Bengal snake charmers stage a protest

KOLKATA, 17th February: More than a thousands snake charmers from all over West Bengal took to the streets of Calcutta protesting against a law that has made snake charming illegal under the banner of Bedia federation of India.

Laws came to force in India in 1991 banning shows featuring cobras and other snakes but the snake charmers say that the laws have deprived them of their livelihood. However, despite the laws, many snake charmers continue to perform. Head of the snake charmers organisation, Raktim Das has told mediapersons: "We are being consistently harassed by the police for keeping snakes, which are snatched away without paying us compensation."

Animal rights groups say that the laws should be kept in force to prevent snakes from being abused. Generally, snake charmers rip out the snakes’ fangs and feed them milk which means when they are returned to their natural habitat they are unable to catch prey and die. Snake performers usually release the snakes after six months of performance.

Charm offensive: Why India’s snake men (and their serpents) are taking to the streets

A 1,000-year-old tradition is at risk as police start to take the law seriously and animal welfare activists want the music to stop. Andrew Buncombe reports from Delhi
Thursday, 19 February 2009, The Independent

For many people who close their eyes and dream romantic thoughts of India, amid the imagined scenes of desert palaces and colourful chaos is that of the snake charmer – a man playing his flute while a dancing cobra rises and twists from its wicker basket.

In truth, there are fewer charmers than one might imagine. Government legislation dating back almost 35 years gives police the right to apprehend (or more likely, in many cases, take a bribe from) anyone using a wild animal for such entertainment purposes. The charmers that do operate in tourist centres and large cities, live a largely furtive existence, bothering a few coins out of passers-by whom they confront with their anguine companions.

But now the snake-charmers are fighting back. A newly created union for the men and their snakes has been established to demand that the legislation banning them from their “birth right” be overturned and that alternative employment for the snake charmers be provided.

In a sign of strength, around 5,000 snake charmers from the Indian state of West Bengal this week took to the streets of Calcutta demanding action and claiming that their generations-old profession is on the brink of death. Many were carrying their snakes with them as they marched.

“It’s our birth right to charm snakes. No can deprive us of that,” said 35-year-old Langra Bede, one of the charmers. “Our forefathers charmed snakes. We grew up with this. It’s basically all we know.”

Snake charmers have been part of India’s landscape for many hundreds of years. Traditionally the charmers were called on by villagers to help gather and remove poisonous snakes that represented a danger to them. Because snakes are considered sacred in Hinduism, people would not kill snakes but would rather call on these men and their special skills – traditionally handed down from father to son – to remove them.

The charmers would then keep the reptiles and “train them” for performances. (While snakes are deaf, it is believed that their “dancing” movement is a self-defence response to vibrations they perceive as threatening.) In more recent years tourists have been charged a small fee to be photographed with the exotic creatures.

But the 1972 Wildlife Protection Act made it an offence to use wild animals for such commercial purposes or to keep them as pets. Activists pointed out that in order to remove the threat from the snakes, which have the potential to be fatal to humans, the charmers usually rip out the creatures’ fangs rather than regularly draining them of the poison. They then feed the snakes milk. But within a year most charmers release their animals, which, without fangs, are unable to feed themselves. Since the late 1990s, the authorities have markedly increased efforts to enforce the law. Yet campaigners for the estimated 800,000 snake charmers say they are being persecuted.

The majority of India’s snake charmers belong to the nomadic “Bedia” tribe or clan, which speaks Bengali. Many of them live in West Bengal. Raktim Das, a founder of the Bedia Federation of India and an organiser of this week’s march, said the Bedia people, whose tradition dates back more than 1,000 years, had long been persecuted by the authorities and the police. He said that more than 100,000 Bedia families were suffering intense economic hardship as a result of the increased enforcement of the 1972 act.

If the government is unwilling to overturn the legislation, he said, it should establish official snake farms specialising in venom and snake skins which could provide employment to the Bedia people. “This has happened in other countries such as China and Vietnam,” said Mr Das. “This would not harm the snake population and it would provide a sustainable source of income.”

Mr Das claimed that a snake venom “mafia” operated in India and was behind government efforts to clamp down on the Bedia. He said that in a single strike a snake can release about 12g of venom, and that venom could fetch £130. A venomous snake could live up to eight years, which would be highly profitable, and private companies still pay snake charmers for any venom they can collect. The companies sell on venom to drug companies, harvesting significant profit margins.

He added: “In addition, we don’t think that snakes are really wild animals. They only exist where there are rats and rats live in places close to human civilisation. Also, if there are no snakes in an area it will increase the number of rats.”

Yet animal rights activists are adamant that the law is vital to protect all wildlife – not just snakes but bears and other animals – from exploitation. “Even now there are still snake charmers … The problem has been to find alternative livelihoods,” said Shakti Banerjee, director of the Wildlife Protection Society of India. “The dancing bears have largely been gotten rid of but not the charmers.”

GJM agitation hits Darjeeling tourism

KOLKATA:The ongoing agitation in the hills by the Gorkhaland Janmukti Morcha (GJM) for a separate state has hit the North Bengal hospitality and tourism industry hard and is estimated to cause revenue losses of more than Rs 12 crore.

Although according to the West Bengal Tourism Development Corporation (WBTDC) hotel bookings are down by atleast 10 per cent in the last two months in Darjeeling with the average occupancy hovering around 40 per cent, Business Standard spoke to a few of the leading hotels in the region, and found that almost all the premium and three star or the heritage properties were running on 50-60 per cent losses for the last three months.

Rupam Das of Fortune Resort Central said, “Although the political situation is better now, the damage is done, with maximum business loss in the month of June-July, the peak season. The occupancy at Fortune Resort slipped to as low as 10 per cent in the month of January compared to 35-40 percent witnessed in the year ago period at the premium four star property in Darjeeling.”

Although this was a slack season, the average occupancy in December to January period hovered around 39 per cent at practically all the premium properties with sometimes no guest for more than two weeks at a stretch, said Das who is also a member of the local Hotel Owners Association.

"In terms of revenue loss, it could be to the tune of Rs 35-40 lakhs for a premium property if the present occupancy situation continues," he said. Navin Suchanti, managing director and CEO of Sinclairs Hotels Limited, which runs three properties across North Bengal said, "We have been badly affected because of the political turmoil, as its business is down because of the recessionary trends.” However, he refused to give any figures about the hotel occupancies across Sinclair's properties.

“Domestic tourist inflow, which accounts for the bulk of the business, had been badly affected. Last month occupancy was less than 50 per cent compared to 70-80 per cent in the same period last fiscal, in terms of quantitative loss in business, it will run into some lakhs, ” informed a spokesperson from Windamere hotel, a heritage property located at the heart of the Darjeeling mall.

Many small budget hotels which cater to the mid-segment were also forced to shut down because of low tourist inflow and heavy business losses. Recession had affected the foreign tourist inflow, but in Darjeeling compared to Goa and Kerala, foreign tourist arrivals contribute only 18-25 per cent of the total tourism revenue, bulk of the comes from domestic tourists, which were affected after June last year.

According to Zahid Rafique, regional manager of makemytrip.com, one of the largest domestic online travel portal, domestic bookings for Darjeeling have been low compared to last year and in the last two months physical bookings for Darjeeling had been practically nil. Bookings started dropping since July last year, but in the last few months, starting December onwards physical bookings were completely nil, in online booking segment, more than two lakh revenue is estimated to have been been hit , said Rafique.

Rafique pointed out that compared to last year December-February period when makemytrip.com managed 280 odd transactions or travel bookings from all across India this year same period the travel portal could only manage 200 transactions or bookings, causing huge loss to domestic business and revenue collection. Due to government's leave travel concession, almost 90 per cent of the place is occupied during the peak season and thereafter by domestic travellers, but this year this too failed to churn good business.

When contacted, Manabendra Mukherjee, state minister of tourism admitted that North Bengal tourism industry had been badly hit by the ongoing turmoil but he failed to provide any concrete measures to be taken by the ministry. "We have been hit by this disturbance going on in the hills. We expect a negative growth this fiscal, however coming out with any specific detail about the quantum of loss and is difficult, that will be possible only after the end of this quarter. We are trying to help the authorities of those districts to bring back normalcy,” he said.

TVN Rao, managing director of West Bengal Tourism Development Corporation(WBTDC) claimed that the occupancy rate and revenue have been hit by 30 per cent in the 24 tourist lodges run by WBTDC in Darjeeling, Kalimpong and Kurseong, which is WBTDC's main source of revenue of WBTDC To counter the fall in occupancy rate WBTDC is spending close to Rs 6 crore towards advertisements and promotional activity also, he informed.

Rhino population in West Bengal forest goes up

Kolkata: The rhino population in a national park at the Himalayan foothills has gone up. Elated officials of the West Bengal forest department are now getting ready to carry out a census in another reserve forest.

During a census last November in the Gorumara National Park, located in the Himalayan foothills area of West Bengal called the Dooars, the officials found the number of the one-horned giants had increased to 35 from 27, the state's Forest Minister Ananta Roy told mediapersons. Now the officials are getting ready to carry out a rhino census in the Jaldapara Wildlife Sanctuary, also in the Dooars. The census will start later this month.

"We'll begin the rhino census in the Jaldapara Wildlife Sanctuary in the last week of February. The census will also collect specific information about the male-female ratio," Roy said. According to forest department officials, the census will also point out all information about each rhinoceros that will be required to identify it in case of emergency.

"The number of rhinos in Gorumara rose to 35 from 27 recorded in 2006," the minister said. The officials say the main reason for the increase in rhino population in Gorumara is that forest guards as well as local residents are "extremely vigilant" against poachers.

Most of the one-horned rhinos, found only in India, are in the Kaziranga National Park in Assam, where about 1,700 are estimated to be grazing in the vast marshy grasslands on the banks of the Brahmaputra river.

"We're trying to emphasise on increasing rhino habitat in both the Jaldapara and Gorumara forests. We're working in tandem with the state forest department towards achieving this goal. But it's a great sign the rhino population there is increasing through a natural process," said Animesh Bose of the Himalayan Nature and Adventure Foundation (HNAF) - a Siliguri-based wildlife welfare organisation.

Bose agreed: "The forest management has been very good in protecting the lives and livelihood for this animal (rhino). We have also given a few suggestions to the state forest department to click photographs of all the rhinos in the forest and give them specific identification marks on the basis of their physical differences."

Rhinos face the danger of poaching due to the mistaken belief that their horns yield a "medicine" that acts as an aphrodisiac. In the illegal international market, a kilogram of rhino horn fetched $60,000 in 1994.

Interim budget failed to address meltdown issues: Bengal finance minister

Kolkata, Feb 16 :The interim budget presented by External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee did not address the problem of rising unemployment in the country due to global economic crisis, West Bengal Finance Minister Asim Dasgupta said here Monday.

“The budget failed to address consequences related to global economic crisis,” he told reporters at the Writers Buildings - the state secretariat. He said the central government need to “seriously” review the economic policies formulated by it.

Though the government has declared its plans for National Rural Employment Guarantee Act, irrigation and other rural development schemes, that could not address the problems faced by the state governments on these accounts, he added.

“We know there are certain limitations of the interim budget. We hope all these problems will be addressed properly when the full budget is done after elections,” Dasgupta said. “We hope the main budget will be done more democratically.”

West Bengal optimistic over Infosys plant Should be set up this year

KOLKATA, February 16, 2009: The Government of West Bengal is bullish about Infosys' plans to set up in the state in FY 2009, in spite of repeated delays. The recent Nano pull-out owing to strong political opposition has worried some major IT companies, including Wipro, which were headed towards West Bengal.

Speaking to media at the ISA Vision Summit, Bengal's minister for information technology and biotechnology, Debesh Das, reassured his audience that the government was planning to provide the required land to Infosys, probably this year.

Das said, "Last year, they signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the West Bengal government. They have already planned for a set-up in Kolkata and the proposal still exists. We need to provide the land. We are trying to get though some private initiatives and we are in the process of getting it. There is some 1,200 acres of land. We have shown Wipro and Infosys what is the exact area of land, what is the exact place and also what is the government’s actual plan. The site we have chosen near the airport. We will give the land to them and I hope, within few months, it will be done. They still have the interest."

Das added, "There is no such pull-out in West Bengal IT industry. In FY 08, 33 companies set up their stores in the state." The minister firmly believes that FY 09 will witness a bigger number. Wipro has also expressed ts interest in the West Bengal project. The state government is also offering incentives to SMBs as well as the biggies.

The minister seems to be unconcerned by worries from corporates about the state's disturbed image in regard to the Nano pull-out. He said, "This is just a perception. There is no impact on the IT industry."

Meanwhile, he stressed his view that India should develop its own specialities, rather than following other nations in the semiconductor front. Das said, "We need to focus on our own research. Scandavinian nations have been focusing on wireless and South Korea in memory. India should have a similar focus and bring out something unique, for example, medical science."
Das warned companies about the deep state of concern about job safety among employees. Das said that once the industry comes out of recession, companies will find it tough to get resources, as repeated layoffs have put people off a career in IT.

MPs oppose British Airways' decision to pull out of Kolkata

New Delhi, Feb 13, 2009 : Concerned over British Airways closing down its Kolkata-London flights from March, several MPs from West Bengal today asked the government to check this trend and also make Kolkata a gateway for East-bound flights.
A delegation of Left MPs from the state today met External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee and gave a memorandum demanding government's intervention in the matter, saying the decision to pullout of Kolkata by some international carriers was a "terrible setback" to the government's Look East Policy.
While it was natural that global meltdown had affected airports and the aviation sector, they said air traffic from Kolkata to London is also affected.
"Government is duty bound to stop this trend of winding up" of operations by global carriers from the country, they said, adding that the decision of British Airways to close down its Kolkata operations from March 28 had come as "a bolt from the blue".
The signatories to the memorandum included Basudeb Acharia, Mohd Salim, Tarit Baran Topdar, Anil Basu, Basudeb Barman, Susmita Bauri, Sudhansu Sil and Amitava Nandi.

CPI(M) ministers meet to work towards rural development

Kolkata: The Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M) ministers in West Bengal met here Monday to discuss ways to strengthen coordination between state government departments and to focus on rural development.

The meeting, chaired by Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee and CPI-M state secretary Biman Bose, was held at the party’s state headquarters on Alimuddin Street. “The meeting was called to discuss our internal issues within the ruling Left Front (LF) government. It was also aimed at strengthening coordination between all the state government departments that are working towards the development of the state,” CPI-M politburo member and West Bengal Industry Minister Nirupam Sen told reporters later.

“In the meeting, we’ve taken a decision to focus on the rural issues and village development. The state government will start implementing that at the block level in the coming days,” Sen said, adding that some sectors have been selected for further developmental works. Sen said it was a routine meeting among the CPI-M ministers and had no connection with the coming Lok Sabha polls.

Rs 5 crore for Subhas Sarobar revamp

KOLKATA: The state has received money to implement a green project that was long overdue. The Union ministry of tourism has just sanctioned Rs 5 crore to revamp Subhas Sarobar, the lungs of east Kolkata. The lake, an eyesore for years, is all set to turn into a beautiful landscape in the next 20 months.

After lobbying for nearly two years with the Union ministry of urban development, the state government highlighted the rejuvenation of Subhas Sarobar as a key tourism project while seeking funds from the Union ministry of tourism (MoT). Result? MoT has now sanctioned Rs 4.91 crore to rejuvenate the lake, which has been included in the National Lake Conservation Programme, but has been crying for attention all these years.

The waterbody has been suffering, thanks to everyday bathing, washing and cleaning by slum-dwellers. Well a sea change is about to take place. And a visit to the sprawling sarovar (41.61 acres of waterbody and 49.99 acres of land) will transport you to lush green grounds dotted with a children's park, rockery, French shelters, joggers' track and other related landscaping accessories. The water will also be treated in a scientific manner. The area around the shimmering water will be lit up in the most fascinating manner to create a romantic ambience after dusk. A lot of recreational activity will take place, especially in the amphitheatre, the water sports complex and food courts. Security will be a key issue: the complex will be closely guarded and visitors monitored through electronic gates.

The sarobar is currently used haphazardly by swimming and other clubs the inner pathways originally meant for morning-walkers are now used for traffic movement between Narkeldanga Main Road and CIT Road-Beliaghata Main Road.

"We just cannot allow this prime waterbody in a crowded city area remain an eyesore forever. So, we decided to send a comprehensive project report, prepared from the original KIT plan, to the ministry. And, we developed it as per the Centre's guidelines to attract funds," said TVN Rao, director of the West Bengal Tourism Development Corporation and the concept creator.

The rejuvenation plan also provides for a proper solid waste management and underground stormwater drainage systems. "Currently, there is a huge dump yard in the sarobar premises. We will remove it and implement a scientific solid waste management," said Biswanath Sen, chief engineer-in-charge of KIT, the implementing agency. But since the project has been prepared by West Bengal Tourism Development Corporation, a must-do is a tourism facilitation centre to highlight the other tourism destinations around the sarobar. These stop-overs include Science City, Milan Mela, Nalban, Nicco Park and Salt Lake stadium.

Reel glow to Purulia beauty

RAGHUNATHPUR (Purulia): Noted film director Mr Buddhadeb Dasgupta drew attention to the scenic beauty of drought-prone Purulia district in his inauguration of the third Joychandipahar Paryatan Utsab at Raghunathpur Stadium, which takes place over a period of four days, 42 km from Purulia town.

Mr Dasgupta said: “Purulia's scenic beauty has always attracted me, which is why I have set four of my films here”. He recollected that the legendary director Mr Satyajit Ray was similarly drawn to the region, and called to mind Ray's two films set in and around Joyachandipahar. The famous film actress, Mrs Supriya Debi, seconded Mr Dasgupta's passion for Purulia, remarking upon the district's exceptional beauty.

Basudeb Acharia, local MP and president of the Joychandipahar Paryatan Utsab Committee, said: “Joychandipahar is well-known by tourists for its scenic beauty and will soon be easily accessible by rail, making it a highly desirable stop on the tourist circuit. The region's tourist appeal ensures sufficient scope for the planned economic development”. A highly modern station will be built at Joychandipahar in the style of Cooch Behar's Rajbari, to be ready by the end of the coming December, just before the fourth Joychandipar tourism festival. Purulia government officials are already considering the revenue to be gained by films shot in the area. Ayodhyapahar and Panchyatpahar, on the West Bengal-Jharkhand border, are also very attractive to tourists, as long as they remain free from the Maoist influence in the area.

The 23rd Purulia district book fair ended its week-long duration in Purulia town last week. In all, 60 publishers from Kolkata, Patna and Ranchi participated.Mr Karuna Sindhu Das, former Vice-Chancellor of Rabindra Bharati, was the chief guest. He expressed his passion for the book fair and highlighted its significance for the district.

Create right atmosphere for talks, Governor told Morcha

KOLKATA: West Bengal Governor Gopalkrishna Gandhi on Thursday reiterated, before Gorkha Janamukti Morcha president Bimal Gurung, the need for maintaining an atmosphere in the Darjeeling hills and the Dooars conducive to the ongoing tripartite discussions on the political situation in the region.

Mr. Gurung along with nine associates called on the Governor here, a day after talks with Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee on the GJM’s demands related to its Statehood campaign in the Dooars area.

Mr. Gurung’s demand for holding rallies in the Dooars was not acceded to by Mr. Bhattacharjee on the ground that such public meetings by any political outfit in the region should be put on hold as it could exacerbate ethnic tensions there.

“The Governor was informed of the State government denying the GJM permission for rallies there and we were assured that he would take up our various demands with the Prime Minister as well as the Chief Minister,” Roshan Giri, GJM general secretary, who was present at the meeting, told mediapersons.

Mr. Gandhi also indicated to Mr. Gurung his distress over a fast being observed by GJM supporters at Gorubathan in the Kalimpong sub-division.

The Governor, through Mr. Gurung, appealed to the fasting persons to give up their protest as he was taking up the issues raised by the GJM leader.

The “fast-unto-death” would continue until the State government met the GJM demands, Mr. Giri said.“We will not move even an inch away from our demand for Gorkhaland,” Mr. Giri said.“We do not believe in an arms struggle to achieve Statehood. Our struggle is democratic and on Gandhian principles. There is a conspiracy to malign the democratic image of the GJM; what we are asking for is a separate State within the framework of the Indian Constitution” he added.

New terminals to breathe fresh life

KOLKATA, 11 February, 2009: There is good news for West Bengal. Kolkata Port Trust (KoPT) is planning to set up a series of terminals around Haldia Dock Complex (HDC) to facilitate handling of barges and ships. Expressions of interest have already been invited from private parties for four barge terminals under the Public Private Partnership (PPP) scheme.

KoPT chairman Dr A K Chanda has also written to the state government, seeking land at Shalukkhali and Kukrahati on the west bank of the Hooghly for terminals to handle large ships. "Surveys have already been conducted and if things move according to plan, the barge terminals should become operational in the next one and a half years. These terminals will facilitate the movement of cargo transloaded at other ports, to West Bengal and promote coastal shipping as well as inland water transport," Chanda said.

According to senior HDC officers, major port users like CESC Ltd have welcomed the move as this will facilitate easier movement of cargo like thermal coal for its power plant coming up in Haldia. It is a win-win situation for all sides as ships will no longer have to depend on the lockgate to enter HDC. They can unload their cargo onto barges on the Hooghly itself and turn back. At a later stage, the ships can also berth at Shalukkhali and Kukrahati where draught is expected to be nearly 10 metres. An officer said that this may also give rise to a new class of vessel the Haldiamax that will be wider and flatter than normal seagoing vessels.

At present, HDC has 13 berths for handling dry bulk cargo and containers. In addition, there are three oil jetties outside the lockgate. The lockgate can be operated only about 8-10 times a day. This allows not more than five vessels to enter the confines of HDC. An equal number leave the port. Once jetties are built outside HDC, more ships can be handled without any additional use of the lockgate. "Presently, we handle 6,300 tonnes of cargo per day at Haldia. To compete with other ports, we will have to increase this by at least three times. There is also tremendous potential for inland water transport (IWT) as this region is close to two National Waterways. In days to come, land acquisition for roads and railways will be a big problem and IWT may turn into the best option.

Unfortunately, there is no scheme to provide road connectivity to IWT jetties. At present the volume of traffic moved through inland waterways is nearly one million tonnes. There is potential to move 70-80 million tonnes," Chanda said while addressing Shiport East 2009, a seminar organised by the Indian Chamber of Commerce. Captain PVK Mohan, chairman, National Shipping Board, pointed out that coastal shipping is not receiving the kind of importance it deserves. "This is one of the reasons why cruise shipping has not taken off. Unless we exploit our vast coastline, the economy will not improve. Ports like Haldia will have to give priority berthing to coastal ships," he said.

Hand-written letter of Rabindranath Tagore found in Bangladesh

Dhaka (IANS): A rare hand written letter by Nobel laureate poet Rabindranath Tagore has been found from a private collector in a Bangladesh village. The six-page letter was found in Patisar village under Atrai Upazila in the northern Bangladesh district of Naogaon. Over 66 years since Tagore's death, it is a major find for those interested in his memorabilia.

Naheed Sultana, custodian, Rabindranath Kachharibari Museum at Shazadpur Upazila in Sirajganj district, confirmed that Tagore addressed the letter to someone in Bolpur, now in West Bengal in India. He had set up Santiniketan, an open air university, there.

Apparently the missive was a response to a request to the poet for his photograph. The letter was dated on Bhadra 28 in the Bengali year 1317, The Daily Star said on Wednesday. "As far I know, no original handwritten letter or manuscript of Tagore is in any of the museums in Bangladesh," said Mohammad Abdul Khaleque, director general, Department of Archaeology, Bangladesh. The letter throws interesting light on Tagore's date of birth.

Tagore had pointed out in the letter that his date of birth was May 6, 1861. However, Sultana thinks he was born May 7 in the same year. She maintains that Tagore was in all likelihood born after midnight, hence the discrepancy. In response to a request for his biography, the poet said in the letter that his life history was not important. He did, however, give insights into his younger days and his conjugal life.

The letter has a complicated history: Matiur Rahman of Patisar village collected the letter from a man named Nazrul Islam. Nazrul Islam inherited it from his father Kabej Ali Mandal, who was one of the cooks working on the poet's boat. Matiur Rahman has been collecting Tagore memorabilia from several districts in the county since 2003.

The newspaper, however, complained about the poor upkeep of Tagore memorablia.

Potato yield to suffer 20-22 percent in West Bengal

Kolkata, Feb 11: Wheat production in the country during the current year is likely to be 78 million tonnes, the output recorded last year, after rains resumed in north India, but potato production may suffer by 20 per cent.Stating this at a CII-sponsored seminar on agri-business, the Secretary to the Department of Agriculture&Cooperation, T Nand Kumar, pointed out that in January the temperature in Punjab was higher by 2-3 degrees, but the rains in the past few days were a big boost.

A long dry spell coupled with rising temperatures in January had raised concerns over falling wheat yields in Punjab and Harayana which account for more than 90 per cent of the wheat bought by the government.

Last year, the country had bumper wheat production and higher production this year may encourage the government to consider wheat exports as it already has more than adequate stocks. The potato production in West Bengal is expected to be lower by 20-22 per cent due to late-blight disease, state agriculture minister Naren De said.

The western disturbance has prevented temperature to dip further and temperature was 2-3 degree higher than normal. De also said the state was attempting to replace 20 per cent of chemical based fertiliser to bio-fertiliser during the 11th plan period.

Our doors are still open for Mamata: BJP

Kolkata, Feb 11 : Trinamool Congress supremo Mamata Banerjee is inching towards an alliance with the Congress in West Bengal for the Lok Sabha polls, but the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has still kept its doors open for its former ally.“We want an alliance with her. We have kept our doors open. But it is for Banerjee to decide,” state BJP president Satya Brata Mukherjee told mediapersons.

A day after Banerjee said she had not attended meetings of the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) for the last four years, the Congress Tuesday withdrew its candidate from the Bishnupur West assembly constituency of South 24 Parganas district which is slated to go for a by-election Feb 26.

The Congress decision paved the way for a straight fight between the state’s ruling Left Front major Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M) and the Trinamool and brightened the prospects for a Lok Sabha poll tie-up between the two opposition forces. But Mukherjee said anything was possible. “If she is sincere in fighting the CPI-M, then she should stay away from the Congress, which will again join forces with the Marxist party after the polls.”

Asked how the BJP would fare without an alliance with the Trinamool in the state, Mukherjee said: “Well, neither Trinamool nor the CPI-M is going to form the government at the centre. The choice is between the BJP and the Congress. We will tell people how miserably the Congress-led United Progressive Alliance (UPA) has fared on all fronts.

“We will also remind the people about our stint in power. I am sure people of this politically conscious state will take the right decision,” said the former union minister. The BJP drew a blank in the state during the 2004 Lok Sabha polls, where it fought alone. Earlier, fighting in alliance with the Trinamool, the BJP got one seat in 1998, and doubled the number of MPs from the state in the 1999 mid-term elections.

On whether former union minister and former MP Tapan Sikdar, now expelled from the BJP, would be given the ticket from his old constituency Dum Dum, Mukherjee said: “This decision has to be taken by our national leadership. But he is yet to rejoin the party.” The Lok Sabha elections are due in April-May.

First national milk grid in Jalpaiguri

Chandigarh, Feb 11 : In view of surplus production of milk, India has drawn up plans to export 40 million tonnes of milk annually to Saarc countries. Disclosing this on Wednesday, a spokesman of the National Dairy Research Institute (NDRI) said that the annual milk production in the country had touched about 109 million tonnes as against its annual consumption of 69 million tonnes.

India's milk production has shown a quantum increase in the last one decade or so owing to development and propagation of high milk yielding cross-bred cattle breeds in intensive researches by the NDRI, the country's premier and oldest dairy research institute headquartered at Karnal. This is the first time India would be exporting milk to milk-deficit countries.

As such about 40 million tonnes of milk could be exported annually from the country. The export of milk would not only increase the income of farmers, but also earn foreign exchange for the country, he said.

Following the NDRI's suggestion, the Union Ministry for Animal Husbandry and Dairying is contemplating export of milk to the Saarc countries. For this purpose, three milk grids were being set up in the country.

The first such grid would be set up at Jalpaiguri or New Jalpaiguri of West Bengal from where milk would be exported to Nepal, Bangladesh and Bhutan. Presently, these countries were importing milk from USA to cater to their needs. The second milk grid would be set up in Chennai which would export milk to the South-West countries and third grid was proposed to be set up in Gujarat, the spokesman said.

The spokesman said that the first phase of setting up milk grid had nearly been completed. Data of milk production is being collected from all the states to know the quantity of milk to be supplied to the milk grid. The rates structure at which milk is being imported by the Saarc countries was also being studied. With the export of milk, the cattle breeders would not only get higher rates for milk, but the price of milch cattle would also go up substantially.

Process for seat-adjustment with Trinamool open : Cong

Kolkata,11th February : After withdrawing its candidate in favour of Trinamool Congress nominee in a bypoll, Congress in West Bengal today said the door for seat adjustment with that party was open but there was no response from Mamata Banerjee-led outfit.

"The process of seat adjustment between Congress and Trinamool Congress for the Lok Sabha poll has started. We will withdraw our candidate for the February 26 Bishnupur (West) assembly by-poll," WPCC working president Pradip Bhattacherjee told reporters here.The Trinamool had lost the last election in this constituency in 2006 by 4000 votes.

Bhattacherjee and another PCC working president Subrata Mukherjee said "now it is upto the Trinamool Congress to appropriately respond to Congress' gesture." Trinamool Congress chief Mamata Banerjee, however, remained tightlipped on Congress' decision to withdraw its candidate in favour of her party nominee.

The Congress decision came less than 24 hours after Mamata distanced herself from BJP-led NDA and vowed to back a secular alliance after the polls. Mukherjee said the decision on terms of seat-adjustment would be taken by the party high command.

Bhattacherjee said the newly-formed co-ordination committee headed by WBPCC president Pranab Mukherjee would meet here on February 14 here to discuss policy and follow-up action on seat adjustment with Trinamool Congress.

PHOTOS OF BRIGADE RALLY ON 8TH FEBRUARY,2009

BIRD'S EYE VIEW OF BRIGADE PARADE GROUND.


HUMAN WAVE ON ADJACENT ROADS OF BRIGADE.


CHIEF MINISTER BUDDHADEB BHATTACHARYA ADDRESSING THE RALLY.

LEFT FRONT LEADERS ARE ON THE DIAS.

LEFTFRONT CHAIRMAN BIMAN BASU ADDRESSING THE RALLY.

BUDDHADEB GREETS SENIOR FORWARD BLOC LEADER ASHOK GHOSH.

BOOKSTALL

CULTURAL PROGRAMME

ALL THEY CAME.

SLOGAN AGAIN MAOISTS, DEMAND FOR INDUSTRY AND AGRICULTURE, DEMAND FOR DEVELOPMENT.

PIX BY ACHYUT ROY, SHYAMAL BASU AND SAMIRAN MAJUMDER.

United Left launches LS polls campaign

KOLKATA, 8 February, 2009: Addressing more than 12 lakh supporters from across West Bengal, an aggressive Left Front has revealed its political agenda for the upcoming general elections.Among the top priorities was the need for a third front that would ensure that the BJP and Congress were kept away from power.

"We do not need a BJP- or Congress-led government at the centre. We need a government that will prioritize the needs of the farmers and poor people that will not let be communal. A government which will have an independent foreign policy and not dictated by western countries, we dream of such a government and we know that it will be difficult task," said Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee, Chief Minister, West Bengal.

The state leadership also used the occasion to reject the demand of the Trinamool Congress to return the acquired land in Singur to farmers. The Left Front chairperson said returning the land can harm the industrialization process in the state. "We cannot delay our projects on industrialization, but the opposition claims that we can go ahead with the projects but will let us build factories on barren land or in air but not on land. They have been opposing our policies without any reasons. Now they will have to answer the public and explain why they never came to discuss with the state despite several invitations from the Chief Minister," said Biman Bose, Chairman, Left Front.

Veteran leader Jyoti Basu could not make it to the rally due to illness, making it the first instance in the past three decades when Left's election campaign was kicked off in his absence. However, in a written message that was read out to the supporters, Basu talked about the need to industrialize in the state.

From withdrawal of support from the UPA government to Tata’s pulling out of Singur and the unrest across the state, the Left Front used the stage to clear its stand, blaming the opposition for everything that did not fall in place in the past five years. With the allies presenting a united face in its first election campaign sans Jyoti Basu, the Left now hopes to play a vital role in the Third Front in the impending general elections.

Jyoti Basu is fine, says Left Front

Kolkata, Feb 8: West Bengal’s ruling Left Front Sunday blamed “vested interests” for rumours that Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M) leader Jyoti Basu was seriously ill and said he was “fine”.“Basu is fine. He has some problems in his legs and back which is why he could not attend the gathering today (at the Brigade Parade ground),” Left Front chairman Biman Bose told the rally.

“Yesterday (Saturday) I met Basu at his residence… His doctor advised Basu not to visit any place where there may be dust. He is not with us for health reason,” he said. Bose read out a statement from Jyoti Basu urging the people to vote for the ruling front in the coming Lok Sabha polls. Media offices Sunday received many telephone calls from people anxious to know if Basu was seriously ill.

Basu was West Bengal’s chief minister from June 21, 1977 to Nov 6, 2000. He stepped down due to poor health and was succeeded by Buddhadeb Bhattacherjee.

Vote for more responsible government at centre: Jyoti Basu

Kolkata: 7th February, 2009: Ahead of the Lok Sabha polls, former West Bengal chief minister and Marxist patriarch Jyoti Basu on Saturday said politicians and people should work together for a "better and more responsible government" at the centre.

"It's high time politicians and the public worked together to form a better and more responsible government (at the centre). Hence I request all people through the media to cast their votes as well as make sure that their neighbours exercise this democratic right too this election," Basu told the media at his Salt Lake residence here.

The nonagenarian, who is a veteran of the Communist Party of India-Marxist - CPI(M) that has been in power in West Bengal since 1977, called upon people to exercise their democratic right in the Lok Sabha polls in April-May.

The CPI(M), along with three other left parties, had provided crucial outside support to the Congress-led United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government that came to power at the centre in the 2004 elections, but withdrew last year to oppose the India-US civil nuclear deal.

Coming down heavily on the state's opposition parties, primarily the Trinamool Congress, Basu said they only wanted to make West Bengal a backward state.

"The parties who are opposing the CPI(M)-backed Left Front in the coming Lok Sabha elections don't want any development - be it social, economic or political - to take place in the state. And they are thrusting their opinion on people using firearms," said Basu.

"These parties have neither a definite political agenda, nor any principle. All they are concerned about is making West Bengal a backward state. They want to harm the state and its people."

"In the absence of morality and political knowledge, all these parties understand is to make people obey them by threatening them with firearms," Basu said.