Sankosh to Teesta padayatra starts

 

COOCH BEHAR, July 31: The 310-kilometre Sankosh to Teesta padayatra (march) organised by United Trade Union Congress (UTUC) started today. UTUC's central committee secretary Mr Abani Roy (MP) flagged off the padayatra at Shahid Baag of Sankosh Tea Estate in Dooars this morning. A colourful programme was also organised on the occasion.

 

Dooars Cha-Bagan Workers' Union (DCBWU) sources said that the padayatra being organised to highlight the situation of the closed and abandoned tea gardens of Dooars.

 

Representatives from 14 closed tea gardens participated in the padayatra. Alipurduar MP Mr Joachim Buxla, ex-minister Mr Dasharath Tirkey, Alipurduar MLA Mr Nirmal Das, Ms Kumari Kujur (MLA) and state UTUC secretary Mr Ashok Ghosh are too among the participants. The total number of participants is 203.

 

During the march to Jalpaiguri the participants will demand opening of closed and abandoned tea gardens of north Bengal, setting up of an office of Tea Board at Alipurduar, state government to take up the responsibility of the students of closed tea gardens, withdrawing of lease agreement of the closed and abandoned tea estates and punitive measures against the owners of the tea gardens who failed to extend basic amenities and all other facilities to their workers. The padayatra will end at Jalpaiguri on 9 August where the participants will submit a memorandum to the divisional commissioner, Jalpaiguri, Mr Behari Lal Meena.

 

UTUC leaders demanded that the Centre should not extend its Rs 2700-crore package for the benefit of tea garden owners only. The interest of the workers should also be kept in mind, they maintained. The state government should take all necessary steps to save the oldest industry of north Bengal. Only reopening of the closed and abandoned tea gardens can gear up the process to save the tea industry and the workers, a UTUC leader said. []

 

Flood situation improves in Cooch Behar

 

COOCH BEHAR, July 31: The overall flood situation has improved in Cooch Behar district. Water levels of all the major rivers are receding. Presently, the water levels of the rivers are flowing below the danger mark. District magistrate Mr Rajesh Kumar Sinha said there were still a few relief camps operating in the district but the people started leaving to their places. No fresh warning of heavy rainfall arrived today, Mr Sinha added.

 

Cooch Behar District Trinamul Congress president Mr Rabindra Nath Ghosh demanded a high-level inquiry into decaying of the embankments in every monsoon. He alleged that the 200-metre embankment of Kaljani at Baxir-kuthi Bhairaber-tari in Tufanganj-I block was constructed in last year. The embankment of Gadadhar river at Darikamari village in Natabari was also constructed with Rs 42-lakh. These two embankments were washed away within a year. Such an incident was occurred at Dawaguri too. He demanded arrest and punishment of the contractors and the officials concerned who were responsible for construction of the inferior embankments.

 

Submitting a memorandum to the additional district magistrate, Mr Ghosh alleged that Torsa might pose danger to the Cooch Behar Palace as well as entire Cooch Behar town. The town-saving dyke that was constructed in 1954 to save Cooch Behar town was never repaired since its construction. The government allots a huge sum of money every year to maintain the dyke but no work was done till now to maintain and renovate this dyke. Alleging misappropriation of fund he demanded inquiry into the matter.

 

Cooch Behar ADM Mr Pannalal Mahapatra said the members of business community and other organisations did come forward with relief materials including baby food and medicine. Industrial Federation of Cooch Behar (IFC) donated baby food for children of flood-affected families, said its secretary Mr Depak Mundra. Relief materials were distributed on behalf of Cooch Behar Municipality too among the distressed people today. []

 

Telephone exchange inaugurated

 

COOCH BEHAR, July 31: Cooch Behar DM Mr Rajesh Kumar Sinha inaugurated the newly constructed Baburhat Telephone Exchange yesterday. A cultural programme performed by the students of Kendriya Vidyalaya and Government Blind School was also organised on the occasion at Kendriya Vidyalaya premises at Baburhat. Telephone district manager Mr MK Seth, KV principal Mr Dulal Chattopadhyay and other distinguished persons were present at the programme.

 

Mr Seth claimed that the new Baburhat Telephone Exchange would be able to cater better and faster STD service, better Internet service, less fault rate and easy access to the customers. []