SIKKIM
OBSERVER Saturday Feb 28 – Mar 6, 2015 Blog:sikkimobserver.blogspot.com
Sikkim’s Dr. SK Rai in a jovial mood during the recent
meet of the Rai community in Siliguri.
Education scam: ED attaches Rs 110-crore assets of
Sikkim-based university
‘EIILM involved in
money laundering racket, fake degree’
Gangtok, Feb 27: Undertaking its biggest action in a suspected
education scam, Enforcement Directorate (ED) recently attached assets worth Rs
110 crore of a Sikkim-based private university which is alleged to have duped
numerous students by issuing fake degrees.
Using the
provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), the agency has
attached cash of Rs 25 crore lying in bank accounts while the rest of the
seizure value pertains to land assets in states like Rajasthan, Chhattisgarh,
Jharkhand, West Bengal and Haryana belonging to the institute, which was
identified as the Eastern Institute for Integrated Learning in Management
(EIILM), PTI reported. The university is located at Budang in West Sikkim.
Students of the
university began a silent protest against the management and authorities in
December last year but their efforts failed to yield any result.
EIILM was
established under the State of Sikkim Legislature Act No.4 2006 and the university
proclaims affiliation with the University Grant Commission UGC.
EIILM University students during a strike in December 2014 (Pix: The Voice of Sikkim)
It is reported
that more than four Registrars and Vice Chancellors were changed in 2014 in a span of five months. “We have
lodged a complaint at Soreng Police Station on missing Registrar and VCs, our
life is going to ruin like this if exams like crucial thing is not taking
place. We aren’t listening to lame excuses now, it’s our career as well as our
parent’s concern equally related to such amalgamation occurring time and again
in university”, students told reporters.
The ED's zonal
office here had registered a money laundering case against the institute and
its promoters on the basis of a Sikkim police FIR on EIILM, the foundation
which runs it, and its owner, Vinay Rai.
"Assets worth
Rs 110 crore in the name of the university and others have been attached under
money laundering laws. The educational institute was duping students by
offering degrees and certificates in violation of UGC rules. There were
numerous complaints against the fraudulent practices of the university,"
an official said quoting the attachment order, Business Standard reported.
This is the first
big action under money laundering laws in an alleged education scam case in the
country.
Efforts made to
contact the university did not yield any result as the phone numbers provided
on its website turned out to be "invalid". There was also no reply to
emails sent in this regard.
Sources said the
ED probe found that the management and owners of the university were
"laundering" funds obtained from students as curriculum and tuition
fees in purchasing large tracts of land and creating bank balances across the
country.
"The
university and its owners were conducting tainted transactions by extending
illegal loans and making purchases in a circuitous manner within the
organisations floated by them. The university violated UGC rules and other laws
by establishing centres outside Sikkim and floating courses and giving degrees
which they were not allowed to give," they said.
Golay doing the rounds, giving hope to people
Gangtok, Feb 27: Sikkim Krantikari Morcha (SKM) President Prem Singh
Golay has kept his promises. He is currently on a tour of west district, where
he has interacted with people from all walks of life.
The former
minister and Burtuk constituency MLA is assuring the people that he and his
party will keep a constant tab on the ruling government to ensure there is no
discrimination and that all get their due share for their economic development.
After being absent
from the State for several months, Golay appeared here during the party’s third
foundation anniversary on February 4.
Earlier, there
were many who believed that the SKM chief had ditched and deserted them. His
presence at the party functioned not only cheered them up the former minister
said his main purpose of being away was to probe into assets illegally amassed
by Chief Minister Pawan Chamling and his colleagues. He claimed that he now has
credible ‘evidence’ to back his party’s corruption charges against SKM leaders.
Sikkim’s Chewang Lama selected for
Volkswagen Motorsport tourney
Gangtok, Feb 27: After a short stint of car
racing training in New Delhi recently Sikkim’s Chewang Lama has been selected
for this year’s Volkswagen Vento Cup by Volkswagen Motorsport India.
Of
the 50 entries for the race Chewang Lama is among the top 12 who were chosen
for the tournament. He is the only trainee chosen from east and northeast parts
of the country.
The
drivers were given points on the basis of their basic knowledge of racing,
adaptability, eagerness to learn, fitness and not excluding the lap times. They
also underwent basic
slalom
and braking exercises, which were observed closely by the driver coach.
Unlike
last years, this year's driver selection is being conducted via karting sessions
to make the drivers learn from their mistakes before they drive the real race
cars.
Son
of Udai Lama and Rahna Rai of Gangtok and an alumnus of Tashi Namgyal Academy
(TNA), Chewang arrived here recently after his selection.
He
was recently under training at by Buddh International Circuit (BIC) in Delhi,
the only Formula1 track in India, under the guidance of Anmol Rampal, a
pro-racer and test driver for Honda, Mahindra, Mercedes, BMW etc.
The BIC
is an Indian motor racing circuit in Greater Noida near Delhi. The circuit is
best known as the venue for the annual Formula One Indian Grand Prix, which was
first hosted on 30 October, 2011.
EDITORIAL
NORTHEAST PLATFORM
Creating An
Alternative
Between the gun-wielding militants of the
troubled-torn Northeast India and its corrupt governments, which basically
cater to the needs of power-hungry politicians and status-conscious
bureaucrats, the common man is forced to live in fear, isolation and depravity.
Past central governments in India seem content to only maintain status quo in
the volatile region. The Modi Government at the Centre, too, does not seem to
be much interested in disturbing the ‘peace of the grave’ in the Northeast.
The façade of peace and development in the
region will lead to greater political uncertainty which is harmful for the
region and the nation’s security interest in the fragile frontier. There is,
therefore, the need for right-thinking people in the region to gradually come
together on a common platform and carve out a credible alternative treading the
middle path. Between the demand for sovereignty and suppression by the
powers-that-be there must be a way for the people to live with pride and
dignity in their own homeland.
US govt celebrates Tibetan Losar for the first time
US Under Secretary of State Sarah Sewall (centre)
during the Losar celebrations in Washington on Monday.
Washington, Feb 27: On February 23, 2015, the State Department hosted a
reception to celebrate Losar, the Tibetan New Year, to an invited gathering of
Tibetan Americans, diplomats, State Department officials and other dignitaries.
The first day of Losar fell on February 19 this year.
“This is the first
time that such an event has been organized by the State Department and it can
be seen as a recognition of Tibetan American culture and its contribution to
American society. We are pleased to see the US Government taking this
initiative,” said Bhuchung Tsering, Vice President of the International
Campaign for Tibet.
Under Secretary of
State Sarah Sewall, who is also the U.S. Special Coordinator for Tibetan
Issues, welcomed everyone and shared her experience of interacting with the
Tibetan community during her trip to India and Nepal last year and being able
to see the different aspects of Tibetan culture then. She put Losar in the
context of a Tibetan American culture.
The former Special
Envoy of H.H. the Dalai Lama, Lodi Gyari, explained the symbolism of Losar to
the Tibetan people and also saw the reception as the U.S. Government
implementing its policy “to assist in preserving the distinct religious,
cultural and linguistic heritage of Tibetan people.”
President of
Capital Area Tibetan Association, Rigdhen Dolma, said that this reception was
another significant event in the lives of the Tibetan American community coming
on the heels of the recent visit of His Holiness the Dalai Lama to Washington,
D.C. to participate in the National Prayer Breakfast.
The reception
included performance of traditional and auspicious songs, offering of Chang
(Tibetan beer), cookies and ceremonial offerings.
Centre for ST
status for Assam adivasis
Guwahati, Feb 27: In what may change course of politics in Assam, the
Ministry of Home Affairs is set to recommend tribal status for at least 26
communities of adivasis, like Munda, Oraon, Santhal and other tribals of
Jaharkhand origin, mostly associated with the tea plantation industry of Assam.
Pointing out that
97 communities are listed as tea tribes in the State, authoritative security
sources in the Home Ministry said that most of them are listed as Other
Backward Class (OBC) at their respective place of origin so all in the list of
tea tribes of Assam can’t be granted ST status, Deccan Chronicle reported.
Disclosing that cabinet
memorandum has already been prepared to include 26 adivasis in the schedule
list of Assam, authoritative security sources said that the ministry has also
forwarded the report of a parliamentary committee in 2002 to the Tribal Affairs
Ministry which proposed to include tribal groups — Tai Ahom, Moran, Motok,
Koch-Rajbongshis, and Chutia with adivasis in the schedule list.
It is significant
that 26 adivasi communities, which are going to be included in the schedule
list of Assam, have Scheduled Tribe status in their respective place of origin.
The adivasis, which is known as tea tribes in Assam, comprising present and
past plantation workers, have an estimated population of more than 60 lakhs in
Assam.
However, due to
sizeable presence of OBC workers in the tea-tribe community, the adivasis of
Jharkhand origin were deprived of getting the ST status which they have been
accorded at their respective states of origin.
Clarifying that a
parliamentary committee in 2002 had recommended the inclusion of these
communities in the schedule list of Assam, security sources said that Home Ministry
has already started the process.
Sikkim to hold
Int’l Flower Fest this spring
Gangtok, Feb 27: Sikkim Government will organise the 4th International
Horticulture and Flower Exhibition in April-May this year on a much larger
scale, an official said. The Sikkim Government organises a National and
International flower show-cum-exhibition on alternate years and with the
national-level event hosted at Saramsa Garden last year, it is time for an
international exhibition this spring, PTI reported
The State
Government is expected to invite participants from more than 12 countries to
the show and related events which seek to promote Sikkim’s natural wealth of
horticulture produce, Cymbidium Orchids and other flowers, all of which are now
grown organically here, the official said. The International Flower Festival
will include a buyers and sellers meet, a symposium and deliberations on
development of orchids and cut flowers, and organic farming and its future.
A national-level
Horticulture Exhibition-cum-Sale will be hosted at the venue alongside the
flower show. The State Government, it is informed, has already apprised the
Union Ministry of Horticulture about its plans and sought coordination and
support from the Ministry.
Relaxation in Restricted
Area Permit for Northeast
Gangtok, Feb 27: The entire areas of the States of Manipur, Mizoram
and Nagaland have been excluded from the Protected Area Permit (PAP) regime
till 31.12.2015 for foreign tourists subject to certain conditions. Certain
relaxations have also been allowed in PAP regime in Arunachal Pradesh.
The proposal is
under consideration for simplifying the permit system for Green Lake Trekking
in Sikkim.
This was stated by
the Minister of State for Home Affairs, Kiren Rijiju in a written reply to Dr.
Chandan Mitra in the Rajya Sabha this week.
ENVIRONMENT Sikkim
Sikkim faces a Goa-like situation, warns National
Board of Wildlife
The Environment Ministry has come up with a way to
bypass the wildlife board by sticking to the Supreme Court orders technically
but not in spirit.
In order to bypass the need for a mandatory
clearance from the National Board of Wildlife (NBW) for a slew of dams being
developed in Sikkim, the Environment Ministry recently slashed the protective zone around
the hill State’s national parks and sanctuaries from the existing 10 km to an
insignificant 25-200 metres.
Under the orders of the Supreme Court, any
project falling within 10 km of a national park and sanctuary has to be whetted
by the standing committee of the NBW unless a different site-specific
protection ring is declared for each of these national parks and sanctuaries.
The standing committee of the board had
earlier submitted a report to the Ministry warning that several dams in the
State were coming up without the mandatory clearance and Sikkim faced a
Goa-like situation with rampant and illegal development of these dams likely to
cause devastation just as unlawful mining had done in the coastal State.
Construction of the Teesta III project at Chungthang,
North Sikkim on the edge of Khangchendzonga National Park proceeding without
SC-NBWL clearances. Note the extensive forest cover and large landslides at the
construction site. (pix: Tehelka)
The committee had said the proposed Teesta
V, Teesta III, Dik Chu, Panan, Tashiding and Ting Ting hydroelectric projects
were coming up without the clearance.
But the Ministry has now come up with a way
to bypass the wildlife board by sticking to the apex court orders merely
technically but not in spirit. The court order said the 10 km protective zone
(technically called the Ecosensitive Zone under the Environment Protection Act,
19XX) would be enforced unless the Centre and the State government notified a
different perimeter based on scientific assessment. These zones were mandated
to ensure that the wildlife parks did not get affected by industrial and
development activities that happened right on the edge of these rich wildlife
areas.
But the Ministry has quietly put out draft
notification to reduce these protective zones around five national parks and
sanctuaries from the existing 10 km to a negligible 25-200 metres. These draft
notifications for Pangolakha, Singba Rhododendron, Fambonglho, Kyongnosla
Alpine wildlife sanctuaries and the Khangchendzonga National Park (in Sikkim),
are yet to be publicised by the Ministry. (The
Hindu)
MISCELLANY Nature & Culture
Protecting
Sikkim’s environmental and cultural integrity
By NELLIE VINOGRAD
Sikkim, a
landlocked state in northern India, is a hotspot for a variety of reasons.
Bordered on three sides by China, Bhutan and Nepal, it is a melting pot of cultures
and languages and one of the most biodiverse regions in the world.
However, this
hotspot is also in a precarious situation. Outside cultural influences put the
traditional tribal cultures of the Bhutia and Lepcha people at risk. Its beauty
makes it an attractive tourist destination, while its biodiversity and agrarian
economy make it sensitive to environmental change.
Last summer
(2013), a group of Guilford College students led by Associate Professor of
English Heather Hayton traveled to Sikkim and discovered for themselves the
intrigue of the area. They hope to develop a relationship with Sikkim that will
continue into the future.
“The people of
Sikkim opened their homes and hearts to us, so we needed to find a way to
reciprocate without just imposing our Western values or money upon them, or
simply taking without giving back,” said Hayton in an email interview. “I
wanted to find a project that we could share and show students how we can work
alongside local folks.”
This project took
shape in the form of aiding a few schools in the region. The group of eight
students, including seniors Lindsay Vanderhoogt and Charlotte Cloyd, who plan
to return this summer, found that many children did not have access to school
supplies like books, notepads and pens. Last year, they supplied 150 pounds of
books to four schools and now plan to continue the supply drive in years to
come.
“The schools we
visited know we have access to money, but we didn’t want it to just be us
giving them money,” said Cloyd. “Instead, we want to work with them to develop
a sustainable model.”
Another project
that the group will begin this summer is selling artisanal items from the
relatively remote village of Dzongu, Sikkim. The money earned from the sale of
these items will be returned to the people of Dzongu to help them support their
community.
“We didn’t want to
force our ways on them,” said Vanderhoogt. “We wanted to support and help
them.”
The idea of
protecting Sikkim’s environmental and cultural integrity is present in the
upcoming work of Tom Clement ’14, who will travel there this summer as a
reporter for the Pulitzer Center on Crisis Reporting. Clement will focus on
environmental issues in the area, such as how the area’s rich biodiversity
relates to farming practices.
“I will be taking
great strides to understand the history of colonization in the area and try to
not reinforce those themes in my work,” said Clement. “I want it to be a
collaboration and mutual exchange of information, so I plan to go into it with
an open mind.”
Hayton emphasized
the importance of respectful and responsible tourism, especially as Sikkim
continues to interact with neighboring countries and opens itself to the
Western world. Although there are benefits to these connections, there are also
issues that the people of Sikkim must overcome.
“The sacred rivers
in Sikkim are being polluted and destroyed by hydro-damming projects,” said
Hayton. “Without a real political voice, rampant political corruption in India
and no access to Western PR or funding, Lepcha and Bhutia leaders have resorted
to hunger strikes to try to get attention for their environmental and religious
issues. But that’s not a sustainable answer.
“So, I have real
and deep concerns for the people and land I have come to love.” (The Guilfordian)
PEOPLE&PLACES Avinash
Mohananey
Sikkim Police committed to its ‘Protect & Serve’
motto: DGP Avinash Mohananey
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Avinash Mohananey,
who recently took over as new Director General of Sikkim Police,
wants all citizens to
join the police force in making it a “responsible
guardian of citizen's interests”.
In an appeal to the public in the police
department’s website (sikkimpolice.nic.in), Mohananey,
who was with the Intelligence Bureau (IB) for over two decades, says, “I
call upon all the visitors to the site to derive greatest value from the
service on offer through our website and spare time to extend constructive
feedback for upgrading and adding value to our people friendly initiatives.
Together we will be able to pool our
individual commitments to the society and create a culture within the
organization which is satisfying to us and at the same time fulfill ….the
organizational goals.
I call upon you to join the efforts to
elevate the underlying theme of 'Protect & Serve' to acquire a new meaning
and value in the context of a rapidly transforming Sikkimese society.”
A 1985-batch IPS
officer from Sikkim, Mohananey took over as head of the Sikkim police in
January this year after he was relieved from the Intelligence Bureau.
The post had been
lying vacant after Jasbir Singh retired as Director General of Sikkim Police in
October last year. Mohananey, born in Rajasthan on 19
August 1957 was inducted into IPS under Sikkim Cadre on 26 August 1985 and has
been on central deputation since June 1991.
58-year-old Mohananey
had an expertise on crucial desks in the central agency which included Kashmir
and Pakistan. He was also posted in Pakistan from late 1990s to early 2000
before being sent to look after the Kashmir desk.
During his stint in
the Intelligence Bureau, Mohananey had worked out a plan to choke funds
received by separatists groups besides being part of the crack team constituted
to solve the conspiracy behind the 2001 Parliament attack case.
An outspoken officer,
Mohananey was able to bust a huge hawala racket in which some senior separatist
leaders from Jammu and Kashmir were also involved.
He will be now
leading the 7000-strong force till his retirement in August 2017.
Since1986
Sikkim OBSERVER
The VOICE OF SIKKIM
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