Parties agree on land acquisition for proposed highway

Statesman News Service

MALDA, June 30: The Malda district administration with the support of all political party leaders has accepted the proposed project of 9.25 km bypass road, an alternative to the national highway 34, in Malda. The political leaders and other concerned officers have agreed to start acquisition of land for construction of the proposed express highway, under the National Highway Development Project III (NHDP) from Jadupur in English Bazaar to Narayanpur (Chaki More) in Old Malda block. The National Highway Authority of India (NHAI) has estimated Rs.229 crore for the construction of the highway under the BOT project (Build, Operate and Transfer). The land would be acquired based on National Highway Act 1956, officials said. On Saturday, the Malda district magistrate, Mr C R Das convened an urgent all party meeting to adopt a resolution on the project and the house unanimously accepted the second proposal as the ‘best alternative’ The project director, NHAI, Mr Srikumar Bhattacharya said, “We will have to complete land acquisition and pre-construction activities by 2008.” At all political party meeting, the Trinamul leader urged the district magistrate not to acquire land forcibly. On the other hand, the representatives of Malda Merchants’ Chamber of Commerce (MMCC) urged the administration to reconsider the value of land to be acquired for this project at Narayanpur, an industrial belt.“If the government acquires their “land, compensation will be calculated based on future values of those plots of lands”, they said.

32 families affected in river bank erosion

Statesman News Service

MALDA, June 30: The banks of Ganges is eroding at a speeding rate at Domhat in Manikchak block. Large chunk of sand was seen to be washed away this afternoon affecting at least 32 families at Domhat and its adjoining villages. The erosion gobbled up some of the houses and damaged partly many more. Fearing fresh erosion, villagers were shifted to safer areas with their belongings. They are in search of a place atop the existing sixth retired embankment for makeshift arrangement. According to the irrigation department officials, a sudden fluctuation in the water level of the Ganges caused the erosion. The Ganges has moved more than 150 metres inward on the eastern side eroding its bank line at the down stream of the anti-erosion work carried out by the Farraka Barrage Project.

Traffic rearrangement in English Bazaar, rickshaws to be axed

MALDA, June 30: Following administrative decision the English Bazaar Municipality (EBM) is planning to allow only 3,280 rickshaws in the town to reduce traffic congestion. “We have planned to allow rickshaws which are registered by the EBM. Rickshaws registered with Old Malda Municipalities (OMM) and other gram panchayat areas will be prevented from entering English Bazaar town”, the EBM chairman, Mr Narendranath Tiwari said. “English Bazaar Municipalty has given license to around 3,280 rickshaws. But nearly 10,000 rickshaws run every day congesting traffic. The Old Malda Municipalty had nearly 7,000 registered rickshaws and many of them depend on English Bazaar”, said Mr Tiwari.“Talks with the OMM officials to restrict movement of rickshaws in English Bazaar areas are going on but nothing has been finalised as yet,” sources said. However rickshaw pullers make most of the money from English Bazaar. According to the civic body chief, the civic body has also planned to paint rickshaws with a specific colour for identification displaying its license number. It also has plans to issue identity card for rickshaw pullers who has a license issued by the EBM. Under rearrangements of the traffic system in English Bazaar town the Malda SP had requested the civic body chief to restrict rickshaws from out side. “Rickshaws from gram panchayat areas will not be allowed here," the Malda SP said. Besides, according to the civic body chief, it was decided that pavements and parking zones, in several municipal markets would be evicted soon. n SNS

Traffic rearrangement in English Bazaar

MALDA, June 29: The Malda district administration will launch an eviction drive soon to clear encroachment on either sides of NH-34 in English Bazaar town. The step comes as an extention to the ‘Traffic Rearrangement Project’. The decision was taken yesterday after an all political party meeting. The district administrative officials and police have chalked out a plan to rearrange traffic system of six main roads of English Bazaar town including the NH-34. “Out of four, the first and fourth lanes of NH-34 near Rathbari have been ‘damaged’ by encroachers. We have decided not to allow stalls on footpath of NH-34. The temporary market must be shifted," said Mr Satyajit Bandyopadhyay, the Malda SP.“There will be no parking provision on 1st and 4th lane of NH-34. If any truck is parked there, it will be penalised," he added. According to the Malda district magistrate, Mr CR Das, the transport department has allotted Rs 10 lakh for the rearrangement of traffic system based on the proposal submitted by the district administration. “This is first time the civic defence department has also sanctioned additional 40 home guards (traffic) posts for Malda district in order to maintain traffic," said Mr CR Das. “In order to reduce traffic congestion and the rate of accidents on NH-34, we have made plans which would be implemented soon. In order to avoid encroachment of pavement of NH-34 at Rathbari we have planned fence it," said Mr Satyajit Bandyopadhyay, the SP.The SP has urged the chairman English Bazaar municipality to control unauthorised rickshaw movement in English Bazaar town. The political leaders criticised the unruly traffic movement in English Bazaar town and signaled the administration for implementing ‘traffic rearrangement'. The CPI-M district secretary, Mr Jiban Moitra said: “Launch eviction drive quickly. Durga puja is imminent. The eviction will become even more difficult during the pujas when the small traders set their stalls on the pavement.

Curfew on 2 July

Statesman News Service

MALDA, June 29: In order to avoid political clashes during panchayat board formation the Malda administration has decided to impose curfew (Section 144 CrPC) in all 15 panchayat samiti office premises on 2 July.The curfew will be continued since morning to the evening within 100 metre radius from all panchayat samiti office premises. On 2 July new elected members belonging to political parties will form new board. At least 10 people including media persons and policemen were injured in a clash between Congress and CPI-M workers over a controversy regarding formation of Kazigram Garm Panchayat in English Bazaar on 26 June. Tension still prevails at Kazigram on this issue. The Congress workers blocked state highways in various places through out yesterday in protest against police case registered against English Bazaar Congress MLA Mr KN Choudhury. Malda police have registered cases against nine persons including Mr KN Choudhury on charges of instigating violence, damaging government property and an attempt to murder. Eight people excluding the MLA have already been arrested. “Police may arrest Mr KN Choudhury”, said Mr Satyajit Bandyopadhyaya, the Malda SP. Yesterday, Mr KN Choudhury attended an all political party meeting (on the issue of land acquisition for the construction of express high in English Bazaar) convened by the district magistrate, where the Malda SP was also present.

6,000 farmers to get waiver

Statesman News Service

MALDA, June 27: The bank officials have selected more than 6,000 farmers to waiver the agriculture loan in Malda region following the guidelines of the Reserve Bank of India according to the Central government decision.According to the calculation of the Malda bank nearly 8 crore will be waived for the small and marginal farmers who took loans between 31 March 1997 and 31 March 2007.“We have finalised the waiver list and we are waiting for the Prime Minister's letter before publication. Each beneficiary will be getting the PM's letter as ‘loan weave certificate’ from their respective branches”, said Mr. Tapan Kumar Das , regional manager UBI in Malda .“Hopefully that format of PM's letter will be arriving here today or tomorrow from our head quarter. After that we will hang the waiver list of farmers in more than 40 branches by 30 June”, he said. It may be noted that Central government has instructed the banks to publish the weaver list of farmers by 30 June. According to bank officials nearly Rs. 7.5 crore will be fully surrendered to the farmers. Some farmers will be getting ‘relief’ from the bank based on the guidelines of the RBI, bank officials informed.The Congress leaders have decided to organize the farmers based on the waiver list where they would be getting a direct letter from the Prime Minister Mr. Manmohan Singh which will be treated as loan waive certificate.

MLA charged with inciting violence in Malda

MALDA, June 27: Malda police have registered cases against nine persons including the English Bazaar Congress MLA, Mr K N Choudhury on charges of instigating violence, damaging government property and an attempt to murder.Of the nine charged, the police have already arrested eight including the former Congress pradhan of Kazigram gram panchayat in English Bazaar police station under several sections of the IPC and non bail-able section of the Arms Act. The charges are linked with yesterday's clash between the Congress and CPI-M supporters over a controversy regarding the formation of the Kazigram gram panchayat board. At least 10 persons including media personnel and policemen were injured in the clash. According to the police, trouble broke out following certain allegations by the Congress MLA Mr K N Choudhury after the CPI won the Kazigram panchayat pradhan's post with help from the Congress outwitting the CPI-M. In addition to the above, the police have lodged further cases against six persons including the English Bazaar MLA on the basis of complaints lodged by the CPI-M. The Congress MLA Mr K N Choudhury alleged that the police including the Malda ASP had threatened him yesterday. Mr Choudhury was admitted to Malda district hospital and later shifted to a nursing home today. “He was not injured in yesterday’s clash,” said Mr S K Sarkar, ASP Malda, who was on the spot when the clash occurrered. n SNS

Clash between Congress and CPM , 10 injured

Statesman News Service

MALDA, June 26:- At least 10 people including media and policemen were injured in a clash between Congress and CPI-M workers over a controversy regarding the formation of the panchayat board at Kazigram in English Bazaar police station this afternoon.

Police had to fire four rounds in the air to disperse the mob, which had resorted to firing and damaging police vehicle. Six police personnel including the I C, English Bazaar and other officials were injured in the incident.

One of the police men was critically injured and had to be admitted to the hospital. The photographer of a private television channel sustained bullet injury in his left leg and was admitted in Malda district hospital.

Two police vehicles were damaged in the skirmish. Ten people were arrested in this connection by the police to control the situation.

“Trouble began following provocative statements issued by the Congress MLA, Mr. K N Choudhury”, alleged Mr. S K Sarkar, ASP, Malda. The MLA also engaged in a heated argument with the ASP.

Trouble broke out after the CPI won the Kazigram panchayat pradhan’s post with help from the Congress outwitting the CPI-M.

Though the CPI-M district secretary, Mr. Jiban Moitra, held the Congress responsible for violence at Kazigram, a group of Congress worker took out a rally in protest against attack on Mr. Choudhury. #

Scholarship tests to aid the financially weak

Statesman News Service

MALDA, June 26: The state education department will conduct National Means-cum-Merit Scholarship national level test across the state on 17 August, which is centrally sponsored, the district inspector of schools said today. The objective of the test is to provide financial assistance to 7,250 poor meritorious students from classes IX to XII in a state where family income is not more than 1, 50,000 per annum from all sources. Students will be getting scholarship of Rs. 500 per month for further studies. General students in Class IX who have secured more than 55 per cent marks in class VIII will be eligible to appear for the test while students belonging to backward classes who have secured around 50 percent in class VIII will be able to apply for the test. The application form is available at all district inspectors of schools. Candidates will have to submit their application forms by 16 July in the office of the DI. According to the Malda DI, Mr Chinmay Sarkar, the Central government will provide assistance to one lakh meritorious students across the country. The National Council of Education Research and Training (NCERT) took such a decision on 2 June 2008 in New Delhi. The authorities have agreed to sponsor 7,250 students in West Bengal this year. The NCERT will conduct a Mental Aptitude Test, (MAT) for 90minutes and a Scholastic Aptitude Test,(SAT) for one and half hours. There will be 90 multiple choice questions in each test which will be compulsory and general category candidates will have to secure at least 40 percent marks in each paper. For students belonging to the backward classes they have to obtain at least 32 percent marks.

Tourist bus turns turtle , three injured

MALDA, June 26: At least 15 tourists including women and children were injured when the reserved bus in which they were traveling collided with a truck at Kamalabari under English Bazaar police station early today. Three of them were admitted to the Malda district hospital in critical condition and rest of them released after treatment. A total of 50 tourists, all are resident of Sherampore in Hooghly and were returning from northeastern states. They planned to visit Tarapith in Birbhum before returning to home. The local villagers extended help to the victims and brought them to hospital. Many of the injured tourists have taken discharge certificates from hospital at their own risk and planned to return home soon with the help of local police station. The Malda police contacted Hooghly police to contact the traveling agent who conducted the tour. It was decided that the traveling agent would provide another bus for them. Mr Gopal Samanta( 60), Mr Nimai Mandal (52) and Mr Radheshyam Baishya (50) are undergoing treatment in Malda district hospital. n SNS

Madrassa students protest against fee hike

MALDA, June 25: Hundreds of madrassa students blocked national highway 34 at Sujapur in Kaliachak police station and confined the headmaster of Subhania High Madrassa to protest against the violation of government order regarding admission fees. The Madrassa authorities asked students to deposit Rs 220 for session fees. But after the students’ movement, authorities have been forced to follow the government direction. The headmaster of the Subhania High Madrassa Mr. A. Hossain said: “Students protested against the decision of taking a session fee of Rs. 220 from each student. Finally we have decided to charge Rs. 75 according to students’ proposal. It may be noted that the government has the fixed admission fee at Rs. 63 for each student in rural belt and Rs 75 for the students in urban areas. On receiving complaints from various corners, the school education minister Mr. Partha De recently issued an order to take action against the school authorities who had collected high admission fees from the unwilling students. The district inspector of schools, Mr. Chinmay Sarkar has already circulated the recent government order to all schools and pointed out: “If we get any complaint regarding excessive admission fees after June, the grant in aid will not be allowed for those schools”. The recent order also pointed out that the school authorities would have to return the excess amount received as admission fee from the unwilling students and guardians. It may be noted that CPI (M) backed teachers’ organisation ABTA, criticized the recent order of the education department and demanded enhancement of admission fee because the school education department had revised the admission fee in 1993. n SNS

Villagers stall repair work in Manikchak

Statesman News Service

MALDA, June 25:- Having failed to convince the irate villagers Malda irrigation officials have stopped the repair work of damaged anti erosion measures on the bank of Fulohar at Shankaritola Ghaat in Manikchak from yesterday. Villagers backed by the local CPI (M) stalled the ongoing work and demanded job schedule , estimated cost of the work and forced irrigation officials to engage them to procure boulder from outside. According to sources, villagers stopped collecting boulders from departmental owned stake yard and demanded that contractors would have to collect boulders from outside. The CPI (M) MLA Mrs. Asima Choudhury also failed to convince the party workers to allow the irrigation department for this maintenance job to save the marginal embankment for flood prevention. The executive engineer of the Malda irrigation department Mr. S Misra said: “We had estimated Rs. 9 lakh only for maintenance and it was decided that contractors will use departmental boulders. We did not estimate procurement of boulder from out side”.The department had planned to repair the existing bank line protection from Shankaritola to Kalitola. The department would take up anti erosion work for another 500 metre on the bank line Fulohar from Kalitola towards the up stream after monsoon. The estimated cost of the project is more than Rs. 1 crore. “I have nothing to do if the repair work is hampered at Shankaritola just to ‘abide by’ villagers’ demand during the emergency period”, the executive engineer said.

Red Cross Society

MALDA, June 24:- After two years the district magistrate Mr. C R Das has been able to resolve stalemate in Malda Red Cross Society last evening. Since March 2006 the Malda Red Cross Society could not provide services to people due to a feud between the present secretary and former secretary of this organisation. The present secretary of Malda Red Cross, Mr. Nikhil Behari Gupta, alleged that the former secretary did not agree to hand over charges to him and denied giving keys to the iron chests where the official documents were kept. The former district magistrate, late Abhijit Choudhury had tried hard to take over the keys from his custody but the former secretary Mr. Dhirendranath Das had not agreed to hand over the keys him. It could be noted that Mr. Das, became a member of the Malda Red Cross, as president of Malda Bar Association, a few years ago and became secretary of that organisation when Dr. Prodyot Ghosh , resigned. Later Nikhil Behari Gupta was elected as president of Bar Association Election and became a member of Malda Red Cross. Mr. Gupta was elected uncontested as secretary of Malda Red Cross in 2006. Yesterday the district magistrate's representative Mr. Subho Mukherjee took an initiative to hand over charges from the former secretary to the present one, officially verifying all records and documents in presence of other majority members of the organisation. The entire process was completed late last night. Mr. Gupta said: “Following the instruction of the Malda district magistrate I tried hard to run the organisation afresh. We could not provide some important services to the people due to this stalemate”.

Mentally ill wreaks havoc in jail

MALDA, June 23: The Malda jail authorities are in deeep trouble having to tackle a mentally challenged inmate arrested in connection with a murder case.A few days ago a person identified as Nazrul Islam became violent in jail and authorities had to admit him to the Malda district hospital. Since Nazrul's behaviour did not seem normal, the doctors and nurses faced a lot of difficulty dealing with him. He was reluctant to go to the toilet and littered the hospital's floor. Hospital authorities discharged him yesterday and he was sent to Malda jail again. The jail super said they would seek legal aid for Nazrul so that he can get bail just after completion of 90 days."His family members were hesitant to take any initiative for his release depressing him all the more," official sources said."If we see Nazrul becoming more violent, we would request our authorities to transfer him to Alipore central jail for better treatment”, said Mr C R Gharai."Two such mentally challenged inmates, who were causing trouble, have been referred to Alipore central jail recently for treatment, he said adding, " we always fear the occurence of any untoward incident if we fail to tackle mentally challenged inmates properly'. n SNS

Goons ransack property, locals stage protest

Statesman News Service

MALDA, June 23: A group of 25 criminals allegedly backed by a local promoter belonging to the Congress barged into the house of Mr Swapan Ghosh, ransacked property and then molested his family members in English Bazaar town this morning.Angry residents of ward no. 5 under the leadership of Congress backed Independent councillor and the RSP councillor of the neighbouring ward, blocked roads twice near the English Bazaar police station demanding security of local people and arrest of the promoter and his associates affecting the traffic system on K J Sanyal road.The locals alleged that the criminals attacked the house in connivance with the police.Police came to the spot after half-an- hour despite several calls. The armed goons raided the house and ransacked it for 30 minutes.The police have arrested one Jhantu out of the four named in the FIR including Khudiram Mistri, former district president, Chhatra Parishad, who is now a local promoter.The victim Swapan Ghosh said that he had bought 6 acres of land from one Badri Narayan while Khudiram bought the rest.“Khudiram had been threatening us to vacate the land claiming it his own.He and his associates today raided my house and looted Rs 25,000, gold chain and ear rings from my family members threatening them with fire arms,” Mr Ghosh alleged.Local residents expressed concerns over the rise in crimes in the area after the murder of INTUC district president Biswanath Guho.The police said they were planning stern action against such criminal acts and against the ‘land mafias.’

Born with AIDS, to die of neglect?

Statesman News Service

MALDA, June 22: An HIV/ AIDS infected couple gave birth to a male child, a month ago, at Sahapur village in Malda. The child is born with AIDS since his parents were infected.The incident has made not only the doctors but also Swami Divyananda, secretary of Malda Ramkrishna Mission, to express concern over rapidly increasing number of AIDS patients in north Bengal districts.Despite carrying on various awareness campaigns to prevent AIDS transmission, patients are still ignorant about the safeguards and are shy of combating the disease.It may be recalled that the couple was undergoing treatment in School of Tropical Medicine in Kolkata with the help of the Malda Ramkrishna Mission and the Malda district administration. The doctors had told them to control birth not to give birth to a child at this crucial stage but the couple ~ Raghunath Haldar (25) and Jyotsna Haldar (19) ~ did not follow the doctors’ advice. The mother and the new born are staying in Sahapur without proper treatment and her her husband, a fish vendor, is suffering from various diseases.The free pass issued to the couple for traveling to Kolkata for treatment by the Malda district magistrate has lapsed. The family was being ostracised when locals came to know that the couple has AIDS. The Malda Ramkrishna Mission took initiative to save their lives. Quoting the district magistrate of South Dinajpur, Swami Divyananda said: “Nearly 250 people have been identified living with AIDS in a small village near Patiram recently. The rate of HIV positive patients would be similar in Malda village, if we conduct a survey." #

Madrassas facing crisis of teaching staffs

MALDA, June 22: A total of 26 senior madrassas in six districts of north Bengal are facing acute crisis of its teaching staffs for students. Present teachers of senior Madrassa, deal primary level students, brought the matter to the notice of education department recently. After the retirement of teachers not a single teacher has been appointed those senior Madrassas for many years. The problem came to light when the education department was preparing to organise an orientation programme of health education for senior Madrassa teachers. Three day training programme has been started from yesterday at district institute of education, research and training at Shobhanagar in English Bazaar. At least one teacher from each senior madrassa was asked to attend the orientation programme. The Malda district inspector of schools has planned to inform the government to sort out their problem soon. The D I (secondary) in Malda Mr Chinmay Sarkar said: “Senior Madrassas who deal with primary level students are not under the control of district primary school council. As a result, the DPSC could not appoint teachers for them”. On the other hand, the school service commission used to recommend teachers for secondary section of schools and madrassas. “In fact there was not appropriate authority for the recruitment of teachers in senior madrassas”, Mr Sarkar added. n SNS

No arsenic -free water for Malda villages

Statesman News Service

MALDA, June 20: People in remote villages under Kaliachak I, II and III block areas are still suffering from cancer after drinking arsenic contaminated ground level water. Though the state with the help of central government's financial assistance has set up arsenic free water treatment plant at Dariapur in Kaliachak III and distributing purified waters in its commendable areas over the past few years but still many remote villages have been left out. Giving this information, the CPI-M MLA Mr Biswanath Ghosh informed about the plight of those people in his Assembly segment to the subject committee members of public health engineering (PHE) yesterday. The CPI-M MLA Mr Biswanath Ghosh also claimed before the subject committee that at least 60 persons have died due to arsenic contamination over the past few years in left out villages. It may be noted that four members of the PHE subject committee under the chairmanship of Mr Manas Mukherjee held a meeting with the district administrative officials to review the situation of this district identified as arsenic hit zone. Citing an example of Samir Saha, resident of Naldahari village, near Gopalganj in Kaliachak I block, though Mr Ghosh claimed the death report of 60 persons but the administration admitted only one death report due to arsenic. “It is interesting that the cause of cancer is due to drinking of ‘daily dose of poison’, arsenic contaminated water, here but medically death report of arsenic patients is being made due to cancer at their last stage. As a result, there is no death report of huge patients due to arsenic contamination officially”, said a medical officer. According to the CPI (M) MLA, Mr Biswanath Ghosh, like Samir Saha several people are suffering from cancer due to ‘arsenicosis’ at many villages like Sahabanchak, Sahabazpur, Chandpur, Karali Chandpur, Khas Chandpur and other villages in Kaliachak areas. After setting up big arsenic free water treatment plant in Kaliachak III, based on Ganges, when the PHE could not supply purified waters through pipeline to those remote villages, the department had launched awareness campaigning for alternative method to drink water with the help of UNISEF. But the arsenic contamination problem is still there in the left out villages in Kaliachak areas. ###

Students approach D I for admission

Statesman News Service

MALDA, June 20: Hundreds of boys and girls have approached the district inspector of school (secondary) to take steps against some schools so that they can get admitted in class XI. Huge number of students who secured more than 45 to 50 percent marks in Madhyamik did not get admission in many schools. “School authorities did not give them forms for poor marks in Madhyamik and Madrassa board examination”, they informed the D I of schools in Malda. Still several students are coming to meet the D I to sort out the problem every day. This year several successful candidates in Madhyamik also have faced admission problem in the reputed schools in English Bazaar town and there was tough competition among students who secured more than 65 percent marks in Madhyamik.Students in general category, who secured more than 60 to 65 percent marks, did not get humanities as their chosen subject in reputed schools in Malda town.For example, general students from Ramkrishna Mission's Vivekananda Vidyamandir (RKVV), securing more than 60 percent marks in Madhyamik did not get chance in arts for Class XI in AC Institution. The reason: the A C Institution decided to take admission of its own students first and then allow students from out side.As a results, students, belonging to general category, securing more than 70 to 75 percent marks in Madhyamik exam got chance for admission in arts there. Students of RKVV had got into trouble because their own school has closed its arts section for higher secondary from this year due to technical difficulties. Finally students of RKVV get admitted in other non reputed schools in Malda town. Similarly, other school authorities had allowed students from out side on the basis of marks for admission according to their capacity.As a result, students securing 45 to 50 percent marks had no scope of admission to other higher secondary schools here. “We have planned to hold a meeting with the headmasters or teacher in charge of higher secondary school after 25 June to sort out the problem. I have informed the matter to the Malda sub divisional officer”, said Mr Chinmay Sarkar, the D I (secondary) in Malda. “We have prepared a list of students who came to our office for admission. We will contact the schools authorities in respective areas to sort out their problem”, he added.

Farmer loan : RBI lays guidelines

Statesman News Service

MALDA, June 19: Following the instruction of the West Bengal PCC chief, Mr Priya Ranjan Das Munshi, the district Congress leaders yesterday submitted a deputation to the lead bank manager in Malda for immediate publication of waiver list of farmers.The object is to focus on the Centre's recent decision of agriculture loan before parliamentary election. Though the district Congress leaders thought that almost all marginal and small farmers would be free from agriculture loan but many farmers would have to repay loan and its interests following the latest guideline of Reserve Bank of India after Centre's announcement. Based on the recent guidelines of the RBI, the Malda lead bank manager (regional manager UBI) Mr Tapan Kumar Das told the Congress leaders that bank would consider only the farmers who took loan between 31 March, 1997 and 31 March, 2007. The farmers who took loan before 31 March, 1997, would not be considered waiving agriculture loan, he added.The RBI has categorically formulated the system to waive agricultural loan such as direct loan (crop credit), investment credit for mechanical development and allied agriculture loan. The bank authorities would pass loans to farmers having up to 5 acres crop land. Farmers who have more than 5 acres land will be getting only relief. The RBI has instructed to give ‘relief’ which is one-fourth of its total loan amount to those who will make the rest three-fourth of its total payments. According to bank officials, the farmers in allied agriculture sector such as poultry, fishery and others will be considered as small and marginal who took loan up to Rs 50,000 and their loan will be coming under waiver scheme.The regional manager of UBI in Malda has asked 40 branch managers in this region to attend a meeting to be held tomorrow just to convey some latest guidelines of the RBI before finalisation of waiver list of farmers. The Malda lead bank manager has appointed 40 special officers in all branches of nationalised banks in this region to finalise list of farmers and to inform other farmers how to apply for the loan. Chartered accountants residing in the area have been appointed specially to audit the accounts of agricultural loan in all branches to finalisation of list of farmers after waiving their loan. “We expected that we would be able to publish final list of farmers last week of June with the approval of higher authorities”, Mr Tapan Kumar Das said. According to bank records, there are huge bad debts in agriculture sector since 1982, 1988 to 1996. The bank officials are trying hard to recover such loan at their level best. ###

No buyers for Malda mangoes !?

Statesman News Service

MALDA, June 18: The state horticulture department has not been able to export Malda mangoes, at a large scale, to foreign countries except Bangladesh despite several attempts in last five years. Though the department had been displaying variety of Malda mangoes in various counties but exporters have not been able to come up with Langra, Himsagar and Laxmanbhog this year.In last three years, the state horticulture department had been displaying Malda mangoes in Singapore, London and other countries for marketing. This year the two varieties ~ Langra and Himsagar ~ had no export demand resulting which the mango growers harvested them for the local market to get its production cost. Few of them have been exported to Kolkata and other districts. “No big exporter came to Malda to buy Langra and Himsagar this year”, said Mr S N Khara, the district mango development officer of horticulture department.An exporter from Kolkata came to Malda to buy 1.5 quintal Gopalbhog, for the first time and so the horticulture department has been able to display them in New York on 5 June this year under private public partnership (PPP) project for marketing. The product was sent to New York after receiving ‘germfree’ certificate from Mumbai. The state has no radiation unit for exporting mangoes in foreign counties like USA. The Malda horticulture department has appreciated Mr Netai Mandal, owner of mango orchard, in English Bazaar, for producing quality Gopalbhog, after receiving a good response from New York. According to Malda horticulture department, farmers in good agriculture practice zone, identified by the department for export quality mangoes, are still waiting to sell Laxmanbhog but no exporter has confirmed order for export till date. Mr SN Khara, mango development officer, said farmers were still waiting for exporters to sell Laxmanbhogh. This year Dabar has collected various mangoes weighing nearly 300 MT for pulp production.

DIG probes into Cong leader's murder

MALDA, June 18: DIG Malda range Dr B R Meghawal, today, questioned several persons including the accused, eyewitness and widow of Biswanath Guho in connection with his murder. Malda Congress leaders and Intuc members expressed their discontent over police inquiry into the murder case. They said they wanted a high level inquiry to find the main culprit behind the murder. The DIG Dr Meghawal questioned Mrs Lakshmi Guho, widow of Biswanath Guho who was the vice-chairman of English Bazaar Municipality and Intuc district president, for an hour. Mrs Lakshmi Guho said she suspected that her husband was murdered so that opponents could get hold of more political power, property and financial share. Driver Akhtar Ali was arrested in connection with the murder earlier.The DIG also interrogated Akhtar and others who were detained on suspicion by police and ‘eyewitness’ in the locality after murder on 12 June late night. According to primary investigation of police, it was revealed that motive behind the murder could be the problem Guho was having with his wife regarding the driver. Intervention of DIG Malda range had embarrassed district police for they failed to draw any conclusion from the murder. n SNS

Embankment repair stalled due to rains

MALDA, June 18: Bad weather and incessant rains have hampered the ongoing work for flood protection and anti erosion across Malda district since Monday, irrigation officials said today. According to the executive engineer, Malda irrigation division, Mr S Misra, ongoing maintenance and repair works of remaining parts of embankment number four, five, six and seven as well as some dwarf embankment on the bank of Ganges have been hampered due to continuous rain. Other repairing works for damaged part of embankments on the banks of river Fulohar, Mahananda, Tangan, Punarbhaba has been stalled due to rain. The executive engineer, Mr S Misra said: “The work cannot be completed till it's dry. The entire work will take 10 days more”. According to district administrative officials, the Farakka Barrage authorities are in short of labourers and sand to build a ‘circuit’ embankment near Shimultala in Kaliachak-III to stop flood waters from Ganges due to rain. Officials said that engineers are trying hard to complete anti erosion work for bank line protection of Ganges at Domhaat in Manikchak block area. “Engineers want to finish the anti erosion work before water level touches the danger mark”, officials said. The Malda irrigation officials said the water level of the Ganges is rising but it is far below from the danger mark now. The present water level of Ganges is now 22 metre. “Besides the Ganges, water level of Mahananda, Tangan, Punarbhaba and Fulohar are also rising but at present there is no possibility of flood in Malda”, said Mr S Misra, executive engineer, Malda irrigation. n SNS

Cong leader seeks cop cover

MALDA, June 17: Frightened by the recent murder of English Bazaar Municipality vice chairman and Malda district Intuc president Biswanath Guho, Malda Congress leader and EBM chairman Mr Narendranath Tiwari today sought police protection for himself. Mr Tiwari also cited the recent attack on Trinamul district president and chairman-in-council, EBM Mr Dulal Sarkar as another reason for seeking police protection. Despite rumours abounding about the two incidents, neither the police administration nor Mr Tiwari have succeeded in discovering the reasons that lead to the dual incidents. n SNS

Congress unhappy with Guho's murder probe

Statesman News Service

MALDA, June 16: The district Congress leaders and MLAs have expressed their unhappiness over police inquiry into the murder case of a Congress leader Biswanath Guho who died after being attacked with bricks on Thursday night. Today, Congress MLAs and other leaders met the district magistrate and expressed their unhappiness over police investigation to arrest the main culprit behind the murder. The Congress leader Mrs Sabitri Mitra , MLA and former district congress president, suspect there was a bigger story behind the murder. A section of Congress leaders do not believe in the primary statements of the police which says that the motive behind the murder was a family problem. Based on the confessional statement of Akhtar, police said that he killed Guho with ‘reactive force’ when he was threatened by Guho owing to Akhtar's involvement with his wife. The Congress leaders today met the Malda S P and asked him about development after the arrest of driver Akhtar . They demanded high level inquiry into the murder to nab master mind behind the murder. After deputation the Malda S P told reporters that police did not get any further clue and main motive behind the murder after interrogation of Akhtar and others till yesterday. Police have decided to send some collected materials from the spot for forensic tests in Kolkata. Residents of Durgabari More and neighbours of Guho suspect that there was a big conspiracy over the rights of ‘illegal’ financial transactions and properties behind murder. After death of Guho it was came to light that the vice chairman was constructing a big lodge allegedly on the front side of the vested wetland popularly known as Tiakatigada in ward no 11 in English Bazaar Municipality. Guho had also planned to build a market complex allegedly on the silted wetland which was more than five crore project. Hundreds of Intuc supporters across the district have been demoralized after the death of their leader. Malda residents observed virtually two day bandh on this issue. The English Bazaar Municiaplity today organized a condolence programme for Biswanath Guho , vice chairman of EBM, today.

Health dept to hold awareness lessons on snake bite

Statesman News Service

MALDA, June 16: In order to check death rate of snake bite patients the district health officials have asked the block medical officials to make proper arrangement for awareness of the people to follow necessary measures for medical treatment of such patients. The district health officials observed that ignorant people were habituated to seek help from local ojha as a primary step for saving the life of the snake-bitten patients. The patients are not brought to the hospital immediately. They come in at the last minute, when they mostly declared brought dead. But they always protest against such deaths claiming negligence on the hospital's part. In the past two weeks five people across the district have died from snake bite and in all cases the patients were brought to the hospital when the patients were on the verge of succumbing. Right after the pre-monsoon showers, a lot of snake seem to have come out of their pits. As a result the menace of snake-bite has become very prevalent in the area. Cases were reported from Kaliachak II, Chanchal , Old Malda , Gazole and other blocks. Recently block medical officials have been trained to take necessary measures for snake bite patients and apply modern treatment. “People are habituated to tie a knot after snake bite ...but is an obsolete practice”, said Mr RR Banik, chief medical officer in Malda. He also claimed that the department distributed anti venom injection for snake bite patients at almost all blocks health centres.

Retail counter of SHG products at Malda DM's office

Statesman News Service

MALDA, June 15: In order to solve marketing problems of various products made by several self help groups ( SHG) the district administrative officials set up a retail counter at the Malda district magistrate's office. Mr Sailen Sarkar, minister for environment and the state parliamentary affairs minister, inaugurated the counter, naming it 'Sayansiddha', last evening. Members of Amriti Panchabati Mahila Sangha, a SHG, located in English Bazaar have been given the responsibility to run the counter. Products from various SHG will be displayed here for sale to boost other SHG's in this district. Saris, processed food items, handicrafts made of bamboo for interior decoration and other domestic items like spices and pulses will be available here. In Malda, a total of 10,056 SHGs led by women were formed in 2007-08.The district magistrate Mr. C R Das took the initiative to set up a retail counter for the products of SHG to utilize a vacant place at the main entrance of his office. The outgoing sabhadhipati of Malda zilla parishad Mr. Goutam Chakraborty, Malda S P Mr. Satyajit Bandyopadhayay, other top district officials and MLAs were present at this inauguration programme and all of them purchased items from this counter to encourage the women members of the SHG.

Under-trails continue strike in hospital

MALDA, June 15: Madhab Mandal alias Malkhan Singh and Kalipada Mandal, under-trails of Malda correctional home, have decided to continue their hunger-strike demanding release from custody. The under-trials started fasting from Wednesday in the Malda correctional home. Malkhan, a dedicated member of Kamtapuri Liberation Organisation (KLO) and Kalipada, refused to eat food offered by the jail authorities and decided to continue their hunger strike. Owing to lack of infrastructure and round the clock medical facilities inside the correctional home, the authorities finally admitted them to Malda district hospital three days ago. “We can request but cannot force them to withdraw their hunger strike because it is a correctional home. In order to provide medical check-up, saline and injection we decided to admit them to a hospital when their condition was rapidly deteriorating”, said Mr CR Gharai superintendent of Malda correctional home. n SNS

Election results

Four persons including two elderly women were wounded when a clash broke out between two groups of villagers on the issue of panchayat election results in Kaliachak block III on 15 June A group of CPI-M supporters allegedly attacked Malatipur village by hurling bombs.

Detained

English Bazaar police detained Apurba Roy alias Uday on 15 June again in connection with the murder of a congress leader Biswanath Guho. After the arrest of Akhtar Ali on, police detained four more friends of Akhtar and released them after interrogation.Interrogation

One held for Cong leader's murder

Statesman News Service

MALDA, June 13: Police today arrested Mohd Akhtar on charges of murdering Biswanath Guho, a Congress leader and the vice chairman of English Bazaar municipality. Akhtar, who was working as Guho's driver, has been remanded in police custody for three days for further interrogation, the Malda SP said. Four more persons related to Akhtar, have been detained. They would be interrogated to gather clues about Akhtar's whereabouts. According to the Malda SP, Akhtar confessed that he killed Guho with ‘reactive force’ when he was threatened by Guho. Guho was smashed to death with a brick from the back. He was murdered close to his residence. Guho brought two chairs for him and his driver to sit there last late night after attending a musical programme. “Primary investigation revealed that motive behind the murder was a family problem where Akhtar was not above suspicion”, said Mr Satyajit Bandyopadhayay, the Malda SP. “We need to investigate more to find out other motives behind the murder before we draw a definite conclusion whether”, he added. Police examined Lakshmi Guho, widow of Guho, for a long time to know about relation with Akhtar. After the death of the INTUC district president, Biswanath Guho, angry locals blamed his wife and pointed out her illicit relation with Akhtar. According to police, after killing Guho the driver informed his wife about his death. Guho, controversial and popular INTUC leader, was elected thrice as the councillor of English Bazaar Municipality.

Stunned into silence

MALDA, June 13: Malda observed an undeclared bandh today, as the district mourned the murder of Congress leader Biswanath Guho. The shops did not open in English Bazaar today, private bus owners did not run their buses and workers refused to work. Other local private vehicles were also off the roads since morning. Although it was known that the rickshawpullers of the area would not work to protest against the murder of their leader. But that the students of both rural and urban areas would join in the mourning and not attend their classes was totally unexpected. Some primary schools were closed down in the morning following the request of local Congress leaders. However, this undeclared bandh spelled trouble for some. Some had to deal with the scarcity of buses. Hundreds of people were stranded in different bus stops. The government offices of the block level recorded low attendance as the daily commuters and service men could not reach the destination due to lack of private buses and inadequate government vehicles. Attendance in government and semi government offices including banks were also thin in English Bazaar town. The English Bazaar Municipality was shut down completely. However, the INTUC has called a 12-hour bandh in Malda tomorrow to protest against the murder of their district president, also the vice-chairman of the English Bazaar Municipality. n SNS

Malda administration to step up efforts to curb child labour

Statesman News Service
MALDA, June 12:- The state labour department has been able to relocate eleven girl child labourers to the main stream in Malda through national child labour project (NCLP), administrative officials said today.

These girls working as bidi biding workers at their homes have been admitted in class VII after they qualify an admission test in Ideal High Madrassa in Kaliachak II this year, said Mr. P. P. Saha the assistant labour commissioner in Malda.

They were being trained over two years at the centre of NCLP at Bagabatipur high school in Kaliachak II block.

The district administrative officials today handed over stipend for education to those eleven girls at a programme in Malda town hall organized by the district labour and information and cultural affairs departments.

To mark World Day against Child Labour' the district officials organized a seminar today on 'adult for work, children for school and make a way for education' and stop child marriage, dowry system and women's power to build a new society.

According to the district labour department, a total of 6199 child labourers have been identified in Malda district who are working in the bidi factories. Out of them, only 2000 child labourers are studying in 40 NCLP centres across the district.

Addressing the seminar the district magistrate in Malda, Mr. C R Das said: "The number of NCLP is not adequate here. We need to set up more NCLP here to cover left out child labourers where poverty is the chief cause of creation of child labour".

Describing the present situation of Malda district the Malda SP, Mr. Satyajit Bandyopadhayay, explained the problem of population explosion where parents particularly fathers forced their children to earn money from childhood due to imbalance rural economy and scarcity of distribution system of food.

The district administration has planned to set up a residential school for child labourers in this district soon where 50 children can be able to study free of cost.

The additional district magistrates Mr. P C Sit, Mrs. Indrani Saha and other officials took part in the seminar. Women representatives from various corners, trade union leaders and many daily working women were present in the seminar today. ######

Trinamul men demand arrest of leader's attackers

Statesman News Service

MALDA, June 12: Trinamul workers today blocked national highway 34 and submitted a deputation to the Malda police super demanding immediate arrest of three criminals who had attempted to kill the district Trinamul president Mr Dulal Sarkar last night. The three men reached Mr Sarkar's house at Mahanandapally around 10.30 p.m. last night. As Mr Sarkar stepped out of his house to meet them, the men fired bullets at him. Mr Sarkar also a councillor of the English Bazaar Municipality, was taken to the Malda district hospital with bullet injuries. The doctors said that he is out of danger. Malda SP Mr Satyajit Bandyopadhayay reached the Malda district hospital soon and recorded Mr Sarkar's statement. No one was arrested so far. Interestingly, neither the Trinamul Congress nor the Congress leaders spoke about the motive behind the attack. Mr N Tiwari, the chairman of the English Bazaar Municipality said: “It was nothing political. It could be a personal or a business attack”. Mr Bandyaopadhyay, told reporters that investigations were on.

Domestic water project to be sped up in Malda

Statesman News Service

MALDA, June 11: After inaugurating two river based drinking water projects in the arsenic contaminated areas of Malda district yesterday, Mr Goutam Deb, minister for public health engineering, has instructed departmental engineers to expedite house to house water connections to run the projects smoothly. The object of this project is to provide drinking water to all and to earn a part of its maintenance cost from the consumers on regular basis.The Malda PHE has decided to provide such drinking water through pipeline to 70 per cent families of the area from this month onward. The executive engineer Malda PHE (Arsenic division) Mr AK Das said: “The Balupur surface water treatment project has been completed. We have already started distribution of drinking water through street taps free of cost”.According to the direction of the PHE minister, we have targeted to bring at least 3,000 households under the Balupur surface water treatment project in arsenic afflicted Ratua block where more than 75,000 people will be benefited.It was also decided that interested consumers would apply to the block development officer for house connection and PHE officials will provide water connection at their doors. The consumers will have to pay a nominal charge only to get this connection started.Yesterday, the PHE department officially inaugurated two such projects at Balupur in Ratua and Mahadipur in English Bazaar. The officials claimed that more than 1,00,000 people will be getting purified water from these two projects. “The state and the Central governments has spent more than Rs 32 cores for these two projects and PHE will have to bear its maintenance cost to run the project”, said a PHE engineer.

Cong leader's pregnant widow tortured by in-laws

MALDA, June 11: The pregnant widow of Congress leader Pranay Das alias Bapi is undergoing treatment at the Malda district hospital after she was critically injured by her in-laws. It has been alleged that Mrs Chumki Das's in-laws had been torturing her ever since her husband's death a few months ago. Despite complaints lodged with police no action was taken due to alleged political interference. Mrs Das's family members alleged that her in-laws had forced her to abort her child to deprive her of right to the family property. Finally, Mrs Das was driven out of their home on 7 June. The elder brother of Pranay Das had allegedly beaten her up severely. Mrs Ela Haldar, resident of Hooghly district, lodged an FIR with the English Bazaar police station yesterday yet again and has appealed to the Malda police, the human rights commission and the chief minister seeking justice. Mrs Das had sought help from several Congress leaders including the English Bazaar MLA Mr Krishnendu Choudhury, a friend of her husband. But nobody wished to help her out. A group of people spotted Mrs Das in a critical condition on Rabindra Avenue in English Bazaar town and rushed her to the Malda district hospital on 9 June. “The English Bazaar MLA told us that they would look into matter and settle the dispute”, said a police officer of English Bazaar police station. n SNS

More madrassas in Malda

Statesman News Service

MALDA, June 10: The Madrassa education board has planned to set up atleast 10 more new madrassa in Malda district to distribute the load of increasing enrolment in some existing institutions.At present the directorate of Madrassa has planned to ‘bifurcate’ some identified madrassa where students’ enrolment is too high. Malda has 69 madrassas at present.According to the district inspector of schools, total number of students will be proportionately divided and a certain number of students will study in the morning shift in the existing building.“The object of this plan is to arrange proper class teaching system where class room is overcrowded”, Mr Chinmay Sarkar, the DI in Malda, said. “The morning section will be getting a madrassa within two to three years. Right now it is very difficult to set new madrassa but the government can afford more teachers to ease the situation”, he said.The district education department has prepared a report of bifurcation of 10 to 12 madrassa here and the district inspector of schools have recommended it to the director of madrassa.Official sources said the Madrassa has set up regional board office in Malda for the development of madrassa education in adjoining districts including Murshidabad. The board has also allotted funds for development of infrastructure. During inspection, the education officials found that enrolment minority girls students in some blocks including Kaliachak higher than boys aged between 12 and 14.Huge numbers of girl students are getting admitted to secondary schools and madrassa in minority dominated areas in this district.A total of 850 girls are studying in class V in Kaliachak Girls’ High School and there is no capacity to extend its building in the existing school premises.

Cop camp for flood prevention

Statesman News Service

MALDA, June 10: Finally the Malda district administration has decided to set up a police camp at Domhat in Manikchak to continue anti-erosion and flood protection to avoid tout-like opposition from the villagers.This resolution was adopted at the meeting of all political parties held yesterday following objections lodged by the Farakka Barrage Project authorities.It was decided that the FBP officials would start the anti-erosion work with the protection of state police and CISF, FBP's own security guards. On Sunday, the district administrative officials including the district magistrate, superintendent of police and the district judge visited the belt of Ganges and found that anti-erosion work was stalled at Domhat following pressure from the locals.Official sources alleged that local touts backed by political groups were demanding tax (TOLA) from the contractors mobilising villagers to raise voice against the poor quality of work. Having failed to bear excessive pressure from such villagers the FBP officials decided to stop work and informed the district administration about the situation.The FBP is protecting 1700 metres bank line of the Ganges at Domhat to stem severe erosion in the identified vulnerable zone and it has targeted to finish the work by 15 July. The FBP officials also said villagers at Simultala area started an agitation demanding immediate compensation of their land acquired by the administration.Due to this problem the FBP officials were facing difficulties tofinish an extended part of a marginal embankment to prevent Ganges flood water.The FBP was constructing a dyke there just to close the existing marginal embankment which was breached due toerosion last year.Yesterday the district officials urged all political party leaders andheld a meeting with the local land owners who offer their land for the construction of the dyke to protect Kaliachak III block area fromflooding. The administrative officials promised that the land owners would be compensated on time after completion of some official papers of landacquisition and urged them to extend cooperation to finish the flood protection job.

A regular teacher's 'irregular' job

MALDA, June 9: Believe it or not. An assistant teacher of a government aided school in Malda is working as Principal of another school affiliated to CBSE in other district. This matter came to light following a complaint lodged by guardians of Araidanga area in Ratua police station in Malda recently. One of the guardians, Mr Kajal Sarkar alleged that Dr K Pandey, an assistant teacher for English department of a B D M Academy at Araidanga was working as principal of Atreyee English Academy at Balurghat in South Dinjapur. The District Inspector of schools Mr Chinmay Sarkar has already started investigation and asked the head master of B D M Academy about the complaint lodged by the guardians. “We have got some papers of Atreyee English Academy that indicate that Mr Pandey is working as principal of that educational institution”, said Mr Chinmay Sarkar, district inspector of schools in Malda. “We have asked the headmaster of the B D M Academy, Mr M Kumar that how does he ‘provide service’ to other school in another district being a regular teacher of your school”, said Mr Sarkar.The headmaster of the B D M Academy has already replied to the letter to the district inspector of the schools.The headmaster and the accused teacher reportedly said that Mr Pandey has been serving that schools ‘voluntarily’.“I did not see the reply of the head master. We would take steps soon after going through the letter of the headmaster”, the D I said. n SNS

180 new schools for Malda

Statesman News Service

MALDA, June 9: In order to reduce the dropout rate, the state education department has planned to set up 180 new secondary schools in the Malda district. The state government has already sanctioned the plans for 180 new secondary schools to be completed in the 2008-09 financial year.The school education minister and principal secretary of the education department will hold a meeting with the Malda district administration tomorrow through video conferencing, education officials said today. The government will sanction funds for these new schools fromSarba Shiksha Mission (SSM). The government has formed a district level visiting team (DVT) comprising of the district magistrate, sabhadhipati and district inspector of schools.The team will finalise the location where the new secondary schools will be built up. The district administration will consider the areas needed and find out the location for the new set up, keeping a distance from the present location of the existing secondary schools in each block. The government may acquire land in suitable locations with the help and suggestion from representatives of the local people.Sources said political leaders may unite to gift a plot of land to the government for setting up new schools to reduce students’ load from nearby secondary or higher secondary schools.The state government has planned to set up more secondary schools here considering poor literacy rate, education index rate of this district. Malda, identified as a backward district, has 2054 primary schools, 60 junior high schools, 182 secondary schools and 77 higher secondary and multipurpose schools. There are eight colleges in this district. Officials from the education department visited Harishchandrapur to establish a new college there.

APDR protests student 'arrest'

MALDA, June 8: The Association for Protection of Democratic Right, Malda unit, today staged a demonstration in English Bazaar town in protest against police harassment on five girl students in Jadavpur yesterday. The members of APDR criticized role of police for ‘terrorizing’ common people who try to speak against the establishment. They claimed that the five girls belonged to Matangini Mohila Samiti and a few of them took part to mobilize people in Nandigram and Singur against various issues including farm land acquisition. Ms Anwesa Sarkar, resident of Malda, was one of the five girls who were suspected women Maoist activists, according to the police and local CPI-M workers in Jadavpur. Ms Anwesa's mother, a local poet and writer, Mrs Tripti Santra has expressed unhappiness over the role of police and state run terrorism by police against social activists who write and speak criticizing state. Mrs Santra was worried about security of her daughter and other four friends in Kolkata after the matter came to limelight. Mrs Santra said: “We received phone call from the owner of the rented house, where they were lived, and the owner asked me to vacate room immediately”. n SNS

Compensation for Bird Flu victims delayed

Statesman News Service

MALDA, June 6:- The compensation for Bird Flu victims in Chanchal sub division in Malda will be distributed after formation of new panchayat body, administrative officials said today. The state government had allotted nearly Rs 18 lakh to distribute Rs 500 for each family whose poultry were culled to control fresh Bird Flu out break in January and February. Though funds were allotted by the government a few months back but the distribution of compensation was kept on hold due to by polls in Kharba in Chanchal sub division and notification of rural polls. “The fund is ready for distribution but the government has directed that after formation of new panchayat body compensation will be distributed”, said Mr Debasish Sarkar, the SDO in Chanchal. “The new body would distribute compensation based on the list prepared by the old body”, he said. According to him, the residents of affected villages have started rearing of chickens again at their own venture after three months over.But due to rural polls, the district Animal Resources Development (ARD) could not help them by supplying chicks and kids of goats as an alternative source of earning due to rural polls as directed by the minister ARD. According to the administrative officials, the government has directed to form new body of gram panchayat between 26 June and 30 June and Panchayat Samiti would be formed between 29 June and 2 July.Officials sources said: “After formation of new board in zilla parishad the new body of GP and PS will be able to start functioning”. The government has directed to keep vigilance on the old defunct body of G P and PS so that they can not operate in financial transaction before formation of new body, said Mr Sarkar.

Erosion spoted at Bhutni Diara Island

Statesman News Service

MALDA, June 6:- After conducting thorough survey, the engineers of Malda irrigation department have identified two vulnerable spots for massive erosion at Bhutni Diara Island ~ located at the middle of the Ganges in Manikchak block. According to the irrigation department, the areas at Nanditola and at the confluence point of Ganges and Kosi are more vulnerable and huge lands will be eroded away during monsoons. Though residents have been demanding ‘permanent’ anti-erosion work to save their fertile lands but the state irrigation officials are helpless adopt any permanent nature of work to stem erosion there. It may be noted that in last few years more lands were destructed due to erosion in Bhutni Diara and hundreds of people were rendered homeless. “The experts of GFCC (Ganga Flood Control Commission) and CWC (Central Water Commission) have asked the state irrigation and waterways officials not take up any permanent nature of anti erosion work there. So, we are in no position to take up any permanent anti erosion work in Bhutni Diara, an island, created by the Ganges many decades ago”, said Mr Soumen Misra , the executive engineer, irrigation department in Malda. “We have planned to take up ‘palliative’ measure when severe erosion will start there just to arrest erosion and to reduce the rate of destruction of land", Mr Misra said. The irrigation department has already informed about their decision to the district administrative officials recently. According to Mr Misra , the experts of GFCC and CWC think that Bhutni Diara island is an obstruction of the Ganges here and it has been aggravating erosion problem on the left bank of the Ganges in Manikchak, English Bazaar, Kaliachak II block areas. Nearly one lakh people live in Bhutni Diara Island, comprising three gram panchayats, located at the confluence point of Ganges, Fulahar and Kosi.

EBM to curb indiscriminate mobile tower installation

Statesman News Service

MALDA, June 6: The Chairman of English Bazaar Municipality (EBM) Mr N Tiwari said today that Municipality would restrict indiscriminate installation of mobile tower following the objection from the local residents. The decision was taken following an order from the state environment department. The principal secretary of the state environment department recently urged local authorities to follow the guidelines before giving permission for installation of mobile phone towers on residential buildings, schools, hostels and hospitals in the districts which have a harmful electromagnetic radiation and children and patients are more susceptible to electromagnetic field. The chairman of the EBM admitted that mobile service providers had installed several Base Station Antennas in this town without seeking permission from the municipality. “We could not restrict indiscriminate installation of BSA earlier. Without fitness certificate of a building and permission from the civic body BSA was installed directly by the mobile phone providers including BSNL here due to lack of our monitoring”, Mr Tiwari disclosed. According to him, the building owners, where BSA has been installed, will have to pay commercial tax of their building but many of them are evading commercial taxes. “We will prepare a list of those buildings to demand commercial taxes from them. We had imposed restriction for installation of mobile towers following the order of the district when the Malda airport authority objected to installation of tower close to the airport”, the chairman said. But the environment department has instructed to impose restriction on them and recently local people have also lodged complaints against mobile service providers here, he said. Locals have already lodged complaints against some building owners and mobile service providers with the EMB and district environment department. A few local residents have been able to prevent them from installation of BSA close to their building and schools in English Bazaar town. “On the basis of protests from local people we must take action against mobile phone service providers to stop installation”, the chairman said.

Leaders work to defuse Cong feud

Statesman News Service

MALDA, June 5: In order to reduce misunderstanding among Congress councilors and leaders in Malda, West Bengal PCC leaders are looking into the feuding in English Bazaar Municipality. The Congress MLA in English Bazaar, Mr KN Choudhury, had said the Congress-led EBM board was becoming "bankrupt" and lodged a complaint with the directorate of local bodies against the chairman Mr N Tiwari. Mr Choudhury had said the public service system of the board had deteriorated and the board's expenditures were higher than its income. On the basis of the complaint, DLB officials came to EBM on 27 May and conducted an inspection into various points. After being humiliated, the chairman of the EBM Mr N Tiwari lodged complaints against the English Bazaar MLA with the senior party leaders. Sources said Mr N Tiwari went to the state PCC office in Kolkata yesterday and lodged a complaint against the MLA. The PCC leaders yesterday also discussed the matter with Mr Choudhury yesterday and tried to minimise the misunderstanding between them. Following complaints lodged by the MLA, the DLB officials had asked the chairman of the EBM about the tender process, system of labourers’ engagement for conservancy department, present pattern of staff and short fall, updated audit report, budget and records of monthly meetings. The EBM chairman is waiting for the inspection report prepared by the DLB officials and plans to show it to the media if it goes in favour of him.

Flood warning issued in Malda

Statesman News Service

MALDA, June 4: The executive engineer of irrigation and waterways department Mr Soumen Misra has predicted ‘devastating flood’ in Malda this year for lack of a second defence line of flood protection embankment on the left bank of the Ganges. Addressing a preparatory meeting of flood management convened by the district magistrate Mr C R Das yesterday, the executive engineer Mr Misra said: “The Malda district will be inundated by flood waters from the Ganges if the sixth retired embankment is eroded away this monsoon.” “We do not have alternative arrangement to prevent flood waters because we could not build the proposed ninth retired embankment due to several reasons in last three years on the left bank of Ganges”, he reminded. “At present the safe distance between bank line of the Ganges and the existing sixth retired embankment is nearly 300 to 400 metres at down stream of Domhat in Manikchak block in this vulnerable zone. We fear that due to severe erosion, the existing structure may get wiped out because last year the Ganges moved 500 metres inwards on the eastern side eroding away its bank line,” he added. After adopting resolutions for necessary arrangement of flood management it was decided that the district magistrate Mr C R Das, the Malda superintendent of police Mr Satyajit Bandyopadhyay and concerned officials including the officials of Farakka Barrage Project would visit the vulnerable zone soon. It may be noted that the FBP has already taken up 1600 metres bank line protection work (anti erosion) at Domhaat in Manikchak and it would start anti erosion work in another 800 metres stretch of bank line near Manikchak Ghaat area to stem destruction of bank line. The FBP has also taken up another 1.2 km bank line protection work at Shimultala near FBP in Kaliachak III block.Predicting possibility of severe erosion this year, the executive engineer Mr Misra said: “ We need to take up 5 km long bank line protection work from the up stream of Manikchak Ghaat. Erosion at vulnerable points, where there is no bank protection work, on the bank of the Ganges may wash away the present embankments,” he cautioned.

New school to come up at Malda

Statesman News Service

MALDA, June 4: The National Human Resources Development department has selected Malda district for setting up Navodaya Vidyalaya. After setting up Navodaya Vidyalaya in Darjeeling, Burdwan, Nadia, Murshidabad and North 24-Parganas, the HRD department has decided to set another residential school in this district. The HRD department has asked the Malda administration to provide a suitable place here to begin a residential school, providing good quality modern education for talented rural students. The district administration has selected two school buildings in Gazole, a tribal dominated belt, so that it can start functioning there. Having failed to get suitable place in the nearby areas of English Bazaar town the district officials lastly selected two government aided schools where it can start functioning at the initial stage. The state government is to offer cost-free land and rent-free temporary buildings for the setting up of a Navodaya Vidyalaya, affiliated to CBSE. A few days ago, an official of NV from Bihar, who has been appointed as principal of Navodaya Vidyalaya, came to visit the selected building before setting up its schools. He reportedly expressed happiness over the selection of a building of a girls’ high school in Gazole but rejected another one selected for a hostel. According to him, the building selected for a hostel is 'dilapidated'. The district officials are in search of an alternative one.

Undertrial weds pregnant fiance

Statesman News Service

MALDA, June 3: Dhananjay Sarkar, an undertrial married his pregnant fiancé Santana Sarkar, at Malda correctional home today.Dhananjay, resident of Lalbathani under Manikchak police station had refused to marry his fiance when she became pregnant.Following complaints from the victim's family members, local residents urged Dhananjay to marry her. He had turned down the proposal following which Santana lodged an FIR against him at the Manikchak police station in April leading to his arrest. The court rejected his bail plea and he was remanded to judicial custody.He changed his mind after his lawyer Mr Gajendranath Saha appealed to the district judge Mr MM Srivastava for his release with a proposal of marriage. Following the appeal, the district judge asked Dhananjay to marry Santana at the Malda correctional home to get a release order from the court. Dhananjay was lodged in Malda correctional home 38 days ago.Today, Santana and her family members visited the Malda jail where Dhananjay got married. He is still behind bars while his wife Santana has returned home. Dhananjay is expected to be released from jail tomorrow, his lawyer said.

Schools charged with demanding high admission fees

Statesman News Service

MALDA, June 2: The state school education minister Mr Partha De has asked the district inspector of secondary schools in Malda to take ‘stern action’ against those school management which were found guilty of charging excessive admission fees from unwilling students. The minister, it was learnt has received several complaints from various corners regarding collection of excessive admission fees for class V. According to the minister's directive, the fees of the students have been fixed at Rs 75 for urban students and Rs 63 for rural students. It should be noted that various schools including reputed ones in English Bazaar town, Malda had charged between Rs 500 to Rs 700 from guardians at the time of admission to class V without issuing money receipts this year.The Malda D I Mr Chinmay Sarkar had informed the matter to the minister Mr Partha De when he had come to Malda for the rural poll campaign. Mr Sarkar said, “I will send letters to the school authorities asking them to return the excess money they charged from ‘unwilling’ students within seven days from the date of receipt of the letter. If the school authorities do not carry out the order, we will stop granting aid to the offending schools,” Mr Sarkar said. The Malda D I has prepared an inspection report of a reputed girls high school in English Bazaar town on the basis of various complaints against the school authorities. It was decided not to release the salary of the school.

Schools charged for extended summer vacation

Statesman News Service

MALDA, June 2: The secretary of West Bengal Board of Secondary education has directed the district inspector of schools to prepare a list of schools who violated the government order for summer vacation. It may be recalled that just before rural polls the government had asked the school authorities to declare summer vacation from 9 May to 2 June. But many schools in the districts did not carry out the order properly. In Malda many schools declared holidays for 10 to 12 days just before the rural polls and opened their schools after the results were declared. After the government order many school teachers even the ones belonging to the CPI (M) backed ABTA, argued that an official job at the beginning of the new session would be hampered for this summer vacation. They also said, “the managing committee adopted a resolution to declare holidays for rural polls for 10 to 12 days and decided to declare vacations from mid June”. “School authorities can declare summer and winter vacation according to the need of the situation. But the school authorities can not enjoy holidays for more than 65 days in a year according to the government order”, said teachers of several schools. The district inspector of schools in Malda, Mr. Chinmay Sarkar said: “Following the order of the secretary of the board I will have to prepare a list of schools charged with violation of government order. I already have a list of faulty schools”. The D O said: “Many schools did not follow the order. If we find that some schools are enjoying vacations after 7 June 2008 we will inform the board about them and board will take action”. The school authorities are confused about a fresh order from the board where summer vacations have been extended from 2 June to 7 June. Following excessive heat wave many schools authorities in South Bengal and Kolkata have pressed the board to extend the vacations and the board finally had extended vacation for five more days. After talking to the secretary of the board over the phone, the Malda D I said, “The extended holidays will be treated as special leave”.

Gourbanga Viswavidyalaya to open today

Statesman News Service

MALDA, June 1: The Gourbanga Viswavidyalaya will start functioning from tomorrow in Malda. Newly appointed vice chancellor for this university Prof. Surabhi Banerjee will set up her office at Malda College primarily to run its functioning. Yesterday, Prof. Banerjee held a meeting with the concerned officials including the district magistrate and visited proposed site where the building of the university will be built in English Bazaar town. The minister for state parliamentary affairs and environment, Mr Sailen Sarkar and local CPI-M MLA Mr Khagen Murmu and other officials including government engineers held a meeting to chalk out a building plan for this university here. It may be noted that state government has already allotted Rs. 15 crore for the construction of university building and infrastructure development. And local university resource mobilization committee had collected Rs. 1.5 crore as reserve fund. According to the officials, the finance minister Mr Asim Dasgupta will talk to UGC officials on 4 June regarding two new universities are to be set up at Barasat in North-24 Parganas and at English Bazaar town in Malda. Mr. Tapas Chatterjee has been appointed as registrar of this university on contract basis for his working experiences in university of north Bengal. The Malda College authorities have provided the ground floor of its new building to begin official job for Gourbanga Viswavidyalaya. Prof. Surabhi Banerjee today held a meeting with the principal and teacher in charge and president of colleges in three districts and discussed about admission of students. It was decided that 28 colleges of three districts (Malda North and South Dinajpur) would be coming under Gourbanga Viswavidyalaya. The students who will be getting admitted in first year in these colleges will be registered as student of Gourbanga Viswavidyalaya. It was decided that this university would not take admission of students for P G course until completion of its own buildings in the proposed site. The government has finally managed more than 25 acres land from agriculture department here for setting up the university.

Four new trains for Malda

MALDA, June 1: Four new trains will be introduced in this region from July onwards via Malda town station. Residents from Malda, north Bengal and the northeast will benefit from these train services. The railway authorities have already sent train schedules for the four train services to the Malda railway division. These trains are: Malda to Patna, Kolkata-Haldibari, Kamakshya to Gaya and New Dibrugarh to Jashbantpur. All the trains will run via Malda town station thrice a week and once a week. The Malda-Patna train will leave for Patna at 8.30 p.m. on Wednesday, Friday and Sunday and the arrival time is 6.20 a.m. The same train will leave for Malda on Thursday at 8.10 p.m. and will arrive there on the following day at 6.05 a.m. The Kolkata-Haldibari Express will run according to the present schedule of the existing Sealdah-New Jalpaiguri train. This train will be lifted after Kolkata-Haldibari is introduced. Kamaksha-Gaya express train will start from Kamaksha on Monday at 7 a.m. and will arrive at Malda town station at 11.35 p.m. From Gaya it will arrive here on Tuesday at 8.05 p.m. The train between New Dibrugarh and Jashbantpur will presently run once a week via Malda town station and Howrah. n SNS