White Paper demanded over Teesta Project

 

COOCH BEHAR, June 24: Mr Partha Chatterjee, the leader of the Opposition, alleged that work was done for about 85-kilometre only out of 840-kilometre for the much-publicised Teesta Irrigation Project. Four decades passed out but the project is yet to be completed.   How long the farmers of north Bengal will have to wait to get water for irrigation to their farmlands, he questioned. He demanded releasing of a White Paper on the funds received and spent so far in this project. The leader of the Opposition was talking with media persons at Cooch Behar Circuit House today. He came here to attend the district conference of the party's minority cell held at Rabindra Bhavan.

 

Mr Chatterjee also demanded appointment of experienced automobile engineers or technicians as administrators to run the sick North Bengal Transport Corporation. Political leaders are not fit to run the NBSTC in the right way, he opined. He will raise the issue in the state Assembly on 2 July, the leader of the Opposition declared.  

 

Talking over Chhitmahal (enclave) issue Mr Chatterjee claimed that about 2.5-lakh people are suffering from insecurity in the Indian enclaves surrounded by Bangladesh territory. The state government should put pressure on the Centre to look into the matter so that these people can avail all legitimate rights as other citizens of the country. He also demanded setting up a second Writers' Building in north Bengal to extend good governance to the people of this region.

 

Commenting over the ongoing hawker eviction drive in Cooch Behar, the Trinamul Congress leader alleged that the Congress-run civic body is evicting poor people forcefully in the name of development. He demanded rehabilitation measures for the evicted poor hawkers.

 

Mr Chatterjee demanded that the government should establish tea-training institutes instead of handing over the lands of tea gardens for construction of housing estates in north Bengal. He also demanded measures to conserve the forestlands and work for local poor people.

 

Mr Chatterjee declared that the Trinamul Congress would stage a demonstration in front of the office of the divisional commissioner at Jalpaiguri on 9 May demanding immediate steps to reopen the closed tea estates of north Bengal. A sit-in programme will also be held there participated by people from all the six districts of north Bengal following the call given by the party chief Miss Mamata Bannerjee. Mr Chatterjee opined that the state government is tottering after the party chief's recent visit to the tea gardens. []  

Suicide bid of another hawker

 

COOCH BEHAR, June 24: An evicted hawker, Kanu Barman (48), tried to commit suicide by charging sharp shaving-blades on his body at his residence at Chakir Morh last evening. As the main bread earner of the family of seven members he was running a small tea stall at Lichutala in the town. During the ongoing eviction drive his shop was too evicted and out of despair he tried to commit suicide. He is now undergoing medical care at MJN Hospital. Leader of the Opposition, Mr Partha Chatterjee visited him at the hospital today and inquired about his condition. Earlier, another crestfallen hawker of stationary items, Shankar Chatterjee (38), tried to commit suicide by consuming poison on Friday. []