NRDC sit-in demonstration at four railway stations

 

COOCH BEHAR, Feb. 28: The New Railway Demand Committee (NRDC) organised daylong sit-in demonstrations at New Cooch Behar and Changrabandha railway stations in Cooch Behar district and Jogighopa and Abhoyapuri railway stations in Assam today. The NRDC comprising of members from both states - West Bengal and Assam – staged the programme from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. in support of their demand for speedy implementation of the New Maynaguri-Jogighopa railway project.

 

During his address at the sit-in at New Cooch Behar railway station, a joint convenor of the NRDC, Mr Chandi Pal alleged that the Union Railway Budget failed to meet the aspirations of the people of this region, as there was no mention about adding momentum for speedy implementation of the long awaited project.

 

Natabari MLA Md Tamser Ali, Tufanganj MLA Ms Aloka Barman, Mr Akhil Pramanik (CPI-M), Mr Pallab Chaudhury (CPI), Mr Rajen Baid (CDMCC) and Mr Mahananda Saha (DYFI) too spoke on the occasion at New Cooch Behar. About five thousand people attended the programme.

 

"We believe that the proposed railway route will be of immense help to the progress of industrialisation in this region. It may boost up the trade and commerce scenario of the entire northeast region and so we want speedy implementation of the project", Mr Chandi Pal said. The new rail route may also encourage the regional economy to grow for better, he said. []

 

Folk festival

 

COOCH BEHAR, Feb. 28: Cooch Behar district folk culture festival will be held at Chilakhana in Tufanganj on 2 March. State backward classes welfare minister Mr Jogesh Chandra Barman will inaugurate the festival. Beside different folk cultural programme a seminar will also be held on the problems of folk artistes and development of folk culture, according to the district information and culture officer Mr Tapan Sarkar. []