Concern for the People

1.28.08 Times of India
NASIK: Two debt-ridden farmers have allegedly committed suicide in this North Maharashtra district, police said on Monday.

Prakash Dhulaji Barge (34), a resident of Dahiwadi in Sinnar taluka, set himself ablaze on Republic Day and succumbed to burns in the civic hospital in Nasik on Sunday, they said.

Barge had taken loan from a local cooperative credit society and but was struggling to repay the debt, police said.

In the second incident, Gangaram Bhoye (50), a resident of Bhormal village in tribal-dominated Surgana tehsil, died yesterday after consuming poison, they said.

Bhoye, a former sarpanch of Bhormal, had taken a bank loan of Rs 4.5 lakh to purchase tractor and farm equipment three years back. Since then, he was finding it difficult to repay the loan and faulted installments regularly, the police added.

1.27.08 Times of India
KOLKATA: Despite culling of birds being taken up in a war footing birdflu has spread to West Midnapore, taking the total number of districts in West Bengal affected by the disease to 13. Birdflu also spread to South 24 Parganas district.

The total number of avian influenza-affected districts in the state has gone upto 13 out of the 19 districts.

Some 15.75 lakh poultry have been culled so far out of the target of 22 lakh, West Bengal Animal Resources Development Minister Anisur Rehman said here on Sunday.

"Of the targeted 22 lakh we have been able to cull nearly 15.75 lakh hens and cocks and 1.25 lakh have died. The rest of the lot will be completed by tomorrow," Rehman told a press conference here with Finance Minister Asim Dasgupta.

"Four districts - South Dinajpur, Nadia, Burdwan and Bankura have completed their culling operations."

In the remaining districts culling will be completed soon, Rehman said.

The state government has sent 816 more samples for testing and results will come by Monday.

"If there are any positive samples then we will have to increase the surveillance in the area. So at present we cannot say that the thing is over but the situation is definitely under control," he added.