Roadblock on NH-31

 

COOCH BEHAR, Aug. 29: Local residents of Dawaguri village staged a roadblock on National Highway-31 at Dawaguri in Cooch Behar against ill functioning of the midday meal scheme in Shiksha Mandir Shishu Shiksha Kendra. They alleged that a Sahayika (female helper) of the SMSSK was taking out huge quantity of rice packed in three large sacks from the SMSSK last night. The rice was supplied to the school for running the midday meal scheme. The villagers caught her red-handed but the puller of the rickshaw-van fled away. After threatening the Sahayika they released her out.

 

Following this incident the villagers of Dawaguri alongwith students and their guardians closed the school with lock and key and started demonstrating in front of the school this morning. They also staged a roadblock on NH-31 demanding measures against the Sahayika and an end to the ill functioning of the SMSSK. Traffic movement was disrupted due to the roadblock that lasted for about one-hour. The roadblock was lifted and the locks were removed when senior officials and police personnel rushed to the spot and assured the agitators of taking steps to improve the situation. []

 

Central University demanded

COOCH BEHAR, Aug. 29: Greater Cooch Behar Democratic Party (GCDP), a constituent of Greater Kamta United Forum (GKUF), wants setting up of the proposed Central University in Cooch Behar.

 

Submitting a memorandum to the Additional District Magistrate (Development) Mr Pannalal Mahapatra yesterday the GCDP leaders argued that Cooch Behar should be considered as the right place for setting up of the proposed Central University.

 

GCDP president Mr Ashutosh Barma said the then ruler of Cooch Behar State, Maharaja Nripendra Narayan established Victoria College (now known as Acharya Brajendra Nath Seal College) in 1888 for higher studies. Post Graduate and Law courses were offered in the college in that time. There was a flow of large number of students from far and near areas. After the merger of Cooch Behar State with Union of India the postgraduate courses offered in this college were discontinued, he alleged. Now the students of this region have to go to North Bengal University in Darjeeling district for continuing their higher studies. It is hard for the students of poorer section of the society to avail the opportunity of higher studies at the NBU, he said.

 

The GCDP leaders believe once the proposed Central University established the students of not only of Cooch Behar but also a large number of them from Jalpaiguri district and lower Assam would be benefited. The GCDP delegation that met the ADM (D) urged him to take up the issue with the proper authority so that the proposed Central University come up in Cooch Behar. []