From Toy Train to Himalayas on Wheels
Cashing in on the World Heritage tag on the Toy Train, residents of Kurseong want it decked up and remodeled as the "Himalayas on Wheels". The UNESCO had declared the train a World Heritage in November 1999. At a workshop on sustainable development conducted by the DHR on January 14 this year, the theme was decided to be "Bringing People and Heritage Together." It was also decided that the DHR would be developed as the pilot peoject on mother and childcare, education and employments. Binod Prakash Sharma, a resident of Kurseong, said the idea would be a money spinner for the Hills administration. Sharma had in fact sent a similar peoposal to the DGHC chairman Subash Ghissing way back in 1992 asking him to speak to the railway authorities. A take off on the Palace on Wheels running between Delhi and Udaipur, the modelled DHR would be a hit among foreign tourists, he said. The Himalayas on Wheels could be operated from New Jalpaiguri to Darjeeling and would be fitted with all modern amenities.

There would be sleeping arrangements, a multi-cuisine pantry with emphasis on local delicadies and a well stocked bar. There would be halts at Sukna Wildlife Sanctuary, Tindharia, Kurseong, Sonada, Ghoom and finally at Darjeeling. At Sukna, the forest department could arrange elephant safaris while at Tindharia there would be the Tindharia Loco Factory famous since the days of the Raj. At Kurseong, the DHR Museum could be for those who want to go slow and water sports in the Balasun River for the adventurous. Watching the sun set behind the Himalayas from the Eagle's Crag and the Terai plains from Constantenia Point could be the high point of the trip besides touring the lush green tea gardens around Kurseong. The journey would round off witha halt at Sonada with its many monasteries and Ghoom - the highest railsay station in India and the second highest in the world. The springs dotting the Hills are ideal tourist spots, said Sharma, and should be exploited.

As for entertainment, local troupes could stage shows with local brew, chang and tongba, to spice it up. Sharma has experimented with similar projects that have turned out to be profitable. Robin Kumar Pradhan, chariman of the Kurseong Municipality, has forwarded the proposal to Vipin Nanda, the general manager of NF Railways. Nanda had assured him that a similar project was under consideration.

Sinchel lake - a suicidal home for many
Darjeeling's only source of water has turned into a favourite hunting ground for suiciders. Since the last few months, several people have jumped to their deaths in the Sinchel Lake, located eight km outside the town amid woody surroundings - a perfect place for the watery denouncement. The barricades around the twin lakes - North and South - erected by the authorities in the past to prevent such acts have proven to be useless. Since the beginning of this year, already five bodies have been fished out by the Jorebunglow police from the lakes, which caters to the town. The last body, recovered from the North Lake, was of a 58 year old ex Army man, Annalal Tamang, a resident of Ghoom, the closest settlement to the lakes.

According to the police, Tamang was mentally challenged and was reported missing from home since the last six days. The superintendent of waterworks department, Darjeeling, Mr C Mukhia, said despite the barricade and round the clock vigil by the municipality staff, people were committing suicides in the lakes. He claimed that two persons had been successfully foiled in their bid to end their lives. The town people are naturally wary of the health risks posed by cadavers floating in the source of water they consume. Municipal authorities, however, dismissed the fears.

The entire 29 million gallon of water in the North Lake had to be drained off, following the recovery of the body - an act that water scarce Hills can ill afford. "This being the rainy season, the reservoirs can be filled easily. But during the dry season, the problem is enormous," said Mr Mukhia. The Sinchel Lake is the main water reservoir of Darjeeling. It constitutes the North and the South Lakes. In 1984, the PHE department had constructed a third lake with a capacity of 15 million gallon, but a constructional defect meant that only half of its capacity can be used.

West Bengal Govt. fails to provide promised land to martyr's family
Upset over the sate government's delay in allocation of a plot of land to the widow of a Kargil martyr, the Gorkha Ex-Serviceman's Association has threatened to observe a day's strike in the Darjeeling Hills. The date however, is yet to be fixed. The association is demanding that a piece of land be given to Lalita Subba, wife of Havildar Man Bahadur Rai of the 6/11 Gorkha Rifles, without further delay. The state government had promised to earmark a piece of land for the deceased Havildar's family members for construction of a house and open an LPG distribution unit. Rai was killed during Operation Vijay on June 12, 1999. But even three years after her husband's death, the government continues to forget its promise to Lalita.

The promise of land under the DI Fund scheme was made to two Kargil martyrs' families. Though, Lalita is still running from pillar to post to get her share, Sunita the other beneficiary and widow of Rifleman Phurba Tamang, has already got her due. She has, even constructed the house at Pedong in Kalimpong sub-division. A martyr's case ought to be looked into sympathetically. Moreover, there are many other such cases of failed promises by the West Bengal Government that would like to highlight shortly," said SP Pradhan, general secretary of the association.

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© Darjeeling News Service and Allied sources