National Level Seminar at Jalpaiguri Govt. Engg. College by Alumni Association: Developmental Activities of North Bengal

Bulding the Nation: Speach by Dr. C.V.R. Murthy

…when the world sleeps, India will awake to life and freedom….it was Dr. Nehru’s “tryst with destiny” speech…on the occasion of India’s freedom. Dr. Nehru’s call was for “build the nation”. To build the nation, India heavily relied on engineering, especially on civil engineering, during earlier ages of freedom. As the time passeed, other engineering fields like electrical, mechanical, metallurgical, chemical got importance. During 80s and 90s focus was on computer science and electronics. But again after 65 years of freedom, again focus is on core engineering. Nation needs to be re-build for future journey. So core engineers are in demand. It is a social demand. It is not a mere job for engineers. It is a career, along with social responsibilities, as a human being.

It was extract from speech of Dr. C.V.R. Murthy (Professor, IIT-Chennai), during a seminar on “Developmental Activities of North Bengal and Contribution of Jalpaiguri Govt. Engg. College”, organized by Alumni Association, JGEC campus and college authority.

Eminent Professors: From left, Dr. Amlan Das, Dr. D.K. Pal and Dr. C.V.R. Murthy

North Bengal is prone to natural calamities. Recent earth quake has shown the lack of infrastructure to forecast and counter such massive disaster. Government has not infrastructure to counter the real root cause. Political slogans or donations after disaster are not real solution. To counter disaster like earthquake and regular flood, we need a real socio-political and technological contribution. North Bengal has India’s one of the oldest engineering college, Jalpaiguri Government Engineering College (JGEC), which can be used to develop a counter measure centre against disasters like earth quake and flood. Ex-students of this engineering college are placed all over the world, and all the ex-students of the JGEC felt shocked after the disaster of earthquake. Also, every year Jalpaiguri and whole North Bengal face tremendous flood, which government cannot control, because lack of proper infrastructure. Ex-students of JGEC felt that all these disasters can be dealt from JGEC campus, by providing proper technical support to government. The JGEC has already set up for engineering activities and a cluster of renowned professors. Only some infrastructural development of the college can make this a centre for earthquake research and natural calamities counter measure centre. To highlight these issues ex-students (Alumnii Association, JGEC Campus) had organized the national level seminar at Jalpaiguri on 24-25 December, 2011, where national level professors and technocrats from IITs and other national colleges had delivered lecture on “Developmental Activities of North Bengal and Contribution of Jalpaiguri Govt. Engg. College (JGEC).”

Roads to be re-build for better society

The purpose of the seminar is to highlight real problem of North Bengal regarding natural calamities and possible counter measure. Ex-students of JGEC want to propose government to take sincere proactive and preventive approach to the problem, instead of doing corrective measures and rescue work for affected people. The Telegraph had covered the news of the seminar and bigger purpose of the seminar on 27th Dec edition.

Present and ex-students along with Principal, Dr. Jyotirmoy Jhampati and other respected professors had made a unique platform where the concept of building the nation was predominant.

JGEC professors along with Principal

National level professor and Head of Earth Quake Engineering, Roorkey, Dr. D.K.Pal had discussed about design consideration of building at earth quake prone zone. He discussed about technicalities behind the finer engineering which can provide a sustainable and safe life to the people of hill areas of North Bengal, i.e. Darjeeling district and also to the state of Sikkim.

Dr. D.K. Pal was delivering lecture for development of North Bengal

Another national level professor Dr. Amlan Das of N.I.T. Durgapur and also an ex-student of JGEC had discussed about the finer concept of civil engineering, which can provide better technology to the people of North Bengal. Dr. Das was overwhelmed with the warmth of his beloved college. It was a great lecture where civil engineering students got varied informations about the civil design, espcecially for the earth quake prone areas.
Dr. Milindo Chakraborty (Dean of Economics, Sarda University, New Delhi) had discussed about forest and economics of North Bengal.

Many ex-students were present at various phases of the seminar. Around 25 ex-students were had shared their opinion on various alumni related issues.

Alumni members of JGEC

JGEC has different alumni chapters across the globe. On the golden jubilee year, a process has been started to unify all the chapters to develop a strong and prosperous JGEC. The alumni association at nucleus (i.e. at the heart of JGEC campus) has the provision where all the alumni chapters can put representative and form a strong alumni governing committee, which will select the secretary and all other officials of central alumni association. The central alumni will work together along with present students. It will perform various activities for present students and college. Also, a fund will be created for accidental distress condition of any alumni members. Also, the alumni will provide necessary help to the existing communication cell which is run by the present students.


Alumni members with present student

Young brigade of JGEC

Ex-students who were present at the seminar had supported that initiative. Sanjoy Chakraborty (1992-‘96 batch), who is presently residing at Australia and Somnath De, who had came from USA (1997-2001 batch) had told that, this initiative is unique and much required for development of JGEC. Jnanada Sankar Mondal (1983 passout batch) had given immense importance on concept of central alumni association. Present treasurer of the alumni association, Mr. Bhaskar Dasgupta along with secretary, Mr. Gautam Bhaduri had long run planning for alumni activities, amongst them priorities are creating a fund for distress condition and various programs for students. Captain Subrata Ganguly, Vice President of Alumni Association had emphasised on importance of such programs at campus. Ex-student cum present professor Soupayan Mitra along with other professors like Prof. S. Bhattacharya, Prof. N. Mukhopadhyaya, Prof. Gautam Panda and many others were present throughout the seminar. Mitul Chakraborty (1992-96 batch) spent long time at college hostels along with his batchmates, to refresh the old memories. Samir Maity (1983-87 batch), who is a known face at JGEC campus for continuous support to the bigger cost added that, this session at JGEC campus was an opportunity to learn new things. Ex-student of the institution and NRI industrialist, Mr. Alok Basu was present at the seminar. Koushik Mondal (1993-97 batch) and many other ex-students and alumni chapters (like UAE chapter), who were not able to present in the program, contributed lot for success of the seminar.

Alumni members refreshing their old skills at hostels, with present students

Scientist, Santanu Das

NASA Scientist Santanu Das (1992-96 batch) delivered a special lecture on his journey from JGEC to NASA. It was an inspiring speech for present students.


Dr. Amlan Das along with other ex-students

Other JGECans who were present at the seminar had stressed on unified approach by the ex-students, for bigger cause.

All the leading electronic media like Mahua Bangla, Times News,etc, including Doordarshan had covered the news of national level seminar at JGEC campus. News papers like Anandabazar Patrika and others had publishes the news on a positive note.

Ex-students performed traditional songs of North Bengal

Vice chancellor of North Bengal University, Prof. Arunabha Basu Mazumder praised the purpose of the seminar. Mayor of Siliguri, Gangotry Dutta and MLA Debi Prasad Roy also praised the institution’s initiative to work for bigger society.

Alumni association has started an initiative for mutual growth of JGEC and Bengal. Eminent personalities like Dr. Murthy and Dr. Amlan Das have assured their guidance in this initiative. Long way to go and the road are tough ahead, with full of challenges. Alumni association has ensured that they are ready for the challenges, which is the spirit of Jalpaiguri Government Engineering College.

News link for Natioal Level Seminar at JGEC:

Anandabazar Patrika: http://www.anandabazar.com/archive/1111225/25uttar4.html
The Telegraph: http://www.epaper.telegraphindia.com/1111227/jsp/siliguri/story_14930466.jsp

[A portion of report at The Telegraph, having link: http://www.epaper.telegraphindia.com/1111227/jsp/siliguri/story_14930466.jsp


{Jalpaiguri, Dec. 26: An IIT Madras team of experts has said a series of lapses in different quarters multiplied the extent of damage to buildings, roads and monasteries in Sikkim during the September earthquake. The experts laid stress on immediate rectification of such faults in case there are fresh tremors in future.

C.V.R. Murthy, a faculty at IIT Madras and a member of the seismic code committee of the country, said several shortcomings had aggravated the damage to roads, buildings, monasteries and the communication system in the state.

“On the basis of our observations, we have come up with a report which had been sent to the government of Sikkim and to the Centre. It is important that a systematic earthquake-safety assessment is done and corrective steps are taken to mitigate the loss in case an earthquake occurs in the region in future,” said Murthy. He was here yesterday to attend a seminar on earthquakes at the Jalpaiguri Government Engineering College.

The Sikkim government had appealed to various quarters, including IIT Madras, for expert opinion on the quake-triggered damage suffered by the state and means to mitigate the loss.

The report said studies and research on mountains, slopes, soil and other geological factors had not been conducted in recent years by any government agency, and traditional housings were abandoned and replaced with concrete structures and high-rises in defiance of building norms.

“There was no quality control and the techno-legal regime is absent in the state. Further, the post-earthquake damage assessment was not understood by local engineers and most importantly, the state lacks adequate number of engineers and architects with requisite knowledge on earthquake resistant technology,” the report said.}

To know more on the report of the Telegraph, dated 27.12.2011, please see the link above]