Himalayan Times (1952)

I "*o liiimahiurtn March 30, 1952

PEDONG EXHIBITION. 1952

By Sub Divisional Publicity Officer. Kalimpong.

This year's gathering
in the Pedong Kxhibition
which commenced on the
20th and concluded on the
23rd of March, '52 attrac-
ted larger number of people
on the 2nd and 3rd days
than ever before.

Visitors from places like
Kupup and Natnong the
eastern most frontier of
Sikkim a n d Pakvong
and Rhenock were also
seen in the exhibition.
The opening of the beauti-
ful miles road between
Algarah and Pedong to
the motor traflic has con-
tributed much to the
success of the exhibition.

Exhibits of various
species from Agricultural
produce, Forests, Cottage
industries, Live Stock and
Sericulture etc were beau-
tifully displayed. Drive
for Silk industry and Bee
keeping with practical
demonstration by the
Sericulture Dept and Mr.

J. D. Macdonald manager
of M unsong Cinchona
Plantation respectively
were the centres of attrac-
tion during the day times.
The activities of the Pub-
licity Dept with its 10
m.m. and 35 m.m. Cinema
Shows which had been
the main item of attrac-
tion this year, contributed
much to the success of
the exhibition. The Police
Band from Darjeeling had

also added to the beauty
of the exhibition.

The exhibition was
opened by Mrs. K Sen.
In their speeches Sri K.
Sen. l.c s. D. 0. Darjeeling
and Sri B.K.' Bhattacharva
D. Lilt. T. A S, S. D. 0.
Kalimporg enumerated the
various schemes that they
have recommended to Govt
for social and economic
upliftmeiu of the rural
people in the district. The
age long rural indebtedness
of the people and the
exploitations by the money
lenders within and without
had been engaging the
attention of the authorities
to find out what suita-
ble measures could he
adopted to eradicate the
social ills and give econo-
mic relief to the tillers
of the soil. Government
has sanctioned Rs. fi.o
thousand for this district
to start with as an ex-
periment in this direction
to pay back the agricul-
tural loan of the peasants
out of which Us. 20
thousand has been given
to Kalimpong Sub Division.
But there are other diffi-
culties too and as such to
put tco much of hope at
this stage for the success
of the scheme is rather di-
fficult to forecast. Paying
back of loans have already
star 'd in some of the
blocki after the cases have

been carefully scrutenised
by the Khasmahal Depar-
tment. Both the D. C. and
the S. 1). O. also hinted
that if the scheme would
not work well some sorts
of legislation would have
to be introduced to protect
the peasants from economic
wreck.

Sri B.K. Bhattacharva
S D. 0. who hud visited
all the 52 khasmahal
blocks and 2 Cinchona
Plantation at Munsong
and Kongo and also the
tea gardens A: D. I. F.
Hats in the interiors
within so short a time
dwelt on the various prob.
lems of the hill people
gathered from his personal
contacts while on tour
He was definite that if
all the schemes lie had
recommended to the G- vt.
materialised there would
come a vast change in the
speedy dovelopement of
the economic & social
status of the hill people.

He wished the hill
people every success in all
walks of life, lb? also said
that the doors were always
open to the hill people
iti all branch of services
but that they must work
hard to become fit enough
for them.

Road problems:
.Scheme to op *n a motor-
(Conlinnrrf on page #>)