Malda mangoes for London

Statesman News Service

MALDA, May 31: Mr Kanailal Mandal and Mr Saifuddin Ali, two successful mango growers of Malda, have marketed their produce to London this year for the first time. They cultivated the himsagar variety this year and adhered to controlled spraying of pesticides and quality bio-fertilizer in their orchards. The local market rate is Rs 10 per kg for himsagar but exporter, Mr Anup Dutta, struck a deal with mango growers at Rs 16 per kg and placed an order for 12 quintals of himsagar at their orchards yesterday. It was learnt that a refrigerated van carrying the 12-quintal himsagar mangoes left for Kolkata today. From there, the mangoes would be flown to London. It is for the first time that the himsagar variety is being exported to London, district officials said.Mr Anup Dutta, who exports vegetables to London at regular intervals, had the himsagar mangoes packed at the Malda pack house after having them de-shaped, graded and disinfected. The weight of a mango averages 200 to 250 grams. Mr Dutta is now planning to export Malda’s laxmanbhog variety to London.Reportedly, officials of Dabur have visited the mango orchards at Malda to purchase himsagar mangoes but the deal is yet to be finalised. Malda development officials have already selected 50 mango growers from the district to market himsagar, laxmanbhogh, langra and amrapali varieties to London. The Horticulture and Food Processing Development Corporation has desperately been trying to promote Malda mangoes in the foreign market for the last three years. They had been displaying local products in Singapore and other countries. The Centre has declared Malda and Murshidabad as mango and lichee export zones and allotted funds for their development. But the Central government’s proposed mango and lichee research station has not yet started functioning under the supervision of the Indian Council for Agriculture Research.The proposal was conceived 10 years ago for which a plot was selected in English Bazaar.

Officials wash their hands of Bhutni Diara

Statesman News Service

MALDA, May 31: Malda irrigation officials have stated they will not take responsibility for checking erosion at Bhutni Diara, an island in mid-Ganges. The executive engineer, Mr S Mishra, conveyed the decision to district officials at a time when they were reviewing last year’s erosion problem at Bhutni Diara and planning bank line protection measures. Quoting the government’s decision, Mr Mishra said that the state irrigation department handed over the 40-km bank line to the Farakka Barrage Project, a Central government unit. The stretch is now under the jurisdiction of the FBP. Last year, more than 50 hectares were eroded in the Bhutni Diara belt. Hundreds of families were rendered homeless after losing their land in the process.The Malda Zilla Parishad took an initiative to check erosion in this zone with the help of the district irrigation department. Funds were allotted to create jobs for people in the region. Mr Mishra said: “We have a circuit embankment, of which only the damaged part can be repaired for flood protection. “We do not know how the erosion can be controlled in the Bhutni Diara belt.”An official said: “To protect the circuit dyke at Bhutni in Manikchak block, anti-erosion work is imperative.”

KPP leader arrested

Statesman News Service

MALDA, May 30: Senior Kamtapur People’s Party (KPP) leader Mr Subhas Burman and a farmer, Kokil Burman, were arrested last night on charges of maintaining links with Kamtapur Liberation Organisation (KLO) militants. Police also recovered a China-made AK-56 rifle, 84 cartridges, three magazines and a pipegun from the house of Kokil Burman at Katlamari village in Malda’s Habibpur police station area. Police said Mr Burman was involved in the murder of Shekhar, a CPI-M worker and Cooch Behar Zilla Parishad employee. Shekhar was shot dead by KLO militants in January at Pakuahaat with the AK-56 rifle recovered from Kokil Burman’s house last night.Mr Burman was arrested from Pakuahaat in Malda’s Bamongola police station area. Police raided the house of Kokil Burman based on the information provided by Malkhan Singh, another hard core KLO militant, who was arrested on 16 February from Pakuahat. A few days ago, Malda police arrested two KLO militants ~ Illius and Rafique ~ from Habibpur police station area and after interrogating them, came to know that KLO militants used the AK-56 rifle to kill Shekhar. “Illius alias Raju and Rafique were not ready to disclose the exact place where the AK-56 rifle was kept. They told us to approach Malkhan Singh, their leader, who was in Malda jail,”Mr Dilip Kumar Mondal, Malda SP, said. “Yesterday, we brought Malkhan and asked him to reveal the truth in the presence of Illius and Rafique. Based on Malkhan’s statement, we raided the house of Kokil at around 8.30 p.m last night and recovered arms and ammunition from his house,” Mr Mondal said.Kokil Burman is the father-in-law of Falen Burman, a KLO linkman who was arrested with Illius and Rafique recently, the SP said.

Congman backed for chairman's post

Statesman News Service

MALDA, May 30: After a meeting today, 14 Opposition councillors of the English Bazaar Municipality decided to project the Congress councillor, Mr Narendranath Tiwari, for the chairman’s post. Challenging the authority of the English Bazaar Congress MLA, Mr KN Choudhury, who was close to Mrs Rubi Noor, the district Congress president, Mr Tiwari’s name was proposed for the post. Though Mr Choudhury is now a Congress MLA, he was trying to project Mrs Sandhya Das, a Trinamul councillor, for the chairman’s post. This is the reason that the decision was delayed for so long. It was learnt that a majority of councillors, including some from the Trinamul Congress, was against the projection of Mrs Das for the chairman’s post. Now that Mr Tiwari’s name has been finalised, the Opposition has decided to convene a meeting for electing the chairman on Saturday following directives from the administration based on the court’s order. Mr Nihar Ranjan Ghosh was removed from the English Bazaar Municipality chairman’s post after a no-confidence resolution at a meeting in which the result went against him.Presently, Mr Ghosh is running the board as a caretaker, as per the SDO’s instructions. The chairman and vice-chairman of the board failed to convene the meeting for the chairman’s election within the stipulated time.Three Opposition councillors called the meeting today. They are Mr Dulal Sarkar from the Trinamul Congress), Mr Narendranath Tiwari from the Congress and Mr Amlan Bhaduri from the BJP.

RKM opens free primary school in English Bazaar

Statesman News Service

MALDA, May 29: The Malda Ram Krishna Mission inaugurated “Sharda Shishu Mandir” a free primary school for tribal children at Chakbandi Colony in English Bazaar last week in the memory of Sarada Devi, wife of Ram Krishna Paramhansa. The mission spent nearly Rs 7 lakh for the construction of the school building. To celebrate the centenary year of Sarada Devi coupled with a drive to improve the living standards of the tribals in the region, it was learnt that Belur Math had sanctioned the construction of two more such schools in the district in memory of Sharda Devi. Malda RKM secretary Swami Divyananda Maharaj said there is a plan for setting up a school at Samdaspukur in English Bazaar, where the tribals have no access to education in any form.Commenting on the need for imparting education in the tribal-dominated regions of the district, Swami Divyananda Maharaj said: “It is difficult to trace a boy or girl who has studied till Class VIII here. So the question of passing the Madhyamik board examination does not arise.” The Malda RKM is waiting for the allotment of land at Samdaspukur to build another primary school for tribal children there.

Tax advocates threaten stir

Statesman News Service

MALDA, May 29: The North Bengal Tax Bar Advocates’ Association threatened to launch an agitation against some Income-Tax employees, who are allegedly practising law privately. The decision was taken at the second consecutive meeting of the association members of the six districts here yesterday. Mr Apurba Saha, secretary of NBTBAA, said: “Income-Tax employees mainly in Malda and North Dinajpur are practising as tax consultants or advocates privately and thereby violating our rights.” Mr Gajanand Agarwal, president of the NBTBAA and other senior members of the association said the matter would be reported to the chief commissioner of the I-T and Central Board of Direct Taxes. The association members also organised an academic session at Malda yesterday, where they criticised the policies adopted by tax officials. Office-bearers said the organisation has been set up for the betterment of advocacy and taxpayers. Association members said they nurtured doubts about certain instructions in a recent circular which stated that taxpayers would have to show at least Rs 50,000 expenses per year in returns. In many cases, it was difficult to show Rs 50,000 as expenses for one member in a “joint family”.It was also alleged that tax officials treat advocates as “development officers” at times but failed to consider proposals for better revenue collection for the government. “To achieve the tax collection target just before the end of the financial year, officials rely on us and use us as ‘development officers’. “We extend out help to step up the tax collection but they do not cooperate with us,” Mr Goutam Chakraborty, assistant secretary of the NBTBAA, said.

Search on for EB chairman

Statesman News Service

MALDA, May 29: Fourteen Opposition members of English Bazaar Municipality, under the leadership of the Congress MLA, Mr Krishenendu Narayan Choudhury, are pressing hard to call a meeting for electing their chairman. After tomorrow, any three councillors can call a meeting for the election of the chairman following the removal of Mr Nihar Ranjan Ghosh. Eleven ruling members of the board had decided not to call any such meeting when the executive officer of the municipality took the initiative to elect the chairman, based on a High Court order. As a result, the vice-chairman of the board did not call a meeting. The ruling councillors said: “They can elect their chairman by calling a meeting. We will not do so.” The Opposition members are divided over the selection of the chairman.At a time when Mr Choudhury, is trying to project Mrs Sandhya Das as chairman, other members are opposing him indirectly.The Congress councillor, Mr Biswanath Guho, has also been eyeing the chair. Mr Choudhury said discussions were on and one of the Opposition councillors would be nominated as chairman for the election.

Search on for EB chairman

Statesman News Service
MALDA, May 29: Fourteen Opposition members of English Bazaar Municipality, under the leadership of the Congress MLA, Mr Krishenendu Narayan Choudhury, are pressing hard to call a meeting for electing their chairman. After tomorrow, any three councillors can call a meeting for the election of the chairman following the removal of Mr Nihar Ranjan Ghosh. Eleven ruling members of the board had decided not to call any such meeting when the executive officer of the municipality took the initiative to elect the chairman, based on a High Court order. As a result, the vice-chairman of the board did not call a meeting. The ruling councillors said: “They can elect their chairman by calling a meeting. We will not do so.” The Opposition members are divided over the selection of the chairman.At a time when Mr Choudhury, is trying to project Mrs Sandhya Das as chairman, other members are opposing him indirectly.The Congress councillor, Mr Biswanath Guho, has also been eyeing the chair. Mr Choudhury said discussions were on and one of the Opposition councillors would be nominated as chairman for the election.

Battle hots up for Malda by-poll

Statesman News Service

MALDA, May 26: Mr Abu Nasser Khan Choudhury, brother of the late ABA Ghani Khan Choudhury, who had contested against his brother in 1998, would bargain with Congress chief, Mrs Sonia Gandhi, to nominate a member of the Ghani Khan family in the Malda parliamentary by-poll. Rumours also abound about lobbyists trying to nominate a Congress candidate for the Malda parliamentary by-poll this year. After returning from Switzerland yesterday, Mr Abu Nasser Khan Choudhury, attended “Chalisa”, the final funeral programme held for his late brother at Kotwali today and said his family had unanimously decided to nominate the other brother of the late Ghani Khan Choudhury, Mr A H Khan Choudhury, for the Malda parliamentary by-poll. Reportedly, Mr Abu Nasser Khan too had expressed a desire to contest for the Malda parliamentary seat. However, speaking to the reporters today, Mr Abu Nasser Khan Choudhury said: “My family members have decided to nominate Mr AH Khan Choudhury for the Malda parliamentary seat to fulfil the dream of the late veteran Congress leader.” Mrs Rubi Noor, the district president of the Malda Congress, said: “We will send the name of Mr AH Khan Choudhury to Mrs Sonia Gandhi for the verdict.” There had been a “family-cum-property clash” between Ghani Khan Choudhury and Mr Abu Nasser Khan to such an extent that the matter was taken to the court. To take revenge, Mr Abu Nasser Khan had contested against Ghani Khan, in the Malda parliamentary election but failed to secure a decent number of votes. “The altercation is a thing of the past. Now, we three brothers and our sister (Mrs Rubi Noor) are united and will take all decisions unanimously,” Mr Nasser Khan said. It was learnt that Mr Abu Hasem Khan alias Daloo, another brother of late Ghani Khan Choudhury, who served as an MLA for two terms and was defeated from the Kaliachak Assembly seat this year, would also contest in the Malda parliamentary by poll. English Bazaar Congress MLA Mr Krishnendu Narayan Choudhury informed reporters that Mr AH Khan Choudhury would contest in the by-poll as the heir of late Ghani Khan Choudhury. A group of Congress leaders wanted to project the district Congress president, Mrs Rubi Noor, for the parliamentary seat despite protests from other Congress workers, who had shouldered the responsibility of Ghani Khan Choudhury’s election. “Mrs Rubi Noor is discharging her duty as the district Congress president superbly. If she wins the parliamentary seat, she will stand out as being the only female MP from a minority community to be in national politics. There would be a chance of a ministerial berth and that would strengthen the Congress in Malda again,” argued supporters of Mrs Rubi Noor . Expressing dissatisfaction over Mr Abu Nasser Khan’s desire to contest for the Malda parliamentary election, some Congressmen said: “ Even though Mr Abu Nasser Khan’s name is enlisted in the English Bazaar and New Delhi electoral roll, how can he contest from here after being an NRI. Will the Malda people accept him as a successor of Ghani Khan Choudhury?

NH 34 security beefed up

Statesman News Service

MALDA, May 26: In a bid to check highway crime following increasing reports of bus robberies on NH-34, Malda Police have stepped up highway patrolling from today. For this purpose, an additional check post has been set up on NH-34, police said. Police said there are seven permanent check posts along NH-34 in Malda district. The Malda SP, Mr Dilip Kumar Modal, convened a meeting with officials of three state transport corporations on Monday to dissuade bus drivers and conductors from picking up passengers from unauthorised bus stops. Mr Mondol said that Malda Police have prepared a list of authorised bus stops for long-distance buses. As per stipulated rules, bus drivers and conductors are to pick up passengers only from these authorised bus stops. The check posts will carry pictures of criminals wanted in connection with road crimes along the national highways and will be provided by the district police headquarters keeping in mind the safety of long distance night service buses. Additional SP, Mr D Boral, said: “Metal detectors will be used to check all passengers before they board the bus. Malda Police is also planning to install a video camera to capture images of passengers boarding buses.” A senior police official said that highway patrolling would be stringent at three crucial points on the highway, where maximum bus robbery cases have been reported. Malda Police officials admitted they are anxious about the increasing bus robberies on the highways. More so as the police have failed to nab any culprit till date. Officials at the check post have been instructed to register the movement of all buses on the national highway including the number of passengers in every bus.

NH 34 robberies worry police

Statesman News Service

MALDA, May 25: Malda Police are worried about the increasing number of bus robbery cases on NH-34. Last night, an express bus of the South Bengal State Transport Corporation (SBSTC) was looted by a six-member group of robbers in the Gazole police station area. The place where the incident took place was merely 500 metres away from a police check post, the Malda SP, Mr DK Mondal, said. Another group of robbers looted an NBSTC bus in the same police station area last Saturday. In both the cases, robbers boarded the buses as passengers from Rathbari and Mangalbari areas in English Bazaar, the head quarter of the district. Robbers who committed the crime yesterday was a new gang from outside and they conducted operation in side the bus without arms and looted Rs 8,000 and a few cell phones from the passengers, the SP said. Interestingly, the robbers are using taxi to stop the busses to prove them as passenger for boarding the bus midway where police patrolling is not sufficient, sources said. “We are trying to spot the taxi which was following the bus during operation,” the SP disclosed. “We could not arrest the robbers yet ,” said Mr D K Mondal, the Malda SP. Mr Mondal said that the number of bus robberies in Malda was higher than other districts. He also disclosed that two highway robberies occurred in Kaliachak area a few weeks ago. “Though we had intercepted one person, we did not get effective results.“We got the breakthrough by arresting a gang that committed the highway crime in Malda’s Baishnabnagar police station area,” the SP said. Along NH-34, between Farakka to Gazole, there are more than five police check posts under the supervision of five police stations but between the gaps of two check posts the robbers are committing crimes where police are helpless.

Meeting to review flood management

Statesman News Service

MALDA, May 25: Following instructions from the Jalpaiguri divisional commissioner, a meeting was convened by the Malda district administration today with heads of 15 departments such as irrigation, animal resource development, public health engineering, relief and police to chalk out flood protection measures. Senior officials reviewed the flood situation management in the district and discussed measures to be taken in case flood hits the region. Officials pointed out that nothing had come out of the construction plan of the proposed ninth retired embankment. Irrigation officials explained their plans of preventing floods by maintaining water levels in the Ganges up to a certain safe limit. Malda irrigation officials were instructed to keep strong vigil on Bhutni Diara, an island of the Ganges and keep tab on its erosion to prevent a repeat of last year’s disaster. Due to erosion of the Bhutni Diara last year, a large track of land comprising three-gram panchayats was eroded away. The Malda SP was also present in the meeting to discuss law and order situation and conduct rescue operation with help from civil defence and the border security force, in case the district was faced with a devastating flood of 1998 again. Additional district magistrate Mr BP Barat, informed that the administration has sufficient relief stock at present but further orders needed be placed for extra stock.

Ray of hope for hailstorm victims

Statesman News Service

MALDA, May 24: Not only farmers, even the Malda agriculture department officials are in the dark regarding the state government’s stand on compensating the farmers who were hit hard by the hailstorm that struck Malda in the first week of this month. Boro paddy was damaged in Old Malda, Habibpur and Bamongola due to the hailstorm. The agriculture officials had estimated a loss of over Rs 12 crore and sent a recommendation for compensation to the state government. The additional district magistrate of Malda, Mr BP Barat, had also sent a letter to the relief department for providing assistance to the victims. On 5 May, the chief minister, Mr Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee, had said at an election rally that he would look into the matter after discussing with the departmental officials, but so far nothing has been done. The matter was reportedly discussed at a meeting convened by the agriculture department at the Writers Buildings in Kolkata today. The principal agriculture officer of Malda also attended today’s meeting, the outcome of which has not yet been disclosed. On the other hand, the additional director of the agriculture department had recently held a meeting at Kalimpong, where the agriculture officials of six districts of North Bengal including Darjeeling, were present. The additional director had reviewed implementation of departmental schemes and their evaluation. He had also reviewed utilisation of macro mode funds (Central and state share) allotted for various schemes and asked about the future plans and any problem faced by the agriculture development officials. The officials also discussed about the soil health and present culture of using vermin compost, organic fertilizer and farming pattern to develop the soil health in this region. Integrated schemes for oil seed and pulse and maize were also discussed at the meeting that was held in Kalimpong. Malda officials claimed that they have already distributed over 3,000 soil health cards to farmers for testing soil under the guidance of soil testing centre and agriculture development officers. In order to compensate the hailstorm-affected farmers, the Malda agriculture officials had recommended distribution of mini kit for short duration of aush paddy and expansion of aman cultivation areas by distributing a mini kit of MTU 7029, a variety of aman paddy, assistance for fertilizer like NPK10- 26/26 and plant hormone. The Malda plant protection officer, Dr Tamal Kumar Sarkar, said indiscriminate use of chemical fertilizers has assumed alarming proportions in the region. “We have been able to stop indiscriminate use of pesticides in paddy crop in Malda and we always suggest the farmers to use green colour chemical pesticides whose residual effect is lesser,” Dr Sarkar said. He said that Malda would be getting a proposal for building up a “Bio Village” which is running successfully in Jalpaiguri district. #

North Bengal gears up for tackling floods

Statesman News Service

MALDA, May 23: The Jalpaiguri divisional commissioner will hold a meeting on 29 May in Jalpaiguri to review the flood protection measures in North Bengal, officials said here today. The district magistrates of all the six districts of North Bengal, irrigation officials and departmental officials concerned of the region have been instructed to attend the meeting in Jalpaiguri. Before attending the meeting of the divisional commissioner, the district magistrates will also hold a flood control meeting in their respective districts, officials said. The Malda district magistrate has called a meeting on 25 May to review flood protection measures to be adopted this year in this district. The Malda district administration could not build the proposed ninth retired embankment in the last three years and last year it was decided that the administration will carry out this job ignoring the villagers’ protest to save the people from flood waters coming from Ganges which can affect thousands of people in seven blocks of the district. Owing to villagers’ protest and due to apparent reluctance of a group of political leaders, the administration could not acquire land for the construction of the proposed ninth retired embankment. The eighth retired embankment was breached a few years back due to severe erosion and at present there is no protection in the area stretching up to 400 metres in Panchanandapur area on the left bank of the Ganges in Kaliachak II. To prevent flood in the southern part of this district, irrigation officials have planned to fill the gap of 400-metres stretch temporarily, connecting remaining part of the eight retired embankment from Balufara to Paglaghaat. Irrigation officials have also devised an alternative plan to save the district from floods by the Ganges. Dumping gunny bags, the height of a 1.2 km long PWD road will be raised for protection from flood waters in a particular mouth down stream of the Ganges. “We have sought permission from our higher authorities for executing the job on an emergency basis after observing the rising trend of the water level of the Ganges from Patna in Bihar to Farakka,” said Mr Soumen Misra, executive engineer, Malda irrigation division.

EB deadlock continues

Statesman News Service

MALDA, May 23: Although the executive officer took initiative to elect a new chairman of the English Bazaar Municipality, the 14 member Opposition group has failed to select one of their members who will be contesting for the post of board chairman, sources said. Yesterday, the EO of the EBM issued a letter to the caretaker chairman for the election of chairman. The letter was also forwarded to the subdivisional officer for his intervention. The copies of the letter have also been served to all the 25 councillors of the civic board. The SDO sent a letter to the executive officer of EBM, quoting the direction pronounced by the Division Bench, and instructed the officer to refer to Clause B (3) of Rule 6 of the West Bengal Municipality Procedure and Conduct of Business Rules 1995. On receiving the information yesterday evening, the 14 members sat together but they failed to select their candidate for the chairman’s post.Out of the eight Trinamul councilors, three are not supporting the projected chairman, Mr Biswanath Guho, a Congress councillor. On the other hand, other councillors have declared that they will not support the person from anti lobby. The 10 LF councillors and LF-backed Independent chairman, meanwhile, are watching the situation and would adopt proper measures soon.

Traders' plea to CM

Statesman News Service

MALDA, May 23: The Malda Merchants’ Chamber of Commerce today urged the chief minister to hold talks with the Bangladesh government regarding imposition of import duty on mangoes and lichees. In a letter to the chief minister, Mr Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee, the exporters belonging to the MMCC pointed out that they are facing problems in exporting mangoes and lichees to Bangladesh due to imposition of import duties. They said that the import duty is preventing the importers of Bangladesh from purchasing these fruits from this region. As a result, the rate of export of mangoes and lichees has fallen at land customs stations such as Mahadipur in Malda , Hilli in South Dinajpur, Changrabandha in Cooch Behar and Gojadanga and Petrapole in South Bengal. The Bangladesh government has imposed import duty of Taka 43,200 ( Bangladesh currency) for one lakh pieces of lichees. and Taka 13.50 for per kilo of extra mangoes.

Art of replacing old mango trees

Statesman News Service

MALDA, May 23: Nearly 50 mango farmers of Malda are being trained in Kalyani Bidhan Chandra Krishi Viswa Vidyalaya about how to replace over 80-years old mango trees. The training camp is being held under the guidance of the National Horticulture Mission. The NHM has organised the camp in order to boost mango cultivation through new trees and give a new dimension to the export of mangoes. The NHM has also allotted huge funds for development of mango cultivation in this region. After selecting 50 owners of over 80-year-old mango trees, the district horticulture department has selected 1200-hectare lands where such trees would be replaced. For this project, the NHM has allotted Rs 10,000 for each hectare of land to cut down old trees and for plantation of new trees. To minimise losses, the NHM has been eyeing the orchard’s land that may reap profits for it. After selling the branches and woods of the old trees, the owner of the orchards will get huge money. After plantation, the mango cultivators can easily use the land for cultivation of vegetables for few years and can also earn profit till maturity of the new mango trees. Earlier, the new mango orchards were being used for mulberry plantation.

Search on for new EB chairman

Statesman News Service

MALDA, May 22: After the removal of the English Bazaar Municipality chairman following the verdict of the Division Bench of the Calcutta High Court, the subdivisional officer, Mr Prasanna Kumar Mandal, has instructed the executive officer of EBM to take necessary steps to elect a new chairman. The EBM chairman, Mr Nihar Ranjan Ghosh, has been directed to run the civic body as the caretaker of house. The executive officer is preparing to issue a letter to the EBM vice-chairman to convene a meeting for electing the new chairman for the board. On 15 May, the SDO sent a letter to the executive officer of EBM quoting the direction pronounced by the Division Bench and instructing the officer to refer to Clause B (3) of Rule 6 of the West Bengal Municipality Procedure and Conduct of Business Rules 1995. The letter mentioned that 14 councillors of the 25-member board had voted against the chairman, Mr Nihar Ranjan Ghosh, calling a no-confidence motion against him on 3 April 2006. Following the direction of the Division Bench, the SDO announced the results of the no-confidence motion and removed the chairman of the English Bazaar Municipality. After the municipal elections, the CPI-M-backed Independent councillor was elected as the chairman inspite of the presence of only 11 out of 25 members. Though one Congress councillor and a Trinamul Congress councillor had cast their votes in favour of the chairman, but prior to the Assembly election all 14 Opposition councillors including one BJP councillor got united to remove the CPI-M-backed Independent chairman. As per rules, the vice-chairman of the EBM is bound to call a meeting for the election of the new EBM chairman. In VC’s absence in the meeting, any three borad members can convene the meeting.

Insurgency hits Malda NGOs

Statesman News Service

MALDA, May 22: The NGOs operating in Malda have alleged that their projects were being hampered by the insurgency problem in the North-east. The Inner Wheel Club, a women’s wing of Rotary International, convened a meeting at Malda recently. Speakers at the forum pointed out how insurgency dissuaded them from executing projects that were designed for the welfare of the needy in Manipur, Meghalaya, Assam and other North-eastern states. A speaker of the club, said: “Insurgency in the North-east has hampered free movement. When out for work, we often find ourselves trapped at one place due to sudden imposition of curfew by the administration to curb insurgency.” At the forum, members of the Inner Wheel Club stressed the need to impose a check on sex identification. They discussed methods for providing special care to mothers and their babies. The district assembly of the Rotary Club of Malda Central was organised at the Malda College auditorium on 20 May, in which delegates from the seven states of North-east and from certain parts of West Bengal participated. Here, senior members shed light on the organisation’s achievements and shortcomings in the execution of its programmes and policies. Mr VS Bhandari deliberated on the organisation’s polio eradication programme in the country. He praised the pulse polio immunisation campaign taken up by district chief, Mrs Kaplana Khound, in the North-eastern region and that of Dr Sayantan in the Malda region. In a circular of the charter president of the Rotary Club Malda Central, Dr Sayantan said that in 2004, the number of wild polio cases detected in the country was 134 and in 2005, it reduced to 66. In 2006 (till 14 May) only 27 wild polio cases were detected in the country. The Lions Club will organise an immunisation programme to control typhoid on 28 May in North Bengal and Sikkim. The Lions Club of Malda will open eight booths for this immunisation programme in the district.

Medics in the line of fire

Statesman News Service

MALDA, May 21: The chief medical officer of health, Malda, Dr Gopal Sarkar, has identified four doctors as “evaders” and informed the treasury officer not to give them their full salary for a month. After receiving a circular from the directorate of health, Dr Sarkar was forced to execute the system, sources said. It was detected that the identified doctors didn’t attend their assignment and did not go to the health centre in the working days but claimed salary for a month. The government circular said that if it were detected that the doctors attended two to three days in a week their salary would be paid on daily basis. In rural health centres, it was found that doctors did not attend the health centres regularly and patients were deprived of proper treatment. The circular also directed the CMOH to monitor the government doctors who are practicing privately. It was mentioned in the circular that the health department has lost image and reputation due to a group of doctors who misguide patients coming to hospitals and transfer them to private nursing homes. The CMOH has also been instructed to keep an eye on health workers including the nursing staff in the hospital. “If the CMOH fails to send proper monitoring report to the higher authorities, the department will appoint private agencies to prepare report of the administrative system of the district health department,” the circular said. The CMOH, Dr Gopal Sarkar, told the reporters that he had tried to report the situation earlier but could not do so due to pressure from a section within the department.

CPM's image at stake

Statesman News Service

MALDA, May 21: Mr Sailen Sarkar, minister for Assembly affairs, said that a section of people who did not cast votes in favour of Mr Samar Roy had aired that a group of CPI-M workers conspired to defeat Mr Roy in English Bazaar. “It is simply a rumour. But we are facing difficulties to combat the menace because many of our workers have started to believe the rumour,” he said. He was addressing a felicitation programme of seven elected MLAs including himself at Netaji More yesterday morning. Mr Sarkar said that they would face difficulties if such anti-campaigns continued to be held. Mr Sarkar was blamed for the defeat of Mr Samar Roy, CPIM’s contesting candidate, who was defeated by a narrow margin of 906 votes by the Congress candidate in English Bazaar, for ministerial race. “It is a matter of regret that Mr Roy was defeated but he got 7 per cent more votes in comparison to last Assembly election. “Nobody conspired to defeat him,” he said. Party workers welcomed the ministers and six others MLAs at Malda town station and took out a rally from the station to Netaji More, where a felicitation programme was organised. Mr Sarkar also explained that why he is now the minister for Assembly affairs but did not disclose why the chief minister held his department FPI&H in his hand. He said development works would be undertaken in the district through proper planning by the LF government. Only time will tell whether the CPI-M will mange to regain its imahe here. #

Traders accused of exporting unripe mangoes

Statesman News Service

MALDA, May 19: Officials of Malda mango development department have lodged a complaint against a group of mango traders here for exporting unripe mangoes to Assam and Jharkhand states. Though the exact date on which the mangoes were plucked from trees in Malda district is uncertain and there is no hard and fast rule to bring the culprits to book, the MMDD is determined to curb this growing menace with a motive to keep up the good reputation of Malda mangoes in other states. It was learnt that to earn quick money from premature sale of mangoes, traders in the district often pluck unripe mangoes of the Gopalbhog and Himsagar varieties that are quite well known for their richness and flavour. Speaking to The Statesman, Mr SN Khara, MDO, said: “Some mango traders from Ratua II have exported premature Himsagar and Langra varieties of mangoes to Assam and Jharkhand. We have lodged a complaint with the block development officer to warn the mango-growers in the district. Members of the local mango society here have also been asked to monitor the situation.”Mr Khara said:“Unripe mangoes do not taste as good as the ripe ones. Yet, some “unscrupulous” traders sell them to other states for their own vested interests. This earns a bad name for Malda mangoes and results in bringing down the market.” Reportedly, the MMDD has instructed mango growers in the district to initiate the plucking of Gopalbhog mangoes from 22 May onwards. Likewise, the Himsagar variety can be plucked from 30 May onwards followed by other varieties of mangoes. Further, the West Bengal Food Processing and Horticulture Development Corporation informed Malda officials that there was an import order from London for Himsagar variety of mangoes grown here. Thus as per instructions, once the mango plucking begins, the exporter will receive 1300 kgs of mangoes of the Himsagar variety from Malda in the first phase tentatively by 30 May. The corporation has also appointed a local officer to monitor the plucking of mangoes by farmers. The mangoes meant for export will be selected after grading and packaging in the Malda Pack House and will be delivered in a refrigerated van. #

Pic : Pralependu Sanyal

Sailen Sarkar , CPM man for by-poll

Statesman News Service

MALDA. May 18: The CPI-M is all set to project Mr Sailen Sarkar as its candidate for the forthcoming by-poll for Malda Lok Sabha seat. He will be contesting against the Congress. With Mr Sarkar being projected as the CPI-M’s candidate for the MP election, party workers have given up discussion about Mr Sarkar’s role in the new LF government. The CPI-M workers said: “Being an Assembly affairs minister, he will be able to develop the district by maintaining coordination with other ministers and MLAs from Writers Buildings.” But after hearing the information that he would be the MP candidate, their discussion got another dimension. A group of CPI-M leaders also argued by selecting Mr Sarkar for the parliamentary by-poll in Malda, the state leaders have selected him for the Assembly affairs department so that he can manage time for campaigning.Since 1991, Mr Sarkar has been contesting from Malda seat but failed to defeat ABA Ghani Khan Choudhury. In the last Lok Sabha election, he did not contest and another youth leader was defeated by the Congress stalwart. Since 1980, ABA Ghani Khan Choudhury was the MP in Malda and got ministerial berth from the tenure of Indira Gandhi. It is expected that by June this year the by-poll for Malda Lok Sabha seat would be conducted.

Cong banks on Malda by-poll

Statesman News Service

MALDA, May 17: The fate of the Congress in Malda depends on the results of the forthcoming by-election for the Malda Lok Sabha seat, a senior Congress leader of the district said here today. After the debacle in the Assembly election in Malda and the demise of ABA Ghani Khan Choudhury, Congress leaders are worried about their party’s future. The Congress leaders are upset after conducting a postmortem to know the cause of the defeat of Mr AH Khan Choudhury, brother of ABA Ghani Khan Choudhury, in Kaliachak. “It was beyond our imagination that the sentimental wave would not work in Kaliachak. Is it true that the last speech of chief minister Mr Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee in Kaliachak had banished all sympathy,” asked Mr Goutam Chakraborty, Congresss sabhadhipati of Malda Zilla Parishad. Addressing an election campaign in Malda, Mr Bhattacharjee had said: “After Ghani Khan, nobody in Malda Congress can fulfil the dream of the great leader for development in this district.“In his absence, only we can fulfil his dream. Have faith in the Left Front government, have faith in me. I am assuring you. We will develop the region as desired by Ghani Khan.” Mr Chakraborty said: “The Malda parliamentary by-election is more important to establish the strength of the organisation in the absence of Barkatda and the fate of the Malda Congress will depend on its result.” “We had made a mistake by projecting Ghani Khan as the face of all achievements and developmental works carried out in the last few years. As a result, people felt that in the absence of Khan Choudhury, there is no one to work for development in this district. People in Malda, particularly the minority group, depended on the Congress stalwart for their safety and security. But after his death, people decided to change track, by supporting the CPI-M,” they said.

'Witch' lyanched by kin in Malda

Statesman News Service

MALDA, May 16: A tribal widow, Purgi Mardi (55), was beaten to death by her family members after being labelled a “witch” today at the Bujuvita village in the Gazole police station area here, police said.Police said that two more persons were injured in the the attack and have been admitted to hospital for treatment. All her family members have been arrested. Malda SP, Mr Dilip Kumar Mondal, said: “Purgi’s brother-in-law, Mohan Soren, who has been ill for a long time, told his family members that Purgi was a “witch” and responsible for his deteriorating health.His family members hatched a plan to beat Purgi to death.”

Loser Left's rally slammed

Statesman News Service

MALDA, May 16: Supporters of the Left Front criticised a rally organised by local CPI-M leaders in English Bazaar town yesterday.They said there was no difference in the manner in which the CPI-M, the Congress and the Trinamul Congress organised their victory rally. A group of senior CPI-M workers, who were present at the rally despite the defeat of the CPI-M MLA, Mr Samar Roy, were upset with the rally organised by their party. The group, reportedly left the rally midway when they witnessed hundreds of youths in the rally dancing to the tune of some Hindi film songs.CPI-M local leaders showcased the photograph of the late Anil Biswas, former state secretary of the CPI-M, at the rally. Some leaders even said the CPI-M rally was organised with an intention to compete with the rally organised by the winning Congress candidate, Mr Krishnendu Choudhury.The followers of Mr Roy participated in the rally but that, too, against the their will. The rally was organised in the absence of the CPI-M district secretary, Mr Jiban Moitra, and the seven winning candidates. Some CPI-M party workers wanted to know who decided to organise a rally without a valid programme.

Civic body members' rift

Statesman News Service

MALDA, May 16 : While the district authorities instructed the LF-backed Independent chairman of the English Bazaar Municipality to step down as per the High Court order, fourteen members of the Opposition are yet to be united about proving their majority, owing to internal squabbles.Though the 14 Opposition councillors convened a meeting to chalk out a plan to prove their majority, the problem remained unresolved. Eight Trinamul councillors were divided after the result of the Assembly election arrived.Three of them belong to the lobby of Miss Mamata Banerjee but the other five presently belong to the lobby of the Congress MLA in English Bazaar, Mr Krishnendu Choudhury , who was a Trinamul member until a few weeks ago. When the Opposition councillors, including the Congress and the BJP, collaborated and offered the post of chairman to a Congress councillor, Mr Biswanath Guho, the present district Trinamul chief, Mr Dulal Sarkar was unwilling to accept Mr Guho, on the basis of his activities in the Assembly election. Mr Guho and Mr Sarkar had cast their votes in favour of the LF-backed chairman during the election, ignoring their parties’ whips. As a result, the Left Front had formed the board with the support of 11 of the 25 members. Yesterday, Mr Guho did not wish to attend the meeting in the presence of Mr Sarkar. Besides Mr Sarkar, two other councillors have decided not to enter into an alliance with the Congress and the BJP. Though the newly-elected English Bazaar MLA, Mr Choudhury, wanted to form the board without a Trinamul councillor, Mr Sarkar and two councillors did not agree to the proposal. Seven Trinamul councillors, and five Congress councillors worked for Mr Choudhury in the Assembly election. Mr Dulal Sarkar was the Trinamul candidate for the Malda Assembly seat. He had nominated his wife as Trinamul candidate for the English Bazaar seat.

Ministerial race hots up in Malda

Statesman News Service

MALDA, May 15: The fact that the CPI-M MLAs in Malda are engaged in a mad race to bag a ministerial berth has become a hot topic of discussion in English Bazaar. It was learnt that various lobbies are at work to get their candidates elected for the ministerial post.Efforts are also on at the individual level after pressure from interest groups. It was learnt that some leaders are not happy with the idea of the CPI-M MLA, Mr Samar Roy, being chosen for a ministerial post and a group of CPI-M workers have blamed the lobby of Mr Sailen Sarkar, who is also in the race for a ministerial berth. Mr Sarkar, minister for food processing, industries and horticulture, has been elected from the Ratua seat for the second time. The newly-elected CPI-M MLA, Mr Biswanath Ghosh, defeated twice from Kaliachak in the last two Assembly elections, is also one of the claimants for the ministerial post. The CPI-M in Malda has two tribal MLAs ~ Mr Khagen Murmu and Mr Sadhu Tudu. Though Mr Tudu is a teacher, many of his followers want him to be a minister. Whereas another lobby is favouring Mr Khagen Murmu who was the deputy sabhadhipati of the Malda Zilla Parishad. CPI-M party sources said that only one MLA from Malda would get the ministerial berth in the Cabinet but the name has not yet been finalised. Prior to 2001, only one Forward Bloc MLA, Mr Birendra Maitra, was the minister for agriculture from Malda. He was defeated from Harishchandrapur and Mr Sarkar elected from Ratua was selected for the ministerial berth in 2001. This year, another Forward Bloc candidate has been elected from Harishchandrapur. People here are anxiously waiting to know whose name would be proposed for the ministerial berth from Malda.

Malda flood menace alive

Statesman News Service

MALDA, May 15: Though anti-erosion work has started on the left bank of the Ganges in Kaliachak by the Farakka Barrage Project (FBP) authorities, flood-combating measures are yet to be implemented in the region by the state government, officials said today. State irrigation officials said that owing to the Assembly election, not a single meeting could be convened in the last few months to discuss and chalk out flood-protection measures along the three-kilometre, unprotected zone on the left bank of the Ganges here. The committee formed for the Pagla river morphology study, headed by the district magistrate, could not convene any meeting to plan anti-erosion measures in the Panchanandapur belt where the Ganges converges with the Pagla. To check erosion during the high-flood period, it was decided to employ the river-linking process to some extent by permitting the water of the Ganges to flow through the Pagla. This way, there would be no obstruction in the flow of the Ganges’ huge water volume that caused severe erosion in the Panchanandapur zone in the past. Irrigation officials said the FBP has closed the mouth of the river Pagla at the place of its convergence with the Ganges for the time being.It was only last year that the officials allowed water of the Ganges to flow through Pagla , a tributary. The FBP authorities have also closed the mouth of the tributaries of the Pagla for dual purposes. This will serve as a link for villages that have remained isolated after the merger between the Ganges and the Pagla. District river experts said the FBP has not kept a sufficient spilling zone for flood waters of the Ganges here which may lead to severe erosion in this region, covering the upstream and down stream of the Ganges. The state irrigation department has spent Rs 24 crore for anti-erosion work on the three-kilometre stretch of the left bank of the Ganges last year. But the nearly 1.5 km-long bank protection work was eroded by the floods. This year, the FBP has allotted Rs 14 crore for anti-erosion work.

Search for Malda MP

Statesman News Service

MALDA, May 14: Though the Election Commission has not issued any notification for the election of the Malda candidate for the Lok Sabha seat after the death of ABA Ghani Khan Choudhury, people are curious to know which Congress candidate would be appointed as heir to the late Malda MP. Taking a cue from the statements of Congress leaders, political observers here feel that the late Khan Choudhury’s brother, Mr AH Khan Choudhury, seemed to be the most likely candidate for the post. But being the district president of the Malda Congress, it was also possible that Mrs Rubi Noor, sister of the late MP, would be the Congress candidate for the post. Just after the results of Assembly election in Malda was declared, Mrs Noor had announced: “No decision has been taken and I am not mentally ready to contest for the MP’s seat.” Political leaders are calculating to what extent the sympathy wave created by Khan Choudhury’s death would be instrumental in the Malda MP’s election. Earlier, Mrs Noor, had admitted that the sympathy wave had failed to be fruitful for Congress candidates in all the seats during the Assembly election. She said Congress MLAs such Mr AH Khan Choudhury in Kaliachak and Mr Mostak Alam in Harishchandrapur could not capitalise on the sentimental wave. Reportedly, people also want to know the name of the CPI-M candidate to be appointed for the Malda Lok Sabha election. Since 1980, Ghani Khan Choudhury had remained rooted to the post of Malda MP. The Malda CPI-M could not grab the seat from the Congress stalwart. Political observers have also suggested that the CPI-M may try to gain the seat this time. In the last parliamentary election, Khan Choudhury was elected Malda MP by winning with a record margin of over one lakh vote against the student and youth leader, Mr Pranab Das. But the Congress is upset after losing the Kaliachak seat this time and is confused whether the Khan Choudhury wave would work for the Malda MP’s election. #

Migrant workers held

MALDA, May14: About 35 Malda migrants working as labourers in Mumbai were arrested by Mumbai police a few weeks ago on the charge of being Bangladesh nationals. All efforts by relatives and friends to get them released have proved in vain. It was learnt that the relatives of the arrested Malda migrants had approached Union minister Mr Priya Ranjan Das Munshi, Trinamul Supremo Miss Mamata Banerjee and other leaders who visited Malda for campaigning for help. Finally, the dejected relatives have written to chief minister Mr Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee pleading him to rescue the migrants who are in the Maharashtra police’s custody. Hundreds of villagers from Malda migrate to Maharastra, Hariyana, Gujarat, Assam and other states in search of jobs. In a letter to the chief minister, Hasnara Khatun, sister of one of the victims, said her brother had gone to Thane in Maharashtra. They showed a copy of their ration cards and electoral photo identity cards (Epics) to the police as proof of being Malda residents. Yet, they were arrested by the Mumbai police on the charge of being Bangladeshis. It was also alleged that though the Malda district administration issued certificates on behalf of the arrested Malda migrants, as a proof of their being Indian nationals, the Thane administration refused to release them. SNS

Students pressured for donation

Statesman News Service

MALDA, May14: A large number of students from a private, primary teachers’ training institute at Samsi in Malda alleged that the college authorities have demanded that they donate the security money deposited at the time of admission, to the institute. The students said the college authorities threatened to deduct marks from their internal examinations if they fail to comply with their orders. It was learnt that the chairman of the District Primary School Council has given assurances that the matter would be looked into. Students said they had deposited Rs 15,000 as fees and another Rs 5,000 as security deposit.But recently, the college authorities issued a notice demanding students donate their security deposit to the institute for its development. Some students complied with the demand to avoid deduction of marks from their internal examinations. But many students from the 2005-06 batch are protesting against the decision. The institute authorities have denied the charge.They said that they had only wanted to adjust hostel rent from the security deposit of the students.

Soul search after English Bazaar defeat

Statesman News Service

MALDA, May 12: After a post-mortem to know the cause behind Mr Samarananda Roy’s defeat in English Bazaar, CPI-M workers concluded that leaders failed to anticipate the anti-CPI-M wave at a few polling stations in rural and urban areas of the constituency. They expected a decent lead for the CPI-M candidate from these areas, but the poor performance was beyond their calculation. CPI-M leaders and workers, however, thanked the voters in anti-Left English Bazaar for casting so many votes in favour of Mr Roy ~ 66,670. Though the CPI-M leaders had predicted that Congress strongholds such as Milky, Shobhanagar, Amrity and others would increase the margin in favour of the Congress candidate, Mr Krishnendu Narayan Choudhury, they were not sure how to make up the deficit in the rural belts. The CPI-M candidate bagged many votes for his “good image”. He was defeated by a mere 906 votes. In the last civic polls, the total number of votes of the Left Front was higher than the Opposition, but the Congress candidate had got a lead of 905 votes from the civic body area. The CPI-M candidate could not make up the deficit of 906 votes in the final round of counting in the English Bazaar civic body area under this Assembly segment. The party leaders and workers had ignored important factors to bag adequate votes from two areas Mahadipur ~ which is close to the Bangladesh border and Binodpur. Even in some specific polling stations of English Bazaar town, the CPI-M candidate was defeated by 100 to 400 votes in each booth owing to lack of proper monitoring and finally the CPI-M candidate was defeated by 906 votes. CPI-M workers and leaders failed to gauge that some Congress leaders would be inactive during election due to internal squabbling over the allotment of ticket to Mr Choudhury in English Bazaar. But Mr Choudhury, despite facing crisis from inside and out side the party, managed to stand tall. Mr Pranab Mukherjee and Mr Priya Ranjan Das Munshi had also played a vital role to unite the Congress leaders. Though a group of Congress workers played a nasty game against Mr Choudhury, the others extended their help because of the Ghani Khan Choudhury factor. Mr Choudhury, the former Trinamul district president, had been able to mobilise his organisational forces of the Trinamul Congress by capitalising the sentimental wave after Ghani Khan Choudhury’s death.

Permanent panels a minority in MZP

Statesman News Service

MALDA, May 12: After the Malda Assembly poll verdict, the district Congress leaders turned their attention to the Malda Zilla Parishad where they are on the brink of losing power in permanent committees. After the loss of two Congress MLAs at Malda, the “configuration” of the MZP’s ex-officio members has been changed and the Congress-BJP-Trinamul-led permanent committees have been established as minority ones. The CPI-M had called a no-confidence motion against all members of the nine permanent committees of the MZP. The Congress sabhadhipati had tackled the situation tactfully and dislodged the LF sabhapati of the panchayat samiti. After winning seven seats in Malda out of 11 and two seats in adjoining Murshidabad, the Left Front has 33 members in MZP but the Congress and their partners have only 29 members. Both the CPI-M and the Congress wished to increase the number of MLAs to hold on to power in the MZP. Of the 15 heads (sabhapatis) of panchayat samitis, the Left Front now has eight members and the three parties have just seven members. Of the four MPs who are ex-officio members of the MZP, the LF has one but the Congress has none after the death of the Malda MP. Though Mr Pranab Mukherjee and Mr Priya Ranjan Das Munshi were members, they do not have voting powers as they are ministers in the Union Cabinet. The CPI-M district secretary said: “No decision has been taken to call a fresh no-confidence motion against the permanent committees.” CPI-M sources said that no plan has been chalked out against the Congress sabhadhipati of the MZP, Mr Goutam Chakraborty, whose name had been deleted from the electoral rolls a few days before the polls on the charge of submitting a false statement to include his name in the rolls.

'Black sheep' observers

Statesman News Service

MALDA, May 12: A group of officials from the West Bengal Civil Service Association, who were allegedly humiliated by EC observers in Malda, plan to bring the matter to the central leadership’s notice. The officials said they would also inform their central committee members about how the election observers violated EC norms on duty. A senior official of the Malda district administration alleged that an EC observer was out of station for two days, violating the stipulated norms and that he observer also enjoyed government vehicles for a tour.He said Mr Anil Srivastava, observer for Malda Assembly constituency, on his way back from south Bengal to Malda, toured Bolpur and Massanjor without informing the authorities.He was assigned with the additional task of conducting a phase of elections in South Bengal. “An EC observer cannot stay outside his posted jurisdiction,” the official alleged. The day after the last phase of election, district election officials were shocked by the behaviour of some observers as they used abusive language when some officials found it difficult to arrange some documents, including the presiding diary for taking a decision to conduct re-polling in some booths. The observers reportedly described district administration officials as clerks and asked them about their quality of being an officer. Just after the observers’ departure, some government employees expressed their unhappiness.The Malda SDO, Mr Prasanna Mandal, said: “We will discuss the matter soon and apprise the central leadership of the issue.”

English Bazaar stands out

Statesman News Service

MALDA, May 11: The Left Front in Malda has recovered two seats but lost the much-hyped English Bazaar seat by a narrow margin.

Congress candidate, Mr Krishnendu Narayan Choudhury, who was nominated by the late Congress stalwart, ABA Ghani Khan Choudhury, has snatched the English Bazaar constituency from the CPI-M’s clutch.

He defeated the CPI-M candidate, Mr Samarananda Roy, by 906 votes.

Though the district Congress president, Mrs Rubi Noor, won from Sujapur, she admitted that the sentimental wave that followed her brother’s death failed to work in this election, particularly in Kaliachak and Harishchandrapur constituencies.

The CPI-M candidate, Mr Biswanath Ghosh, has defeated Congress candidate Mr AH Khan Choudhury in Kaliachak.

The Forward Bloc recovered the Harischandrapur seat from Congress grip by defeating Mr Mostak Alam.

Though the CPI-M claimed to recover the Aridanga seat, its candidate, Mr Sadikul Islam, was defeated by the Congress contestant, Mrs Sabitri Mitra, from here.

Of the 11 seats, the Left Front won seven seats but lost the English Bazaar seat. The Congress bagged four seats and lost two.

In the last Assembly election, the CPI-M bagged six seats and Congress won fives.

This year, the CPI-M retained the Ratua seat. CPI-M candidates won the Manikchak, Habibpur, Gazole and Malda seats.

BJP has secured second position in Habibpur constituency, though party leaders claimed to have won this seat as in the Red bastion, finally, Mr Khagen Murmu defeated the VHP-backed BJP candidate, Mr Ramlal Hansda.

A triangular fight ensued in Manikchak and Malda, where an Independent candidate and a Trinamul Congress candidate notched up votes from the Congress bank that helped the CPI-M win.

Commenting on Kaliachak, district Congress president, Mrs Rubi Noor, said: “Internal squabbling among the panchayat’s Congress members is the main cause of poor results in Kaliachak.”

MrKhan Choudhury said: “Barkatda’s illness prevented me from monitoring the election work stringently.”

Winning Congress candidate, Mr KN Choudhury, said: “My win is Barkatda’s win. Had he been alive, he would have felt delighted with my success.”

Mr Samar Roy, who has been defeated, said on the other hand: “I will continue doing my job as before.”

It was learnt that the CPI-M workers and leaders are upset after detecting bad performance by its workers.

In five polling booths under Ward No. 3, No. 16 and others and also in Binodpur and Mahadipur villages, CPI-M candidates did not get the expected votes. Even Trinamul Congress candidates failed to get a large number of votes.

CPM hopeful in Malda

Statesman News Service

MALDA, May 10: Ignoring the sentimental wave following the death of Congress stalwart, Mr ABA Ghani Khan Choudhury district CPI-M leaders today claimed that their party would capture two more seats from the Congress MLAs. Reviewing the polling trend and percentage in Kaliachak and Aridanga constituencies has enthused the CPI-M leaders, who now expect to defeat the Congress candidate, Mr AH Khan Choudhury, the brother of Ghani Khan Choudhury, and former district president, Mrs Sabitri Mitra. The late Malda MP introduced Mrs Mitra, an MLA from Aridanga to politics in 1991, after the death of her husband, who was a Congress leader. During this year’s Assembly election, Mrs Mitra was contested by Mr Sadikul Islam, the leader of the state’s College University Teachers’ Association and member of the School Service Commission. Mr AH Khan Choudhury defeated the CPI-M candidate, Mr Biswanath Ghosh, twice since 2001. Both Mr Choudhury and Mr Ghosh have contested from the Kaliachak Assembly segment this year. The district secretary of the CPI-M, Mr Jiban Moitra, said Mr Islam could regain the lost seat this time.He said there is a strong possibility that the CPI-M candidate, Mr Biswanath Ghosh, would defeat the Congress MLA, Mr AH Khan Choudhury, by nearly 10,000 votes in the Assembly election. Though Congressmen expect better results in the English Bazaar constituency this time, there are few who are uncertain about the party’s fate here.Some CPI-M leaders are, however, thinking positive about their candidate, Mr Samar Roy’s victory in the English Bazaar Assembly segment. It was learnt that some CPI-M and Left Front leaders have criticised their parties for their organisational weaknesses in the Harishchandrapur and Kharba segments, where the Forward Bloc candidate contested the Congress MLA. At Kharba, the CPI-M has fielded a woman candidate against the Congress MLA, Mr Mahababul Hoque, but is not hopeful about this seat. CPI-M leaders also reviewed the Sujapur constituency, where sister of the late Congress stalwart, Mrs Rubi Noor, contested. The CPI-M is concerned about the high percentage of polling in the Habibpur constituency, 15 per cent more than during the last Assembly election. The CPI-M leaders were amazed to learn that the party would lose control in the Gazole and Habibpur segments. The CPI-M’s district secretary claimed the party would retain three other seats in Old Malda, Ratua and Manikchak constituencies.

Girl killed for lichees

Statesman News Service

MALDA, May 10: A seven-year-old girl, Sahida Khatoon, was allegedly killed by the owner of a lichee farm on charges of stealing litchees at Jhabritola in Malda’s Kaliachak police station area on 8 May, the Malda SP, Mr Dilip Kumar Mandal, said today. Police have detained three persons ~ the farm owner, his son and son-in-law ~ for interrogation in connection with Sahida’s killing. The investigating official informed that the culprit had chopped off the girl’s hands and legs and her belly and throat were ripped open. Family members found the body lying near a pond, stuffed in a cement bag. The Malda SP said it is brutal to kill somebody just for lichees. It was learnt that on the day of the election, Sahida, with a group of friends had gone to the lichee garden at about 10 a.m. The group was caught by the garden owner, who confined them to their house and threatened to kill Sahida.A quarrel ensued but Sahida’s family managed to free her after discussions with the garden owner. “Later at about 3 pm the same day, Sahida went missing and was not to be found anywhere, following which her father lodged a complaint with the police on 9 May,” Mr Timir Banerjee, inspector-in-charge of Kaliaganj police station, said. Today, at 7 a.m., family members found the body near a pond, which is at a distance of about 200 metres from the place where the incident took place. Police reached the spot at 10 a.m. and recovered the girl’s body. Police said the body has been sent for a postmortem examination and they had requested the doctors to check if any sexual harassment occurred prior to the killing.

Tusker kills three in Malda

Statesman News Service

MALDA, May 9: A wild elephant went berserk in northern Malda, killing three persons and wounding many since yesterday. Forest officials, however, heaved a sigh of relief today after forcing the killer pachyderm to return to the jungles of Bihar from where it probably came. Before leaving the area, the elephant killed Harku Sheikh (30), a resident of Chaitola on the Bihar border, Sujit Mondal (13) and Barkat Ali, both residents of Krishnanagar village in Malda’s Chanchal area. While Mondal and Ali died yesterday, Sheikh became the third victim of the pachyderm today. As thousands of residents, who witnessed the foray of the elephant into their villages arguably for the first time in their life, ran after the animal. It got furious and attacked the villagers, besides destroying their houses. The pachyderm created panic yesterday when it entered the Krishnanagar village in Chanchal via Harishchandrapur from Bihar, covering a distance of about 10 km. Since yesterday was polling day, most of the villagers were either on their way to or returning from the polling booths when the elephant entered their village. The 13-year-old-boy came in the way of the elephant and was killed, while Ali was wounded. He later died of his injuries.The annoyed elephant then climbed down to a pond to avoid the villagers, before being chased away by the forest officials and the villagers today. “The situation was beyond control. No body was able to control the elephant. So we decided to drive the elephant out of the village,” the Malda SP, Mr DK Mondal, said. #

Record polling in Malda

Statesman News Service

MALDA, May 9: Malda district has recorded more than five per cent increase in the voter turnout this year in comparison to the 2001 Assembly election. According to reports from election officials, 82. 16 per cent polling had been recorded yesterday, whereas in 2001 the percentage hovered around 76.97. In Ratua, however, where CPI-M candidate and minister for food processing industries and horticulture, Mr Sailen Sarkar, contested against Congress candidate, Mr Asit Bose, backed by Union I&B minister, Mr Priya Ranjan Das Munshi, the polling percentage dipped from 78. 53 in 2001 Assembly election to 78.38 this year. CPI-M scored better results in tribal and Scheduled Caste-dominated areas, where their poll percentage increased by 16 per cent. Here, Mr Ramlal Hansda, the BJP candidate, had claimed to have defeated the CPI-M’s Mr Khagen Murmu with help from the Trinamul Congress and the Congress. During the 2001 Assembly election, the polling percentage was 67.50 and during this election, the Assembly segment recorded 83.84 per cent polling. CPI-M district secretary Mr Jiban Maitra said that due to the Election Commission’s high-handedness, the party took to an intensive door-to-door campaign that might have resulted in a high percentage polling in Habibpur and other constituencies. Besides Ratua, that recorded 78.38 per cent polling, Sujapur with 79.69 per cent polling and Manikchak with 75.75 per cent, there are eight constituencies where over 80 per cent voter turnout was recorded. The Kharba Assembly segment in North Malda recorded 85.10 per cent voter turnout. The much-hyped English Bazaar Assembly segment has recorded 81 per cent polling, whereas during the last Assembly election the polling percentage was 77.34 per cent.Election Commission observers claim that stringent management in the Assembly election this year has resulted in increased polling percentage in the district. #

1,500 Malda voters boycotted polls

Statesman News Service

MALDA, May 8: Nearly 1,500 voters boycotted the Assembly poll today to protest against non-availability of basic amenities in Malda district, election officials said. Voter turnout was otherwise good and election observers stated they were satisfied with voting arrangements made by the Election Commission here. The district recorded an average of 23 per cent voter turnout by 11 a.m. and 38 per cent turnout by 1 p.m. except at polling booth No 20 in Manikchak and polling booth No 126 in Ratua, where polling was boycotted by villagers. Additional magistrate general Mr BP Barat confirmed that no untoward incident was reported during polling today. Eight electronic voting machines went out of order and one ballot unit was replaced, he said. Reportedly, Congress and CPI-M leaders alleged that some Central paramilitary forces personnel prevented polling agents from entering poll booths. The district CPI-M party office alleged that the CPMF personnel detained a Forward Bloc candidate in Harishchnadrapur and the matter was reported to deputy election commissioner, Mr Anand Kumar, by the district CPI-M secretary. Officials said four CPI-M workers were arrested in the Habibpur Assembly segment for circulating leaflets to voters. CPI-M party sources said the leaflets were meant to alert voters against BJP workers’ attack. This charge was denied by BJP leaders. Two BJP workers were reportedly arrested for allegedly setting ablaze a vehicle carrying CPI-M workers on the night of 6 May. Malda SP Mr KDK Mondal refrained from commenting on the incident. He said: “It is difficult to say anything prior to an investigation”. Deputy election commissioner Mr Kumar visited a few polling stations in the English Bazaar town and other Assembly segments this morning. Later, he left to visit other districts in North Bengal. Mr Anil Srivastava, election observer at the ITI polling station in English Bazaar (Ward No. 24), checked the voters’ Epics and expressed satisfaction over peaceful polling. Central forces extended help to aged and ailing voters. One Central force personnel was reported to have died of illness yesterday.

Malda primed for the fight

Statesman News Service

MALDA, May 7: With 8,500 Central paramilitary forces and 2,000 Bengal police personnel deployed in Malda, the district seems set for the last and final phase of polls tomorrow.The Central forces have taken over the control of every polling station in the district. They have been ordered to control every movement within a radius of 200 metres from the polling stations. Even state police personnel would not be allowed to enter this area. Sixty-five polling stations have been identified as “sensitive”. All the sensitive booths will be guarded by four heads of CPMF. In the KLO and Maoist-dominated areas, 10 heads of paramilitary forces will be stationed. As a special measure, the district administration has set up 190 sector offices along the Bihar and Jharkhand border and the international border with Bangladesh.The Border Security Force has been directed to step up vigilance along border areas on poll day. Section 144 of the CrPC has been enforced to prevent carrying of firearms and weapons. The same would be applicable within a 200-metre radius of every polling booth. A total of 17.27 lakh voters are expected to exercise their franchise tomorrow, of which the number of male voters is estimated to be around 8.91 lakh and female voters about 8.36 lakh. It was learnt that 16,49,725 electoral photo identity cards have been distributed. Sixty-eight candidates will contest from the 11 constituencies in the district. The Congress has fielded 11 candidates, the CPI-M has fielded 10, offering one seat to the Forward Bloc and the main Opposition Trinamul Congress candidates will contest from nine seats. The BJP has fielded only two candidates. The Bahujan Samaj Party has fielded 10 candidates, whereas other political parties such as the CPI-ML (Liberation) and Muslim League have fielded one candidate each in Sujapur. Rest of the candidates comprise Independents supported by the Kamtapuris, Indira Rajib Mancha and others.

Buddha bats for Barkat votes in Malda

Statesman News Service
MALDA, May 6. — Chief minister Mr Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee urged the Congress workers to join the CPI-M and the Left Front on the last day of his campaign for the Assembly election at Kaliachak in Malda today. Paying resp-ect to the late Malda MP and Congress stalwart, ABA Ghani Khan Chou-hury, the chief minister Mr Bhattacharjee claimed: “After Ghani Khan, nobody in Malda Congress can fulfill the dream of the great leader for development in this district.” He said: “In his absence, only we can fulfill his dream. Have faith in the LF government … have faith in me … I am assuring you … we must develop the region as desired by Ghani Khan Saheb.” Addressing another rally at English Bazaar yesterday, the chief minister said he would follow the policy of development desired by Ghani Khan in this district. He said: “The government is planning to set up another medical college in North Bengal and to re-start air service in Malda.” But he did not mention the location of the proposed medical college in North Bengal. Mr Bhattacharjee explai-ned the government’s performance in the last three decades and sought support from the Congress-men. To counter the union defence minister Mr Pra-nab Mukherjee, the chief minister blamed the central government as well as the Farakka Barrage Proj-ect, a central government unit, for failing to check erosion on the left bank of the Ganges in the Malda district. Yesterday in Kalia-chak and other areas, Mr Mukherjee had blamed the state government on this issue and said that the state had not utilised funds for erosion control allotted by the Centre. The CM said he would look into the high~handedness of the BSF in dealing with cultivators along the Indo-Bangladesh border.

Mahajot model in English Bazaar

Statesman News Service

MALDA, May 3: Just before the Assembly poll in Malda in the last and fifth phase on 8 May, all Opposition councillors today showcased another model of “mahajot” in English Bazaar Municipality after the Malda zilla parishad.It was learnt that all 14 Opposition councillors had cast their votes against Mr Nihar Ranjan Ghosh, the CPI-M backed Independent chairman to remove him.The High Court today announced the results of the voting, which was conducted following court orders a few days ago where government officials played the role of observers. Opposition councillors are now waiting for the next hearing Of the 25 seats, the Left Front got just 11 seats, including that of an Independent candidate in the municipal election, but due to “cross voting” the Independent candidate was elected as the chairman and the Left Front formed the board Political leaders had detected that one Congress and a Trinamul councillor had cast their votes in favour of the Left Front- nominated candidate, owing to internal squabbling. After six months, the Trinamul, BJP and Congress councillors tried to unite them and 13 councillors tried to bring a no-confidence motion against Mr Nihar Ghosh but failed because Mr Ghosh managed to get a stay order from the court.Ultimately, the court allowed the Opposition councillors to call a requisition meeting against the board on the issue of no- confidence under the supervision of the administration where all the14 Opposition councillors, including one BJP councillor, were present. No Left Front councillors were present. It was learnt that the Left Front councillors would go to court again to stall the move of the Opposition on another point to stay in power. The Malda Trinamul Congress was divided on this issue. Miss Mamata Banerjee had come to Malda in January and told all councillors to remove the Left Front-backed chairman to form a board comprising three political parties.Another objective was to test Mr Krishnendu Choudhury, who was allegedly trying to strike an alliance with the Congress, ignoring an official alliance with the BJP in Malda. But the former chairman of the English Bazaar Municipality and the then district Trinamul Congress president left the party when he found that the state leadership preferred Mr Dulal Sarkar, Trinamul councillor and presently the party’s contestant from Malda, who cast his vote in favour of the CPI-M- backed Independent chairman.Political observers said that it was difficult to guess the fate of the present board under the leadership of 14 Opposition councillors.There would be a new political equation after the results of the Assembly election is out. Mr Sarkar alleged that the Congress candidate, Mr Choudhury, hired all seven Trinamul councillors for the election campaign in his favour.

Mamata blasts Congressmen

Statesman News Service

MALDA, May 1: Trinamul Congress supremo Miss Mamata Banerjee today criticised the Congress candidates of Malda district for projecting photographs of the late ABA Ghani Khan Choudhury in election campaigns to garner support from voters.Addressing an election rally at English Bazaar town today, she said Congress leaders have been begging votes from the people, showing a dead man, which is unethical. “We would never project a dead man in election campaigns. It is the duty of the Congress leaders to pay homage to the late leader, instead of making him an election material after death.”“Barkatda wanted a grand alliance but his demise prevented us from doing so,” she said, adding that the Trinamul Congress would fulfil his dream in future.Criticising Congress leaders, she said: “They are paying him artificial respect after his death. It was strange that no Congress leader turned up to take the ailing leader to the nursing home from Kolkata airport. I had to take the responsibility.”No Trinamul councillors of English Bazaar Municipality were present at today’s meeting, except Mr Dulal Sarkar, councillor and Trinamul candidate for Malda seat.Ignoring the former Trinamul leader and present Congress candidate, Mr Krishnendu Choudhury, Miss Banerjee introduced the Trinamul candidate for English Bazaar, Mrs Chaitali Sarkar, to the people and said : “She has a good political background and she would not be a betrayer like others.” The Trinamul chief also criticised the two Union ministers, Mr PR Das Munshi and Mr Pranab Mukherjee, for failing to check erosion in the Malda district.Miss Banerjee also rapped the state government for not doing enough to solve the perennial problem of flood and erosion in Malda.