where individuals will decide what is right for him/her and demands that right.

Another positive development is the demand by cinchona workers for diversification of plantation area into other allied fields, including tourism. What I fail to understand is why don’t the workers form a co-operative society, and demand the land to be handed over to the society??? By doing so, our people can undertake enterprises that are feasible and profitable; and the profit will be shared by our people. Let’s not fall back to slaving for others, lets work for ourselves and I am sure if needs be, we can generate help from all walks of life, and across the globe.

A very significant development in the past few days has been the process initiated by Darjeeling police to make our town safer and cleaner. I congratulate Darjeeling police in general and SP Mr. Rajesh Subarno in particular for this wonderful effort. By nature we regard and respect law, and I believe this effort will help in enhancing the public image of a dedicated pillar of society (i.e. the police force) which is often tarnished due to few greedy individuals.

Darjeeling municipality councilor Mr. Dinesh Gurung deserves kudos for trying to make his ward cleaner. “Nothing new to it” many would say; I disagree, what is new is his approach; he is “offering carrots rather than sticks”. Instead of imposing fines for keeping a place dirty, Mr. Gurung is planning to award those who keep a place clean; this is a really positive attitude undertaken by Mr. Gurung, to solve the problem of filth and rectify the disheveled look our beautiful town has acquired. If only all our municipality councilors would follow Mr. Gurung’s initiative, I am sure the face of our town would be revamped within a matter of months.

One of the most positive news so far, however, would be the fact that finally we may get one more chance to raise the demand for a separate state peacefully and legally; after nearly 52 years the central government is planning to set up second state recognition committee (SRC). However, instead of working towards collecting appropriate consensus and popular support for the formation of a separate state of Gorkhaland our so called learned leader, Mr. Deepak Gurung, (president Darjeeling branch committee, GNLF) commented “The commission is nothing but a drama being enacted by the Congress.” Sorry!! Mr. Gurung, but your statement keeps on reminding me a popular ukhan (proverb), “kukur ko pucchar bara barsa dhungro ma rakhyo bhane baru kuhincha, tara sidha hundaina” (Even if you keep a dogs tail in a round tube for 12 years to make it straight, it may end up rotting, but it will never straighten). The statement made by Mr. Gurung not only reflects his naiveness (why would the central govt. enact such an elaborate drama of setting up SRC, just to enrage Mr. Gurung or his party???), but also the arrogant stand of GNLF party, which does not allow anyone other than itself to be the champion of the needs and aspirations of the people of Darjeeling. In reply to a question on the relevance of comments made by Prof. M.P. Lama with regards to Sixth Scheduled, Mr. Gurung says `either he should join politics or stay away from comments`; Hello!! Excuse me Mr. Gurung, the last time I checked, India was still a democratic country with right to speech being the fundamental right of every citizen protected by the constitution, it does not require someone to be a politician to comment on issues that concerns him/her.

Well!! For Mr. Gurung and his party I believe Bob Dylan has said it best “Come gather 'round people wherever you roam and admit that the waters around you have grown and accept it that soon you'll be drenched to the bone. If your time to you is worth savin' then you better start swimmin' or you'll sink like a stone for the times they are a-changin’”. I believe and I strongly do at that, the times are really changing in Darjeeling and this once they are changing for good. All those who have been enjoying the pleasure of thought that the people don’t care, beware, it seems that people have started to care and the ground beneath your feet’s are slipping fast.

With a round of applause for everyone, who have dared to swim against the tide and who have dared to stand out, I will request you all to continue making positive efforts towards ushering in new era and in being a part of the changing times today that will determine where we end up tomorrow.

Finally, I leave you with the immortal lines from Bob Dylan’s immortal song “Times they are a – changing”…. “Come writers and critics who prophesize with your pen and keep your eyes wide, the chance won't come again. And don't speak too soon for the wheel's still in spin, and there's no tellin' who that it's namin'. For the loser now will be later to win, for the times they are a-changin'.

Hope! I made some sense.

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darjeelingTimes.com January 12,2007

Darjeeling: Mr. Janam Rai, resident of Meribong Salu Tea garden, demonstrated the legal rights of Indian constitution under RTI Act. On 7 August, he submitted a letter to District Magistrate, requesting the detail development of his region. But the District Magistrate did not respond him.

Therefore, on 18 November, he complained regarding the matter to State Chief Information Authority. Without any delay, from the office of SCIA, instructed DM office to comply with Mr. Janam Rai’s matter. Subsequently from the office of DM, handed over the complete information of Lingia-Meribong development reports for the year 2005/06 to Mr. Janam Rai.

The Right to Information Act (RTI), 2005, since its inception in October, 2005, which, is an effective tool to fight corruption and maintain transparency in all government and semi-government organizations in the country, the areas where it has not made much of a difference. Darjeeling is one among those places.

After the enactment of the RTI Act, CAPIOs were appointed in 629 post offices in the country to collect RTI applications from citizens requesting information about the activities of different government and semi-government (partially funded by the government) agencies. The RTI empowers every citizen of India to:
1. Ask any questions from the Government (State and Central Governments) or ask for any information
2. Take copies of any government documents
3. Inspect any government work
4. Take samples of materials of any Government work.

However, disclosure of sensitive and classified information does not come under its purview.

Under this act, all public authorities were to designate Central Public Information Officers and State Public Information Officers in all administrative units or offices to provide information to persons requesting information.

Mr. B. B. Chettri, is the Central assistant public information officer (CAPIO), at the office of the Superintendent of posts, Darjeeling.

It is very easy to submit an application according to the RTI. An application can be drafted on a normal sheet of paper with a ten rupees postal order stamp and can be submitted by post or in person to the public information officer. The local people should be made more aware about the RTI to take advantage of this empowering tool.

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17th January, Source: The statesman

Siliguri: With experts recommending diversification of loss making public sector undertakings (PSUs) for their rejuvenation, the cinchona workers are ready to accept the idea.

The cinchona industry (plantation) of the hills, headquartered at Mungpoo, has been lying in a dilapidated condition for almost a decade now. The situation is getting worse from day-by-day, as the demand for raw quinine produced at the industry has succumbed to its synthetic version produced in hi-tech pharmaceutical laboratories across the globe.

As an obvious result, around 6,000 workers employed with the cinchona industry are living in a state of uncertainty. Despite the fact, they are being paid on time. The anxiety prevalent among the workers is stemmed from the fact that they know it well, if the situation does not improve, going by the basic trade principles, the state government may finally choose to close down the cinchona industry.

The reality being this, workers of the nation’s lone cinchona industry now want to diversify into other allied sector for survival. These workers have already placed a formal demand to the state government, urging the letter to chalk out a plan for diversification.

“Diversification is what can now save the industry from becoming extinct and hence, we have made a formal demand to the state food processing and horticulture minister Mr. Mohanta Chatterjee on the issue, during his recent visit to Siliguri,” said Mr. Anand Pathak, ex MP and president of the Citu-affiliated Darjeeling Cinchona Bagan Mazdoor Union (DCBMU).

According to Mr. Pathak, the cinchona industry has got a huge area measuring around 26000 acres. The total land area is spread over the four plantation divisions at Mungpoo, Monsong, Rongo and Latpanchar, of which a sizeable portion is lying unutilized.

The workers union wants that along with the continuation of growing cinchona, the government initiate plantations of tea, coffee and rubber in the four cinchona divisions. Moreover, keeping in mind the scenic beauty of the sites, tourism can also be a viable area for diversification, views the union.

“The advantage is that government would be able to run the ventures like tea, coffee, rubber plantations and tourism facilities without recruiting any new staff at all. This way while the livelihood opportunities of the huge workforce would get secured, cinchona industry would also turn into a profit-making enterprise for the state government,” said, president of worker union.

darjeelingTimes.com January 16,2007
Darjeeling: Darjeeling police is trying its best to make Darjeeling as safe heaven. The department has decided to make it easier for residents, as well as for tourists to lodge complaints. Now, the citizen and tourists do not need to go police station for their grievances and report. They can simply lodge their complaint in the newly setup up police assistance booths, where they can enquire about the steps taken after a week of lodging a complaint.

The booths have been set up at Chowrastha, Lower Clubside, Ladenla Road, Motor Stand, near the public toilet at Chowk Bazaar, Raj Bhawan, railway station, Zoo, Dali Phatak and INOX. In the sensitive areas like Chowk Bazaar, search lights are provided.

Thirty five constables, all in new uniforms, are being deployed for the job. A police man will stay at each booth till 4pm. After that, three armed police personnel will be in charge of the area till 10pm.

To familiarize the police personnel with the people of a particular neighbourhood, they will be posted at the same booth for a long time, which will help them to identify a stranger immediately.

Besides, there is uniqueness in these police booths. Toffees will be given to anyone depositing a plastic bag at the booth, a move to keep Darjeeling free of plastic, according to superintendent of police, Darjeeling, Mr. Rajesh Subarno.

Citizens are requested to contact directly Darjeeling, SP, Mr. Rajesh Subarno, at 97330-08001, and Town DSP at 97330-08008, if any illegal activities around.

darjeelingTimes.com January 18,2007

Darjeeling: Initiative has taken to re-introduce its century old regulation of Darjeeling Municipality. ‘Administrative day award’ has been re-introduced in Darjeeling municipality ward no. 25 under the initiative of Ward councilor Mr. Dinesh Gurung.

Since the establishment of Darjeeling municipality in 1850, there were strict rules to maintain the clean surrounding of then local inhabitants. Ward councilor used to be the vigilant on the issue. The citizen with most clean surrounding used to have ‘Administrative day award’ from Municipality. Until Seventies it was maintained by Municipality. The system was discontinued after the handover of Municipality responsibilities to District administration.

Initiative to revive historic regulation, Mr. Dinesh Gurung, declared the area from NNHP hall to Botanical garden for its ‘Administrative day award’ in ward no. 25. The citizens need to paint the house, maintain the surroundings clean and healthy, which will be inspected by distinguished citizens of Darjeeling and decides the award. The regulation begins from today, announced Mr. Dinesh Gurung.

darjeelingTimes.com January 09, 2007
Darjeeling: New issue to heat-up Darjeeling hills in this chilled winter, particularly in opposition camps. Congress party will propose to the Centre to set up the second State Reorganization Commission (SRC) after 50 years to look into demands for the creation of smaller states.

Digvijay Singh, general secretary, AICC, is likely to make the formal request to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh within a week. He will also discuss with Mr. Pranav Mukarjee, vice president, UPA, in this regards.

Even opposition leaders believe that Congress party has commendable contribution towards Darjeeling hills. It was during the Congress regime in 1973 that the Hill Development Council was formed before the party once again played a pivotal role in setting up the DGHC in 1988. Nepali Language was included within the Schedule VIII of the Constitution largely because PV Narasimha Rao was heading a Congress government at the centre in 1992.

The first SRC was set up in 1955 and when the report was published next year, the demands of hill people were totally discarded in their report. This resulted furore among people of Darjeeling, following which inquiry committee was set up by then Chief Minister of Bengal, B C Roy. The inquiry committee was headed by Kalipada Mukarjee, minister, but it never really served any purpose.

The motive of politicians in the plains is to stop the hills from demanding a separate state. That is why they made Ghisingh sign a memorandum that states the settlement is full and final. Our focus will now be to put the demand before the commission after it is set up, said Madan Tamang, president ABGL.

Meanwhile, the GNLF categorically rejected the issue. Mr. Deepak Gurung, president Darjeeling branch committee, GNLF, said: “The commission is nothing but a drama being enacted by the Congress.”