TOURISM IN COOCH BEHAR

Hiten Barman's bid to improve tourism infrastructure

The new forest minister Mr Hiten Barman is eager to improve the infrastructure of tourism sector in Cooch Behar district. He already took initiatives to better the tourism industry in Cooch Behar as well as in North Bengal.

After his recent meeting with senior forest officials of the state including that of North Bengal districts at Cooch Behar Mr Barman announced that during the celebration of forest week this year the state forest department would distribute two-crore saplings in the districts including one-lakh in Kolkata to make the environment green.

The minister also announced that they would build up five new forest bungalows and the existing ones situated at different areas would be renovated and modernised. Tourists from different areas of the country and abroad come to stay at these forest bungalows but the infrastructure needs to be improved to provide them comfortable experiences. Learning the inadequacy of facilities at the forest bungalows the minister has decided to better the condition of those bungalows. Booking counters would be set up at different districts to help the local and foreign tourists for booking the bungalows smoothly.

Mr Barman told reporters that a tourism centre would be build up on a 104-acre land at Salbari under his Assembly constituency (Sitalkuchi) at the vicinity of the historic Garh (mound) of king Kanteswar. At the same time the tourism infrastructure would be developed surrounding the historic capital of Kamtapur at Gosanimari in Dinhata and the eco-tourism centre at Tekunia in Mathabhanga. 

RIVER EROSION

Initiative to address river erosion menace

River erosion is one of the major problems the residents of Cooch Behar district suffer from. Though it is a round the year phenomenon the problem turns worse during the monsoon months. There was a widespread demand to address the problem by adopting permanent measures but the concerned authorities never took proper initiative to meet the menace. The issue comes up only after any damage of any embankment during the monsoon. The concerned authorities then engage agencies to repair the damaged embankments. The agencies too do it with sandbags by collecting sands from the riverbeds and submit inflated bills. Several political parties have raised demands to stop the malpractice but to no avail. This time the new state government may take needed measures to curb river erosion to save the residents and their properties and also to take steps to stop the illegal practice, believe locals.

The president of Cooch Behar district unit of the Trinamul Congress and also the newly elected MLA from Natabari Assembly segment, Mr Rabindra Nath Ghosh said the river erosion problem turned worse in the district. Many farmers and villagers have lost their farmlands due to the erosion of rivers. The rivers have gobbled up their cultivable lands and homesteads and turned them homeless and penniless. The Left Front government did nothing to save them. This time, after taking charge of the government Miss Mamata Banerjee announced allotment of Rs 200-crore for Uttar Banga Unnayan Parshad. "We shall try our best to address the river erosion problem with that fund. We hope Cooch Behar district may get about Rs 30-crore to Rs 40-crore from that fund", he said.

Two other Trinamul Congress leaders of the district - state forest minister Mr Hiten Barman and the Mathabhanga MLA Mr Binay Krishna Barman already expressed their desire to take initiatives to control the river erosion problem in the district. 

DEMAND OF SITAI

Demand for a fire service station at Sitai

Dinhata Nagarik Unnayan Mancha and several other organisations came forward to save Sitai in Dinhata sub-division from the raze of fire. They are going to start a movement demanding setting up of a fire service station at Sitai. The newly elected Congress MLA from Sitai, Mr Kesab Ray too expressed his willingness to take initiative to save the residents and their properties during any incident of inferno.

There exists no fire service station at Sitai. The country earned its Independence 64 years ago. The state was also under the Left Front rule for 34 years. But, the fate of Sitai remains uncertain till now. The locals are now planning to convey their demand for a fire service station to the new fire service affairs minister.

It may be mentioned here that during any incident of fire the locals have to depend on fire-engines brought from far away Mathabhanga town. Though the area is under Dinhata sub-division it is impossible to bring fire extinguishers from Dinhata town, as there is no road bridge over Singimari river to connect Dinhata town with Sitai. The locals became habituated to hear lame promises prior to any election from the leaders of various political parties. And now, they want to try another time by sending appeals to the new state government and its concerned minister. Dinhata Unnayan Nagarik Mancha also came forward to highlight the justified demand of the residents of Sitai.

On the otherhand, the newly elected Congress MLA from Sitai, Mr Keshab Ray admitted that the demand to set up a fire service station at Sitai is a longstanding one. He assured that he would try his best to convince the departmental minister Mr Javed Ahmed Khan. 

NEW UNIVERSITY IN COOCH BEHAR

Hiten Barman to take initiative for new university

Defeating a CPI-M candidate Mr Biswanath Pramanik at Sitalkuchi in Mathabhanga sub-division, a Trinamul Congress candidate Mr Hiten Barman has been elected and became the new forest minister. The earlier forest minister Mr Ananta Ray (CPI-M) was also won from Mathabhanga but he was not a resident of Mathabhanga. Before Mr Ray, a local resident Mr Dinesh Dakua (CPI-M) was also elected from Mathabhanga and during his two-time tenure he was the minister of backward classes welfare and then of tourism. After Mr Ray, once again Mathabhanga got another local minister.

Mr Barman is among the proponents who are eager to establish a university named after the legendary social reformer of this region, Thakur Panchanan Barma at Khalisamari. Khalisamari is the birthplace of Panchanan Barma. A popular movement is going on for the past years to set up a university at Khalisamari in the name of Panchanan Barma. Mr Barman said he would talk with the higher education minister Mr Bratya Basu over the matter. A confident Mr Barman hopes primary work for setting up of the proposed university would start soon.

Mr Barman was the Cooch Behar MP (Lok Sabha) from 2004 to 2009. He was elected as a Forward Bloc candidate. He had to leave that party following disputes over his candidature in 2009. As the FB leadership had denied to nominate him for the second time as a candidate in the Lok Sabha election he left that party and later joined the Trinamul Congress.

On his first day as the forest minister he met senior officials and took decision to handover land-deeds to the residents of hilly areas and forest-villages. He will also work jointly with the ministers of other departments to translate the Trinamul supremo's plan to make North Bengal a Switzerland.

As he did as an MP Mr Barman will take fresh initiatives to revive the abandoned air service between Cooch Behar and Kolkata through Cooch Behar Airport in the interest of developing the tourism and industry sectors.

Mr Barman is the sole minister from Cooch Behar district. He knows that one of the major problems of Cooch Behar district is river erosion. Problems related to lack of adequate irrigation facility and bordering areas are also there. He made it known to the reporters that he will do the needful. He also wants to improve the tourism facilities in the district by adding a few eco-tourism centres. 

GREATER COOCH BEHAR

'Greater' prisoners hope for release in new era

After swearing in of Trinamul Congress chief Miss Mamata Banerjee the hope for release of political prisoners has been brightened.

In Cooch Behar there are forty-five under-trial prisoners who were associated with the movement for a separate state named 'Greater Cooch Behar'. The 'Greater' prisoners are now expecting of come out from behind the bars.

It was learnt that the new chief minister has decided to constitute a ten-member committee to consider the release of political prisoners. The committee is to inquire at different correctional homes in the state about the condition of the prisoners having connection with political movement. After circulation of the news in Cooch Behar The Greater Cooch Behar People's Association (GCPA), the Greater Cooch Behar Democratic Party (GCDP) and others turned happy expecting release of their men.

President of the GCDP, Mr Ashutosh Barma said he heard the decision of the new state government from the media. "The police arrested our innocent men with false charges. They are now suffering as political prisoners. Also, we had to suffer largely during the regime of the Left Front. Now we expect that the situation may turn better under the state government led by chief minister Miss Mamata Banerjee", he said.

GCPA leaders' too welcomed the new state government's initiative to set free the political prisoners suffering at different correctional homes in the state.

It may be mentioned here that during the GCPA's fast-unto-death programme five persons were killed on 20 September in 2005. Among the killed there was an additional superintendent of police, two policemen and two GCPA supporters. After that incident several cases were brought against the arrested and surrendered 'Greater' men including that organisation's the then supremo, Mr Bangshi Badan Barman. 

MAKING OF A MINISTER

Wind of change makes ex-FB MP a minister

Former Forward Bloc MP (Lok Sabha) Mr Hiten Barman staged his comeback by riding the 'wind of change'. He not only became a MLA but has been included in the new state cabinet of Congress-Trinamul Congress alliance under the new chief minister Miss Mamata Banerjee. A large section of Trinamul leaders and supporters from Cooch Behar district conveyed greetings to him after the swearing in ceremony on Friday. Vice-president of the party's district unit and also the district unit president of Trinamul Congress Shiksha Cell, Mr Niranjan Dutta hoped that Mr Barman may be able to cater the needed development to the still neglected district.

Mr Hiten Barman was the president of the district Forward Bloc. He was elected to the Lok Sabha in 2004 election as a FB candidate. But, in 2009 his party denied to make him a candidate again and then the aggrieved leader left the party. Later, he joined the Trinamul Congress and became a vice-president of the party. He is also the North Bengal unit convener of the SC/ST Cell of the Trinamul Congress.

Mr Barman entered politics when he was a student at Ananda Chandra College in Jalpaiguri in 1972. He was an active member of the Students' Bloc. Later he joined the Forward Bloc. Son of a peasant family Mr Barman became the saha-sabhapati of Mathabhanga Panchayat Samiti in the three-tier panchayat election in 1978. In 1996 Lok Sabha election, he contested as a candidate of the Socialist Forward Bloc led by late Kamal Guha.  That time he was defeated but he was elected in the Lok Sabha election in 2004 as a candidate of the Forward Bloc. 

Cooch Behar Traders' appeal to Mamata

Cooch Behar District Merchants Chamber of Commerce greeted Miss Mamata Banerjee for her success. In a letter conveyed to her on Friday the secretary of the CBDMCC Mr Rajendra Baid hoped that a neglected district like Cooch Behar may go ahead along the path of development under her able leadership.

In his letter Mr Baid wrote that Cooch Behar Airport has been dormant since 1995. He asked the new chief minister to intervene to revive the air service through the airport. He also requested her to consider setting up a medical college and an engineering college in Cooch Behar. Steps to generate employment are also needed as many people go out to outer provinces to seek jobs, he added. 

NEGLECTED SKY !

Women were neglected in the election

There were sixty-two candidates in nine segments in the recently concluded state Assembly election in Cooch Behar district. Among them only four were women and none of them was able to come out as winner.

No major political party placed women in their list of candidates. And it is also true that no social organisation raised any question over the matter. They failed to ask the leaders of the major political parties why they did not give any chance to any woman to contest the election. Noteworthy, among the major political parties there are the CPI-M, the Forward Bloc, the Congress and the Trinamul Congress. Left or right – their role is similar over avoidance of women.

The organisational strength of the BJP is not so strong in Cooch Behar district. They however placed two women in their list of candidates. They are Ms Malati Rava (Cooch Behar Uttar) and Ms Gayatri Kar (Cooch Behar Dakshin). The SUCI nominated only one woman as their candidate. She is Ms Pramila Ray (Mekhliganj). The Bharat Bangladesh Enclave Exchange Coordination Committee nominated a housewife of an enclave as their sole candidate at Dinhata. She is Moimana Bibi.

After the election questions are coming from several quarters why the women were left neglected during the poll process in Cooch Behar district. Is it true that the leaders of the political parties believe that the women are unable to contest the election? The leaders of the concerned parties are to answer it why they still neglect the women after so many years of Independence.

SMUGGLING OF FOREST TIMBER

Smuggling of forest timber through passenger train

Regular trafficking of forest timber especially form Dooars through the Alipurduar-Bamanhat passenger train is a cause of concern to the forest lovers and peace-loving passengers. Several organisations came out and raised their voice against the practice.

Some passengers alleged that a gang of miscreants uploads huge volume of timber in the train compartments and the toilets causing problems to the passengers. If opposed the miscreants threat them with dire consequences. The Alipurduar-Bamanhat passenger train is now nothing but a train of timber smugglers, they said. The miscreants download the illegally brought timber at railway stations like Cooch Behar and Dinhata. From the station those timber carried out to different places by handcarts.

A number of passengers alleged that the illegal practice is going on with active support of a section of railway security personnel and dishonest forest staff. The passengers demanded immediate action to curb the illegal practice in the interest of better passenger amenities. Dinhata Mahakuma Byabasayee Samiti, Dinhata Nagarik Unnayan Manch and other organisations are planning a movement to stop the menace.

On the otherhand, a senior official of the forest department at Cooch Behar claimed that they conduct regular raids to stop the timber smuggling through the trains. Their effort will continue in future too, he assured. A senior official of the Alipurduar division of the NF Railway said at Alipurduar that they received no specific complaint over smuggling of timber through the Alipurduar-Bamanhat passenger train. Steps would be taken after receiving of complaints, he said.

CHANGED SITUATION

Controversy over chairmanship of DPSC

The Trinamul Congress may create trouble at District Primary School Council in Cooch Behar over appointment of its new chairman. The Trinamul Congress Shiksha Cell already made it known that they will oppose appointment of any person nominated by the outgoing Left Front government's education department in the post of chairman.

President of the district unit of the Trinamul Congress Shiksha Cell Mr Niranjan Dutta said the chairman of the DPSC is a nominated post. The ruling party nominates the person. In the case of Cooch Behar DPSC the CPI-M replaced the chairman with another man of their choice. "The appointment is a political one and we will not allow it as the government has been changed by popular mandate", he said. At the same time he threatened initiation of a movement over the issue.

It may be recalled here that Mr Kanak Mohanta was the chairman of the DPSC. He was a well-known CPI-M man. But, a lobby of the CPI-M recommended his removal. It is believed that they did it as he disobeyed their diktat over appointment of primary teachers. He was replaced before completion of his legal tenure. An aggrieved Mr Mohanta got back to his job as a headmaster in a school from where he came.

On the otherhand, Mr Sadhan Kar (a teacher of Dinhata College) was nominated as the chairman but he failed to join due to the norms of the Election Commission. Meanwhile, the government has changed and the Trinamul Congress came to power. In the changed situation the Trinamul Congress Shiksha Cell came out to oppose the appointment of Mr Sadhan Kar.

Mr Kar said he has no clear knowledge over the rules and norms. "The Governor has appointed me. If opposed I shall not go to join in the post of chairman", he added. 

FORWARD BLOC

Forward Bloc turns elder in Cooch Behar

The Forward Bloc has emerged as the leading leftist force in Cooch Behar from the viewpoint of the poll result. The voters of the district offered them four seats but wiped out the big brother, the CPI-M. The Forward Bloc contested in five seats and was able to regain a lost seat at Dinhata. Its bid to regain the Sitai seat however was foiled by the Congress.

In north Bengal too, the FB became the second largest party among the Left Front partners. It is now a major topic of discussion among the political observers of the region. It astonished them that the demised FB leader Kamal Guha fought against the CPI-M from within the LF but he was never able to make his party so stronger. His son, Mr Udayan Guha is very close and friendly with the CPI-M and now he proved his worth by making the party stronger and winding up the big brother. At present, the CPI-M is at the mercy of the FB in Cooch Behar.

The Forward Bloc's Cooch Behar district unit secretary and also a secretariat member of the state unit, Mr Udayan Guha however claimed that they fielded candidates as Left Front sponsored ones. The winners and the defeated ones are Left Front candidates. They belong to no certain party as he clarified. Earlier too they were stronger enough among the leftists in the district, he added. At the same time he made it clear that the district unit secretary of the CPI-M was always the convener of the district Left Front and that system may continue in future too.

Mentionworthy, the CPI-M failed to retain any of its seats in Cooch Behar in the Assembly election. The Forward Bloc has bagged four seats. The winners are : Mr Udayan Guha (Dinhata), Mr Paresh Adhikary (Mekhliganj), Mr Akshoy Thakur (Cooch Behar Dakshin) and Mr Nagendra Nath Ray (Cooch Behar Uttar).