Author: admin2

One of Bangla’s best government hospitals, Calcutta Medical College and Hospital (CMCH) got even better with the addition of a renovated facility – a state-of-the-art labour room. It was inaugurated towards the end of December.

The labour room, located in the Eden Building, has been given a new shape along the lines of what is found in the best hospitals in the country. On an average, 14,000 babies every year are born here.

As many as 14 tables have been put inside the labour room and a 12-bed observation ward has also been thrown open. Three latest stepdown beds have been put in place.

A seven-bed High-Dependency Unit (HDU) has also been installed, which will be extremely handy for the gynaecology department. Many new machines have been installed at the department too.

Of the 12 beds in the observation ward, two are fully remote-controlled. These ‘robot beds’, as they are called, would make the work of doctors and nurses easier as they would be able to control the movements of the beds from a distance; the patient would be able to use the remote too.

According to the medical superintendent of CMCH, for now, these two beds would be used for the purpose of normal delivery. But if needed, they can be used to transfer newborns to the ward or the HDU.

With the overhauling of the entire infrastructure at the labour room, the hospital will now be able to ensure best-in-class treatment for people from across Bangla.

Source: Millennium Post, Sangbad Pratidin

The State Government has decided to re-configure the flood management systems in the districts of Howrah, Hooghly and Birbhum in a major way in the earlier part of 2019. This was announced by the Irrigation Minister recently while inaugurating four projects in Amta-2 block, Howrah district.

The three-stage flood management project is going to come up with the help of a financial assistance of Rs 2,600 crore from the World Bank.

A series of short-cut diversion canals are going to be built which would be able to hold 30,000 cubic feet per second (cusec) of water.

The four projects inaugurated by the minister were

600m of riverbank repair of Rupnarayan River in Ghoraberia Chitnan gram panchayat, at a cost of Rs 1,95,55,000

Anti-bank erosion work for short-cut diversion canal in Khalna Kashmali gram panchayat, at a cost of Rs 96.54 lakh

Relaying of 19.9km of pitched roads along the dams on both banks of short-cut diversion canal in Khalna Kashmali gram panchayat, at a cost of Rs 3,94,70,000

Anti-bank erosion work along 500m on left bank of Gaighata Canal in Kushberia gram panchayat, at a cost of Rs 1,65,35,000

Source: Bartaman

All India Trinamool Youth Congress National President and party’s MP Abhishek Banerjee on Saturday said the Trinamool Congress is ready to go for elections any time and is confident of winning comprehensively.

Addressing a public rally at Rash Math in Baruipur as a preparatory meeting for the mega Brigade rally of the party scheduled on January 19, Banerjee said: “You have to ensure that the communal forces cannot rear its ugly head at any booth in South 24-Parganas district. Let us unite to drive them out. We are ready for the elections, be it today, tomorrow or day after tomorrow and we will be giving a befitting reply to them (BJP ) in a manner that they cannot be traced even with a microscope.”

Abhishek Banerjee reiterated that the Brigade rally will deliver the clarion call to oust the BJP from the Centre in the forthcoming Lok Sabha polls. Drawing similarities between Netaji and Mamata Banerjee, he said the latter’s battle cry “Delhi Chalo” is a reminder of Subhas Bose’s slogan.

Abhishek maintained that several national leaders like Arvind Kejriwal, Akhilesh Yadav, Stalin, Shatrughan Sinha, Farooq Abdullah and others will attend the rally to strengthen Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee’s political fight to show the exit door to the BJP and establish a secular government at the Centre.

“Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s call of Achhe Din has proved to be a far cry. The good days will come only when the government at the Centre is toppled. The price of LPG will come down to Rs 500 and the diesel price will be at Rs 50 a litre,” Banerjee said. He also took a dig at the BJP which had planned to bring in leaders from other states in Bengal for political meetings.

“They are bringing leaders from Delhi, party workers from ‘agencies’ and decorators from Ranchi and are claiming to win seats in Bengal. Isn’t it ludicrous as their leaders are completely ignorant of the rich culture of the state,” Banerjee said. Abhishek was also critical of the Prime Minister’s huge spending on publicity campaigns. “He had spent more than Rs 10000 crore for publicity but has deprived the country. All the promises made by him have been exercises in futility,” he maintained.

Abhishek also took the opportunity to slam the BJP’s plan of Rath Yatra programme in Bengal. “In the name of Rath Yatra, they have brought a 7-star AC luxury bus from Delhi. We have heard of Rath Yatra of Shri Jagannath and Shri Krishna. But in the name of Rath, they will be riding a luxury bus. “They cannot compete with us in terms of development. We have fulfilled the promises that we made before coming to power,” he said.

The State Government has decided to extend its urban housing scheme, Nijashree to Asansol, Jalpaiguri and Haldia. All the flats will be constructed on land belonging to the State Government.

A total of 176 flats – 112 one-bedroom and 64 two-bedroom – are going to be built at the three places at a total cost of Rs 29.47 crore.

In Govindapur mouza in Asansol (Paschim Bardhaman district), 48 one-bedroom and 32 two-bedroom flats are being constructed at a cost of Rs 7.6 crore.

In Purba Raghunath Chowk in Haldia (Purba Medinipur district), Rs 4.7 crore will be spent to build 32 one-bedroom and 16 two-bedroom flats.

In Dabgram in Jalpaiguri (Jalpaiguri district), the same number of one-bedroom and two-bedroom flats are going to be constructed, at a cost of Rs 17.17 crore.

The 378 square feet (sq ft) one-bedroom flats can be booked by people having a maximum monthly family income of Rs 15,000 while the 55 sq ft two-bedroom flats can be booked by those having a maximum monthly family income of Rs 30,000.

The former costs Rs 7.2 lakh while the latter costs Rs 9.28 lakh. Besides the reasonable costs, the government will give subsidies of 40 per cent and 20 per cent (for one-bedroom and two-bedroom, respectively) on the loan amounts to be repaid.

Besides the three places mentioned, the government has also allotted an amount of about Rs 17 crore for constructing 214 flats in Fuljhore in Durgapur (Paschim Bardhaman district) and Ashoknagar in North 24 Parganas.

Source: Ei Samay

Image is representative

The office of the Fisheries Department in North 24 Parganas district has taken up a major scheme of releasing fish hatchlings. This would help the hundreds of fishermen who earn their livelihoods by fishing on the River Hooghly.

As part of this scheme, in December, thousands of hatchlings of the commercially profitable fishes of rohu, catla and mrigel were released from six ghats between Dunlop Ghat in Halisahar and Gandhi Ghat in Barrackpore, all on the bank of the Hooghly River.

At every ghat, 28,000 hatchlings on a average were released, therefore, a total of approximately 1.68 lakh hatchings. These would help in increasing the river’s fish population by a substantial amount.

Besides Hooghly, the district Fisheries Department has also decided to release hatchlings from four ghats on the River Ichamati.

The State Forest Department has taken a decision to create mini-forests in cities and towns across the State. The department is coordinating with municipalities to identify unused open spaces within their jurisdictions.

Green spaces in urban areas are on the decline, and not just in Bangla. With population and pollution, both vehicular and otherwise, on the rise, greenery is of the utmost need as trees and plants function as lungs for the environment, absorbing the carbon dioxide we breathe out and producing oxygen.

Roots of trees also absorb hold the soil together, and this soil absorbs a lot of rainwater during the rainy season; hence, trees are also a protection against flooding.

A meeting of the State’s chief wildlife warden with the district forest officers (DFO) will be held to identify the percentage of area under forest and the type forests that exist across Bangla. Depending on the report containing these data, the detailed plan for the mini-forests to be planted across municipalities will be chalked out.

Source: Ei Samay

Gobardhanpur at the tip of the Sundarbans in South 24 Parganas district is an island with a pristine 5km beach. With jhau plants flanking the beach and small red crabs scurrying around all over the sand, it makes for an ideal short-stay vacation spot.

To make that into a reality, the State Government has taken up a Rs 5 crore eco-tourism project. In the works are wooden cottages and a food hub.

In fact, those who have gone there will attest to the fact that Gobardhanpur as a beach is no less attractive than the best in the State like Digha, Bakkhali and others; so much so that the local people call it ‘New Bakkhali’. The place is already a popular picnic spot for the locals.

Now the government has taken the next logical step and decided to develop it into an eco-resort on the island. A tourist circuit based in Gobardhanpur has also been planned.

The place is accessible through a riverine route. A bridge has been planned at Kalibangal Ghat in Patharpratima to create a surface transport route to Gobardhanpur.

To attract people during the picnic season, a small three-day festival called Banabithi is being held here every December for the last 14 years. It attracts many people from the surrounding areas.

Source: Aajkaal

The West Bengal Forest Development Corporation (WBFDC) has taken a slew of measures for the development of eco-tourism in the State. From January 2019, 15 more eco-tourism centres spread across the State are being opened up. Bookings can be made through the existing booking site.

The organisation has chalked out an elaborate plan to promote eco-tourism and give a major overhaul to infrastructure development at all the eco-resorts.

The WBFDC currently runs eco-tourism resorts in 19 locations, of which 13 are located in north Bengal and six in south Bengal.

In north Bengal, the WBFDC has nature resorts in Jaldhaka, Murti, Paren, Rasikbil, Suntalekhola, Loleygaon, Lava, Kalimpong, Mongpong, Samsing, Barodabri, Rajabhatkhawa and Lepchajagat, while in south Bengal, it has resorts in Garpanchakot, Mukutmanipur, Jhargram, Lodhashuli, Tajpur and Garchumuk.

The 15 new properties where bookings will be accepted from January are located in Hatibari in Jhargram district, Susunia in Bankura district, Chatakpur in Darjeeling district, Panjhore (under Gorumara National Park) in Jalpaiguri district, Mendabari (under Jaldapara National Park) and Nemati (under Buxa Tiger Reserve) in Alipurduar district, Bonnie Camp (in the Sundarbans) in South 24 Parganas district and at eight more locations.

The WBFDC, in coordination with the Tourism Department, is also working on developing homestay tourism in the State. The WBFDC is taking up thematic development of various sites. It will set up watchtowers for tourists wherever there will be availability of space.

Source: Millennium Post

As part of a unique plan, made by the State Education Department, colourful posters containing information on the syllabus and what would be taught by teachers would be put up in classrooms. This, the department feels, will arouse more curiosity among students as the posters will give students a comprehensive idea of what they will be learning in a particular year.

The department will put up such posters in every classroom right from the primary to the higher secondary level in the State schools.

Such posters will also be stuck outside classrooms so that the parents also have an idea of what is being taught to their wards.

Also, to make sure that parents understand whether their children are being able to comprehend the lessons, the department is laying emphasis on holding parent-teacher meetings from time to time.

Source: Millennium Post

The West Bengal Swarojgar Corporation Limited (WBSCL) is planning to start a pilot project in Darjeeling for the farming of Kadaknath chicken, which is known for its exquisite taste and high nutritional value.

The standing committee of the state Assembly associated with the state Self-Help Group & Self Employment department recently visited Darjeeling and found that around a dozen families have taken up chicken farming of the Kadaknath variety in a successful manner.

A senior WBSCL official said the organisation has identified areas in Darjeeling where the pilot project would be started.

The official also said that the meat from Kadaknath chickens will be of great benefit to health-conscious people because of its medicinal values, which include lower cholesterol, higher iron content, and anti-cancer properties.

At present there are a handful of farms scattered across Bangla that deal with the supply of Kadaknath variety, but planned intervention from the government can boost the number.

Source: Millennium Post