Adventure tourism in Sikkim

Sikkim is fast emerging as a destination for adventure tourism. Steps to promote it in a big way has ensured employment to many people here. Buddhist monks protest disruption of prayers at Bodhgaya during President's visitSikkim is fast emerging as a destination for adventure tourism. And, the State government's support to promote it in a big way has ensured employment to many people here.

Nesting in the foothills of Himalaya's Sikkim presents a huge potential for adventure tourism, as the River Teesta provides one of the best rafting experiences to the rafters here.And, realizing river rafting's latent potential in the State, Sikkim government with the help of Central government's tourism department has organized a 15 days river-rafting training programme, to generate new source of employment in the state.

Miking A. Lepcha, Trainer, said: "Because our surrounding is filled with flowers and birds, one of our main aims is to include biodiversity eco tourism in our profession."Pem Tshering Lepcha, a river-rafting trainee, said: "I want to do take it up as a profession, which would solve our unemployment problem. This rafting training is very good."

Sikkim doesn't only have one of the best river rafting tracks, it is also the land of third highest peak in the world Mt. Kanchenjunga. The untapped hills are best for promotion of trekking and mountaineering. The State government has carried out a week-long mountaineering training program, giving priorities to the weaker sections of the society.Kazi Sherpa, an instructor with the Sikkim Mountaineering Association, said: "This is the first such course organized by the department of tourism with the technical help of Sikkim mountaineering association. During this course they will learn about how to climb the mountains, fixing the ropes, the variety of food required in mountaineering and other basic techniques."

Amit Taamang, a trainee, said: "We are getting lots of things to learn. This camp is of 15 days. In 15 days, we are going to be taught rock climbing and mountaineering."When, the nature is itself giving so much to one, there is no need of looking for other's help. Sikkim, realizing this fact has started to train its young ones both in the field of river rafting and rock-cum-mountaineering.

Source: The Morung Express

Oscar breaking North East India's Peace

Delhi’s pointsman in the Naga talks, Oscar Fernandez, today said unification of all warring Naga groups was imperative to take the “stalled peace process” forward.

Fernandez, who is in Shillong, to campaign for the party in the forthcoming elections, said disunity among the various Naga factions was the main hurdle in the peace process and that only “unification” would lead to an early solution.

“If all the underground factions join hands, it will be the easiest method to find a solution to the Naga problem,” he said. His statement is likely to give a new dimension to the ongoing controversy in the state over the unification efforts by a breakaway faction of the Isak-Muivah group.

A few members of the NSCN (I-M), led by its former home minister (klo kilonser), Azheto Chophy, recently broke away to form the NSCN (Unification) to try and bring unity among the Naga militant groups. The NSCN (I-M) leadership, however, has questioned the manner the nascent outfit was trying to push the unity agenda and declared a “state of emergency”.

Contradicting national security adviser M.K. Narayanan’s view that the peace process in Nagaland has slowed down, Fernandez said the talks are on the right tracks. “Peace talks are on the right track and we are now dealing with the technical aspects of the talks to arrive at a viable solution.”

He added that a technical committee, comprising government officials and NSCN (I-M) members, has been constituted to arrive at an acceptable formula. “Both sides are working on the technical aspects and we hope that the matter will be discussed in the next meeting to be announced shortly.”

The Congress leader, however, avoided speaking on the manifesto released by the party in Nagaland seeking integration of all Naga inhabited areas, saying he was yet to see the manifesto.

“I have not seen the manifesto and during my trip to Nagaland, I will find out the content of the manifesto.” Asked further on the party’s stand on the matter, Fernandez said, “It is a sensitive issue. If you have a copy of the manifesto, I am eager to see that”. On the spurt of violence in Nagaland, Fernandez said the government was taking steps to check violence.

Source: The telegraph

Ray of Hope for Mizoram Sex Worker

For scores of women sex workers in the Christian-majority state of Mizoram, a church supported night shelter run here has turned out to be their only ray of hope.

"The night shelter is aimed at helping sex workers return at night to a secure home. Most women who took to prostitution were driven out of their homes," said Major Lalngaihawmi, who is in charge of the Salvation Army-run home.

The Mizoram AIDS Control Society helps the Salvation Army - an integral part of the church working towards the advancement of religious, educational and other charitable missions - in running the shelter.

"Our home is open at night for any woman, especially for the displaced and those who do not have proper shelter to sleep. They can stay at the home as long as they want for free," Lalngaihawmi said.

An average of 10 women come to the night shelter daily, besides seeking help for starting a new life. Some are willing to return to their own homes.

"This home is more than a counselling centre. We not only try to make these women come to the mainstream of life, but also do reconciliation work with their families to accept them once again," Lalngaihawmi said.

"We never criticise or look down on any woman, nor do we turn away those who have faced the courts and numerous humiliations. We genuinely try to help them return to a normal life," the Salvation Army official said.

During the day, the home acts as a drop-in centre for sex workers.

"We have three peer educators who provide information and spread awareness about implications of drug addiction and sex-related diseases," senior home in-charge Lalnunmawii said.

A 35-year-old mother of two who lived in the home is now a reformed woman.

"This shelter and the counselling made me get rid of my horrible night life. Now I am looking forward to starting a small business in my village," said the woman who did not want to be named.

According to various estimates, there are over 1,000 commercial women sex workers in Mizoram, including around 300 in Aizwal, a majority of them divorcees and drug addicts.

177 villages in Mizoram ravages by rodents

Thousands of rats have destroyed rice fields in Mizoram, fuelling fears of a famine in the region. "At least 177 villages have been ravaged by armies of rats in the state this year. About 70 villages that bore the brunt have nothing left to harvest now," according to Mizoram Agriculture Minister H. Rammawi.

At least 65 villages have lost half the harvest while 42 villages have experienced low intensity destruction.

Mizoram, with about one million people, is dependent on agriculture. Rice and vegetables are the dominant crops.

"In a single night the rodents can clip the ears from every rice stalk in a field," said James Lalsiamliana, plant protection officer of the state's agriculture department and head of the rodent control cell.

Reports of rats destroying farmlands follows vast forests of bamboo bursting into flower in many parts of the state. When bamboo flowering takes place, the rat population shoots up, leading to an invasion of granaries and paddy fields.

The Mizoram government has warned that a famine is going to hit the mountainous state.

The phenomenon of bamboo flowering occurs every 48 years.

According to tribal legends, when bamboo flowers, famine, death and destruction follow. Behind the superstition probably lies some truth as blooming bamboo does trigger a rodent invasion that feeds on stored food.

"There is an alarming increase in rat population that has devoured not only paddy but also maize and other crops. During last year's harvest when bamboo flowering began in the eastern part of the state, more than 60 villages lost their entire crop," Lalsiamliana said.

In 1958-59, a famine in Mizoram resulted in the death of at least 100 people, besides causing heavy loss to human property and crops. The famine, locally known as Mautam, broke out after bamboo flowering.

Historical accounts say Mizoram recorded a similar famine in 1862 and again in 1911 following similar bamboo flowerings.

"The state will now have to arrange financial support for these areas," said Lalsiamliana. The agriculture department has projected a minimal 80 percent crop destruction out of the total projected harvest across Mizoram this year.

UNAIDS programme in North East India

The United Nations AIDS programme along with other UN agencies and National AIDS Control Organisation (NACO) has come up with a new HIV prevention programme for four North Eastern states.

The five-year UN Joint Project on HIV, financed by Australian AIDS programme (AusAID), will be implemented in the states of Nagaland, Manipur, Meghalaya and Mizoram.

The 10.50 million dollar programme will be formally launched in New Delhi on October 12.

UNDP Representative Annirudha Brahmachari told senior officials of Nagaland government that the new programme aims at involving various government departments and NGOs through multi-sectoral approach.

As HIV/AIDS is no more a health issue in the high prevalence states, the on-going efforts of prevention, care, treatment and support mechanism must involve all stakeholders, including the people living with HIV/AIDS (PLWHA), the new programme envisages.

Mainstreaming of prevention programme is key to succes of containing the spread of HIV/AIDS in the North Eastern states. Although the main objective is to contain the spread of the killer disease and creating infrastructure for infected and affected persons, the programme will be state specific as per the ground realities in each state, Brahmachari explained.

For Nagaland, the programme will be youth friendly prevention initiatives while in Manipur and Mizoram, the strategy is harm reduction.

Land of Latex: Tripura

Natural rubber is stretching far and wide in India. After dominating the Kerala landscape, now it is spreading roots in Tripura.

According to Rubber Board officials, Tripura is well poised to emerge as the next natural rubber capital of India after Kerala.

Anticipating this, the Rubber Board has of late stepped up its activities in a big way in Tripura, which is well suited for rubber cultivation. The Rubber Board has identified 1 lakh hectares as potential area under rubber in the state, of which roughly 31 per cent has already come under cultivation.

It is increasingly being felt that only by increasing rubber production in Tripura and Assam, can the country’s growing natural rubber demand be met without resorting to imports.

A major project with Central Government funding in Tripura is a Rs 7-crore Rubber Park at Bodjungnagar industrial estate.

According to Rubber Board officials, even though severe winter can inhibit the growth of some rubber clones, some areas in Tripura were highly suitable for rubber. The board has a large pilot farm at Taranagar area of Tripura.

The Regional Research Station (RRS) of the Rubber Board was set up in 1979 with the mandate to develop high yielding rubber clones, suitable to the state’s agro-climatic conditions, through classical blending and selection, mother tree selection and clone evaluation.

One of the key responsibilities of the RRS was to determine the ability of natural rubber to restore the degraded eco-systems, especially the ‘jhummed’ lands in Tripura.

It was also mandated to develop location-specific farming technology for producing quality planting materials, crop husbandry including soil and nutrient management practices, disease protection protocols, rubber-based integrated sustainable farming, harvesting techniques and primary processing of latex into marketable forms of rubber.

Meghalaya ready to market roses and strawberries globally

Meghalaya, known globally for its turmeric that contains the highest curcumin content, is now eyeing Japan for marketing its Dutch cut roses and Bhutan, Nepal and West Asia for its organic strawberries.

The Dewlieh Horticulture Farm, set up under the horticulture initiative of the Meghalaya government here in Ri Bhoi district, has drawn up plans for focussed efforts to capture these foreign markets apart from those in eastern India.

Project leader (Rose and Strawberry), Horticulture Initiative, B.K. Sohliya, said the north-east’s first Centre of Excellence for Rose, located in the farm, produced 20 lakh rose stems annually. The different varieties of roses produced in the farm included Cherry Lady, Iceberg, Golden Gate, Corvette, Tropical Amazaon, Grand Gala, First Red and Circus.

On Teacher’s Day and this year the 40000 rose stem from the farm were sold in Meghalaya. The department planned to increase rose production to 200 lakh stems in the next three years. Meghalaya was also the third largest producer of strawberries in the country after Maharashtra, Punjab and Haryana.

The State now produced about 200 tonne of Sweet Charlie, Camarosa and Chandler varieties of strawberry every season. The department planned to increase the area under strawberry cultivation from the existing 21 hectares to 35 hectares by March 2008. Mr. Sohliya said the strawberries grown in Meghalaya could be easily marketed in West Aasia through Sylhet in Bangladesh.

There were twice a week flights to Dubai from Sylhet, which was only 150 km from the farm and could be reached through the Dawki Land Custom station along the Meghalaya-Bangladesh border.

Union Minister of State for Commerce Jairam Ramesh visited the farm on Tuesday. He urged the Horticulture Department to avail itself of the various transport subsidies announced by the Ministry of Commerce for marketing horticultural crops grown in north-eastern States.

On Monday, Mr. Ramesh said the Ministry of Commerce handed over to the Meghalaya government a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed by the Spices Board with ITC Limited for setting up a spices farm in the State with provisions for buyback, packaging and valued addition, for final comment from the State government.

The Spices Board will provide Rs.10. crore for setting up this farm.

Meghalaya is also the second largest producer of ginger and produces 46,590 tonnes annually.