Indo-Bangladesh border situation better : IG-BSF

 

COOCH BEHAR, Jan. 13: Out of 1,110-kilometre of border in north Bengal the barbed wire fencing was laid at a stretch of 666-kilometre along the Indo-Bangladesh border from the 'zero' line of the actual border. Fencing was not possible along the remaining portion due to presence of rivers and objections from local people. But, absence of fencing is not lowering the morale of Border Security Force from keeping constant vigil on the border, said the outgoing inspector general of BSF (North Bengal Frontier), Mr RA Tiwari.

 

Mr Tiwari took over the command of North Bengal Frontier in 2006. Now, he has been posted to New Delhi Frontier as IG (Training). After his two-day farewell visit to Cooch Behar Sector he said yesterday the Indo-Bangladesh border situation is better and the relation with Bangladesh Rifles (BDR) also improved.

 

The BSF has put the priority on checking infiltration and smuggling and its strict vigil reduced the rate of infiltration from the other side of the border, the outgoing IG claimed. If any person crosses the border mistakenly the BSF sends the person back but if anyone infiltrates intentionally the BSF takes legal action against the infiltrator, he said.

 

Mr Tiwari said he talked with the district magistrate of Cooch Behar and the superintendent of police on Friday at a meeting over precautionary security measures to ensure a peaceful Republic Day. BSF jawans on duty will resist any effort to cross the border forcefully so that no one can come to foil the R-Day celebrations. He however said that there is no specific threat from any militant outfit about damaging of the R-Day celebrations. []

 

PHOTO : IG-BSF (North Bengal Frontier) Mr RA Tiwari talks with pressmen at Cooch Behar Sector headquarters on Saturday. – Debashis Bhaumik.

 

Market blaze

 

COOCH BEHAR, Jan. 13: Four shops were gutted in an incident of fire at early hours of today at Rajarhat market. Two fire engines rushed to the spot and controlled the blaze. Local traders estimated that the loss was to more than Rupees one-lakh. []

 

 

Dasmunsi takes up preservation of rail antiques issue

 

COOCH BEHAR, Jan. 13: Union minister of information and broadcasting and parliamentary affairs, Mr Priya Ranjan Dasmunsi took up the proposal of formation of a gallery at Cooch Behar or New Cooch Behar railway station with the antique system and materials associated with erstwhile Cooch Behar State Railway for highlighting the history of pre-independent railway system at Cooch Behar to the posterity. In a letter sent to the Union railway minister Mr Lalu Prasad Yadav he described the proposal raised by an AICC member Mrs Sabita Roy as a very good one. Drawing the railway minister's personal attention for favourable consideration he requested Mr Yadav to do the needful.

 

Earlier, sending a letter to Mr Dasmunsi, Mrs Roy drew the attention of him over the proposal that she had submitted to the Union railway minister in October. She alleged that despite her repeated appeal regarding the touchy issue a section of railway officials are engaged in floating auction notices and have started selling various antique substances from the stores in the name of revenue earning. She had requested Mr Dasmunsi to intervene into the matter so that the historic substances may be preserved especially for the people of north Bengal for future.

 

It may be mentioned here that before merger of the erstwhile princely State of Cooch Behar with Union of India in 1949 the State had its own 35-mile long railway facility. It was known as Cooch Behar State Railway (CBSR). The 35-mile long narrow gauge track joined Mogulhat and Baneswar through the tiny capital town Cooch Behar and continued upto Jainti at the foot of Himalayas.

 

East Bengal Railway had established a station at Haldibari near Jalpaiguri in 1876 and with that the railway service was introduced in Cooch Behar. Around 1890 the Cooch Behar State Council had approved a proposal of connecting Cooch Behar town with railway system of Bengal. Following that a narrow gauge railway came up in 1893. Passenger service had started on and from 1 March 1894.

 

In 1900, government of India reportedly agreed, "the portion of Cooch Behar State Railway which lies within the territories of His Highness the Maharaja of Cooch Behar should continue to be regarded as an isolated local line".

 

Narrating the history in a letter sent to the Union railways minister Mr Lalu Prasad Yadav, an AICC member from Cooch Behar, Mrs Sabita Roy had urged the minister in last October to take an initiative to preserve the antique articles of the CBSR in a gallery. Mrs Roy said the old signalling system, instruments, beacons, tickets, records and relics, uniforms, insignias may still be obtained from different railway stations or stores in Cooch Behar, Alipurduar and Maligaon.

 

In her letter Mrs Roy opined that if the age-old things were preserved in a gallery at Cooch Behar or New Cooch Behar Railway Station it might replicate the mode of action of the railway department in this region before Independence. It will also be able to connect Cooch Behar's history with the history of Indian Railways, the senior Congress leader believes. []