Bharatiya Janata Party

New BJP president of Cooch Behar

Mr Hem Chandra Barman became the BJP's new Cooch Behar district unit president. On behalf of the party's State Returning Officer, Mr Biswapriya Chaudhury declared Mr Barman's name as the new president. Mr Barman is going to lead the district unit for the 2009-2012 term.

Cheerful BJP activists and leaders welcomed the news when Mr Chaudhury announced Mr Barman's name at the Sukanta Mancha in Cooch Behar on Sunday afternoon.

Mr Chaudhury said Cooch Behar is the party's third largest unit in the state considering the strength of primary and active membership.

Cooch Behar unit has 4279 primary members and 316 active members. Alipurduar unit has about 1600 primary members and 217 active members.

Senior leaders like Mr Indra Mohan Rava and Mr Nikhil Ranjan Dey too spoke on the occasion. 

CONFERENCE

State conference of forest staff begins

In presence of about 550 delegates from 17 districts, the 54-th state conference of West Bengal Sub-ordinate Forest Service Association (WBSFSA) started at Rabindra Bhavan in Cooch Behar on Friday. Mr Jyoti Prasad Basu, central secretariat member of State Co-ordination Committee, inaugurated the three-day conference. Mr Dilip Biswas, sabhadhipati of Cooch Behar Zilla Parishad, delivered the welcome address.

WBSFSA sources said several resolutions would be adopted in the conference during the three-day delegate session. Price hike of essential commodities, extension of the Public Distribution System, filling up of vacant posts, downsizing and outsourcing and privatisation of pension system are some of the hot issues that are to be discussed in the conference.

MARKET

New market complex inaugurated

On Friday, state forest minister Mr Ananta Roy inaugurated a new and modern two-storied market complex built by the Cooch Behar Zilla Parishad at Lichutola in Cooch Behar town. The CZP spent Rs 62-lakh to build up the project.

Mr Ananta Roy claimed that in 2005, when he was the sabhadhipati of the CZP the work of the project was initiated. The aim of the project was to ensure economic self-reliance for the unemployed youths, he said.

District Magistrate of Cooch Behar Ms Smaraki Mahapatra said there were 40 stalls in the newly constructed building. Construction of another floor is under consideration, she said.

Congress MLA (Sitai) Dr Fozle Haque suggested that the CZP may build a low-cost dormitory on the proposed second floor for the interest of the patients and their near ones as the district hospital (MJN Hospital) was on the opposite side of the market complex.

Cooch Behar MP (Rajya Sabha) Mr Tarini Roy, CZP sabhadhipati Mr Dilip Biswas and other dignitaries also spoke on the occasion.

GREATER COOCHBEHAR

SSDC leaders meet DC, lift hunger strike

Satisfied with today's dialogue held between them and the Divisional Commissioner of Jalpaiguri Division, Mr AK Singh, the SSDC (Separate State Demand Committee) decided to lift their fast-unto-death programme that started on 12 December at Prantik Bazar of Dinhata in Cooch Behar.

President of Greater Cooch Behar Democratic Party (a major constituent organisation of the SSDC), Mr Ashutosh Barma told the PTI that the dialogue was held in an amicable mood at Jalpaiguri today. "We have requested the Divisional Commissioner to take an initiative for holding of tripartite talks over our long standing demand of formation of a separate state – Kamtapur or Greater Cooch Behar. The DC heard our demands patiently and agreed to arrange a secretary-level meeting between us and highly placed officials of the state government within seven days", Mr Barma said. "Satisfied with his assurance we have decided to lift the hunger strike", the GCDP leader said.

The GCDP president also said that they would decide their further programme very soon.

Mentionworthy, ten SSDC activists started a fast-unto-death programme at Prantik Bazar of Dinhata on 12 December demanding tripartite talks over formation of a separate state comprising of six North Bengal districts of West Bengal and 15 districts of Assam.