PM’s intervention sought to get Tax Free Zone status for North Bengal 

COOCH BEHAR, Aug. 28: Tax Free Zone Demand Committee for North Bengal (TFZDCNB) is planning to go ahead with their demand. 

TFZDCNB convenor Mr Rajendra Kumar Baid submitted a memorandum to the Prime Minister, Dr Manmohan Singh at New Delhi a few days ago. He also handed over copies of the memorandum to the Speaker of Lok Sabha Mr Somnath Chatterjee, Union finance minister Mr P Chidambaram and Union commerce and industries minister Mr Kamal Nath. Mentionworthy, the TFZDCNB had requested the Prime Minister on several occasions earlier for the latter’s personal intervention to the issue. 

In the memorandum Mr Baid mentioned that North Bengal is the corridor to northeast India. The Centre has declared Sikkim and northeast region as tax free zone but North Bengal has been denied of this status. 

Mr Baid said that unemployment is increasing in an alarming rate in educated and uneducated youths in North Bengal districts resulting discontent among them. This can be combated by creation of employment through wide scale industrialisation. Large-scale industrialisation will be possible if the entrepreneurs find North Bengal as a tax free zone. In this perspective the government should take a leading role, Mr Baid opined. 

The TFZDCNB convenor said that they already started a movement in all the six districts of North Bengal demanding tax free zone status for it. In the message addressed to the Prime Minister he declared their determination to launch a massive movement to get their demand fulfilled. 

Mr Baid said that they had demanded allocation of fund in the Union Budget for making North Bengal a tax-free zone but no measures were taken. Now they are left with no alternative other than organising a massive movement, he said. He declared that they are considering a plan to call a North Bengal bandh if their demands are not fulfilled. 

On the otherhand, Tufanganj Mahakuma Byabasayee Samity adopted a mass deputation programme to be held on Wednesday. They also included the Tax Free Zone demand in their 14-point charter of demands. [] 

Report sought on death of “Mohans” 

COOCH BEHAR, Aug. 28: Joint Secretary to the government of West Bengal Mr S Nag asked the Principal Chief Conservator of Forests (Wild Life and Bio-diversity) and Chief Wild Life Warden of West Bengal to furnish a report on death of ‘Mohans’ due to beautification work by tourism department. 

In a letter (No. 2821-For/11B-06/2006 dated 8-8-2006) to the PCCF Mr SB Mandal, the joint secretary Mr Nag stated that he was “directed to refer the letter of Mrs Sabita Roy, AICC member and executive member of WBPCC alongwith other necessary papers on death of ‘Mohans’ (the tortoises) due to beautification work by tourism department and to request him to furnish a report in the matter immediately”. 

It may be recalled here that a senior member of All India Congress Committee, Mrs Sabita Roy wrote the chief minister Mr Buddhadev Bhattacharjee in June and the President Dr APJ Abdul Kalam in July on the death of ‘Mohans’. In her letter she had mentioned that spending a huge amount the beautification work done by tourism department at Baneswar Shiv Dighi resulted into death of ‘Mohans’. Mohans are the tortoises that have been living in the pond (Shiv Dighi) since time immemorial. She also mentioned in her letter that the project was being demolished under public and legal pressure to save the Mohans. Thus public money was wasted, she added in the letter. 

Today, handing over a copy of the joint secretary’s letter to The Statesman, Mrs Roy expressed her pleasure by saying that “at last the authorities felt the problem”. She hoped that after proper investigation it may be revealed that the sacred tortoises named Mohans had to die due to the so called beautification drive initiated by the tourism department. She demanded measures against the officials concerned. [] 

PHOTO : Mohans of Shiv Dighi being examined and treated at Baneswar in Cooch Behar.