Page 92 - West Bengal

Poverty brought victims of Bengal blast to illegal firecracker factory

The nine workers killed in the illegal firecracker factory explosion in West Bengal's East Midnapore district were forced to take up the job owing to acute poverty and lack of alternative income

CID, forensic team start probe of firecracker factory explosion in WB

Teams from the state CID and forensic department started their investigation into the explosion at an illegal firecracker factory in Egra area of West Bengal's Purba Medinipur district on Wednesday, a senior officer said. Forensic experts started collecting samples from the now collapsed house at Khadikul village which housed the illegal firecracker unit and its surroundings, he said. The CID officers will speak to witnesses as well as with family members of those killed in the blast, the officer said. A huge posse of local police have been deployed in the village near the Odisha border. The district police have lodged an FIR in connection with the explosion that took place on Tuesday in which nine people were killed and several others injured. "Our officers are at the spot and they have started their investigation. Forensic experts are also there. The samples collected from the spot will be sent for examination to identify the materials used at the factory to prepare firecrackers

I-T dept detects Rs 40 cr 'unaccounted' money after raids on business group

The income tax department has detected alleged black income of more than Rs 40 crore after it recently raided a West Bengal-based group "controlled" by a person with an active political background, the CBDT said Tuesday. The sleuths also seized cash and jewellery worth Rs 2.73 crore during the searches on the business group which has not been identified. The taxmen alleged that the group was "suppressing" its yield and making unaccounted cash sales of edible oils and DORB (de-oiled rice bran). "Several instances of cash transactions not recorded in regular books of account have been detected during the search operation," the Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT) said in a statement without specifying when the searches were conducted. The CBDT frames policy for the I-T department. It said the group is engaged in a variety of businesses ranging from production and sale of edible rice bran oil, mustard oil, DORB, different types of chemicals and real estate, etc. A total of 23 premis

WB health committee suggests restrictions on 3-year diploma in medicine

Committee, formed by WB Health Department to explore possibility of introducing three-year diploma course in medicine in the state, is of opinion that it cannot be introduced without restrictions

Municipality recruitment case: WB govt approaches court opposing CBI probe

West Bengal govt approached division bench of Calcutta High Court challenging an earlier order for a CBI probe in alleged multi-crore recruitment scam in different municipalities of state

Cong will definitely fight Bengal elections: Chowdhury on Mamata's remark

Mamata had said that her party will support Congress where it is strong but "it should not fight against her in Bengal"

Mamata to participate in May 27 NITI Aayog meeting to put state issues

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Monday said she would participate in the Niti Aayog meeting scheduled in New Delhi on May 27, and highlight the issues the state has been facing. Banerjee also claimed that the erstwhile Planning Commission gave states a platform to speak and resolve issues, but now the Centre "decides the agenda" to discuss at Niti Aayog meetings. I will participate (in the meeting). There is no other platform to highlight the issues of the state even if I am allowed to speak only at the end," she said. "They will maybe let me speak after sunset and after everyone. Still, I will go. I have been escalating several matters related to West Bengal, and I will highlight those, the CM said.

Govt to challenge HC order cancelling 36,000 primary teachers' jobs: Mamata

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Monday said that her government will challenge the Calcutta High Court order cancelling jobs of around 36,000 primary teachers in state-sponsored and aided schools. She also urged those teachers who lost their jobs and their family members not to be depressed as her government is with them. The CM also alleged that those teachers lost their jobs because of the ongoing agitation of the state government employees demanding a hike in their DA and bringing it at par with the central government staff. "We have been getting appeals from the families of these 36,000 (teachers) who lost their jobs. I feel very bad. We have decided to move the division bench," Banerjee told reporters at the state secretariat. The Calcutta High Court on Friday ordered cancellation of the appointments of 36,000 primary teachers in state-sponsored and aided schools as the due procedure was not followed in the appointment process. "Do not be depressed, remember tha

Mamata offers conditional support to Congress in 2024, state Congress snubs

Chowdhury immediately reacted and said that Trinamool is actually against a united opposition alliance

School jobs scam: CBI visits Bengal board of secondary education office

As part of the ongoing court-monitored investigations into the irregularities in secondary school job recruitments by central agencies, CBI on Sunday visited the headquarters of West Bengal Board of Secondary Education (WBBSE). A senior WBBSE told PTI that a CBI officer visited Nivedita Bhavan, the headquarters of the board, at Salt Lake township in the afternoon and went through some documents. "Our staff extended all cooperation to them. It was not that a CBI team raided our office. One CBI officer came, apparently as part of the ongoing probe, and went through some papers after unlocking a few rooms. He then left," the official said. He said WBBSE stood for transparency in the system. "Investigations are continuing and if there has been any irregularity in the past, the board will do whatever is asked by agencies to correct them. We have nothing else to comment on this," he said. Several people were arrested by CBI and ED in connection with alleged irregularities in the recruit

Cyclone Mocha: Tourists prevented from going to beaches in West Bengal

Disaster Management Force personnel are keeping a watch on the sea resort towns of West Bengal while preventing tourists from going to the beach on Sunday, as cyclone Mocha made landfall along the coasts of Bangladesh and Myanmar, an official said. Disaster Management Force personnel were on high alert along the coastal areas of Digha and Mandarmani in Purba Medinipur district and Bakkhali and Sundarbans in South 24 Parganas districts. Seven groups of NDRF personnel including divers were deployed in Digha-Mandarmani coastal areas as the sea turned choppy, the official said. Over 100 state disaster management group personnel have also been engaged in Bakkhali sea beach in South 24 Parganas district to keep an eye on the movement of tourists. "We are not allowing tourists to move closer to the sea which has turned choppy. We are regulating movements on the sea beach. We have been asked to be on guard for the next few hours," Bikash Sadhu, one NDRF team member said. Bappaditya Mukher

Cyclone Mocha: Disaster Management personnel on high alert in Bengal

Disaster Management Force personnel were on high alert along the coastal areas of Purba Medinipur and South 24 Parganas districts of West Bengal as Cyclone Mocha developed into a severe cyclonic storm and is likely to hit the coastlines of Bangladesh and Myanmar on Sunday, an official said. Seven groups of NDRF personnel including divers were deployed in Digha-Mandarmani coastal areas in Purba Medinipur district as the sea turned choppy, the official said. Over 100 state disaster management group personnel have also been deployed in Bakkhali sea beach in South 24 Parganas district to keep an eye on the movement of tourists and locals who are being forbidden to go near the sea, he said. Arrangements have been made to evacuate residents of coastal areas in both districts during exigencies as the cyclone is expected to make landfall later in the day. The breaches in embankments in Sunderbans in particular are being plugged on a war footing while police and administration have put in

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Civil defence teams deployed at Bakkhali beach ahead of cyclone 'Mocha'

Civil defence teams have been deployed at Bakkhali Sea Beach in South 24 Parganas of West Bengal as Cyclone 'Mocha' intensifies into an extremely severe cyclonic storm, officials said on Saturday

No democracy left in West Bengal, need to bring a change: BJP chief Nadda

Targeting TMC supremo Mamata Banerjee for banning the "The Kerala Story", BJP national president J P Nadda on Friday said there is no democracy in West Bengal due to her style of functioning. Addressing an event after unveiling a book "Democracy in Coma", he also slammed Banerjee for banning "The Kerala Story" in the state and said the film has nothing to do with any religion or state. "But Banerjee, one of the champions of democracy, has banned it in West Bengal. There is nothing left in the name of democracy in West Bengal. It is indeed a democracy in coma in the state," the BJP chief said. Directed by Sudipto Sen, "The Kerala Story" shows how some women from Kerala were forced to convert to Islam and recruited by the terror group Islamic State (IS). The film was released on May 5. The film has kicked up a political storm with opposition parties accusing the makers of spewing hate. The book unveiled by Nadda talks about post assembly poll violence in West Bengal. Talking about

Bengal police asked to complete recruitment process within 3 months

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee asked officials to complete the recruitment process for thousands of vacant posts in the state police force within three months. She said the shortlisted candidates can be provided an initial training of seven days and inducted into the force. There are thousands of vacant posts in the police force. I suggest there should be an initial training of seven days, and the rest of the training can be conducted on field. All the vacant posts should be filled up within three months, she said at a review meeting of 'Utkarsh Bangla' held at the state secretariat here on Thursday. The priority is to ensure that there is enough manpower to handle the law and order situation in the state, the chief minister said.

Mamata proposes 'diploma doctors' for primary healthcare amid shortfall

She asked the health secretary to form a committee to decide on the legal aspects of such diploma courses to train more doctors for primary healthcare units

Bengal ban on 'The Kerala Story': SC agrees to hear plea on May 12

The Supreme Court on Wednesday agreed to hear on May 12 a plea by the producers of controversial multilingual film 'The Kerala Story' against the ban on screening of the film by the West Bengal government. Senior advocate Harish Salve mentioned the matter for urgent listing before a bench comprising Chief Justice D Y Chandrachud and Justice P S Narasimha. Salve said the petition challenges the ban by the West Bengal government and the "de-facto" ban in Tamil Nadu. The bench said it had on Tuesday posted for May 15 a separate plea against the Kerala High Court order refusing to stay the release of the movie and the fresh plea would also be heard on that day. However, the bench agreed to list the plea for hearing on May 12 after Salve said, "We are losing money everyday." 'The Kerala Story' starring Adah Sharma was released in cinemas on May 5.

Vivek Agnihotri sends notice to Mamata over her 'Kashmir Files' comments

The announcement of the ban has attracted scathing criticism from the opposition BJP, which is even planning to challenge it in the court

The Kerala Story: All you need to know about the raging controversy

The Kerala Story box office collection: Since its release, the movie has collected Rs 37.03 crore in India