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Regional

More rains in forecast for north Bengal: Very heavy rainfall expected till July 11

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PTI, KOLKATA, JULY 9, 2024 : Heavy to very heavy rain is likely till July 11 in northern West Bengal, already affected by torrential downpours over the last several days, the Met Department said on Tuesday. Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Monday asked the administration to ensure round-the-clock monitoring of the situation.
An active monsoon trough and a cyclonic circulation in northeast Assam are very likely to bring heavy to very heavy rainfall with isolated extremely heavy downpours over northern West Bengal till July 11, the Met Department said.
The intensity of rain in the region is likely to decrease slightly on July 12 and 13, it said. Gajaldoba in Jalpaiguri district recorded the state’s highest rainfall at 180 mm in 24 hours till 8.30 am on Tuesday, it added.
The other places in northern West Bengal which recorded significantly high rainfall during the period are Sevoke (170mm), Buxaduar (150 mm), Nagrakata (140mm), Jalpaiguri town (130 mm) and Bhutanghat (120 mm), the data said. 
Landslides in the hills, damaging roads, including National Highway 10 that connects West Bengal with Sikkim, and waterlogging at various places in the plains, have occurred owing to the unabated rainfall in the districts of Darjeeling, Kalimpong, Jalpaiguri , Alipurduar and Cooch Behar.
Politics, West Bengal

Saffron party leadership to revamp state BJP, major reshuffle awaited

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Central BJP leaders are aiming to restructure the saffron party’s organisation at the state and district level ahead of the 2026 Assembly elections in view of the party’s poor performance in the Lok Sabha elections.
RAJIB CHAKRABORTY | SNS  | Kolkata | July 8, 2024 : Saffron party leadership to revamp state BJP, major reshuffle awaited

Central BJP leaders are aiming to restructure the saffron party’s organisation at the state and district level ahead of the 2026 Assembly elections in view of the party’s poor performance in the Lok Sabha elections. According to sources, some central party leaders, who are dealing with organisation affairs are keeping in close touch with some state BJP leaders. The party leadership is said to be planning to replace the presidents of at least 15 out of 43 organisational districts in Bengal. Both winning and losing candidates in the Lok Sabha elections will be utilised for organisational work, said the BJP sources. There is even a possibility of a change in the state BJP president.

On Friday, BJP’s national president J P Nadda assigned new organisational responsibilities in 24 states except West Bengal. Sources said that as the post-election analysis at the grassroots level has revealed several reasons for the BJP’s poor performance in the Lok Sabha elections in Bengal, so the Delhi headquarters are taking stock of the situation. The saffron party leadership is planning a significant organisational overhaul in view of the disappointing election results.Reports indicated that nearly 15 district presidents will be replaced before the Puja. Additionally, recently state president Sukanta Majumdar hinted at a possible change in his position, noting that the party’s principle is “one person, one post”. He had recently stated: “Our party’s policy is one person, one post.

Therefore, since I have become a minister, I may have to step down. However, the final decision will be made by the central leadership. Our party’s structure undergoes changes from the top to the bottom in terms of organisational restructuring.” The focus will primarily be on revamping the district organisations, from the district to the mandal levels. Most district presidents in areas with poor results in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections will be replaced.

Over 300 mandal presidents may also be replaced. Furthermore, the majority of booth committees will be restructured. While Mr Majumdar did not directly comment on the organisational reshuffle, a state BJP leader claimed that any changes in the state BJP’s organisational structure would be on the directives of the central leadership. However, sources within the BJP have confirmed that organisational changes are indeed taking place at various levels within the state BJP.

A few days ago, state BJP leaders met at the Salt Lake party office for a post-election review meeting, where it was decided to gather reports from the district level. Subsequently, review meetings are being held in various districts with mandal presidents, district and zone in-charges, and assembly in-charges. The complete grassroots reports will soon be submitted to the state committee, which will then send the refined reports to the central leadership. The grassroots leaders and workers have identified several issues responsible for the party’s poor performance in the Lok Sabha elections during the review meetings, including that many senior workers were not involved in the election work, booth organisations were quite lax, incorrect booth reports were sent, with optimistic projections that did not match reality.

BJP workers were lax in door-to-door campaigning, and voters were not adequately approached. There was also a lack of coordination between district presidents and party candidates in most Lok Sabha constituencies. Frequent meetings and large gatherings by central leaders resulted in insufficient grassroots voter outreach, said the sources. These issues are being discussed within the party. Organisational reshuffles are expected in several districts, including Howrah, Hooghly, South 24-Parganas, West Midnapore, Jhargram, Bankura, and Burdwan. Both Lok Sabha constituencies in Howrah did not yield satisfactory results, the Hooghly seat was lost, and even though Arambagh was considered a positive seat, it was lost. The Burdwan-Durgapur seat was lost, and even though Asansol was considered positive, it was lost as well.

Additionally, there is internal conflict within the party in Burdwan, necessitating organisational restructuring. South 24-Parganas performed very poorly, and reports of factionalism have surfaced. Organisational changes are also expected in Midnapur, Jhargram, and Ghatal. The Bankura seat was lost, and there was significant internal conflict within the party before the elections. In Bishnupur, BJP won by a very small margin. Consequently, organisational changes are planned in Bankura, Bishnupur, Birbhum, and Bolpur.
National, Politics

Delhi police file FIR under new criminal laws against Trinamul MP Mahua Moitra

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Sources said Mahua had been booked under Section 79 of the Bharatiya Nyay Sanhita (BNS), which deals with gestures or acts intended at outraging a woman’s modesty

Imran Ahmed Siddiqui, TT, New Delhi, 08.07.24 : Delhi police on Sunday filed an FIR under the new criminal laws against Trinamool Congress MP Mahua Moitra over her “derogatory” remarks against National Commission of Women chief Rekha Sharma.

Sources said Mahua had been booked under Section 79 of the Bharatiya Nyay

Sanhita (BNS), which deals with gestures or acts intended at outraging a woman’s modesty. Sources said Mahua was the first politician to have been booked under the new BNS, which has replaced the Indian Penal Code.

The commission had earlier sought an FIR against the MP.

Mahua had on July 4 commented on a video posted on X that showed a man holding an umbrella over Sharma’s head and walking behind her during the commission chief’s visit to the site of the Hathras stampede.

Several social media users felt that having someone else hold an umbrella over one’s head was “insensitive”, especially at the site of a tragedy, and asked why Sharma could not hold the umbrella herself.

“She is too busy holding up her boss’s pajamas,” Mahua had posted on X. She later deleted the post.

On July 5, the women’s commission put up a post on X saying: “The National Commission for Women has taken suo mot(u) cognizance of the derogatory remark made by Ms. Mahua Moitra, Member of Parliament, against Ms. Rekha Sharma, Chairperson, NCW. The crude remarks are outrageous and a violation of a woman’s right to dignity.”

It added: “The Commission observed that this remark attracts Section 79 of the Bharatiya Nyay Sanhita, 2023. NCW strongly condemns these defamatory remarks and requests strict action against Ms. Moitra. An FIR should be registered against Ms. Moitra and a detailed action report should be communicated to the Commission within 3 days.”

Responding to the commission’s post, Mahua wrote: “Come on Delhi Police please take action immediately on these suo mot(u) orders. Am in Nadia in case you need me in the next 3 days to make a quick arrest. I Can Hold My Own Umbrella.”

In another post, Mahua shared screenshots of past posts, allegedly from Sharma’s account, that she said passed “crude” comments against political leaders such as Sonia Gandhi, Arvind Kejriwal and Lalu Prasad.

Mahua wrote: “Also Delhi Police while you’re at it can you please register an FIR against another serial offender under your new Act.”

The BNS came into effect on July 1, replacing the Indian Penal Code.
Education, West Bengal

Yet to get reply from Centre on conducting own medical entrance exam: Bengal Education Minister Bratya Basu

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Basu said the Centre’s mishandling of the UGC-NET exam jeopardised the careers of lakhs of teaching job aspirants in higher educational institutions

PTI, Calcutta, 06.07.24 : West Bengal Education Minister Bratya Basu on Saturday sought the scrapping of NEET, and demanded that the states be allowed to conduct their own entrance exams for medical courses as was the practice earlier.


Speaking to reporters on the sidelines of the pre-counselling fair organised by the Association of Professional Academic Institutions, he said the irregularities in NEET have plunged the future of 23 lakh students into uncertainty.

Basu said his government has already written to the Centre regarding this but is yet to get a reply.

“Before academic year 2016-17, medical entrance exams were conducted by West Bengal Joint Entrance Examinations Board in a transparent manner, and there used to be no controversy over it,” he claimed.

Basu alleged the Centre’s attitude was against the federal structure of the country.

“In a democracy, you cannot ignore the opinions of the state governments, you cannot disregard the states that are run by non-BJP governments,” he said.

Basu said the Centre’s mishandling of the UGC-NET exam jeopardised the careers of lakhs of teaching job aspirants in higher educational institutions.

On the pending students’ union elections in colleges, he said, “We are positive about it. The process will begin after Durga Puja.” While inaugurating the fair, Basu called upon students to take up whichever course he or she wanted.

“With the emergence of digital media, a fourth industrial revolution has begun,” he said.

“A student can now choose topics in sync with current trends,” he added.
Education, Health, National

SC to hear on July 8 plea on free sanitary pads for class 6-12 girl students

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PTI, 6 July 2024 : The Supreme Court is scheduled to hear on July 8 a plea seeking directions to the Centre and states to provide free sanitary pads to girl students of class 6-12 and ensure separate female toilet facilities in all government-aided and residential schools.
A bench of Chief Justice D Y Chandrachud and Justices J P Pardiwala and Manoj Misra is scheduled to hear the plea of Congress leader and social worker Jaya Thakur in which she has highlighted the difficulties faced by adolescent females from poor backgrounds in the schools.
During the last hearing of the matter on February 5, Additional Solicitor General Aishwarya Bhati informed that the Centre is in the process of collating all necessary material to form a national policy on the distribution of menstrual hygiene products to school-going girls in terms of the orders dated April 10, 2023, and November 6, 2023.
On June 13, the Union education ministry, in an advisory to schools, said girl students should be allowed to take necessary restroom breaks during board exams for classes 10 and 12 and free sanitary napkins must be made available at all examination centres.
The Supreme Court is set to reopen on July 8 after summer vacation.
On November 6, the top court directed the Centre to lay down a national model for building toilets commensurate with the number of girl students in all government-aided and residential schools across the country.
While emphasising uniform procedure, it also asked the Union government about the policy it has formulated for the distribution of sanitary napkins to female school students nationally.
During the hearing, the Centre informed the apex court that a draft national policy for the distribution of sanitary napkins free of cost to school-going girls has been formulated and sent to stakeholders to elicit their comments.
The top court earlier warned the states, which had not submitted their response to the Centre on formulating a uniform national policy on menstrual hygiene for girls studying in schools, that it would take recourse to the “coercive arm of the law” if they failed to do so.
On April 10, the apex court appointed the secretary of the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MOHFW) as the nodal officer to coordinate with states and UTs and collect relevant data for formulating a national policy.
It noted that MoHFW, the Ministry of Education and the Ministry of Jal Shakti have schemes on menstrual hygiene management.
The court also ordered all states and UTs to submit their menstrual hygiene management strategies and plans that are being executed with the help of funds provided by the Centre or through their own resources to the Mission Steering Group of the National Health Mission within four weeks.
The apex court said the states and UTs shall also indicate to the Mission Steering Group of the National Health Mission the appropriate ratio of female toilets for residential and non-residential schools in their respective territories.
It asked all states and UTs to also indicate the steps which have been taken to provide low-cost sanitary pads and vending machines in schools and their appropriate disposal.
The plea filed by Congress leader Thakur has said adolescent females from poor backgrounds between the ages of 11 and 18 years face serious difficulties in receiving education, a constitutional right under Article 21A of the Constitution.
“These are adolescent females who are not equipped with and are also not educated by their parents about menstruation and menstrual hygiene.
“The deprived economic status and illiteracy lead to a prevalence of unhygienic and unhealthy practices which have serious health consequences, increase obstinacy and lead to eventual dropping out from schools,” the petition said.
Regional, West Bengal

Teesta River erosion leaves hundreds displaced

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Dibyendu Sinha, MP, 5 July 2024, Jalpaiguri: Around 50 to 60 houses have been submerged in the erosion of the Teesta River basin, leaving hundreds homeless. Approximately 500 bighas of agricultural land, including a primary school and an ICDS centre, have been engulfed by the river. 

This incident occurred in the Bahir Char area of Jalpaiguri Sadar Block, within the Bowalmari Nandan Pur Gram Panchayat area. According to local sources, river erosion began last week but intensified significantly over the past two days. 
The issue has been reported to the local Gram Panchayat and block administration. Mihir Karmakar, BDO of Sadar Block, stated that authorities are investigating the matter. Meanwhile, the District Flood Control has issued a yellow alert for the unprotected area of Teesta in Jalpaiguri Domhani and a red alert for the unprotected area in Mekhliganj. 
Jalpaiguri Sadar Block encompasses several basin areas along the Teesta River. Among them, Bahir Char, situated alongside Teesta in the Boalmari Nandanpur Gram Panchayat area, is the largest. This char, measuring 8-km-long and 4-km-wide, is home to 260 families with a population exceeding 2,000. 
While the river’s water level rises every monsoon, recent years have seen exacerbated erosion issues. Last year, 2,000 bighas of land was lost to river erosion, a situation repeated this year. 
Local resident Charan Mandal reported that his house and 20 bighas of land were lost to erosion on Thursday, with Sadhan Sarkar experiencing a similar loss of 15 bighas of land. Most of the damage occurred in the Dhar Para, Kanai Nagar and Kalampur areas. 
Jiten Chandra Biswas, local Panchayat member, lamented: “The Char area previously housed the only primary school in Kalampur. 
On Friday morning, the school was swept into the river, leaving the future uncertain for 50 students. The ICDS centre adjacent to the school suffered the same fate. Residents have demanded a protective ring dam to mitigate river erosion, but no action has been taken yet. If this situation persists, conditions will worsen in the days ahead.” 
Meanwhile, the Sikkim Meteorological department has issued a red alert for five districts in North Bengal. Gopinath Raha, a department official, warned: 
“These districts are likely to experience heavy to very heavy rainfall in the next 48 hours, tapering off by Sunday.” 
The Jalpaiguri district Irrigation department’s Flood Control reported periodic releases of water from the Gajoldoba Teesta Barrage, with 3,010 cumec water released on Friday afternoon. 
 https://www.millenniumpost.in/bengal/teesta-river-erosion-leaves-hundreds-displaced-570747
Education, West Bengal

WBJEEB publishes rules & regulations for e-counselling of students

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Amitava Banerjee4 July 2024 11:35 PM Darjeeling: Teesta Bazar in Kalimpong observed a bandh on Thursday demanding compensation, rehabilitation and permanent protection from the River Teesta. The bandh call was given by Teesta Sangrakshan Mancha (TSM). All business establishments remained closed on Thursday with a public meeting also being held apprising the residents of the demands.
The TSM has demanded a reassessment of the compensation to be handed over by the NHPC. Incidentally, Teesta Bazar was badly flooded in the flash flood in the River Teesta triggered by a glacial lake outburst in North Sikkim on October 4, 2023. Many families were displaced, houses damaged and livelihoods ended owing to the Teesta flood. According to the National Emergency Response Centre of India (NDMI) in the October 2023 Teesta disaster, there were over 100 deaths and over 70 missing individuals. Around 4,500 were evacuated. Around 90,000 people were affected. Additionally, about 2,000 houses were damaged.
With the advent of monsoons, Teesta Bazar continues to suffer with surge in the water level and the roads inundated. The residents complain that not much has been done in the way of compensation or rehabilitation of the affected families despite more than 8 months having passed since the widespread devastation.
“There were many (read political parties) who came and made tall promises but failed to live up to their commitments. Finally we were compelled to constitute the TSM, consisting of residents and people who have been affected by the calamity. It is an apolitical outfit. The day was observed in memory of all those who had lost their lives in the flash flood of October 4, 2023. It is also in support of our demands for permanent protection, rehabilitation and relief,” stated Madan Chettri of the TSM. “Earlier the district administration had worked out the compensation with the NHPC.
This time it is being done by the GTA and the compensation amount is not sufficient. Though we thank the GTA for initiating the process, we want a reassessment of the compensation amount,” stated Kishor Pradhan of the Mancha.
He further added that the GTA’s proposal to the NHPC of Rs 21 crore to build the protection wall to strengthen the embankment is not sufficient.
“We don’t want stop gap measures. Let there be permanent protection,” added Pradhan. Regarding future programmes, Pradhan stated: “It will depend on the reaction of the government and administration. We dont expect things to happen in a day or two. We know it will take time and we are willing to wait. However, we want a clear policy to be framed to mitigate this problem all along the Teesta permanently.”
The Mancha plans to invite experts, NGO, representatives of all political parties, public representatives, administration in the next meeting.
Courtesy & source- Millennium Post

https://www.millenniumpost.in/bengal/teesta-bazar-observes-bandh-in-demand-of-speedy-rehabilitation-570614

Crime, National

New laws intend to establish justice oriented system based on spirt of Constitution: Expert

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PTI, July 04, 2024, Mumbai : The new criminal laws that came into force nationwide on July 1 are intended to establish a justice oriented system based on the spirit of the Constitution, speakers at a workshop said here on Thursday. 

The Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), Bhartiya Nagrik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS) and Bharatiya Sakshya Adhiniyam (BAS) have replaced the British-era Indian Penal Code, Code of Criminal Procedure and Indian Evidence Act, respectively. 
The workshop, organised by the Press Information Bureau (PIB), also highlighted salient features of the new laws, which include the enhanced use of technology, streamlining of victim protection and permitting audio-video recording of victim’s statement.
“The new criminal laws are intended to overhaul the colonial era Indian Penal Code and establish a justice-oriented system based on Indian thinking and spirit of the Constitution. They focus on justice rather than punishment and are to ensure victim centric justice,” said Deputy Director of Maharashtra Police Academy Kakasaheb Dole, who was the keynote speaker at the event. 
The BNSS gives citizens the right to file an FIR through oral or by electronic communication (e-FIR), and further, irrespective of the area where the offence or crime is committed, a citizen can file an FIR anywhere in the country, Dole added., the police officer said. 
“Now, citizens can appear as an accused, victim or witness through audio-video conferencing for the purposes of examination. Rape victims can now record e-statement online and they need not necessarily visit police stations,” Dole said. 
It will take some time before everyone gets used to the new laws, adding that community service for petty crimes is an important aspect of these new laws, said advocate Abhineet Pange.
Regional

गोरुबथानमा युद्धवीर गुरुङको प्रतिमा स्थापना गर्ने योजना

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कालिमन्युज, कालेबुंग, ३ जुलाई २०२४: युद्धवीर गुरुङ जसको नाउँमा गोरुबथानको दुई सम्भवत प्रथम दुई शैक्षिक संस्थाहरू स्थापना गरिएको छ, उनको स्मृतिमा गोरुबथानको मालबस्तीमा प्रतिमा स्थापना गर्ने योजना राखिएको छ | गोरुबथानमा पहिलो स्थापित शैक्षिक संस्थान युद्धवीर मेमोरियल स्कुल थियो, जसलाई पछि युद्धवीर प्राथमिक विद्यालय भनियो र अन्ततः युद्धवीर निम्न बुनियादी पाठशाला(जुनियर बेसिक स्कुल)मा बढोत्तरी भएको थियो।

यसैगरी, यसलाई माध्यमिक शिक्षाको निम्ति युद्धवीर उच्च बुनियादी पाठशाला (सिनियर बेसिक स्कुल)मा बढोत्तरी गरियो, पछि यही उच्च बिद्यालयमा र अन्ततः बढोत्तरी गरिएर युद्धवीर उच्चत्तर माध्यमिक विद्यालय(हायर सेकेन्डरी स्कुल)मा परिणत भएको थियो। यही विधालय नै गोरुबथानको वर्तमान सरकारी कलेजको आधार पनि हो।

गोरुबथानमा शैक्षिक यात्राको विजारोपण गर्ने विद्यालय – जसको नाममा यी दूई विद्यालयहरु स्थापित गरिएको थियो अर्थात् युद्धवीर गुरुङको स्मृतिमा सालिक निर्माणार्थ गठन गरिएको युद्धवीर गुरुङ सालिक निर्माण समितिद्वारा आगामी ८ जुलाई सोमबारको दिन युद्धवीर उच्चतर माध्यमिक विद्यालयमा अपराह्न २ बजे आमसभा आयोजन भइरहेको छ। उक्त सभामा युद्धवीर जुनियर बेसिक पाठशाला, युद्धवीर उच्चतर माध्यमिक विद्यालयमा पठनपाठन गर्ने पूर्व विद्यार्थीलगायत गोरुबथानका बुद्धिजीवी, शुभचिन्तक सबैलाई आयोजक पक्षबाट उपस्थितिको निम्ति हार्दिक अनुरोध गरिएको छ।
उक्त सभामा युद्धवीर गुरुङको सालिक निर्माण, धर्मशालादेखि सेरिकल्चरसम्मको बाटोलाई युद्धवीर गुरुङ मार्ग नामाकरण अनि युद्धवीर गुरुङलाई दस्तावेजीकरण गर्नको निम्ति स्मारिका तयार गरिने विषयमाथि चर्चा, सुझाव, सरसल्लाह हुनेछ। तसर्थ यस महत्वपूर्ण सभामा सबैलाई उपस्थिति भइदिन आयोजक पक्षबाट सभापति पुरण राईले हार्दिक अपिल गरेका छन्।

युद्धवीरका आफन्तहरूले यो बिद्यालयको निम्ति आफ्नो जमिन दान गरेका थिए, जसलाई पछि धर्मशालाबाट शुरु भएको मूल प्राथमिक र माध्यमिक बिद्यालयहरूलाई आजको स्थानमा माल बस्तीमा स्थानान्तर गरिएको थियो।

गोरुबथानको शैक्षिक इतिहासको आधिकारिक दस्तावेज पल्ट्याउँदा शुरुमा नै युद्धवीर गुरुङको नाम स्वर्ण अक्षरले लेखिएको पाउँछौँ। ब्रिटिश इस्ट इण्डिया कम्पनीको जमानामा जहाँ उनीहरूको सन्तान र केही हुने खानेका छोराछोरीलाई मात्र लेख्ने/पढ्ने अवसर थियो। यस्तोमा हुँदा खानेका नानीहरूले पनि शिक्षा आर्जन गर्न पाउनुपर्छ भन्ने सोच राख्ने गोरुबथानका त्यस ताकका विद्वान/विदुषीहरूको परामर्शमा गोरुबथानमा पनि पाठशाला स्थापना गर्ने विचारको विजारोपन भयो। यही परिकल्पनालाई कार्यान्वयन गर्न स्व. डम्बरसिंह गुरुङ अघि आउनुभयो र आफ्नो बाबुको नाममा गोरुबथानको धर्मशाला नजिक एउटा घरलाई युद्धवीर गुरुङ मेमोरियल पाठशाला नामकरण गरी पठनपाठन शुरु गरियो। यही नै थियो गोरुबथानमा ज्ञानको ज्योति बाल्ने प्रथम आधिकारिक पहल।

स्व. युद्धवीर गुरुङकै नाममा स्थापित युद्धवीर बुनियादी पाठशाला, युद्धवीर उच्चतर माध्यमिक विद्यालयले गोरुबथान लगायत डुवर्सको ठूलो भागको शैक्षिक विकासमा गरिमामय योगदान पुराउँदै आइरहेको छ। गुरुङकै दूरदर्शिता एवं नि:स्वार्थ सहयोगकै कारण शिक्षाको भुकभुके उज्यालो पनि छिर्न नसकेको गोरुबथानको शैक्षिक स्तर अहिले लोभलाग्दो अवस्थामा आइपुगेको छ। यसले डुवर्सका मानिसहरूलाई विशेष गरि वरिपरिका १० देखि १५ चिया बगान र २० देखि ३० बस्तीहरुका विद्यार्थीहरुलाई प्राय ८६ वर्षदेखि शिक्षादान दिइरहेको छ |

1938 मा स्थापित युद्धवीर जुनियर बेसिक पाठशालाले 1958 मा सरकारी मान्यता पाएको थियो। जतिबेला स्कुल निरीक्षक पदमा यद्धवीर गुरुङकै नाति कृष्ण बहादुर गुरुङ आसिन थिए। युद्धवीर निम्न बुनियादी पाठशालालाई बढोत्तरी गरेर अहिलेको युद्धवीर उच्चतर माध्यमिक विद्यालय 1948 मा स्थापित गरिएको थियो। जुन वर्ष दार्जिलिङ सरकारी महाविद्यालयको पनि स्थापना भएको थियो।

Regional

Letter to Didi on machine of ‘health hazard’ in Darjeeling district hospital

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 The distributed antenna system is a health hazard with potential health risks. The GTA has initiated an enquiry into this and the initial reports reveal it was installed during the COVID but appears suspicious and alarming, wrote Amar Singh Rai

Vivek Chhetri, TT, Darjeeling, 3.07.24 : The Darjeeling District Hospital.: File picture
The chairman of the Rogi Kalyan Samity of Darjeeling district hospital wrote to chief minister Mamata Banerjee on Tuesday regarding the discovery of “telecommunication equipment” in the hospital building requesting her to personally look into the matter.

Amar Singh Rai, the chairman of the committee, termed the discovery surprising, suspicious and alarming.

“To everyone’s surprise only the other day, a ‘telecommunication equipment’ was found to have been installed inside the Darjeeling district hospital of which the concerned authorities like the GTA or even myself, as the chairman of the Rogi Kalyan Samity are unaware of,” said Rai.

Sources said that Rajesh Chauhan, deputy chairman, GTA Sabha, who is looking into the administrative affairs of the Darjeeling district hospital came across the distributed antenna system (DAS) for mobile service operators beside the office issuing birth and death certificates on the hospital’s fourth floor while inspecting the building on June 24.

The distributed antenna system is a health hazard with potential health risks. The GTA has initiated an enquiry into this and the initial reports reveal it was installed during the COVID but appears suspicious and alarming,” wrote Rai.

DAS equipment enhances the signals.

Since the discovery of the system installed by a private party inside the hospital, questions have been raised regarding the people who took the initiative to install the system beside the office issuing birth and death certificates on the hospital’s fourth floor.

Also, the memorandum of understanding between the Space Tele Pvt Limited, which is headquartered in Gurugram and the “Darjeeling District Hospital” is signed on plain paper instead of stamped paper and there is no mention of any financial costs.

“How was the equipment installed inside a hospital without the GTA’s knowledge,” said Chauhan.

Soumya Purkait, principal secretary, GTA in a letter to Space Tele Pvt Limited on June 28 has flagged a number of anomalies in the installation process.

The GTA official stated that the equipment was installed on December 16, 2020, without approval from competent authorities and that the memorandum of understanding has been “executed in a plain paper”.

“The pinpoint location/schedule of property under contract for installation is also missing,” the letter states.

The GTA states that the MoU between the company and “District Hospital Darjeeling” for a period of 15 years cannot be considered legal but is considered “illegal and perverse in the eyes of the law.”

Purkait has also stated that “the potential health risks associated with prolonged exposure to waves emitted by such equipment are well-documented.”

“Given the presence of patients and staff in a hospital environment, the continued operation of this equipment poses a significant safety concern,” stated Purkait and has asked the private company to remove the equipment within seven days.

Abhijit Kumar Prasad, a representative of Space Tele on Monday said that equipment was installed at the behest of a doctor.

“In 2020, during the Covid-19 period, Dr Kumar of the Darjeeling hospital told us connectivity was an issue and patients too facing problems at the hospital. Based on his email, we installed the equipment but he refused to sign the MoU,” said Abhijit.

When contacted Dr Kumar S, refused to acknowledge that he had made the request through an email. “In fact, I was the one to protest when those equipment were being installed then,” said Dr Kumar.
Courtesy & source- The Telegraph
https://www.telegraphindia.com/west-bengal/letter-to-mamata-banerjee-on-machine-of-health-hazard-in-darjeeling-district-hospital/cid/2031167
Crime, Politics, West Bengal

Bengal Raj Bhavan molestation case: Woman employee moves Supreme Court against immunity to Governor Bose

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According to Article 361, criminal proceedings cannot be instituted in a court against the Governor during his term of office
CV Ananda Bose: File

PTI, New Delhi, 04.07.24 : A contractual woman employee, who has alleged molestation by West Bengal Governor CV Ananda Bose, has moved the Supreme Court against “blanket immunity” conferred to him under Article 361 of the Constitution.

According to Article 361, criminal proceedings cannot be instituted in a court against the Governor during his term of office.

The woman petitioner has sought directions to frame specific guidelines under which Governors enjoy immunity from criminal prosecution.

“This court has to decide whether a victim like the petitioner can be rendered remediless, with the only option being to wait for the accused to demit his office, which delay will then be inexplainable during the trial, and render the entire procedure a mere lip service, without any justice to the victim herein,” the plea said.

The plea has also sought a probe into the case by West Bengal police and protection for her and her family along with compensation from the government for her loss of reputation.

The contractual woman employee of Raj Bhavan had lodged a complaint with Kolkata Police alleging that she was molested by Bose in the governor’s house on April 24 and May 2.

She accused Bose of orchestrating a “ridiculous drama” to deflect attention from his actions, emphasising that he should have provided the CCTV footage from premises to police at the outset of the investigation.

Footage from two CCTV cameras positioned at the main (north) gate, spanning from 5.32 pm to 6.41 pm on May 2, was shown to a select group of people and journalists at the Central Marble Hall on the ground floor of Raj Bhavan.

In the first footage, the employee, dressed in jeans and a top, was seen hurrying to the police outpost housed within the governor’s house amidst a significant number of police personnel who were deployed in the premises for the scheduled visit of Prime Minister Narendra Modi on that day.

The second footage, which lasted for around 10 minutes, showed various vehicles including fire tenders arriving at the north gate of Raj Bhavan and policemen lining up for their regular duties. The victim, however, could not be spotted.

Amid the controversy over the woman’s allegation, Bose had filed a defamation case against Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on June 28, a day after the CM claimed that women complained to her that they were afraid to visit the Raj Bhavan because of the activities there.

The Calcutta High Court has adjourned till Thursday the hearing in the matter.
Crime, West Bengal

Youth shoots at woman, takes own life at guest house in Calcutta’s Lake Gardens

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 The woman sustained a bullet injury in her abdomen and has been admitted to a hospital in Jadavpur
ew Metro Guest House at Lake Gardens: Pradip Sanyal

Monalisa Chaudhuri, TT, Lake Gardens, 04.07.24 : A peaceful neighbourhood in Lake Gardens heard two consecutive gunshots on Wednesday afternoon.

A young man who had checked into a guest house with a woman allegedly shot her before locking himself in the room and shooting himself dead.

The woman sustained a bullet injury in her abdomen and has been admitted to a hospital in Jadavpur.

Nikku Kumari Dubey, 21, is said to have told police that she was earlier in a relationship with the man, Rakesh Kumar Shah, 27, but a recent rift between the two resulted in a break-up that Shah could not accept.

Cops said the two had checked into a room on the third floor of New Metro Guest House at Lake Gardens around 2pm on Wednesday.

“Around 4.50pm, the caretaker of the guest house heard a gunshot. Shortly after, the woman ran down to the reception and said she had been shot by the man who came with her. Before the staff could react, they heard another gunshot,” said an officer of Lake police station.

One of the guest house owners told Metro over the phone that their manager, Rajib Dey, was at the reception when the firing was reported.

“We heard that the guest was carrying a gun and had locked himself in the room after he shot at the woman. The woman ran downstairs and said she had been shot,” the owner said.

Shah and Dubey are from Budge Budge in South 24-Parganas. Dubey told the police it was to be a “reconciliation meeting”.

“She said they grew up in the same neighbourhood in Budge Budge and were in a relationship for several years. Recently, she wanted to come out of it but Shah was reluctant. She said he was trying to blackmail her and when she tried to leave the room, he opened fire,” said an officer.

The police said this version was based on preliminary inquiry and Dubey’s statements were yet to be verified.

By the time the police entered the third-floor room, which was locked from inside, Shah was dead. He had shot himself in the head, cops said.

Shah’s family said the two (Shah and Dubey) left home together on Wednesday morning.

“My son loved her a lot. But she had left him,” Shah’s mother said at their Vidyasagar Road home in Budge Budge.

Sources in Lalbazar said the investigating team was in the process of collecting CCTV footage from the guest house to verify the sequence of events.

The police said they had recovered a 9mm pistol, liquor bottles and a purported suicide note from the room.

The identity cards Shah and Dubey submitted at the guest house while checking-in said the two were residents of Bihar, the police said.

Neighbours in Budge Budge confirmed that the two families were originally from Bihar and had shifted to Bengal several years ago.

Shah’s body will undergo a post-mortem on Thursday.

A formal case has been registered at Lake police station.
Crime, Politics, West Bengal

Calcutta High Court to hear Bengal Governor CV Ananda Bose’s defamation suit against CM Mamata Banerjee on July 3

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 Bose had filed a defamation case against Banerjee on June 28, a day after she claimed women complained to her that they were afraid to visit the Raj Bhavan because of the activities there
PTI,  Calcutta, 03.07.24 : The Calcutta High Court is on Wednesday scheduled to hear a defamation suit filed by West Bengal Governor C V Ananda Bose against Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee.

Bose had filed a defamation case against Banerjee on June 28, a day after she claimed women complained to her that they were afraid to visit the Raj Bhavan because of the activities there.

The defamation suit filed by Bose is listed for hearing on Wednesday before the bench of Justice Krishna Rao, according to the high court’s website.

During an administrative meeting in the state secretariat, Banerjee had on June 27 said “women have informed me they are afraid to visit Raj Bhavan due to recent incidents reported there”.

Following Banerjee’s remarks, the governor had said it was expected of public representatives not to create “erroneous and slanderous impressions”.

On May 2, a contractual woman employee of Raj Bhavan had made an allegation of molestation against Bose, following which the Calcutta Police started an inquiry.

Under Article 361 of the Constitution, no criminal proceedings can be instituted against a governor during his/her term in office.
Crime, Regional

Woman ends life after being humiliated in Kangaroo court, four arrested

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MP, 2 July 2024, Siliguri: A housewife took her own life allegedly after being humiliated by a kangaroo court, where the woman and her husband were allegedly beaten up by the villagers. 

The incident occurred in Bakravita area under Fulbari number 1 Gram Panchayat. New Jalpaiguri Police have arrested four people in connection with the case, based on a complaint lodged. She committed suicide by drinking poison.  
The accused were produced at Jalpaiguri Court on Tuesday. The arrested have been identified as Brajen Adhikary, Swapna Adhikary wife of Brajen Adhikary, Sagar Roy and his wife Shibani Roy, all residents of the Bakravita area. The deceased has been identified as Savita Barman. 
According to sources, Savita allegedly had an extra marital affair, therefore, she had left her husband a few days before the incident. Later, she had called her husband, Tapas Barman over the phone and expressed desire to return home with him. 
Accordingly, he brought his wife back and dropped her at her parent’s house. However, some of Tapas’s neighbours asked him to bring Savita to Bakravita. On Friday, when Tapas brought her to the area, a mob consisting of the villagers allegedly began beating her up. When Tapas tried to save his wife, they allegedly beat up Tapas as well. 
On Saturday, Sabita drank poison. Tapas admitted her to North Bengal Medical College and Hospital (NBMCH), where she died on Sunday. 
Later, Tapas and Savita’s brother lodged a written complaint at the NJP Police Station, based on which the four were made. 
On Tuesday, Deepak Sarkar, Deputy Commissioner of Police went to New Jalpaiguri Police station. He said: “Four people have been arrested so far. Investigation is underway.” 
Courtesy & source- Millennium Pist
https://www.millenniumpost.in/bengal/woman-ends-life-after-being-humiliated-in-kangaroo-court-four-arrested-570347
Crime, National

Alertness while filing e-FIR

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Meghashree Poddar, EOI, 23 July 2024 : On July 1st 2024, new criminal regulations were supplanted with the Indian Reformatory code. On Monday, the Bharatiya Sakshya Adhiniyam, Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, and Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, all three of India’s new criminal laws went into effect. These regulations will supplant the provincial period Indian Penal Code, Code of Criminal Strategy and the Indian Proof Demonstration, individually.
New laws have made it easier for residents to get in touch with the police now. From July 1, they can record a First Data Report (FIR) online through entryway. Moreover, wrongdoings can be accounted for from outside the city through a zero FIR. These progressions expect to guarantee reasonableness with compulsory sound and video accounts of methodology like pursuit, seizure, and addressing. 
In addition, specific deadlines for police procedures are set by the new laws to ensure accountability and avoid unnecessary delays. Police across the nation are ready for the rollout because they have officers trained in the new Bharatiya Nyay Sanhita (BNSS)and Bhartiya Nagrik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS),which replace the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and Criminal Procedure Code (CrPC). Till June 24,upwards of 36,716 police had been prepared. We have now made auxiliary preparation units, which will prepare cops at the region level. A senior officer in Delhi stated, “This exercise will continue until every cop has been trained in the new laws.” Preparing go on at the locale level to guarantee all officials  are knowledgeable in the new guidelines.
To meet BNS requirements, the police are considering purchasing tablets for investigating officers. e-FIRs and online chargesheets will be made easier with these tablets, which are connected to the Crime and Criminal Tracking Network and Systems (CCTNS) and come equipped with the police app e-praman. Officials will utilize these gadgets to catch recordings and photographs of crime locations with GPS and time-labeling, guaranteeing credibility.” 
There is accentuation on guaranteeing that the proof gathered is true and that the examining official is available at the crime location. A senior police officer stated, “The hash value of this digital evidence will be preserved to rule out any tampering and guarantee that unaltered evidence reaches the court.” Officers will be able to upload videos directly to CCTNS using the new app and tablets, putting the integrity of digital evidence first. Hash values will be utilized to affirm the validness of advanced records, with any progressions demonstrating altering. A backup of the case files and evidence will also be provided by the cloud-based service. As a capable resident, we ought to move towards however with alert. 
The following are the given moves toward do an e-fir safely:-
Law Commission Recommendations for Secure Online Complaint Filing in e FIR
The complainant could be verified by requiring the upload of a valid ID, like Aadhaar, and verifying the mobile number with an OTP. The name of the suspect on the unified public gateway is to be gotten until thee FIR is endorsed by the complainant.
Meaning of Regulation Commission’s e FIR 
Suggestions for Wrong doing
Announcing:
*It guarantees free wrongdoing enrollment with programmed receipt age.
*The complaint’s nature and contents will continue to be accurate.
*The Commission suggests e-FIR for all cognisable offenses with obscure denounced.
*Features the important job of police associations in settling blind wrongdoings.
*Problems with Implementing the Law Commission’s Recommendations for e-FIR Procedures The commission did not explain what an “e-FIR” is.
*Confirmation of gotten data by the police headquarters before recommended design in three days or less. In different cases (culpable with over three years of detainment), the traditional strategy endorsed under the Indian Reformatory Code (IPC)should be followed.
*The cop is expected to get the mark of the complainant in somewhere around three days to enlist an e FIR. Any other way, it will not be enrolled.
*Only in cases in which the accused is known is the procedure provided.
*However the Commission referenced that eight States (Delhi, Gujarat, Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, Odisha, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, and Uttarakhand)are dwelling an e-FIR, it didn’t talk about any of the models to be taken on by those States.
*No utilization of the ‘e-validation procedure or computerized signature’ as characterized in the Data Innovation (IT) Act, 2000, for marking grievances. 
Just situations where human connection can be deferred for a restricted period without unfavorably affecting the case might be allowed to be enlisted electronically. It would be smarter to utilize e-confirmation methods that are commanded for the check of the complainant, and an e FIR is enlisted right away. 
(The views of the author are personal)
Education, National

NEET-UG row: SC to hear batch of pleas on July 8

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PTI, New Delhi, Jul 2, 2024 :  The Supreme Court is scheduled to hear on July 8 a batch of pleas related to the controversy-ridden NEET-UG, including those alleging irregularities in the examination held on May 5 and seeking a direction that it be held afresh.
According to the cause list for July 8 uploaded on the apex court’s website, the batch of 26 petitions would come up for hearing before a bench comprising Chief Justice D Y Chandrachud and Justices J B Pardiwala and Manoj Misra.
The National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test-Undergraduate (NEET-UG) is conducted by the National Testing Agency (NTA) for admissions to MBBS, BDS, AYUSH and other related courses in government and private institutions across the country.
The NEET-UG, 2024 was held across 4,750 centres on May 5 and around 24 lakh candidates appeared in it.
Initially expected on June 14, the results were announced on June 4 due to an early completion of answer-sheet evaluation.
Allegations of irregularities, including paper leaks, have led to protests in several cities and sparring between rival political parties.
On June 11, hearing a plea seeking that the exam be held afresh on the grounds of alleged question paper leak and other malpractices, the top court observed that the sanctity of the NEET-UG has been affected and sought responses from the Centre and the NTA on the petition.
It, however, refused to stay the counselling of the successful candidates for admissions to MBBS, BDS and other courses.
On June 20, the top court sought the responses of the Centre, the NTA and others on a slew of petitions, including those seeking the scrapping of the NEET-UG and a court-monitored probe amid a mounting outrage over the alleged irregularities in the conduct of the all-India medical entrance test.
Hearing separate pleas on the exam on June 18, the apex court said even if there was “0.001 per cent negligence” on the part of anyone in the conduct of the examination, it should be thoroughly dealt with.
The Centre and the NTA had, on June 13, told the court that they had cancelled the grace marks awarded to 1,563 candidates.
They were given the option to either take a re-test or forgo the compensatory marks awarded for loss of time.
The NTA announced the revised rank list on Monday after issuing the results of the re-test held on June 23.
A total of 67 students had scored a perfect 720, unprecedented in the NTA’s history, with six from a Haryana centre figuring in the list, raising suspicions about irregularities in the examination held on May 5. It has been alleged that grace marks contributed to 67 students sharing the top rank.
The number of candidates sharing the top rank in the NEET-UG reduced to 61 from 67 as the NTA announced the revised results on Monday. 

Education, National

NEET-PG likely to beheld mid-Aug: Sources

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PTI, New Delhi, Jul 2, 2024 :  The National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test-Post Graduate (NEET-PG) 2024 is likely to be held mid-August, sources said on Tuesday.
    
The revised date for the medical entrance exam is expected to be announced this week.
    
A meeting was held in the Union home ministry on Monday, in which officials from the health ministry, National Board of Examinations in Medical Sciences (NBEMS), along with its technical partner Tata Consultancy Services (TCS), and Cyber Cell officials discussed the preparedness for the NEET-PG, which is to be held online.
    
“Besides the NEET-PG, the meeting was held to evaluate the robustness of the system for the conduct of the Foreign Medical Graduates Examination, which is scheduled for July 6,” a source said.
    
Monday’s meeting was held to check the “robustness” of the system for the conduct of the exam in the coming days, the sources added.
    
It was learnt that the TCS top brass briefed the meeting about the various aspects of the exam procedure.
    
On June 22, the Union health ministry postponed the NEET-PG entrance examination, scheduled to be held on June 23, as a “precautionary measure” in the wake of allegations on the integrity of certain competitive exams.
    
The health ministry had said it will undertake a thorough assessment of the robustness of the processes of the NEET-PG, conducted by the NBEMS along with its technical partner TCS for medical students.