Malda DM to form board for jatropha

MALDA, July 18:- The Malda district magistrate Mr. C R Das today held a meeting with the district officials and panachayat officials to form a new board for development of jatropha cultivation in this district. The Emami officials were also present at the meeting today to demonstrate the prospect of jatropha cultivation. They expressed their interest to buy jatropha seeds from Malda farmers, after a suitable agreement with the present farmers. It may be noted that the district administration have engaged 250 families in Narayanpur island on the Ganges in Manikchak block area for jatropha cultivation in the last three years. The project was taken up by the administration after a report of starvation death at Narayanpur Island a few years ago. “We have ensured the administration that we would buy matured jatropha seeds from the farmers at Narayanpur Island from next year. In the forthcoming year jatropha seeds will be matured enough for manufacturing bio diesel”, said Mr. B B Guha , chief corporate business development , Emami. The Emami has set a bio diesel manufacturing plant at Haldia in Midnapore east and decided to procure jatropha seeds from five other districts in south Bengal. The district magistrate Mr. C R Das said: “After providing government assistance to 250 families jatropha cultivation has started in Narayanpur Island".n SNS

Jawan shot

MALDA, July 18: Mr Ramkrishna Pande, a BSF jawan , who was shot at by the Bangladesh Rifles at Nimtita in Murshidabad early today is undergoing treatment in Malda district hospital. BSF and BDR exchanged heavy fire during river patrolling on the Padma at Nimtita in Murshidabad in the wee hours over cattle smuggling. n SNS

Protest

MALDA, July 18: Three inmates of Malda jail are fasting for the past seven days demanding justice in the Court. Nipen Haldar, resident of Habibpur, accused of a murder case, alleged that they had been deprived of a trial the last four years. Nipen sent a letter to the High Court through the Malda Ramkrishna Mission seeking justice a month ago. n SNS

Rickshaw fare

MALDA, July 18: The English Bazaar civic body has finally decided to increase rickshaw fare by 40 per cent. The minimum rate of rickshaw fare would be Rs 5 once the new rate comes into effect. n SNS