An act of bravery and humanity

 

COOCH BEHAR, Aug. 5: A 17-year-old Bangladeshi boy named Asidul Mohammad Islam fell down in Dharla river on the Bangladesh side during the recent flood in this region. He is a mentally retarded boy. Seeing him in danger his parents, Yusuf Ali and Hamida Bibi too jumped into the river to save him. But due to high water waves and current in the river they were floated away into Indian territory under Dinhata sub-division near Border Pillar No. 881/9-S.

 

It may be recalled that during the recent floods the Dharla river had turned into a fearsome river. Its level have risen about 10-feet in some areas under Maheshmari border outpost in the duty area of 13 Bn BSF.

 

Seeing the three drowning, two BSF jawans on duty – Constable Shivpal Singh and Constable Sangram Singh – dived into the river water and rescued all the three. They brought the rescued three Bangladeshi nationals on Indian side of Dharla river. On that evening, taking permission from the Battalion Headquarter concerned, the Company Commander of Mahesmari, Subedar Puran Singh handed over them to his counterpart in Bangladesh Rifles, the Company Commander of Navi Nagar, through a flag meeting. A senior BSF official of Cooch Behar Sector hoped that the act of BSF would strengthen the friendly relation and brotherhood between the two border guarding forces of two neighbouring countries. []

 

Watchtower adds attraction of Rasamati

 

COOCH BEHAR, Aug. 5: State forest minister Mr Ananta Roy inaugurated a new watchtower at Rasamati Jhil tourist-spot yesterday to make the tourist-spot more attractive to the tourists and visitors. The Rasamati Jhil tourist spot was launched in last year to lure the picnickers and tourists who like to visit the beauty of nature especially during monsoon. Now the 56-feet watchtower is going to make it more attractive believes the forest minister. Noteworthy, It is the highest watchtower of forest department in north Bengal.

 

The newly constructed watchtower is able to allow about 200 visitors at a time to view the scenic beauty of Rasamati Jhil and adjacent forestland. It was erected with a fund of about Rs 10-lakh.

 

Not only the watchtower, a plan is also there to build up a nature interpretation centre. The estimated cost to implement the plan is Rs 18-lakh. Laying the foundation of this project Cooch Behar MP (Rajya Sabha) Mr Tarini Roy agreed to extend Rs 10-lakh for the project from his Local Area Development fund.

 

Cooch Behar Zilla Parishad sabhadhipati Mr Jnanendra Chandra Chanda expects that the newly built watchtower would be able to attract tourists to enjoy the monsoon surrounded by the greenery of Rasamati Jhil and forestland. To make their passage straight to the tower easy a way will be constructed. The tourists will have to go there by the vans provided by the local Forest Protection Committee.

 

It may be recalled here that a picnic cum tourist spot was inaugurated at Rasamati Jhil in Patlakhaoa of Cooch Behar in last December. The picnickers get an opportunity here to see wild animals like leopards, deer, bison, peacocks and migratory birds in the adjacent jungle and wetland. Such opportunity is almost rare in other picnic spots in this region. Work to develop Rasamati Jhil as a picnic spot was started a few years ago. The plan behind this venture was promotion of tourism in this area. After completion of the total planned project the visitors and the picnickers will be able to enjoy pedal boating too in the large water-body of Rasamati Jhil.

 

The Patlakhaoa forest is not very far off from the spot. The visitors and nature lovers may get a glance of leopards, deer and peacocks in that forest. As the spot is at a distance of about 15-kilometre only from Cooch Behar town, it is an ideal place for weekenders to spend a day in the lap of nature "under the greenwood tree".

 

It was learnt that a suspension bridge and a few cottages would also be constructed at Rasamati Jhil to attract picnickers. The estimated total cost of the proposed project is Rs 1-crore. []

 

Blood donation camp

 

COOCH BEHAR, Aug. 5: Trinamul Yuva Congress organised a voluntary blood donation camp at Maharaja Jitendra Narayan Hospital premises in Cooch Behar yesterday. District Trinamul Yuva Congress president Mr Shibendra Nath Roy said they observed Martyrs' Day yesterday (4 August) in Cooch Behar district to pay homage to the three martyrs who were killed years ago during a demonstration organised against adulterated mustard oil. The blood donation camp was organised to mark the day. []

 

PHOTO : The "Sankosh to Teesta" march that started on 31 July demanding reopening of closed tea gardens would end at Jalpaiguri on 9 August. A poster on a roadside wall at Jalpaiguri on Sunday.