Indo-Bangla engineers’ meet on border embankment

Indo-Bangla engineers’ meet on border embankment

15 January 2013

SILIGURI, 15 JAN: Engineers associated with Bangladesh Water Board (BWB) may visit Kayetbari, a village at Sitai in Cooch Behar along India-Bangladesh border, in the third week of January to hold a meeting with Indian officials. The objective of the Bangladesh officials’ visit is to pacify villagers in Bangladesh part so that the state irrigation and waterways department can carry out proposed flood protection work on the bank of river Ratnai in Indian part along the border.

The Chairman of North Bengal Flood Control Commission (NBFCC), Mr N C Chatterjee, attended the meeting on behalf of India with BWB Chief Engineer SA Ali and adopted resolutions to carry out the work for both the countries along the border. Mr Ali yesterday visited Kuchlibari area under Mekhliganj in Cooch Behar and held a meeting with Indian officials to oversee the proposed flood and erosion protection work there following resolutions adopted by Indo-Bangladesh Joint River Commission.

“It was decided at a meeting yesterday that officials from Bangladesh Water Board would visit Kayetbari at Sitai in the third week of January to appease the villagers on Bangladesh side so that we can carry out the flood and erosion protection works,” Mr Chatterjee said.

According to official sources, representatives of both the countries have agreed to resolve any crisis or dispute due to villagers’ resistance during construction work through flag meeting at border outposts.

The Indian officials, including the Border Security Forces (BSF), have stressed the need to protect IBB (India-Bangladesh Border) road and fencing from erosion. It was decided that in order to prevent flood by the Teesta river, both the countries would construct ‘spill checking’ embankments, from pillar No 795/5, at zero point of the border.

The state irrigation and waters department would immediately construct a 300-metre long spill checking embankment up to the existing embankment on Bangladesh side on the left bank of the Teesta at Kuchlibari. sns

‘Injured leopard responding to treatment’

‘Injured leopard responding to treatment’

15 January 2013

statesman news service

SILIGURI, 15 JAN: An injured leopard, who had been attacked by angry villagers in the Bamondanga Tea Plantation area, is responding to medical treatment since morning, a forest official said today.

According to forest officials, the two-and-a-half-year-old female leopard would take at least five days to recover.

An expert, Mr Dipak Sharma, who is posted at Buxa Tiger Reserve (BTR), is looking after the injured leopard. Dr Sharma detected several bruises on the beast's body, including on her nose. The bruises have been stitched today.

Following thorough examination, the forest officials and veterinary surgeons today come to a conclusion that angry villagers used blunt and sharp weapons like swords to attack the leopard. According to forest officials, the investigation has revealed that the leopard was sleeping in the plantation area yesterday morning and warming up her body by sunlight. Some villagers allegedly provoked it and the beast became furious. Three persons were injured when the leopard fought back.

Forest officials yesterday failed to estimate the age of the leopard due to serious injuries, which changed the animal’s figure, and informed media persons that the animal was adult. Today, the experts examined the leopard thoroughly and calculated that the animal's age was two and half years. Divisional Forest Officer, Wildlife, Sumita Ghatak said: “We expect we would be able to release the leopard after five to six days. At present the leopard is responding to medical treatment.”The wildlife division is investigating the matter seriously and planning to take action against some people who attacked the leopard ignoring the Wildlife Act.

Man allegedly killed by leopard dies at NBMCH
DARJEELING, 15 JAN: Pasasng Sherpa (48), who was allegedly attacked by a leopard on 26 December on D B Giri Road Kakjohra, Darjeeling died today at North Bengal Medical College and Hospital in Siliguri. He was recently transferred to NBMCH from Darjeeling
District Hospital after his condition deteriorated. Relatives of the victim alleged the authorities concerned did not come up with aid and relief to the victim, when his situation turned critical. Neither has any compensation been announced for his widow after his death. sns 

Leopard attacked at Bamondanga tea estate

Leopard attacked at Bamondanga tea estate

14 January 2013

statesman news service

SILIGURI, 14 JAN: A female adult leopard is fighting for its life after angry residents severely beat up the animal at Bamondanga Tea Plantation in the Dooars today.

Forest officials rescued the leopard and started treating her. The condition of the leopard is gradually deteriorating, according to forest officialssaid.

The forest officials were initially informed that a leopard had attacked three persons in the tea plantation area this morning. Two of them were being treated at a local hospital, while the third person was admitted to Jalpaiguri District Hospital.

The forest officials are still in the dark as to when the villagers attacked the leopard critically injuring the animal. The wildlife division has already started inquiring into the alleged attack on the leopard. The forest officials also came to know that the villagers had found the leopard yesterday morning but nobody had informed the matter to them. A senior forest official said: “We could have trapped the beast and saved its life and prevent the angry villagers from attacking it. However, nobody informed us about the leopard.” Senior Divisional Forest Officer, Wildlife, Sumita Ghatak said: “Our staff members rescued the injured leopard after being informed by police. The animal was unconscious having failed to bear the villagers’

assault. The animal is undergoing treatment. We do not know about the fate of the animal.”

“We are trying to collect more information so that appropriate action can be taken against the culprits who provoked the villagers to attack the leopard,” she said.