COOCH BEHAR, Sept. 14: Incessant downpour is dampening the puja spirit in Cooch Behar district. Rainfall recorded in the last 24 hours at Cooch Behar is 122 mm, at Mathabhanga 56 mm and at Tufanganj 73.40 mm.  The total rainfall in this season at Cooch Behar is 2150.60 mm, at Mathabhanga 1871.90 and at Tufanganj 2276.90 mm.  

Following heavy rainfall the water level of the rivers is rising. In Mekhliganj the water level of Tista crossed the danger mark and so Yellow signal was clamped in the unprotected areas along the river from last night.  

Due to the incessant downpour the normal life disrupted in the district. Puja shopping became a hard job for many. The recent drought situation turned the local economy worse and so the rural people especially the members of peasant families are not coming for puja shopping.  Following this the traders also turned into a suffering community. They are anxious about the pre-puja business. Pandal makers, decorators, electricians and even the clay idol makers are in trouble. Artisans are busy in saving the unfinished Durga idols with plastic sheets. []  

PHOTO : Artisans busy in giving final touch to the image of Goddess Durga at a big-budget puja pandal in Cooch Behar. The Goddess appears here as a symbol of peace.  

Elephant menace in Dooars 

COOCH BEHAR, Sept. 14: A hard of wild elephant rampaged Dalgaon Tea Estate area in the Dooars last night. Locals complained that the elephants damaged ten huts. The aggrieved villagers demanded adequate measures to save their lives and properties from the attack of wild elephants. Otherwise they will have to start a movement against the forest authorities, they warned. [] 

For a women college in Alipurduar 

COOCH BEHAR, Sept. 14: Alipurduar MLA Mr Nirmal Das visited the state education minister Mr Sudarshan Chakraborty and the principal secretary Mr Ashok Mohan Chakraborty at Kolkata today. He talked with them about establishment of the proposed women’s college in Alipurduar. He requested them to take initiative to handover the 5-acre land that was acquired from Satyanarayan Rice Mill to set up the college.  

Talking over phone from Kolkata, Mr Das told The Statesman that the state higher education department is going to approve thirty colleges in the state during the current academic session. He urged the education minister to include the proposal of the much-awaited women’s college of Alipurduar in that list.  

Mr Das said that fund would not be a problem for setting up the proposed new college. He assured that financial assistance from Local Area Development fund of MLAs might be used for the construction of the college building. []