Shanta Chhetri discusses issues in Kalimpong

YOWAN MOTHAY, EOI, KALIMPONG, MAY 5, 2023: Rajya Sabha M.P. from Trinamool Congress Shanta Chhetri on Friday met the Divisional Forest Officer of Kalimpong to discuss various forest issues. She also met the principal, the teaching staff and the non-teaching staff of Kalimpong College and discussed various problems of the college in that meeting.

Hill Trinamool Darjeeling district youth president Suman Gurung was with her during the visit. Shanta Chhetri said that the meetings were fruitful and she was able to discuss problems thoroughly and come up with possible solutions. 

She also visited the cinchona plantations and took stock of the problems there and assured support for the development of cinchona plantation.

Bengal Labour Minister promises early fixation of minimum wages for tea garden workers. 

 EOI CORRESPONDENTSILIGURI, MAY 5/--/ "If the MinimumWage Committee fixes a minimum wage,we will not take 24 hours from thegovernment to implement it," West BengalLabour Minister Malay Ghatak said inSiliguri on Friday.“The State Labor Department hasconstituted a Minimum Wage Committeeto fix minimum wages for tea plantationworkers. If the committee determines theminimum wage, it will be implementedwithin 24 hours,” he said.The fixing of a minimum wage for teagarden labourers has been a long standingdemand in north Bengal. The committeeset up by the State Government has so farcompleted 17 meetings but has not beenable to decide on a minimum wage yet. Inthe meantime, the government hasincreased the interim wages for tea gardenworkers till a minimum wage is fixed. terimwages for the convenience of the teaworkers until they are able to fix theminimum wage. Incidentally, the WestBengal Labour Welfare Board organized aprogramme to commemorate theInternational Labour day in Siliguri onMay 1 at the Baghajatin Park in Siliguri.Be warm-hearted, lead ameaningful life: Dalai Lamain Buddha Purnima messageDHARAMSALA, MAY 5/--/The Dalai Lamagreeted people on the occasion of BuddhaPurnima on Friday and appealed to them to bewarm-hearted, which is key to peace andharmony in the world, and lead a meaningfullife dedicated to the welfare of others.In his message on the occasion, theTibetan spiritual leader said Lord Buddha'skey teachings are instructions to disciplinethe mind for the benefit of sentient beings asinfinite as space.In the heart of his teaching is thecombined practice of compassion andwisdom."On this auspicious remembrance of LordBuddha's birth, enlightenment andmahaparinirvana, I am pleased to convey mygreetings to fellow Buddhists across theworld," the Dalai Lama said.Buddha Purnima was celebrated in DorjeDrak Monastery in Shimla and other parts ofHimachal Pradesh. Artistes performedTibetan dance forms during the celebrationsat the monastery. Buddhist monks and peoplefrom various walks of life joined thecelebrations.In his message, the Dalai Lama said: "Themore we become acquainted with a concernfor the welfare of others, the more we willregard others dearer than ourselves. We willrecognise our dependence on each other andwill remember that all 8 billion people in theworld today are same in wishing to be happyand to avoid suffering." (PTI)