Library for children

 

COOCH BEHAR, Oct. 24: North Bengal State Library (NBSL) is going to introduce an exclusive children's section in the library to encourage reading habit and love for books. The proposed Children's Corner will be launched on the Children's Day (14 November). It is expected that state mass education extension minister Mr Tapan Roy or state forest minister Mr Ananta Roy will inaugurate the proposed facility.

 

The Children's Corner is going to come up with financial assistance of Raja Rammohun Roy Library Foundation, a government of India organisation. They sanctioned Rs 1.2-lakh for purchasing of books and furniture. An oil painting of Raja Rammohun Roy will be at the Children's Corner that is to be unveiled by RRRLF director Mr KK Banerjee. NBSL advisory committee chairman and also the Cooch Behar Sadar SDO Mr Jayanta Kumar Maiti said they requested the traders' body and others to come forward to sponsor the project to make it a grand success.

 

NBSL librarian Mr Ranu Dey said the proposed Children's Corner would be in a specious room that could accommodate about thirty tiny readers at a time. There will be decorative chairs and tables. The walls will also be painted to build up a happy mood. Public works department was entrusted to do the job, Mr Dey said.

 

In a bid to attract the readers there will be popular English and Bengali books like Harry Potter, comics like Tintin, world famous classics, magazines and books by popular and famous writers. But, not only books. Computers are also on the pipeline to offer educational computer games. "Though we have a plan to offer computer games we will give the emphasis on reading of good books because we want our children to come back to the vast and rich world of books", Mr Dey said.

 

Mr Maiti hoped that the proposed Children's Corner would surely be able to attract the children. "We are proud that we are trying to do something exclusively for our children. Their first love should be books", he said.

 

The NBSL have another plan too. It is for the senior citizens. Like the Children's Corner it may offer another specious room for the elders. Here they can be able to read books, newspapers and magazines and discuss on any topic under the sun. Once implemented the facility may appear to open a wide window for the elders. The proposal of the plan will be tabled in the next meeting of the 9-member NBSL advisory committee for approval, Mr Dey said. []

 

Cooch Behar Airport

 

COOCH BEHAR, Oct. 24: The much-awaited resumption of air service from Cooch Behar Airport may start before the Diwali. Cooch Behar Airport sources said trial flight might be conducted on 27 October. But there is no information available with the district administration over the matter till now.

 

It may be mentioned here that Cooch Behar Airport is almost ready for resumption of air service. Air Deccan, a reputed airliner, already expressed its interest in conducting flights between Cooch Behar and Kolkata. They conveyed their willingness to the Airport Authority of India too.

 

Taking it granted that air service may resume before the Diwali a special training started for security personnel from 22 October. It will go on till 1 November. Air Deccan authority and Bureau of Civil Aviation Security took the initiative to provide required training to selected security personnel. 28 policemen and five Air Deccan men are undergoing the training. They may be deployed for security of the airport after resuming of air service from this airport, a senior police official said.

 

When asked about the resumption of air service from Cooch Behar Airport, Cooch Behar ADM (D) Mr Pannalal Mahapatra said they are yet to get any information over the matter. Cooch Behar Airport officials had conveyed that a trial flight may be conducted on 23 or 24 October but nothing happened. "On earlier occasions too we were conveyed of resumption of air service and trial flight but nothing happened", he said. He made it clear that this time they are not in a mood to say anything about the revival of air service. "We do not want to fool the pressmen and people with false promise", the ADM (D) said. []