SAMDUPTSE a HIT with TOURISTS EVEN BEFORE OFFICIAL INAUGURATION TURN to Pg9 for DETAILS

07-13 Jan, 2003; NOW! 1 GANGTOK, WEDNESDAY, Jan 14-20, 2004 NOW!SIKKIM MATTERS VOL 2 NO 27 Rs. 5 At this time last year, Kopchay was a village of sustenance farmers which few people even in Sikkim had heard of. Today, people in faraway Nepal, Bhutan and Bihar are familiar with Kopchay and seek out the Guruji of Kopchay and his healing touch when all other avenues of cure close down on them. Everyone and everything at Kopchay seems to have been touched by the magical aura of Nirmal Mangar, known among the believers simply as “Guruji,” who lives a life of abstinence, but has triggered an economic boom for this tiny hamlet and its residents... TURN TO pg 12 FOR DETAILS Rhenock started the week on a tense note. By Sunday evening, the whole town was abuzz with news of a gruesome mur- der of two minors by a teenaged neighbour and alleged rape. The revulsion over the incident soon converted to anger and a lynch mob gathered to appro- priate instant justice. It took all the negotiating skills of the local panchayats and senior ruling party workers to calm the tempers down. The locals now want the “maximum possible” punishment for the accused and assure there was never any plan afoot to instigate a backlash against the community to which the accused belonged [he is a nonlocal]. They however admit that there is now need for better records on the antecedents of outsiders working and running businesses in Sikkim. TURN TO pg3 FOR DETAILS SAMDUPTSE A HIT WITH TOURISTS EVEN BEFORE OFFICIAL INAUGURATION TURN TO pg9 FOR DETAILS Near Krishi Bhawan, Tadong, Gangtok. Phone: 270876 NOW AT Below Power Deptt, Kazi Road, Gangtok. Phone: 227917 MANGAN & Nayuma Building, Namchi Bazar, Namchi, Phone: 263919 Below SNT Bus Terminus, Mangan GEYZING Near Sikkim Consumer Cooperative Society, Geyzing e-mail: [email protected] CMYK 2; NOW! ; 07-13 Jan, 2004 GANGTOK 07-13 JAN, 2004 ED-SPACE NOW! Travel India SIKKIM MATTERS Much still needs to be done to trigger a real tourism boom Can’t Rush On Seats For LTs oday, there is an intense competition among history, culture, wildlife, religious and eco-tourism. developing countries to attract international Yet, some of the best places are so remote that one The elections are almost upon us and the campaigning has Ttourists and for one-third of the smaller na- has to spend at least a day by vehicle to reach them already begun in the earnest. It is also obvious that the tions, it is the main industry. from the closest hotel. There are very few direct pretenders to the throne are grasping at straws to ride an issue They are spending a bigger portion of their GDP flights to choice tourist destinations and waiting at into power. While allegations of corruption and favoritism compile on promoting tourism than India, and they have de- airports can be tedious and boring. The answer to into interesting press releases, Sikkim, as the does the nation, veloped the required infrastructure very fast. For In- this is to build small helipads with efficient service. knows only too well that these are not issues that win elections. dia, even though there is so much to see, the Helipads can be built at locations of choice and one It is not that the people have grown to accept this combination government’s spending on tourism is inadequate for doesn’t need the entire gamut of infrastructure re- which has become a non-issue because the people no longer developing comparable facilities. The central plan quired for an airport. believe that any politician or political outfit can effect a change Temple tourism in India is rather slim and this on this front. Everyone realises that political will alone cannot outlay for the department of tourism was barely Rs. wipe out corruption; it requires social awakening as well. But 225 crore in 2002-03. should be a reason for concern given the that, we leave for another time. Since democracy in Sikkim is The tourist traffic to India has in- country’s splendid architectural wonders yet too young to incorporate the anti-incumbency factor into its creased by 16 per cent. But far few DEEP of history. Cambodia gets nearly as many voting pattern, one has to ride a wave to dethrone established people visit India as compared to coun- tourists as India and yet, its only attrac- powers. When there is no “wave” in the offing, one has to be tries in South East Asia. Barely 3 mil- FOCUS tion is Angkor Wat. An important reason manufactured. In the process, several issues get thrown up in lion tourists arrive annually here. By con- RANJIT SINGH for the popularity of Angkor Wat is that the hope that some attract the interest of the masses. There trast, Thailand and Malaysia are able to it has been packaged well. It is the lack are several such issues in the air at present, but none being as attract at least three times more tourists. of aggressive promotion of Indian art and culture and persistently pursued as the seat reservation arrangement for If tourism increased significantly, it would have the absence of excellent infrastructure that pose big the Limbus and Tamangs. helped many ancillary industries like food process- problems in promoting temple tourism in India. The Let’s first get the facts straight on the implications of the listing ing, services and handicrafts. And because it is a word-of-mouth about bad experiences is also very of the two communities as Scheduled Tribes. The two labour-intensive industry, more jobs especially in discouraging. communities automatically start enjoying all the benefits rural areas could be created. And since most of the The best way to prepare for more international earmarked for STs in India. Since the reservation of seats is natural beauty and wildlife are to be found in non- tourists is to encourage domestic tourism, which has guaranteed for them by the Constitution, they will get that too in urban areas, rural people could find employment as now reached 30 million. Better services in remote proportion to their population ratio. It is here that granting the guides and transporters, with proper training. More places meant mainly for domestic tourists could cre- demand becomes tricky in Sikkim. In other states, Limbus and jobs in rural areas would also help reduce the con- ate the requisite infrastructure for foreign tourists at Tamangs, along with other communities included in the ST list a later stage. Even for domestic tourists, lower taxes recently, can automatically contest from seats already reserved tinuous migration to big towns and cities. for STs there. Although the number of seats reserved for STs Since tourism depends on an assortment of fac- and better-packaged tours would help. This is how elsewhere also needs to be reworked since the population tors, clean airports, good roads, uninterrupted power most ASEAN countries and China developed their composition of STs changes with the new inclusions, there is supply and modes of easy transportation are essen- tourism industry within a few years. no rush for the same since some seats are already reserved for tial. Tourists also like safe, short-haul destinations, By 2020, when China overtakes France as the STs and open to the new communities too. There is, however, cheap and comfortable accommodation and hygienic number one tourist destination in the world, India no such reservation in Sikkim where seats are reserved for conditions in hotels and restaurants. To double the will feel the need to catch up. China will also be the Bhutias and Lepchas and not for STs. Here, fresh seats need to number of tourists, the needs of small-budget tour- fourth most important tourism-generating country. be carved out for STs. The first requirement for this will obviously ists also have to be addressed by building more in- Much tourist traffic could be expected from be the latest census figures on the population composition of expensive hotels and guest houses in towns close to neighbouring countries if things improve fast with STs in Sikkim. It gets further complicated when one bears in tourist spots. easy visas and quick access to Buddhist monuments. mind that even BLs will have to included in this figure since India has an amazing variety to offer specially in It’s high time we got proactive on this one. they too are STs. Then there will be the debate over whether the ST reserved seats will also be open for BLs since seats cannot be reserved for LTs by community and will have to be PROFILING THE FUTURE ter. Anyways, I hope that we get a for votes. They should not be al- recorded as seats reserved for ST. Then, the decision-making OW’s profile on the youth similar planner for the coming lowed to get away with just assur- bodies will need the constituency-wise breakup of ST population Nicons of Sikkim made for in- months. The January planner over ances otherwise the LT seats will in Sikkim to earmark the constituencies to be reserved. This teresting reading. Although I can my study will be lonely otherwise. become a never-ending issue like again cannot be tabulated with LTs in isolation and will probably think of some more individuals Sharan Rai, Gangtok the lost seats of the Sikkimese have to include the BLs as well. That is another tricky situation. who should have made it to the RESERVATION FOR Nepalese - something that every It is only after this and several other administrative nitty-gritty’s final list, I admit here that the LIMBUS party raises, but none delivers on.

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