58 children rescued

Statesman News Service

MALDA, May 31: Government Railway Police personnel rescued 58 children, aged between 6 to 11 years, from the 3164 Hat-e-Bazaar-e Express train at Ajimganj Railway Station in Murshidabad district early this morning. The rescued children were allegedly being trafficked to Kerala.The RPF suspect that the children may have been swayed to travel by traffickers in human organs, which makes the interception serious.Noticing the children travelling in the train and suspecting it to be a matter of child trafficking, the Malda RPF officials brought it to the notice of their Howrah counterpart following which, GRP personnel intercepted the children at the Ajimganj station. It was found that the children were travelling with valid tickets along with a group of 19 persons. They were bound for Howrah to catch another train to reach Kerala. The GRP officials later confirmed that 56 of the rescued children are from Katihar district in Bihar and two are from Harishchandrapur in Malda.The officer-in-charge of Ajimganj GRP, Mr Syed Rejaul Kabir, said the children were travelling with their guardians.“Although the parents of the rescued children have claimed that they were taking the children to Kerala for admission in Madrassas, the possibility of child trafficking cannot be ruled out,” Mr Kabir, said. He said the matter had been brought to the notice of senior police officials at Katihar and Harishchandrapur. “We are also in touch with the CID officials,” Mr Kabir, added.It was learnt that based on a specific information, Malda GRP personnel intercepted a Kerala resident, Mohd Iqbal, at the Malda Railway Station when the 3164 Hat-e-Bazaar-e Express train was about to leave the station this morning.Later, Iqbal was produced in the Malda court. Police officials suspect that Iqbal was trafficking the children to Kerala.Mr Rakesh Mishra, inspector of Malda RPF, said: “Mohd Iqbal is probably a trader of human organs. We intercepted him after he got down from the train at Malda Railway Station this morning.” #

Child labourers

MALDA, May 31: Six child labourers, rescued by the Railway Protection Force (RPF) personnel at the Malda town station last night, would be handed over to their family members soon, police said today.The I-C of Malda town station GRP, Mr Swapan Das Gupta, said the children were returning from Bihar last night when the RPF personnel intercepted them. The rescued children are the residents of Bibigram in Malda's Kaliachak police station area. Mr Gupta said one Garman Sheikh of Kaliachak was also travelling with the children. Sheikh, however, was looted by a group of criminals in front of the Malda town station, Mr Gupta, added. The rescued children were handed over to the police today.SNS

Pic: Aayesha

Mystery shrounds mediaperson's death

Statesman News Service

MALDA, May 29: Pralependu Sanyal, a freelance photographer and a contributor to The Statesman, died under mysterious circumstances here this morning.The Government Railway Police (GRP) personnel recovered the body of Sanyal from rail tracks near Malda College at Rathbari this morning. The body was lying on the tracks in two parts, police said.Sanyal’s elder brother Mr Patit Kumar Sanyal and members of Malda Photographers’ Association have lodged separate complaints with the police demanding an inquiry into Sanyal’s unnatural death.It was learnt that Sanyal, who had gone to the Malda Tourist Lodge bar to take snaps late last night, had a scuffle with three persons. According to eyewitnesses, after the scuffle at the bar, the photographer was once again attacked by the trio on the road connecting the National Highway 34 at Rathbari around 12.30 a.m. There, he was rescued and “sent home” by one of his friends, Mr Aadul Sheikh. The family members of Sanyal have, however, claimed that the victim did not reach home last night. “I rescued Sanyal and suggested him to go home. I have no idea what happened after that,” Mr Sheikh told reporters.The police have arrested Palash Chakraborty, one of the three persons who allegedly attacked the photographer last night.The investigating officer of Malda GRP recovered a piece of paper containing three telephone numbers from the victims’ pocket. His camera and cell phone, however, were missing. Sanyal’s ailing mother Mrs Jayanti Choudhury Sanyal, a widow, is shell-shocked after the death of her son.Reacting to the incident, the Malda SP, Mr DK Mondal, said: “It was unwise on his part to go in a bar to take snaps.” Mr Mondal added that an inquiry had been ordered into the incident. Members of Malda Photographers’ Association have planned to submit a memorandum to the Malda SP, tomorrow demanding an inquiry into Sanyal’s unnatural death.

No end to Malda DPC deadlock

Statesman News Service

MALDA, May 29: The Malda district administration failed to submit schemes approved by the District Planning Committee (DPC) to the Jalpaiguri divisional commissioner and the member secretary of the Uttar Banga Unnayan Parishad (UBUP) on 24 May due to a political deadlock that has hampered the functioning of the committee here. The four other districts, however, submitted their schemes on 24 May and are now waiting for the UBUP’s approival. The Malda district magistrate, Mr CR Das, informed the situation of Malda DPC to the divisional commissioner and sought suggestion to resolve the problem. The DPC meeting, it may be recalled, had ended inconclusively following an altercation between Left and anti-Left members of the committee. The sabhadhipati of the Malda Zilla Parishad and chairperson of the DPC, Mr Goutam Chakraborty, staged a walkout from the DPC meeting. As a result, the district magistrate could not finalise the schemes for the UBUP’s approval. He, however, forwarded two lists of schemes following the divisional commissioner’s instruction.Sources said senior officials, including the divisional commissioner, chose suitable schemes from the two lists for the UBUP’s approval. It may be recalled that on 24 May, the LF members of the DPC had demanded that the chairman would have to accept schemes prepared and submitted by them because they enjoyed a majority in the committee. A total of 21 LF members and 19 non-Left members were present at the meeting. After Mr Goutam Chakraborty walked out of the meeting, the Left members allegedly heckled the district magistrate demanding his judgment as member secretary of the DPC. Speaking to The Statesman, the DM, Mr CR Das, said: “The district magistrate can only note down the proceedings and decisions of the meeting according to the WBDPC Act 1994. In this Act, there is no provision for a DM to select schemes if there is a difference between two political camps.”

Salary after retirement !

Statesman News Service

MALDA, May 28: The Malda treasury has stopped the current salary bill of all teachers of the RKM Vivekananda Vidyamandir, a reputed school here, after detecting a gross anomaly in the salary withdrawal process. The treasury officers have detected that the school had withdrawn salary of the teachers, including a retired teacher, Mr DK Sinha, recently. Mr Sinha had retired on 28 February. The Malda treasury officer has sought clarification from school authorities. The Malda RKM chief, Swami Divyananda, issued a show-cause notice against two clerks ~ Anupam Neyogee and Rajib Jha ~ yesterday and instructed them to answer by 30 May. “I have spoken to the Malda DI and decided to pay back the government money to treasury tomorrow,” Divyananda said. He added: “It was a mistake of clerical staff who did not check properly the list of teachers before withdrawing the money. We did not pay the amount to the teacher for the month of March.”Interestingly, the DI office also approved the salary bill and the treasury passed it twice. Sources said the treasury officer-I, Mr G Basak, had called the clerk of the school, Rajiv Jha, to rectify the bill but he did not inform the matter to the Malda RKM authorities.

Police on the lookout for 'seer'

Statesman News Service

MALDA, May 25: Police are looking for a woman Uposi Haldar, who allegedly has been provoking locals against an old lady, portraying her as a witch at Kotwali village in English Bazaar police station. It is alleged that Uposi Haldar, a devotee of Maa Manosa (snake goddess according to Hindu mythology) and considered a seer by some proclaimed that the old woman Shanti Biswas was casting an evil spell on her neighbours. According to her, the old woman had also come across some lost treasure.Uposi, who offers prayers to the snake goddess every Tuesday and Saturday at a temple located in front of a rural bank at Kotwali is known for claiming that she was clairvoyant with the blessings of the snake goddess. Her act to proclaim Shanti Biswas a witch came during one of her recent sermons when hundreds of locals had arrived to offer prayers at the temple and consult her about their problems.Learning of the development, apprehensive family members of Shanti Biswas including her son Adhir Biswas urged local educated residents to speak to the villagers on the issue and convince them against believing such drivel. Wary, the secretary of the Malda Ram Krishna Mission, Swami Divyananda, informed media persons about the incident and asked them to intimate the police and ensure the family did not come to harm.According to the RKM official, Adhir, a hard working youth has established himself well through sheer commitment in the last few years, which seems to have turned Uposi jealous and therefore the high drama. The police have also learnt of the matter following which, the Malda superintendent of police Mr Dilip Kumar Mondal has ordered an inquiry into it. The inspector in-charge of English Bazaar collected necessary information and raided the house of Uposi but she is absconding. The police have posted plain cloth men at different spots including the temple where Uposi offered her prayers and her house.

Malda story on 25 May

Textbooks crisis hits Malda schools

Silk yarn prices plummet

DPC meeting: Chairman stages walkout

Maoist inmate in Malda boos minister

Statesman News Service

MALDA, May 23: It was an embarrassing moment for the state jail minister, Mr Biswanath Chowdhury, and officials present today when they were mocked by a Maoist under trial Animesh Chakraborty during an inauguration ceremony at the Malda correctional home. Shouting anti-government slogans and criticising the role of the state government over political prisoners and a horde of other issues, the under trial flashed a poster at the minister that he had fashioned clandestinely inside the jail confines for the purpose. There was further agony for jail minister Mr Biswanath Chowdhury when the local media persons intimated him that friends and relatives of under trials had to line the pockets of the jail staff to meet the prisoners. The jail authorities, however, denied the allegation and said that a box to receive applications from visitors has been provided at the jail. “We consider applications submitted by noon. No one is allowed to visit prisoners in jail by paying money to the jail staff,” they said. Mr Chowdhury inaugurated a complex at the Malda correctional home for women prisoners today. The new facility, which according to the minister would be able to accommodate 50 inmates, has been named after Pritilata Waddedar. Jail officials said that accommodation for women in the sub-jail was not sufficient earlier. In addition to the new facility, over Rs 15 lakh has been spent for renovation and construction of the jail’s boundary wall. A block, which was outside the jail and was used as an office, has been converted into a women cell. The inspector general prison, Mr BD Sharma, Malda zilla parishad sabhadhipati, Mr Goutam Chakraborty, Malda Ramkrishna Mission chief Swami Divyananda, additional district magistrate Mr Abdul Khaleque and the Malda superintendent of police Mr DK Mondal were also present today.

Reliance interested in Malda litchi

Statesman News Service

MALDA, May 23: A team of Reliance Retail Group would visit litchi orchards that are farming organically, in Malda tomorrow. According to the Malda mango development officer Mr SN Khara, the RRG has expressed willingness to procure a decent quantity of the fruit from Malda. The MMDO said that a RRG representative called him today expressing interest to visit plantations growing ‘Bombai’ variety litchi to finalise procurement of the bio produce. It was learnt that supervised by the horticulture department, 400 acres of land have been dedicated to litchi plantation applying controlled spraying and organic fertiliser in Malda and Murshidabad districts although the total land under litchi in the two districts is much more. According to figures obtained from the horticulture department, litchi is cultivated over 931 hectares of land in Malda district and 1600 hectares in Murshidabad district, engaging thousands of farmers. The two districts collectively produce about 4500 MT litchi a year, the officials, said. According to Mr Khara, the RRG would pay the price of litchi to the West Bengal Food processing and Horticulture Development Corporation, if the deal takes off and the WBFPHDC would in turn make the payments to the farmers. In addition to the RRG, a team of Kolkata-based exporters would visit mango orchards growing the Himsagar, Lyangda, and Lakshmanbhog varieties organically on 25 May to finalise the contract with the farmers. It is expected that the interested exporters would strike a deal with the farmers paying in advance for proposed consignments. According to the Mr Khara, the Kolkata based mango buyers’ team would visit Malda Pack House and interact with the farmers on choice and demand of litchi and mangoes in foreign countries. “They may buy at least 30 MT mangoes from Malda,” the official, said. It was learnt that the exporters would export Malda mangoes to the UK and other countries.

Bid to boost secondary education

Statesman News Service

MALDA, May 23: The state government has created a new post ~ district inspector of school (academic) ~ in each district to monitor secondary education. The district inspectors would execute administrative function of this department. “The objective of this post is to carry out extensive inspection of schools, monitor the present system of teaching and learning in all secondary schools,” said the Malda district inspector, Mr Chinmay Sarkar. The new officer would join here after a few months, he added. The government has also planned to set up block level offices recruiting more sub-inspector of schools in all districts to conduct extensive inspection of secondary schools. According to Mr Sarkar, block wise meeting would be held with the teachers and headmasters of every school after the summer vacation to learn about the impact of the new unit test system and how many schools have implemented it. Mr Sarkar alleged that many teachers of several schools are reluctant to carry out the order of the board about implementing unit test. The objective of the unit test is to reduce the dropout percentage. In Malda town, the Ram Krishna Mission’s Vivekananda School would carry out unit tests after the summer vacation. Similarly, Barlow Girls’ High School would introduce the new system from 6 June and Malda Girls’ (Shanti Sen School) would do so from 4 June.Although schools located in the town area have chalked out a schedule about implementing the unit test system, the same, allegedly can not be said in general about the schools in the rural belt. It is alleged that an amount of reluctance exists among a section of teachers in schools located in the rural areas about introducing the system. “If any school does not introduce the unit test system, its name would be forwarded to the board for necessary action,” the DI said.

Malda police rescue minor boys, tribal girls

Statesman News Service

MALDA, May 21: The Malda police have rescued five minor boys from Ghaziabad allegedly trafficked by a group of labour contractors from areas under the Ratua police station a few days ago, the Malda superintendent of police, Mr DK Mondal, said today. The police have also rescued four tribal girls from New Delhi who had been picked up from Old Malda tribal village and allegedly trafficked to the capital.According to the SP, the boys were engaged in heavy construction job in Ghaziabad and the girls were working as house help in New Delhi. The rescued boys were produced in Malda court today before they were handed over to their parents. The SP said: “The boys alleged that they had not received their monthly contract wages and police picked had picked them while they were working.”According to the SP, the problem is growing into a social menace in Malda as poor guardians cannot provide education and food to their children. As a result, racketeers take opportunity of their poverty and dupe the parents. Sometimes the labour supply contractors pick up minor boys without the permission of the guardians. Commenting on the recovered girls, the SP said that the police had recently received a complaint that five tribal girls had been picked up from the district and engaged in New Delhi as domestic help. “One tribal girl is still missing,” he added. Police from English Bazaar police station went to Delhi with one Joseph Mardi, a local teacher who was arrested a few days ago, to rescue the tribal girls. According to the Malda SP, the police have rescued two adult girls from Gurgaon and arrested a priest, a resident of Malda in connection with the offence.

Child trafficking racket busted

Statesman News Service

MALDA, May 20: Railway police rescued 19 minor boys from Samsi Railway Station in Malda’s Ratua police station area last night and arrested two persons on charges of “kidnapping” the children. The rescued children are in the age group of 12 to 16 years, police said today. The Railway police intercepted a group of five persons who were waiting for a Delhi-bound train with 19 minor boys at the Samsi Railway Station last night. While two members of the child trafficking gang were arrested, three others managed to escape. The arrested persons were produced in the Malda court today. The Malda SP, Mr DK Mondal, said the court has instructed the police to hand over the minor boys to their family members. The two arrested persons have been remanded in six days’ police custody. One of them, however, was admitted to the Malda district hospital after he complained of illness. “The two persons were arrested under section 363/374/511 IPA and section 44 and 14 of West Bengal Children Act and Child Labourer Provision 1986,” the SP, Mr Mondal, said. “I have spoken to the guardians of the rescued boys and they claimed that they were in dark. We, however, have information that the racketeers paid Rs 1,500 per boy to them (the guardians),” Mr Mondal, added. The SP said that the racketeers had planned to employ the minor boys in Delhi and earn commission.

Reliance eyes Malda

Statesman News Service

MALDA, May 18: The West Bengal Industrial Infrastructure Development Corporation (WBIIDC) has planned to hand over more than 80 acres of land at Narayanpur in Malda to the Reliance group for the establishment of the proposed retail hub. According to sources, the Reliance group is interested to set up food processing units, cold storage and a retail trade house at Narayanpur.The assistant secretary of WBIIDC recently discussed the feasibility of the Reliance’s proposed retail hub here with the Malda district magistrate. According to sources, the Reliance officials have formed a consultant group to identify land for the proposed industrial units here.The executive engineer of WBIIDC, Malda, Mr Jajneswar Chakraborty, said the measurement of the land had already been started. “After the completion of the measurement, the land would be handed over to the Reliance group,” Mr Chakraborty, said. He added that senior WBIIDC officials would finalise the deal with the Reliance group soon. The officials of land acquisition department recently conducted a survey for the demarcation of the proposed land.It may be recalled that the WBIIDC had planned to acquire land for the setting up of a mega industrial growth centre at Narayanpur in 2003. The acquisition, however, was suspended midway following locals’ objection and a funds crunch. Now, the WBIIDC has planned to hand over the same land on lease to the Reliance group.

Story on 18 May

Noose around Malda school authorities
Malda RKM publishes book

Tech trouble for bank staff

Statesman News Service

MALDA, May 13: Many senior employees of State Bank of India, Malda, are submitting their resignations fearing transfer in the name of promotion. These employees are also finding it difficult to adapt to the new banking system implemented by the management, said Mr Subrata Dasgupta, secretary of SBI Staff Association, Malda. “Employees, especially those over 50 years of age, are finding it difficult to adapt to the Core Banking Solution (CBS), a software for banking transaction via Internet. As a result, they are preferring to quit their services,” Mr Dasgupta, said. He added that six such employees have already left the bank here. As a result of lack of computer knowledge of the employees, long queue of customers and altercation between staff and the customers are a common sight at the SBI main branch here. Since the employees are not adapted to the new technology, they fail to meet the demands of the customers. “With the introduction of the new technology, the customers expect better services. However, we fail to satisfy them owing to shortage of staff. More than 14 employees have resigned over the past few months,” Mr Subhajit Saha, chief manager of the Malda SBI, said. Mr Saha added that they have informed the authorities concerned about the shortage of staff at the bank. He admitted that the employees are finding it difficult to maintain records of drafts and bankers’ cheques and getting frustrated after detection of huge errors at the end of the day. “We have planned to inform the management about the bitter experiences and erratic nature of data entry system for drafts and bankers’ cheques,” Mr Saha, added. At the Malda SBI main branch, the worker strength was 75. It has now reduced to 33. The bank management is planning to appoint young staff on contract basis to meet the requirements of the customers. “We are dealing with both computers and manual records after introduction of the CBS. It is a tough task for us,” a senior employee of the bank, said.

Bid to rescue trafficked girls

MALDA, May 13: Malda police have launched a drive to rescue five girls who were allegedly trafficked to New Delhi from Bhatkalna village in Old Malda block. It was learnt that a few months back, local agents of human traffickers lured five girls by a deceptive job offer and took them to New Delhi. The innocent parents of the girls could not understand the motive of the fake job agents and allowed them to take their daughters to New Delhi. The girls were assured that they would draw Rs 2,500 per month as salary and that the money would be sent to their parents through post office. However, when it came to light that the girls were actually trafficked, the locals detained one Joseph Mardi and brought the matter to the notice of the police. After interrogating Joseph, police got some valuable information from him. The Malda SP, Mr DK Mondal, said an inquiry has been ordered into the alleged girl trafficking.SNS

Malda zilla parishad in trouble

Three story on Malda Zilla Parisahd will be uploaded soon

German market beckons Malda mango

Statesman News Service
MALDA, May 7: - Malda mango is likely to set sail for Germany. To give the proposal final shape, representatives of a German import-export firm would be visiting Malda soon to inspect organic cultivation of the fruit. Much depends on their findings.

The deputy manager of the state food processing industries and horticulture corporation informed the Malda Mango Development officer today of the development and instructed him to intimate the selected mango growers who have opted for organic cultivation of the fruit and controlled use of pesticide of the proposed German visit.

The deputy manger has also instructed to ensure proper packaging of the fruit and its post harvest management for export to the European nation.

According to the MMDO, Mr. Samarendra Nath Khara, the proprietor of an export-import company in Germany had express interest about Malda mangoes last year when the fruit was put up on display during the Football World Cup in Germany.

“ The German representatives are in Kolkata and would be visiting mango orchards in Malda soon”, said Mr. Khara.

It may be noted that last year an exporter Mr. Anup Dutta, sent 2.5 MT mango of the Himsagar variety for the United Kingdom from Malda. A part of the consignment was displayed in Germany during the Football World Cup. A few days ago, an exporter Mr. Biswajit Sen expressed interest to export Malda mangoes to the United Kingdom. He visited some mango orchards and expressed satisfaction with the quality produce.

Malda mango growers may have more news to cheer for It was learnt that a new exporter Mr. Dipak Choudhury has shown interest to export 600 MT mango of the Fazli and Laxmonbhog varieties to the Arabian countries.

Welcoming the proposal, the MMDO, Mr. Khara has urged him to forge a contract with the progressive mango growers, which in turn would encourage them to go for organic cultivation of the fruit. #

100 bio-villages on the make

Statesman News Service

MALDA, May 5. — The Centre has sanctioned funds to set 100 additional bio-villages in West Bengal. “The villages would have to be set up by 2008,” Dr Tamal Sarkar, plant protection officer, agriculture department, said today. The Centre has allocated Rs 64,000 for project inputs like bio-fungicides, pesticides, organic manure, pheromone tracks, soil bacteria and others for the bio villages under the Macro Mode Management project, he said. Based on the results of the bio-village at Bomka in Gazole, the state agriculture authorities have sanctioned a fresh bio village project for the Malda district as well and the proposed village would be set up at Harishchandrapur.At Bomka, 42 marginal farmers were engaged to execute the bio-village project covering 15 hectares of land where they successfully produced aman paddy using bio-fertiliser and pesticides, last year. According to the agriculture department, the farmers have successfully produced potato, cabbage, cauliflower, mustard and other crops, too. "The Bidhan Chandra Krishi Vishavidyalaya tested the crops thus grown in its laboratory and certified that no residual toxicity was found,” said Dr Sarkar.

Govt stipend for disabled pupils

Statesman News Service

MALDA, May 4: The state government has decided to introduce stipend for disabled students who would secure at least 50 per cent marks in their annual examination. According to the Malda district mass education officer Mrs Bharati Goswami, students residing and studying in government-sponsored schools for the disabled would be entitled to the stipend, to continue their education. The stipend would start from the primary level,” Mrs Goswami said. Of the six institutions for the disabled in Malda, three are government sponsored where nearly 165 disabled students are enrolled. In addition to it another 185 disabled students reside and study in three government recognised institutions in the Kaliachak and Ratua blocks. The official hinted that the state government might sponsor these institutions in future after evaluating their performance. It may be noted that a large number of disabled students in Malda district is under the care of non-government organisations and is struggling for the government's attention. It was learnt that in addition to the stipend, the West Bengal government is contemplating to select educated disabled students from the districts and provide them technical and vocational training to aid them in getting employment and education officers have been intimated about the proposal. The commissioner of the department for the disabled Mr Supriya Gupta, serving in extension, has informed the district authorities that the government would bear all expenses for the disabled students undergoing vocational training and that the department would conduct the training programme in Kolkata and other towns of the state to facilitate the educated disabled students.