Children's library

 

COOCH BEHAR, Nov. 28: The much-awaited children's section of North Bengal State Library will be inaugurated in Cooch Behar tomorrow. The children's section came up with financial assistance from Raja Rammohun Roy Library Foundation. State forest minister Mr Ananta Roy will inaugurate the section in presence of Cooch Behar Zilla Parishad sabhadhipati Mr Jnanendra Chandra Chanda, district magistrate Mr Rajesh Kumar Sinha and Cooch Behar Sadar SDO Mr Jayanta Kumar Maiti, according to the NBSL librarian Mr Ranu Dey. []

 

Medical camp

 

COOCH BEHAR, Nov. 28: The 13 Bn BSF organised a free medical camp at Gachhtala Primary School premises in Sitalkuchi of Mathabhanga sub-division near Indo-Bangladesh border today. The camp was held to mark the 43rd Raising Day of BSF. Mr PJ Rao, DIG-BSF, Cooch Behar Sector inaugurated the camp. About 3,000 local people were examined at the camp by a team of doctors. They were also provided with medicines free of cost. []

 

PHOTO : Villagers of Gachhtala at a free medical camp organised by Border Security Force. At Sitalkuchi in Cooch Behar on Wednesday.

 

Huge PDS food grains seized from Tufanganj

 

COOCH BEHAR, Nov. 28: Huge quantity of unaccounted food grains allegedly meant for public distribution system (PDS) was seized from two godowns in Tufanganj town. Though no one was arrested a probe was initiated into the matter. District magistrate Mr Rajesh Kumar Sinha declared that legal steps would be taken against the persons involved in the matter.

 

It was learnt that four truckload of rice and wheat were being unloaded in two godowns in Tufanganj town on yesterday evening. On getting secret information senior officials led by Tufanganj SDO Mr Sudip Mitra and Tufanganj OC Mr Sanjay Dutta raided the places with a large contingent of police force. They sealed both the godowns and seized the four trucks. From this morning the officials started counting and weighing the food grains. It was found that there were 628 bags of rice and 628 bags of wheat in the first gowdown. Weighting and counting in the second godown is still continuing.

 

During primary investigation it was learnt that the huge quantity of food grains was brought in from a warehouse in Baburhat. It is interesting that none of the godown owners, identified as Swapan Basak and Ranjit Shil, connected with public distribution system. Both the godown owners are however absconding. Police are searching for them. They are also trying to reveal from which distributor the food grains were collected.

 

Tufanganj SDO, Mr Sudip Mitra suspected that the huge quantity of food grains was meant for Below Poverty Line (BPL) and Annapurna Antyodaya Yojana (AAY) schemes. The actual picture will be clear after completion of the probe and taking stock of the commodities, he opined. During investigation they will try to reveal the source of the food grains and for what reason those were brought in Tufanganj, Mr Mitra said. Tufanganj OC Mr Dutta too believes that the food grains meant for distribution through modified ration shops were brought illegally for selling in clandestine market.

 

Cooch Behar district Trinamul Congress president Mr Rabindra Nath Ghosh alleged that the food grains were being hoarded at the two godowns to smuggle out to Assam. It is a regular practice, he alleged. District BJP president Mr Nityananda Munsi declared that they will organise demonstrations at Tufanganj and Cooch Behar tomorrow demanding strict measures against the persons involved in stealing of PDS food grains. []