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.

GREATER COOCHBEHAR

SSDC leaders to meet Divisional Commissioner

Mr AK Singh, Divisional Commissioner, Jalpaiguri Division, has agreed to meet a delegation of the Separate State Demand Committee on 2 January at Jalpaiguri. It is expected that the dialogue may break the stalemate that started on 12 December following an indefinite hunger strike programme.

Sub-divisional Officer of Dinhata Mr Chiranjib Ghosh told the PTI that the Divisional Commissioner has agreed to meet a delegation of the SSDC and accordingly it has been conveyed to the leaders on Thursday morning.

President of Greater Cooch Behar Democratic Party (a major constituent organisation of the SSDC), Mr Ashutosh Barma told the PTI that they would send a group of senior leaders to meet the Divisional Commissioner on 2 January. "We will request 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. If we feel satisfied with the dialogue with the DC we may lift the indefinite hunger strike that started on 12 December."

Mentionworthy, ten SSDC activists are on an indefinite hunger strike at Prantik Bazar of Dinhata since 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.

The Special Inspector General of Police, North Bengal, Mr DT Lepcha, who is now on leave, said, the lifting of the hunger strike was needed for maintaining peace and tranquillity in the region. 

PANCHAYAT MELA

Panchayat Mela in Cooch Behar

Aiming to highlight the progress and achievements in different developmental schemes run by the Panchayat system, a two-day Panchayat Mela (Panchayat and Rural Development Fair) will be held at Bhetaguri in Cooch Behar on 2-3 January.

Sate forest minister Mr Ananta Roy will inaugurate the fair. Backward classes welfare minister Mr Jogesh Barman, Cooch Behar MP (Rajya Sabha) Mr Tarini Roy, Cooch Behar MP (Lok Sabha) Mr Nripendra Nath Roy and seven MLAs will attend the inaugural ceremony.

Sabhadhipati of Cooch Behar Zilla Parishad, Mr Dilip Biswas said the Panchayat Samitis would post stalls in the fair. 29 Gram Panchayats of the district that earned Nirmal Gram Awards (total sanitised village) are to be felicitated at the fair. The Self Help Groups (SHG) under all the twelve Panchayat Samitis of the district will also be awarded for their extraordinary activities and initiatives. Elected persons associated with the Panchayat system for more than 25 years (including the CZP Sabhadhipati himself) will also be felicitated.

Cultural programmes highlighting regional folk song, dance and drama will be added attractions in the two-day fair. An eminent and veteran folk performer, Ms Foolti Barman, who is popularly known as Foolti Gidali, will be felicitated in the fair, the Sabhadhipati said.

The CZP Sabhadhipati claimed that all the MLAs of the district agreed to attend the Panchayat Mela. Replying a question he said that the Trinamul Congress MLA of Dinhata Mr Ashok Mandal and the Congress MLA of Sitai Dr Md Fozle Haque too agreed to attend the fair. He said he had no knowledge that the Trinamul Congress would boycott the fair terming it a propaganda-festival of the CPI-M.

GREATER COOCHBEHAR

GCDP women stir for separate state

The activists of the Cooch Behar Naree Mancha, the women wing of the Greater Cooch Behar Democratic Party (GCDP), organised a sit-in demonstration at Shahid Baag in Cooch Behar on Thursday. Later, they submitted a memorandum to the District Magistrate of Cooch Behar.

Ms Sikta Barman, the secretary of Cooch Behar Naree Mancha said they organised the agitational programme demanding formation of a separate state – Greater Cooch Behar or Kamtapur. 10 persons of the GCDP are on indefinite hunger strike at Prantik Bazar of Dinhata since 12 December but the state administration is yet to take any initiative to reach for an amicable solution, she alleged. She also demanded a tripartite meeting to consider the demand for a separate state comprising of 6 North Bengal districts of West Bengal and 15 districts of Assam.

GCDP president Mr Ashutosh Barma said on 29 December they would organise a 'gherao' demonstration at the Divisional Commissioner's office at Jalpaiguri. "We are going to start fast-unto-death programme at all the twelve blocks of Cooch Behar district if the government stays inactive over the issue for a long," the GCDP leader threatened.

PUNISHMENT

Wife's suicide : Court punishes husband

Additional District and Sessions Judge, First Track Third Court, Cooch Behar, Mr Sribas Chandra Das sentenced a man to ten years of rigorous imprisonment following suicide of his wife.

Mr Shibendra Nath Roy, the lawyer on the government side, said one Upen Roy of Baikunthapur under Kotowali police station married Saraswati Das of Pestarjhar about eight years ago. The housewife was suffering from atrocities at her in-law's house since her marriage as she failed to bring a huge sum of money from her father's house. Till her death, her husband, Upen Roy regularly tortured her demanding her to bring Rs 50,000 from her father's house.

On 18 April 2008 Saraswati committed suicide by hanging herself. She left a suicide note written on her palm alleging her husband for the death.

On the next day an FIR was lodged at Kotowali police station against her husband, her father-in-law, her mother-in-law and a neighbour. During the legal procedure 13 witnesses were cross-examined in the court. Considering all aspects the judge convicted the husband, Upen Roy, for the death of his wife. He had been convicted under Section 498A and 306 IPC.

Today, the Additional District and Sessions Judge, First Track Third Court, Cooch Behar, Mr Sribas Chandra Das sentenced the convicted husband ten years of rigorous imprisonment under Section 306 IPC and slapped a fine of Rs 2,000 on him in default he will have to suffer an additional four months of imprisonment. The judge also ordered three years of rigorous imprisonment and a fine of Rs 1,000 under Section 498 IPC. Both the punishments would run concurrently.

KAMTAPUR DEMAND

Kamtapur : Hunger strike at all blocks in Cooch Behar

Demanding formation of a new state – Kamtapur or Greater Cooch Behar – the supporters of the Separate State Demand Committee (SSDC) observed a daylong hunger strike at all the twelve blocks in Cooch Behar district on Tuesday. They also demanded the government to initiate tripartite talks over the issue.

President of Greater Cooch Behar Democratic Party (a constituent organisation of the SSDC, Mr Ashutosh Barma said they observed today's hunger strike as the district administration failed to take any initiative for the proposed tripartite talks. On the otherhand, ten of their activists are on indefinite hunger strike at Prantik Bazar of Dinhata since 12 December. On 24 December the women supporters of the GCDP will stage demonstration at the District Magistrate's office in Cooch Behar.  And, on 29 December they are going to organise a demonstration at the Divisional Commissioner's office at Jalpaiguri. "We may start fast-unto-death programme at all the twelve blocks of Cooch Behar district if the government stays inactive over the issue for a long," the GCDP leader threatened.

GREATER COOCHBEHAR

Kamtapur state demand : Hunger strike on 10-th day

The indefinite hunger strike demanding formation of a separate state stepped into its tenth day on Monday. Supporters of the three of the nine constituent organisations of the Separate State Demand Committee (SSDC) – Greater Cooch Behar Democratic Party (GCDP), The Greater Cooch Behar People's Association (GCPA) and Kamtapur People's Party (KPP) have organised the hunger strike that started on 12 December. They are demanding formation of a separate state – Kamtapur or Greater Cooch Behar - consisting 15 districts of Assam and six North Bengal districts of West Bengal.

GCDP president Mr Ashutosh Barma told the PTI on Monday evening that initially 13 persons started the indefinite hunger strike at Prantik Bazar of Dinhata. Ten persons (including one at hospital) are still continuing the hunger. Among the ten, eight are of GCDP and two are of KPP.

Mr Barma alleged that the state government or the district administration still to take any initiative to consider their demand. As a mark of protest they will organise daylong hunger strike at all the 12 blocks in Cooch Behar district on Tuesday. A similar programme will be held at Raiganj too. On 29 December they are going to organise a demonstration at the Divisional Commissioner's office at Jalpaiguri.

The GCDP leader said the District Magistrate of Cooch Behar talked with them on 17 December where they demanded holding of tripartite meeting to discuss their separate state demand. Requesting them to lift the hunger strike the DM told them that she would convey the matter to the home secretary. Seeing no development they are continuing the indefinite hunger strike, he said.

When contacted, the Additional District Magistrate of Cooch Behar, Mr Pannalal Mahapatra said the sub-divisional officer of Dinhata already talked with the agitators. It was also conveyed to the higher authorities. The Chief Secretary and the Home Secretary are now at Siliguri where leaders of the KPP have drawn their attention to the matter. On Tuesday a development may occur to melt down the stalemate, he said.