Female constables on their way, but where will they stay?

Statesman News Service

MALDA, Jan. 30: Malda BSF officers are still undecided on sending proposals to the authorities concerned for acquisition of land for separate accommodation for female BSF constables along the India-Bangladesh border, even as the Centre has already sanctioned funds for the purpose.

The ongoing land acquisition problem in the state following the imbroglios in Singur and Nandigram seems to be delaying proposals for land acquisition in Malda sector, where the 170-km border passes through Malda and South Dinajpur districts.

Although the BSF officers in Malda have plans to increase the number of outposts from 90 to at least 100, they are yet to send any proposals to the authorities considering the problem of acquisition of fertile farmland along the border.

The DIG, BSF, of Malda sector, Mr PS Tomar, said: “Authorities have approved our proposals for sending female BSF constables to our area and have already sent a letter of confirmation to us. The women will be arriving here soon”.

“We will arrange separate accommodation for them in the present set-up of our outposts and other buildings. We will later decide how to provide better accommodation facilities for the female constables here,” said Mr Tomar.

According to the BSF officials, the government has considered the problem of checking crimes ~ smuggling of fake currency and other goods in particular ~ committed by women who take advantage of the fact that they can protest against being searched by male constables.

It may be noted that the BSF officials had reported the menace to their higher-ups.

The female BSF constables will be posted at the gates along the border where local women enter Bangladesh to earn a living, but return without proper checking.

'Child marriage in Malda a concern'

Statesman News Service

MALDA, Jan. 30: United Nations Children’s Fund (Unicef) and the state social welfare department will jointly begin in February a study on the early marriage of girls in Malda.

The Unicef representative in Kolkata today met the Malda district magistrate, Mr Sridhar Ghosh, and sought administrative help to begin the study and launch an awareness campaign.

The social welfare department has selected six blocks to begin this study in and organise awareness programmes to prevent child marriage, which is a violation of human rights, compromising the development of girls and often resulting in early pregnancy and social isolation.

The Unicef official interacted with the social welfare officials today to know the root causes of early marriage here. The social welfare department pointed out the economic factor and lack of education in poor families.

Unicef expressed its interest in conducting a study here after going through a human resources development report, where Malda district recorded the highest figure of early marriage.

After taking into account the manpower of the social welfare department through the workers of ICDS (Integrated Child Development Scheme), the district administration has selected Ratua-I and II, Manikchak, Old Malda, English Bazaar and Kaliachak II blocks out of the 15 blocks in the district.

Of the other nine blocks, Kaliachak I and III, Harischandrapur I and II and Chanchal I and II have recorded several early marriage cases in the human resource study.

BJP man elected to Cong-led board

Statesman News Service

MALDA, Jan. 30: Mr Mohan Tudu, a BJP member of the Malda zilla parishad was elected as saha-sabhadipati today in the Congress-led board. He got 19 out of 34 votes against Mrs Surajmoni Tudu of the CPI-M.

The post, which is reserved for a Scheduled Tribe candidate, was lying vacant over few months. The Congress formed the MZP board on 7 July 2008 and had co-opted Mr Joy Murmu as saha-sabhadhipati since the Congress had no ST candidate in the MZP to contest the saha-sabhadhipati's post.

The Congress had initially refused to accept the BJP's proposal to nominate Mr Mohan Tudu as saha-sabhadhipati. On 7 July 2008, Mr Mohan Tudu had walked out of the election when the Congress opted for Mr Joy Murmu as saha-sabhadhipati instead. Following the Calcutta High Court order thereafter, Mr Murmu had to quit the post and since then the post was lying vacant.

MZP Congress members finally agreed to accept the BJP zilla parishad member Mr Tudu for the post and cast votes to elect him as saha-sabhadhipati today.

Commenting on the development, the CPI-M district secretary Mr Jiban Moitra said today: “The Congress has proved again it is with the BJP. Five years ago the Congress had sought the BJP's help to form the MZP board and did so with help from the Trinamul and the BJP. It has repeated its act and stands exposed.”

Touch of theatre to jail life...

Statesman News Service

MALDA, Jan 29: Mr BD Sharma, inspector general (prison), has asked the superintendent of Malda Correctional Home to make arrangement for staging a drama ~ Balmiki Pratibha ~ played by the inmates of Presidency Correctional Home.

The proposal is to stage the drama for the inmates of Malda Correctional Home to provide them a change from the everyday life in jail and to collect fund for prisoners’ welfare by staging the drama publicly.

It may be noted that all the actors in the drama are prisoners who have been serving life time imprisonment after conviction.

Mr Sharma has also asked the superintendent of Malda Correctional Home to present the drama in Malda College Auditorium for general public and sell tickets to collect funds for inmates’ welfare.

It is learnt that the jail authorities will approach the district administration to organise such a programme here. The drama team of Presidency Correctional Home staged the drama ~ Balmiki Pratibha ~ in Balurghat, South Dinajpur, fo general viewing on the first day and for inmates in Balurghat Correctional Home the second day. Mr Sharma and minister for jail Mr Biswanath Chowdhury took initiative to engage prisoners convicted for life term in theatre.

The Presidency Correctional Home in Kolkata and Berhampore Central Correction Home in Murshidabad have been able to give shape to the dream project of Mr Chowdhury and Mr Sharma.

Last year, the inmates of Berhampore Central Correctional Home, had staged Rabindranath Tagore's Taser Desh at the Malda College Auditorium.

The then Malda district magistrate, Mr CR Das, had donated Rs 31,000 to the prisoner's welfare fund by selling tickets of the dramaTaser Desh played by the prisoners.

Jehadi literature, arms found in ex-armyman's house

Statesman News Service

MALDA, Jan. 29: The CID has recovered four detonators and "jehadi" literature from the house of a retired armyman Hazi Akhtar Hussain in Malda's Harishchandrapur village a few days ago, police here said today.

Hazi Akhtar Hossain, a retired armyman, was arrested in his residence for allegedly providing shelter to Mohammed Safikul, an alleged Lashkar-e-Tayaba activist, on 13 January.

After interrogating Haji Akhtar in police custody, the CID learnt of the ammunition stored in his house. The inspector general of police, CID (special operation group), Mr Siddhinath Gupta acknowledged the raid in the house of Haji Akhtar Hossain in Harishchandrapur village over phone but did not elaborate, promising to do so tomorrow.

Local Intelligence Branch sources said that the CID team dug a particular place at the Haji's house and recovered four detonators supplied by Mohammad Safikul, who too was arrested in the house earlier.

According to the district IB sources, the Haji used to receive money from Safikul regularly for doing jobs according to the instruction from the LeT. He received Rs 70, 000 from Safikul recently to spend in his daughter's wedding on 12 January.

CPM to launch stir against police 'inaction'

Statesman News Service

MALDA, Jan. 29: In a reversal of roles, the CPI-M in Malda has decided to launch a stir against the police questioning the lawkeepers’ role in the district.

The party's Kaliachak zonal committee has resolved to organise a movement against the growth of crime rate and the role of the Congress and the police in the district. The CPI-M district secretary, Mr Jiban Moitra, has blessed the resolution.

The CPI-M is targeting police following successive murders including that of CPI-M workers in Kaliachak police station areas recently. According to the Marxists, police have not been able to arrest the culprits connected with the crimes.

“It is a shame when police from other states have succeeded in arresting criminals from Kaliachak involved in inter-state criminal activities including fake currency circulation, robbery, car hijacking and murder, the Malda police are not finding the criminals connected with crimes committed locally despite several reminders,” the CPI-M district secretary, Mr Jiban Moitra, said.

“We had submitted a list of 17 criminals including Jamshed, who murdered CPI-M worker Anwar Hossain at Jadupur, but police are yet to arrest any of them. While locals say that the criminals are moving about freely, police claim they cannot find them,” he added. The CPI-M in Malda has prepared a list of crimes committed recently in the district.

Noor 'attacked'

MALDA, Jan. 29: The Sujapur MLA Miss Mausam Noor today said that a group of SFI supporters attacked her in front of the Kaliachak College gate this afternoon. Trouble broke out when Miss Noor was entering the college campus with Chhatra Parishad activists during submission of nomination papers for the students’ union election. The SFI activists prevented the MLA from entering the college premises terming her an outsider and allegedly pelted stones in presence of the police. Miss Noor claimed she had gone to the college on the suggestion of the Kaliachak College teacher in-charge Mrs Bijaya Saha Mishra after she sought clarification on certain matters related to the students’ union election. n SNS

‘Time for state govt to hand over land for research’

Statesman News Service

MALDA, Jan 28: It's time for the state government to hand over the land selected in Malda to set up a research station for quality fruit production, the director of the Central Institute for Subtropical Horticulture in Lucknow said today.

Dr BMC Reddy was addressing a workshop on Technology Gap Analysis Study for Food Processing Industry Cluster of Malda. He pointed out that the Centre had allotted Rs. 15 crore for this purpose but they could not begin the work because the state government has not handed over the land to them. The former state horticulture minister Mr Sailen Sarkar, now the minister for environment and state parliamentary affairs, acknowledged the director's point and assured that the state government would settle a lease deed for 99 years soon for the land hand over. The project was conceived in 1995 but due to several reasons it has not materialized yet.

Addressing the workshop, Mr Sarkar blamed central officials for unnecessarily delaying the project and claimed that during the tenure of NDA government the then agriculture minister did not want to set the project here.

“I tried hard to change that decision and met the present Union agriculture minister Mr Sharad Pawar to revive the project. Finally, the ICAR, Indian Council for Agriculture Research, has agreed to set up the Regional Institute for Subtropical Horticulture (RISH) in Malda,” he said.

A 68-acre plot of land was earmarked for setting up the RISH, close to the proposed site of the University of Gour Banga in English Bazaar town. A group of scientists from CISH and other district officials including public representatives and Prof. Anand Patwardhan, former executive director of Technology Information Forecast and Assessment Council (TIFAC), today visited the proposed sites of RISH and the University of Gour Banga and Food Park, which has not seen any progress after the foundation stone ceremony in 2006.

Mr Patwardhan said it is important to set up the RISH in Malda to help development of quality fruit production and processing since the district is famous for its mangoes and other fruits.

The Malda district magistrate, Mr Sridhar Ghosh, the English Bazaar MLA Mr Krishnendu Choudhury, Old Malda MLA Mr Subhendu Choudhury, local horticulture officials, reputed mango growers, semi and medium entrepreneurs had interacted with the scientists seeking advice and technology for development of infrastructure here including harvest management of fruits.

School locked up over unfulfilled job promise

MALDA, Jan. 28: Demanding employment, a section of locals have been locking up the gates of the Luku Tudu High School in Gazole block for the past two weeks preventing teachers and students from entering the school. The authorities of the school have sought help from the Malda district inspector of schools and local CPI-M MLA to restore normalcy in the school.

According to the school authorities, a group of tribal people, who had donated land for the setting up of the school six years ago, was behind the problem.

Local CPI-M MLA Mr Khagen Murmu said: “Instigated by reactionaries, a single tribal family was creating the trouble. The school was set up on a plot of land donated by some tribal families. Only one person is demanding employment in the school in exchange of the land donated to the school authorities.” The Habibpur MLA added that he had suggested to the school managing committee to buy the land if the problem persisted.

It is learnt that during procurement of land for the setting up of the school, the local leaders had assured employment to at least one member of each donor family. Trouble broke out after the government issued a directive for the recruitment of non-teaching staff, forcing the school authorities to inform the land donors that they would not be able to provide them service in the school.

The district inspector of schools, Malda, Mr Chinmay Sarkar, said: “I learnt of the matter recently. Steps will be taken to restore normalcy in the school.” n SNS

Peasant outfit puts forward demands

MALDA, Jan 28: Sara Bharat Sanjukta Kishan Sabha (SBSKS), a peasant wing backed by the Revolutionary Socialist Party (RSP), staged a demonstration today in front of the Malda DM office. SBSKS put forward a 14 point demand sheet, including “stop destruction of fertile lands in the name of industrialization” and submitted a memorandum to the additional district magistrate (general) Mr PC Sit.

The district secretary of the RSP, Mr Goutam Gupta, said the state government had acquired fertile agriculture lands for setting up an industrial growth centre, Border Security Force (BSF) camp and sector office on either side of the NH 34 at Narayanpur in Old Malda. He claimed there were large expanses of barren land in the district that the government could have acquired instead for these purposes.

The RSP leaders today approached the district administration, asking that in the future they acquire lands for industrial purposes that aren't fertile for agriculture.

During deputation before the ADM-G, Mr PC Sit, the RSP leaders requested a step up in vigilance along the border to check the 'infiltration of militants’ and ‘fake currency smuggling’ from Bangladesh.

The RSP district secretary Mr Goutam Gupta requested that the ADM investigate allegations that members of the BSF are sending large amounts of money to their family members that significantly exceed their salary and must be gained through illegal means.

The RSP leaders criticised the BSF, claiming that they torture poor farmers and villagers along the border in the name of border security but allow smugglers to operate in exchange for money.

The SBSKS leaders also demanded the introduction of an old age pension effective from 60 years of age, instead of 65, as well as the publication of BPL lists. n SNS

CPM man murdered , tension runs high in Malda

Statesman News Service

MALDA, Jan. 27: Anwar Hossain (26), a CPI-M supporter, was shot dead in his shop at Nawda Jadupur under Kaliachak police station this morning.

To avenge the murder, the victim's relatives blocked the National Highway 34, torched more than three houses and lynched a 55-year-old man, Atabuddin.

Traffic on NH-34 remained suspended for three hours. A large contingent of police was deployed to defuse tension in the sensitive villages in Nawda Jadupur gram panchayat after the incident.

Although the CPI-M and Congress leadership said that the incident was nothing more than a clash between two gangs of goon, it turned out to be a political clash.

The CPI-M district secretary, Mr Jiban Moitra, said that the police's role had been far from satisfactory. “Despite several written complaints to arrest goons at Nawda Jadupur gram panchayat, police did not arrest them. Even after locals' identification, police seemed least interested to arrest the goons. As a result the goons move around freely,” Mr Moitra said.

He said: “We had been urging police to arrest those goons since the Sujapur by-polls but the actions are yet to be taken.”

The Congress leadership, however, rejected the CPI-M's allegation. The Congress leadership including the Sujapur MLA and sabhadhipati of Malda zilla parishad blamed the CPI-M for creating trouble with the help of criminals in many areas in Kaliachak.

The Congress blamed the CPI-M for the murder of Wahed Ali at Sujapur on 21 January and attack on the sabhadhipati's father at Shershahi in Kaliachak on 25 January. “The assault attempt on my father was a political move by the CPI-M,” said Mrs Sabina Yeasmin, sabhadhipati Malda zilla parishad.

Rubbishing the allegations, the CPI-M leadership said that Jamshed, who is a known criminal, fired at Anwar Hossain this morning. In retaliation, Bakul, who is a relative of Anwar attacked the opponents. The criminals hurled bombs at each other and fired several rounds.

The Malda SP, Mr Satyajit Bandyopadhayay, said that police were keeping a cautious eye on the situation. No one has, however, been arrested in connection to the hostilities so far.

Cages laid to stop monkey menace

Statesman News Service

MALDA, Jan. 27: In a move to counter the monkey menace, Malda forest department is laying cages in select areas to trap the animals.

According to divisional forest officer, Mr Rajedra Jakhar, a cage would be set up at Kothabari in English Bazaar town and another at Bulbulchandi - a rural town in Habibpur block.

The residents of English Bazaar town and adjoining areas have been facing problems over the past few months due to the herds of monkeys that frequently invade domestic areas in quest of food.

According to official sources, at least 50 persons sustained varying degrees of injury last month in Bulbulchandi area alone. The rampaging monkeys, whose numbers are steadily growing, are triggering widespread panic in the region.

In Malda town itself, residents of Baluchar, Puratuli and Makdampur are living in fear, as monkeys are regularly sneaking into homes, stealing food, destroying household items and even damaging water tanks. If the animals are obstructed, they become furious and assault people with impunity. Even the firecrackers burst by residents to keep the animals at bay are proving ineffective.

Forest officer Mr Rajendra Jakhar, said: “We are somehow helpless before this growing menace. If we were to trap some of the monkeys, we would try to release them into distant forest areas and provide them with sufficient food”.

Mr Jakhar added that a food shortage in the forest was not the only potential reason for the monkey's mass exodus to domestic areas: “Monkeys are sometimes compelled to flee their traditional habitat if it is being attacked by other, seemingly more powerful groups. They are then found wandering about in search of greener pastures. Hunger and helplessness make them desperate.”

Malda DM moots more NREGA days

Statesman News Service

MALDA, Jan. 27: The Malda district magistrate has stressed the need to increase the average number of days achieved in the district through the 100-days job initiative under the National Rural Employment Guarantee Act.

Addressing the Republic Day celebrations at Malda police field yesterday, the district magistrate, Mr Sridhar Ghosh, said: “Although the 100-days job programme began late in the district, it has been successful. However, we have to increase the man-days achieved”.

It may be noted that the district has achieved only 16 days out of the 100-days prescribed under the NREGA.

Mr Ghosh said: “The 100-days job initiative is being hampered here due to notifications of two by-polls and rural polls last year. There is no restriction on continuing the 100-days programme during the elections, but we cannot continue on practical grounds, due to a lack of coordination with the gram panchayat officials”.

The district magistrate categorically stated that there are several ongoing schemes under the 100-days job programme which can be implemented to provide 100 days of employment to poor people. However, here rural employment schemes are traditionally hampered, showing excuse of model code of conduct.

The district administrative officials fear that the 100-days job initiative will be further hampered this year after the notification of the Lok Sabha election.

Tribal woman killed, cops clueless

MALDA, Jan. 27: Police are still clueless about the murder of a tribal woman, Arati Mardi (35), who was found dead at her residence in Dakshin Vatra village in Old Malda block on Monday. Although police are still trying to find the motive behind the murder, the primary investigation ruled out the possibility of "witch hunt". According to police, the victim was a construction worker and used to work for a mason whom police are trying to find. According to police, Arati had consumed alcohol before she was killed. On Sunday night, she had consumed alcohol and had to carried home by another tribal woman. The other woman was also drunk. Neighbours had found Arati's body on the verandas with multiple injury marks. Police interrogated the other tribal woman who was the last one to see Arati on Sunday night. Police also Arati was killed by someone with whom she was well acquainted with. n SNS

Six held for arms trade

MALDA, Jan. 25: Based on information provided by the CID, police arrested six persons in a government guesthouse at Barduari in Harishchandrapur II block office premises this morning.

Police suspect that all of them are connected with illegal arms trade and illegal trafficking. They are believed to have come to that area, which is close to the Bihar border, for the purpose. Ashok Mandal, a resident of Rajarhat area in North 24-Parganas, the leader of the gang was among those arrested. The CID had been looking for him for almost a year. Police had arrested Mandal in 1989 for illegal trafficking. Police also found knives and daggers in their possession.

They had booked the guest house with the help of a man whose relative is a government servant in Harishchandrapur. Five others are residents of North 24-Parganas. n SNS

Two Congmen shot at by ‘CPM cadres’

MALDA, Jan. 25: A Congress worker was shot at allegedly by a group of CPI-M workers today. The goons allegedly attacked the father of the sabhadhipati of Malda zilla parishad at Shersahi under Kaliachak police station this afternoon. The angry Congress workers blocked the road at Shersahi Bazaar demanding the arrest of CPI-M workers who attacked them. Tension gripped the area after the incident.

Police rushed to the spot but failed to pacify them. According to sabhadhipati Mrs Sabina Yeasmin: “Three CPI-M workers opened fire at my father. My father escaped but another worker was hurt.”

The sabhadhipati's father, Mohd Akramtullaha, said that the attackers fired four rounds at him but he managed to escape. The worker who was shot at, Akramul Hoque, was admitted to Kaliachak block health centre at Silampur this evening. The CPI-M district secretary, Mr Jiban Moitra, refused to comment saying he would have to verify the information before commenting on it.

It was learnt that there was a dispute over the rights of a plot of land which currently belongs to a Congress family. Another group had been eyeing the plot of land for long. No one has been arrested in this connection so far. The goons fled the area after the incident. n SNS

CPM men free comrade, cops silent

Statesman News Service

MALDA, Jan. 23: CPI-M supporters snatched a party activist from Kaliachak police station in the district today. The man, Baburam Mandal, was arrested last night on charges of rioting.

Admitting that the incident occurred, the Malda SP, Mr Satyajit Bandyopadhyay, said: “A group of people forced police to release Mandal or admit him to hospital immediately for medical treatment. The police were forced to allow them to admit the 70-year-old accused to a local hospital as the police could not arrange a vehicle at that moment.”

Rejecting rumours that the group of people had entered the police station by force and freed the man from the lock-up, the SP said that the arrested person was sitting outside the lock-up. “He is in hospital under police custody now,” the SP added.

The Malda SP has assigned his deputy to inquire into the matter and sought clarification from the inspector in-charge, Kaliachak police station, as to why they handed over the accused to the group without an escort.

Police arrested Mandal, a CPI-M member from Karari Chandpur village in Alipur I gram panchayat, after a woman had complained that he had assaulted her on Friday.

After today’s incident, Kaliachak police have officially shown that Mandal was admitted to Silampur Health Centre, which is close to the police station, by the police at about 9.30 a.m. But the police may have bungled here too as the block medical officer of health, Dr N Chakraborty, told media that Mandal was admitted to the hospital around 11.30 a.m. “A few persons were accompanying him but no police were present,” the health official said. Some patients of the hospital supported the doctor’s version.

Overwriting was detected in the register slot mentioning the time of admission.

It is being rumoured that police pressed the people who had freed Mandal from police custody to have him hospitalised after news of the incident spread.

CPI-M district secretary Mr Jiban Moitra refused to comment saying he was out of town and would have to verify the facts before commenting on it. However, the Alipur local CPI-M committee leader, Mr Abdul Matin, said: “We went to the police station to get the old man hospitalised as he needs medical attention.”

Horticulture meet on the cards

Statesman News Service

MALDA, Jan. 23: The state department of horticulture, the Kolkata-based Agriculture and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA), and the Malda Merchants’ Chamber of Commerce will soon jointly hold an exporters’ and mango & litchi growers’ meet in Malda and Murshidabad.

The objective of this interactive session, tentatively slated for 4 and 5 February, is not only to promote export but also to retain growers’ interest in producing quality fruits for export, national and international.

It may be noted that initially nearly 500 farmers had expressed interest and were enlisted to produce quality mangoes in Malda under the guidance of the district horticulture department, using bio fertilizers and pesticides. At present, however, the number of enlisted farmers has been reduced to 300.

“Many farmers are not keen to produce quality mangoes here following the guidelines of our department ~ which is comparatively costly as biofertilizers and pesticides are used ~ due to lack of exporters’ demand and proper markets,” said Mr SN Khara, mango development officer in Malda.

“In the last few years, some farmers have incurred losses after investing money for producing quality fruits because they did not find exporters for procuring their produce with adequate remuneration. Hence, they abandoned the method of using expensive materials to produce fruits due to the absence of a permanent contract between the local growers and exporters,” Mr Khara added.

To ensure proper marketing of quality fruits through exporters and procurement of produce from the selected farmers, the director of the state horticulture department has planned to organise an interaction between the local growers and exporters with the help of APEDA in two districts.

According to the district horticulture department, the state officials want exporters to finalise selection of mango orchards during flowering and make a contract of payment to relieve the growers.

In Malda, according to Mr Khara, the present climate is not in favour for proper flowering of mangoes due to cold wave, cloudy weather and fog.

With just seven days to go for Saraswati Puja, no flower, traditionally required for offering prayers, has appeared on mango trees due to the poor climate.

Food products officials seek exporters' report

Statesman News Service

MALDA, Jan 22: Top officials of the Agriculture and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA) have asked exporters to submit regular monthly reports to their respective regional offices in an effort to help chalk out plans to further promote the export industry.

In an interactive session with the exporters in Malda yesterday evening, APEDA officials Mr Vinod K Kaul, deputy general manager, Delhi, and Mr M P Vijay, regional manager, Kolkata, urged the exporters to submit regular monthly reports.

“Nearly 15,000 exporters are working in this region but we are getting regular monthly reports from only 3,000”, said Mr M P Vijay, regional manager, APEDA, Kolkata.

Deputy general manager, Mr Vinod K Kaul, sought suggestions and constructive reports from the exporters that would detail their plans to promote exports in the region. APEDA would then draw the planning commission's attention to this information.

APEDA received six point demands from the Malda Merchants’ Chamber of Commerce. Mr Kual responded to the MMCC, saying: “APEDA is not in a position to ensure the provision of freight subsidy (by road) for this region at present. However, I would draw the attention of the government to your demands.”

The MMCC also demanded that a Plant Quarantine Office be set up at Mehadipur land customs station, like the one at Patrapole, South Bengal.

The MMCC president, Mr Debabrata Basu, and jt secretary, Mr Ujjal Saha, both pointed out: “Many imported items from Bangladesh have been marketed in this region without the proper checks being made. Those inferior products should come under the scanner of a Plant Quarantine Office that could help maintain quality.”

Dr JN Thakur, deputy director, Directorate of Plant Protection Quarantine and Storage, said in reply: “Owing to a staff shortage, the department is not interested in setting up a Plant Quarantine Office at present. The good news is that the central government is planning to form a National Agriculture Council Bio-security System, which will help to control quality".

A three member team from the APEDA visited several mango orchards in Malda district yesterday afternoon and discussed the prospects of mango export from this agri-export zone. The APEDA team placed stress on the development of quality mango and litchi production for international export, to be conducted under proper guidelines formulated by the state and national horticulture department.

They also pointed out the frequent use of chemical fertilizers and pesticides as a problem and suggested the introduction of more awareness campaigns among the farmers.

1 shot at, several hurt in clash over madrassah

Statesman News Service

MALDA, Jan 22: One person was shot and several other injured in a clash between residents of Nimtala village and a few goons over the control of a private madrassah in Ratua police station, Malda district. The hostilities began last night and continued till about 10 a.m today.

A local fisherman, Ramesh Mandal, sustained bullet wound during the violence and was taken to Malda hospital for treatment. The doctors have referred him to Kolkata for further treatment.

Frustrated with the alleged police inaction in restraining the goons, the locals confined the officer in-charge of Ratua police station. Circle inspector Mr Satya Chakraborty rescued the officer with the help of a large police force this morning. The police have set up camp in the area to diffuse tension. The criminals, in the meanwhile, fled after firing several rounds and exploding bombs.

The villagers had united irrespective of political affiliation to resist the goons, who allegedly are an 18-member group from a single family of the area and were using the madrassah for nefarious activities including terrorising the locals and heckling women of the locality.

According to the villagers, police had failed to act against the culprits despite several reminders. They said that the group consisted of 18 siblings, all sons of Mahasin Sheikh, under the leadership of one Yahsin Sheikh. According to the villagers, a number of the brothers had criminal records and had been to jail.

“A few of them were in jail recently for different crimes. They grabbed the madrassah after coming out of jail and were using the centre of learning for immoral activities,” the villagers said.

Community tanks to supply arsenic free water

MALDA, Jan. 22: The sabhadhipati of Malda zilla parishad (MZP), Mrs Sabina Yeasmin, has asked the public health engineering (PHE) department to set up "community tank" for supplying arsenic free drinking water throughout the day. The idea was conceived in the last PHE sthayee samiti (permanent committee) meeting held recently on the issue of drinking water supply to Sadullapur, a place of crematorium for Hindus, on bank of Bhagirathi in English Bazaar.

The PHE officials have been asked to provide safe drinking water at Sadullapur and it has been finalised that a "community tank" would be set up there connecting pipeline waters supplied by the PHE.

Following this discussion, the sthayee samiti members have also decided to set up such "community tank" in other blocks where many villages have been left out of the areas of arsenic free drinking water supply network in Kaliachak I, II and III and on the other hand in Manikchak, English Bazaar and other blocks. Some members of the Sthayee Samiti also pointed out problem of unequal distribution of arsenic free drinking water in rural belts. “In many areas, wastage of costly produced arsenic free drinking water is a common picture. Water supply continues more than the requirement of local people. But there are many villages where there is no pipe line for supplying such water.” The executive engineer PHE (arsenic division), Mr Swapan Maitra, said that due to technical problem they can not check wastage of costly drinking water. “First time we have to check wastage of drinking water supplied through pipe line and 'street taps'. We will have to discover new method to check wastage of drinking water through street taps and to store the waters in the community tanks from where people will be able to collect drinking waters through out the according to their requirement,” said Mr Maitra. n SNS

Congman killed in Malda, NH-34 blocked

MALDA, Jan. 21: Wahed Ali (45), a Congress supporter, was murdered this morning at Dahapara in Sujpur Assembly constituency, near Kaliachak police station.

Babul, cousin of Wahed Ali and CPI-M worker, brought Wahed to the Malda District Hospital for admission in critical condition. When Wahed was declared dead, a riot broke out on the hospital premises. Congress supporters claimed that Babul had killed him midway, and the CPI-M worker had to be rescued from the hands of the Congress supporters by police. In retaliation, Congress supporters blocked National Highway 34 in front of Malda District Hospital in English Bazaar town for more than an hour around midday today, demanding the culprits' arrest. Newly elected MLA, Miss Mausam Noor, was among those protesting against CPI-M terror tactics.

“Since the Sujapur Assembly by-poll results were declared, CPI-M cadres have been attacking our supporters. Despite a peace meeting held in Kaliachak recently, the CPI-M cadres are still threatening female Congress workers”, Miss Noor said.

Criticising the police for their failure to act, Miss Noor suggested that the relatives of the deceased lodge a First Information Report. They named five persons, including Zebru Sheikh, in the FIR.

Both the CPI-M district secretary and a senior police officer, said: “Wahed informed Babul, just before his death, that one ‘Zebru’ attacked him from behind.”

Mr Sujit Kumar Sarkar, the additional superintendent of police, said: “We believe that Wahed, a small trader involved in pesciculture, was attacked at around six am this morning by one assailant wielding a sharp weapon. But five persons have been named in the FIR. No-one has been arrested. We don't believe that Wahed was killed by his cousin Babul on the way to the hospital. This was not a political murder. The investigation is on”. According to police reports, Wahed left his home today in the early morning with his business partner, Jamruddin, in order to conduct a business deal. When Wahed was attacked Jamiruddin was not present. Jamruddin had left his partner midway and reportedly told Wahed that he would rejoin him after prayers in a nearby mosque.

Mr Jiban Moitra, CPI-M district secretary, said: “This is not a political murder, although that's the way the Congress are trying to paint it. The murder was personal, or perhaps related to a business deal.” n SNS

Three battalions sought to step up border vigil

MALDA, Jan. 21: To check infiltration through the unfenced and riverine India-Bangladesh border, the DIG-BSF, Malda sector, has approached the authorities to deploy three more BSF battalions in the region. The decision was taken after the government sanctioned 29 more BSF battalions along the border across the country.

The DIG BSF, Mr PS Tomar, said: “The Central government had sanctioned 29 more battalions for BSF a week ago. We have sent our request for three more battalions for our sector to step up the vigilance along the unfenced border in Malda and South Dinajpur”. A few days ago, the BSF top officials held a meeting in Kolkata and adopted resolution to check infiltration through the unfenced India-Bangladesh border. The top officials of the BSF asked about their requirement of extra forces along the border following the sanction of 29 more troops for guarding the borders with Bangladesh and Pakistan.

The government has also sanctioned fund for the development basic amenities of BSF along the border including supply of safe drinking water, electricity and quarters in their respective outposts.

The number of outposts would be increased if the government sanctions more troops along the India Bangladesh border. Initially, the BSF top officials had planned to rearrange area operation based on additional battalion available. Citing an example, Mr Tomar said: “We will have to demarcate 60 to 70 km of border line, where maximum part of its area is fenced, for one battalion. We will reduce area for a battalion where the border is unfenced in low lying areas and riverine zones.”

At present five BSF battalions are working in the sector comprising of a part of Malda and South Dinajpur districts. The BSF under Berhampore sector in Murshidabad, which controls a part of Malda district, has also sought for more troops. n SNS

‘Barind belt water fluoride contaminated’

Statesman News Service

MALDA, Jan. 21: Workers of the United Nations Children Fund (Unicef) have detected fluoride contamination of ground water at Pakuahat and other areas of Bamongola block recently. The presence of fluoride was found to be above the permissible limit in drinking water sources.

After examining the collected water samples which when tested were found to be fluoride contaminated, the Unicef officials informed the Public Health Engineering department in Malda for ‘cross examination’ and urged them to take care of that area.

The PHE officials collected some water samples from different areas of Pakuahat in Bamongola block, Barind belt, and found presence of fluoride above the permissible limit in drinking water source.

Yesterday, the PHE officials, the executive engineers Mr Swapan Maitra and Mr Debasish Banerjee, met the sabhadhipati of Malda Zilla Parishad (MZP) Mrs Sabina Yeasmin to inform her of the matter and expressed their concern over the issue.

The PHE officials also urged the sabhadhipati to instruct each gram panchayat to appoint contractual workers to collect water samples from various drinking waters sources for laboratory tests.

“We would be exposed to health hazards because of the fluoride contamination in Barind belt. We have already detected fluoride contamination in drinking water sources following the report of the Unicef. Collection of water samples is now imperative to determine the extent of contamination in other areas too that proper measures can be taken,” said Mr Swapan Maitra, the executive engineer, PHE (arsenic division).

“Three laboratories set up by the NGOs with the financial assistance from the government have been lying idle due to lack of workers for collection of sample of waters from all 146-gram panchayat areas in this district,” Mr Maitra said.

“We have got the information, from the PHE, about fluoride contamination in drinking water in Barind Belt. We have already asked the panchayats to appoint one contractual worker to each gram panchayat for collection of water samples,” said Mrs Sabina Yeasmin, sabhadhipati of MZP.

The chief medical officer of health, Dr Srikanta Roy said: “I didn't have information about the report of fluoride contamination in Malda. Neither the PHE nor the MZP has informed us about the impending menace. We will have to take necessary measures if fluoride contamination in drinking water is found above the permissible limit.”

“Contamination of groundwater by fluoride causes ‘irrepairable’ damage to plant and human organs. It also affects tooth enamel,” Dr Roy said. (END)

Security concerns to keep Sourav away from Malda

Statesman News Service

MALDA, Jan 20: Former Indian cricket captain Sourav Ganguly had been chosen to inaugurate the 26th state children sports meet (primary level), to be held in Malda on 12 February. The decision, however, was finally dropped after a meeting with administrative officials in which they raised Mr Ganguly's security as problematic.

Today Mr Bishwanath Ghosh, CPI-M MLA from Kaliachak and chairman of the committee and Mr. Purna C Sit, additional district magistrate (general) and convener of the committee, held a meeting to prepare for the three-day 26th state children sports meet to take place on Malda district sports association ground.

As an alternative, the committee has chosen to invite the governor, Mr Gopalkrishna Gandhi. They had contacted his office, but his appearance has not been confirmed.

According to the chairman of the district primary school council, Mr Uttam Sarkar: “The governor may be on leave during the period of the state children sports meet”.

The committee has also contacted football coach Mr P K Banerjee, the physically challenged swimmer Masidur Rahaman Bidya and magician P C Sirkar (Jr) as potential guests for the inaugural session.

The committee has planned to bring together 5,000 primary students from across the district, providing travel expenses and food to the visitors.

Four torch rallies, covering all 15 blocks, will be organised on the occasion to promote primary education.

A total of 850 primary school children will participate in the sports meet from across the state, said Mr Uttam Sarkar. The participants will meet at Malda district sports association ground just before the inauguration of the meet on 12 February.

Labour dept to distribute I-cards to bidi workers

MALDA, Jan. 20: Central government's welfare organisation for bidi workers and state labour department will jointly organise a camp for the distribution of identity card to bidi workers in Habibpur on 22 January.

A welfare organisation under the ministry of labour, has decided to distribute identity card to the bidi workers on the spot at a camp in Habibpur, Manikchak, Chanchal, Ratua and other remote blocks following the new guidelines framed by the central government. Issued by the central government's welfare organisation, earlier bidi workers used to get their identity cards at their respective block offices through labour inspectors. "Now the bidi workers will be getting their I-cards on the spot directly from the welfare organisation by submitting all documents that prove that they are bidi workers”, said Mr P P Das, assistant labour commissioner in Malda. It may be noted that the office of the welfare organisation is located at Kaliachak I block and bidi workers living at remote villages in other blocks of this district were facing problem in getting their identity cards from Kaliachak.

Without an I-card, they were not entitled to various welfare benefits as bidi workers from the government. Through panchayats in Habibpur block, the district labour department informed the workers that to get an I-card, the workers have to produce their electoral photo identity card and a certificate from the pradhan. The applicants will also have to appear for ‘a practical examination’ before the board in which they have to prove that they know bidi binding. "Successful candidates will be getting their identity card on the spot from the welfare organisation," the assistant labour commissioner added. n SNS

MP'S love for brother draws flak from Opp

Statesman News Service

MALDA, Jan 19: Several Congress leaders in Malda today criticised the Malda MP and district congress president, Mr A H Khan Choudhury, for his decision to submit a panel of four probable Lok Sabha candidates before Mrs Sonia Gandhi that included his brother, Mr A N Khan Choudhury (alias Lebu).

The other candidates suggested were Miss Mausam Benazir Noor, newly elected MLA from Sujapur, Mrs Sabitri Mitra, MLA Araidanga and former district president and Mr Samar Mukherjee, former MLA from Ratua. Mr Krishnendu Choudhury was incredulous at the Malda MPs nepotistic decision. “What is Mr A N Khan Choudhury's contribution to politics or the Congress party? He had contested against the late A B A Ghani Khan Choudhrury while in league with the CPI-M. We will be answerable if the party selects him as a candidate for the North Malda seat". Mr Choudhury also pointed out: “A Hindu candidate is must for the North Malda Lok Sabha seat. The Bangladeshi refugees living in Bamongola, Habibpur, Gazole and Old Malda constitute a huge number of voters in the constituency. Selecting a Muslim candidate will be the wrong decision”. Many leaders have objected to this decision, terming it ‘undemocratic'. They said: “No resolution was adopted before preparing the panel, neither from the block nor the district level. In the absence of Mr Priya Ranjan Das Munshi, minister of Information and Broadcasting, due to his prolonged illness, the district Congress president feels he can follow his every desire. A section of block Congress presidents had proposed A N Khan Choudhury as a Lok Sabha candidate without holding any meeting”, they disclosed.

Mr Goutam Chakraborty, former Congress MLA of English Bazaar and Sabhadhipati of Malda zilla parishad, had recently expressed his willingness to join Trinamul Congress to contest from North Malda. He said: “Where is the district president's plan to invite Dr Manmohan Singh to contest from North Malda? The Malda Congress had hurriedly made the panel when they were informed I would join Trinamul”.

Mr Suresh Behani, another district committee member and close aide to Mr and Mrs Das Munshi, said: “I would send my bio-data through the proper channel to the Congress high command, seeking a ticket to contest for the North Malda seat”. Sources say Mrs Munshi is monitoring the developments in North Malda and will be recommending a list of candidates from North Bengal, including North Malda, through West Bengal PCC.

As for the other proposed candidates, Mrs Sabitri Mitra was baffled at being put forward without her permission. Mr Samar Mukherjee, a close aid of Mr Pranab Mukherjee, was also perplexed: "Why did they include my name? I'm not interested in contending for North Malda. I will be busy working for Mr Pranab Mukherjee and his constituency".

Spare the rod and free the child...

Statesman News Service

MALDA, Jan. 19: Despite the education department banning corporal punishment in institutions, an incident at Khanpur High madrassa left everybody shocked.

Mohammad Anarul Haque, a class IX student was allegedly beaten by a teacher Mohammad Sazimuddin in the class of Khanpur High madrassa in Ratua on Thursday. Aanrul allegedly sustained injury from the beating and was admitted to the local rural hospital at Araidanga and then referred to Malda district hospital as his condition worsened. He is still under treatment in the hospital. “Internal bleeding continues unabated,” said Mohammad Mazibar Rahman, the teacher in-charge of Khanpur High madrassa today.

Anarul's father Mohammad Abdur Razzak alleged that the teacher slapped him several times when he did not obey his instruction in the class. “He was paraded in the school premises with blood oozing from his ear,” Mr Razzak alleged.

The accused teacher Md. Sazimuddin denied the incident when the headmaster sought clarification. He also denied the incident in front of the media today. Anarul's classmates, however, said otherwise and accused the the teacher of beating him. “I was unaware of the incident. The student apparently was beaten,” said the teacher in-charge as well.

“Punishing students physically is strictly prohibited. I have sought a report on the incident and a clarification from the teacher in-charge,” said Mr Chinmay Sarkar, the district inspector of schools (secondary). The teacher in-charge of Khanpur High madrassa, said: “We shall convene a meeting with the managing committee and send a report to the district inspector of schools soon. We would try to help him financially for his treatment.”

It may be noted that the secretary of the managing committee of Khanpur High madrassa is in jail custody in connection with a computer theft case. He was arrested some weeks back on charges of suppressing accounts related documents.

Ex-Malda Cong MLA likely to switch party

Statesman News Service

MALDA, Jan. 18: The former Congress MLA and former sabhadhipati of Malda zilla parishad, Mr Goutam Chakraborty, may join Trinamul Congress soon. The district Trinamul Congress president, Mr Dulal Sarkar, confirmed this.

Mr Sarkar also said: “Primary discussions with the Trinamul supremo Miss Mamata Banerjee have been held. Mr Goutam Chakraborty would be projected as Trinamul Congress candidate for North Malda parliamentary constituency in the forthcoming Lok Sabha election.”

“Goutam da would be going to Kolkata in three to four days when Mamata di would make the formal announcement of this development,” Mr Sarkar said. Former sabhadhipati's decision to join Trinamul Congress in Malda, to contest Lok Sabha election from North Malda, has raised several questions within the Congress.

Following a recent media report, contenders for North Malda seat have criticised the district congress president, Mr AH Khan Choudhury's decision to offer the North Malda seat to Trinamul Congress to make an alliance.

Trinamul sources said Miss Mamata Banerjee has demanded North Malda, Balurghat and Cooch Behar parliamentary seats for her party in the coming Lok Sabha election.

It may be noted that the former Congress MLA from English Bazaar, Mr Goutam Chakraborty, not only denied ticket for the last rural polls as zilla parishad candidate but he was also cornered in the party after the death of ABA Ghani Khan Choudhury. Neither the current Malda district Congress president and Malda MP Mr AH Khan Choudhury (alias Dalu) nor the former district president Rubi Noor, sister of ABA Ghani Khan Choudhury, valued him as a senior leader of the Malda congress after the end of Malda Zilla Parishad's term.

Though Mr Chakraborty did not disclose his own plan to join Trinamul Congress, he could not rule out possibilities to join Trinamul Congress for contesting for the new parliamentary seat in North Malda. Commenting on Malda Congress's earlier decision to propose the Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh to contest from North Malda, Mr Goutam Chakraborty said: “Dr Singh would never contest from here. The family members of ABA Ghani Khan now are politicising the whole issue for the benefit of their family.”

“South Malda seat is safer than North Malda for Dr Manmohan Singh, why the current Malda MP is not offering his own seat to the Prime Minister,” he asked.

On the other hand, a group of Congress leaders including block presidents have been projecting Mr AN Khan Choudhury (alias Lebu), another brother of ABA Ghani Khan Choudhury, as a contesting candidate from North Malda seat despite objections of another groups belonging to Mr Priya Ranjan Das Munshi.

Among the contenders for North Malda seat, Mr Suresh Behani, district committee member and close aide to Mr and Mrs Das Munshi and Congress MLA from English Bazaar Mr Krishnendu Choudhury are against AN Khan Choudhury (Lebu) as a candidate from North Malda.

Work without pay?

MALDA, Jan 18: Around 150 contractual field consultants working on a National Horticulture Mission project have not received their salaries for the past six months and their contracts are yet to be renewed.

Addressing a Press conference in Malda today, the secretary of the West Bengal Horticultural Employees Association, Mr Sanjoy Sengupta, said that they would submit a deputation to the state minister for horticulture and food processing industries on 21 January in Kolkata.

“If the minister does not give the employees written assurance of job renewal, we would begin a prolonged agitation demanding this renewal, along with the prompt disbursal of outstanding wages”, Mr Sengupta said. Mr Sengupta also mentioned that most of the contractual employees were highly qualified, and some are holders of PhDs. “The state government cannot mete out such humiliation to these highly educated persons”, Mr Sengupta said.

The association had met the state horticulture and food processing minister last November demanding that the salaries be paid, but no action has yet been taken.

n SNS

Power dept to start spot billing system

Statesman News Service

MALDA, Jan. 16: The state electricity distribution company limited (SEDCL) is planning to introduce ‘spot billing’ system before March in Malda so that consumers can not allege that electricity bill does not reach them on time.

The divisional manager of SEDCL in Malda, Mr D K Mandal said: “To avoid controversy over the present electricity bill distribution system, an agency will be working here for meter reading in presence of consumers and they would hand over the bill to them on the spot”. “The authorised agency will also keep a copy of that bill for official use after the persons concerned gives his or her signature so that they cannot say that they have not received the bill”, Mr Mandal added. According to him, the electricity department has been receiving complaints that consumers do not get bill by post. In English Bazaar town, a group of women from the electricity department is still distributing bills door-to-door to consumers. “In spite of this we are receiving complaints that consumers are not getting bills on time”, Mr Mandal said.

The agency will carry a portable machine to print out the bill. In presence of the consumers, meter reading will be done and then they will be given the updated bill and have to deposit the amount on the due date, departmental officials said. Consumers can deposit electricity bills in respective departmental counters, and automatic machine which will be installed in Malda soon.

‘NREGA needs more funds’

MALDA, Jan. 16: In order to spend more of the funds allotted to the 100-days job initiative by the end of this financial year, the commissioner of the National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (NREGA) in West Bengal, Mr M V Rao, has asked the district administrative officials to send at least Rs 1 crore directly, and in advance, to each block development officer (BDO).

The principal secretary of the pachayat and rural development department, Dr M N Roy, had previously instructed that the funds not be sent to the BDOs directly, asking that the district authorities instead send funds to the gram panchayat's pradhan. However, the commissioner has gone against these instructions, and will be sending funds in advance to the BDOs until the end of this financial year in March. The commissioner had taken the decision after holding discussions in Malda on 14 January with almost all of the panchayat samiti sabhapati, gram panchayat pradhan and district administrative officials in the region.

When an administration official brought attention to Dr MN Roy's instructions, Mr M V Rao reportedly said: “In order to ensure funds allotted to the NREGA are utilised, we have to put the BDOs under pressure to spend the funds in the near future and so increase man-days”. It may be noted that the district has achieved only 15.5 man-days of the 100-days of employment promised within the initiative. An eight-member team from the Assembly Subject Committee for the NREGA came to Malda today and held a meeting with the administrative officials here. The committee members backed the scheme to send funds from the NREGA directly to the BDOs.

The Assembly Subject Committee members today visited the Bhabuk panchayat area to take stock of the situation and check the progress of schemes taken up there under the NREGA. The commissioner of the NREGA in West Bengal, Mr Rao, discovered that no monitoring meeting was held in Malda in the last eight months. He suggested that district officials hold a monitoring meeting twice a month until March 2009, the end of the financial year.

The district nodal officer for NREGA, Mr Ranjit Mandal, said: “We have tabled a note sheet before the Malda district magistrate following the instructions of the NREGA commissioner. After the approval of the district magistrate we will be able to send funds in advance to the BDOs”. Malda was one of the first districts in which the NREGA was announced, and more than Rs.10 crore has been spent on the behalf of 146 gram panchayats. However, of the total funds in state hands, only Rs. 522.13 crore of the Rs. 958.04 crore has been spent. n SNS

Minister seeks funds use certificate

Statesman News Service

MALDA, Jan. 16: The minister of state for public health engineering (PHE) Mr Anwarul Haque has asked the officials concerned particularly zilla parishad officials to submit an utilisation certificate immediately of funds allotted by the Centre for ‘Mini Pipe Water Supply Scheme’(MPWSS) since 2002-03.

Yesterday, Mr Haque reviewed the allotted funds’ position and its utilisation certificates received by the Centre and interacted with the officials of four districts in Malda. He warned the four district officials of Malda, Murshiadabad and North and South Dinajpur that the Centre would not allot fresh funds if they failed to submit a utilisation certificate by March. The minister of state also pointed out that in 2002-03 and 2005-06 more than Rs 3151.03 lakh had been allotted to West Bengal. Out of this, only 30.55 per cent of total funds allotted had been utilised and papers for it were submitted to the Centre. The minister was upset when the officials concerned informed him that the funds had been utilised but the zilla parishad officials could not submit its utilisation certificate on time. Despite lack of utilisation certificates, the Centre had released Rs 1,464.42 lakh in 2006-07 for MPWSS in this state. It was also reported that no utilisation certificates were sent to authorities on time.

In 2007-08, Rs 4,780 lakh was released for rural water supply programme and the officials found that only Rs 170 lakh was utilised, which is only 3.62 per cent of the total funds allotted. It was then that the minister of state for PHE Mr Haque suggested a revised plan for utilising funds under Centre's Sajal Dhara project. According to him, twenty per cent of total funds allotted for drinking water supply scheme will be utilised for Sajal Dhara. Under Sajal Dhara scheme which is a mini drinking water project, the Centre will contribute 90 per cent and 10 per cent will be coming from community contribution. But here too some problems have come up. According to PHE's executive engineer, Mr Swapan Maitra, the Sajal Dhara project is being affected due to lack of community contribution in several districts.

“We have made some small model projects for its implementation. Zilla parishad officials can select any model to provide drinking water to groups of 400 to 1200 people in a particular village. The zilla parishad will have to submit the scheme to PHE for vetting before seeking fund for its implementation”, said Mr Swapan Maitra. “Such small drinking water schemes will be implemented on the basis of underground water sources where the area is free from arsenic and florid contamination”, Mr Maitra added.

Civic body lacks waste management system

MALDA, Jan 15: The English Bazaar Municipality (EBM) have not implemented a proper medical waste management system, despite their own admission that they are unable to following the norms farmed by the pollution control board.

The EBM collects medical waste form several nursing homes and pathological units in this town and receives extra payment for this service. However, the waste collected is not being properly disposed of, as the EBM does not own a medical waste autoclave sterilizer.

The vice chairman (VC) of the EBM and Trinamul Congress district president, Mr. Dulal Sarkar, admitted that they were unable to dispose of the medical waste properly due to several impediments.

“We are trying to construct a solid waste management plant including a medical waste autoclave sterilization system. But we are facing difficulties in acquiring land to build the project”, said Mr. Sarkar.

Allegedly, the EBM is regularly dumping all medical waste, including risky refuse collected from nursing homes and district hospitals, in the open vat of general garbage at Chandan Park in Ward No.25.

The owners of nursing homes and pathological units in English Bazaar town pointed out the problem and expressed unhappiness over the civic body’s inability to dispose of the risky waste.

Since1995, all political parties came to power in English Bazaar. But neither the Left Front led board nor the Congress, Trinamul Congress and Bharatiya Janata Party led board took initiative to implement a solid waste management system that took risky medical waste into account.

A few months back, the district administration had held a meeting with the civic body in order to decide upon the proper disposal of medical waste. The matter was discussed seriously in the presence of the then district magistrate, Mr. C R Das and the then chief medical officer, Dr. RR Banik, and plans were made to adopt the PCB’s norms. However, these decisions have not been put into effect.

The present chief medical officer of health, Dr. Srikanta Roy, said: “Nursing homes, pathological laboratories and district hospitals try to follow the guideline of the pollution control board. They store all medical waste separately in “black bags” and “red bags” (risky medical waste). The civic body collects all medical waste from us, but we do not know in what manner it is disposed of once it has left our premises”.

Dr. Animesh Roy, district hospital superintendent, said: “We dispose of risky medical waste in our own autoclave. The municipality collects the remaining general medical waste and processed medical waste. We do not know how they deal with the waste outside”.

The Opposition leader of the EBM and CPI-M councillor of Ward No. 25, Mr. Dulal Nandan Chaki, said: “Local people living close to Chandan Park are facing problems due to the unscientific dumping of garbage including risky medical waste by the EBM. The present civic body had built a “burning place” at the site to dispose of medical waste but it has not been utilised”. n SNS

Nabard sanctions loan for embankment repair

Statesman News Service

MALDA, Jan 15: The National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD) has sanctioned a loan from its Rural Infrastructure Development Fund (RIDF XIII) for strengthening and repairing embankments in Malda.

According to the irrigation department, a total of Rs. 5 crore has been sanctioned by NABARD for implementing four schemes. The executive engineer of the irrigation department in Malda, Mr S Misra, said: “The escalated cost of four out of five of the projects has been sanctioned from the RIDF-XIII recently”.

“We hope that the fifth scheme will be sanctioned soon”, he added.

The irrigation department has planned to strengthen the existing retired embankments, no. four, five, six and seven, on the bank of the river Ganga in Kaliachak II with an inspecting road on them connecting other marginal embankments in Manikchak.

Besides, the department has planned to take up at Itakhola - Anandipur village in English Bazaar, as well as Kuriadaha and the Kanchanbill circuit embankment in Gazol.

“All four schemes are under progress. Within 29 days we will be able to float tenders for these works,” said Mr S Misra.

Due to the model code of conduct for the Sujapur by-poll, the tender process of many schemes were delayed in last months.

Last year, due to the model code of conduct for rural polls, the irrigation department in Malda could not complete many flood and anti-erosion projects in this district after floating tenders.

The irrigation department officials guess that the progress of flood protection work may be affected due to the parliamentary election planned for 2009.

When the irrigation minister came to visit the Ganga during monsoon last year, he had proposed that the District Magistrate hold an all political party meeting to adopt a resolution on the proposed ninth retired embankment in Kaliachak-II on the left bank of the river Ganga.

The irrigation department has sent a reminder to the district magistrate, urging him to call a meeting, as building the ninth retired embankment is an imperative measure for flood protection in this district.