48th International Film Festival of India (IFFI) 2017 announced 

ON NOVEMBER 10, 2017 BY NARESH SAGARLEAVE A COMMENTEDIT

Indian Panorama selection of Feature and Non Feature films for 48th International Film Festival of India (IFFI) 2017 announced

Indian Panorama 2017 today announced its final selection of Feature & Non-Feature films to be screened in Goa at 48th International Film Festival of India, 2017 which is scheduled to take place from 20th to 28thNovember, 2017.

Five Mainstream films have also been selected under Indian Panorama Section of 48th International Film Festival of India, 2017. The final list of 26 feature films selected for the Indian Panorama 2017 are as follows:

Sl. No.	Title of Film	Language	Director
1.	Pihu	Hindi	Vinod Kapri
2.	Kshitij A Horizon	Marathi	Manouj Kadaamh
3.	Kachcha Limbu	Marathi	Prasad Oak
4.	Manusangada	Tamil	Amshan Kumar
5.	Muramba	Marathi	Varun Narvekar
6.	Railway Children	Kannada	Prithvi Konanur
7.	Juze	Konkani	Miransha Naik
8.	Newton	Hindi	Amit Masurkar
9.	Pimpal	Marathi	Gajendra Ahire
10.	Village Rockstars	Assamese	Rima Das
11.	Maza Bhirbhira	Marathi	Yogesh Soman & Vivek Wagh
12.	Maacher Jhol	Bengali	Pratim D. Gupta
13.	Bisorjon	Bengali	Kaushik Ganguly
14.	Take Off	Malayalam	Mahesh Narayanan
15.	Redu	Marathi	Sagar ChhayaVanjari
16.	Rukh	Hindi	Atanu Mukherjee
17.	Kadvi Hawa	Hindi	Nila Madhab Panda
18.	Idak	Marathi	Deepak Gawade
19.	Xhoixobote Dhemalite	Assamese	Bidyut Kotoky
20.	Khyanikaa	Oriya	Amartya Bhattacharya
21.	Kaasav (Best Feature – 64thNFA)	Marathi	Sumitra Bhave & Sunil Sukthankar
	Mainstream Cinema selections
22.	Jolly LLB 2	Hindi	Subhash Kapoor
23.	Baahubali 2: The Conclusion	Telugu	S Rajamouli
24.	Ventilator	Marathi	Rajesh Mapuskar
25.	Poorna	Hindi	Rahul Bose
26.	Meghnad Bodh Rahasya	Bengali	Anik Datta

The opening film of the feature film section of Indian Panaroma is Pihu which has been directed by Vinod Kapri.

As per Clause 8.6 of the India Panorama 2017 Regulations, the Best Feature Film of 64th National Film Awards 2016, titled “Kaasav” directed by Sumitra Bhave & Sunil Sukthankar has been included in Indian Panorama 2017 by virtue of direct entry.

The Jury for Feature Films was headed by acclaimed film director, actor and screenwriter, Shri Sujoy Ghosh. The Jury previewed 153 eligible entries. The Jury comprised of the following Members:

1. Shri Suresh Heblikar, Filmmaker, Director & Actor
2. Shri Rahul Rawail, Film Director
3. Ms. Satarupa Sanyal, Film Director, Producer, Actress, Poet &Social Activist
4. Ms Gopi Desai, Film Director & Actress
5. Shri Nishikant Kamat, Filmmaker
6. Shri Gyan Correa, Film Director
7. Shri Merlvin Mukhim, Actor & Producer
8. Shri Nikkhil Advani, Film Producer, Director & Screenwriter
9. ShriApurva Asrani, Film Maker, Film Editor & Screenwriter
10. Shri HariViswanath, Film Director, Screenwriter & Producer
11. Shri Sachin Chatte, Film Critic
12. Ms.Ruchi Narain, Film Director & Screenwriter

The complete list of 16 Non – Feature Films selected for Indian Panorama section for 48th International Film Festival of India 2017 is given below:

Sl No.	Title of Film	Language	Director
	Pushkar Puran	Hindi	Kamal Swaroop
	Aaba	Apatani	Amar Kaushik
	Dugga	Bengali	Chandrasish Ray
	Our Grandparents Home	Bengali	Supriyo Sen
	Palash	Bengali	Vaibhav Hiwase
	A Very Old Man With Enormous Wings	English	Prateek Vats
	The Waterfall	English	Lipika Singh Darai
	Amma Meri	Haryanvi	Tarun Jain
	Name|Place|Animal|Thing	Hindi	Nithin R
	Chutney	Hindi	Jyoti Kapur Das
	8½ Intercuts- Life And Films Of KG George	Malayalam	Lijin Jose
	Gi	Malayalam	Kunjila (Akhila Henry)
	Baluta	Marathi	Ajay Kurane
	Khidkee	Marathi	Rohan Parshuram Kanawade
	Epil	Santali	R K Soren
	Fireflies in the Abyss (64th NFA – Best Non Feature)	English	Chandrasekhar Reddy

The opening film of the non-feature film section of Indian Panorama is Pushkar Puran which has been directed by Kamal Swaroop.

As per Clause 8.6 of the India Panorama 2017 Regulations, the Best Non-Feature Film of 64th National Film Awards 2016 titled “Fireflies in the Abyss” directed by Chandrasekhar Reddy has been included in Indian Panorama 2017, by virtue of direct entry.

The Non – Feature Film Jury was chaired by well-known film director and screen writer Shri Sudhir Mishra. The Jury previewed 154 eligible entries. The Jury comprised of the following Members:

1. Shri Tuhinabha Majumdar, Film Director and Film Writer
2. Shri Shankhajeet De, Film Maker
3. Shri Mithuchandra Chaudhari, Film Director
4. Ms. Shiny Jacob Benjamin, Film Producer, Film Director and Writer
5. Ms. Tinni Mitra, Film Editor
6. Shri K.G Suresh, Journalist & Columnist

Korean researchers use acupuncture for cancer treatment

ON NOVEMBER 10, 2017 BY NARESH SAGARLEAVE A COMMENTEDIT

09 November 2017

The group has developed nanoporous needles with microscopic holes on the surface of the needles.

Image credit- healthline.com

Researchers at the Daegu Gyeongbuk Institute of Science and Technology (DGIST), Korea are using nanotechnology-enhanced acupuncture needles to treat cancer.

The group has developed nanoporous needles with microscopic holes on the surface of the needles, ranging from nanometer to micrometers. The needles were created relatively simply using electrochemical nanotechnology. By increasing the surface area of the needle by a factor of ten, the nanoporous needles doubled the electrophysiological signal generated by needle stimulus.

In rats that were chemically induced to develop colorectal cancers, those receiving periodic acupuncture treatment with nanoporous needles had a much lower incidence of abnormal vascular clusters, which are a precursor to colorectal cancer in the initiation stage, than those in the control group.

Treatment using acupuncture needles has been commonly practiced for thousands of years for treating musculoskeletal disorders, pain relief and addiction relief. Recently, acupuncture has emerged as a promising treatment for brain diseases, gastrointestinal disorders, nausea and vomiting, and studies are underway to use acupuncture to treat more severe diseases such as cancer.

The researchers want to develop a new medical market by conducting a follow-up convergence study that identifies the potential benefits and efficacy of acupuncture.

biospectrum

Patrick Vallance named, UK Government’s Chief Scientific Adviser

ON NOVEMBER 10, 2017 BY NARESH SAGARLEAVE A COMMENTEDIT

GSK current R&D president Patrick Vallance to become UK Government’s Chief Scientific Adviser

He will be responsible for providing scientific advice to the Prime Minister and advising the Government on aspects of policy on science and technology

GlaxoSmithKline plc has announced that Dr Patrick Vallance, President, R&D, has informed the Board of his intention to leave the company to become the UK Government’s Chief Scientific Adviser and Head of the Government’s Office for Science.

He will be responsible for providing scientific advice to the Prime Minister and advising the Government on aspects of policy on science and technology. He will leave GSK at the end of March 2018 to take up his new role.

Since joining GSK in 2006 as Head of Drug Discovery, Dr Vallance has held roles of increasing responsibility within the Group’s Pharmaceutical R&D organisation, becoming a member of GSK’s executive team in 2010 and being appointed President, R&D, in 2012.

Under his leadership, GSK has delivered a number of innovative new medicines to patients in areas including Respiratory, Oncology and HIV: a new portfolio of inhaled respiratory medicines that includes Trelegy, the only once-daily single inhaler triple therapy for COPD; Nucala, a first-in-class biologic therapy for severe asthma; two targeted therapies to treat metastatic melanoma, Tafinlar and Mekinist; and, in HIV, Tivicay and Triumeq. In the field of Rare Diseases, Strimvelis became the first ex-vivo stem cell gene therapy to be approved for patients with the very rare immunodeficiency disease ADA-SCID.

Dr Vallance played a pivotal role in GSK’s strategy of re-personalising R&D, through the creation of Discovery Performance Units and put external partnership at the centre of GSK R&D which is an approach that has led to collaborations with more than 1,500 organisations around the world, including the UK’s Francis Crick Institute, the US National Institutes of Health, Wellcome Trust and UK Biobank.

Emma Walmsley, CEO, GSK, said, “Patrick has made a lasting contribution to GSK and helped deliver innovative medicines to patients around the world. His championing of science and ensuring a patient focus have brought him a dedicated followership throughout GSK. Personally, I have benefited from his advice and support, which I have enormously appreciated. I wish him every success in his new role, for which he is uniquely qualified.”

Philip Hampton, Chairman, GSK, said, “On behalf of the Board I would like to thank Patrick for his contribution to the company, which has benefited from his approach to research and his medical expertise. His new role will enable him to demonstrate his broad talents and experience and I’m sure he will play a crucial role in enabling the UK to stay at the forefront of science.”

Patrick Vallance, President, R&D, said, “I am hugely excited about this opportunity to serve the UK government at a time when science has never been more important to the UK’s economy and future. Yet it has been a very difficult decision to leave GSK and the many talented scientists who work here to create innovative medicines that can make a real difference to patients’ lives. I feel honoured to have played a part in that and I will miss the intelligence, warmth and passion of all the people who work in every part of R&D. I believe GSK has a very promising pipeline with great potential to positively build on the many medicines that GSK has successfully brought to patients in recent years. I wish Hal every success in leading the R&D organisation.”

/biospectrumasia.com

‘Exhibition of Books on Prime Ministers of India’_ 13 November, 2017 at 10.00 am

ON NOVEMBER 10, 2017 BY NARESH SAGARLEAVE A COMMENTEDIT

Sir/Madam,

The Nehru Memorial Museum and Library is pleased to invite you for an Exhibition titled ‘Exhibition of Books on Prime Ministers of India’. This would be inaugurated on Monday, 13th November, 2017 at 10.00 am in the Ballroom, Museum Building by Dr. A. Surya Prakash, Member Executive Council, NMML will inaugurate the exhibition. This is second in series of exhibitions on the life and times of Prime Ministers of India.

We hope that you would find time to drop in.

Regards,

धन्यवाद 

Thanks 

अजीत कुमार 

Ajit Kumar

पुस्तकालय एवं सूचना  अधिकारी, नेहरु स्मारक संग्रहालय एवं पुस्तकालय 

Library and Information Officer, Nehru Memorial Museum and Library

(संस्कृति मंत्रालय,भारत  सरकार) तीन मूर्ति भवन, नई दिल्ली-११००११ 

(Ministry of Culture, Government of India) Teen Murti Bhawan, New Delhi-110011

कार्यालय न‌. ०११-२३७९४४०७,  मोबाईल न‌.

 +९१ -९९६८३०१५४३ 

Office No.-011-23794407, Mobile No. +91-9968301543

China To Build World’s Highest Planetarium In Tibet Next Year

ON NOVEMBER 10, 2017 BY NARESH SAGARLEAVE A COMMENTEDIT

9 November, 2017
Tibet has clear skies, ideal for astronomical studies, as it is 4,000 metres above sea level.
The planetarium, which is China’s first, will have the region’s largest optical astronomical telescope, with a 1- meter-diameter lens, and become a major regional base for astronomical research and public science education, the Science and Technology Department of Tibet said.
China will begin construction of the world’s highest planetarium next year in Tibet, local officials said.

The planetarium, which is China’s first, will have the region’s largest optical astronomical telescope, with a 1- meter-diameter lens, and become a major regional base for astronomical research and public science education, the Science and Technology Department of Tibet said.

The telescope will be jointly developed by the planetarium and the National Astronomical Observatories, and be used for variable star, state-run Xinhua news agency quoted the Department as saying today.

“The instalment of the device will enable the planetarium to carry out professional astronomical research,” said Wang Junjie, deputy head of the department.

“The planetarium, with the highest altitude in the world, will become a ‘perfect window’ for the public to get to know the stars and explore the universe, thanks to little air or light pollution in the region,” Wang said.

Planned to be completed in 2019, the planetarium will be built within the Tibet Museum of Natural Sciences in Tibet’s provincial capital Lhasa, the department said.

Dubbed the “Roof of the World” on account of its position 4,000 meters above sea level, Tibet has superb clear skies, ideal for astronomical observation, it said.

whimsical Helicopter Water Spray, Delhi Streets Never Cleaned

ON NOVEMBER 10, 2017 BY NARESH SAGARLEAVE A COMMENTEDIT

November10, 2017 (C) Ravinder Singh progressindia2015@gmail.com

When NGT, Gadkari and Kejriwal talk of Water Spray by‘Helicopters’ it reflects administrative LUNATICS. Irrigation Sprinklers can be Mounted on High Rise Buildings – Connected to Fire Pumps – Provide Artificial Rain for 1-2 hours every day. 4 Story Homes with booster pumps can also provide Rains for 30 minutes every day.

Farm Irrigation Sprinklers is Better Option the High Cost DRIP IRRIGATION – a set of Portable Sprinklers can irrigate 10-20 Times more area than Fixed Drip Irrigation. Obviously Sprinklers can suppress DUST Particles.

Desert Cooler I use clean 100,000 M3 air every day of use for 15 hours – Home space is only 300 M3 – 300 Times. 1 million of these can Clean 30 Billion Cubic Meter of air every day; in 200 days in a year in Delhi shall clean 6 Trillion Cubic Meter of air annually.

Kerosene Stove, Desert Cooler and Sprinklers were my SIGNIFICANT Inventions in 1975-78 but Thugs in NRDC-DST didn’t support these.

Sunita Narain and Bhure Lals are extreme DULLARDS – were actually supporting BRT for example giving FAKE DATA.

Himalayan Foot Hill States Punjab to Bihar produces 50% ofFoods from 16% Land – so pollution generated by Farming activity get trapped.

Ø 16% area burns 200 million tones of Coal and around 60 million tones of petroleum

Ø 100% of Power in the BELT could come from HYDRO-POWER, 140,000 MW from J&K to Nepal. We can bakeBricks in Electric Ovens like Biscuits. Region could be so clean.

Ø Water in Storages could 50% released in Rivers to keep them Clean forever.

Ø UP alone produces 145 million tones of Sugar Cane which harvested during Winter, Compared to 6 million tones in Punjab.

Ø Stubble is not the real issue, GROSSLY INCOMPTENT Press has made it FOCUS ISSUE. Why can’t DELHI Ban registration of Motorized Vehicles? Over 10m in Delhi or 3 per household if we exclude Slum Dwellers.

Ø 50% cut in Petrol & Diesel supply to PRIVATE CARS in Winter– Ban 1500 CC Plus Diesel Vehicles in Winter – would be effective.

Ø Punjab cultivates Paddy on 6.86% area produces 11.33% Rice by Weight – 20% by Value – half of area under Basmati. BUT —

Ø Why can’t Delhi UBERISE Bus service in Delhi – in addition to shared Taxis, High Capacity Electric Rickshaws like in Thailand?

Ø Delhi Streets are Frequently Dug Up several times a year – but not Cleaned even once but for rains. Broom Cleaning couple of times in a year – creates dust cloud that settles soon after on the road itself. AT THIS TIME WATER CONSUMPTION reduces so Roads can be WASHED once a week – and Drains cleaned once a month.

Ø Corrupted ‘Almost All High Level’ Highway & Infrastructure Projects are BIGGEST Source of Earth Movement – Haven’t seen Sprinklers use at such sites – diversions through farm land throw tones of Dust.

BUT

Ø GOI has no LOCAL FOOD PRODUCTION Policy. Wheat & Rice produced by Punjab is Exported, Punjab imports Vegetable Oils for Example.

Ø CROP Diversion failed in Punjab when ADANI Procured OILSEEDS from Punjab and processed in its own oil mills in MP or Gujarat. There is actually Two Way Flow of Vegetable Oils. Most Fruits and Vegetables and Foods can be locally produced.

Ø 80% water released in Rajasthan Canal is WASTED and leaked in to ground – but not available to Punjab to EARLY Transplanting of Paddy from April End to Be Harvested in by September end.

Ø Long Transplanting & Harvesting Can completely avoid LABOR SHORTAGE – Manual Harvesting can EFFECTIVELY Solve the STUBBLE Burning.

Ø GoI may consider MNREGA Funds for Paddy Harvesting in Punjab – this second intervention and Paddy Straw can be exported to Rajasthan for Foddar or burn in Power Plants.

Ravinder Singh, Inventor & Consultant, INNOVATIVE TECHNOLOGIES AND PROJECTS

Y-77, Hauz Khas, ND -110016, India. Ph: 091- 8826415770 [4G], 9871056471, 9718280435,

Ravinder Singh* is a WIPO awarded inventor specializing in Power, Transportation,

Smart Cities, Water, Energy Saving, Agriculture, Manufacturing, Technologies and Projects

Govts told to act fast to tackle air ‘emergency’

HC Gives Union Environment Secy 72 Hours To Draft Plan To Cut Pollution

Calling it an “emergency situation”, Delhi high court on Thursday issued orders to water roads and gave 72 hours to the Union environment secretary to chalk out a plan to improve air quality in the capital.

However, a bench of Justices S Ravindra Bhat and Sanjeev Sachdeva questioned the decision of authorities to hike parking fee four-fold while recommending full ban on construction activity.

“If you bring odd-even for a few days we understand, but increasing parking fee, what is this? If people go for some emergency, why would they pay four times? This is forcing people to keep walking,” the bench remarked, as it gave a slew of directions to improve deteriorating air quality.

The court also asked the state government to consider the option of cloud seeding to induce rainfall artificially as an immediate step to bring down dust and particulate matter in the air, along with watering of roads.

It also directed Delhi government to seriously consider a ban on further construction in the city and implement odd-even vehicle usage scheme as a short-term measure.

“Chief secretaries of Delhi, Punjab, Haryana and Uttar Pradesh as well as the Union secretary shall hold a meeting immediately in the next three days and work out a joint short-term action plan to ensure that air quality lev el comes down within acceptable limits. The said officials should also consider feasibility of cloud seeding. Meeting should be chaired by the Union environment secretary,” the bench directed.

HC’s intervention came after senior advocate and amicus curiae Kailash Vasdev told the court that emergent steps were required to improve the air quality in the city and sought an urgent hearing earlier in the day.

The court then directed standing counsel Naushad Ahmed Khan to ensure there is no vehicular congestion on the roads and traffic police exercises “zero tolerance“ to violations. It also said the top brass must provide masks to personnel on duty as they are being subjected to the “deadly mixture of vehicular pollution, construction and road dust and stubble burning.”

Recalling the London smog, HC identified it as “pea soup fog. It is a killer. Stubble burning is the visible villain in it, but there are other elephants in the room.”

The court also took on record the steps proposed to be taken by Delhi Pollution Control Committee, including quadrupling of parking fees in the city, ban on entry of trucks, except those carrying essential commodities, prohibition on construction activities, increasing services of metro and DTC, cleaning of roads, banning brick kilns and stopping use of firewood and coal in hotels.

The court was hearing a PIL initiated by it to curb air pollution in the national capital. It has been issuing directions time-to-time in this regard. On Tuesday, HC had sought reports of action taken by all neighbouring states to clamp down on stubble burning. Amicus Vasudev had then called for contempt proceedings against key officials blaming them for sitting on court orders.

Stubble burning an economic issue that needs real solution, not political rhetoric

Captain Amarinder Singh

The winter season is yet to fully set in and we are already in the midst of a serious crisis resulting from the rising air pollution and smog levels in the northern states of India. It is not my intent here to undermine or negate this problem which has grave implications for all of us, including Punjab. What I do have an issue with is the manner in which Punjab is being crucified for a problem that is far more deep-rooted and complex than is being made out to be.

Amidst the loud political rhetoric, the real issue is all but getting sidelined, with a clear lack of understanding about the problem, which is more economic than political in nature. The search for political solutions to the issue is, therefore, meaningless.

Coming now to the economic aspect of the problem, let us look at the options available to the farmers. There have been suggestions that the paddy straw could be collected and transported out of the fields for collective technological management. Now that would be an excellent solution if only it were feasible. The sheer cost involved in so managing the huge amount of paddy straw left behind every season is mind-boggling and simply out of the reach of the farmers. And, unfortunately, the state government also lacks the funds needed to take on such an onerous task.

In any case, I am told by agricultural experts and scientists that there currently exist no sustainable technological solutions to collect and transport the large quantities of paddy straw, nor is there any effective biological solution to decompose the paddy straw within the 15-day window existing between harvesting of paddy and sowing of wheat. In the circumstances, burning the residue emerges as the simplest and cheapest solution to the problem.

There are many who, without really grasping the intricacies of the issue, talk of strict enforcement of the law banning stubble burning. Let me ask them, in all honesty, whether they really expect me and my government to penalize the farmers for trying to earn their livelihood and ensure the survival of their near and dear ones? Would that not be more criminal than the act for which we are condemning them?

That is not to say that we are in favour of burning paddy straw, which, admittedly, is a dangerous way of managing residue. My only submission is that instead of crucifying my government or my farmers, let us put our heads together to find an impactful and permanent solution to the problem.

At our end, we have been raising the issue at various fora and I have personally taken it up with the Prime Minister. I had requested him in July to provide Rs.100 per quintal on paddy MSP as incentive to farmers for crop residue management. I have now again written to him, underscoring the urgent need to address the problem through incentivisation of the farmers. I have also requested him to convene a meeting of all the chief ministers concerned and Union ministers of agriculture, food and environment to resolve the matter. Punjab is a sufferer and would be most happy to find a solution to the problem.

At the state level, I have held various discussions with representatives of farmer unions, who agree that the problem is serious but also, at the same time, feel that simply registering criminal cases against farmers will not solve it.

In another initiative, my government has set up a Paddy Straw Challenge Fund of $ 1 million dollars for scientists globally to come up with a technological solution. I have also met the Japanese industry to explore large-scale production of ethanol from paddy straw. The industrial methodology for it is still in a nascent stage and I have personally urged various Japanese companies to help us in the matter.

In the meantime, it is my humble request to all not to make sweeping and simplistic judgements and obfuscate the real issue. The problem needs to be understood before it can be solved. And real problems need real solutions, not political rhetoric.

(The writer is the chief minister of Punjab)

Time to team up and end gas chamber: CM

Kejri Invites States, Centre To Dialogue Table

Announcing implementation of the odd-even scheme from Monday for five days, chief minister Arvind Kejriwal on Thursday appealed that keeping political differences aside, the Centre, Haryana, Punjab and Delhi governments should come together to find a permanent solution to stubble burning that leads to high pollution year after year.

Kejriwal said that the “gas chamber-like situation” will remain “till viable economic alternatives to crop burning are found by the states.” He added that banning entry of trucks, construction activity and introducing odd-even are just emergency measures and not the solution to high pollution levels.

“North India becomes a gas chamber when crop burning happens. It cannot be stopped by force. It is an economic problem for which the governments of Punjab and Haryana will have to find a viable economic solution. I have, therefore, sought time from both CMs. I don’t know what the problems of those states are, but I thought that if they are raising their voices on the issue then I want to join forces with them to find a solution,” Kejriwal said.

The CM said that two of the state chiefs are yet to give him time to discuss the matter. “I appeal again that we must rise above politics and come together to assess the situation and the economic costs involved in making way for alternatives to stubble burning,” Kejriwal added.

“Data on crop burning and its impact should be collated and studied as to how it is impacting health and the cost of treatment for the common man. Even if the economic alternatives to stubble burning are high, so are the health costs. The governments must consider taking measures to protect precious lives,” the CM said.

Asking the other states to understand the gravity of the problem, the CM said that the data on pollution is an alarm bell for all parties and all governments taking into consideration the health of every single person and child.

“Crop burning starts from October 25 and goes on till November 15. Data from September shows that PM10 level was 300 and PM2.5 was 160. Now PM10 level is 940 and PM2.5 750. The increase is clearly not due to local reasons. We cannot find a solution till we understand the problem,” Kejriwal asserted.

Delhi government, on its part, has initiated all emergency measures required for now, said Kejriwal citing the meeting with the LG on Wednesday.

CTA’s refusal to give answers about Penpa Tsering, Representative, Office of Tibet, USA raises more questions

ON NOVEMBER 10, 2017 BY NARESH SAGARLEAVE A COMMENTEDIT

9 November, 2017
The Deputy President of the Central Tibetan Administration (CTA) Karma Gelek convened a press conference concerning the dismissal of the current Representative of the Dalai Lama to North America, but didn’t provide any information about it.Kashag (the Exile Tibetan Cabinet) has asked Penpa Tsering to leave the post at the end of this month. The current Education Minister of CTA Ngodup Tsering will take charge in his place.
Gelek’s dissembling press conference created more confusion than clarity as to why Penpa Tsering has been relieved of his duties.

He said that Penpa Tsering had been served three warning notices asking him to mend his ways regarding the performance of his duties. He refused to give any details what the warnings were about, saying that it was an internal matter.

This reporter requested Gelek to take two questions, but he said that journalists were to ask only one question each, and that the press conference had to be finished in ten minutes.

As this story would remain incomplete without getting answers to the two questions, this reporter walked out to express dissatisfaction with Gelek’s overbearing manner.

On Tuesday CTA President Lobsang Sangay had no comments when journalists asked him questions after Penpa Tsering’s ouster was announced.

During the elections last year, differences between Lobsang Sangay and Penpa Tsering, the two contenders for the post of Sikyong (President of the Central Tibetan Administration), led to discord in the exile Tibetan community.

The Dalai Lama, who has retired as the political leader of exile Tibetans, but still remains as the head of state of the Tibetan people, gave a dressing-down to both the men for their aggressive election campaigning, causing disharmony in the exile Tibetan community.

It is believed that at the suggestion of the Dalai Lama, Lobsang Sangay appointed Penpa Tsering as the Representative of North America to pacify the divided exile Tibetan community.

It seems that Penpa Tsering has now been dismissed in a continuation of election grudges.
There are rumours on the Internet that Penpa Tsering faced this retribution after they engaged in a squabble during a meeting of the Representatives of the various Offices of Tibet after the 5/50 Conference in Dharamshala a month ago.

Penpa Tsering is said to have raised the issue at the meeting of a loan taken for purchase of a new building to house the Office of Tibet in Washington DC. A loan of 1.5 million dollars was taken from Tibet Fund is not being shown in any Office of Tibet’s records for remittance. The purchase was made during the term of Tsering’s predecessor Kaydor Aukatsang, who is a close friend of Sangay.
One of the questions this reporter intended to ask was concerning this issue.

There is growing call for the Kashag to reveal the reasons for Penpa Tsering’s dismissal. Due to the Kashag’s unaccountable behaviour, there are more questions than answers.