NRDC delegation met Union minister at New Delhi 

COOCH BEHAR, Aug. 23: A 15-member delegation of New Railway Demand Committee (NRDC) comprising of members from West Bengal and Assam met the Union road transport and national highways minister Mr TR Baloo at New Delhi on yesterday afternoon. They submitted a memorandum to the minister. The NRDC leaders demanded introduction of water transport service on Bay of Bengal through Brahmaputra in Assam. Shipping service was there in Brahmaputra in the past and this is required again to carry merchandise produced in this region, they told the minister. 

Recently a Central survey team visited Dhubri and reportedly demanded 8-bigha land only. On such a small piece of land a seaport cannot be built and this raised doubt over the intention of the authorities, joint convenor of NRDC Mr Chandi Pal said over phone from New Delhi. They requested the minister to reintroduce the waterway and shipping service for the greater interest of the people of this region. 

Hearing the argument of the NRDC leaders the Union minister instructed the concerned officials of the ministry to send a survey team on 29 August to examine the possibilities of the proposed waterway and the port at Dhubri in Assam, according to the state forest minister Mr Ananta Roy who is also a member of the visiting delegation. 

Railway standing committee chairman Mr Basudeb Acharya (MP), state forest minister Mr Ananta Roy, Mr Tarini Roy (MP), Mr Tamser Ali (MLA) and Mr Akhil Pramanik were in the 15-member delegation that met the minister. Joint convenors of NRDC Mr Chandi Pal and Mr Tazmul Haque (Assam) led the delegation. 

The NRDC leaders also met Union forest and environment minister Mr Namo Narayan Meena yesterday. State forest minister Mr Ananta Roy requested the Union minister to extend his helping hands in implementing various measures related to forest development and eco-tourism in Cooch Behar district and adjoining areas. They also met the speaker of Lok Sabha Mr Somnath Chatterjee and talked over various issues yesterday. [] 

Cooch Behar-Kolkata super fast train demanded 

COOCH BEHAR, Aug. 23: Cooch Behar District Merchants Chamber of Commerce (CDMCC) demanded introduction of Cooch Behar-Kolkata super fast train service to reach Sealdah from Cooch Behar within 12-hours. CDMCC general secretary Mr Rajendra Kumar Baid met the Union railway minister Mr Lalu Prasad Yadav at New Delhi today and submitted a memorandum to him consisting of the demand. 

Talking over phone from New Delhi, Mr Baid said that he tried to convince the Union minister about the need of such a super fast train in the greater interest of the people of North Bengal and Bhutan. The proposed train should start its journey from New Cooch Behar at 8 a.m. and reach Sealdah at 8 p.m. everyday. Another train should run from Sealdah to Cooch Behar following the similar schedule, he opined. 

Mr Baid said that the Union railway minister heard the demand passionately and assured him that he will consider the proposal after examining it carefully. Mr Baid said that he also met the speaker of Lok Sabha Mr Somnath Chatterjee and requested him to take up the issue with proper authorities to make it a reality as early as possible. [] 

Thalassaemia detection camp 

COOCH BEHAR, Aug. 23: Maharaja Shri Jitendra Narayan Club, Cooch Behar, will organise a thalassaemia detection and awareness camp at the club premises on Sunday. They will organise the camp in association with Serum Thalassaemia Prevention Federation. Convenor of the Thalassaemia Camp Dr Binayak Roy said that such a camp is going to be held for the first time in Cooch Behar. 

Dr Roy said that thalassaemia is a dreaded disease that destroys a family if it attacks any child of that family. Many are carriers of this disease but they are not thalassaemia patients. A carrier of this disease should not marry another carrier to prevent the society from this killer disease. And so, blood examination should be mandatory before a marriage takes place, Dr Roy said. 

Dr Binayak Roy made an appeal to all guardians to send children, teenagers and eligible bachelors to the thalassaemia detection and awareness camp on Sunday to avail the opportunity to get their blood examined. []