The numbers game continues

Manas R Banerjee & Biswabrata Goswami

KRISHNAGAR/MALDA, Jan. 31: If the sick chicken in this state that enjoy the protection of the CPI-M are not culled ~ like reported from Burdwan in these columns yesterday ~ they can prove profitable, alive or dead. Several culling teams in Nadia are reportedly under pressure from local politicians to exaggerate the number of birds killed so that more compensation can be claimed. Some members of a team culling birds in Tehatta-I block of Tehatta sub-division have lodged a complaint with the administration which is yet to take any steps against the "influential persons". "If we kill 10 birds of an affected family, we are asked to put the figure at 20 so that the families owning them can claim more compensation ~ part of which will be pocketed by village politicians,” alleged Dr Amlan Biswas (name changed), a member of the culling team. Mr Sanjay Dutta, panchayat pradhan of the Tehatta-I gram panchayat, alleged: “I had already raised the matter at a recent all-party meeting but the administration has done nothing... I have also lodged a complaint against the administrative officials for misappropriating government funds in connivance with some local leaders when tenders were floated to make arrangements for the food and accommodation of nearly 700 persons who culled birds in Tehatta-I and II blocks. Though a contractor was supposed to get Rs 30 for every meal catered, the quality of food supplied was abysmal. Also, Rs 25 was paid as the daily rent of a quilt while the corresponding market rate was as low as Rs 5,” Mr Dutta said. When contacted, Tehatta sub-divisional officer, Mr Alok Sengupta, said: “I have received complaints about irregularities but no one has lodged any specific complaint. It is also true that some members of the culling teams had been pressured by locals to inflate the number of birds killed but they did not yield to the pressure.” On the alleged defalcation, he said: “Since the virus was spreading rapidly and arrangements had to be made urgently, we had to award the contracts in a few hours' time despite the high rates." Some residents of Chanchal sub-division in Malda district are also playing the numbers game, albeit differently. Some residents of this block are taking advantage of the block's proximity to Bihar and are fetching chickens from the neighbouring state in lots, turning them over to culling teams and demanding hefty compensation. The matter came to light when officials discovered that the number of birds culled was way higher than the number of birds in the block estimated to have contracted the virus. About 85,187 backyard chickens and ducks have been culled, which is much more than the estimated 80,000 birds ~ the number calculated on the basis of Poultry Census 2003, with a 20 per cent incremental allowance. Chinmay Biswas, a veterinary doctor and supervisor of five culling teams confirmed this. Chanchal SDO Mr Debasish Sarkar said he had asked the SDPO to intensify vigil on the border with Bihar.

Schools give the mid day meals a miss

Statesman News Service

MALDA, Jan. 31: More than 50 per cent primary schools in Manikchak block are running with out mid-day meal project due to several causes, district administrative officer said today. The fact came to light at a meeting at Manikchak block yesterday, in presence of the Malda SDO, chairman of the mid-day meal monitoring committee. The meeting was convened to review the situation of mid meal and sanitation in Manikchak block. It was revealed that due to several causes the mid-day meal programmes were discontinued since 2006 in more than 50 percent primary schools in Manikchak block. Similarly, like Manikchak block, there are several primary schools in 14 other blocks are running without mid-day meal project. When a primary school has insufficient rice and other materials, the headmaster or mistress is forced to discontinue mid-day meal project or when they fail to pay remuneration to the members of the women self help group due to different causes. On the other hand, the primary school authorities face problems in selecting self-help group for appointment as cook due to difference of opinion between the village education committee and gram panchayat chief for their small interests. Even in urban areas like English Bazaar and Old Malda town there are several primary schools are running without mid-day meal project. The district authorities have planned to hold a review meeting soon for implementing mid-day meal project collecting reports from the block level where it has been discontinued.

Bird Flu : 33 villagers under surveillance

Statesman News Service

MALDA, Jan 30: The Malda health authorities, under the guidance of experts from national institute of communicable diseases (NICD), New Delhi, are keeping close eye on 33 villagers owing to their illness with fever, cough and cold after handling and eating dead birds in Chanchal sub division area where culling operation is going after detection of Bird Flu virus, the Malda chief medical officer said today. “A total of 33 persons who ate dead birds are under surveillance owing to their illness. Though they do not have acute breathing problem, we could not neglect them,” said Mr Radha Raman Banik, the Malda CMOH. The Malda health workers started statutory door to door to visit from yesterday in the Bird Flu affected zone within three and up to 10 km radius from the Bird Flu affected village Mahanandapur in Chanchal I block in northern part of Malda district. According to the CMOH, more than 600 people have reported that they are suffering from cough and cold with light fever. “It does not mean that they are suffering from avian influenza. It is common phenomenon due to present cold wave. At least 10 percent of total population of this district is suffering from this disease. Comparatively the number identified 600 people out of 100,000 population is normal”, Mr. Banik said. Today's rain has hampered surveillance job in the affected zone partly, he said. “A total of 400 people, who are executing culling operation, will be quarantined for 10 days in Chanchal after the end of culling operation”, the Malda CMOH said. The team of NICD along with the Malda CMOH today visited Chanchal area and examined the persons engaged in culling operation. The ARD officials have collected blood samples of ailing birds from Kaliachak III block yesterday and from Kaliachak I block today from several villages according to the direction of doctors from NICD. “The blood samples would be sent to Bhopal through state officials in Kolkata tonight”, said Mr N K Shit, deputy director Malda animal resources development. “Though we have culled more than 76,000 birds out of targeted 80,000 ones but we need two days more to complete culling operation. We need to review the present report to mop up the affected zone”, said Mr Shit. Though price of chicken and its rate of selling have decreased in Malda town following Bird Flu scare but sell of chicken being reared in private farm houses have been increased in rural belts like Kaliachak and block areas. The people belonging to low-income group are buying chicken paying Rs 30 per kg, which comparatively lower than present price of beef, Rs 50 per kg. Similarly the selling rate of egg and its price has fallen in Malda town. The Malda whole sale traders are receiving eggs from Andhra Pradesh with low rate and dumping in the clod storage now.

150 schools still

Statesman News Service

MALDA, Jan 30: Nearly 150 government aided secondary schools are allegedly running year after year without "recognition" of the state school authorities in Malda district. According to a senior government official, the school authorities should "re-extend" it reorganisation applying to education department as well as the board but they do not take initiative to renew its recognition on time due to negligence of the head of school and the managing committee. Though the office of the district inspector of schools should detect such anomaly checking grant in aid memo regularly, but some times no one care for it to execute the system strictly. “A few days ago we have detected some schools who did not apply for extension of its recognition. We had to stop salary to press the school authorities for implementing the government's system”, said Mr Chinmay Sarkar, the Malda DI. “I do not know that 150 schools did not apply to renew its recognition. We will check it through grant in aid memo before releasing salary of the schools”, Mr. Sarkar said. For example, Mokdumpur Girls’ Junior High School, located at Green Park in English Bazaar town is running without recognition since 1987. The authorities had to stop salary for the teachers of the school to follow the system recently. The secretary of the school, Mr. Tapan Sarkar, admitted the fact said: “ The former managing committee was reluctant to renew its recognition. I took the charge of the school as secretary two year back. We had applied for the extension of its recognition and the Malda has forwarded to the board after recommendation”. Mr. Tapan Sarkar disclosed that due to negligence of managing committee and head of the intuitions nearly 150 schools were running without recognition in this district. “Head master or head mistress should look into the matter not depending on the managing committee of the school within the stipulated time or till further order of the board “, he said.

Flu scare sparked off in Kaliachak III

Statesman News Service

MALDA, Jan 29: A team of doctors from National Institute of Communicable Diseases, New Delhi, has found many ailing birds with symptoms like Bird Flu at two villages in Kaliachak III block today and instructed the district administration to collect blood samples for its confirmation, the district administrative officials said. The team led by the joint director, NICD, visited two blocks Kaliachak I and III, close to Bangladesh border, and held a meeting with the district officials. The team will visit other blocks, including Harishchandrapur and Chanchal, where the culling operation is going on after detection of Bird Flu virus. The Malda SDO, Ms Arunima De, instructed the animal resources development officials for collecting blood samples from the ailing birds identified by the team at two villages. “The ARD officials have been requested to visit the spot for collecting blood samples. The ARD team has already arrived at the spot today," said Ms. De. The Malda SDO held a meeting with concerned block development officers to know the situation of Bird Flu situation. The BDOs have been instructed to report any fresh out break of Bird Flu like incident as soon as possible so that administration can take necessary steps immediately. The state minister of forests Mrs Bilasi Bala Sahis and other forest officials today visited Tilason forest and a water body in Habibpur, close to Indo-Bangladesh border, where migratory birds come from different areas. The Malda divisional forest officer, Mr Rajendra Jakhar, said: “We are closely watching migratory birds in Malda forests and water bodies and every day we are sending report to the higher authorities”. “But we did not found any ailing and dead migratory birds till date”, Mr. Jakhar claimed. The divisional forest officer Mr Jakhar also said: “There is no bird flu symptom in wild bird life in this district. When there is no bird flu symptom in wild bird in the affected zone, why will we cull them? If we found any symptom we must cull them.” “There is large number of waterfowls stay in the river Ganges near Farakka Barrage. Though we did not detect any symptoms of avian influenza on them, we afraid of that the flu may affect waterfowls of Farakka Barrage from the domestic ducks of the region because these waterfowls forage in the paddy fields of Malda and Murshidabad districts at night”, said Mr Arunayan Sharma, director, centre of ecological engineering in Malda. “We will extend our vigilance in the water bodies close to Farakka Barrage. Due to shortage of staff, the fisheries department is now monitoring local water bodies there”, said Mr Jakhar.

BDR urged to extradite Indian criminals

Statesman News Service
MALDA, Jan 29: The DIG Border Security Force (BSF) Malda sector, Mr P S Tomar, has requested the Bangladesh Rifles (BDR) to conduct a search operation to nab at least 15 Indian smugglers who have taken shelter in Bangladesh.
At a recent coordination meeting held in Dhaka, the Malda DIG Mr Tomar submitted a list of smugglers, who are continuously committing crime along the border in league with Bangladeshi criminals.
“A group of notorious smugglers have taken shelter in Bangladesh and are operating from there. We have been looking for them for a long time now. We have now urged the BDR officials to nab them and hand them over to us”, said Mr Tomar.
“A group of Bangladeshi smugglers are backing them and providing shelter in their country”, he added.
The BDR officials assured us that they would try to identify the Indian smugglers who are living in their country, the DIG said.
The BSF officials are worried about the smuggling activities along the border apprehending security threat to the nation.
“Our officials requested the top BDR officials to take action against the militants’ camps in Bangladesh based on the list submitted to them earlier," said Mr Tomar.
According to the BSF officials, smugglers are also involved in illegal cattle trade, and smuggling other essential items along the border.
Recently the smugglers have been active in bringing fake currencies to India.
The BSF officials are worried about cattle smuggling along the unfenced border and said that it created trouble in maintaining a cordial relation with the BDR personnel as in many cases a few of them back cattle smuggling.

Bird Flu : Confusion prevails on compensation issue

Statesman News Service

MALDA, Jan 28: Following an announcement of the compensation packages which would be given to poultry-owners and the families who have incurred huge losses after the outbreak of Bird Flu in the state, hundreds of villagers are rushing to the poultry collection centres for culling in the Bird Flu affected zone in Chanchal sub-division. Authorities claimed that they have solved the problem of villagers’ resistance to culling operation but a new problem has now replaced it. “The animal resources development officials faced difficulties in identifying the head of each family as many people were trying to enlist their names, handing over only one or two chickens, to get compensation”, they said. Yesterday, the state finance minister Mr Asim Dasgupta said: “Each of affected families would be given Rs 500 as compensation because they would not be able to continue with poultry farming for the next three months”. “Though we’ve got no written circular notifying the quantum of the compensation, we need specific direction from the government for distribution of compensation of Rs. 500 to each affected family. Since the announcement, we have noticed poultry owners of the same family are forming various groups and enlisting one of the members as the head of an affected familyto claim compensation,” said Mr Debasish Sarkar, the Chanchal SDO. He said: “Generally we are receiving 5 to 7 chickens from each poor family from the affected zone on an average. There are families who have offered more than 10 to 15 chickens for culling. Now the confusion arises as to who in entitled to the money and who is not.” “We are preparing a list that includes the names of head of each family and his address based on the lists of coupons (for giving compensated price of chickens fixed by the government for culling) issued to the families who have handed over chickens for culling. This master roll will be regarded as final list for the compensation”, Mr Debasish Sarkar, Chanchal SDO said.

Schools divided over admission test order

Statesman News Service

MALDA, Jan 28: The director of school education (DSE) has decided not to hold admission tests for students to Class V from the next academic session. The DSE, Mr D Mukherjee, issued the order on 27 November, 2007 and conveyed the order to all district inspectors of schools (secondary). The government order said the school authorities would have to take admission of all applicants in their school within two km radius. The Malda DI of schools has also circulated the order to all secondary schools. Despite the issuance of the order, secondary school authorities, in both rural and urban areas, are already preparing for the admission tests. The order also stated that in case of a problem of seat constraint, the applicants would be offered admission to the nearest schools based on the address mentioned in their applications. The school authorities are, however, divided on this issue. The secondary school authorities in English Bazaar have decided to go ahead with the admission tests. But the secondary schools along the rural belt will offer admission to all applicants. The principal of Malda RKM’s Vivekananda Vidyamandir, Swami Sumanasananda told reporters: “How can we select 100 students out of 1,000 applicants for Class V without holding an admission test? The government order has been issued without any practical consideration. It is difficult to follow such an order”. The district ABTA president, Mr. Kajal Sarkar, said: “The order may be applicable for the schools in the rural belt but in urban areas the order is impractical”. Sources said schools in rural belt used to hold the admission test to get better students. The schools in rural belt get opportunity to earn more revenue selling the admission form. Reputed schools in rural belt offer admission to nearly 400 students but sell 1,000 admission form.

Rural doc's deputation to CMO

Statesman News Service

MALDA, Jan. 28: Rural medical practitioners (RMPs) of Malda submitted a deputation demanding recognition, to the chief medical officer today. The CMOH in turn has urged the RMPs to help in the awareness programmes sponsored by the government in the rural areas. "I am in no position to persuade the government for the recognition of the RMPs but I will arrange training programme for them to work alongside us. We shall watch their performance and then might give accordingly recommend the government to grant them recognition,” the Malda CMOH Dr RR Banik, said today. According to the him, a total of 3,000 RMPs are active in Malda's rural areas. “We can utilise them in the government-sponsored health awareness programmes. We have planned to start a training programme for them to mobilise the force for health awareness campaigning and other health programmes,” he added. According to the CMOH, a proposal to recognise them was sent to the state health department authorities last year but it is yet to be approved.“Many people are dependent on the RMPs for emergency help and when government health workers are not available for one reason or the other,” he acknowledged.

Dead ox sparks off panic

MALDA, Jan. 28: Panic spread fast among residents of Telipukur area in the English Bazaar today, following the death of a stray ox. According to the locals, three cows died last week in the same area. The ox's death resulted in a clash between two groups of people. While one group, believing the area was under the influence of an evil spirit, wanted exorcise the area of the spirit, the other resisted stating such actions should not be encouraged. Police intervention brought the situation under control. The ox's death has also made the district administration wary. Leaving nothing to chance, the administration had the animal resources development officials collect blood sample of the dead ox to find out the cause of its death. ARD officials said they suspected anthrax infection as the death cause of the ox. n SNS

Culling picks up speed in Malda

Statesman News Service

MALDA, Jan 27: The Malda district administration and animal resources development officials have been able to cull a total of 25,944 birds out of 80,000 in northern part of Malda district in the past three days. Though the progress of culling was slow on the first and the second day due to villagers’ resistance, the ARD officials have been able to collect 20,819 birds yesterday from the bird flu affected zone in Chanchal and Harishchandrapur blocks. The Chanchal sub divisional officer, Mr Debasish Sarkar, said the administration has targeted to finish culling operation by Wednesday. “We have targeted to cull about 50,000 birds (hens and ducks) by Monday. From Tuesday we will start mopping up the affected zone comprising 41 moujas”, he said. Though villagers started an agitation and the culling teams were in trouble in eight villages, yet at present, locals are handing over their backyard livestock to ARD officials. “At present the ARD officials are culling mainly chickens and ducks. The forest officials have not arranged for culling wild birds here," the Chanchal SDO said. According to him, there has been no mass mortality report of chickens in the affected zone and its neighbouring blocks. It has been learnt that doctors are doubtful about the reports which came from Bhopal. "We are getting healthy birds. I did not find a single ailing bird in the past three days from the identified zone of culling”, said Mr Chinmay Biswas, a veterinary doctor. The deputy director Malda ARD, Mr NK Shit, admitted the point and said: “We are helpless. We will have to follow the direction of our authorities.”

Water plant in the wings

Statesman News Service

MALDA, Jan. 27: The chief minister, Mr Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee, will inaugurate the newly completed arsenic free drinking water treatment plant at Balupur in Ratua I block on 16 February, the Malda district magistrate said. Addressing the Republic Day celebration programme yesterday, the district magistrate, Mr CR Das, also said that the public health engineering department has taken up another drinking water project at Pardewnapur, a remote village of Kaliachak III. The department has allotted Rs 1.18 crore for this project. A large part of arsenic affected area of this district has come under the network of safe drinking supply project, he claimed. Mr Das also said: “Besides the existing nine degree colleges, two more degree colleges, an academic university and a medical college have been proposed to come up in the district." “The Malda district belongs to backward group and rate of literacy is comparatively lower than the others, but it has been able to bring back 1.6 lakh drop-out students last year," Mr Das said. According to him, by executing Janani Suraksha Yojona at present the mortality rate of infants and mothers has decreased in this district. The district has planned to set up a health sub-centre in each gram panchayat. The district magistrate stressed on the need for infrastructure development in this district and claimed that a central bus terminus and a bridge over the Mahananda river would be inaugurated soon.

Police rescue ‘witch’
MALDA, Jan. 27: Malda police have rescued Sukumar Kisku, a 65-year-old tribal man, who was branded as a witch, after the villagers, including his relatives, decided to kill him. Police rushed to Srikrishnapur yesterday and pacified them. Trouble broke out a month ago, following the death of a baby of Sukumar Kisku’s relative. The latter examined the ailing baby and predicted that it would die. When it died, everyone suspected that Sukumar was a witch. The local CPIM MLA and other CPIM leaders are trying to bring the situation under control. n sns

Poultry culled , wild birds spared

Statesman News Service

MALDA, Jan. 25: Though the Central authority for disease control and prevention has directed the departments concerned to cull poultry as well as other birds in the avian flu affected areas, no initiative has been taken to kill birds, other than poultry in Chanchal block in the northern part of Malda, owing to alleged lack of coordination between the animal resources development (ARD) and forest department. “ How is it possible to kill the birds that are free in the wild? The ARD is responsible for killing hens, ducks and other domestic birds like pigeons, and that too with the help of locals, most of whom rear them as pets”, said Mr N K Shit, deputy director, Malda animal resources development. According to the Malda ARD deputy director, yesterday, the department culled only 350 chickens out of targeted figure 80,000 in the avian flu affected zone due to villagers’ resistance.Villagers not only resisted and assaulted the ARD officials, but also claimed that they would hand over their chickens to them only when culling operation team would be able to kill others birds that fly around in the area. The locals resisted the culling operation last evening to demand the present market price for their chickens in comparison with the poor compensation fixed by the government. “It is an up hill task to cull domestic chickens due to villagers’ resistance. How do we kill other fling birds now? We don't know the role of forest department. It can cull others flying birds”, Mr Shit said.“The system should be more scientific for culling operation”, he said. Administrative official (Malda SDO) claimed that there is no lack of coordination because the forest department officials attended all bird flu control meeting. “Officially there is a coordination but there was no coordination in practical field”, a veterinary doctor said.In the meantime, hundreds of pigeons died at Kazigram village very close to English Bazaar town in last few days. The Kazigram panchayat chief today informed the matter to the administrative officials for collecting its blood samples for laboratory tests in Bhopal.He received death reports of hundreds of hens and pigeons died in two villages over the past few days.The Malda SDO Ms Arunima De said that she got information about unnatural death of 50 pigeons at Kazigram village in English Bazaar block. She asked ARD officials to examine the dead birds for collecting blood samples and confirm the disease. In Malda, though the ARD officials claim that they have sealed the Indo-Bangladesh border with the help of border security forces and restricted to carry birds from Bangladesh but there is no way to restrict over the flying birds. Interestingly, pigeons fly over the border with their nature and many of them fly to Bangladesh and fly back to their homes in Indian side. The matter was also discussed partly today at the avian flu control meeting. Although there was a fresh death report of chicken in Harishchandrapur II block and the Chanchal SDO Mr. Debasish Sarkar asked the ARD officials to collect blood samples for more confirmation, the deputy director Mr. N K Shit said: “ We did not collect blood. But we are keeping a close watch on the situation. We will collect blood samples based on a report of mass mortality rate and flu like symptoms will be detected”.

Hope for Malda orphanage kids

MALDA, Jan 25: Life is about to get better for the 85 orphan kids living at the Sahapur Child Welfare Home, a government orphan home in Old Malda block.To mark the Republic Day the district magistrate Mr C R Das and other officials will visit the home tomorrow bearing gifts for the children. Also, after struggling for nearly six months, the Malda district administration has been able to persuade its higher authorities to assure them of regular allotment of food for the home. The government-run Sahapur Child Welfare home was in really grave conditions and boarders used to live there with out basic amenities for over a decade. The authorities solely depended on help offered by the NGOs. Owing to lack of funds and allotments, authorities were not in position to clear huge pending dues to consumers’ cooperative society who supplied rice and other food. The home authorities were also not in a position to clear other expenses. Lastly a local NGO ~ Malda Prayas ~ extended help and continuously supplied food for the orphans. A few months ago, SBI officers' association, donated garments to all kids living at Sahapur Child Welfare Home. The Malda SDO, Ms Arunima De, said: “ Things are now in better shape. Finally the home will be revived with the help of government's assistance”. “The Mass Education department and Uttar Banga Unnayan Parishad will allot funds for its developments”, she said. Tomorrow the district magistrate will offer them double storied cots provided by the state government. Even the Mass Education officials have managed sponsors for supplying other bedding materials so that they can sleep better in winter. n SNS

Training programme for

Statesman News Service

MALDA, Jan. 25: District authorities have started a training programme for health workers to mop up bird flu affected zones in Chanchal I and Harishchandrapur I block in the northern part of the district. Hundreds of health workers will go from door to door to check the health of the people in 41 mouzas after the culling, said Dr. RR Banik, the Malda CMOH. Local NGOs who were a part of the pulse polio immunization drive will also be engaged for this job. According to the Malda CMOH, these health workers will report any symptoms of avian influenza in humans to district authorities for surveillance. The workers will also advise people about precautionary and preventive measures. Though the progress of culling has been very slow due to villagers’ resistance, it is expected that culling will be complete by Monday. Authorities are trying hard to convince people to hand over their chickens as soon as possible. A special cell has been opened in Chanchal and Malda district hospital besides two isolation wards, in order to quarantine more than 525 workers for observation, including local labourers and ARD officials engaged in the culling operation. The Malda CMOH said trained health workers have been engaged for health check-ups of rapid response teams for culling operation before and after the culling.All personnel including labourers are being administered doses of Temiflu.No human has been reported to be infected by the virus during health check up.

Avian flu control starts with police help

Statesman News Service

MALDA, Jan. 24: Despite villagers’ resistance the animal resources development officials started culling operations with the help of police in Chanchal block areas in northern part of Malda district this evening. A total of 40 teams, comprising five members in each team, have been deployed this afternoon from Chanchal sub divisional headquarters after medical check-up and training for all workers. A total of 320 local labourers have been engaged for culling. Eight labourers will assist each team. Due to shortage of veterinary doctors, one vet has been engaged for supervising five teams. “We have planned to collect “backyard chickens” from the houses in the evening and kill all of them late at night”, said Mr. NK Shit, deputy director, Malda animal resources development. The district administration has planned to cull all chickens and ducks being reared in the houses within four days. "We do not have planned to kill other birds at this moment”, said a veterinary doctor. A total of 41 moujas have been identified for culling operation within 5 km radius from the epicenter Mahaanadapur village in Chanchal block. The culling operation will cover Chanchal- I and Harishchandapur -I blocks in Malda district. A part of Katihar in Bihar and Itahar block in North Dinajpur district has come within the 5 km radius, administrative officials said. But till 4.30 pm ARD officials failed to collect chickens from the locals due to resistance in a village under Mokdumpur gram panchayat. Villagers are demanding more money as compensation before handing over their chickens for culling, supervising official said.Gram pachayat pradhan informed the local administration about the situation, fearing clash between the ARD officials and villagers, if the culling team resorted to force while collecting chickens from them. Police personnel have been deployed for the protection of the culling team. The Chanchal SDO given instructions for a deployment of police avoid things from getting out of hand. "Situation is now under control at Uttar Gopalpur. But villagers are resisting at Boroi and Bishnupur and other villages”, the SDO said. “We discussed the matter with the panchayat officials yesterday and appealed to them to hand over their poultry receiving the prices fixed by the government. We told them, we did not have liberty to increase or decrease the rate of compensation fixed by the government”, said Mr. Debasish Sarkar, the Chanchal SDO. The Chanchal SDO has received more death reports of chickens from neighbouring Harishchandrapur II block. “We have got reports of chicken deaths from various places. At least 30 to 50 chickens died in each area. We have informed the ARD officials to collect blood samples of the dead birds and send them to Bhopal for more confirmation”, Mr. Debashis Sarkar, Chanchal SDO, said. “Necessary action will be taken if it is found bird flu virus”, he added.

BDR go-ahead to anti erosion work on Indo Bangla border

Statesman News Service

MALDA, Jan. 23: The Bangladesh Rifles (BDR) allowed anti-erosion work to continue in two places along the India-Bangladesh border after a flag meeting with the border security force, district irrigation officials said today. The BSF and Malda irrigation officials were forced to stop the on going work at Muchia and Krishnagar in Old Malda and Habibpur area yesterday following an objection from BDR.“The BDR thought that Indian officials started new anti erosion work with their "permission". So, they objected to the work”, said Mr. S Misra, executive engineer, Malda. “After a flag meeting with BSF and BDR it was decided that the on going work will continue. Tomorrow we will resume work”, he said. The irrigation department is yet to start repair work in the two areas as they sought ‘permission’ from BDR but a delayed response caused work to be put off for a longer period of time due to the arrival of the monsoons. The estimated cost of the total project was Rs. 3 lakh. Work in one area has been completed and the remaining work in the other area will be completed by Saturday. The irrigation officials sought BSF's presence and protection when hundreds of workers under the supervision of irrigation officials will start the job tomorrow.

Malda airport towers to be shortened

Malda, Jan. 23: Power department officials will inspect the western side of the Malda airport with Airports Authority of India (AAI) officials on 24 and 25 January to shorten the height of high tension electric towers in the area.“The officials will identify the towers and prepare a proposal to shorten the height of the towers, which are creating an obstruction to the flying zone on the western side of the Malda airport waiting for resumption,” said the Malda district magistrate Mr CR Das. Land surveyors will also visit the area to estimate the total land acquisition required on the western side to avoid obstruction created by high rise buildings. “The AAI wants to acquire more land on the western side of the facility if we cannot shorten the heights of the identified high rise buildings,” the DM said. “Earlier it was decided that 40 to 50 acres of additional land would be required for the expansion of the existing air port but at present the AAI authorities have demanded more land on the western side,” said the DM. n SNS

Malda to begin culling

Statesman News Service

MALDA, Jan. 22: The Malda administration is preparing to cull birds from Thursday with the help of police, district magistrate Mr CR Das said today. He said the administration was fearing villagers’ resistance in the northern part of the district.Mr CR Das said: “Though we are yet to receive an official notification, sources tell us that the samples from Chanchal have tested positive for avian flu”. “We will proceed assuming Mahanandapur in Chanchal block-I as the epicentre and launch awareness campaigns accordingly. Birds will be killed over a 3 kn radius with Mahanandapur as the epicentre only after receiving official confirmation. Developments in the 5-km radius beyond it will be closely monitored," the DM said. Manpower shortage, non-receipt of government notification and necessary preventive equipment were delaying the culling process, the deputy director, Malda animal resources development (ARD), alleged. “If Mahanandapur is the epicentre, we will have to kill at least 25,000 chickens, based on the poultry census 2003," Mr Shit said. Two dead birds and blood samples of 13 ailing birds were collected from Chanchal and sent to Bhopal a few days ago. Though it was reported that thousands of poultry died in last few weeks, the ARD said only 100 birds died in this area over the past three days. The DM said: “How can one kill the hens without providing compensation to the farmers on the spot? We are waiting for an exhaustive directive from the government before beginning to cull the birds. The villagers may prevent the Rapid Response Team (RRT) from killing birds but we will go on." The DM will enlist the help of police if need be. All departments concerned have been asked to set up culling teams. The Chanchal SDO is currently in Birbhum. He has been summoned. One truck-load of protective gear for culling arrived here this morning from South Dinajpur. The DM has sent the consignment to the government store in Chanchal. Malda ARD staff, currently in South Dinajpur, will return to the district tonight.

BDR objects to flood works

MALDA, Jan 22: The Bangladesh Rifles (BDR) today objected to the flood protection and anti-erosion measures currently being undertaken near Muchia border outpost. The 123-battalion BSF in the Behrampore BSF sector in Murshidabad looks after these parts. As a conciliatory gesture, Border Security Force (BSF) personnel decided to stop the work which employs hundreds. The BSF and BDR customarily hold a flag meeting to resolve disputes over land. In 1996, BSF and BDR jawans exchanged fire for more than two days. The violence was triggered off by anti-erosion work carried out by the district irrigation department. Towards the end of that year, top level representatives of both the countries held a meeting to resolve the crisis and surveyed the border to finalise the original border line which was altered by the changing course of the Mahananda. The authorities found a part of Indian land submerged on the Bangladesh side and some Bangladesh land submerged on the Indian side. But no initiative was taken regarding the transfer of land. n sns

Malda stops chicken imports from bird flu affected areas

Statesman News Service

MALDA, Jan 21: The Malda district administration today set up several check posts to prevent vehicles carrying chickens from entering the district from bird flu-affected neighbouring districts of South Dinajpur and Murshidabad, the district magistrate said. The Malda DM, Mr CR Das said that the administration today opened a 24 -hour control room at the block level to monitor any death report of death of birds. Following an urgent instruction, the district magistrate Mr CR Das called a meeting with the concerned departments, including the deputy director of Malda animal resources development, the Malda SP, SDO and CMOH for a preparatory meeting for culling birds, if the state government confirms positive reports of H5N1 virus. After the end of the meeting at about 2.30 p.m. the district magistrate, Mr CR Das said: “ The meeting was one of preparedness for taking preventive measures, so that we can combat the situation immediately by culling the birds in the affected areas which have been identified, if the state authorities confirm any positive reports of the deadly H5N1 virus based on lab tests from Bhopal from Chanchal areas a few days ago." "Till now we do not have any positive report of bird flu in Malda district," Mr CR Das claimed. According to the district magistrate, the district police will monitor vehicles to check the entry of chickens from the affected neighbouring districts of South Dinajpur and Murshidabad. “We have got the information that chickens are being transported from these areas in the district. So we have decided to check the entry”, the district magistrate said. The Malda sub-divisional officer, Ms Arunima De, will coordinate with the block level control rooms in collecting information of any death reports of chickens to convey the information to the state. The deputy director of Malda ARD, Mr NK Shit said: “Blood samples of 13 birds from Chanchal block I villages have been sent to the Bhopal laboratory. No positive confirmation has reached yet." “We have got the report of nearly 100 birds which died in different areas in the northern part of Malda during the past three days. Today we would send more blood samples from Old Malda and English Bazaar. Earlier we had sent blood samples of ailing and dead birds from Chanchal, Kaliachak I, II and II," Mr Shit said. After attending the meeting, the Sabhadhipati of the Malda zilla parishad, Mr Goutam Chakraborty said: “Today we assessed the situation and have planned to send rapid response team if necessary. It was decided that 135 teams will work here. In each team, five members will work and required vehicles will be requisitioned." "We are worried about the Anandanagar village in Chanchal I block where a few birds have reportedly died. The Malda ARD has sent its blood samples to Bhopal. No report has yet reached till now." The Malda CMOH, Mr. Radha Raman Banik, said: “We have demanded 1,100 doses of Temiflu and 8,000 dress for culling of chickens in Malda district." "An isolation ward comprising 20 beds and another 20 bedded isolation ward have been opened in the Malda district hospital and in Chanchal subdivision”, Mr Banik said.

Hospital faces power cuts

Statesman News Service

MALDA, Jan 21: Though the Malda district hospital is a bulk consumer of electricity and entitled to get an uninterrupted power supply, yet due to technical problems the emergency unit is facing massive power cuts which have disrupted services. The circle manager of the Malda electricity department, Mr A Maity said that the district hospital is entitled to get an uninterrupted power supply, but as there is a problem of mixed feeder system, the department is not in a position to provide power to the Malda district hospital. It may be noted that the electricity department has decided to give relief to the bulk consumers by supplying uninterrupted power and keeping them in the load shedding free zone. According to the circle manager, the Malda rail station and its adjoining areas, a part of the Malda industrial zone and water pumping stations under the public health engineering department have been segregated and identified as load shedding free zones. “We are working hard to set up a new networking of feeder system so that the bulk consumers can get power from the substations directly. In English Bazaar town, there was a problem of the fixed feeder system. But we are trying hard to provide uninterrupted power to the Mada district hospital," Mr Maity said. “The Malda district hospital is facing power crisis due to load shedding, but the power department is trying to set up a new network for an uninterrupted power supply," the district magistrate, Mr CR Das said. The circle manager said that the Malda rail stations and other bulk consumers get power from separate feeders from the substations directly. Owing to this problem and rampant power cuts, the English Bazaar municipality is facing problems to run pump houses for drinking water supply. Everyday the residents are facing hardships as far as water collection is concerned. Due to rampant load shedding, electronic traffic control system has been affected on the national highways.

Resort to faith when science fails

Statesman News Service

MALDA, Jan. 18: Residents of Budhia village in the English Bazaar block today joined a prayer session to pray for the life of an ailing boy affected with hypo-plastid anaemia which is considered to be a fatal disease. Hundreds of locals today flocked to the house of the 12-year-old boy, Abdul Bashir, to watch the soothsayers carry out his treatment. The boy's poor parents had to summon the soothsayers as they have failed to provide for his treatment in Kolkata as it is costly. According to them, on the advise of the Malda district hospital doctors, they had admitted the boy at the SSKM where he was injected 15 bottles of blood platelets. But investigations revealed that Bashir's body could not receive the blood because he suffers from hypo-plastid anaemia. The treatment requires plenty of money and so we had to bring him back home, his parents said. Today, the BMOH along with English Bazaar panchayat samiti chief, Mr Ekram Hossain, visited the boy's house. The BMOH, Dr Biplab Mallik, said: "There is no hope. It is a deadly disease and treatment is not possible at Malda." Mr Hossain said that they would try to admit the boy at SSKM.

Farmers smuggle birds to Malda

Statesman News Service

MALDA, Jan 18: Chickens from South Dinajpur are being transported to the neighbouring blocks in Malda for selling with a view to avoiding culling by the rapid response team. The administration could not stop its transportation owing to lack of government orders to check transportation from one district to a safer district. “Still we do not have the government order to check all the vehicles to stop carrying chickens. We need a government order for the arrangement of checking all vehicles at the borders of two districts of Malda and South Dinajpur," the Malda district magistrate, Mr CR Das said. “We can easily spot the vehicle carrying chickens in large number with the help of police," Mr CR Das said. “After the confirmation of the bird flu in the neighbouring districts, all the concerned officials have been alerted for preparedness so that they can combat the situation," he said. It was reported that chickens from South Dinajpur district are being shifted to other districts for selling. On the other hand, following a media report of thousands of birds which died in the Chanchal sub division, in the northern part of Malda, a special team of animal resources development today rushed to the areas for collecting report and blood samples of the ailing birds and dead birds. The deputy director of Malda ARD, Mr NK Shit, today claimed that there was no report of mass mortality of birds in Malda and even in the northern part of Malda. "A team has been sent to the areas for verification of the report," said Mr Shit. Following the bird flu scare, the sale of chickens has gone down in the market. Several farmers, who run poultry farms under the supervision of the ARD today met the office bearer of the Malda zilla parishad and claimed compensation for the loss of their business. The farmers said that they are not in a position to make up for the the production cost owing to bird flu scare. In the meantime. a doctor named Rajiv Patro (42) commited suicide in Balurghat. He was sent there as a member of the bird culling team. His body has been sent for autopsy. The DM and SP have visited the area.

Farakka barrage authorities yet

Statesman News Service

MALDA, Jan. 18: The state government had acquired farmland two decades ago, but the farmers are still waiting for compensation, thanks to the Farakka Barrage Project (FBP) authorities. The estimated value of the lands acquired is nearly 60 lakh, but the FBP officials had given more than 25 lakh to the district land acquisition department as part of the compensation package. The Malda district administration had written two letters to the FBP authorities to make the full payment to compensate the farmers, but nothing has been done till date. Yesterday hundreds of farmers blocked the National Highway-34 near the Farakka barrage under the Baishanabnagar police station area demanding compensation. They also demanded that the government should return the lands to them. “How could we compensate the land owners? We need at least Rs 60 lakh, but the FBP has given us Rs 25 to 30 lakh phase-wise. We had written letters to the FBP authorities for full payment but they did not respond," said Mr CR Das, the Malda district magistrate. The district magistrate has admitted that a section of the people have already grabbed the lands, which are not being used at present and the real lands owners are suffering. The BJP leaders, who led the villagers claimed that the block development officer would inform the district magistrate and the local administration would hold an all political party meeting on 25 January to resolve the problem. The district magistrate said that he was waiting for the report made by the Baishnabnagar block development officer.

Bird flu : Bloods samples collected

Statesman News Service

MALDA, Jan 17: The district animal resources development officials have collected a total of 45 blood samples of ailing poultry birds from various areas, including the state-run poultry farm and sent them for labaratory test in Kolkata tonight. Following the bird flu scare, the district magistrate, Mr CR Das held a meeting yesterday evening with the concerned officials, including the chief medical officer of health and the deputy director of animal resources development. The deputy director, ARD, Mr NK Shit, informed the district authorities that the abnormal death of birds or poultry birds have not yet been reported in this district. After the detection of the deadly H5N1 strain of bird flu in Birbhum and South Dinajpur, the Malda district authorities have decided to step up vigilance along the border block, including Habibpur, Bamongola and Gazole which are the adjoining areas of South Dinajpur. Mr NK Shit said that the block development officials of these blocks bordering with the South Dinajpur district have been alerted and requested to keep a proper vigilance where the birds are suffering from any bird flu like symptom. The concerned officials have been instructed to collect proper information from poultry farm and houses for precautionary measures. Speaking to this correspondent, Mr Shit said: “Till now we do not have any report of the deaths of poultry birds in this district. Surveillance has been stepped up, including in the state-run farmhouses. We have also increased the rate blood sample collection from the suspected ailing poultry birds." “We have collected 45 blood samples which will be sent for lab test in Kolkata tonight”, he added. Disinfections work is going on with the help of the Border Security Force (BSF) at the transit point of the Indo-Bangladesh border, he said. The Malda CMOH, Dr Radha Raman Banik said: “We do not have any report of avian influenza infection which have affected the people. We have 220 dose of Tamiflu ready for protection." “We have 50 sets of personal preventive equipment for culling birds if necessary”, Dr Banik added.

Anti-retroviral unit in the wings

Statesman News Service

MALDA, Jan. 17: The district health authorities have planned to set up an anti retroviral therapy unit for HIV/AIDS victims at the blood bank in the Malda district hospital soon, the Malda chief medical officer of health said today. The ‘linked’ ART unit will benefit the AIDS/HIV patients, belonging to the poor families for free counselling and they will get medicines from here. The unit is a joint venture of the national AIDS control organisation (NACO) and the state AIDS prevention and control society, said Dr Radha Raman Banik, the Malda CMOH. Two trained doctors and others staff will attend the unit at the Malda blood bank for testing blood samples and they will attend the victims for counselling. The HIV/AIDS patients usually go to the North Bengal Medical College and Hospital in Darjeeling district or the Kolkata School of Topical Medicine for treatment and collecting medicines. “After setting up of the linked ART unit here, the patients will have to collect medicines from either NBMC&H or STM, but from the next month when the victims will grow more weight, they will be get medicine from here for the next five months”, said Dr Banik, the Malda CMOH. “It will benefit the poor patients and they do not need to go to Kolkata or Siliguri for collecting medicines after the first month of treatment," he said. According to him, on an average more than 20 HIV patients from this district have to go to Kolkata or Siliguri for their treatment on a regular basis and they face problems because of transportation costs. “Many of them belong to poor families, had submitted a deputation to me pointing out their problems about transportation costs every six months for treatment," Dr Banik added. In Malda, many people, including women and pregnant mothers are carrying HIV/AIDS virus due to various reasons. Migrated labourers are also HIV affected. In the blood bank of the Malda district hospital, doctors are detecting blood samples infected with HIV/AIDS, which are being collected from the various blood donation camps. The health authorities discard these infected bloods secretly. “We cannot inform the candidates who donate blood in such camps and cannot pick up them for treatment due to technical problems and standing instruction of the authorities. If we do that, blood donation camp will be affectedly badly and we will face blood crisis in an emergency," Dr Banik said.

Mother kills girl child

Statesman News Service

MALDA, Jan. 17: A poverty stricken tribal woman, Debi Murmu, has allegedly killed her seven-month-old baby girl by administering poison in milk at Khirkidanga village in the Gazole police station area. It is being alleged that fed up with being blamed by her in-laws for giving birth to a girl instead of a boy, Debi killed her baby. Her husband, Surai Tudu, is in Delhi now in search of a job. They had married over a year ago, but Debi allegedly was being tortured by her mother in-law for giving birth to a girl. According to the Malda SP, Mr Satyajit Bandyopadhayay, no complaint has been lodged yet so far, but I have asked the Gazole police to inquire into the matter.

Farmers block road to demand compensation

Statesman News Service

MALDA, Jan. 17: Hundreds of farmers led by local BJP leaders blocked the National Highway-34 near Baishnabnagar police station today for more than two-and-a-half hours, bringing vehicular traffic to a standstill. The farmers demanded the authorities either compensate them adequately or return their farmlands that had been acquired by the Farakka Barage Project and railway authorities among others. They alleged that work had started only a portion of the entire land acquired and that the rest had been put to no use. The farmers also said that touts who had got the plots registered in their names, had cheated them out of compensation. The claim of the farmers has been substantiated by the SP of Baishnabnagar police station. The block development officer of Kaliachak III rushed to the spot and promised the agitating farmers to talk to the district magistrate and get the matter sorted out. The BDO also said that he would ask the authorities to survey the acquired land and submit a report on the current status of its use. Locals have been requesting political leaders, including the former Congress MLA for Kaliachak and Malda MP Mr AH Khan Choudhury, as well as CPI-M MLA Mr Biswanath Ghosh to intervene. After being elected from the first time from Kaliachak, Mr Ghosh had taken the initiative to resolve the matter but is yet to find a solution to it.

Practicality scores over heritage

Statesman News Service

Malda, Jan. 16: Despite protest from local intellectual groups, the Malda chief medical officer of health has finally decided to demolish the old hospital building.The Save Heritage group has lodged a complaint with the state heritage commission and has urged the local population to come out and support the movement to save the building which was constructed before 1822.In their letter to the commission, the group has demanded a grant from the commission for the maintenance of the old hospital building, andopposed the planned move of the district health authorities. The district health authority had planned to demolish the building for the construction of a new three-storey building for the district health directorate.The government has already sanctioned Rs. 1.89 crore for the construction of the proposed building.The Malda CMOH Dr Radha Raman Banik said: "I have consulted the district administration and have given them the green signal for demolition of the building. I will issue demolition order soon to begin construction of the new building.""I have heard verbally that the heritage commission will object the demolition drive, but I do not have official information," Dr Banik added.On the other hand, the local Heritage Buildings Save Committee members like Mr Kamal Basak, Mr Tushar Kanti Ghosh and Mr Prodyot Ghosh claimed that the building was a heritage monument dating back to the British era.Citing reference books, they claimed that a part of the building was used for treatment of prisoners. Another part of it was used as a commercial headquarter during the rule of the East India Company. The old district hospital building was connected with another building through a tunnel, which is presently used as a Circuit House by the district administration.There were several graveyards of British officials and others on the cemetery road where the Old Hospital building is located, Mr Kamal Basak claimed. The group claimed that the state heritage commission will soon issue a letter to the district administration to stop the demolition work.After independence the building was extensively used as the district hospital. But after completion of another district hospital building a few decades ago, the entire establishment had been shifted gradually and the building was used for the office of the CMOH only. A few years back the CMOH office was also shifted to the new building at the present district hospital premises after the old hospital building had partially collapsed.

Teams to meet on Resham Krishi Mela

Statesman News Service

MALDA, Jan. 16: Both state and Central silk board officials will hold a meeting with the Malda district magistrate on 22 January to finalise the proposed Resham Krishi Mela in this district. The object of this silk fair is to aware sericulture farmers and related people about the new technology for silk industries. The Central silk board has taken the initiative to organise the fair here following the request of a former Malda MP Mr Dinesh Joardar, also a member of the Central silk board. The top officials of the Central silk board, the director of the state sericulture, the Malda district magistrate, the zilla parishad sabhadhipati and members of the district silk monitoring committee will meet to finalise the date and venue of the fair as also chalk out the plans for the same. The director of the state sericulture department Mr US Nandi also informed the district officials that another meeting will be held on the same day at Malda to discuss the prospect of the proposed silk park here. The officials of the Infrastructure Leasing and Financial Services Limited (ILFSL) will be present here with the director of the state sericulture to hold another meeting with district administration and top 10 leading entrepreneurs, who are interested in setting up a silk park at Madhughat state filature, on the bank of river Bhagirathi, which is presently abandoned. The ILFSL has been assigned for the development of the proposed silk park here and it was decided that it would organise another workshop to train the selected entrepreneurs interested to join the silk park here. A total of 85 entrepreneurs from this district had shown interest in the development of the silk park and of them 40 were selected primarily. At present the department has earmarked a total of 15 acres land for the project. Earlier, owing to lack of land, it was decided that a multi-storeyed building may be used to cater to the requirements. “The officials of the ILFSL will also meet the top 10 leading entrepreneurs out of 40 selected and they will discuss the how to build a silk park here and when the plans would actually be implemented”, said Mr Bijan Mandal, the deputy director of Malda sericulture department.

Meeting to solve municipal crisis

Statesman News Service

MALDA, Jan. 15: The chairman of the English Bazaar municipality has convened a meeting on 17 January and has served notices to all the councillors, including the seven rebel ones, who had boycotting the meeting for the past two months. The chairman, Mr Narendranath Tiwari, of the Congress-led civic board is still uncertain whether they would attend the meeting or not. It may be noted that the congress-led board had sought help from the LF councillors in order to place the draft budget last month owing to the non-cooperation of the seven councillors, belonging to the Trinamul Congress and the Congress. The chairman has planned to adopt several resolutions at the meeting, including the decision to donate Rs 5 lakh in two installments from the English Bazaar municipality’s own fund for the development of the proposed Gaur Bango Viswavidyalaya. Sources said that the decision to donate money would attract the LF councillors to the meeting to support the decision. They may still continue with their non-cooperation movement with the present Congress-led board. Though the congress chairman, Mr Narendranath Tiwari, refused to comment on the decision to donate funds for the proposed university, he said that there are several agendas, including donation. "Officially the rebel councillors did not confirm me about their stand. I would never approach them personally. I would have to manage things alternatively to run the board," said Mr Narendranath Tiwari. It may be noted that the Congress leaders, including the district president, Mrs Rubi Noor, and the Union minister for information and board casting tried hard to pacify the rebels but failed. As a result of this, the present board is in a crisis. All the seven rebel councillors are being backed by the English Bazaar Congress MLA, Mr KN Choudhury, who was the former chairman of the board and the former district Trinamul congress president.

Guardians lock up school to stop teachers' quarrel

MALDA, Jan. 15: Unable to stop frequent fights between teachers of a primary school, guardians locked up the institute located at Gayeshpur in English Bazaar town in Malda yesterday. The school remained under lock and key for the second day today. No official from the primary school council has so far taken the initiative to sort out the matter.The primary school in question is housed inside Bibhutibhusan High School in English Bazaar. It has earned itself a bad name as the teachers are known to fight amongst themselves frequently. During another such dispute yesterday, irate guardians locked up the school with the quarrelling duo inside.“With the teachers fighting every day, studies have gone for a toss. Students keep playing outside the school as the teachers are busy settling scores,” alleged a guardian.According to the guardians, the female teachers of the school are particularly quarrelsome. “The allegation is true. The situation demands quick action from the authorities,” said headmistress Mrs Monimala Karmakar.The guardians had earlier submitted petitions to the district inspector of schools (primary) twice but no action had been taken. The district inspector of schools was not available today. n sns

Central project to aid pisciculture

Statesman News Service

MALDA, Jan. 14: The Malda fisheries department has planned to upgrade its existing district level laboratories for pisciculture under the Rashtriya Krishi Vikash Yojona (RKVY), a Central government project. The department has submitted its revival plan to the state through the district administration for the development of resources based on agriculture. Under the RKVY project, the district fisheries officials have planned to introduce other schemes for the development of pisciculture in the district, which are already on progress. The department has stressed the need to form women cooperative societies, with the financial assistance from the state fisheries cooperative society based on ornamental fish rearing. “We have already formed 18 women groups in various blocks for pisciculture. A few groups have been engaged in rearing of ornamental fish. At present, a few women groups in Ratua-II, Habibpur and Gazole have initially started ornamental pisciculture," said Mr Milan Ghosh, assistant director of fisheries department. “We have mainly stressed on multipurpose projects, including ornamental fish rearing in the district under RKVY for the next financial year," Mr Ghosh said. This multipurpose projects would help save extinct species of local fishes like Pabda, Tangra, Vyada, Sol, Magur and others local varieties. The object of the multipurpose project is to produce more and more fish. Besides this, the department is interested to invest in dry fish culture in the district. In Malda, a group of people has started dry fish culture in Kaliachak and English Bazaar blocks. The minister for fisheries has recently directed to distribute 1,000 fish free of cost to the societies for wetlands under the social fisheries scheme. The officials of Malda fisheries have admitted that due to rampant use of chemical fertilisers and pesticides to produce crops, many local varieties have disappeared. Not only crop lands, but also some traders and fishermen are using urea in their ponds to boost fish production of a particular variety within a short period of time for profit

Old Malda municipality submits water treatment plant project

Statesman News Service

MALDA, Jan. 14: With a view to resolve an acute drinking water crisis, the Old Malda municipality (OMM) has submitted a surface water treatment plant project to the Central government, through the state government, under the Jawaharlal Nehru Urban National Mission (JNUNM) project. The Municipal Engineering Department (MED) has estimated that Rs 18.32 crore would be needed for the surface water drinking water plant project. “We are eagerly awaiting the sanctioning of this project from the Centre. The state has cleared the project and has forwarded it to the Centre in December last year," said Mr Biswanath Sukul, the chairman of the CPI-M led Old Malda municipality. It may be noted that after two decades the CPI-M came to power in OMM, when the Congress leaders could not correctly file their nominations before last election and all the nomination papers submitted by the Congress were cancelled. According to the civic body chief, MED has earmarked Lolabag area for using water from the Mahananda river for this water treatment plant, which will cover the main Old Malda town, including Mangalbari area along the National Highway-34. “The Old Malda municipality can cover only 25 per cent of its area at present, based on its population and supply of drinking water based on the Public Health Engineering (PHE) department,” Mr Sukul said. Out of 17 wards, only six wards (from 1 to 6) are under the drinking water project based on ground level water supplied by the PHE. Besides this, PHE has two pumping stations for other from Ward no 7 to 17. The residents of OMM of Wards no 15 and 16 have been using drinking water from the rural scmheme of PHE. The rest of the uncovered areas rely on hand tube wells. In the dry season, the residents of OMM, rural and added municipal areas face an acute drinking water crisis depending on the ground level water. The OMM civic body hopes that if the Centre grants its surface water project by March this year, MED would be able to start the project soon.

Sikdar urges local leaders to prepare for polls

Statesman News Service

MALDA, Jan. 14: The former Union minister of state and at present the leader of Bharatiya Janashakti, Mr Tapan Sikdar, today held a meeting here with a small group of local leaders and asked them to prepare for the panchayat election in Malda district. Mr Sikdar told them that the panchayat election would be the only way to introduce party activities among the common people, by selecting contesting candidates in the three tier rural polls. It was decided that Bharatiya Janashakti would field 300 candidates in the gram panchayat election. The party leaders have planned to select at least 50 contesting candidates for the panchayat samiti election. The local leaders of the party had decided to contest in two zilla parishad seats in Habibpur and Bamongola area. It may be noted that in Habipur and Bamongola area, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has a stronghold and Mr Tapan Sikdar did a lot for the BJP here as the local resident of Habibpur. The BJP and the Trinamul Congress had won two Malda zilla parishad seats each from Habibpur block area in the last election.

PDS malpractice probe initiated

Statesman News Service

MALDA, Jan. 13: The Malda additional district magistrate, Mr PC Shit, said that he was awaiting the final report of a case of alleged selling of rice meant for the Public Distribution System (PDS). Mr Shit said: “We have received the information. The food and supplies department is making inquiries into a particular case. We will take necessary action against the accused if they are found guilty.” The Malda district controller of food and supplies has started an inquiry into the case of alleged selling of rice meant for PDS on transit at Sujapur, following a report from the Kaliachak police station. In the presence of police, the departmental officials seized 165 bags of rice weighing 82. 5 quintals from the Id prayer field near Sujapur last Tuesday. Police have arrested four persons, including an MR dealer, Mr Dilip Saha in this connection. It may be noted that acting on a tip off, the villagers raided four godowns of traders at Sujapur who are allegedly involved in procuring grains from modified ration dealers or distributors on transit. The villagers alleged that some of the dealers handed over rice to others after collection from the local PDS distributor. The dealers have fled during the raid. The villagers intercepted four persons who were carrying rice bags. The district controller of food and supplies, Mr Asim Basu said: “It is very difficult to prove that the seized rice bags, which are at present under the custody of the Kaliachak police station was meant for PDS.” “We have started an internal inquiry into the allegation to take precautionary measures. We will have to wait for the final report of the police,” Mr Basu added. “Police have recovered some bags of rice from godowns, but there were no seals to prove that the rice was meant for PDS,” said a senior police officer. “We suspect that the traders have changed the bags or destroyed the seals,” he said. On the other hand, the MR dealers alleged at the district level meeting called by the district magistrate that the distributors sell food grains on transit on a large scale after receiving them from the depot of the Food Corporation of India (FCI).

Server failure in treasury

MALDA, Jan. 13: Owing to a technical problem of online server, the Chanchal sub divisional treasury office has collapsed for last 10 days. This problem has caused great inconvenience to the general public and the government officials. The technicians from the assigned organisation (CMC) came to Chanchal and restored the situation yesterday. Normal work in the Chanchal treasury will begin from Monday, the district officials said. The SDO Chanchal, Mr Debashis Sarkar, said today that the matter was brought to the knowledge of the director of the treasury. “Now we are somehow managing the situation manually. But the problem is that the CMC engineers, though contacted in time, came too late ,” he added. The Chanchal treasury officials are reported to be working to update transactions. sns

Recruitment in district Sainik board deferred

MALDA, Jan 13: As controversy rages in the district over the allegation of an unfair deal, the district administration has postponed the recruitment of lower division clerks, typists, and group D staff for the district Sainik board. The examination for recruitment was scheduled to be held at Dhiren Saha Vidyamandir on 18 January. But suddenly, the district administration postponed the examination after receiving serious complaints of malpractice. However, the senior district officials, are reluctant to admit that the step was taken in response to a raging controversy over the unfair means being adopted in the on-going process of recruitment. sns

Bangladeshi kids being deprived of education in jails

Statesman News Service

MALDA, Jan. 11: Several children of Bangladeshi prisoners are languishing in Indian correctional homes in the state without the benefits of formal education. Though a group of Non Governmental Organisations (NGOs) are working for their welfare twice a week, it is not sufficient, said Swami Divyananda, chief of Malda Ramkrishna Mission. Swami Divyananda who is also the vice-president of the Bengal Forum of Prisoners’ Friend (BFPF) plans to write letters to the Chief Justice of the Calcutta High Court and the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court to seek legal rights to provide formal education for the Bangladeshi children who are living with their parents or relatives in various correctional homes. “Not only the Ramkrishna Mission, but some NGOs and even Christian organisation are interested and ready to provide formal education for these children who are being deprived of their rights,” Swami Divyananda said. “The BFPF, whose president is the inspector general of jail, Mr BD Sharma, is interested to take the responsibility of these children. But there is a legal bar and we are not in a position to do anything for them,” he added. The decision was taken after observing the plight of these kids and their future after the amendment of Foreigners (Amendment) Act, 2004. According to the Act, the system of judgment of Bangladeshi nationals has been changed. Earlier, they were convicted for upto two years, but at present the period of judgment has been extended upto eight years. “If children spend eight years in jail, how they would get formal education? Though our voluntary teachers are educating them twice a week, it is not sufficient,” Swami Divyananda said. “If the court and the state allow us, we can take these children to our houses for education. They will return to their country after their parents are released,” he added. According to Swami Divyananda, several children are living in various jails, including Behrampur central in Murshidabad and Krishnanagar jail in Nadia.

Malda zilla parishad witnesses seat increase

Statesman News Service

MALDA, Jan. 11: The district panchayat and rural development department has published a draft after delimiting segments of three-tire panchayat seats. According to the draft which was published on 8 January, the number of seats of the Malda zilla parishad has been increased from 33 to 34. The department is awaiting people's objections for its final publication by February phase-wise. Besides the Malda zilla parishad, the seats of the panchayat samiti has been increased from 388 to 408 on the basis of 4,500 voters for one seat. But the number of gram panchayat seats has been reduced from 2,232 to 1,889. For gram panchayat, 900 voters have been considered for one seat. The departmental officials said that they would finally publish a demarcation of three-tier panchayat seats on 7 February. Now the parties are busy with checking the draft publication to find out flaws to raise objections. The CPI-M leaders have sought clarification from the officials about seat reservations for Scheduled Tribe. The political leaders are also searching for a strong base in the segments to capture the Malda zilla parishad. It may be noted that in the last panchayat election, the Congress with the help of one Trinamul and one Bharatiya Janata Party member had captured the Malda zilla parishad. Out of 33, the LF got 16 seats and the Congress got 15. The CPI-M had lost one seat owing to misunderstanding with the Revolutionary Socialist Party (RSP) over the issue of seat sharing. The CPI-M and RSP had contested against each other where the Congress candidate won the seat and captured the board.

Embankment plan in quandary

Statesman News Service

MALDA, Jan. 10: The proposed ninth retired embankment project for flood protection in Malda has been stalled after the villagers protested and claimed compensation for an entire five km long stretch, the Malda irrigation executive engineer, Mr S Misra said today. Mr Misra yesterday met the chief engineer II, Mr SK Samata, and the secretary, state irrigation and waterways department, Mr TK Mitra, in Kolkata and spoke about the matter in details. Both of them said that funds of Rs 7.52 crore, which was allotted for the proposed ninth retired embankment in Kaliachak II would be diverted, if the villagers and the local political party leaders do not extend cooperation to develop the flood protection measures on the left bank of the Ganges, Mr Misra said. Mr Misra further informed the matter officially to the higher authorities, including the district magistrate and the Malda zilla parishad sabhadhipati. In his letter to the authorities, Mr Misra stated that the Malda irrigation division would not be held responsible for devastating floods this year. The water level of the river might cross the danger mark due to noncooperation by the villagers and the local political party leaders. It may be noted that after receiving the green signal at the all-political party meeting held on 4 December, 2007, at the district level, the block administration and the irrigation officials held another conference at Kaliachak II on Tuesday, seeking cooperation from the locals for acquiring lands for the proposed project. Though the local leaders agreed to accept the present alignment, keeping a safe distance of 700 to 800 metres from the bank, the local leaders claimed that the government would have to acquire lands which will come under the unprotected zone after the completion of the embankment. They also claimed the new valuation of land as compensation for land acquisition, rejecting the old system of land valuation for acquisition. Thirdly, they warned that they would allow irrigation officials to begin work when the administration would complete payment of compensation. After receiving the demands made by the local administrative officials, the Malda district magistrate, Mr CR Das, said: “How is it ever possible to pay compensation to everyone? If they do not want an embankment, the project would be dropped.” The administration and the irrigation officials wanted to compensate only those lands which would be acquired for the construction of the five km long ninth retired embankment. But the local leaders demanded that the government would have to pay compensation for lands located between the bank of the river and the embankment. “Their claim is absurd. There is no such government system for acquisition of land for embankment. We will do nothing further for building the embankment and would not be held responsible for floods,” said Mr Misra. It may recalled that the Malda administration could not build the retired embankment over three years due to the villagers’ protest.

Smooth power supply demanded

Statesman News Service

MALDA, Jan. 9: Having failed to make up for the losses in industrial units due to rampant power cuts at the Narayanpur industrial growth centre, the Malda small-scale industrialists have demanded that the industrial zone should be made ‘load shedding free'. The small-scale industrialists yesterday held a meeting with the district magistrate and the senior officials of the electricity department, pointing out the problem of rampant load shedding. The local entrepreneurs informed the officials that they had been suffering from losses after having shut down their running units due to frequent power cuts. They would be forced to claim compensation from the electricity department if they fail to provide them with uninterrupted power supply. The officials of the electricity department argued that a month ago the Narayanpur industrial belt came under the ‘load shedding-free’ zone. It was practically found out that a few big industrial units at the Narayanpur industrial growth centre under WBIIDC (West Bengal Industrial Infrastructure Development Corporation) had a direct power distribution line for uninterrupted power supply. But other small-scale industrial units did not come under such facilities. The district magistrate Mr. C R Das finally suggested the small-scale industrialists to keep in touch with the officials of the electricity department so that they come under the ‘ load shedding free’ zone to run their units profitably. Admitting the problem of the small scale industrialists at the industrial growth centre, Mr CR Das said: “The electricity department has selected an area as ‘load shedding-free,’ but some others small units have been left out of the zone. I have requested both the electricity officials and the industrial units to sort out the problem soon.” The secretary of Malda WBIIDC Welfare Association, Mr Debayan Ray, yesterday lodged a third complaint with the district magistrate through the manager of District Industrial Centre (DIC). "We had submitted such complaint letters twice a few months ago and both the district magistrate and the divisional manager of the electricity department assured us that within seven days the industrial zone would come under ‘load shedding-free’ area," Mr Ray said. “We have informed the district magistrate that we would claim compensation for industrial losses, if the department does not restore the situation”, Mr Ray added. The divisional manager, Mr AK Ghosh said: “Some important places, including the industrial zone, rail station and other places have been selected for uninterrupted power supply.” It may be noted that only the Malda book fair in English Bazaar town has come under the load shedding-free zone from yesterday after its inauguration, while the entire town was plunged into darkness during late evening. The Malda Merchants’ Chamber of Commerce today submitted a representation to the top officials of the electricity department and threatened to launch a movement against power cut from 17 January, if the power supply situation does not improve. A copy of the above mentioned letter has also been forward to the Malda district magistrate.

Probe against English Bazaar I C begins

Statesman News Service

MALDA, Jan. 9: Malda police have started an inquiry against the inspector-in-charge of the English Bazaar police station on the basis of villagers’ complaint that he had deliberately framed charges against an innocent farmer of possessing fake currencies, foreign currencies and brown sugar. The Malda SP Mr Satyajit Bandyopadhayay told reporters today that police initiated two cases including against the I-C English Bazaar. “Senior police officials will inquire into the case. If he would be found guilty the I-C would be punished according to law”, Mr Badyopadhayay said. It may be recalled that acting on a tip off, police seized fake currencies and a packet of brown sugar from the house of Insan Ali, an agriculture labourer, from Jaharatala village, close to Indo Bangladesh border, on Monday night. Villagers claimed that the victim was innocent. Though police detained twin sons of the main accused Insan Ali and his relative, released them latter after receiving complaint from villagers yesterday afternoon. It may be noted that Ali, presently a CPI-M supporter and used to cultivate an agriculture land of a local landlord, who was trying to deprive him of his claim allegedly in connivance with police from February 2006.

Mango orchards to be regenerated

Statesman News Service

MALDA, Jan. 8: A team of scientists from the Central Institute of Subtropical Horticulture, Lucknow, would arrive in Malda and demonstrate the regeneration of old mango orchards on 15 and 16 January with financial assistance from the National Horticulture Mission (NHM), the district mango development officer said today. The Malda district horticulture department has selected mango orchards which are located on plots of one acre at the Malda airport, which are not presently used, for the training of farmers. A total of 200 mango farmers from Malda and five from the neighbouring mango-producing district would be invited here for the training. Besides this, panchayat officials would also be invited to attend the programme to make farmers aware about the regeneration of old mango orchards. At the Malda airport, scientists would show detopping, the removal of old top branches of trees, bearing such varieties like Fazli, Ashwina, Lakhmanbhog, Himsagar. Regeneration improves the quantity and quality of fruits. Recently scientists have come to the conclusion that 60-year-old trees must be regenerated to boost production in Malda district. Since 2005 the Malda district horticulture department is trying to introduce replacement of old trees. In many areas, farmers and orchard owners have uprooted trees which are more than 60 years old and have planted new varieties of tress like Amropali, Mallika, Himsagar, Lakshmanbhog. Malda has 25,500 hectares under mango cultivation. Out of that 35 per cent of the orchards are above 60 years old. The department has decided to replace more than 15 per cent under the regeneration programme. “Regeneration after every 20 years is a must for mango trees for better production”, said Mr Samarendranath Khara, the district mango development officer. The horticulture department is expecting good production this year considering favourable climate till date.

Briege over Mahananda likely to be inaugurated before monsoon

Statesman News Service

MALDA, Jan. 8: A bridge over the Mahananda river was under construction at Aashapur under the Chanchal sub-division in 1999, but the administration could not complete it owing to fund crunch and other technical difficulties. The administrative officials hope that they would able to inaugurate it before this year’s monsoon season after the completion of its approach road on the Malda part. The idea of the bridge at Aashapur was conceived before 1999 for better communication of the people of northern part of Malda, connecting North Dinajpur with Chanchal. The PWD had completed the construction of the bridge phase by phase in 1999, but they were not in a position to build the approach road on both sides. At present, the approach road on the side of North Dinajpur has been completed. Now the Malda administration has planned to finish its approach road soon. It was not decided as to who would build the approach road. Though the Malda zilla parishad was approached to finish the incomplete work, the PWD took over the job finally. The sub-divisional officer of Chanchal, Mr Debashis Sarkar said: “The construction of the approach road was delayed due to fund crunch and problem of land acquisition and other difficulties. We have sorted out the land acquisition problem and the Chanchal I panchayat samiti has made the road by filling earth under NREGS last year to overcome the shortage of money." “The PWD would black top the ready approach road which was built by the Panchayat samiti. The PWD engineers will work here with financial assistance from the Uttar Banga Unnayan Parishad,” said Mr Sarkar. Mr Sarkar confidently said that they would be able to inaugurate the bridge before monsoon this year if things go the right way.

Malda police recover fake currencies & brown sugar

Statesman News Service

MALDA, Jan. 8: Acting on a tip off, Malda police recovered fake Indian currencies, foreign currencies and 450 gram of brown sugar made in Pakistan from Jaharatala village, close to the Kestopur border outpost, along the India-Bangladesh border, under the English Bazaar police station area last night. Police had initially detained three persons, including the two sons of the main accused Insan Ali, who fled from the house at the time of raid. Later they were released.About 500 villagers have sent a petition to the Malda SP. They feel that Insan has been deliberately framed by the IC, Mr P Pradhan of English Bazaar police station. The villagers feel that Insan is innocent. Police detained 14-year-old Wasim Akram and Salim Malik, twin brothers and arrested Majnu Sheikh, a relative of Insan Ali. After interrogating these three, including the brothers, police have got some important clue for further investigation, the Malda SP, Mr Satyajit Bandyopadhayay, told reporters today. Police are looking for Insan. Police seized 15 Indian fake hundred rupees notes, 10 five thousand rupees notes of Peru and a thousand rupee note of Pakistan from the house of Insan. The packet of brown sugar found in the house was made in Pakistan, police said. The border village of Kestopur has always been free from infiltrators and smugglers. The district intelligence branch is always in touch with the Border Security Force (BSF), following the reports of border crime. The BSF has stepped up vigilance since last year, after a group of criminals stole ammunitions from the Kestopur border outpost.

Better late than never ?

Statesman News Service

MALDA, Jan. 7: Mr Abdul Barek, deputy commandant, Home Guards, was selected as the recipient of the President’s award for meritorious services on 26 January, 2006, but owing to lack of communication, he could not receive the award from the then President, Dr APJ Abdul Kalam. The state authorities had decided to hand over the medal on 6 December, 2007, the Civic Defence Day, but Mr Barek could not attend the programme in Kolkata because he was not informed on time. The deputy secretary, civic defence, Mr SS Majumdar, informed the matter to the director general and the commandant general (Home guards) to intimate Mr Barek to attend the programme. But the letter was sent on 6 December . In both the cases, Mr Barek was informed on the day of the ceremony. Mr Barek was first intimated on 26 January, 2006, by a telegram sent by the then Union home secretary, when he was working at the English Bazaar police station in Malda. The home secretary simply had conveyed the information by congratulating Mr Barak as one of the recipients of the President award as a recognition of his meritorious service. “I was taken aback after receiving the telegram. I thought at first that it was a bad news. After I found out, I was delighted,” he said.But I was not in a position to attend the programme in Delhi which was a dream come true,” Mr Barek told reporters yesterday evening at a press conference at the Malda Muslim Institute Hall. It may be noted that the Malda SP recommended Mr Barek's name on 11 May, 2005, for the award as the deputy commandant, Home guards. Mr Barek had wrote to the Union home secretary and asked as to how he would collect the award, after he failed to attend the programme on 26 January 2006. The Union home department had sent the award to the state for handing it over to the recipient. “I could not attend the programme again. But I went to Kolkata and received the medal on 13 December”, Mr Barek told reporters.

Funds to be raised at book fair for Malda University

Statesman News Service

MALDA, Jan. 7: Resource mobilising committee for the proposed Malda University will seek donations from the intellectuals and the common people at the book fair to be held on the Malda college ground on 11 January. Noted writer, Sunil Ganguly, will inaugurate the book fair tomorrow. Donation would be collected to build infrastructure of the proposed university which has been named as the Gour Bango Viswavidyalaya, considering the historical importance of the ruins of Gour, which was the ancient capital of Bengal. The state Assembly has approved of the university bill and the name of the university and has published a gazette notification on 5 December, 2007. The resource mobilising committee has been raising funds for over three months and has already collected over Rs 60 lakh, the committee members said. They have raised funds from the primary school children and teachers to others where primary going students donated Rs. 3 each. The committee has been organising a fund raising programme at the block level and even at the gram panchayat levels. The local administration and the committee have not yet earmarked the land for the Gour Bango Viswavidyalaya in Malda town and its outskirts. Initially, it was decided, that the university would be set up on a farmland of the Malda agriculture department over a plot of 30 acres. The administration has sent a proposal to the government for its consideration, if lands are not available here. It may be noted that the local committee for the university has held a convention here for seeking suggestions and proposals for available lands. Various participants, including college teachers, member of the Assembly and the ministers of the four districts of Malda, North and South Dinajpur and partly Murshidabad have proposed to set up the university outside the Malda town. Speakers of various districts, except Malda, had proposed to select the land for the proposed university along the NH-34 in the interest of the students for better communication.