Since September last year, when an earthquake of magnitude 6.9 rocked Sikkim, scientists have recorded nearly 300 aftershocks in the region and predicted the possibility of a quake up to magnitude 9. As such, they have recommended that parts of Sikkim be upgraded to Zone 5, the classification that carries the highest risk.

Kalimpong, March 2: Chief minister Mamata Banerjee today set up a taskforce to monitor the implementation of all tourism projects she had announced for north Bengal as well as to suggest new ones. The team that consists of DGHC administrator Anil Verma and representatives of the state tourism and forest departments has been asked to submit a report on the feasibility of the projects within a month.

Siliguri, March 1: The forest department will conduct a census to find out the number of red pandas in two national parks in the hills. The first phase of the study will begin on Saturday. The survey will cover the Neora Valley National Park in Kalimpong subdivision and Singalila National Park in Darjeeling.
Foresters said 61 teams will conduct the study in two phases — from March 3 to 7 and from April 5 to 9. Another survey would be conducted later. The reports will be submitted to the forest department by the end of this year.

India produces about 26 million g of organic tea and 80 per cent of this is exported to Germany, the UK and the US.
Nuremberg (Germany), Feb. 19:

The Tea Board has set up three model farms in India on 100 acres each to develop a standard package for cultivation of organic tea, according to Ms Roshni Sen, Deputy Chairperson of the Board.

“The farms are in Munnar (Kerala), Darjeeling (West Bengal) and Assam and they will develop a standard package through research and development,” she told Business Line at the Indian Tea Board pavilion at BioFach 2012.

The West Bengal Power Development Corporation (WBPDCL), state-owned power generating company, is planning to foray into hydel power with an investment of Rs 2,000 crore.

“We are thinking to set up two hydel power projects. At present, we are in the process of finalising the detailed project report,” State Power Minister, Mr Manish Gupta, told PTI.

He said there is a plan for two hydel projects with a combined generation capacity of 300 MW and the sites have already been finalised.

Siliguri, Jan. 17: The Bengal Ambuja Group will invest Rs 100 crore in three tourism projects in north Bengal, minister Gautam Deb today said.
A fourth project, by the developers of the Uttarayon Township here, will be in Sikkim. The chief minister, too, will announce a wide range of projects, quite a few of them in the tourism sector, when she visits the region next month.

Calcutta, Jan. 4: Holidaymakers in Darjeeling can soon add another must-do to their checklist: the ropeway ride that has been suspended for the past eight years. The state public works department has issued a no-objection certificate that will allow the ropeway to resume commercial operations. “A no-objection certificate was issued two days ago. The ropeway will resume commercial operations very soon,” said A.R. Bardhan, the PWD secretary.

Sikkim had little to cheer about in 2011 as a devastating earthquake snuffed out lives of over 80 people and caused heavy loss to property and infrastructure even as the state witnessed a dip in tourist arrivals and insignificant border trade. The 6.8 magnitude earthquake on September 18 caused an estimated loss of Rs 7,000 crore. During his visit, Prime Minister, Manmohan Singh assured the state a Rs 1000 crore rehabilitation package.

Darjeeling, Nov. 7: The state government has brought in RITES to draw up a comprehensive tourism master plan for Darjeeling in the next two months, the first such effort for the Queen of the Hills.
Mamata Banerjee’s decision to come up with the master plan is probably propelled by her announcement to turn Darjeeling into Switzerland.

KOLKATA, 27 OCT: In a move to improve the road network in Darjeeling and some other border districts, the state government has decided to spend Rs 150 crore over the next year under a Border Area Development Programme (BADP).
The Thirteenth Finance Commission will provide the funding for the project, said a senior official.