Rehab minister falls ill in Siliguri

MALDA, ( India) Dec. 6. — The state minister for refugee and rehabilitation, Mr Narayan Sarkar, suddenly fell ill during a meeting with the senior officials of three North Bengal districts at old circuit house in Malda on Tuesday, officials said.

“He had been suffering from hypertensive epistexis. He needs rest and care. Now he is completely stable,” said Dr Tapas Sarkar, who attended the minister at the circuit house this evening.

“Just a few minutes before the end of the meeting, he felt uneasy owing to his health problem,” said Mr Bhabani Prasad Barat, the Malda ADM.

A team of senior doctors, led by the CMOH, Dr Gopal Sarkar, examined the minister.

“He is stable now and will move to Siliguri tonight by train and will be checking up his health in Siliguri,” Dr Sarkar said.

The minister came to this district with his family, who are look after him now.

“I will go to Kolkata tomorrow by air and will finally undergo a thorough check-up there,” the minister said here, lying on his bed at the government guest house.

Mr Sarkar came here to hold a meeting today with the officials of the Malda, North and South Dinajpur districts in order to know the present status report of the rehabilitation programmes.

He also urged the officials to expedite the proposed and under progress projects as soon as possible, officials said.

“Progress reports of North and South Dinajpur are better than Malda. The survey work is yet to finish in Malda district. As a result some projects are pending,” Mr Narayan Sarkar said.

“Distribution of free hold deed is pending for a few colonies in English Bazaar, Habibpur and Old Malda,” the Malda ADM, Mr Barat, said.

The upgradation work was in progress in the three colonies of Buraburitala in English Bazaar, Bulbulchandi Rice Mill Colony in Habibpur and Mangalbari Colony in Old Malda and other programmes would be taken up shortly.

For the development of these refugee colonies, the Malda district had received Rs 2 crore in 2000. Rs 19 lakh was also allotted for the infrastructure development, officials said. — SNS

Posted on 7 Dec. @ 08.21 am (IST)