The people of Udalguri have demanded a stoppage of the Chennai-bound express train at the Udalguri Railway Station.
The Conscious Citizens’ Forum of the district yesterday said that the NF Railway authority must grant a stoppage of 05930 Dn and 05929 Up Dibrugarh-Tambram (Chennai) weekly express at the railway station on the ground that there are thousands of workers and students from Udalguri serving and studying in Tamil Nadu, who most frequently visit their home district on different occasions.
The Forum also intimated the local members of the Divisional Railway Users’ Consultative Committee and the Zonal Railway User’s Consultative Committee and urged them to report to the higher authorities to facilitate the stoppage at the earliest. It may be noted that the new weekly Chennai-bound express mail from Dibrugarh via the Bogibeel bridge was started on December 28 without a stoppage facility at the Udalguri station, which is in the heart of the town.
Nepali Sabha foundation day
The Udalguri district committee of the Asom Nepali Sahitya Sabha observed its 48th foundation day at Harisinga Junior College yesterday.
The programme got under way with the hoisting of the Sabha flag by Lok Bahadur Chhetri, president of the Harisinga committee, followed by paying of floral tributes to the departed literary figures by Krishna Mizar, secretary.
The open session was inaugurated by Bishnu Sarma Neupane, former district president of the literary body. The session was chaired by Gayatri Bhattarai, president of the district unit. The literary discourse, in which 13 poets participated, was reviewed by senior media persons R Sapkota and Baidyanath Upadhyaya. Some local artistes enthralled the gathering with a Nepali folk dance.
The prizes of a district-level online poetry competition held last year were also given away during the programme. The first prize, donated by Narayan Adhikari in memory of late Januka Devi, went to Lila Mishra Sundar. Tulsi Karki won the second prize, donated by Narayan Baskota in memory of late Bishnu Baskota Upadhyaya. Indira Gautam won the third prize, instituted in memory of late Nandmaya Pokwal.
Sahitya Akademi (translation) awardees Pushpadhar Sarmah and Tarapati Upadhyaya addressed the gathering as appointed speaker and chief guest respectively. Ram Upadhyaya, secretary of the district unit, anchored the proceedings.
