PTI, Kolkata, 18 November : West Bengal government today admitted that it was unable to retain the success of 99% literacy rate in primary education level and said a strong base has to be built for it."Nobel laureate Amartya Sen has appreciated that 99% of students have been attending classes at primary level in our state, but we are not able to retain the success," Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee said. Stressing for spread of education at primary level with arrangement for midday meals, Bhattacharjee said, "We have to build a strong base for primary education in West Bengal to retain the success which will lead to the achievement of total literacy for the state."
He also asked for suggestions by West Bengal Board of Secondary Education on how poor students could be provided free coaching to compete with others.
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Maoists give 48-hour bandh call in Purulia dist from 21 Nov
Kolkata, 18 November : Protesting against the killing of two of their comrades by joint forces, Maoists today gave a 48-hour bandh call in Purulia district from 21 November.
"Two of our comrades- Biplab Bandopadhyay and Dhiren Murmu were killed by the joint forces during their operation in Ayodhya hills," Maoist spokesman Sumon said in a message to the media here. The bandh call was also given demanding an immediate end to the 'Operation Green Hunt, he said.
Kolkata, 18 November : Protesting against the killing of two of their comrades by joint forces, Maoists today gave a 48-hour bandh call in Purulia district from 21 November.
"Two of our comrades- Biplab Bandopadhyay and Dhiren Murmu were killed by the joint forces during their operation in Ayodhya hills," Maoist spokesman Sumon said in a message to the media here. The bandh call was also given demanding an immediate end to the 'Operation Green Hunt, he said.
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Tension in BBD Bagh area following 'bomb threat' and 'fire'
Kolkata, 18 November : A bomb threat call to the HSBC bank's main branch and a fire in the Writers' Buildings, the state secretariat, created tension in the BBD Bagh area where the two structures are situated.An anonymous caller told the HSBC bank that a bomb had been planted inside and which could explode anytime, police said. The Bomb Detection Squad of the Kolkata police rushed to the building and conducted a thorough search with the help of bank officials after evacuating the staff. City police headquarters sources said the search was still on although nothing have been found so far.
A minor fire broke out in the office of the Principal Secretary of Women, Child and Social Welfare department, Rinchen Tempo, on the second floor of the Writers' Buildings, causing panic among employees.
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Kolkata's North Port police station to get first woman OC
Kolkata, 18 November : The Kolkata Police will have its first woman officer-in-charge of a police station soon. Deboshree Chatterjee will shortly take over the charge of North Port police station, Joint Commissioner of Police Jawed Shamim said on Thursday.
Earlier, another woman, Damayanti Sen, had became the first deputy commissioner of the Detective Department of the Kolkata police. Currently in charge of the Detective Department’s immoral trafficking wing, Chatterjee is known in the police circle as a sincere, honest and able officer.
Kolkata, 18 November : The Kolkata Police will have its first woman officer-in-charge of a police station soon. Deboshree Chatterjee will shortly take over the charge of North Port police station, Joint Commissioner of Police Jawed Shamim said on Thursday.
Earlier, another woman, Damayanti Sen, had became the first deputy commissioner of the Detective Department of the Kolkata police. Currently in charge of the Detective Department’s immoral trafficking wing, Chatterjee is known in the police circle as a sincere, honest and able officer.
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One more body pulled out from Delhi rubble, toll rise to 70
PTI, New Delhi, 18 November : With three more bodies extricated by rescuers who continued to dig through the debris at the building collapse site in east Delhi for the fourth day today, the death toll in the tragedy has climbed to 70. The dead include 29 women and 17 children. Rescuers said there was little hope of finding any survivors."Body of a 25-year-old man was recovered from the mound of rubbles at around 7.30 AM and have been handed over to the hospital authorities," a Fire Brigade official said. With this, the death toll in the building collapse in Lalita Park area of Laxmi Nagar has mounted to 70, which includes 29 women and 17 children. Last night, rescue workers recovered the bodies of a young boy and a 40-year-old woman while removing the rubbles.
Over 60 families, mostly labourers from West Bengal, were living in the cramped quarters of the 15-year-old building, where an illegal fifth floor was under construction. 82 injured were receiving treatment at various hospitals in the city. န Photo : PTI
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Elderly man crushed to death by tusker in West Midnapore
Midnapore, 18 November : A 67-year-old man was trampled to death by an elephant today in Nayagram village in West Midnapore district.
Abani Patnaik was taking a morning walk on the road along a sugarcane field when a tusker suddenly emerged from the fields and attacked him, police said. The elephant lifted the man with its trunk to a height of about 15 feet and threw him to the ground before brutally smashing his head under its foot with such ferocity that the man's blood-soaked entrails got splattered around, the police said.
Midnapore, 18 November : A 67-year-old man was trampled to death by an elephant today in Nayagram village in West Midnapore district.
Abani Patnaik was taking a morning walk on the road along a sugarcane field when a tusker suddenly emerged from the fields and attacked him, police said. The elephant lifted the man with its trunk to a height of about 15 feet and threw him to the ground before brutally smashing his head under its foot with such ferocity that the man's blood-soaked entrails got splattered around, the police said.
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Veteran actor and educationist N. Viswanathan dead
Kolkata, 18 November : Veteran actor and educationist N Viswanathan, who essayed roles in over 100 Bengali, Tamil and English films, died here following a heart attack, his family said.
He was 81. Viswanathan is survived by his wife Paromita and son Ashok, also a well known director. The actor died at his residence following a heart attack last night, his family said. Remembered by viewers as a stylish pipe-smoking actor, Viswanathan earned wide acclaim for his role in Satyajit Ray's 'Kanchenjungha' and Mrinal Sen's 'Punascho'. He was a favourite of Ray for the urban, sophisticated image.Viswanathan was also associated with thespian Utpal Dutt's People's Little Theatre (PLT) and later founded a group of his known 'Calcutta Players'. Born in Vellore, he later moved to Kolkata and graduated from St Xavier's College making the state his home. He ultimately groomed himself as an orator and debator, known for his 'pucca' British accent. န File Photo : ashokeviswanathan.com
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