Trinamul divided over no-trust

Statesman News Service

MALDA,( India) Nov. 29 — The councillors’ board meeting held today in Malda indicated that a section of Trinamul Congress leaders is not willing to support a no-confidence motion against the present Left Front-backed board.

Trinamul leader Ms Sumala Agarwal has been assigned by Miss Mamata Banerjee to unite the Trinamul councillors who remain divided over the issue.

The absence of the rebel leader, Mr Dulal Sarkar, from today’s board meeting raised eyebrows of other Trinamul Congress councillors.

Following requests of Trinamul councillors, Miss Banerjee had to summon the leaders including Mr KN Chowdhury, the party’s district president, and Mr Dulal Sarkar, councillor, to resolve their differences.

The meeting resolved that in the interest of the party and to retain control over the board, both groups will work together and move a no-confidence motion against the present board with the help of Congress councillors.

But, the plan of the Trinamul supremo seemed a distant dream today with the absence of the rebel leader, Mr Dulal Sarkar, from the meeting.

A section of leaders felt that it will be difficult for the party to move the motion without the help of Congress and BJP councillors.

Of the total 25 elected councillors, the Left Front was able to form the board with its 11 councillors.

The Independent candidate for the chairman’s post, backed by the Left Front, had managed to get two votes from Congress and Trinamul councillors.

Opposition councillors have protested against the present board’s decision to slash taxes, terming it as ‘illegal’.

Interestingly, Congress councillor Mr Biswanath Guho has supported the board’s decision to slash taxes settled by the erstwhile Trinamul-BJP board.

The ruling CPI-M councillors have decided to focus on the issue, saying that the Opposition does not care about the people.

Chairman Mr NR Ghosh adjourned the board meeting when it turned into a war of words over the tax issue.

The district president of the Trinamul Congress and former chairman of the board, Mr KN Choudhury, said: “This board cannot change the rate of taxes. We must enforce a no-confidence motion against them later. I don’t know the reason for Mr Dulal Sarkar’s absence but he has clearly violated the directive of Miss Banerjee.” #

Highways on a check

Statesman News Service

MALDA, ( India) . Nov. 28. — The Malda administration today assured that it would seriously look into the matter of bad condition of the national highways as early as possible, following an agitation staged by the District Commercial Owners Forum and after a memorandum put forward by the Daily Passengers Association. Though both the organisations are usually involved in bickering, but on this particular issue, they have demanded immediate restoration of the damaged national and state highways. As such, the District Commercial Owners Forum today, launched an agitation programme before the district magistrate’s office and submitted their 13 points charter of demands for the repair of the roads and the national highways.The bus operators have also demanded eviction of those encroaching upon either side of the roads by building shops and motels and also highlighted the problem of goods carriers violating government rules. Where, the Daily Passengers’ Association has demanded revision of private bus fare in almost all the routes based on the proper calculation of mileage on different routes, the bus owners today asked the administration to take initiatives to circulate leaflets urging the people to pay proper bus fare as per the schedule framed by the administration recently. The people, including private car owners and inter-state truck drivers are very unhappy with the present condition of the roads, mainly the NH-34 and also the state highways across the district, connecting the international immigration check-post at Mehadipur in English Bazaar. On the other hand, both the state implementation agency as well as the district administration, are clueless about the fate of the NH-34 regarding immediate repairing of the roads, owing to the recent administrative changes of responsibilities for the road in this region. “We do not know when and how the damaged bridge on the NH-34 would be restored at Ballarpur near Farakka,” said an engineer of NH Division VII. The ministry of road transport and highways has reportedly handed over the charges to the National Highway Authority of India but no decision has been taken to set the situation right, sources said. The condition of the NH-34 in Malda and Murshidabad, under the NH Division VII, is very bad and owing to the damaged bridge on NH-34, traffic jams for hours at a stretch every day is a common phenomenon. “For over a kilometre, there is virtually no proper travelling route on the NH-34 in Murshidabad,” said Mr Subrata Das, a private car owner in Malda.

Malda Cong in solidarity show

Statesman News Service

MALDA,( India) , Nov. 27 — In a show of solidarity with Mr Adhir Chowdhury’s supporters, Mr ABA Ghani Khan Choudhuri and the Malda district Congress president, Mrs Rubi Noor, said they had decided to send two of their representatives to join the agitation tomorrow when Mr Chowdhury would be produced in court.

The announcement coincided with the PCC executive committee meeting on the issue today. Mrs Noor said: “The police could not restore peace in Sujapur and Kaliachak areas. Peace cannot be restored in ‘lawless’ Kaliachak police station area until the CPI-M leader who is the mastermind behind the clash between various groups including criminals and political supporters is arrested’’.

The district Congress president has criticised the role of the police for arresting dozens of people including innocent ones from that area.

“The police have not arrested the CPI-M leaders even after they were accused of several criminal cases”, Mrs Noor alleged.

On the other hand, Mr Dilip Kumar Mondal, the Malda SP, said: “We have already arrested more than a dozen criminals and their leaders will be arrested soon”.

It was reported that the Malda SP had conducted a peace meeting at Sujapur on the request of Mr Ghani Khan Choudhury a few days ago after serial political clashes between two groups of criminals that claimed five lives this year.

Mrs Noor denied any difference of opinion among the Malda Congress leaders on the Adhir issue at a time when Union defence minister Mr Pranab Mukherjee talked tough at a PCC executive meeting in Kolkata against legislature party leader Mr Atish Sinha for his conflicting views.

“Mr Sinha was not correct in his stand when he said that Adhir is anti-social”, Mr Mukherjee said criticising Mr Sinha, yesterday. “Atish will have to face the consequences”, Mr Mukherjee announced.

The Malda Congress leaders, including the zilla parishad sabhadhipati, Mr Goutam Chakraborty, termed Mr Chowdhury as the “ muscleman” in Congress politics.

Factional feuds mark PCC meet

Even as Congress MP Mr Adhir Chowdhury is cooling his heels in jail, a perennially divided state Congress leadership today failed to come up with a spirited campaign against the CPI-M’s ‘political conspiracy’ to keep him behind bars till the Assembly poll.

Instead, the PCC leaders were busy in factional feuds during the PCC executive committee meeting held this afternoon. The meeting was called to chalk out agitation programmes on the issue.

PCC president and defence minister Mr Pranab Mukherjee later announced that some of the party MLAs and leaders, including the chiefs of four frontal organisations, would attend three protest rallies at Behrampore tomorrow.

Mr Chowdhury will be produced before the court tomorrow. Mr Mukherjee made it clear that party workers would not be allowed to defy the prohibitory order that had been clamped on the court premises.

While Kolkata’s former mayor Mr Subrata Mukherjee and former MP Mr Sudip Banerjee and senior MLAs including Mr HC Khan Choudhury, Mr Abdul Mannan and Mr Sankar Singh would attend the rallies, party heavyweights like Mr Somen Mitra and Mr Pradip Bhattacharjee would be conspicuous by their absence.

While the faction close to the Union information and broadcasting minister Mr Priya Ranjan Das Munshi had insisted on announcing the date for ‘Writers’ siege’, Mr Mukherjee said there were several proposals including the one for a Bangla Bandh.

The programmes will be declared at the Congress rally at Shahid Minar on 3 December in Kolkata , formerly known as Calcutta.

Indicating his displeasure with state Congress legislature party leader Mr Atish Sinha for his refusal to attend the rallies in favour of Mr Chowdhury, the PCC president said: “ we are examining procedures before taking action against him.’’

The veteran CLP leader is known as the bete noire of the jailed MP in the district party.

The PCC office today witnessed slogan-shouting by some Congress workers who were demanding expulsion of ‘traitor Sinha’ while another group raised slogans hailing Nadia Congress chief Mr Sankar Singh, considered close to Mr Chowdhury. # Additional reporting by Kolkata office .

Posted on 28 Nov. 2005 at 18.50 (hours) IST.

Text book in trying times

Statesman News Service

MALDA,( India) , Nov. 27. — Malda primary school teachers belonging to the CPI-M, have backed the Nikhil Banga Primary Teacher’s Association in criticising the technique adopted for the distribution of text books in schools.

They announced that they would submit their complaint to the chairman of district primary school council. The protesting group alleged that more than fifty per cent of the primary schools had not received textbooks from government.

Moreover, some textbooks that the schools received were delivered six months after the beginning of the school’s academic session because they were not printed on time.

“Students of class III and IV had got the textbooks of Mathematics and Bengali after six months because the education department has adopted new syllabus for these books. As a result we faced problems conducting quarterly evaluation report of the students”, a primary school teacher said.

The speakers also demanded that the entire distribution system needs an overhaul, so that the students for the new session do not suffer.

Reports state that the district headquarters usually cater the text books to the school through its offices across the district.

But there is no proper system for its distribution from the distribution offices to the respective schools located in remote villages.

A primary school teacher told the reporters: “A visit to the Mangalbari distribution office in Old Malda block will prove that most of the times, the textbooks are lying there in stacks. There is no one there to undertake the responsibility to distribute them on time.”

On the other hand, the introduction of the mid-day meal project in schools has turned out to be successful.

Officials have recorded remarkable attendance of the students in primary schools after the implementation of mid-day meal project, which comprises of distributing free food to school students.

Despite of it being a difficult task for the primary schools for distributing food to school students owing to lack of sufficient funds, the teacher in schools located in remote villages stated that it made them happy to see children coming to school regularly. The food serves as a good bait. #

Posted on 28 Nov. 2005 at 17.33 IST

Fighting polio with a little help

Statesman News Service

MALDA, (India) , Nov. 27. — Mrs Kalpana Khound, the Rotary chief of north Bengal and Northeast region, sought cooperation from the Malda DM, Mr Abhijit Choudhuri, for setting up a polio corrective surgery camp in the district at the inauguration programme of the pulse polio campaign drive in Malda district at Buraburitala, of the English Bazaar Municiplity on Sunday.

At the inauguration programme, the Rotarians sought help from a polio victim, 35-year-old Bakul Chandra Das , to pose as its model for the pulse polio campaign held at the Buraburitala camp. Bakul Chandra Das, who is himself physically handicapped, reached the camp with his four year old son, Mahadev Das to administer pulse polio drops to his child.

Mr Das is a fruit trader, who discontinued education after class V due to poverty and started work inspite of his physical disability. It was a real challenge for Mr Das, who purchased a rickshaw eight years ago from an agency, after the recommendation of the local political groups belonging to the LF.

The Malda zilla parishad sabhadhipati, Mr Goutam Chakraborty inaugurated the polio drive campaign, which was also attended by the district magistrate, chief medical officer and other top officials in the district.

“There are pockets in Kaliachak I, besides, Chanchal I, Kaliachak II Harishchandrapur I and its adjoining areas that have been selected as highly sensitive and resistance pockets and have been hampering the success of the pulse polio drive”, said Dr GC Sarkar, the Malda CMOH.

The Malda administration has decided to pay attention to the border areas between Bengal and Jharkhand after the detection of many new polio cases in those regions, said Mr Abhijit Choudhuri, the Malda district magistrate.

“I have also visited the pulse polio immunisation camps in the bordering area near Manikchak block and its islands on the river Ganges connecting Jharkhand areas”, Mr. Choudhuri further informed .

On the other hand, Mrs Khound told that the Rotary would organise polio corrective surgery camps in Patna and Bihar Sarif from 4 December-9 December, where many specialists will take part and a similar programme will also be held in the Jharkhand state.

Posted on 28 Nov.2005 at 15.56 IST.

PCC meet on Adhir today

Statesman News Service

MALDA,(India) Nov. 26. — Union minister for information and broadcasting, Mr Priya Ranjan Das Munshi, said that programmes and strategies on the issue of Adhir’s arrest will be discussed and formulated in the PCC meeting on 27 November.

Though he refused to comment on the recent statement of the former PCC chief, Mr Somen Mitra, he said: “One of the movements to show ire against this ‘political conspiracy’ will be a Bangla bandh.”

Yesterday, Mr Mitra told reporters that: “Adhir came in light and got ticket from my house. Who is crying, who is laughing it is not my concern. I will help Adhir accordingly.”

Sources said that Mr Das Munshi is in “trouble” on the issue of division of state Congress, following the statement of Mr Mitra on this issue.

Denying any such allegations, Mr Das Munshi today said that such allegations were baseless. “Who told you that the Congress is divided? The Congress is united. We will not compromise and fight against the CPI-M’s conspiracy.”

Without mentioning Mr Somen Mitra, the minister said that Mr Subrata Mukherjee would be coming to Behrampore to stage a demonstration on 28 November, the day on which Adhir Chowdhary will be produced in the court.

“The administration has done its duty, it is good, imposing section 144 Cr. P.C. to maintain law and order near the Court, Mr. Das Munshi said.

Pranab visits jailed leader

Behrampore, Nov. 26. — The Pradesh Congress president and Union defence minister, Mr Pranab Mukherjee, today met the Behrampore MP, Mr Adhir Chowdhury, who is in the judicial custody at Behrampore Central Correctional Home for a twin murder case.

The defence minister and Jangipur MP, Mr Mukherjee, said: “Adhir was framed by the CPI-M. I protest against such fabrication of charges against a person. Even if a CPI-M worker is victimised this way, I will protest. We will go ahead with our protest programmes.”

He also attended a party programme at the district Congress office here today, where Adhir loyalists demanded action against rebel leaders like Mr Atish Sinha.

Party sources said that Mr Mukherjee has brushed aside the demand and made it clear that Mr Sinha won’t be denied an election ticket. On 28 November, the district Congress will organise a rally at Behrampore to protest Mr Chowdhury’s arrest. SNS

In the name of adoption

Adoption is fine, but must follow legal guidelines.
Manas R Bannerjee on a recent seminar on the issue

Each day, more and more children are trafficked into prostitution, forced labour, child marriage, domestic servitude and other slavery-like conditions. Such trafficking often takes place in the name of adoption.

Moreover, despite strict regulations, illegal “adoption” from nursing homes and hospitals also continues unabated.

The issue of adoption was discussed at a seminar organised recently by the West Bengal Council for Child Welfare in collaboration with Malda district administration (social welfare) and West Bengal co-ordination agency on adoption.

Talks were also held on the Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act 2000 and the system of legal adoption in case of abandoned and neglected babies.

The officials pointed out that often, abandoned and neglected babies – mostly born of unmarried women or widows – were being sent, illegally of course, to foreign countries.

Invitations to the conclave were sent to officials from different fields such as health care, police and judiciary, in a bid to spread awareness about the system of adoption as per the guidelines of the Supreme Court.

However, there were no participants to represent the police and the judiciary.Plans are afoot to set up a Shishu Griho (children’s home) in each district in the state.

The institution will be established either by the government or by any voluntary organisation and then be certified by the government under section 34.

The government will also expend a sum of Rs 6 lakh every year towards maintenance of the institution, including legal expenditure for care and protection of at least 10 abandoned babies.

Currently, there are only a few organisations in West Bengal, including Missionaries of Charity, dedicated to the upbringing of abandoned babies.

The district judge is the only authority that can execute the adoption procedure following recommendation of the scrutinising committee, an official said. But despite all measures, adoption via the traditional method – that is, without going through the legal nitty-gritty – continues everywhere. And authorities are able to do nothing to curb it.

In Malda district too, in eastern India, the social welfare department has not been able to curb the traditional adoption system.

A recent such incident in the outskirts of English Bazar will exemplify the enormity of the problem.

A couple longing for a male baby – though not childless – adopted the son of a poor rickshaw puller. The latter, of course, gave up his child because of poverty. All that the foster parents did to cement the process was pay betel, nuts and a few copper coins and conduct some rituals.

When the event came to light via newspaper reports, the district administration issued an order to the social welfare department to take legal action, but there is yet to be any development on that front.

Such incidences of “adoption” are common and, of course, without any government record.

There was another case in a village near English Bazar some years ago that created a stir in the local dailies.

A childless Muslim couple “adopted” a poor labourer’s baby because the latter, already a father of five, was neither able to provide for the newborn nor take care of his wife during the delivery.

The foster father, an Army man in Murshidabad, offered to take care of the labourer’s wife’s medical expenses in lieu of the baby. Naturally, the poor couple agreed.

Despite the fact that such “adoptions” may bring a smile to many, WBCCW honorary general secretary Mr Anil Kumar Bhunia emphasised the need to follow the legal procedure for rehabilitation of unwanted and abandoned babies.

Because such a process would not only leave no space for any conflict – for example, between the biological and foster parents – but also check child trafficking.

Mr Bhunia also informed that during 2004-05, 307 children including 171 female babies were adopted within the state and 174 babies including 112 girl children were adopted by couples living abroad.

Many babies have been adopted through the Kolkata-based Missionaries of Charity by couples living in Italy, he added. Similarly, other babies have been adopted by families living in the USA, Norway, Sweden, Iceland and other countries.

And although many childless couples in West Bengal refuse to adopt babies who are physically or mentally challenged or are not “good-looking” by popular standards, such children are readily accepted by couples living abroad, Mr Bhunia said.

Sources : N B Extra of The Statesman ( 25 Nov.2005)

Where wine spreads woes

Statesman News Service

MALDA. ( India) Nov. 25. — Students, including local women led by the vice-chairman of Old Malda Municipality (OMM), today staged a token hunger strike demanding eviction of many unauthorised bars for selling country liquor and fake India made foreign liquor in the school para area in ward no. 9.

The agitation was discontinued mid way following the intervention of the police and district’s administrative officials.

The students and locals alleged that the administration is reluctant to maintain law and order here and for this reason a group of traders have set up unauthorised liquor selling stalls within a 100 metres radius where four schools are located.

“Despite several reminders police are doing nothing against them”, said Mrs Tripti Pandey , the vice chairman of the OMM civic body.

They also alleged that an unauthorised stall has been set up right next to the wall of a school but nobody will protest fearing the torture of the traders who always maintain ‘friendship’ with the police.

Interestingly not only the present ruling LF board members but also the Congress board members were not much help in evicting the unauthorised liquor counters in Mangalbari areas in Old Malda.

A few months ago when a group of women had come together and demolished the unauthorised stalls which were running in the houses, police showed them another complaint against the same group of women ‘accusing’ that they had stolen valuables from the houses they ‘raided’.

Sources said that in Mangalbari all most all tea stalls and hotels ( some of them have permanent construction) located on a plot belonging to the PWD sell illegal liquor on a regular basis.Based on the statement of the excise department , administrative officials regularly conduct raid against the group responsible for making and selling “fake foreign liquor” with a view to avoid blame of the government for death after drinking that “spurious liquor”.

The excise department is also worried about the sale of original products owing to the rising trend of this fake liquor business here.

“The racket is competent enough to copy whisky brand called Teachers”, said an IAS officer. On the other hand , based on the police’s statement it was found that the excise department is reluctant to evict such unauthorised stalls who are selling country liquor procuring from the authorised counters in the district with a view to earn more revenue on total sale .

The CPI-M backed women’s wing is also upset due to the number of unauthorised local stalls at home in the slum areas failing to curb the menace in ward no 24 in the English Bazaar Municipality.

The leaders of the women wing are facing problem in protecting their members living in the slum areas who are always being tortured by their drunk husbands.

A senior leader of the CPI-M backed women wing said : “Owing to the mushrooming of unauthorised liquor counters within 100 metres of a slum area the working people spend over 50 percent of their daily wages in liquor and contribute nothing to their families. Their wives cannot protest fearing continuous torture on them and are forced to live in poverty, without educating their children”. #

Malda DM to follow fresh govt orders

Statesman News Service

MALDA, (India). Nov. 24. — The Malda district magistrate is determined to follow the latest government order to release the salary of the junior engineers engaged in the district primary education programme (DPEP) on contract basis.

The Malda DM, Mr Abhijit Choudhuri, said: “We have already released their salary on the basis of the old order and are not bothered about their demand on this issue, though they are reluctant to submit their salary statement based on the fresh government order”, Mr Choudhuri said.

It was learnt that the Malda junior engineers in DPEP are trying to form an organisation across the state demanding execution of the old order and have sent memorandum to the concerned authorities.

Trouble broke out when it was detected that at least 12 junior engineers, appointed by the administration in DPEP on contractual basis, have been drawing their remuneration on an average Rs 32,000 per month each, much more than the salary of the Malda district magistrate.

Authorities said that after detection of irregularities and misuse of government funds allotted for Sarbo Shiksha Abhijan, the state government has issued a fresh order on 30 June 2005 to check such malpractice and to disburse their remuneration on the basis of evaluation of their performance.

Recently, after fresh calculation of their salary statements on the basis of the new government order , the authorities have calculated the amount of salary for the month of July 2005 and onwards is Rs 4000 on an average which was calculated nearly Rs. 34,000 earlier.

The salary of 12 junior engineers (on contractual basis) for the month of July, August and September this year was also held up after the detection of such “corruption”, officials said.

A senior official has also objected to the abnormal claim of travelling allowances submitted by the junior engineers.

He said : “ How can a junior engineer who earlier visited 30 construction sites in a particular month visit 56 sites in the same month after receiving the fresh government order?”

“Their remuneration has been held up due to this reason”, he claimed.

Speaking to this correspondent , a senior officer of the district administration explained how the junior engineers had been able to draw excessive remuneration evading the administrative monitoring system.

He said , according to the first government order , the contractual salary structure was : “ Consolidated pay of Rs. 1000 , travelling allowance for visiting at least 40 sites in a month was Rs 1200 (fixed) and additional payment was settled at the rate of 1.75 percent on ‘financial achievement of the construction’ of additional buildings or rooms of a primary and upper primary school under the supervision of DPEP for Sarba Shiksha Abhijan”.

“The junior engineers had earned more money taking the opportunity of ‘financial achievement’ system showing ‘false’ statement of the construction report that was beyond the capacity to calculate for the officials who used to grant the salary bills”, a WBCS officer disclosed.

In order to check such misappropriation of funds , the government had to issue a fresh order to change salary structure of the junior engineers where the additional payment system has been fixed based on simple calculation.

Now a junior engineer will claim only Rs 1000 on the basis of completion certificate of one additional class room of a school. Besides , they are entitled to receive Rs 1500 consolidated pay for a month and travelling allowance of Rs 2500 per month for visiting at least 50 sites in a month.

Dengue rears its head again

Statesman News Service

MALDA, ( India) . Nov. 23 — Fresh dengue cases have been detected in English Bazaar. A group of doctors on Wednesday claimed that two women have contracted the disease.

According to them, the conditions of the two women are serious and they are being kept under the observation of specialist doctors.

Interestingly, the two cases have been detected in the heart of English Bazaar town — Government Colony and its adjoining location, Rabindra Avenue.

“Dengue has not left yet. Mrs Kumkum Nag, resident Government Colony is under the treatment of Dr Tapan Haldar and others at her residence. She is in a serious condition”, said Swami Divyananda, secretary of the Malda Ramakrishna Mission.

After visiting the patient and the area he told this correspondent: “The area is reeling under a mosquito menace. I have seen big mosquitoes which sting humans every second”.

Mr Suresh Bihani, husband of Mrs Bina Bihani, a resident of Rabindra Avenue, said: “Thank god for saving the life of my wife. I had to admit my wife to a nursing home in Kolkata and had been able to increase the plasma count which had gone down to 16,000 as shown in the blood property (platelet) test”.

Bina is now out of danger, he added.

He also said: “The district hospital needs to get such a machine for the patients so that the doctors here can increase plasma for saving the lives of dengue patients”.

Mr PR Das Munshi, Union minister for parliamentary affairs and information and broadcasting, was approached for funds to set up such a machine in the Malda district hospital for better treatment of patients.

The Malda chief medical officer of health, Dr GC Sarkar, has instructed health officials to visit the two spots and submit a report about the vector control situation there.

“Vector control is a continual process. As far as I know, the vector control programme is going on in many wards in English Bazaar”, said Dr Sarkar.

He also claimed that indoor and outdoor spraying of mosquito repellants is going on in slum areas like Buraburitala and Kulipara areas. Besides, DDT is being sprayed in the block areas of this district for the past 15 days. #

MALDA. Oct. 3. — Doctors at Malda have apparently failed to check death of children suffering from viral encephalitis.

Health authorities said symptomatic treatment could not save the lives of patients below ten years who were suffering from viral encephalitis.

Children across the district and also the neighbouring districts have been admitted to the Malda District Hospital with typical symptoms.

Most of them died during observation after provisional diagnosis, a senior government doctor said. Four such children have died of viral encephalitis and meningoencephalitis in the last two days.

“In many cases doctors didn’t get time to prescribe ‘life saving drugs’ for them before dying owing to unpredictable changes in symptoms of patients,” one of the doctors said.

“Even before being diagnosed the children have died. We were helpless after watching their a few atypical symptoms,” Dr Gopal Sarkar , the Malda CMOH, said.

He also said that there was no specific treatment for viral infection in such a situation. A child from Kaliachak III, had also died of viral encephalitis in the district hospital increasing the death toll to 46.

Today the CMOH said that another child, a resident of Tapan in South Dinajpur, suffering from viral encephalitis will die soon.

The doctors have recorded symptoms of such patients as Japanese encephalitis, encephalitis, dengue and others like enteric fever.

Doctors are also worried about the inflammation of the brain of many children who died recently in the Malda District Hospital.

The inflow of new patients suffering from high fever continued unabated in the district hospital today.

Around 47 odd patients were admitted to the district hospital today.

Over 3,700 people have been affected by this viral fever since August in this declared endemic zone claiming 46 lives till date and hundreds of such patients are being treated in the district hospital. — SNS

Statesman News Service
MALDA, Oct. 4 — The Malda district magistrate and the zilla parishad sabhadhipati today held a meeting with health officials and those of the public health engineering department for immediate disinfection of drinking water sources to reduce the cases of enteric fever.

The district has identified five blocks like Habibpur , Bamongola, Ratua I and II and Manikchak from where maximum enteric fever cases have been reported.

The district magistrate, Mr Abhijit Chaudhuri, has instructed the officials concerned to start disinfecting the drinking water sources like tubewells, wells and ponds in the five blocks.

Bleaching powder will be sprayed in the deep and shallow tubewells, wells and ponds, officials said.

The top officials have also urged the implementing agencies to do the job seriously so that the district does not face any fresh outbreak of diarrhoea in the densely-populated areas.

District health officials have urged public health engineering officials to plug leaks in the arsenic-free water pipeline.

The Malda CMOH, Dr GC Sarkar, said: “The leaks in the pipeline in the densely-populated northern and southern parts of the district will only help bio-terrorists to inject cholera virus into it and spell disaster for human life’’.

The PHE officials have expressed helplessness to check illegal tapping of pipeline water by drilling holes as the department lacks manpower in Kaliachak, English Bazaar and Manikchak areas.

Meanwhile, around 52 patients were admitted to the district hospital today.

While 32 of them have dengue symptoms, 15 are suffering from malaria fever and the remaining five are ridden with Japanese encephalitis.

The block hospitals have admitted 12 dengue-affected patients, seven malaria-affected and one with JE symptom.

Till date over 3889 patients have been affected in the district and of them 3350 have been released from government hospitals.

While the Malda district magistrate has expressed concern over the encephalitis cases detected recently claiming the lives of some children, the health authorities have expressed concern following detection of two falcepherum malaria cases in the district hospital.

The two patients have been identified as Arikul Islam, resident of Sreepur in Ratua block who has carried over the disease from Lamding in Assam and another one, a resident of Chhoto Sujapur in Kaliachak, brought the disease from Koraput in Orissa.

The health officials said: “Migrant labourers are importing such diseases here affecting others but there is no way to control the menace”. #

Death toll on the rise for other diseases

MALDA. Oct. 5. — At a time when the mystery fever death toll is nil in the last three days, the death toll is over 85 owing to other causes in the last 10 days in the district hospital, officials said today.

But the district officials were relieved today observing the condition of present admitted patients in the district hospital.

On the other hand, Malda health officials have been directed to mobilise forces for conducting survey to know details about the areas where confirmed Japanese encephalitis and malaria cases have been detected.

The officials are now collecting addresses of the patients admitted to the district hospital with a view to vector control programme and awareness generation in these affected villages.

The district hospital records showed the death toll is only three owing to encephalitis and viral encephalitis between 1 and 2 October.

From 3 to 5 October till 10 am no death case has been reported.From 1 October till the last five days, 97 fever patients were admitted to district hospital.

But the trend of admission was 67, 44 and 63 fever patients on every succeeding day. Only 17 fever patients were admitted out of 70 till 10 am today.

And the death toll is 46 owing to fever including Japanese encephalitis, encephalitis, viral encephalitis, meningoencephalitis and malaria since 30 August.

But on the other hand, the rate of death due to other causes was high, according to hospital records.

Over 85 patients died of other causes in the last 10 days. The abnormal death report due to other causes was 10 on 25 August, 16 on 27 August, 11 on 28 August, 10 on 29 August and 14 patients died on 1 October. SNS

Less funds hit literacy project

Statesman News Service
MALDA, ( India) . Nov. 22. — The Malda district administration is facing problems in initiating a literacy project in the district, as funds required for this project has not been granted by the Centre through the State Literacy Mission, officials informed Monday .

The concerned authorities said that in a survey they have identified 5,24,315 illiterates in the district in the age group 15 to 35 and have decided to render free education programme through the Project for Residual Illiteracy (PRI).

The target date set for initiating the project is 1 December of this year, with a view to set up the Continue Education Centre (CEC) in January 2006, officials informed.

According to the concerned authorities, they have selected 1,229 places across the district including the municipal areas for CEC and 87 places for setting up the Nodal CEC.

A few days ago, the district literacy cell completed a training programme for the resource persons (RPs), at the district head-quarter and have started a training programme for the master trainers (MTs) and voluntary trainers (VTs) at the block-level from today itself.

“Without execution of Project for Residual Illiteracy (PRI) it will be difficult to begin the work of CEC even with the help of the gram panchayat pr0dhan and its Opposition leader, in January 2006,” a senior official said.

“The district has already received over 3 crore rupees for implementing the CEC at the block-level for a duration of six months, but the fund for PRI is yet to reach till date,” official sources said.

It may be noted that the Malda district had started the literacy programme in 1992-93 and even after completion of the Post Literacy Programme (PLP) and the Total Literacy Campaign (TLC), the district has found over 5 lakh illiterates in the district.

Owing to flood and other reasons, particularly administrative job for conducting the general and the panchayat elections, the literacy programme of the government was discontinued several times.

Even the VTs and MTs, who came forward expecting to receive honorarium for this job, left mid way because the administration could not provide them honorarium following the government guidelines.

But now it is for the first time that the government has decided to provide a decent honorarium to those who will be able to perform their duties well in this literacy programme, a district official said.

To execute the PRI and CEC programmes, nearly 26,216 VTs and 2623 MTs have been selected.

As per the present plans, there is a programme to form CEC at the grass root level, which will have two persons designated as anuprerak and saha-anuprerak for the CEC programme.

To monitor the CEC, there will be a nodal CEC, where two persons designated as mukshya anuprerak and saha mukshya anuprerak, will be posted.

At the block-level, in order to look after the total programme, non-official co-coordinators will be posted.

A saha-anuprerak will be getting Rs 500 per month and the anuprerak and the mukshya anuprerak will be getting Rs 700 and Rs 1200 respectively.

According to the government guidelines, CEC will be formed for multipurpose projects, under which at least ten programmes will be organised regularly for adult education including government programmes along with interactive session for pulse polio, sanitation and public health awareness amongst locals. #

EC notices to wanted persons

Statesman News Service

MALDA,( India) Nov. 21 — Following directives from the Election Commission, the Malda district poll department issued over 3,500 notices to the persons against whom arrest warrants had been issued by the police.

Though the notifications were circulated a few weeks ago, till date the administration has been able to identify only 350 persons, a mere 10 per cent of the total voters, who have criminal backgrounds according to police records.

The EC has issued notices asking them to appear in their respective block development offices (BDO) along with the notification.

A senior officer said that if the voters who have received the notice do not appear before the BDOs their names will be deleted from the final electoral roll.

After an extension of the earlier date for final publication the district election authorities have been directed to expedite revision of electoral roll for its final publication on 15 February.

Interestingly, officials prefer to keep mum when asked whether the notification was issued to four leaders — Mr ABA Ghani Khan Choudhury MP, Mr Mostak Alam MLA, Mr KN Choudhury, the district president of the Trinamul Congress and Mr Abdur Rouf, the CPI-M district committee member and elected member of the Malda Zilla Parishad.

It is learnt that there is a family dispute case against the MP in the Malda court. Though the Congress MLA has managed to get a favourable verdict, people are eager to know whether there are any pending cases against him following the Election Commission directive.

The Trinamul leader had 23 cases and has managed to get bail. It is learnt that there are over 15 cases against CPI-M leader Mr Rouf.

The CPI-M district secretary, Mr Jiban Moitra, said: “As far as I know Mr Rouf had police cases including murder in the year 1979 to 82 and he has got bail in all cases”.

Recent reports said there were a few warrants against Mr Rouf and he would be forced to surrender before the court very soon.

Mr Moitra also said: “A few CPI-M workers came to seek suggestions after receiving notices from the Election Commission and I told them to appear before the BDO soon”. #

Meet for electoral roll revision

MALDA, (India). Nov. 22. — The Malda district magistrate has called an all political party meeting on 29 November to discuss various issues related to the ongoing process of revision of electoral rolls. Officials said that the persons against whom arrest warrants had been issued by police may be discussed at the meeting.

The issue of two polling stations which were eroded away from the two Assembly constituencies is one of the main agendas of this all political party meeting.

A few weeks ago, the district election officials held another meeting on the issue of arrest warrants and discussed a lot about it with a view to delete the names of absconders based on police records.

The election officials said that they are trying to find out the names of absconders by using a particular software.

By using this software the officials have got 20 per cent names who have existence in the present electoral rolls.

After receiving the list of wanted persons, prepared by the state police, from the State Election Commission, the district officials have issued notices to over 3500 wanted persons.

After receiving such a notice, all the persons concerned will have to appear before the assistant electoral registration officer in their respective areas before 15 February 2006. On the basis of the report of the AERO, the names of unidentified persons will be deleted from the final electoral roll, the officials said. — SNS

Arrest planned

MALDA, Nov. 25 — The Malda police are considering arresting the wanted persons in consultation with the assistant electoral registration officer, officials said on Friday .

The Malda SP said that some persons who were absconding were now attending a hearing of the AERO at the block development office.

The authorities have to think twice before arresting from the BDO’s office as it would create law and order problems.

“We are adopting a strategy to nab them in consultation with the AERO technically”, said Mr DK Mondal, SP, Malda.

On the other hand, following the hearing conducted by the AERO, it was found that some persons who were wanted in the police list as Congress activists are under the shelter of the CPI-M.

The AEROs have found similar turncoats.

For example, in Manikchak block out of 71 wanted persons only 23 persons have appeared in the hearing in the first phase.

Many of them belong to the CPI-M. An AERO also said that a few wanted notices related to personal and family matters over the land dispute and a few of the cases perhaps are false.

On the question of false cases the Malda SP, Mr DK Mondal, said: “There is no question of false warrant. They are based on court cases”. #

Home loan fair by SBI

Home loan fair by SBI
Statesman News Service

MALDA. ( India). Nov. 20. — The State Bank of India’s newly set up regional business promotion wing, organised a two-day mega home loan mela on 18 an 19 November at English Bazaar town considering growing demand of housing loans in Malda, after Siliguri in North Bengal.

The SBI officials said that the growing flat construction culture and housing schemes among the people, have forced the bank authorities to organise home loan fair here offering attractive deduction in its interest.

In Malda, the SBI has recorded business of Rs 12 crore in the housing schemes till October in this current financial year, said Mr Siddhartha Ray, the regional manager.

“If the interested persons after registration in the fair can fulfil the required criteria of the home loan schemes, the rate of interest will be 7.5 per cent with “daily interest calculation” not yearly or monthly,” said Mr Gautam Mukherjee, the chief manager SBI (personal banking).

The chief manager (CSC), Mr PK Bhattacharyya, said that the consumers would be able to enjoy overdraft facility here and there is no question of “hidden cost system” to make the accounts more transparent.

A group of promoters have already started talks with the SBI officials for housing schemes here.

Internal feud rocks FB in Malda

Statesman News Service
MALDA. Nov. 20. — The Forward Bloc has been facing organisational crisis in Kaliachak area owing to its internal problem.

The district general secretary of the FB has sought police assistance to tackle the situation for identifying some leaders who were leading the organisation earlier.

The trouble broke out when Mrs Chhaya Ghosh, former FB leader and minister, was terminated by party and she tried to form her organisation in this area.

The general secretary of Malda FB, Mr Ajit Saha, had approached the police not consider — Mr Lalit Choudhury and Sanatan Das - as the FB leaders.

He also claimed that they have been suspended by the party and one Raisuddin has been assigned in Kaliachak area by the party.

The district leaders also claimed that the two leaders Mr Choudhury and Mr Das had criminal background and are accused any number of crime.

Mr Saha also approached the police to inquire in the cases against the two former leaders.

He also disclosed that one of their former leader has threatened their newly assigned leader over phone and requested the police to take necessary action.

It may be noted that the former minister for agriculture marketing, Mr Birendra Kumar Maitra and veteran leader of the FB has taken the decision to remove their two local leaders following their alleged anti-party activities.

Salary despite order to the contrary

Statesman News Service
MALDA,( India). Nov. 18. — A primary school teacher who is in Malda jail for the past two months has allegedly been receiving salary from the school despite the order of non-payment of salary by the chairman of the district primary school council (DPSC).

The incident came to light following a fresh allegation raised by a tribal woman who was allegedly tortured by the primary school teacher a few months ago.

“The DPSC officials on Friday discussed the issue of salary payment to the prisoner and have decided to take necessary action to stop payment of salary”, a senior official of the primary education department said today .

According to the official, a tribal woman named Ms Phulin Tudu had alleged that the primary teacher, Mr Rabindranath Dhali, had promised to marry her and forced her into a live-in relationship, but after a month he refused to marry her.

The tribal woman also alleged that in the name of removing a tumour from her body through an operation, her uterus was extracted in the process, which was the result of a conspiracy hatched by the primary school teacher.

Phulin had lodged a complaint with the Adina circle office of the education department on 25 August this year and lodged the first information report with the Malda police station on 17 September.

The police arrested him on the basis of the woman’s complaint and have put the primary school teacher behind bars. #

Move to improve sericulture in Malda

Move to improve sericulture in Malda

By Manas R Bannerjee

Malda ( India) Aug. 3. — Following the direction of chief minister Mr Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee, Webcon, a consultancy firm, has completed a two-day survey in Malda yesterday on the prospects and development of sericulture in the district. Officials said the Webcon team visited various sericulture industries here and prepared a project report. A 15-minute film will also be made and presented to the chief minister. After meeting higher officials another project plan will be prepared for the development of the industries with a view to competing with China and other countries in the export market. Senior sericulture officials here believe that with the introduction of modern technology, silk cultivators will be able to get rid of chemical fertilizers for producing mulberry leaves. The officials said extension of sericulture in the non-traditional blocks is balancing its growth. According to the officials, the directorate of state sericulture and central silk board have found out a new path to boost Malda sericulture and stressed the need to produce more and more Dupion, Coarser and Motka silk yarn.Recently, state and central officials held a meeting and a seminar here for its development and stressed the need to develop the sectors where the district can dominate the Indian market. The officials said that at a time when the silk producers are facing a financial crisis in adopting modern technology for producing fine silk yarn here, DCM [Dupion Coarser and Motka] is the best way to develop the silk industry here. The deputy director, Malda sericulture, Mr Bijan Mandal, said: “ Malda is dominating the Indian market of Dupion and Motka’’.

A confluence of concern

Will Ganga merge with Pagla obliterating all obstructions in its path, including the township of Malda in eastern India ?

By Manas R Bannerjee

‘Ganga wants to meet her brother Pagla now. Bhagirathi Kalindri and others rivers are her sisters’, wrote noted writer Sunil Gangopadhyay on a visit to Malda a few years back. Perhaps it was his literary skill more than anything else that convinced them, but a great majority of Malda residents (including river experts) believe that this is just what is happening. Ganga is indeed trying to merge with river Pagla thus changing its course from Pachanandapur in Kaliahchak II. As such an event would result in large scale destruction people of the region are now living in dread.Local river management engineers, support Sunil Gangopadhyay’s view of a deep relationship between Pagla and Ganga since Pagla is after all a tributary originating from Ganga but they don’t think it is possible for Ganga to change her course from Pachanandapur. “Ganga would never change its course bifurcating the Farakka Barrage from this point. There is no such chance because of the difference in the level of the two-river beds. The riverbed of Pagla is nearly 10 metres higher than that of Ganga. It is true that some of Ganga’s excess water may have flowed through Pagla as that was its natural course. But the natural course has had to change due to the preventive spurs and embankments for flood and erosion protection,” said Pundarikashaya Roy, executive engineer, Malda irrigation division. It is true that once there existed a direct link between Ganga, Bhagirathi, Kalindri and Pagla. But thanks to the present technology of flood management there remains no connection between the three. As such these tributaries have been transformed into little more than silted channels which (all the more dangerously) can no longer carry large volumes of water. The construction of small barrages following the construction of the Farakka Barrage snapped the natural ‘relation’. After setting up the FBP, authorities had constructed an afflux embankment (25 km long) from the FBP to the Malda town station with just two sluice gates on the river Bhagirathi and Pagla. Now Kalindri can no longer carry Ganga water to Mahananda and Bhagirathi and Pagla no longer carry water beyond the border into Padma. These rivers now receive rain water from local areas but cannot be replenished by Ganga even when the water level is low. Members of a local NGO called Ganga Bhagan Nagarik Action Committee are now trying to draw government attention to the subject of Ganga’s natural course. They are calling for the opening of all obstructing constructions between the three rivers. Another Kolkata-based NGO with support from foreign NGOs are busy trying to convince local people to follow the latest measures adopted in China and other places to check erosion on the left bank of the river. But local engineers do not believe that flattening obstructions can be the solution. One cannot they say check erosion just by an annual removal of obstructions along the three rivers. Without scientific management the district will continue to be threatened by floods because the tributaries have lost the capacity to carry greater volumes of water. The Pagla today can only carry 50,000 cusec of water, while the Ganga can carry a little more than 14 lakh cusec in monsoon. According to these engineers there may be hope “ if we permanently manage Ganga’s left bank with concretisation, there may be sluice gates for the Pagla and Bhagirathi for releasing waters. But a huge amount of money will be required. And how is it possible in this sandy zone?” People are also questioning why, if Ganga’s river bank near the FBP can be protected just by constructing a guard wall, the government not doing the same for the rest of the river bank? It is true that eroding its left bank, the Ganga has already met the Pagla and Bhagirathi. The confluence point, Mohona in Kaliahcak II, is now in Ganga’s course. But as Ganga seems to advance even farther from west to east people fear fresh spates of destruction. Though nobody can vouch that Ganga is really trying to merge with Pagla and that this will spell doom. It is clear that Ganga has already meandered into Shimultala and nearby areas, just 1.5 km upstream of the FBP lashing at the 10th marginal embankment at Kaliachak III. But then Ganga has eroded away the marginal embankment nine times in the past. Both block officials and villagers fear that Ganga is gradually turning left bifurcating the FBP to meet its tributary Pagla here. At present, after the 10th marginal embankment there is only the Afflux embankment to defend Malda from floods. “If we fail to stem Ganga at Shimultala in Kaliachak III, it would be difficult to check destruction in the township and the NH 34 here”, said Pundarikashya Roy. The engineers are working round the clock to check this process of erosion. General manager Gani is himself supervising work on the spot where the marginal embankment has eroded away in four places. But does anybody else care that Ganga has swung alarmingly close to Pagla and can easily sweep all obstructions.

Section: NB Extra of The Statesman , Date: Aug 13,2005

Talks to resolve border row

Talks to resolve border row

Statesman News Service

MALDA, Nov. 9 — A three-member Bangladesh team today held a meeting with their Indian counterparts at Farakka in Murshidabad to resolve the border dispute between the two countries, the Malda DM told reporters. Authorities said Indian officials of the directorate of Indo-Bangladesh border demarcation wing (DIBBDW) discussed damaged demarcation pillars with the Bangladesh officials.The deputy secretary, Mr Dipankar Roy Choudhuri, from West Bengal’s DIBBDW department led the Indian team to discuss the recent dispute related to the border line located in Malda and Mushidabad districts, officials said. The Bangladeshi team was led by Mr Abu Hyder Sardar.Though it was a routine meeting between the two countries, the recent dispute in the Muchia and Adampur border outposts that led to a gun battle between the Indian and Bangladeshi border guards would also be discussed, a senior government official said.It may be noted that the Union water resources development minister, Mr Priya Ranjan Das Munshi, took the initiative to conduct an aerial survey to resolve the border dispute in the Adampur and Muchia border outposts on the issue of bank line protection on the banks of the river Mahananda. But the programme has been deferred, sources said.On the other hand, the district administration after conducting a survey on the basis of the map of the Indo Bangladesh border along the Mahananda river has already stated their stand and position of the border to the DIBBDW for consideration.“The Indian officials have already requested the Bangladeshi officials to reconstruct the ‘damaged identification pillars’ setting a 15 December deadline this year. If they fail to begin the reconstruction job, we will begin it with their help”, Mr Abhijit Choudhuri, the district magistrate of Malda, said.There are many damaged identification pillars on the border line but they are yet to be reconstructed despite several reminders to the Bangladesh authorities in the past few years, he claimed.A few months ago, the Indian officials have discovered that the river Mahananda has eroded nearly 400 acres on the Indian side and the river has changed course deviating from the demarcated line fixed in 2002, a senior district official said.Bangladeshis are using many Indian lands which have come up on their side following a change in the river course, officials said.The CPWD is understood to have deferred payment of compensation for eroded land and stopped construction of barbed fencing wire in the Muchia border area owing to the dispute. They are waiting for resolution of the dispute, according to the officials.

Nabard to launch development schemes for self-help groups

Nabard to launch development schemes for self-help groups
Statesman News Service. MALDA. Nov. 7. — The National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (Nabard), will launch “capacity development programme” for the self-help-groups, especially for women in Malda district, a senior district official said today. The Malda district magistrate today, held a meeting with the district manager of the Nabard for its implementation.Mr Abhjit Choudhuri, the Malda DM, said that the Nabard will function as a nodal agency here for self-help-group members in the blocks. The officials will train the members on how to select and develop viable schemes for their economical development in the rural belt.In Malda, a total of 10,000 self-help-groups, are working under the guidance of cooperative banks and the Nabard. The district magistrate, has also disclosed that the Nabard will also play a vital role for the development of women belonging to the minority community, for selecting various schemes as desired by the chief minister.A few months ago, the chief minister, had said here that the government is facing problems for the economic development of the Muslim people in Malda and Murshidabad due to overpopulation. He had also pointed out that the government is planning to develop the two districts, by providing self employment schemes specially launched by the state’s minority community development cell. Following this directive, the Nabard would arrange training programme for them in these two districts.
In Malda, seven blocks have been selected for this project on the basis of the minority population. These blocks are Kaliachak I, II and III, Ratua II, Chanchal I , Harishchandrapur II and English Bazaar. It may be pointed out that the district planning committee did not hold any meeting for the last three years in Malda. The administration has called the DPC meeting on 10 November to review its position.In the mean time the CPI-M leaders have raised the question that funds of many projects like border area development project under the DPC has been diverted to the Malda zilla parishad for its execution which was scheduled to be executed by the development and planning department. Recently, the CPI-M MLA, Mr Samar Roy, has been nominated as the vice chairman of the DPC in which committee the Congress sabhadhipati is the chairman.

' Dry obsession' grips Malda

'Dry obsession' grips Malda
Manas R Bannerjee in Malda Sept. 28. — As unwarranted dry weather prevails in Malda district over the last few days, helping mosquitos to breed and spread dengue and encephalitis, the Malda chief medical officer of health has been urging people to observe a "dry day". The objective is to kill all mosquito larvae to combat the dengue menace which has taken on alarming proportions in the district. "People should observe a dry day and take preventive measures by draining out stagnant water kept in pots in their houses", Dr Gopal Sarkar, the Malda CMOH, said. Health officials believe that the district is facing a peculiar drought-like situation and that is the loan cause of the abnormal mosquito menace. Rains are essential to curb the breeding of mosquitos. The menace will reduce when temperatures go below 26 degree centigrade. The administration has recorded the shortfall in rains in the district and more than 30 per cent till date based on an average rainfall of 1400 mm a year. "Where is the over 30 per cent shortfall of rainfall?" asked Mr. Abhijit Chaudhuri, the district magistrate. Lack of rain and stagnant water bodies has helped mosquitos to breed. Heavy rain would have destroyed larvae, officials said. Facing acute health hazards and dengue, a section of senior doctors are blaming global warming for this situation. According to railway engineers, every year the region and the district receives heavy rainfall in the last week of September, but there is no sign of such weather here. Records show that from 1995, the district used to receive heavy rainfall and flooding in many areas including English Bazaar town. Similarly, the Ganga used to maintain an average water level of above 24 metres here, receiving rainfall from its catchments in Uttar Pradesh, Bihar and Jharkhand and other adjoining areas.
But at present, the water level of the Ganga is 22.50 metres at Manikchak Ghaat point. In 1998, it was 26.56 metres, 25 .20 metres in 2000 and 26.19 metres in 2003, in the last week of September.A senior engineer of the Malda irrigation department said: " Shortfall in rains in Uttar Pradesh is nearly 60 per cent. We do not know how and when it would make up." It has been reported that more than 800 people, most of them children, died of encephalitis in Uttar Pradesh. Although the death toll in Malda is bad, 40 persons died owing to similar diseases till date, in comparison with UP, but officials believe that lack of rains is the main reason behind the dengue and encephalitis menace. According to the forecast in the east, rain or thundershowers are likely at a few places over sub-Himalayan West Bengal, Sikkim, coastal Orissa and isolated places in the rest of the region outside Jharkhand, east Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh, where the weather will be mainly dry. Slight increase in rainfall is likely over Gangetic West Bengal and coastal Orissa after 24 hours. \nThe irrigation engineers said: " There is no question of flood from the Ganga in this district but rain may come late creating flood-like situation before Durga puja". According to mythology, Goddess Durga will be coming in a boat and will returnin an elephant, which indicates heavy rain during puja. #

Deaths belie Malda officials' claim on epidemics

Deaths belie Malda officials' claim on epidemics
Statesman News Service MALDA. Oct. 2. — With three more deaths owing to meningoencephalitis and encephalitis the death toll has reached 45 in the Malda District Hospital affecting over 3,683 people in this district since 30 August, health officials said today. Authorities said the dengue and encephalitis menace is under control in English Bazaar town but the situation is bad in the rural belts. Pratima Kisku (4), Suparna Sarkar (9) and Madhumita Niyogi (6) residents of Habibpur, Bamongola and Old Malda have died of meningoencephalitis and viral encephalitis in last 36 hours, the Malda CMOH said. "Out of 45 patients, most of them died of viral encephalitis," Dr Gopal Sarkar , the Malda CMOH said. The condition of an eight-year old patient suffering from viral encephalitis, resident of Kaliachak III is serious and will die very soon," Dr Sarkar said. "Patients are mostly suffering from typhoid, dengue, Japanese encephalitis, viral encephalitis and malaria," said the CMOH. According to him, many patients are also suffering from water borne typhoid. "We need to take steps to check such new menace. The PHE officials will also be approached to look in to the matter seriously." Today around 42 patients suffering from high fever were admitted to the district hospital and same number of patients were admitted to the block hospitals. Around 292 odd patients are being treated in the Malda District Hospital today and around 67 odd patients similarly treated in the block health centres. Many of them have been admitted with dengue symptoms, informed the CMOH. The CMOH added that the the death toll was 217 in September 2002, 208 in September 2003, in 2004 the death toll was 240 but in September 2005 the death toll is 290. Apparently 50 more patients have died this year in comparison with other years' records.

Clash delays school take-off

Clash delays school take-off
Statesman News ServiceMALDA, Nov. 14 — The inauguration of a primary school for child labourers by the state labour minister, Mohd Amin, at Chamagram was delayed by a few minutes following a clash between two groups of criminals at Sujapur of Kaliachak police station area in Malda today.Police said that family members of those injured in the clash blocked the NH-34 to protest against the alleged lawlessness and inaction of the police to deal with the situation, delaying the minister’s programme by a few minutes.“The minister’s schedule was disrupted for a few minutes due to a traffic jam on NH-34”, said a district administration official. The Malda SP, Mr DK Mondal, said: “The police are planning to conduct a raid to nab all the identified criminals as soon as possible.” Sources said the clash broke out following a dispute between two groups over hiring of a microphone for Milad Jalsa, a religious programme of a minority community at the Baro Danga village. Bombs were used during the clash.Gangsters Saharul and Mirazul are on the police wanted list for several crimes like bus dacoity and extortion.Mr Mansoor Biswas, a CPI-M gram panchayat member, who was released from Malda jail a few days ago, lodged several complaints against Mirazul with the Malda police. “When I was in jail, Mirazul’s group looted all valuables from our houses. My family members including myself are having to stay out of home since July this year”, Mr Biswas said. “Despite complaints to the police, they failed to protect us and we had to flee one day to escape the torture of Mirazul’s group’’, said Sabi Begum, wife of Mr Mansoor Biswas. They approached the SP today for protection so that they can return home. The SP said: “We are trying hard to bring back normalcy in the area.”Common people are being terrorised by criminals like Mirazul, Ainul, Baxi, Usuf, Toni and their associates. “In brought day light they loot houses and take away valuables in lorries. Police turn a blind eye”, said Sabi Begum.

Discrepancies in Buddhist data

Discrepancies in Buddhist data
Statesman News ServiceMALDA. Nov. 14. — Buddhist population in the state has not been enumerated properly and the fact and figures are not accurate. Even its total population is less than the actual figure recorded in the census reports, said an official of the State Minority Commission.Addressing a press conference here on Saturday , the member of SMC for Buddhist community, Mr Kalyan Choudhuri, said that the minority community people have lot of problems and it is one of them. “The trend to show very few number of Buddhists is unfortunate and a section is trying hard to engulf it existence here. No body cares to observe Buddha Purnima seriously but enjoy the holiday with other programmes which is the “anti-path” of Gautam Buddha,” Mr Choudhuri said.“We have also urged the Central government about the problem and asked them to take initiatives regarding the matter,” he said. “How can the India government fix the date of Buddha Purnima for testing arms for war? Mr Choudhuri asked. A team of the State Minority Commission, completed their three-day programme yesterday in the district, visiting various historical places, interacting with the intellectuals, organisations, public representatives and the administration.The chairman of the commission, Mr Syed Sazzad Zaheer Adnan, said: “There is a bright prospect for the development of a tourist spot at Jagajjibanpur in Habibpur block area from where ruins of Pala Dynasty, followers of Buddhism have been found by the experts. More excavation and development of its infrastructure is imperative to focus it internationally,” Mr Adnan said.Mr Adnan added that though the Muslim women have been coming forward in the field of education now, they are facing many problems in the district where the marriage of minor girls is still very much prevalent. Mr Syed Sazzad Zaheer Adnan also disclosed the limitations of the commission and said that the commission can only recommend for development of the community but can’t execute any plan which is coming through interactions.

South Korean team studies Malda erosion

Statesman News Service

MALDA, Nov. 13 — Upset with the plight of the erosion-hit Malda people, a South Korean expert team, with the help of state officials, today studied the nature of the Ganga, to formulate erosion control measures on its left bank.The team also conducted an ecological study of the river for its future plan, district officials said. Officials said the South Korean experts had approached the chief minister, Mr Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee, for studying the river Ganga after watching reports of severe erosion and plight of the local people on various web sites. The state officials finally agreed to their proposal and instructed the district irrigation department to extend cooperation to the South Korean experts during their study of the river, including providing the required inputs. “The team may suggest a new method to control erosion here”, a senior engineer of the irrigation and waterways department said. It may be recalled that though both the Central and the state governments took the initiative and formed technical committees several times, they could not check erosion of the Ganga here. As a result, thousands of poor families have been rendered homeless since 1970. In the past five years, over 1,400 hectares of crop and homestead lands have been eroded by the river in the Manikchak, English Bazaar, Kaliachak II and III blocks.

S Korean team gives up

MALDA, Nov. 16. — The South Korean team has expressed its inability to stem erosion of the Ganga after studying the river and interacting with the local irrigation engineers. They came to study the Ganga erosion here a few days ago but after observing the river’s fury and its velocity they expressed their helplessness, saying that it is not possible for them to stop land erosion but they will find out ways to minimise it. — SNS