Need for incorporating fusion music in hill folk culture: Sangeeta

Dehradun, September 16
To divert the younger generation of Uttarakhand, which is fast drifting towards pop, Bollywood and Western music, to regional folk music, the need of the hour is to incorporate fusion music in the traditionally rich folk culture of the hills.
This was suggested by renowned Uttarakhandi folk singer Sangeeta Dhaundiyal who said youngsters should develop interest in folk music which is in dire straits in the state owing to people drifting away from their culture as well as the mass migration of people in the hilly regions.
Talking exclusively to The Tribune, while on a commercial assignment in Haridwar, Sangeeta, who has to her credit 1000-odd songs, urged young aspirants to practice for hours daily as nothing comes easy in this field. Understanding “sur”, “ragas” and other elements of vocal music needs patience.
Hailing from Baijro in Pauri Garhwal, Sangeeta lamented that owing to the lack of support from government and an organised film or music industry, the interests of the regional artistes, be it those related to cinema or music, had been hurt.
Sangeeta terms veteran folk singers Narendra Singh Negi, Hira Singh Bisht and Jeet Singh Negi as legends. She said just by listening to them she has learnt singing.
The versatile diva, who is equally trained in thumri and ghazal and sings proficiently both Kumaoni and Garhwali songs, says fusion is an aspect which can change the traditional folk scenario in the state as changing with time is the essence of nature.
“Today, when I see youngsters having platforms like ‘Jhumigo’ music talent show and various other singing competitions its evident that there is no dearth of talent in the state,” she said.
It’s just honing their skills and providing them right guidance what they need. A decade ago when I was a struggler the scenario was quite different with a few opportunities available to aspirants, said Sangeeta, a graduate in music from Gandharva Vidyalaya, Delhi, who has also made her mark as a versatile anchor in Uttarakhand’s first teen musical television talent show, “Jhumigo”.
She also cites piracy as one of the reasons why music industry is not surviving in the state. She, along with other artists, met the Chief Minister and the state police chief and urged them to take stringent steps against those who are pirating music albums.
Having performed in Muscat, Dubai, Bahrain, the USA and other foreign countries, Sangeeta now eyes Bollywood as she reveals that to become a playback singer of a Bollywood movie is her dream and if she gets an opportunity to sing along with Lata Mangeshkar and Udit Narayan it will be a dream come true.
Signing off the singer said Uttarakhandi music needed experimentation, changes, usage of new instruments apart from the traditional “dhol damau” as per the taste of audience.

Noted Writer Dr. Haridutt Bhatt Shailesh dead

Mussoorie, September 19

A pall of gloom descended on the town as the news of death of eminent literary figure Dr Haridutt Bhatt Shailesh reached here today.
Dr Bhatt, aged 85, was suffering from kidney problem and breathed his last at Jolly Grant Hospital near Rishikesh around 10.10 am, said his son Himanshu Bhatt.
Dr Bhatt was a well-known literary figure and resident of Mussoorie. Eminent Bollywood artiste Himani Shivpuri, his daughter, also arrived at his Dehradun residence where the body will be kept.
Eminent authors from the town Ruskin Bond, Ganesh Saili and Sudhir Thapliyal have also extended their condolence to the family and termed this as immense loss for Uttarakhand, especially Hindi literature.
Mussoorie Municipal Council President OP Uniyal, ward members and CPI leader RP Badoni expressing their grief said Mussoorie had lost not only a great writer, but an exceptional human being. They prayed for the departed soul and solace to the bereaved family.
Senior BJP leaders like Rajya Sabha MP Bhagat Singh Koshiyari, Ravinder Jugran, Roop Singh Kathait and Vijay Ramola also expressed grief and extended their condolence to the bereaved family. Dr Bhatt's several books on the Himalayan life and culture in Hindi had received accolades and he was also honoured with the Uttarakhand Bhasha Samman.
He also served at Doon School as a teacher and the late former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi was among his students in the school.
The caretaker of the house said the cremation will be held tomorrow.
Uttarakhand Chief Minister BC Khanduri in a message has mourned the death of Haridutt Shailesh.

3 held for Dy Jailer’s murder

Dehradun, September 19

The Roorkee police, in hot pursuit of the assailants of the slain Deputy Jailer, Roorkee, Narender Singh Thapa, who was shot dead at point-blank range on September 12, have achieved a breakthrough in solving the case with the arrest of three criminals who, it claims, had played a vital role in the murder.
The Gangnahar police, under the charge of inspector Kuldeep Singh Aswal and a special task force headed by Kailash Pawar, has arrested Vipin Jain, Vicky and Mohit Saini from different parts of Uttar Pradesh and Delhi.
During interrogation, Vipin Jain revealed that gangster Sunil Rathi was the “mastermind” behind conspiracy to murder. Vipin had come in contact with Rathi in 2003 when he was in the Haridwar prison serving a sentence under the NDPS Act. Vipin recently met Rathi at the Tees Hazare Courts in Delhi, where Rathi allegedly contracted him to kill the Roorkee Deputy Jailer. He was told by Rathi that his contacts would meet him in Roorkee with further details.
The motive behind the murder, as revealed by Vipin, is a revenge that Rathi wanted to take on the Jailer of the Roshanabad prison, Mohinder Singh Gawal, who is the brother-in-law of the slain Deputy Jailer. Since Roshanabad is a highly secure jail, Rathi allegedly ordered the killing of Thapa who was closely related to Gawal.
The other accused, Vicky, told the police that there were four persons, Yogesh, Pawan, Satish and Monu, who had stayed with him on the night of September 11. On the day of the incident, September 12, Satish was driving a stolen motorcycle having the registration number of Delhi with Yogesh and Pawan as pillion riders while another motorcycle, UP- 07J-1413, was being driven by Vicky with Monu as a pillion rider. Monu is related to Sunil Rathi.
Vicky and Monu kept surveillance on the movement of Thapa and informed Satish, Yogesh and Pawan about his exact location, who was walking towards his home after seeing off her daughter to school. The assailants arrived on the scene and Yogesh allegedly shot Thapa at point-blank range. They were equipped with five pistols, three of them countrymade.
The third accused, Mohit Saini of Muzaffarnagar, also confessed to the crime and said he used to give information about the victim’s daily routine to one Anubhav. Following this, Anubhav and his partner, Sonu, had allegedly planted a countrymade bomb under the victim’s car on August 31, 2011, in which Thapa escaped unhurt.
Mohit had close links with criminal Anubhav, who had taken money from Sunil Rathi, with whom he was acquainted since 2007, for allegedly planting the bomb under the victim’s car. Mohit used to get information about the victim’s whereabouts from his uncle, Arvind Saini, a constable, lodged at the Roorkee prison. “Since we have identified the criminals involved in Thapa’s murder, we have launched a manhunt to arrest the absconding criminals,” said Roorkee SP Roshan Lal Sharma.
Haridwar: Haridwar SSP Kewal Khurana has said that additional security will be provided to Mohinder Singh Gawal owing to threat to his life as Sunil Rathi has been lodged in the district jail. The SSP further said the Provincial Armed Constabulary had already been deployed on the premises of the prison.

Canadian Immigration & Citizenship Minister Json Keney welcomes new immigrants from India in Calgary

ਇੰਮੀਗ੍ਰੇਸ਼ਨ 'ਚ ਹੋ ਰਹੀ ਦੇਰੀ ਦਾ ਕਾਰਨ ਘਪਲੇਬਾਜ਼ ਏਜੰਟ-ਜੈਸਨ ਕੈਨੀ
ਕੈਲਗਰੀ, 19 ਸਤੰਬਰ (ਜਸਜੀਤ ਸਿੰਘ ਧਾਮੀ)-ਕੈਲਗਰੀ ਹਲਕਾ ਨੌਰਥ ਈਸਟ ਤੋਂ ਸੰਸਦ ਮੈਂਬਰ ਦਵਿੰਦਰ ਸ਼ੋਰੀ ਵੱਲੋਂ ਸਥਾਨਕ ਪੁਲਿਸ ਕੈਨੇਡੀਅਨ ਕਲਚਰਲ ਸੈਂਟਰ ਕੈਲਗਰੀ ਵਿਖੇ ਨਵੇਂ ਆਏ ਪ੍ਰਵਾਸੀਆਂ ਲਈ ਇਕ ਵਿਸ਼ੇਸ਼ ਸਮਾਗਮ ਕਰਵਾਇਆ ਗਿਆ। ਇਸ ਸਮਾਗਮ ਵਿਚ ਕੈਨੇਡਾ 'ਚ ਨਵੇਂ ਆਉਣ ਵਾਲਿਆਂ ਨੂੰ ਵਿਦੇਸ਼ੀ ਦਸਤਾਵੇਜ਼ ਪ੍ਰਮਾਣਿਤ, ਭਾਸ਼ਾ ਦੀ ਸਿਖਲਾਈ, ਵਿੱਤੀ ਮਾਮਲੇ ਤੇ ਇਥੇ ਸਫਲ ਹੋਣ ਲਈ ਲੋੜੀਂਦੀ ਜਾਣਕਾਰੀ ਮੁਹੱਈਆ ਕਰਵਾਈ ਗਈ। ਇਸ ਮੌਕੇ ਮੁੱਖ ਮਹਿਮਾਨ ਵਜੋਂ ਕੈਨੇਡਾ ਦੇ ਇੰਮੀਗ੍ਰੇਸ਼ਨ ਮੰਤਰੀ ਜੈਸਨ ਕੈਨੀ ਪਹੁੰਚੇ। ਇਸ ਸਮੇਂ ਸੰਸਦ ਮੈਂਬਰ ਦਵਿੰਦਰ ਸ਼ੋਰੀ ਨੇ ਮੰਤਰੀ ਜੈਸਨ ਕੈਨੀ ਨੂੰ ਭਾਈਚਾਰੇ ਨੂੰ ਆ ਰਹੀਆਂ ਮੁਸ਼ਕਿਲਾਂ ਬਾਰੇ ਜਾਣੂੰ ਕਰਵਾਇਆ। ਉਨ੍ਹਾਂ ਆਏ ਹੋਏ ਲੋਕਾਂ ਦੇ ਧਿਆਨ ਵਿਚ ਲਿਆਂਦਾ ਕਿ ਹਰ ਸਾਲ ਇੰਮੀਗ੍ਰੇਸ਼ਨ ਕੈਨੇਡਾ ਭਾਰਤ ਅਤੇ ਹੋਰ ਮੁਲਕਾਂ ਤੋਂ ਇੰਮੀਗ੍ਰੇਸ਼ਨ ਲੈਣ ਦੇ ਇਛੁਕਾਂ ਦੀ ਤਾਦਾਦ ਵਿਚ ਭਾਰੀ ਵਾਧਾ ਕਰਦਾ ਆਇਆ ਹੈ। ਉਨ੍ਹਾਂ ਕਿਹਾ ਕਿ ਕੈਨੇਡਾ ਵਿਚ ਸਫਲ ਹੋਣ ਵਾਸਤੇ ਨਵੇਂ ਪ੍ਰਵਾਸੀਆਂ ਦੀਆਂ ਮੁਸ਼ਕਿਲਾਂ ਦੂਰ ਕਰਨ ਵਿਚ ਮੇਰੀ ਵਿਸ਼ੇਸ਼ ਦਿਲਚਸਪੀ ਹੈ। ਇਸ ਸਮੇਂ ਆਪਣੇ ਭਾਸ਼ਨ ਵਿਚ ਇੰਮੀਗ੍ਰੇਸ਼ਨ ਮੰਤਰੀ ਜੈਸਨ ਕੈਨੀ ਨੇ ਸਰਕਾਰ ਦੀਆਂ ਨੀਤੀਆ ਤੋਂ ਜਾਣੂੰ ਕਰਵਾਇਆ। ਉਨ੍ਹਾਂ ਕਿਹਾ ਕਿ ਭਾਰਤ ਅਤੇ ਹੋਰ ਦੇਸ਼ਾਂ ਵਿਚੋਂ ਆਉਣ ਵਾਲੇ ਇੰਮੀਗ੍ਰੇਟਾਂ ਲਈ ਉਮਰ ਦੇ ਅਨੁਾਪਾਤ ਅਨੁਸਾਰ ਜਿਨ੍ਹਾਂ ਵਿਚ ਨੌਜਵਾਨਾਂ, ਪੜ੍ਹੇ-ਲਿਖੇ ਵਿਅਕਤੀਆਂ ਅਤੇ ਬਜ਼ੁਰਗਾਂ ਦੀ ਇਕ ਖਾਸ ਮਿਥੀ ਹੋਈ ਗਿਣਤੀ ਹੈ। ਮੰਤਰੀ ਕੈਨੀ ਨੇ ਵਿਸ਼ੇਸ ਤੌਰ 'ਤੇ ਭਾਰਤ ਅਤੇ ਪਾਕਿਸਤਾਨ ਵਿਚ ਟਰੈਵਲ ਏਜੰਟਾਂ ਦੁਆਰਾ ਕੀਤੇ ਜਾ ਰਹੇ ਘਪਲਿਆਂ ਕਾਰਨ ਹਰੇਕ ਇੰਮੀਗ੍ਰੇਸ਼ਨ ਫਾਈਲ ਦੀ ਡੂੰਘੀ ਜਾਂਚ ਹੋਣ ਕਰਕੇ ਆਉਣ ਵਾਲੀ ਦੇਰੀ ਦਾ ਕਾਰਨ ਦੱਸਿਆ ਚਿੰਤਾ ਪ੍ਰਗਟ ਕੀਤੀ। ਇਸ ਸਮੇਂ ਜੈਸਨ ਕੈਨੀ ਨੇ ਵਿਸ਼ੇਸ ਤੌਰ 'ਤੇ ਕੈਲਗਰੀ ਪੁਲਿਸ ਦੇ ਅਫਸਰਾਂ ਨਾਲ ਮੀਟਿੰਗ ਕਰਨ ਦਾ ਭਰੋਸਾ ਦਵਾਇਆ। ਜਿਸ ਵਿਚ ਫਰਜ਼ੀ ਵਿਆਹ, ਜਾਅਲੀ ਵਿਆਹ, ਮੁੰਡੇ ਅਤੇ ਕੁੜੀਆਂ ਦਾ ਕੈਨੇਡਾ ਵਿਚ ਪਹੁੰਚਣ ਉਪਰੰਤ ਰਫੂ ਚੱਕਰ ਹੋਣ ਵਰਗੇ ਮਸਲਿਆਂ ਦੇ ਹੱਲ ਲਈ ਵਿਚਾਰ ਕੀਤੀ ਜਾਵੇਗੀ। ਇਸ ਸਮੇਂ ਹੋਰਨਾਂ ਤੋਂ ਇਲਾਵਾ ਸੀਨੀਅਰ ਐਕਸ ਸਰਵਿਸ ਮੈਨ ਸੁਸਾਇਟੀ ਦੇ ਮੈਂਬਰ, ਹੋਰ ਸੁਸਾਇਟੀਆਂ ਦੇ ਨੁਮਾਇੰਦੇ ਅਤੇ ਖਾਸ ਕਰਕੇ ਪੰਜਾਬੀ ਕਮਿਊਨਿਟੀ ਤੋਂ ਇਲਾਵਾ ਹੋਰ ਕਮਿਊਨਿਟੀਆਂ ਦੇ ਲੋਕ ਵੀ ਹਾਜ਼ਰ ਸਨ।

Punjabi Truck driver dies in collision with train

A truck driver is dead after his vehicle was struck by a train while passing through a railway crossing near Morinville on Sunday, say Mounties.

Morinville RCMP say the southbound sem itruck was crossing the tracks near Range Road 264 and Secondary Highway 633 sometime around 3:40 p.m. when its passenger side was struck by an eastbound train.
Police say the crossing was marked with a stop sign.
The driver of the truck was rushed to hospital where he later died, said Mounties, and two people who were inside the train were not hurt in the wreck.
The man’s name, along with his age, have not been released.
An investigation into what caused the crash is continuing, said police.
Morinville is roughly 33 km north of Edmonton.
— Edmonton Sun

Alberta MLA touched by plight of women who got pregnant to stay in Canada

Alberta MLA touched by plight of women who got pregnant to stay in Canada

Ottawa promises support to ease Alberta labour crunch

Ottawa promises support to ease Alberta labour crunch

Consumer Courts Awareness

Reliance told to pay Rs 16,800 vehicle damage claim
Chandigarh, September 19
The District Consumer Disputes Redressal Forum has directed Reliance General Insurance Company to indemnify the loss on non-standard basis and pay Rs 16,800 along with 15 per cent interest to a Sector-30 resident towards the payment for the repair of his vehicle.
The district forum comprising its president PD Goel, and members Rajinder Singh Gill and Madanjit Kaur Sahota has also directed the opposite party to pay Rs 7,000 as costs of litigation.
Complainant Naresh Chaudhary had claimed that he had insured his Tata Indigo car with Reliance General Insurance Co. Ltd as a passenger-carrying vehicle but due to family problems, he could not use the same for commercial purpose and got it insured as a private vehicle.
Later, he requested the opposite party to make necessary correction in the policy to which the insurance company replied that before correction, the vehicle needed to be inspected. Also Rs 200 were demanded as inspection charges.
The company later informed him that necessary formalities had been completed and he would receive the corrected policy. However, the policyholder failed to receive the corrected policy till the filing of the complaint.
He averred that his vehicle met with an accident on April 16, 2010 and consequently informed the company.
He got it repaired by spending Rs 28,480 and submitted the relevant documents to the company. He alleged that the company repudiated his claim on the ground that the policy was issued for a passenger-carrying vehicle, whereas the vehicle was registered as a private vehicle.
The counsel for the Reliance General Insurance Company Ltd. argued that the FIR was lodged on April 19, 2010 four days after the accident, while the company was informed of the same after 13 days of the accident.
It was pleaded that the surveyor had assessed the loss to the tune of Rs 22,400. He further argued that the vehicle was insured as a passenger-carrying vehicle but the complainant got the vehicle registered as a private one and they were unable to process the claim because the complainant was not having any insurable interest in the vehicle.
The counsel further pleaded that there had been no deficiency in service or unfair trade practice on their part and prayed for dismissal of the complaint.

UT yet to set up Consumer Protection Council

Chandigarh, September 19
Even though Chandigarh is leading the country on the judicial front of the Consumer Protection Act (CPA), with the highest average percentage disposal rate of 97 per cent yet on the administrative side, the city has failed to establish any Consumer Protection Council (CPC) even after 25 years of the enactment of the CPA in 1986.
Under Sections 6 to 8 in Chapter II of the CPA the setting up of the CPC is mandatory which provides for the establishment of the council at the Central and state levels for the avowed purpose of promoting and protecting the rights of the consumers.
Initially, the provisions were not compulsory, but the Consumer Protection (Amendment) Act of 2002 made the creation of councils mandatory by incorporating Section 8A, which states that the state government (UT administration) shall establish for every district by notification, a council to be known as the District Consumer Protection Council (DCPC) with effect from such date as it may specify in such notification.
The DCPC would consist of members such as the Collector of the district who would be the chairman and such number of other official and non-official members representing such interests as may be prescribed by the state government.
The council would meet as and when necessary but not less than two meeting to be held every year and the members would meet at such a time and place within the district as the chairman may think fit and would observe such procedures in regard to the transaction of its business as may be prescribed.
Chandigarh, Consumer Courts Bar Association president Pankaj Chandgothia, said, "The amendment was made effective from March 15, 2003 (World Consumer Day), but even after more than 8 years of the amendment, the UT administration continues to ignore the legislative intent adversely affecting the consumer protection movement in this area”.
Recently, in a DO letter to the departments concerned, GN Sreekumaran, joint secretary, Ministry of Consumer Affairs, New Delhi, has stressed upon the need for establishing the district and state councils, at the earliest.
Chandgothia further alleged that in the absence of these statutory councils, private consumer protection associations were mushrooming, some of which were exploiting the consumers on the pretext of guidance.

‘Walk for Fun’ tomorrow

senior citizens’ annual event

Chandigarh, September 19
The UT police will organise a ‘Walk for Fun’ for senior citizens at the Sukhna lake here on September 21. The walk will be a part of the month-long celebrations of Senior Citizens Day.
Inviting all senior citizens to participate in the walk, DIG Alok Kumar said the walk was a fun-filled exercise and there would be no competition or race.
The registration for senior citizens would commence at 6 am and completed within half an hour. The walk for 500m and 1,000m would start at 7:15 am in four batches.
“Senior citizens are advised to participate in the walk only if their health permits it. It is an event organised to show the strength of senior citizens and unite them on a common platform,” he said.
Brig Keshav Chandra (retd) of the Senior Citizens Association said more than 1 lakh senior citizens had been supportive towards them. The walk would be followed by interaction with UT Inspector-General of Police PK Srivastava.
The event was first organised by the police in
association with the association in 2002. 

Acid attack involving Rudraksh Immigration

One succumbs to injuries
Mohali, September 19
In the 15-day-old incident of two motorcycle-borne youths throwing acid on three occupants of a car, Rakesh Reikhy, a proprietor of Rudraksh Immigration, Phase I, and two girls, Shivatika and Shifali, near the busy Daun petrol filling station, Kharar, one of the victims, Shivatika, has succumbed to her injuries at the PGI today.
Since the day of the incident, the deceased had been under treatment at the PGI. The Station House Officer (SHO) of the Balongi police station said following death of the girl, the case of attempt to murder has been converted into a case of murder. Two Kharar-based persons, Hardip Singh (34), alias Deepa, and Jagwant Singh Bantu (19), who have been arrested would now be tried under the charges of murder.
A few days ago, the suspects on being arrested by the police had revealed that the acid was thrown at Rakesh only and they had no grudges against the girls. One of the girls, Shivatika, had received serious burn injuries in the incident. One of the accused, Hardip Singh had a de-addiction centre, Disha Foundation, at Kurali.
One of the woman employees at Rudraksh Immigration, who used to visit the de-addiction centre for the treatment of her husband, developed relations with Hardip. During the course of meetings, Hardip presumed that Rakesh was harassing the woman. 

Quake toll 72, landslides derail rescue operations

Maximum casualties in Sikkim n Aftershocks keep people on tenterhooks n Inclement weather compounds woes n Many areas without power
New Delhi/Gangtok, Sept 19
Landslides and inclement weather today hampered rescue operations in the quake-hit Sikkim as the death toll in the 6.8 magnitude temblor mounted to 72, including 41 in the Himalayan state.
The Sunday evening earthquake, with its epicentre near the Sikkim-Nepal border, left a trail of devastation, damaging roads, buildings and other structures, uprooting mobile phone towers and snapping communication and power lines. Aftershocks made people panic in several areas, forcing them to spend the night outdoors.
The death toll may go up. Union Home Secretary RK Singh said people may still be trapped under the debris and rescue teams were still trying hard to reach all villages. Food packets were air-dropped in the inaccessible quake-affected areas. Two medical teams with doctors and paramedics reached worst affected Mangan and Sangthan with the help of helicopters and the Border Roads Organisation has been able to reopen the Himalayan state’s life line - the National Highway 31-A, RK Singh said.
West and South districts in Sikkim remained mostly inaccessible to the Army in the earlier part of the day due to landslides and inclement weather and rescuers were facing an uphill task to reach these areas, Major General SL Narasimhan, GoC, 17 Mountain Division, said.
Sikkim accounted for 41 deaths alone, with most casualties taking place in the North District and in towns and villages like Rangpo, Dikchu, Singtam and Chungthang located along the course of Teesta river, officials in the district control room said.
The Home Secretary said 10 bodies of employees of Teesta Hydro Electric Project were recovered from the debris in Singtam. The overnight toll climbed to 72 which included nine deaths in West Bengal and eight in Bihar, seven each Nepal and Tibet. Over 100 persons have been hurt. As many as 22 persons travelling in a bus went missing since last evening in north Sikkim. A spokesman of the 17 Mountain Division said the Army was still not able to find the missing bus. Rescue workers struggled hard to clear boulders blocking roads. An official update in Delhi tonight said the NH-55 from Bagdogra to Darjeeling has been restored and the highway from Darjeeling to Nathu La is expected to be cleared by 6 pm tomorrow.
The Mi-17 helicopters have been pressed into service carrying material, supplies and food to remote parts of the state while Cheetah & Chetak choppers are being used to rescue individuals and also for aerial reconnaissance. More than a dozen choppers of the Army aviation wing are on a stand-by at a nearby base. Transport planes like the IL-76 and the C-130-J Super Hercules are also being used to carry men and machines to Bagdogra.
“As many as 10 doctors have been airlifted to Chungthang in North Sikkim and medicines are being airlifted to Bagdogra from where they will be sent to Chungthang. 20 medical detachments have been deployed by the Army,” the official update said.
The optical fiber link to Gangtok which had been disrupted is now restored.
The Army has opened relief camps for 2,000 persons and the ITBP opened camps for 400 others. The Home Secretary said the Sikkim power corporation has been able to restore power connection partially. The Army has launched ‘Operation Madad’ in Gangtok and other areas. “We are also sending teams to Darjeeling and Kalimpong (in West Bengal),” he said. About 400 people from quake-hit areas in North Sikkim have been rescued and taken to safe locations, the Indo- Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) said. Besides 26 tourists, including international visitors, were also taken to safe places and the road connectivity in the worst-hit Pegong area is likely to be restored soon.
ITBP Director General Ranjit Sinha said. Sikkim Chief Minister Pawan Chamling visited the quake-hit areas in and around Gangtok to assess damages.
The Chief Minister announced an ex gratia compensation of Rs 5 lakh for the kin of the deceased, Rs 50,000 for those grievously injured and Rs 25,000 for those with minor injuries.
In Delhi, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh announced Rs two lakh as ex gratia to next of the kin of those killed in the quake.

7 dead in Tibet

Nepal death count 7

Prisoners in Jalpaiguri jail try to escape

Kolkata: Prisoners in Jalpaiguri jail tried to escape on Sunday night as some of the doors and windows collapsed under the impact of the quake. Nearly 1,100 prisoners manage to come out of their cells in the Jalpaiguri Central Correctional Home. However, the authorities immediately took control of the situation. Extra police force was immediately posted outside the jail.—

Three persons were killed at Lainchaur in Kathmandu, two in Sunsari district, and one each in Dhankuta and Sankhuwasabha districts in eastern Nepal due to the quake that struck the Himalayan belt, according to Home Ministry sources in the Nepalese capital.

Chinese state-run news agency Xinhua reported that at least seven persons have been killed and 22 others injured in Tibet in the quake which has caused landslides and has disrupted traffic, power and water supplies as well as telecommunication in Yadong County, an area 40 km away from Sikkim.

18 killed as strong quake strikes Sikkim, Nepal

* 6.8 in magnitude * Epicentre near Gangtok * Over 100 injured

A temple minaret damaged by the quake in Siliguri. — PTI

Gangtok, September 18
A powerful earthquake with a 6.8 magnitude jolted Sikkim and several areas of the North-East and neighbouring Nepal on Sunday leaving at least 18 persons dead and over 100 injured besides causing extensive damage to several buildings.
The first tremors were felt around 6.10 pm. The epicentre of the quake - the biggest in two decades - was located at Mangan and Sakyong areas, over 50 km from Gangtok on Sikkim-Nepal border.
Five persons were killed in Sikkim - two at Singtham (East), two in Rishi (West) and one in Mangan (North) as the government sought Army's asistance in reaching help to the affected, state Chief Secretary Karma Gyatso said. Two Army jawans were also killed in the north Sikkim area and three Army vehicles were reported missing, Army officials said in Delhi.
Three persons were killed in Darjeeling and one in adjoining Jalpaiguri in West Bengal while two others - a five-year-old girl in Nalanda and a youth in Darbhanga - lost their lives in Bihar.
At least five persons were killed in Nepal, three of them outside the British Embassy in Kathmandu, when a high brick wall collapsed.
Many tall buildings shook and developed cracks in Gangtok and Darjeeling and windowpanes shattered as thousands of people ran out to the streets in panic.Two buildings of the Indo Tibetan Border Police collapsed in Pegong area.
Communication links were snapped with mobile towers getting damaged. Gangtok and several other areas were plunged in darkness following major power failures.Heavy rains and darkness hampered relief operations in the night. Tremors were felt in Assam, Meghalaya, Tripura, parts of West Bengal, Bihar, Jharkhand, Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan, Chandigarh and Delhi.
Several buildings developed major cracks in Sikkim as personnel of the Disaster Management were deployed, Gyatso said.
Three after shocks of 5.7, 5.3 and 4.6 magnitude on the Richter Scale were felt in the region within 30 minutes of the first quake.
“Tremors were felt between 30 seconds to one minute in some parts of Sikkim, including Gangtok,” Shailesh Nayak, Secretary in the Ministry of Earth Sciences, said in Delhi.
The National Disaster Relief Force is on way to Sikkim and would reach the state by tomorrow, Gyatso said. “We have alerted the armed forced and paramilitary personnel,” he said.
Prime Minister Manmohan Singh spoke to Sikkim Chief Minister Pawan Kumar Chamling and offered help in all possible ways.
On the direction of the Prime Minister, Cabinet Secretary Ajit Kumar Seth reviewed the situation with Home and Defence Secretaries and senior officials of the National Disaster Management Authority.Five IAF planes pressed into action for relief operations.Two teams of the National Disaster Response Force - five each from Delhi and Kolkata - are being sent to assist in the relief and rescue operations.
A woman was seriously injured in Gangtok near a cinema hall in the market area when stones from an wall fell on her, he said. Reports said a building housing a small hotel in Singtham collapsed and people were being evacuated. Another house collapsed in Dikchu town in the same district. A portion of the market at Dikchu also collapsed.
Several buildings in Gangtok developed major cracks and people were seen moving to the Paljor stadium and other open areas.Power and water supply connections got snapped and continuous rains during the last three days worsened the situation.Around 200 persons have been brought to the ITBP relief camp in Gangtok. Army columns in small teams were deployed in rescue mission across Sikkim. The tremor was felt in Delhi and Kolkata as well as Ranchi, Darjeeling. Jalpaiguri, Siliguri, Birbhum and Bankura districts in West Bengal.
“Darjeeling and Kalimpong are now in total darkness,” West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee said. — PTI

Big Shake

• Tremors jolt many parts of eastern & northern India
• Seven persons, including two Army jawans, killed in Sikkim, four in West Bengal and two in Bihar.
• Five persons lost their lives in Nepal, three of them outside the British Embassy in Kathmandu, when a wall collapsed
• Gangtok and other areas reeling under darkness following power outage. Heavy rains, darkness hamper relief operations
• The National Disaster Relief Force is on way to Sikkim
• IAF planes pressed into action for relief operations.

Plea against appointment of law officers dismissed

Chandigarh, September 19
The Punjab and Haryana High Court today dismissed a petition alleging the appointment of law officers in Punjab for “furthering the prospects of Badals in the forthcoming Vidhan Sabha elections.
In its petition placed before the Division Bench of Acting Chief Justice MM Kumar and Justice Gurdev Singh, Lawyers for Humanity had asserted: “The law officers were being appointed only with a view to win the elections and the state exchequer was being depleted to further the prospects of Badals.”
In the petition against the State of Punjab, Punjab Advocate-General, the Director in the Department of Employment Generation and 126 law officers, the petitioners had sought the quashing of their appointment on the ground of being made in an arbitrary manner.
Alleging the violation of Article 14 and 16 of the Constitution, the petitioners had also sought directions to stay the renewal of contract for 2011-12 and to launch prosecution “against those responsible for circumventing the procedure of appointment in offices as enshrined under the Employment Exchange (Compulsory Notice of Vacancies) Act-1959.