Author: kanglaonline

GANGTOK, September 22 (agencies): Three days since the earthquake struck Sikkim, the devastation still unfolding. With 20 more bodies have been recovered on Wednesday, the total death toll climbed to 112, mostly in Sikkim. Several hundreds are still believed to be stranded in the worst affected north districts of Sikkim.

Sikkim has suffered a loss of about Rs 1 lakh crore due to the 6.8 magnitude earthquake, said Chief Minister Pawan Kumar Chamling.

Aerial pictures showed that the earthquake ripped apart the landscape in the stretch between Gangtok and Chung Thang, causing cracks, landslides and much destruction. The pictures also showed the destruction at the Teesta Dam site where several people lost their lives.

At Chung Thang in North Sikkim, one of the worst affected sites, a school building one of the worst affected structures. Fortunately, it was a Sunday, so there were no students.

“I had constructed the school by collecting every single penny. Quake has damaged property of around Rs 5 lakh,” said the Principal of the school.

Around 80 per cent of the houses at Chung Thang have suffered damages with major and minor cracks. Several people have lost their lives and many families have been displaced.

Relief and rescue operations have picked up speed on Wednesday and with the weather clearing up, authorities hope to get access to stranded areas.

Meanwhile, electricity has been restored in Gangtok and officials say other towns will have full power supply within the next few days. However, restoration of communication lines still remains a big challenge. National Highway 55, which connects Bagdogra to Darjeeling and National Highway 31, that links Gangtok to Bagdogra, have been restored.

The relief and rescue workers have raced against time to open the arterial National Highway 31 that cut off the state since Sunday evening. By Tuesday evening rescue workers were able to clear the landslides both from Bagdogra to Gangtok and Gangtok to Mangan. In the process, though, two Army jawans were killed.

Nine helicopters were mobilised and 10 doctors airlifted to Chungthang in North Sikkim. The Army has also deployed 10 medical units.

The Army says restoring communication lines beyond Mangan will be the next big challenge.

“The biggest challenge right now is to get the lines of communication through, to supply food to needy people. Road beyond Mangan is very bad and it will take more than 20 days,” said Lt Gen Bikram Singh.

The enormity of the damage is finally emerging, besides the loss to human lives. Over 15,000 houses were razed to the ground and more than 1 lakh were partially damaged.

Meanwhile, the Prime Minister`s Office has announced an ex-gratia of Rs two lakh for the family of the deceased in Sunday`s earthquake in West Bengal.

State Disaster Management secretary Indevar Pandey said on Wednesday that the PMO, in a communique to West Bengal chief secretary, also announced an ex-gratia of Rs one lakh to those seriously injured.

Read more / Original news source: http://kanglaonline.com/2011/09/sikkim-earthquake-death-toll-rises-to-112/

IMPHAL September 22: In observance of the International Peace Day, a One day regional conference on forced eviction, land acquisition and displacement in Manipur was held at the Senate hall of the Manipur University today.

The conference was jointly organized by the Centre for Studey of Social Exclusion and Inclusive Policy Manipur University, Human Rights Alert and North Eastern Social Research Centre.

The main highlight of the observation remained the testimonial session of victims of land eviction in the state.

Speaking at the conference a victim of land eviction for the construction of the Mapithel Dam stated that even though the state government has already instituted an expert review committee to survey the effects of the Dam to the people of the surrounding areas, after numerous complaints were made to the government, the victims are yet to get any positive result out of the review committee.

He further informed of rumours doing the rounds that out of the six villages displaced due to the construction of the dam, one or two have already received compensation from the government; however the majority of the villages displaced are yet to receive any help from the government. Speaking for the villagers displaced by the Mapithel Dam Project, he condemned the government for remaining mute spectators to the hardship of the displaced.

Another victim of government eviction at Lamphel under JNNURMS stated that since the day of the eviction, they have been staying inside makeshift tents along the roadside. He informed that the government issued the eviction notice just one day ahead of the eviction.

Even after such a long time, the government has remained mute towards them and hasn’t provided them with any help, he further stated at the conference.

A victim of the five star hotel project land eviction has stated that the government initiated even the vigilance department to demand their original pattas by serving summon letters to every pattadar with the help of the police.

All the participating victims echoed that the government has failed to look into the grievances of the victims of land acquisition.

Meanwhile, many speakers including Pradip Phanjoubam, editor IFP, W Ramananda, Human Rights Activist, Babloo Loitongbam, director HRA maintained that the effects of globalization has reached the state also and that changes are part of globalization.

They further maintained that facing the challenges brought upon us along with globalization should be our main agenda.

Even though changes are inseparable part of life, they stated that the government should always consider the fundamental rights of its citizens while dealing in such issues like acquisition of their lands. The government should consider the benefit for both the evicted families and the government on such issues, they added. 

Read more / Original news source: http://kanglaonline.com/2011/09/land-eviction-victims-speak-out-during-international-peace-day-conference/

IMPHAL, September 22: Five different organizations of transporters, truck owners and drivers this evening announced the formation of a new apex body christened as ‘Transporters and Drivers Forum’ during a press conference held at the main office of the newly formed forum at Keishampat.

The five organizations that have come together to form the new body are the All Manipur Driver Welfare Association, All Manipur Petroleum Tanker Drivers’ Union, Imphal Silchar Road Transport Society, National Highway 53 (37) Truck Owners Association and the All Manipur Inter-state Bus Association.

Speaking at the conference, newly appointed president of the forum K Tombi has called upon all transporters of the state to be united and has as such appeal to the other transporter bodies that are outside of the newly formed apex body to join hands with the forum.

He has further stated that any disagreement or dispute amongst the various transporter bodies in the state will only hurt the people of the state.

He has further informed that the government has given its assurance to provide compensation to the trucks that were burned during the ongoing economic blockade and as such he has informed the truck owners and drivers to bring in valid documentation of vehicle ownership, to the newly formed forum at the earliest to avail the compensation.

He further appreciated the steps taken up by the government regarding the strengthening of ROP along the NH 53 (37) after the assurance provided by the state Chief Minister and the DGP during a meet with representatives of the five bodies on September 18.

He elaborated that during a meeting with the representatives, the state Chief Minister and the DGP had assured to arrange for deployment of SPs and COs on ROP duty to ensure safety of the vehicles plying along the National Highways.

He has further informed that the government has also assured to include vehicle recovery vans and medical teams in the escort parties.

Read more / Original news source: http://kanglaonline.com/2011/09/newly-formed-transporters-forum-calls-for-unity-amongst-transporters-in-state/

BANGALORE, September 22 (agencies): India`s youngest-ever captain Mansur Ali Khan Pataudi lost his battle with a lung infection and passed away at a Delhi hospital today evening. Pataudi, who captained India in 40 of his 46 Tests is survived by his wife, yesteryear acting superstar Sharmila Tagore and three children, including film stars Saif and Soha Ali Khan.

“His condition has deteriorated since Wednesday and he is unable to maintain his oxygen level in spite of maximum treatment. He continues to remain in the ICU (intensive care unit),” news agency IANS quoted Neeraj Jain, senior consultant and chairman of pulmonolgy (chest medicine) at Sir Gangaram Hospital in central Delhi, as saying earlier today.

The 70-year-old Pataudi was admitted to the hospital in August with acute lung infection. The condition does not allow normal passage of oxygen to both the lungs. The patient breathes out more carbon dioxide during infection.

“This disease….had been static since the last three months. It worsened very acutely over the last four weeks,” Jain told IANS adding a possible lung transplant was discussed.”

“The possibility of lung transplant was discussed very early as soon as his condition worsened. But he was not a suitable candidate for it,” he added.

Pataudi, who became India captain at the age of 21, only a few months after losing the sight in his right eye following an accident, scored 2793 runs including six centuries in 46 Tests at an average of 34.91. And, it was under his leadership that India won their first overseas Test against New Zealand in 1967.

Read more / Original news source: http://kanglaonline.com/2011/09/former-india-captain-mak-pataudi-passes-away/