Bimal Gurung to address GCDP meet

 

COOCH BEHAR, March 31: The leaders of the Greater Cooch Behar Democratic Party (GCDP) and the Gorkha Jan Mukti Morcha (GJMM) will be found on the same platform at a mass gathering in Cooch Behar in April. But, the date of the proposed meeting is yet to be resolved.

 

An urgent meeting of the 17-member executive committee of the GCDP was held in Cooch Behar on Sunday. In the meeting it was decided that the GCDP would organise a mass gathering in Cooch Behar in April where GJMM president Mr Bimal Gurung and other leaders will also come to address.

 

The proposed meeting will be held in support of their demand for slicing a separate Greater Cooch Behar state out of north Bengal. Leaders of Kamtapur Progressive Party (KPP) and All Koch Rajbonshi Students' Union (AKRASU) will also attend the proposed meeting, GCDP sources said.

 

The exact date of the meeting will be finalised after discussion with the GJMM leadership, GCDP sources said.

 

It was learnt that in the executive committee meeting of the GCDP the campaign strategy for the ensuing three tier panchayat elections was also discussed. The GCDP will fight alone in the rural polls and it will try to field candidates in all the seats in Cooch Behar district.

 

When contacted the GCDP president Mr Ashutosh Barma said they would organise a public gathering in April where Mr Bimal Gurung is expected to address. The date of the proposed meeting will be finalised after talks with the GJMM leader, Mr Barma added. []

Unity with CPI-M : Cooch Behar FB undecided

 

COOCH BEHAR, March 30: Though the state committee of the Forward Bloc decided yesterday not to go it alone in the forthcoming panchayat elections in the state, the Cooch Behar district committee of the party is yet to change its earlier stand over the relation with the CPI-M. Before taking any decision the district committee of the party is now trying to know the moods and opinions of grass-root level party workers.

 

Commenting over the development the general secretary of the Forward Bloc's Cooch Behar district unit and also a member of the party's state committee, Mr Udayan Guha said over phone from Haldibari that as a policy they are in favour of unity of Left Front. The unity should be there in all elections and everywhere, not in the rural polls only, he opined. At the same time he said that it is already late in taking the initiative that is required before attaining a total unity before the panchayat elections.

 

After the Dinhata incident of 5 February and the comments ventilated by some leaders of different political parties the supporters of Forward Bloc got aggrieved. They have reasons enough for asking the leadership to adopt 'go it alone' policy in the ensuing panchayat elections, Mr Guha said. "In this perspective we cannot take any decision without discussing the matter with the common party workers", he said. From today the party started block level meetings of party workers and the process started from Haldibari today, he informed.

 

The Forward Bloc leader said one couldn't predict a total unity though it is expected to strengthen the Left Front. In the previous panchayat elections in Cooch Behar district unity was reached between the district unit secretaries of the CPI-M and the Forward Bloc – Mr Chandi Pal and late Kamal Guha. But, actually no unity was found during the elections. So at first the parties should judge the moods and aspirations of the workers before imposing any so-called unity on them, Mr Guha said.

 

It may be recalled here that following late Kamal Guha's line the Cooch Behar district unit of the Forward Bloc had decided to go it alone in the rural polls without making any alliance with the CPI-M. Later, the state committee too approved the plan. Yesterday, the state committee of the Forward Bloc changed its stand but the Cooch Behar district committee is yet to follow the line without judging the opinions of the party workers. []

GCDP to intensify movement

 

COOCH BEHAR, March 28: Demanding unconditional release of the fifty-six persons and withdrawal of all cases brought against them the activists of the Greater Cooch Behar Democratic Party (GCDP) may start a fast-unto-death programme in the last week of April in Cooch Behar.

 

The district administration is already thinking over the GCDP plan to combat any situation that is feared to turn into a rerun of the incident that was occurred on 20 September 2005.

 

It may be recalled that the situation turned violent three years ago on that day when a large number of supporters of The Greater Cooch Behar People's Association (GCPA) tried to enter into Cooch Behar town to sit for a fast-unto-death programme at the office premises of the district magistrate. In connection with that incident fifty-eight persons were arrested. Mr Bangshi Badan Barman and a few others had surrendered. Later, two of the undertrials died in custody.

 

Demanding release and withdrawal of cases the GCDP had organised a 12-hour token hunger strike at Shahid Baag in Cooch Behar on last Tuesday. As a precautionary measure a large contingent of police force was deployed in the town to maintain peace.

 

During the hunger strike the president of the GCDP Mr Ashutosh Barma had declared that they might start a fast-unto-death stir if the government fails to release the fifty-six 'Greater Cooch Behar' activists including Mr Bangshi Badan Barman within one month. He said they sent memorandums stating their demands to the President, the Prime Minister and the chairman of National Human Rights Commission.

 

Recalling the violence of 20 September 2005 that claimed lives of three policemen and two GCPA supporters, Mr Barma said the proponents of the Greater Cooch Behar were not responsible for that violence. A CBI probe may reveal the truth behind the incident, he claimed. He made it clear that the GCDP will intensify its movement to get the arrested fifty-six persons released after withdrawing all the charges brought against them. []

International U-15 cricket begins

 

COOCH BEHAR, March 27: The two-day International Cricket Match (U-15) between Bangladesh XI and Bengal XI started at Cooch Behar Stadium today. Cooch Behar District Sports Association organised the cricket match in association with Cricket Association of Bengal.

 

District magistrate of Cooch Behar Mr Rajesh Kumar Sinha inaugurated the match. Sabhadhipati of Cooch Behar Zilla Parishad Mr Jnanendra Chandra Chanda, Cooch Behar SP Mr Anil Kumar and ADM (D) Mr Pannalal Mahapatra were present at the inaugural ceremony.

 

Winning in toss Bengal XI started batting. They scored 234 runs by 73.1 overs. Mr Bijay Kumar Ghosh scored 63 runs and Mr Bishop Kaushik scored 54 runs. Md Asif Hassan of Bangladesh XI took 4 wickets and captain Md Ikkedar Nasif took 3 wickets.

 

Bangladesh XI got about one-and-half hours for batting after lunch. They scored 55 runs by 25 overs. Md Dildar Hossain scored 40 runs. Captain of Bengal XI Mr Avishek Raman and Mr Supriya Maldal took one wicket each.

 

Tomorrow, Bangladesh XI will have to score 180 runs by 81-over to defeat Bengal XI in this 180-over match. []

Trinamul allies observe law violation programme

 

COOCH BEHAR, March 27: Highlighting their twenty-one point charter of demands the Cooch Behar district units of Trinamul Congress, SUCI, PDS and Janabadi Forward Bloc observed a law violation programme in Cooch Behar today. Trinamul Congress sources claimed that ten thousand agitators were courted arrest during the programme. Taking a lesson from the violent law violation programme of Forward Bloc that was held at Dinhata on 5 February a large contingent of police force was deployed today at the office premises of the district magistrate.

 

Before the law violation the supporters of the four parties assembled at Station Morh in the town and marched to Amtala at Sagardighi Square. A street corner meeting was also held there. District Trinamul Congress president Mr Rabindra Nath Ghosh, vice-president Mr Niranjan Dutta, Mr Abdul Jalil Ahmed, district SUCI secretary Mr Sisir Sarkar and Mr Kajal Chakraborty addressed the agitators. Then the agitators proceeded towards the office of the district magistrate and were courted arrest for violating prohibitory orders.

 

District Trinamul Congress vice-president Mr Niranjan Dutta said they organised the programme to stage protest against price hike of essential commodities, regular power cuts, forceful acquisition of cultivable lands in the name of industrialisation and irregularities in the NREGA work. They also demanded the state to adopt a master plan to stop river erosion and floods in the district and inclusion of actual poor people in the BPL list. []

AIYL's blood collection camp

 

COOCH BEHAR, March 26: In memory of the five Forward Bloc supporters who were killed in police firing in Dinhata on 5 February the Cooch Behar district unit of All India Youth League (AIYL) organised a blood collection camp at its district office premises in Cooch Behar today. Eighty AIYL workers donated blood in the camp, said the general secretary of AIYL's Cooch Behar district unit Mr Gopal Dey. Such camps will be held till 31 March at different areas in the district, he said. []

 

International U-15 cricket

 

COOCH BEHAR, March 26: An International Cricket Match (U-15) will be held between Bangladesh XI and Bengal XI at Cooch Behar Stadium on Thursday and Friday. Cooch Behar District Sports Association will organise the cricket match under the auspicious of Cricket Association of Bengal. []

 

UGC sponsored state level seminar

 

COOCH BEHAR, March 26: An University Grants Commission sponsored two-day state level seminar on 'Folklore and folk culture in West Bengal adjoining the Himalayan belt' will be held at Cooch Behar College on Saturday and Sunday, according to the teacher-in-charge of Cooch Behar College Mr Bishnu Prasad Mukherjee. Sabhadhipati of Cooch Behar Zilla Parishad Mr Jnanendra Chandra Chanda will inaugurate the seminar. Dr Sukhabilas Barma will deliver the keynote address. An eminent linguist Dr Nirmal Das, state backward classes welfare minister Mr Jogesh Chandra Barman, Cooch Behar (North) MLA Mr Dipak Sarkar and Cooch Behar Municipality chairman Mr Biren Kundu will attend the programme as honourable guests. []

BJP to field candidates in all ZP and LS seats

 

COOCH BEHAR, March 20: The BJP will field candidates in all the forty-two Lok Sabha seats and 712 Zilla Parishad seats in this state. The general secretary of the BJP's state unit Mr Rahul Sinha announced this decision of the party at Cooch Behar today in presence of the party's Cooch Behar district unit president Mr Nityananda Munsi.

 

Mr Sinha also disclosed that a three-day training camp of BJP whole-timers would be held at Naxalbari in Siliguri from 1 April. About seven hundred whole-timers of the party from Bihar, Jharkhand, West Bengal, Assam, Nagaland, Manipur, Mizoram, Arunachal Pradesh and Meghalaya will attend the training camp. Central leaders of the party like Mr Ramlal Agarwal, Mr V Sathish, Mr Pyarelal Khandelwal, Mr Hridaynath Singh and Mr Prasanna Mishra will provide training to the whole-timers. The training camp will be held to strengthen the morale of the party workers prior to the three-tier Panchayat elections of West Bengal and the Lok Sabha election in the country, Mr Sinha said.

 

The BJP leader opined that the present rulers are engaged in dividing people communally in the name of reservation. The BJP supports reservation based on economic situation, not based on religious ground. The parties like CPI-M, Congress and Trinamul Congress consider Muslims as mere voters, not human beings. Mr Sinha came down heavily on the government for its abominable role in extending medical aid to Ms Taslima Nasreen.

 

Replying a question the BJP leader said there might be local alliances at lower level in the rural polls in the state but the party will contest in all the 712 Zilla Parishad seats. He demanded that rural polls should be conducted in a single day otherwise the CPI-M may take undue advantage from it. He also demanded deployment of paramilitary forces in all polling booths and same day counting of ballots.

 

Referring the situation of Darjeeling hills the state BJP general secretary made the CPI-M responsible for the disturbance and demanded releasing of a White Paper on the functioning of DGHC and the funds sanctioned and expensed during the regime of Mr Subash Ghisingh. []

NSS bid to maintain communal harmony

 

COOCH BEHAR, March 20: The ten-day special camp that was organised by the National Service Scheme unit of Cooch Behar College at Takagachh Rajarhat Gram Panchayat area has concluded today. The NSS volunteers of the college, both boys and girls participated in a number of developmental activities in the area as part of their social service programme.

 

The student-volunteers cleaned the paths and roadside bushes in the area and conducted socio-economic surveys of about two hundred families of the locality. In the free health check up camp organised by the NSS unit at Takagachh Government Primary School, a renowned child specialist Dr Binayak Roy examined about fifty students. The villagers praised the NSS volunteers for their enthusiastic efforts for repairing and dressing of the 'Checkbandh' on the bank of Mara-Torsa river. It may be of immense help to them during the ensuing monsoon, the villagers opined.

 

The NSS volunteers also set an example of communal harmony by taking part in the renovation activity of the Madan Mohan Temple premises at Sri-Rampur village and in cleaning of the Muslim burial ground at Kaminir-ghat village. Local people from both the communities welcomed the praiseworthy efforts of the students.

 

Prof Bishnupada Mukherjee, teacher-in-charge of Cooch Behar College assured the villagers that more such social service activities would be conducted in near future under the supervision of the NSS unit of Cooch Behar College. []

Trinamul allegation

 

COOCH BEHAR, March 19: As the rural polls coming closer the CPI-M is trying hard to suppress the Trinamul Congress in different areas of Cooch Behar district. They are planning newer methods to damage the morale of Trinamul Congress supporters. To thwart the CPI-M's ill-motivated designs the Trinamul Congress may have to adopt tit for tat policy, the vice-president of District Trinamul Congress, Mr Niranjan Dutta declared.

 

Mr Dutta alleged that on Tuesday night armed CPI-M supporters attacked Trinamul Congress supporters when they were returning to their residences after attending a party meeting at Baro-Balasi village in Jiranpur. Three Trinamul men were injured seriously and were admitted to MJN Hospital. On the previous night too, an armed gang of CPI-M supporters injured three Trinamul men at Ambari-Bhojanpur in Dawaguri. This incident occurred after the Trinamul Congress supporters lodged complaints to the Cooch Behar-I BDO over mismanagement of the NREGA work. They reportedly complained that bills were passed without verifying the work of bridge and road construction in that locality.

 

The Trinamul Congress leader, Mr Dutta demanded that the CPI-M men involved in the attack on their supporters should be arrested immediately. Otherwise they may have to take up tit for tat policy, he threatened. On the otherhand, district CPI-M sources winded up the allegations as baseless ones. []

AIDSO demand

 

COOCH BEHAR, March 13: Cooch Behar district unit of All India Democratic Students' Organisation (AIDSO) demanded installation of women police camps near the hostels of girls' schools and colleges for their security. They also demanded launching of Karate and other self-defence courses for the girl students. Submitting a memorandum containing seven-point charter of demands to the district magistrate of Cooch Behar today the AIDSO leaders also demanded winding up of liquor shops and gambling centres situated near the educational institutions. []

 

117-yr Dolmela

 

COOCH BEHAR, March 13: Tufanganj Municipality chairman Mr Subhas Chandra Bhawal will inaugurate the 117-th year Tufanganj Dolmela on 20 March. Secretary of Tufanganj Dolmela Committee Mr Mohanlal Dutta claimed that the fair organised on the occasion of Dol Yatra is the oldest one in Cooch Behar district. []

GCDP vigilant of Gorkhaland stir,hunger strike on 25 March, 72-hr bandh from 31 March

 

COOCH BEHAR, March 12: Following the ongoing developments in the Darjeeling hills the Greater Cooch Behar Democratic Party (GCDP) may hold talks with the proponents of the Gorkhaland over the boundary of the proposed Greater Cooch Behar state. As the agitators in the Darjeeling hills are demanding a separate Gorkhaland state including some areas in the plains, the proponents of Greater Cooch Behar state are feeling for bilateral talks because they already demarcated a portion of the area in the plains into their proposed state.

 

When asked about it, the president of GCDP Mr Ashutosh Barma said they are keeping a constant watch on the developments in the Darjeeling hills. Though no alarming situation arose yet a dialogue may take place in near future over the boundaries of the two proposed states, he said.

 

The GCDP president said, in support of their demand for withdrawal of all cases brought against fifty-six activists including Mr Bangshi Badan Barman and their unconditional release they will observe a 12-hour hunger strike in front of the office of the district magistrate in Cooch Behar on 25 March. The programme will start at 6 a.m. About one thousand party supporters are expected to participate in the hunger strike. They will seek necessary permission within a day or two from the authorities for observing the programme, Mr Barma said.

 

On the otherhand, the Greater Kamta United Forum (GKUF) will sponsor a 72-hour bandh in six districts north Bengal and eleven districts of Assam on and from 31 March to press for their demand to recognise their mother tongue and proper implementation of the merger agreement by which the erstwhile Cooch Behar State was included in the Union of India. Mr Barma, who is also the general secretary of the GKUF, declared that they would organise greater movements in near future to get their demands fulfilled. []

Avian flu alert in Cooch Behar

 

COOCH BEHAR, March 10: Following fresh outbreak of avian influenza in some areas in the state precautionary measures are being taken in Cooch Behar district. All the twelve blocks of the district were alerted to report any incident of unnatural death of chickens and other backyard birds. It may be recalled that three blocks bordering with Bangladesh had to suffer from massive outbreak of bird flu and after culling drive the blocks were declared cleaned.

 

As a precautionary measure the vehicles coming from Bangladesh through the International Check Post at Changrabandha in Mekhliganj sub-division are being sprayed to disinfect those. As it was believed that the source of avian influenza virus (H5N1) is on the other side of the border the district administration is in no mood to take any chance. A senior official said H5N1 virus might come any time from Bangladesh like the virus of conjunctivitis popularly known as Joy Bangla. It is better to get ready to meet the situation because there is no mechanism to stop spreading of the virus from over the porous border, he opined.

 

On the otherhand, the deputy director of animal resources development department, Dr Tapan Kumar Roy said people should not be panicked because no fresh incident of death of any chicken or duck was reported so far from any block. He claimed that ARD personnel are conducting surveillance in all block areas in the district. Soon after hearing of the cases of Murshidabad instructions were issued to report immediately any incident of death of birds. Dr Roy said the instruction issued to keep the Indo-Bangladesh border sealed is still valid. []

AIYL demonstration

 

COOCH BEHAR, March 9: Supporters of the Cooch Behar district unit of All India Youth League (AIYL) took out a slogan shouting rally in Cooch Behar town today. They were demanding unconditional withdrawal of all cases brought against fifty-seven Forward Bloc activists in connection with the violence that occurred in Dinhata on 5 February.

 

The AIYL supporters also demonstrated at the Cooch Behar Kotowali police station. Such programmes were held at Mathabhanga, Sitalkuchi, Ghoksadanga, Tufanganj, Haldibari, Mekhliganj, Sitai and Baxirhat police stations too, claimed the general secretary of Cooch Behar district unit of the AIYL Mr Gopal Dey.

 

Mr Dey demanded that the state government should ensure an end to the indiscriminate police firing and atrocities to stop democratic movements. The police personnel involved in the gunning down of five Forward Bloc activists on 5 February should be punished, he demanded. He also demanded making of an environment to build up co-operation between police and public and the police should come up with the initiative to do this. []

Banking habit

 

COOCH BEHAR, March 9: Aiming to grow banking habits among the students a programme was organised jointly by Cooch Behar College and Allahabad Bank on Friday. Bank accounts of 250 students were opened on the occasion. Chief manager of the bank Mr NG Biswas, manager Mr Manoj Silsharma, Dr Pankaj Kumar Debnath and Prof Avijit Roy were present on the occasion. Teacher-in-charge of Cooch Behar College Mr Bishnu Prasad Mukherjee presided over the programme. []

 

Social service

 

COOCH BEHAR, March 9: Bela Guha Dustha Mahila O Shishu Kalyan Samity, a social welfare trust established by late Forward Bloc leader Kamal Guha in memory of his late wife, has started health check up drive at primary schools in Cooch Behar district. The president of the BGDMSKS Dr Bidyut Kamal Saha said they already started organising health check up camps at primary schools on Saturdays. They also distribute medicines among the needy students. If necessary they will arrange medical treatment to the ailing students free of cost on behalf of the trust, Dr Saha said. []

NBSTC : all-party meet demanded

 

COOCH BEHAR, March 6: In an aim to restore normalcy in functioning of the North Bengal State Transport Corporation (NBSTC) the Trinamul Congress demanded convening of an all-party meeting to discuss over the issue to find a way out.

 

Today, a team of senior leaders of the Cooch Behar district unit of the Trinamul Congress including Mr Rabindra Nath Ghosh (president), Mr Niranjan Dutta (vice-president) and Mr Santosh Mukherjee met the chairman of the NBSTC, Mr Supriya Kar at Paribahan Bhavan in Cooch Behar. They urged the chairman to call an all-party meeting as early as possible to discuss and identify the actual problems the NBSTC suffering from and also to find way outs. As the NBSTC is the one and only transport industry run by the state government in north Bengal it should be set on the right track for the greater interest of the people, they argued.

 

District Trinamul Congress vice-president Mr Niranjan Dutta said they requested the chairman to take initiatives to allot the lands of the NBSTC situated at different depots among the retired 428 NBSTC personnel instead of handing over the lands to the private sector. In these lands the retired persons may start their own small businesses to support their families, they opined.

 

Mr Dutta said they made it clear to the chairman that the NBSTC authority should clear the suspicion among the people in this region over the selling out of the land of the NBSTC's Ultadanga depot against lesser price than the market rate.

 

The Trinamul Congress leaders also requested the chairman to make the transfer policy transparent so that no certain political party can get undue advantage. Launching of long distance bus services in newer routes and appointment in the vacant posts of cleaners also demanded.

 

The NBSTC chairman, Mr Kar heard their points patiently and assured of taking appropriate measures after considering the proposals carefully, Mr Dutta said. []

Best NSS performer awarded

 

COOCH BEHAR, March 4: Prof Arunabha Basumajumdar, vice-chancellor of North Bengal University handed over the 'Best Programme Officer of National Service Scheme for the year 2006-2007' award to Prof Kishore Kumar Chatterjee of Tufanganj College at a programme held at the university campus yesterday.

 

Prof Chatterjee was conferred with the award for his untiring and outstanding performance at grass root level for the last thirteen years of NSS services at Tufanganj College. He is the programme officer of NSS (Unit-I) of the college.

 

Prof Chatterjee was awarded with a trophy and a certificate of merit by the vice-chancellor. Prior to the felicitation programme Mr Joy Sarkar, a senior NSS volunteer of Tufanganj College greeted Prof Basumajumdar on behalf of the college with a flower bouquet. []

 

PHOTO : NBU vice-chancellor Prof Arunabha Basumajumdar hands over the Best NSS Programme Officer trophy to Prof Kishore Kumar Chatterjee of Tufanganj College.

Trinamul to fight alone

 

COOCH BEHAR, March 3: Trinamul Congress will fight alone in the ensuing three-tier panchayat elections in Cooch Behar district. They made this decision public in a convention of party workers at the Community Hall in Tufanganj today and asked party workers to get ready for the polls. President of the party's district unit, Mr Rabindra Nath Ghosh inaugurated the convention.

 

In presence of leaders like Bardhaman MLA Mr Swapan Debnath, Dinhata MLA Mr Ashok Mandal, vice-president of the party's district unit Mr Niranjan Dutta and Mr Hiranmay Chatterjee it was declared that Trinamul Congress will go alone in the rural polls in Cooch Behar district. About two thousand activists and supporters attended the convention.

 

The vice-president of the party's district unit Mr Niranjan Dutta said forty CPI-M supporters under leadership of Md Jaharuddin Byapari and Md Naimuddin Byapari joined Trinamul Congress during the convention. Six SUCI supporters too expressed their allegiance to the Trinamul Congress on the occasion, he added.

 

In today's convention, decisions were adopted to organise movements demanding construction of the river embankments for which foundations were laid earlier. The Trinamul Congress will also organise movements demanding measures to stop erosion of rivers to protect lives and properties of villagers, extension of irrigation facilities, power and drinking water to all dwellings and to stop corrupt practices in the public distribution system. []

A rally of dancers and artistes on the occasion of Folk Culture Festival at Chilakhana in Cooch Behar of West Bengal on Sunday.

Folk festival

 

COOCH BEHAR, March 2: Cooch Behar district folk culture festival was held at Chilakhana in Tufanganj today. State backward classes welfare minister Mr Jogesh Chandra Barman inaugurated the colourful festival. State forest minister Mr Ananta Roy and Cooch Behar Zilla Parishad sabhadhipati Mr Jnanendra Chandra Chanda were also present. Beside different folk cultural programme a seminar was also held on the problems of folk artistes and development of folk culture, according to the district information and culture officer Mr Tapan Sarkar. []

 

Conference

 

COOCH BEHAR, March 2: The twenty-first annual conference of the Cooch Behar district unit of the West Bengal Teachers' Association (WBTA) was held at Cooch Behar Uchcha Balika Vidyalaya premises today. After the delegate session an open session was also held. Several resolutions were adopted at the conference to protect the rights of the teachers and also to improve the educational scenario according to Mr Sisir Sarkar, the Cooch Behar district unit general secretary of the WBTA. []

 

Central Instrumentation Centre inaugurated

 

COOCH BEHAR, March 2: Inauguration ceremony of Central Instrumentation Centre, Acharya Brajendra Nath Seal College, was held on Saturday. Dr BG Unni (Scientist-F of Council for Scientific and Industrial Research), North East Institute of Science and Technology, inaugurated the centre. Dr R Chakraborty, director, Central Muga Research and Training Institute (CMRTI), Central Silk Board and Mr PK Das, scientist, CSB were present in the inaugural ceremony.

 

In his inaugural address Dr Unni said that this centre is a state level centre of West Bengal. He hoped that it would turn into a National level centre within a few years. He suggested that the researchers should have the objective to serve the society directly through their research activities. An overwhelmed Dr R Chakraborty too expressed his optimistic thoughts regarding the future of the centre especially in the field of Muga research.

 

ABN College sources said that the newly launched centre would promote quality research in Molecular Biology and Biochemistry as well as in Microscopy. It will extend facility to continue research on malaria, cancer and genetic disorders. Changes in genetic sequences can be monitored with higher sensitivity. Any infection of microorganism or hormonal fluctuation can be monitored with higher specificity. Muga Research Laboratory of ABN Seal College, the only centre of Muga research in West Bengal will get specific instruments for research on the disease related problems.

 

Mr Saugata Ghosh, lecturer of postgraduate department of Zoology will act as the centre in-charge of the new facility. For any support service one may contact with Dr Nilay Roy, head of the department, postgraduate department of Zoology, ABN Seal College. []