Bomb found, destroyed

 

COOCH BEHAR, Aug. 14: A bomb like object was recovered from a bamboo bush at Purba Khaterbari village in Mathabhanga last night. Acting on a tip-off from Army intelligence sources the police recovered the bomb and placed it at the alluvial land of Mansai river. Police said gunpowder, kerosene and a detonator were found concealed in a can of paint as the explosive. Senior police officials from Cooch Behar and Mathabhanga visited the spot and inquired into the matter. Today, bomb disposal squad personnel of Criminal Investigation Department came from Siliguri and defused the bomb at the bank of Mansai. When asked Cooch Behar ASP Mr James Kujur said an inquiry started into the matter but it is yet to be ascertained who kept the thing in that bamboo bush. []

 

Flight plan crash-lands

 

COOCH BEHAR, Aug. 14: This time too the promise to start flights from Cooch Behar Airport turned futile. No aircraft will land at or take off from Cooch Behar Airport tomorrow. Earlier it was promised that air service would resume from the Independence Day.

 

As per schedule a trial flight was planned on 10 August but no aircraft came up on that day. And now it was learnt that the entire programme might be delayed for a month.

 

When asked about it, the district magistrate of Cooch Behar Mr Rajesh Kumar Sinha said that the officials of Airport Authority of India (AAI) and Air Deccan assured that flights along Cooch Behar-Kolkata air-route might be conducted within a month. But the Air Deccan officials did not disclose to him the actual date or timetable of proposed flights. He also said that Cooch Behar Airport is ready for operation and Air Deccan is the probable operator of flights.

 

It may be recalled here that there was a plan to introduce the air service through Kolkata-Cooch Behar-Guwahati route. When asked about it Mr Sinha said nothing was finalised yet.

 

Earlier, a number of tall buildings were identified for demolition to pave way for safe flights from Cooch Behar Airport. Hearing was also held for that purpose. But at present no demolition is needed along the side where the official bungalows of SP, DFO and others are situated. The opposite side is now clear enough for resuming of air service, the DM said. Meanwhile, AAI sources said efforts are on to resume flights within three weeks. []

 

Collective leadership to run Forward Bloc

 

COOCH BEHAR, Aug. 14: The day-to-day functioning of Forward Bloc in Cooch Behar district will be supervised by a collective leadership of the party. After recent demise of Kamal Guha the chair of the party's district general secretary turned vacant. But that post will remain vacant till the end of November following a resolution adopted at the meeting of the district committee of the party that was held last night. Party sources said that the nine-member district secretariat body would run the party till 30 November.

 

FB sources said at Cooch Behar today that a three-day special council meeting of the party would be held on 1-3 December. In that meeting the issue of appointing a new general secretary will be discussed. Till then the nine-member district secretariat will conduct the party's political affairs collectively. These nine members are : Mr Paresh Adhikary (minister), Mr Nripen Roy, Mr Akshoy Thakur (MLA), Mr Udayan Guha, Mr Debashis Banik, Md Tairuddin Mian, Mr Hiten Barman (MP), Mr Dipak Sarkar (MLA) and Mr Rebati Mohan Das.

 

In last night's meeting it was also decided that the Forward Bloc would raise a demand to name the Cooch Behar Airport after their late leader Kamal Guha. In support of the demand the party will organise a massive campaigning drive in different corners of the district, FB sources said. []