Latest news with #Sikkim-based
Scroll.in
25-07-2025
- Politics
- Scroll.in
Living in the shadow of glaciers and dams: A Himalayan ticking time-bomb
Play Chungthang is a small town located at an altitude of around 5,500 feet above sea level in Sikkim. Wooden homes line its streets and prayer flags flutter in the mountain breeze. But the picturesque town is now eclipsed by an unmissable sight: a 60-metre-high hydropower dam, ripped apart at its centre. It stands as a reminder of the devastation caused by the deadly glacial lake outburst flood of 2023. A GLOF occurs when a lake formed by glacial melt suddenly collapses or overflows – triggered by events like heavy rainfall, landslides, or earthquakes. On October 3, 2023, the South Lhonak lake burst and the waters cascaded down, destroying one of India's largest hydropower projects, the 1,200 megawatt Teesta III dam at Chungthang. As the dam's debris swirled downstream in the Teesta river, the flood unleashed further destruction. At least 57 people were killed across Sikkim and West Bengal. A year and half later, the government sanctioned the rebuilding of the Teesta III dam. 'If they build the dam again, there is no future for the people of Chungthang,' said Mayalmit Lepcha, general secretary of Affected Citizens of Teesta, a Sikkim-based movement that has been resisting dam construction for nearly two decades. The Teesta is dotted with nearly 10 large hydropower projects and locals blame these dams for amplifying the 2023 flood's impact. Scroll's Vaishnavi Rathore and Kritika Pant travelled along the Teesta, meeting survivors of the 2023 flood, many of whom are still living in relief camps. In this report, supported by the Pultizer Center, they explore the question: Should India be building dams in a region vulnerable to glacial lake bursts?
Time of India
23-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Time of India
Ozzy's loss feels like losing a godfather, says Girish Pradhan of Girish & The Chronicles
Collage of Girish Pradhan on the Black Sabbath bridge and Ozzy Osbourne at his last concert For Girish Pradhan, frontman of Sikkim-based rock band Girish & The Chronicles , Ozzy Osbourne wasn't just a music legend — he was a guiding force. 'This is a sad day for rock'n'roll,' said Pradhan. 'Ozzy left a lasting influence on anyone into rock music — including us, as teenagers in Gangtok in the late '90s, getting into rock and metal through pirated tape compilations called things like Greatest Rock Hits . I remember one had Paranoid and Rock'n'Roll Doctor — me and my brother Yogesh [GATC bassist] loved those songs right off the bat. Later, when we really dove in, it was War Pigs and Black Sabbath that hooked us.' Though Pradhan gravitated towards high-octane vocalists like Bruce Dickinson and Rob Halford, he says Ozzy's subtle power left a unique imprint. 'I was more into the screaming vocal style — Iron Maiden, Judas Priest, the stuff that traced its roots back to Robert Plant and Janis Joplin. But Ozzy gave me a very different perspective. His note selection, phrasing, timing — all of it had a huge influence on my songwriting. The way he built melodies with Black Sabbath was something else.' Just weeks before Ozzy's final farewell concert in Birmingham, Girish found himself in the city — almost serendipitously. 'Me and my wife landed up in Birmingham on July 7. There was a visa issue and we missed the show on the 6th — though we had tickets through friends. Still, it was a beautiful tour. First thing I did when we landed was head to this massive Black Sabbath museum with a huge poster of Ozzy welcoming you to the city. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like End Season Sale: Special Discount Luxury Watches Buy Now Undo And then, there we were, at the town square — Black Sabbath mania all around us, and right in the middle of it, a Bollywood film was being shot! (laughs) It was surreal.' Despite Ozzy's towering presence in his life, Girish never got to see him live. 'Iron Maiden came to India — I didn't go. I've never seen Ozzy live. That's why this loss hits so hard. It feels like losing a godfather. It wasn't just his songs or that unique voice. It was his persona, his presence — the way he brought the metal community together. He was the centre of it all.' For GATC, Ozzy's influence runs deep. 'No other band has shaped and influenced the world of metal like the Ozzy era of Black Sabbath. That's who Ozzy will always be for me. In fact, we named our first album Back on Earth — after his song. He truly was the guiding force for us musicians.'
