Category Archives: West Bengal

Crime, Politics, West Bengal

Sandeshkhali: Conditional bail given to 5 accused

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MP, 1 June 2024, Kolkata: The Calcutta High Court recently gave bail to five people who had accompanied Rekha Patra during an agitation in front of the office of Rekha Patra. The accused have been directed not to enter Sandeshkhali apart from June 1 to cast their votes. 

The Vacation Bench of Justice Tirthankar Ghosh and Justice Biswaroop Chowdhury granted bail to Gita Bar, Utpal Maity, Ajit Sardar, Suprakash Mondal and Sudeb Dey. 
The matter will be heard again by the regular bench on June 12, after vacation. BJP candidate from Basirhat Lok Sabha seat Rekha Patra had also approached Calcutta High Court seeking protection from coercive action by the state police. The lawyer representing Patra reportedly stated that several false cases have been filed against her by the police. Patra also sought for security and protection from the Calcutta High Court, which was given to her. 
Earlier, the High Court had ordered release of Sandeshkhali BJP worker Piyali Das alias Mampi, who had surrendered before the lower court over a case filed against her for allegedly getting women to sign on white paper. Justice Jay Sengupta directed for Das’s release on personal bond. 
According to a news report, the Court further directed that a final report on the investigation in the case against Das cannot be submitted without its permission. The matter will be heard again on June 19. 
The advocate representing Das submitted that IPC 195A (forcing a person to give false evidence) which is a non-bailable section was added against her by the police after she had surrendered before the lower court. Das surrendered in Basirhat Sub-Divisional Court on May 14. 
There were allegations against her of getting women in Sandeshkhali to sign on white papers which was later filled up as sexual assault complaints against TMC leaders. 
The lower court rejected the bail plea and sent her to seven days judicial custody. When questioned by the media, Das said that the allegations against her are false and that there is no evidence to support those allegations. 
https://www.millenniumpost.in/bengal/sandeshkhali-conditional-bail-given-to-5-accused-566144?infinitescroll=1
Politics, West Bengal

2 days after getting citizenship, B’desh man now plans to get naturalisation papers for kin

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PTI, Kolkata, May 31, 2024 : Pleasantly surprised at getting Indian citizenship seamlessly, former Bangladeshi national Bikash Mondal now plans to get his family members to apply for naturalisation certificates soon.


Mondal said his parents and wife, who are also Bangladeshi nationals, are yet to apply for Indian citizenship under the Citizenship (Amendment) Act.

“Now, I plan to get my father, mother and wife to apply for Indian citizenship,” he said.

Speaking to PTI over phone from his residence in Asannagar in West Bengal’s Nadia district, Mondal claimed that documentation and verification processes were “easy and hassle-free”.

Originally from Jhenaidah district, Bangladesh, Mondal and his family settled in Asannagar, drawn by the presence of relatives there.

The 34-year old man said he got married after settling in India and that his wife also hails from the neighbouring country.

On reasons for shifting to India, Mondal said, “Most of our relatives are settled in this country. We used to go through a lot of mental stress thinking about our future as we were left there without our near and dear ones.” Mondal, who moved to India with his parents in 2012, said he did not try for citizenship earlier, though he holds a pre-2014 ration card here.

“After coming to know about the CAA notification, I applied from the designated portal on April 27,” he said.

“The verification process was easy. I produced my birth certificate given by the local authorities in Bangladesh and the ration card,” Mondal said.

He said verification of documents was done on May 27 at the office of the postal superintendent in Nadia district headquarters Krishnanagar. “I got the official document of citizenship on May 29 by email,” Mondal added.

The ‘Certificate of Naturalisation’ by the Ministry of Home Affairs given to Mondal entitles him “to all political and other rights, powers and privileges and be subject to all obligations, duties and liabilities to which an Indian citizen is entitled to or subject to,” thus granting him the status of an Indian citizen.

Mondal said before leaving Jhenaidah district, they had sold off their small land holding with a modest house.

“I now own a cyber cafe in Asannagar,” Mondal said.

Mondal said his three-and-a-half-year-old son is an Indian national by birth.

The CAA was enacted in December 2019 for granting Indian nationality to persecuted Hindu, Sikh, Jain, Buddhist, Parsi and Christian migrants from Bangladesh, Pakistan and Afghanistan who came to India on or before December 31, 2014.

The Union government had notified the Rules for CAA on March 11, paving the way for the implementation of the law, which invited stiff opposition from some political parties, including the ruling Trinamool Congress in West Bengal.

The first set of citizenship certificates after the notification of the Citizenship (Amendment) Rules, 2024 were handed over to applicants in New Delhi by the Union Home Secretary on May 15.

The second tranche of citizenship certificates were issued on May 29, days before the final phase of voting for Lok Sabha polls on June 1, to applicants in West Bengal, Haryana and Uttarakhand.

The TMC and the BJP have been involved in a war of words over implementation of CAA during the campaign for the ongoing Lok Sabha elections. 
National, Politics, West Bengal

Last phase of LS polls in 57 seats today, Prime Minister in fray

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Counting of votes to take place on June 4 
PTI, May 31, 2024 : Fifty-seven seats across seven states and the Union territory of Chandigarh will go to polls in the seventh and final phase of Lok Sabha elections on Saturday that include Varanasi, from where Prime Minister Narendra Modi is seeking a third consecutive term.

Polling is scheduled in all 13 seats of Punjab and four of Himachal Pradesh, 13 constituencies in Uttar Pradesh, nine in West Bengal, eight in Bihar, six in Odisha and three seats in Jharkhand besides Chandigarh. Polling for the remaining 42 assembly constituencies of Odisha and bypolls to six assembly seats in Himachal Pradesh will also take place simultaneously.

Other prominent candidates among the total 904 contestants in fray are Union minister Anurag Thakur, Mamata Banerjee’s nephew Abhishek Banerjee, Lalu Prasad’s daughter Misa Bharti and actor Kangana Ranaut.

Over 10.06 crore citizens, including nearly 5.24 crore men, 4.82 crore women and 3,574 third gender electors are eligible to vote in this phase.

Saturday’s voting will mark the end to the marathon polling process that began on April 19 and has already covered 486 Lok Sabha seats in 28 states and Union territories. The assemblies of Andhra Pradesh, Arunachal Pradesh and Sikkim also went to polls. Counting of votes will be taken up on June 4. In Arunachal Pradesh and Sikkim, the counting for the assembly polls will be held on June 2.

According to Election Commission guidelines, television channels and news outlets will be able to run exit poll data and its results on June 1 after 6.30 pm.

The EC said polling parties have been dispatched along with machines and poll materials to their respective polling stations. At the 1.09 lakh polling stations, basic facilities including ample shade, drinking water, ramps, and toilets are being provided to ensure that polling takes place in a comfortable and secure environment, it said. The poll panel has also directed CEOs and state machineries to take adequate measures to manage the adverse impact of hot weather or rainfall wherever predicted.

The commission called upon voters to turn out in greater numbers and vote with responsibility and pride. The turnout in the first six phases was 66.14 per cent, 66.71, 65.68, 69.16, 62.2 and 63.36 per cent respectively.

The campaigning for the last phase which ended Thursday evening saw BJP leaders led by Modi accusing the Congress and the INDIA alliance of being corrupt, anti-Hindu and engaging in loot, appeasement and dynastic politics.

The Opposition parties have been claiming that the BJP is anti-farmer, anti-youth and will change and scrap the Constitution if they win the elections.

On Thursday evening, Modi headed to Kanyakumari where he is meditating till June 1 at the site associated with Swami Vivekananda. Modi had 206 public outreach programmes, including rallies and roadshows, since the Election Commission announced the Lok Sabha election schedule on March 16.

The parliamentary seats where polling will take place in Uttar Pradesh are Maharajganj, Gorakhpur, Kushinagar, Deoria, Bansgaon (SC), Ghosi, Salempur, Ballia, Ghazipur, Chandauli, Varanasi, Mirzapur and Robertsganj (SC), spread across 11 districts.

Uttar Pradesh is a seeing a direct contest between the BJP-led NDA and the coalition of INDIA bloc members Samajwadi Party and Congress.

From Chandauli, Maharajganj and Mirzapur, Union ministers Mahendra Nath Pandey, Pankaj Chaudhary and Anupriya Patel respectively are contesting. Late Mukhtar Ansari’s brother Afzal Ansari is in the fray from Ghazipur and former prime minister Chandrashekhar’s son Neeraj Shekhar is contesting from Ballia.

In Varanasi, those contesting against Modi are Ajay Rai (Congress), Ather Jamal Lari (BSP), Kolisetty Shiva Kumar (Yuga Thulasi Party), Gagan Prakash Yadav, (Apna Dal, Kameravadi), and independents Dinesh Kumar Yadav and Sanjay Kumar Tiwari.

The polls in South Bengal, a traditional TMC stronghold, will test the party’s dominance amid an ‘old versus new’ power struggle, with the national spotlight on Sandeshkhali in Basirhat due to allegations of atrocities on women and land grabs.

The seventh phase will cover Dum Dum, Barasat, Basirhat, Jayanagar, Mathurapur, Diamond Harbour, Jadavpur, Kolkata Dakshin, and Kolkata Uttar, where the TMC secured victories in the 2019 elections.

TMC heavyweight Abhishek Banerjee, considered the party’s de facto number two, is contesting from Diamond Harbour. Banerjee’s performance in this seat, which the TMC touts as a ‘model constituency’, will be closely watched as the opposition attempts to paint it as a ‘laboratory of violence’. The two-time MP faces CPI (M)’s Pratikur Rahaman and BJP’s Abhijit Das in a three-way contest.

The minority-dominated Basirhat Lok Sabha seat, and specifically the Sandeshkhali segment, is a microcosm of the broader electoral battle as it garnered national attention due to allegations of atrocities on women and land grabs by local TMC leaders.

The BJP has capitalised on these issues by nominating Rekha Patra, a prominent local protestor, against TMC veteran Haji Nurul Islam. The CPI (M) has fielded former MLA Nirapada Sardar, making this a three-cornered contest.

In Punjab, prominent candidates in the fray are four-time MP Preneet Kaur, former chief minister Charanjit Singh Channi, three-time MP Harsimrat Kaur Badal and Ravneet Singh Bittu.

The BJP and Shiromani Akali Dal are contesting the polls on their own for the first time since 1996 while two INDIA bloc parties – the Congress and AAP – have fielded their own candidates.

The prestige of Ranaut and Himachal Pradesh minister Vikramaditya Singh Singh, the heir of the erstwhile Rampur royal family and son of six-time former chief minister Virbhadra Singh, is at stake in Mandi.

Stakes are also high for Union Information and Broadcasting Minister Thakur, who is seeking a fifth term from Hamirpur, and former Union minister Anand Sharma, who is the Congress candidate from the Kangra Lok Sabha constituency, while for Sukhu, the six assembly bypolls are for survival and stability of his 17-month-old government.

In Bihar, Union minister RK Singh is aiming at a hat-trick from Arrah, where his principal challenger is Sudama Prasad, a sitting MLA of the CPI(ML) Liberation.

In Patna Sahib, veteran BJP MP Ravi Shankar Prasad is aiming at a second consecutive Lok Sabha term. His principal challenger is Congress spokesman Anshul Avijit, son of former Lok Sabha Speaker Meira Kumar and grandson of Jagjivan Ram.

In Pataliputra, Misa Bharti is trying her luck for the third time. BJP MP Ram Kripal Yadav is aiming at a hat-trick.

Karakat is witnessing a multi-cornered fight which is being most talked about because of Bhojpuri superstar Pawan Singh, who is contesting as an Independent. Singh entered the fray after having earlier turned down a BJP ticket from Asansol in West Bengal. The move has led to his expulsion from the party.

Upendra Kushwaha, a former Union minister who heads the Rashtriya Lok Morcha, had won the seat in 2014 but lost it five years later upon quitting NDA. He is hopeful of wresting the seat back following return to the BJP-led coalition. The CPI(ML), which has a strong presence in the area, has fielded Raja Ram Kushwaha, a former MLA and farmer leader. The pitch has been queered further with the AIMIM fielding Priyanka Chaudhary, a Zila Parishad member. 
Politics, West Bengal

Union home ministry emails citizenship certificates to eight persons in Bengal ahead of last phase of polls

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One is from Nadia and seven are from various places in North 24-Parganas, none is from Matua community

Snehamoy Chakraborty, TT, Calcutta, 31.05.24: The Union home ministry on Wednesday evening emailed citizenship certificates to at least eight persons from Bengal ahead of the last phase of elections, which includes constituencies like Barasat, Dum Dum, Jadavpur and Basirhat with significant refugee population.

“The process of granting citizenship certificates under the Citizenship (Amendment) Rules, 2024, has now commenced in the State of West Bengal, where the first set of applications from the state were granted citizenship by the Empowered Committee, West Bengal,” a press release issued by the ministry reads.
None of the eight is from the Matua community.

Of the eight persons with certificates, one is from Nadia and seven are from various places in North 24-Parganas.

Alhough the election in Nadia is over, nine constituencies, including three of North 24 Parganas — Dum Dum, Barasat, and Basirhat, will go to the polls on June 1. After the CAA rules were notified, the first set of citizenship certificates was handed over to 14 persons in New Delhi on May 15.

Giving citizenship certificates to the first set of eight people from Bengal since the notification of the Citizenship Amendment Rules, 2024, assumes significance as chief minister Mamata Banerjee has claimed that those staying in the country with voting rights are already citizens of India.

A section of people from the Matua community is also in a dilemma over applying for citizenship status as it is mandatory to submit documents proving their connection with Bangladesh. As a large number of them do not have any document to prove their Bangladeshi roots, most Matuas are yet to apply for citizenship, a source said.

A BJP leader, however, said these citizenship certificates would help convince refugees to apply for the status.

“Chief minister Mamata Banerjee said she would not allow CAA to be implemented in Bengal. Today, eight Bengalis received their citizenship certificates…. Those who received their citizenship status will not face any problem staying in the country. This is called Modi’s guarantee, and no power can stop CAA. All refugees will get their citizenship status,” BJP leader Jagannath Chattopadhyay wrote on his social media handle.

Bikash Mondal, 34, now living with his elderly parents, wife, and three-year-old son in Nadia’s Bhimpur, is one among those who received citizenship status on Wednesday evening. He applied for it after the notification of the rules in March this year.

He came from Jhenaidah in Bangladesh in December 2012, claiming that as a Hindu he was forced to leave his country because of religious persecution.

“I am very happy to receive citizenship of this country. I was interviewed by the Empowered Committee. I am relieved,” said Bikash, who claimed he would apply for a similar status for his parents, who came to India in 2012.

Asked if he gave any document to prove his Bangladesh roots, Bikash said: “Yes. I submitted my birth certificate provided in Jhenaidah.”

Sceptics are unconvinced.

“It is a clear bluff…. The certificates show they were provided under the CAA of 2009. The BJP has been trying to reap political dividends ahead of the last phase of polls by providing citizenship certificates to only a few people. If those people were granted the status following the new law, why did they not mention it on the certificates?” asked Prasenjit Bose, an economist and activist who is a face of the movement against the citizenship matrix.

Trinamool said citizenship certificates should be unconditional. “How can those people who had to flee from Bangladesh show papers to prove their Bangladesh ties?” asked a TMC leader.
Politics, West Bengal

ECI prohibits govt-aided school teachers as counting agents

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MP, 31 May 2024, Kolkata: The Election Commission of India (ECI) has informed state Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) Aariz Aftab that teachers from government-aided or sponsored schools cannot be appointed as counting agents for any candidate. 

This rule also applies to individuals receiving any honorarium from the government or those working part-time in state-aided institutions. Six phases of elections have already been held and the last (7th) phase of polls is scheduled on Saturday (June 1) in nine Parliamentary Constituencies in Bengal — Kolkata South, Kolkata North, Dum Dum, Jadavpur, Diamond Harbour, Basirhat, Barasat, Mathurapur and Jaynagar. 
The counting is scheduled for Also Read – ‘No one can stop change of power in Delhi on June 4’ June 4. As per the rules of the Commission, no state government employees can be deputed as counting agents. 
However, in earlier elections there were allegations of engaging teachers in such duties. The poll watchdog this time has clarified well in advance to ensure that teachers of the government-aided or sponsored school are not appointed as counting agents for any candidate. 
As per rules, during the counting of elections under the supervision and directions of returning officers, the counting is held in the presence of the candidates. But as counting is held at different venues a candidate can’t remain present at all venues. 
Against this backdrop, the candidate deputes one counting agent on his or her behalf for overseeing the counting process on behalf of the concerned candidate. If any government employee is involved in the counting process, questions of bias may crop up, hence the EC does not allow any such agent during the counting of votes. 
https://www.millenniumpost.in/bengal/eci-prohibits-govt-aided-school-teachers-as-counting-agents-565999
Education, Regional, West Bengal

Higher Secondary Edu Council uploads textual components of language papers on website

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SOUMITRA NANDI, MP, 31 May 2024, Kolkata: The West Bengal Council of Higher Secondary Education (WBCHSE) has uploaded the textual components of all the language papers on its website for the benefit of students, teachers and the general academic community. The decision comes in the wake of slim chances of availability of the printed version of the books before the third week of June. The schools will reopen after summer vacation on June 3 and classes will commence from June 10. “The language textbooks are not yet available and there are considerable changes in the curriculum in the backdrop of the introduction of a semester system for Class XI for the academic year 2024-25 and for Class XII for the academic year 2025-26. Hence, we have uploaded the textual components of all the language papers on our website. The teachers, students can start their classes based on the uploaded document for the time being,” said Chiranjib Bhattacharjee, president of WBCHSE. The state government has taken the responsibility of printing all the textbooks of language subjects which will be distributed to the students free-of-cost across Bengal. The Education department has taken all necessary measures to expedite the delivery of hard copies of the textbooks to all the students of different schools affiliated under WBCHSE at the earliest. There are six languages, including English and Bengali, that are taught at the higher secondary level. There is a first paper and a second paper for all the language subjects except Urdu and Santhali. The process of bringing out books is a time taking process as it goes through various channels of the department before finally getting printed. The textbooks of 52 other subjects have hit the markets. Some of the schools have started online classes in the backdrop of the introduction of the semester system in which the first semester examination will be held in September. However, they have been facing problems due to the non-availability of books. The WBCHSE has revised the curriculum of all the subjects after 11 years and the language papers particularly were thoroughly revised and curriculum of all subjects were bifurcated in four semesters.

https://www.millenniumpost.in/bengal/higher-secondary-edu-council-uploads-textual-components-of-language-papers-on-website-565997

Economy, West Bengal

WBSEDCL converts domestic connections to commercial

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Dibyendu Sinha, MP, 30 May 2024, Jalpaiguri: The West Bengal State Electricity Distribution Company Limited (WBSEDCL) has repeatedly stated that e-rickshaws cannot be charged on domestic supply connections. Despite this, e-rickshaws continue to be charged on domestic lines in districts, including Jalpaiguri town. 

The Jalpaiguri Regional Office of the WBSEDCL has taken a different approach to halt this practice. 
Without imposing penalties or legal actions, the electricity connections of houses where e-rickshaws are being charged are being converted to commercial connections. Already, 150 to 200 domestic connections have been converted to commercial connections in the district. 
From urban to rural roads, e-rickshaws have become essential vehicles. However, with time, their numbers are increasing. 
According to sources from Jalpaiguri Municipality, 10,000 to 12,000 e-rickshaws ply on the streets of Jalpaiguri town daily. Most of these e-rickshaws are charged using the domestic electricity connections of houses. 
The Jalpaiguri office of the WBSEDCL mentioned that a typical house consumes around 1 kilowatt or slightly more electricity. 
However, electricity load is provided based on the consumer’s application and materials such as power cables are installed accordingly. 
However, due to e-rickshaw charging on these connections without informing the office, the increased pressure is damaging transformers. 
Additionally, the cost of electricity per unit is higher for commercial connections compared to domestic ones, resulting in financial losses for the office. Sanjay Mondal, Jalpaiguri Regional Manager of WBSEDCL, stated: “Charging e-rickshaws commercially is necessary. 
Despite warnings against charging them on domestic lines, the practice persists. Legal action can be taken against offenders. 
However, instead of pursuing legal action, we are increasing awareness and converting domestic lines to commercial ones to handle the load. Meter readers identify houses charging e-rickshaws, and our staff promptly change the connections upon receiving this information.” 
https://www.millenniumpost.in/bengal/wbsedcl-converts-domestic-connections-to-commercial-565980
Crime, Regional, West Bengal

Prof arrested in research scholar suicide case

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MP, 30 May 2024, Siliguri: The Special Operation Group (SOG) of Siliguri Metropolitan arrested the prime accused, Siddharth Shankar Laha, Head of the Department of Lifelong Learning and Extension of the University of North Bengal (NBU), in the suicide case of a research scholar of the university from Assam.

He was brought to Siliguri on Wednesday and was produced at Siliguri Court on Thursday. On May 16, the body of a research scholar of the Rural Development department of NBU was found hanging at a rented house in Shiv Mandir area. 
The deceased was a resident of Tufanganj, Cooch Behar and was staying in the rented house in Shiv Mandir area Also Read – ‘No one can stop change of power in Delhi on June 4’ in Siliguri. 
A suicide note was found in the house where it was mentioned that the accused Siddharth Shankar Laha, had a physical relationship with the deceased and refused to marry her. Therefore, she committed suicide. 
Her mobile phone and laptop were also missing from the room.On May 18, family members of the deceased lodged a written complaint. SOG began a search for the accused as he went absconding after the incident and tracked his mobile phone. 
First, he went to Kalimpong, then Lataguri, then Cooch Behar. 
A few days ago, he went to Goyalpara in Assam from where he was arrested. He was booked under various sections of the IPC. He has been taken into police remand for further investigation. 
Courtesy & source- Millennium Post
https://www.millenniumpost.in/bengal/prof-arrested-in-research-scholar-suicide-case-565976
Regional, West Bengal

Monsoon likely to enter North Bengal in 2-3 days, says IMD

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MP, 31 May 2024, Kolkata: The Regional Meteorological Centre in Alipore said that monsoon may enter North Bengal in 2-3 days, five days ahead of its usual time of arrival. As per prediction, the monsoon is expected to enter North Bengal on Sunday as it will bring rainfall in the region. 

Incidentally, southwest monsoon set in over Kerala on Thursday. Generally, the monsoon enters Kerala on June 5. The MeT office already predicted heavy rainfall in several North Bengal districts in the next 24 hours. 
Orange alert has been issued for the districts like Jalpaiguri, Cooch Behar, Alipurduar as they are expected to receive heavy rainfall. 
It will also rain in North Dinajpur and South Dinajpur as well. According to the MeT office, monsoon generally enters Jalpaiguri on June 7, Siliguri on June 8, South Bengal on June 10 and Kolkata on June 11. It is not however clear as to when the monsoon will hit the city. 
There may be some scattered rainfall in some of the South Bengal districts during the weekend, the MeT office said. 
Spurred by Cyclone Remal, the southwest monsoon set in over the Kerala coast and parts of the northeast on Thursday. Weather scientists said the cyclone, which ripped through Bengal and Bangladesh on Sunday, had pulled the monsoonal flow to the Bay of Bengal, which could be one of the reasons for early onset over the northeast. 
“Southwest monsoon has set in over Kerala and advanced into most parts of northeast India today, the 30th May, 2024,” the India Meteorological Department said. 
The normal monsoon onset date for Kerala is June 1 and for Arunachal Pradesh, Tripura, Nagaland, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Manipur and Assam is June 5. 
According to weather scientists, El Nino conditions are prevailing at present, and La Nina may set in by August-September. El Nino — the periodic warming of surface waters in the central Pacific Ocean — is associated with weaker monsoon winds and drier conditions in India. La Nina – the antithesis of El Nino- leads to plentiful rainfall during the monsoon season. 
https://www.millenniumpost.in/bengal/monsoon-likely-to-enter-north-bengal-in-2-3-days-says-imd-566003
Regional, West Bengal

State education council to distribute language textbooks for free

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PTI, KOLKATA, MAY 30, 2024 : / The West Bengal Council of Higher Secondary Education on
Thursday said it will distribute free language textbooks to students, months after the introduction of a semester-based education system for classes 11 and 12 in educational institutes in the state.

However, due to logistical challenges, the distribution process may experience delays, according to council president Chiranjib Bhattacharya. The revised curriculum, implemented after 11 years, particularly focuses on language subjects, which have been thoroughly updated and divided into four semesters. “The council has revised the curriculum of all subjects after 11 years. 
The language papers, in particular, were thoroughly revised and curriculum of all subjects were split into four semesters,” he said. 
The state government has undertaken the printing of all language textbooks for distribution across the state, but despite extensive efforts, the process may take some time, he added. 
The council is uploading textual materials of language subjects on its website for the benefit of students, teachers, and parents, while endeavours are being made to expedite printing and distribution of textbooks, he said. 
State-run and state-aided schools are scheduled to reopen after the ongoing summer vacation on June 3, with classes commencing from June 10. Some schools have already started online classes for 12th standard students. 
The adoption of the semester system for classes 11 and 12 in all state-run and state-aided schools was previously announced by the council, with implementation beginning in the academic session 2024-25 for class 11 and 2025-26 for class 12. 
Under this new system, the 10+2course is divided into four parts, with class11 structured as semester 1 and 2, and class12 as semester 3 and 4. According to the draft of the new state education policy unveiled in August last year, board exams will be conducted after the completion of the third and fourth semesters. 
The existing 4+4+2+2 structure, where students spend four years in the foundation stage, followed by four years in upper primary (preparatory stage), and two years (classes 9 and 10) in secondary education, will be retained, as stated by a higher secondary department official. 
Regional, Sikkim, West Bengal

Landslides are difficult to predict

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Editorial, EOI, 30 May 2024 : For the people of the hills of Darjeeling, Kalimpong and Sikkim, landslides are of common occurrence. Now in the wake of the devastating landslide in the mountainous Enga province in Papua New Guinea late last week with estimates of the death toll varying between 670 and 2,000 the University of Sydney has offered some explanations as to what causes landslides and if landslides can be predicted to save lives.

As the Papua New Guinea experience has underscored, rescue is challenging in the event of a landslide. Secondary slides and rock falls hamper efforts in the search zone. Because of lack of access, it becomes difficult to move heavy digging machinery to the landslide zone. Roads need to be cleared or repaired for assistance and equipment to arrive. t is difficult to locate potential survivors as landslides carry away buildings and their occupants in an unpredictable manner. 
Landslides happen when the pull from gravity exceeds the strength of the geomaterial forming the slope of a hill or mountain. Geomaterials can be as varied as rocks, sand, silt and clays. Then, part of this slope starts sliding downhill. Depending on where the slope fails, the material sliding down can be just a few cubic metres or a few million cubic metres in volume.
But why do slopes fail? 
Most natural landslides are triggered by earthquakes or rainfall. Earthquakes shake the ground, stress it and weaken it over time. Rainwater can seep through the ground and soak it and add weight to the slope. The ground is often porous like a sponge.
Another adverse effect of water is erosion, causing slopes to fall. Groundwater can also dissolve rocks within slopes. Human activities also contribute to the chance of landslides. Deforestation has a negative impact on slope stability, as tree roots naturally reinforce the ground and drain water out. Mine blasts produce small earthquake-like ground vibrations that shake slopes nearby. It is difficult to predict and mitigate landslide risk effectively. 
The thousands of deadly and costly landslides occurring every year worldwide suggest so. To warn people of a coming landslide, one would need a prediction for earthquakes and rainfall, in addition to a perfect knowledge of the slope-forming geomaterial.
Geomaterials may include multiple, entangled layers of various kinds of rocks and particulate materials, such as sand, silt and clays. 
Their strength varies, and their spatial distribution dictates where the slope is likely to fail. To accurately assess the stability of the slope, a three-dimensional mapping of these materials and their strengths is needed. No sensor can provide this information, so geologists and geotechnical engineers must deal with partial information obtained at a few selected locations and extrapolate this data to the rest of the slope. 
The weakest link of the chain, such as an existing fracture in a rock mass, is easily missed. This is an inevitable source of uncertainty when trying to predict how much material might slip. It is known that the larger the volume of a landslide, the farther its runout distance. But it is hard to gauge the exact size of a landslide, making predictions of runout distances and safe zones uncertain.
It is always uncertain when a landslide will occur. Mechanical analysis enables one to estimate the vulnerability of a slope in a particular scenario, including earthquake magnitude and distribution of groundwater. But predicting if and when these triggers will happen is a difficult task.
Regional, West Bengal

North Bengal celebrates International Everest Day

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Amitava Banerjee, MP, 29 May 2024, Darjeeling: With demands for “Bharat Ratna” to be awarded posthumously to legendary mountaineer Tenzing Norgay Sherpa, reverberating from different quarters, International Everest Day was commemorated on Wednesday. 

The day marks the first successful ascent of Mount Everest by Tenzing Norgay Sherpa and Sir Edmund Hillary on this day in 1953. The birth anniversary of Tenzing Sherpa is also observed on this day. With the appeal for Bharat Ratna, the highest civilian award of the country, to be conferred on Tenzing Norgay, the Nature and Trekkers’ Club of Jalpaiguri (NTCJ) sent a letter to Prime Minister Modi on Wednesday. 
“Tenzing Norgay has been one of the most influential Indians on the global arena. He was declared as one of the most influential people of the world by Time Magazine in 1999. He has received wide accolades globally. NASA has honoured him by naming one of Pluto’s mountains as “Tenzing Montes”. 
The recognition bestowed by the Indian Government by awarding him the third highest civilian award the Padma Bhushan does not parallel his contribution. Despite being most deserving of the highest honour our nation can bestow on anyone — Bharat Ratna, it remains elusive for him in spite of widespread appeal to the government from different spheres of the society throughout India,” stated the letter to the Prime Minister expressing hope that the appeal would be given serious consideration. 
“We will also approach the Jalpaiguri Municipality to install a statue of Tenzing Norgay Sherpa in Jalpaiguri. He is the greatest inspiration for the youth, specially adventure lovers and mountaineers,” stated Bhaskar Das, coordinator of the NTCJ and member, Governing Council, Indian Mountaineering Federation. 
“It is an excellent proposal. We will discuss the modalities including funds and a suitable location for the statue in Jalpaiguri in the Chairman in Council meeting,” stated Papia Pal, chairperson, Jalpaiguri Municipality while talking to Millennium Post. 
“We reiterate our demand of Bharat Ratna for Tenzing Norgay Sherpa. We fail to understand why the Union government is so hesitant? After the Model Code of Conduct, the state government will again raise this issue,” stated Gautam Deb, Mayor, Siliguri Municipal Corporation during the commemoration of Everest Day in Siliguri, jointly Himalayan Nature and Adventure Foundation. 
The Himalayan Mountaineering Institute (HMI) ,Darjeeling, also commemorated the day by offering floral tribute at the Memorial of Tenzing Sherpa. “He was the first Director of Field Training of HMI. His contributions have been instrumental in establishing HMI as a leading institution in mountaineering education,” stated Group Captain Jai Kishan, Principal HMI. 
Sikkim’s Marathon man Amar Subba accompanied by two others ran from Jorethang in Sikkim to the HMI, Darjeeling completing 32 km, uphill in 3 hours. The Gorkhaland Territorial Administration launched a 10 km long hiking trail from Darjeeling Chowrasta to Sidrapong Hydro Project with stopovers at Tibetan museum, Tenzing Norgay’s house, Ava Art Gallery via the Arya Tea Estate. 
Jamling Tenzing Norgay, son of Tenzing Norgay, opened up the “Tenzing Norgay Hiking Trail.”
Courtesy & source: Millennum Post 
https://www.millenniumpost.in/bengal/north-bengal-celebrates-international-everest-day-565832
Regional, West Bengal

Storms in different parts of North Bengal uproot trees, damage houses

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MP, 29 May 2024, Cooch Behar/ Siliguri/ Jalpaiguri: A large area of Tufanganj in the Cooch Behar district was devastated by a powerful storm in the wee hours of Wednesday. 

A large area under Nakkati Gach Village Panchayat in Tufanganj Block No. 1 was virtually demolished in the storm. In addition to numerous houses collapsing, many trees were also uprooted. 
A storm also hit Siliguri on Tuesday night continuing till the early hours of Wednesday, uprooting multiple trees, electricity poles and disrupting electricity. According to local sources, more than 30 houses have been damaged in Tufanganj. 
The Tufanganj-Balabhut state highway was blocked by fallen electricity poles and trees that was cleared by the disaster management team, restoring traffic. Despite this, there is still no electricity in the area. 
Authorities are closely monitoring the situation. Shyamsunder Basak, a local resident, said: “The tin roof of our house was blown away by the gusty wind. In the middle of the night, we had to find shelter.”A large part of the Nakkati Gach area has been without power since the storm. 
’ Due to the extensive damage, the electricity supply has been severely affected. According to administrative sources, the fire brigade and disaster management teams, along with the Electricity department, were working in the area since Wednesday morning with the aim to complete all necessary repairs as quickly as possible. 
Rajesh Tantri, vice-president of Tufanganj number I Panchayat Samity, said: “Natural disasters are beyond our control. Many houses were damaged. We have arranged tarpaulin sheets for the affected families. 
The block administration is keeping a close watch on all issues.” Meanwhile in Siliguri, rain and thunderstorms hit at around 10 pm on Tuesday and continued till the early hours of Wednesday. Trees and electricity poles were uprooted in several areas of Sevoke Road near Surya Sen Park. 
A few areas of wards 15, 16, 17, 21 and adjacent areas of Siliguri, including Fulbari and Kharibari, were affected due to heavy rainfall and storms. Mayor Gautam Deb, along with Deputy Mayor Ranjan Sarkar, visited the affected areas. “SMC workers are working on a war footing clearing roads. 
The electricity supply has been disrupted in a few areas. Repair works have started since Wednesday morning. We will carry out replantation of some of the trees,” stated Deb. Electricity was restored in wards 10 and 15 by afternoon. 
Work was on in wards 17 and 21. Due to the rain in the mountains and the release of 2000 cumec water from the Kalijhora barrage, there is a surge in water in the River Teesta. Owing to this, water has entered the low-lying areas of Teesta, including Salugara Laltong Basti in the Jalpaiguri district. 
Irrigation department North East Chief Engineer Krishnandu Bhowmik said: “No warning has been issued in the river. 
Due to the release of water from the barrage, some low-lying areas have witnessed inundation. There is nothing to panic about.” 
Courtesy & source- Millennium Post
https://www.millenniumpost.in/bengal/storms-in-different-parts-of-north-bengal-uproot-trees-damage-houses-565839
Crime, International, West Bengal

Daughter of slain B’deshi MP may undergo DNA test in city

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Gourab Neto, MP, 30 May 2024, Kolkata: Following the discovery of pieces of flesh and hair strands in a septic tank of a housing complex in New Town, the daughter of the slain Bangladeshi Member of Parliament (MP) Anwarul Azim Anar may soon come to Kolkata to undergo a DNA test for matching the reports. An arrested person, who police claimed is a butcher by profession, allegedly chopped the body of the Bangladesh lawmaker and mixed them with turmeric before disposing of them at different locations. “In case the body parts are not found, then we will conduct DNA tests on the blood samples and match the result with the DNA of one of Anar’s family members to establish the identity and start a case according to the law,” an officer told a news agency. Also Read – ‘Mercury set to soar in South Bengal; thunderstorms to continue in North’ In another development, the state CID suspects that another accused identified as Siyam had fled to Nepal. A police team might go to Nepal soon in connection with the probe. On Tuesday CID was reportedly requested by the Bangladesh Police to search the septic tank of the apartment building to find any traces of Anar’s body as the arrested accused Jihad Hawaladar reportedly told the cops that he had flushed some body parts through the commode.Honouring the request when the septic tank was searched, where about 3.5 kg pieces of flesh and hair strands were reportedly recovered. However, other body parts are still not found despite repeated searches of the Bagjola Canal in the Krishnamati area of Polerhat. Meanwhile, Dhaka Metropolitan Police told the media persons in Bangladesh that the motive behind Anar’s murder is still unknown.

https://www.millenniumpost.in/bengal/daughter-of-slain-bdeshi-mp-may-undergo-dna-test-in-city-565860

Health, Regional, West Bengal

‘Mercury set to soar in South Bengal; thunderstorms to continue in North’

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MP, 30 May 2024, Kolkata: The Regional Meteorological Centre in Alipore said that mercury is set to soar in South Bengal districts while the North Bengal districts will continue to witness thunderstorms as Cyclone ‘Remal’ weakened into a depression. 

Temperature is expected to go up by 3-5 degree Celsius in South Bengal in the next three days, the MeT office said. 
There is however a possibility of thunderstorms in some parts of South Bengal in the weekend. Meanwhile, the monsoon is expected to make an onset over Kerala and some parts of northeast India during the next 24 hours, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) said in its Wednesday bulletin. 
The IMD said that the conditions are expected to become favourable for further advancement of the southwest monsoon into some parts of the South Arabian Sea and the remaining parts of Maldives and the Comorin area, some parts of Lakshadweep area, some more parts of the Southwest & Central Bay of Bengal and Northeast Bay of Bengal during the same period. 
Last year monsoon onset was delayed by a week on June 8. The Alipore MeT office said that there is no weather alert and hence the fishermen can venture into the sea. Cyclone “Remal” has paved the way for the Monsoon to set in. 
According to the IMD, the normal monsoon onset over Kerala is June 1 and thereafter it advances northwards and then to the rest of the country around July 15. Monsoon normally advances over northeast India around June 5. 
Several parts of South Bengal remained partially cloudy on Wednesday. Coastal areas also remained cloudy. The temperature will go up in south Bengal districts from Wednesday. 
https://www.millenniumpost.in/bengal/mercury-set-to-soar-in-south-bengal-thunderstorms-to-continue-in-north-565865
Health, Regional, West Bengal

Drinking water blue in Siliguriover report of contamination

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EOI, SILIGURI, MAY 29, 2024 : Mayor of Siliguri Gautam Deb has announced a temporary prohibition on the supply of drinking water supply in the municipal areas from May 29 to the afternoon of June 2due to contamination of water. 

While water would continue to be supplied daily in municipal areas, city residents have been strongly advised against consuming it. 
Except using it as drinking water, the supplied water remains suitable for use in other purposes. Reports indicate that a decrease in Biochemical Oxygen Demand has led to contamination of the drinking water supply. 
On Wednesday, Mayor Gautam Deb addressed the issue at a news conference held in the Siliguri Municipal Corporation (SMC) and stated that water samples had been dispatched to Kolkata for testing, and the results were expected to be available in five days. 
Meanwhile, the water should not be consumed until the reports arrive. 
To address the issue,the SMC has arranged for alternative sources of drinking water, including the distribution of 100,000 water pouches. 
Additionally,15,000 to 20,000 pouches would be distributed in each of the five boroughs, and drinking water tankers would be dispatched to every ward. 
Siliguri MLA Shankar Ghosh criticized Mayor Gautam Deb, alleging a failure in municipal governance. 
He pointed out that residents had already been consuming contaminated water for the past 15 to 16 days and held the Mayor and the Municipal Council accountable for the situation. 
Students participate art competition on the occasion of 164th Birth anniversary of Kobi Guru Rabindranath Tagore organised by MLA Prithiraj Rabha at Tezpur—— UB Photos
National, Politics, West Bengal

Mamata challenges Modi to prove his claim on providing funds to Bengal

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PTI, Kolkata, May 29, 2024 :  West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Wednesday accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the BJP of “spreading lies” about funds being provided to the state and challenged the PM to prove his claim.


Addressing a rally at Metiabruz in Diamond Harbour constituency, the Chief Minister said she was “ready to sacrifice her life” but wouldn’t allow divisive politics of the saffron camp such as the CAA, NRC and UCC in the state.

“Prime Minister while addressing rallies in Bengal is saying the Centre has sent funds for the state which the TMC has siphoned off. He is saying the Centre had sent funds but those were looted by us. The PM is lying. I challenge him to prove that the Centre has released funds for the state. This is a blatant lie,” she said.

Reacting to Banerjee’s remark, BJP state spokesperson Samik Bhattacharya said, “The Prime Minister has only tried to highlight the corruption during the TMC regime. It is a well-known fact that the TMC is neck-deep in corruption. The remarks by the Chief Minister reflect that she is rattled after being exposed.” Claiming that the BJP will pay for their arrogance in the polls, Banerjee said the PM’s recent remarks that the BJP’s best results will come from Bengal is “actually an admission that the party will face a rout in other parts of the country.” “So does that mean that the BJP will lose elections in Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra and Bihar? It seems the saffron party has conceded defeat even before the polls are over,” she said.

The CM alleged that the BJP has been spreading canards through misleading advertisements.

“As part of Modi Babu’s guarantee, they were publishing misleading advertisements in newspapers against us. We lodged multiple complaints but there was no action. Yesterday, the High Court also stated it is illegal. They don’t release MGNREGA funds but spend crores on conspiracies, to buy votes and spread propaganda,” she said.

Expressing skepticism about the BJP’s ambitious target of achieving 400 seats in the Lok Sabha elections, she said people will reject them.

“The entire country has understood that the BJP is a party full of thieves. It is the TMC which will show the way after the elections,” Banerjee said.

The TMC had walked out of the INDIA bloc in West Bengal in January but asserted that she would continue to be part of the opposition bloc at the national level.

Vowing not to allow the implementation of CAA and NRC in the state, she said, “If people do not want divisive CAA, NRC or UCC that will erase our diversity, they must vote against the BJP.”