No-salary suicide

Raiganj, Sept. 15: Sudhangshuman Dasgupta, a 59-year-old employee of the cash-strapped North Bengal State Transport Corporation, committed suicide this morning in the Raigunj workshop where he had spent almost all his working life.

A note in Dasgupta?s pocket said he was tired of being hounded by creditors whom he could not repay because he had not received his August salary. ?I hope the divisional manager sahib will grant my only son a job,? the letter added.

ECL fast

Durgapur: Altogether 17 workers of the Eastern Coalfields Ltd, belonging to the Congress, Trinamul Congress and the BJP-affiliated unions, went on an indefinite fast in Asansol on September 14. They are protesting against alleged apathy towards improving civic amenities, including adequate supply of drinking water and electricity, for the employees? quarters.

Judge move

Calcutta: The cabinet has cleared a proposal to recruit district judges directly from the bar. Twenty-five per cent of the vacancies every year would be filled by direct recruitment from the bar. The cabinet also introduced a mandatory probation period for judicial service officials and higher judicial officers, including district judges.