TRINAMUL CONGRESS

Roadblock by potato growers

 

COOCH BEHAR, Aug. 12: A large number of potato growers led by District Trinamul Congress staged an one-hour roadblock at the Check Post of Kholta-Marichbari in Cooch Behar-II block along Cooch Behar-Alipurduar road on Tuesday noon. Vehicular traffic movement was disrupted for the agitation.

 

The potato growers who suffered a huge loss this season threw about 100-quintal potato on the road during their agitation.

 

District Trinamul Congress president Mr Rabindra Nath Ghosh, vice-president Mr Niranjan Dutta, Mr Arjun Das and Biswajit Ghosh were among the leaders who spoke at the gathering. The speakers demanded waiving of bank loans taken by the potato growers and waiving of cold storage charges. They also demanded the government to distribute fertilizers free of cost to the cultivators and strict measures to curb black-marketing of fertilizers.

 

Mr Niranjan Dutta said that the 41 cold storages in north Bengal have earned profits to the tune of Rs 300-crore in the past five years. The government should use that money to extend compensation to the affected potato growers, he opined. []

 

'Rail route should not affect industrial units'

 

COOCH BEHAR, Aug. 12: Submitting a memorandum to the district magistrate, the Trinamul Congress demanded change of alignment of the proposed New Maynaguri-Jogighopa railway project as it may affect seven industrial units in Chakchaka Industrial Growth Centre.

 

In the memorandum it was mentioned that the authorities changed the previous plan and according to the new plan the railway route will go through the CIGC complex. It may also increase the length of the route. "We want the implementation of the railway project but that should not affect the operational units", a Trinamul leader explained.

 

District Trinamul Congress president Mr Rabindra Nath Ghosh, vice-president Mr Niranjan Dutta, state Trinamul secretary Md Abdul Jalil Ahmed, district Trinamul Youth Congress president Kumar Rajib Narayan and district Trinamul Mahila Congress chairperson Ms Kalyani Poddar were present during the submission of the memorandum. A large contingent of police was also deployed to maintain peace. []