Encroachers posing threat to reserve forests in Karimganj From Our Correspondent Assam Tribune KARIMGANJ, April 2 – The problem of encroachment in reserve forests under Karimganj forest division is posing a serious threat to forest resources. There are six reserved forests in Karimganj district. According to data provided by Dr Salman Uddin Chaudhury, DFO, Karimganj, 837 families have encroached 1,197 hectres in the 15,139.30 hectre large Longai RF, 684 families are occupying 1,322.36 hectres of the 7,513.81 hectres area of Badshahitilla RF, 268 families have occupied 795 hectre out of the 3,478.28 hectre of Duhalia RF. In Singla RF, 661.17 hectre land out of 12,429.53 hectre has been occupied by 881 families, 191 families are living on 107,20 hectres of the 1848 hectre area of Tilbhum RF while 469 families are encroaching 414.55 hectre of the 7,647.35 hectres area of Pathania RF. The DFO disclosed that besides the above figure, there are 43 recognised forest villages and 17 Tangiya villages. The Tangiya villages comprises the tribal people and each family was allotted 2 bighas of land for betel leaf cultivation for a period of 3 years during the 1970s with a condition that within this period they should change their habit of shifting cultivation. At the time of establishment of such villages , the total number of families were about 250, but due to population growth the number of families has increased ten times and besides the population growth the Tangiya villages all the time invited their own community members to illegally occupy RF land. As per the latest census, more than 75 per cent of the total Tangiya villagers are not the original allottees. Moreover, it is very unfortunate that instead of betel leaf cultivation, more than 100 fisheries have been set up by obstructing natural flow of water alongwith jhum cultivation both in low and high land. In this way about 50 per cent of the total RF area is under heavy biotic interference. However, this is a common picture all over the State. Narrating the background of encroachment, the DFO disclosed that the forest and Tangiya villagers dwellers are voters in the GP, LAC, HPC elections and political patronage can not be denied. Moreover, different churches are also concerned as inhabitants of most Tangiya villagers are tribal Christians originating from Meghalaya, Mizoram and Tripura and hence the international linkage of the churches plays a pivotal role in the matter. On the plea of Tribal Act, 2006 the Tangiyas are continuously inviting their own community members from the adjoining states and accentuating encroachment by way of jhum cultivation. Though under Clause 2(N) of the Tribal Act, the rights conferred to a member who has been residing for three generations prior to 13,12,05 and three generation means a period of 75 years. and further under Clause 2 (N), the bio-diversity cannot be distributed, but to be enjoyed in a substainable way only. Further, under Clause 3 (W), the Act provides some relaxation for school, dispensary, drinking water, roads, minor irrigation etc. but under due permission fromthe Government of India only for a plot of land not more than one hectre. Inspite of all such provisions the Tangiyas are trying to occupy more RF land and jhum cultivation alongwith the construction of fisheries, pucca houses in violation of the clauses and chapter 111 of Clause -5 ‘duties of holders’ where it is specifically mentioned that the protection of forest, wildlife, bio-diversity, ecology etc are the basic duties. But all nights are violated. According to Dr Salman Uddin Chaudhury the Forest Department is actively trying to obstruct all such illegal activities, but on the field considering the insurgent activities, remoteness, lack of communication, etc the efforts have not been successful.
Hailakandi district youth
convention concludes
From Our Correspondent Assam Tribune HAILAKANDI, April 2 – Under the joint auspices of Nehru Yuva Kendra (NYK), Hailakandi and Gyan Deep Society, an NGO, a day-long district youth convention was held at Dr Sashi Bhusan Institute of Education in Boalipar of Hailakandi district on March 29. The Deputy Commissioner of Hailakandi, Tapan Chandra Goswami inaugurated the convention through lighting of the ceremony lamp. The inaugural meeting held on the occasion was presided over by AU Choudhury and was addressed by the principal of the Institute, Hifjur Rahman, S Bhattacharjee among others. At the out set, the purpose of the convention was briefly explained by the District Youth Co-ordinator of NYK, Sekhar Ranjan Deb and welcome address was delivered by the secretary of Gyan Deep Society, Rashid Ahmed Choudhury. The vote of thanks was offered by Ramendu Bhattacharjee of NYK. Deputy Commissioner Goswami in his address stressed the need of economic uplift of the people of the rural India for welfare of the nation. He said that a nation can't go ahead unless and until its people are not economically self-sufficient. He said that non-governmental organisations have a giant role to play in order to mould the society. He said that the vision of former President of India, APJ Abdul Kalam will be fulfilled in 2020 if NGOs work properly for the development of rural India. He praised the role of some voluntary organisations for their tremendous service towards the uplift of the socio-economic status of the people of the villages. He also praised the NYK for organising this convention and hoped that the participating youth will be benefitted by this convention. The DC also gave away the District Youth Club Award to Amarjyoti Club of Janakibazar. He presented a cash award of Rs 10,000 only with a certificate. He also gave away the two best youth leader awards of cash Rs 5,000 and certificates to Noorjahan Begum of Al Amin Samaj Seva Sangha, Boalipar and Nazrul Hussain Laskar of Shahenshah Brothers' Association, Amala. Rs 30,000 cash was also given to the Shahenshah Brothers' Association of Amala under the Youth Development Centre project. Various educationists delivered their speeches on various subjects like the role of youth in the freedom movement of India, role of gram sabha in present Panchayat Raj system, role of youth in fostering national integration, role of voluntary organisations in empowering rural masses, role of youth in present socio-economic condition of rural India. Workshop held: Under the auspices of Department of Forests, a workshop on sustainable management of medicinal plants in Hailakandi was recently held at the Extension Centre (EC) in Boalipar here. It was inaugurated by the pro-Vice Chancellor of Assam University, Dr GD Sharma. The workshop started with the welcome address of the Conservator of Forests, southern Assam range, Y Suryanarayan. The Conservator of Forests (Research & Education), Guwahati, Dr RM Dubey was present in the workshop as guest of honour. Dr Ajit Kumar Das of SS College, Hailakandi spoke on the topic “bio-diversity of medicinal plants and their conservation in south Assam”. A local expert on herbs, Nil Kanta Sinha spoke on the topic “traditional use of medicinal plants and its marketing.” The speakers of the workshop said that medicinal plants have attracted considerable attention, including medicinal professionals, the use of crude drug in medicine dates back to antiquity. The use of various parts of certain widely growing plants to cure specific diseases has also been in vogue in our indigenous medicine from ancient times. The speakers agreed on the fact that there is no plant on the earth which has got no medicinal value, according to Ayurvedic Materia Medica. The traditional use of herbal medicine refers to the long historical use of these medicines. The north-eastern zone is one of the richest bio-diversity zones and it has diverse ethnic communities settled here since a long time. It is the storehouse of medicinal plants which are naturally grown and available in the forests. They held the view that due to urbanisation, industrialisation and deforestation, some of the medicinal plants are becoming extinct. The ethnic or primitive communities of this region are going to lose their traditional culture and use of medicinal plants, they added.
Shortage of pilots: AI can't operate 2
flights
1 Apr, 2008, 0023 hrs IST, PTI
KOLKATA: Air
India could not operate its flight to Silchar and Ahmedabad from the N
S C B International Airport here due to shortage of pilots, airport sources
said. The stranded passengers for Silchar were, however, accomodated in
Alliance Air flight. The passengers bound for Ahmedabad were also put into
other airlines' planes. Air
India's flight to Aizawl also could not take off from here due to
prevailing inclement weather in the Mizoram capital, sources said.
Total Sanitation
programme held at Silchar
From Our Correspondent Assam Tribune KARIMGANJ, March 30 – Poor Sanitary conditions, which abound when human excreta and filth are not properly disposed of, create environmental nuisance and it is needless to say that lack of proper sanitation facilities at household, school and community level is the root cause of higher incidence of diseases. The World Health Organisation (WHO) reports also show that about 80% of all diseases are mainly due to non-availability of safe water and sanitation. So, the areas lacking sanitation infrastructure, such as city slums and rural areas, are vulnerable and such areas often experience the high infant and under-five children mortality rate. Apart from that the burden of diseases and subsequent loss of livelihood opportunities have finally tremendous adverse effects especially in segments of the poorer population, said Abhijit Dutta, Chief Engineer, PHE (Sanitation) while addressing on total sanitation programme in Barak Valley recently held at Silchar.
Bhagat Singh’s death
anniversary observed
From Our Correspondent Sentinel Assam HAILAKANDI, March 27 – The 77th death anniversary of Shahid Bhagat Singh was observed in Hailakandi district with the day-long various programmes under the auspices of the Hailakandi unit of Democratic Youth Federation of India (DYFI). The meeting held on the occasion was presided over by Sunirmal Das and was addressed by Kumud Das, Rupak Dev, Chintaharan Sutradhar, Amir Hussain Laskar, Anil Suklavaidya, Anil Malakar, Rajat Paul among others. All the speakers highlighted the contribution of Bhagat Singh in the freedom struggle of India. They urged the youth community to follow the path shown by this towering freedom fighter.
Karimganj ZP members
sworn in
From A Correspondent Assam Tribune NILAMBAZAR, March 27 – Altogether 20 members of Karimganj Zila Parishad took the oath of office and secrecy on March 20 at a function held at Zila Parishad conference hall. Deputy Commissioner Karimganj, A Goel formally administered the oath to ZP members. It may be mentioned here that out of a total 20 seats of Karimganj Zila Parishad, 8 were won by Congress. BJP won only one seat and AUDF got six seats. Independent candidates secured five seats. Mamtaz Ali was elected as a president of Karimganj Zila Parishad. He was elected from Anipur ZP Constituency as a Congress candidate. Amaresh Roy was elected as a vice president of the Zila Parishad.
Santosh Roy remembered From Our Correspondent Assam Tribune HAILAKANDI, March 26 – The first death anniversary of former MLA, eminent citizen and the president of District Congress-I Committee, Santosh Kumar Roy was observed in the various places of Hailakandi district on March 23. The main function was organised on the premises of the Congress Bhawan in Hailakandi town. The programme started with the hoisting of flag by the president of District Congress-I Committee of Hailakandi, Ashoke Duttagupta. Floral tributes were paid to the portrait of Late Roy by the all levels of Congres workers. The meeting held on the occasion was also presided over by him and addressed by the various Congress leaders and spoke about the life of late leader Santosh Kumar Roy. They also highlighted the contribution of Late Roy for the development of Hailakandi district.
NRHM project works reviewed in Hailakandi district From Our Correspondent Assam Tribune HAILAKANDI, March 25 – A meeting of the District Health Society (DHS) was recently held at the conference hall of the office of the Deputy Commissioner in Hailakandi. The meeting was presided over by the Deputy Commissioner cum Chairman of DHS, Tapan Chandra Goswami. The meeting reviewed the present infrastructure development works of various health institutions of Hailakandi district under the National Rural Health Mission (NRHM). While reviewing the health schemes, the Deputy Commissioner cum Chairman of DHS, Tapan Chandra Goswami asked the health officials to expedite the works of the ongoing projects of NRHM in the district and suggested to complete the works within a very short period of time. The Deputy Commissioner, Tapan Chandra Goswami, who joined recently in Hailakandi, said that he intends to bring Hailakandi district in the forefront of the State in all the development sectors. Dr. Samir Kumar Das, Joint director of health Services cum member secretary of the District Health Society, who initiated the discussion, apprised the meeting about the progress of various schemes. He praised the zeal of the Deputy Commissioner and hoped that the implementation of health schemes will be accomplished soon. The meeting reviewed the present status of Mobile Medical Unit (MMU) in Hailakandi district. The MMU was launched in Hailakandi district in the first part of March and the Deputy Commissioner expressed satisfaction for the overwhelming response of the people in the rural areas of the district. It may be mentioned here that the MMU was sanctioned in Hailakandi district along with some other selected districts of the State and its aim is to provide modern healthcare facilities to the areas where these are not available. The district programme manager of NRHM in Hailakandi district, Maruf Alom Barbhuiya while elaborating about the ongoing schemes of NRHM in Hailakandi district, said that the construction of a GNM training centre is going on in full swing in the office campus of the Joint Director of Health Services. He further informed that the upgradation Algapur Block Primary Health Centre (PHC) will be started soon and the First Referral Unit (FRU) will also be constructed in Kalinagar BPHC. The Mohanpur Community Health Centre (CHC) has been converted into Indian Public Health Standard (IPHS). The construction of FRU in the Katlicherra BPHC has already been completed. Besides the process of upgradation, renovation and the construction of Labour Room are on in Nityanandapur, Jamira, Gharmurra, Bilaipur, Varnarpur, Matijuri, North Narayanpur and Chiparsangan health institutions. Large number of sub centres of health have already been renovated throughout the district, Barbhuiya added. The meeting also discussed about the holding of Health Mela in the month of April in the rural area of Hailakandi district. The district media expert of NRHM in Hailakandi district, S Bhattacharjee also spoke about the different IEC and BCC activities under the National Rural Health Mission in Hailakandi district and said that tremendous awareness has been created in Hailakandi district among the common people regarding the various health schemes. He said that the family planning campaign and the focal group discussion with the primary school teachers have already been initiated in the different block PHCs in Hailakandi district. The Additional Chief Medical & Health Officer of Hailakandi, Dr. Uday Das apprised the meeting about the performance of recently concluded 5th Special Immunization Week. The District TB Control Officer of Hailakandi, Dr. A.K Bayan also spoke about the present status of tuberculosis patients in Hailakandi district.
Consumers’ day observed
at Silchar
From Our Correspondent Assam Tribune SILCHAR, March 25 – World Consumers’ Day was celebrated by Cachar Consumer Protection Committee recently. In the meeting held on the occasion president Atin Das and Secretary Biplab Kumar Goswami of Consumer Protection Committee including several dignitaries were present. In the meeting, Biplab Goswami said that Consumer awareness in India is much more stronger than in Latin America, Aftica and several counties of Asia. J Sikdar and Arati Das also put forth their views regarding consumer awareness. 3 suspected extremists picked up by Army
NSD to set up unit in NE
By Our Correspondent Assam Tribune GUWAHATI, March 23 – Alma mater to many national and international artistes, the National School of Drama is planning to set up five new Regional National Schools of Drama, out of which one would be based in the North-East. The premier institute has also already furnished the said proposal to the Central Government in this regard. DR Sherin, registrar, NSD, informed this while interacting with the mediapersons here today. The press meet was organised to apprise about the beginning of the Poorvottar Natya Samaroh in Guwahati from March 26 to April 10. In the Samaroh, 28 different plays would be staged in collaboration with the Directorate of Cultural Affairs, Government of Assam. Theatre groups, which confirmed their participation from the North-East region, hail from Mizoram, Arunachal Pradesh, Manipur, Sikkim, Meghalaya and Assam. S Baruah, Director, Directorate of Cultural Affairs, said, “The Samorah would, no doubt, help in showcasing talents of young and emerging directors, whose productions have been prepared in the theatre workshops organised by the National School of Drama in the North East.” Baruah also endorsed the idea of setting up a regional school of drama in the region, especially in Guwahati, which would give a boost to the theatre industry in the region. The plays would be hosted at Srimanta Sankaradeva Kalakshetra daily at 3 pm and 6 pm and Rabindra Bhawan daily at 6.15 pm. The festival will open on March 26 at 5.30 pm at Rabindra Bhawan with the performance of ‘Nine Hills One Valley’ in Manipuri directed by Ratan Thiyam.
Rs 1.5 crore from its Central Road Fund for
Silchar roads
Silchar : The Centre has granted Rs 1.5 crore from its Central Road Fund for repairing the lanes in Silchar. Silchar Municipality Board chairman and local Congress MLA Bithika Dev said 28 lanes, which have branched off the main roads, could be repaired with the help of this fund. Radio still popular among masses From Our Correspondent Assam Tribune SILCHAR, March 22 – A two-day media workshop was organised by All India Radio Silchar at Gandhi Bhawan recently on the occasion of 50 years of completion of Guwahati Radio station. The programme was inaugurated by Union Minister for Heavy Industries and Public Enterprises, Santosh Mohan Dev. In the inaugural speech, Dev said that the news broadcast by Radio is even today popular among the masses. Even now there are so many areas where newspapers cannot cover and there was no such adequate facility for television. In those areas, radio is the most effective medium,’ he added. As guest of honour, Prof Tapodhir Bhattacharjee, VC, Assam University appreciated All India Radio for coming up with such a media workshop”. The news broadcast by AIR is authentic. True journalism still prevails in AIR,’ he said. Gautam Ganguli, DC, Cachar said that “The AIR depicts national integration’. There is no bias in the news of Radio. Ramani Malakar, News director, AIR, Guwahati dwelt on the history of AIR over the 50 years. In the end, vote of thanks was given by LT K Shing, Assistant News Director, AIR, Silchar.
ULFBV
rebel killed in Hailakandi
From our Correspondent Sentinel Assam SILCHAR, March 22: One ULFBV cadre was killed by security forces yesterday in South Hailakandi along the Asom-Mizoram border. Top-level officials, including Hailakandi SP Vibekananda Das and officials from Kolasib of Mizoram who had visited the place (Bhaicherra) yesterday, denied any tension along the border area. There are reports of heavy exchange of fire between the ULFBV and the Indian Reserve Police (IRP) for almost an hour leading to the killing of self-styled ULFBV major Jaladhar Fai (37). Some others were injured in the shoot-out.
Three Asom MPs fail to use Rs 3.39 cr development funds If the MPs do not use funds that they are provided with for the development of the State, what would one call them other than utterly incompetent and inefficient? That they do not want to perform is pretty clear. Since they represent the aspirations of the people of the State, they owe an explanation to the people. By our Staff Reporter Sentinel Assam GUWAHATI, March 20: Asom cries for development, and this is despite the availability of developmental funds in the State. There have been allegations that the MLAs and MPs of the State cannot use the funds that they get for the development of their local areas. Three Rajya Sabha MPs from Asom — Dwijen Sarma, Karnendu Bhattacharjee and UG Brahma — whose term will expire in the first fortnight of April also could not discharge their duties as far as the MPLAD funds are concerned. According to official sources, as on February 29, 2008, the three outgoing Rajya Sabha MPs from the State could not utilize Rs 3.39 crore of their local area development funds. It may be mentioned here that the term of a Rajya Sabha MP is six years and each year he or she gets Rs 2 crore for the development of his or her local area. In his six year term, Dwijen Sarma got Rs 12 crore, and of this amount he could not use Rs 1.12 crore as on February 29 this year. Karnendu Bhattacharjee got Rs 22 crore in his consecutive two terms, and as on February 29 this year he could not use Rs 1.17 crore. Likewise, UG Brahma got Rs 12 crore and could not utilize Rs 1.10 crore. It may be mentioned here that at a recent meeting of the Planning and Development (P & D) Department at Dispur, a lot of emphasis was laid on the maximum use of MPLAD funds so as to ensure development of the State. The meeting was attended, among others, by Additional Chief Secretary PP Verma and other top-level officials of the department and some deputy commissioners.
Repair of Silchar-Kalain road demanded
From Our Correspondent Assam Tribune HAILAKANDI, March 20 – The Retired Employees Forum of Silchar has demanded the repair of the damaged Silchar-Kalain road immediately. In a memorandum to the MLA Bithika Dev, the Forum mentioned their five point charter of demands. The memo alleged that the road was handed over to the North Eastern Council (NEC) in 2004-05 but the latter was not maintaining the road properly and for this the people of the entire locality is facing extreme hardship. They also alleged that the demands of the people to repair this important road have not been taken seriously by the District Administration. Due to the non repair of the road for the last few years, the road has become unmotorable for all kinds of vehicles. Besides mentioning the demand of repair the Kalain-Silchar road, the Forum has also mentioned some other demands which included the control of erosion in the banks of Barak River in Sib-bari and Tarapur-Daspara area etc. Art competition :An art competition among the school children was organised recently by the Sristi Welfare Society of Hailakandi, a socio-cultural organization, in the premises of Sushanta Sekhar Vidya Mandir here. The competition was organised in three groups and about 60 children participated in it. In Group A, Subhajit Das and Supriya Debnath of Blue Flowers English Medium School secured first and second position respectively. In Group B, Priyanka paul of Netaji Subhas Academy secured first position while Sayan Ranjan Ghosh and Ruhiteswar Choudhury of Blue Flowers School secured second and third position respectively. Barnali Das of Indra Kumari Girls' Higher Secondary School secured first position while Ashabari Das of St. Mary's School and Tapajit Acharjee of Netaji Subhas Academy secured second and third positions respectively. The competition was inaugurated by the prominent citizen of Hailakandi, Manash Kanti Das. The inaugural function was also attended by the District Programme Officer of sarba Siksha Abhiyan (SSA), N C Das among others. It may be mentioned here that this organisation is actively working for the socio-economic conditions of the poor and backward children living in the different parts of Hailakandi town. The organisation in the meantime has successfully undertaken various awareness programmes on health, education, environment etc. in order to promote healthy life style among the people of Hailakandi district.
By our Staff Reporter Assam Tribune GUWAHATI, March 19: Asom Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi today said the State Government is contemplating on recruiting ex-servicemen as security personnel from other States so as to meet the security needs at the sites of national projects in the State. Talking to newsmen today, Gogoi said if the State Government goes for recruitment of security personnel in the State now, it will take not less than a year. “Since we want security personnel instantly, we have to recruit ex-servicemen from other States,” Gogoi said. Gogoi added that the State Government had sought applications for 1,000 ex-servicemen as security personnel, but only 600 applications were received. Reacting to Railway Minister Lalu Prasad Yadav and Surface Transport Minister TR Baalu’s statement on the State Government’s failure to provide security to the workers engaged at the Lumding-Silchar Gauge Conversion and East-West Corridor projects, Gogoi said: “Lack of security can’t be the only reason behind the slow progress of work of the railway gauge conversion and East-West Corridor projects. There is no security problem at Bogibeel, but the work of the project is slow.”
From Our Correspondent Assam Tribune SILCHAR, March 18 – Child labour is becoming a serious issue in India as well as western countries. The people of Silchar town have shown character to oppose one such incident. The incident took place on Jail Road at around 11.30 am recently when everybody was busy and about to move to their working places. Pachu, aged 10 years was working in a tea stall of one Udham Ghose. Pachu was unwillingly working in this shop for the last two months. When Pachu decided to leave the shop and head home the owner of the shop started beating the boy in the street. Pachu fell down and started shouting. Thereafter about 150 people gathered in the spot. One local person could not resist himself and started beating the owner of the shop. Eye witnesses said that a child like Pachu cannot be beaten up in such a manner. Sources also said that the owner of the shop was not behaving properly with Pachu. Even food was not provided properly. After the incident, Udham Ghose escaped from the scene. In Silchar town, many children are working in the tea stalls and restaurants. This incident should draw the attention of the authority towards the menace of child labour and is testimony to the fact that the people of the city are becoming conscious of it.
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Guwahati, March 18: The Assam Football
Association has invited 50 probables for the state
Santosh Trophy tournament team
coaching-cum-selection trials, to be held in Silchar
from April 18.
The probables have been asked to report at the camp
by April 17. The tournament will be held in Jammu
and Kashmir from May 25.
The association has asked all the invitees to apply
for their passports in view of a proposed exposure
tour to
Bangladesh.
The association has also invited 24 girls for the
coaching-cum-selection camp at Diphu from April 8
for the state team for the 4th under-17 girls’
nationals from April 25.
The probables will have to produce their proof of
age and medical fitness certificate from government
doctors upon arrival at the camp. The players must
be born on or after January 1, 1992 and not later
than December 31.
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Municipal board gives
town a makeover
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March 18: Roads in Hailakandi town are on the
mend, thanks to judicious use of funds by the
municipal board.
The chairman of the board, Ranjit Kumar Saha, said
as much as Rs 1. 47 crore had been spent since May
last year to develop public amenities in the town.
He said most of the schemes were executed under the
Swarna Jayanti Swa-Rojgar Yojana.
More than 50 roads, including the approach to
Hailakandi Women’s College, were constructed or
renovated under this scheme.
A children’s park was set up and the bus terminus
upgraded under the District Development Plan. Nearly
200 youths were trained in computers and introduced
to various self-employment schemes under the Urban
Self-Employment Programme.
Saha said the board was also constructing a marriage
hall on the campus of the Town Hall. It will be let
out at the rate of Rs 5,000 per day.
The board has already spent Rs 5.53 lakh under the
Kalpataru Scheme and distributed Rs 31 lakh
as old-age pension to economically underprivileged
senior citizens of the town.
The Kalpataru scheme envisages financial assistance
to people below the poverty line, encouraging them
to engage in income-generating activities based on
their individual capabilities.
The board recently proposed a Rs 10-crore water
supply scheme in Ajachak Pally, a Rs 17-lakh scheme
for renovation of the crematorium, a Rs 6-crore
housing project for slum dwellers and a Rs 30-lakh
plan to renovate S.K. Roy Park.
Another proposal was for construction of low-cost
concrete houses for below-poverty-line residents.
Saha said the government had already sanctioned a
master drainage project for the town. Work on the
project will start soon.
Employees of the board have benefited, too. Sources
in the employees’ union said several of their
demands, including payment of pending dues, had been
fulfilled.
The board has 32 regular and contractual employees.
Saha, however, expressed dissatisfaction with the
collection of house and water tax and said the board
was yet to receive Rs 52 lakh in taxes.
After the end of the previous board’s term, the
state government constituted an ad hoc board with
Saha as its chairman. The government has since asked
the board to continue till elections to urban bodies
are held in a year’s time.
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Winds of change sweep
fields
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March 12: Clusters of chharas (shoots
of wheat crop) waving in the wind over 200 acres in
Assam’s Hailakandi district speak of a future as
golden as the sight the farmers behold.
The concept of cultivating multiple crops in this
primarily rice-growing district was introduced by
district agriculture officials with encouragement
from Hailakandi deputy commissioner Tapan Chandra
Goswami.
The plan was to replace ahu and boro
paddy crops in Cachar, Karimganj and Hailakandi
districts with wheat at the end of every winter.
Sonalika wheat seeds will be sown in December and
harvested in March.
The proposal was dusted and revived by the state
agriculture directorate at the behest of agriculture
minister Pramila Brahma, who hails from a farming
family, only last year. Initially, district
agriculture officer
Bijan
Dutta and his team orchestrated a publicity blitz,
goading village-level workers of the agriculture
department and members of panchayats to take up
wheat farming and reap a bonanza.
The department’s resolve to introduce wheat farming
was strengthened by a market survey. The survey
undertaken by the state agriculture marketing
department found that wheat would always be in
demand in the district as tea labourers from its 25
tea plantations were fond of roti as their
staple food.
Residents were also gradually switching over to this
food for breakfast or tiffin.
“In order to goad farmers to take up multiple
farming to tone up their marginal living, we hit
upon the idea of doling out incentives. We
distributed wheat among 2,000 farmers, each of them
getting 12kg,” Dutta said.
Encouraged by the change in their attitude, Dutta
hoped the idea of wheat cultivation would catch up
soon, altering the farming calendar of farmers, who
still constitute 65 per cent of the total working
and earning population in the district. The
multi-cropping idea failed to kindle enthusiasm
among farmers in Cachar and Karimganj districts
along the Indo-Bangladesh border, but clicked in
Hailakandi.
The result? The agriculture officials said they
would record the first yield of 200 tonnes of wheat
produced by 2,000 peasants in the district this
year.
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Books released at Hailakandi Book Fair
From Our Correspondent Assam Tribune
HAILAKANDI, March 16 – Three books written by Dr Amalendu Nag, lecturer in the Department of Political Science in SS College, Hailakandi, were released in the recently-concluded 6th Book Fair in Hailakandi town, organised by the Hailakandi unit of Barak Upatyaka Banga Sahitya and Sanskriti Sammelan. The books are Grassroot Politics in Assam, A tale of a little town and Ek Nazare Panchayat Nirvachan-Hailakand i Zilla.
The book-release function was attended by the eminent
educationist of Hailakandi, Bhavataran Bhattacharjee,
chairman of Hailakandi Municipal Board Ranjit Kumar Saha,
among others.
As many as 16 publishers put up their stalls in the book
fair. Cultural function and literary sessions were held
almost everyday in the premises of book fair. The fair and
the stage were dedicated to the eminent educationist and
founder member of book fair in Hailakandi district, late
Arabinda Choudhury, who passed away recently.
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