Promoting tourism in Ajmer with laser shows at Maharana Pratap Smarak

The first laser show at the Maharana Pratap Smarak venue in Pushkar was inaugurated by chief minister Vasundhara Raje on August 14 and foreign tourists loved it. After watching the show, she had tweeted that such a fusion of culture and patriotism was rare.
Only - they want that it be held in English language for the benefit of foreigners. This open theater is the only such venue in Rajasthan which is surrounded by Aravalli hills on all four sides and is beamed on three hillocks.
This has been reported in timesofindia.indiatimes.com dated 29 August 2016.

Since the international cattle fair in Pushkar is approaching, foreign tourists have begun to arrive. On their way to Pushkar from Ajmer, they halt briefly to enjoy the laser show in the lap of hills. The current laser show highlighted the bravery of Maharana Pratap and Prithvi Raj Chouhan, apart from underlining the beauty and historical significance of Pushkar.
The show runs daily to a packed house in the evening and people come with their families to watch it. The 3D sound system made the show more exciting and, as the show went on, it seemed as if a real battle between two armies was happening.
The spectators hailed the show, but they had complaints about traffic chaos on city roads because buses and other vehicles stop on roads to see the show and that triggers traffic jams. These need streamlining.


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Population of African elephants drastically down due to loss of habitat and poaching

A study has revealed that the population of African elephants has reduced drastically due to not only poaching for their ivory but also due to loss of habitat. This has, in turn, raised questions about the failure to protect one of the world's largest mammals.
The study has shown that there are now only 352,271 savanna elephants in nearly all of sub-Saharan Africa. This is as per data furnished by Elephants Without Borders, a research organization that just completed an 18-country census.
This has been reported in nzherald.co.nz dated 1 September 2016.

The study has found that between 2007 and 2014, the elephant population has declined by at least 30 per cent, or 144,000 elephants. The study, which was funded largely by billionaire Microsoft co-founder Paul Allen, has also revealed that Tanzania's elephant population declined by 53 per cent between 2009 and 2015, from about 109,000 in 2009 to 51,000 in 2015.
The researchers had spend 10,000 hours in the air traveling across Africa in helicopters and bush planes and the National Geographic has called the study "the largest wildlife census in history". Incidentally, some of the countries like Angola had never before covered by any earlier survey.
One of the reasons for this decline with regard to savanna elephants is dramatic loss of habitat - their land was destroyed and their range "shrank from three million square miles in 1979 to just over one million square miles in 2007" - this is as per the World Wildlife Fund.
Poaching is another known threat. The animals are killed for their ivory and most of the ivory ends up in Asia, where it fetches as much as US$1000 per pound and is frequently used in unproven medicinal treatments. Kenya had set fire to 105 tonnes of ivory in an attempt to prove, in the words of President Uhuru Kenyatta, that "for us, ivory is worthless unless it is on our elephants". The United States has also announced a near-total ban on the ivory trade.


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More than 300 wild reindeer killed by lightning strike in Norway

It was a natural disaster that has never been seen before when a lightning strike killed more than 300 wild reindeer in Norway. Aerial footage reveals the carcasses scattered across a small area on the Hardangervidda mountain plateau. The footage was released by the Norwegian Environment Agency and they have indicated that a total of 323 animals were killed and 70 of them were calves.
This has been reported in news.sky.com dated 29 August 2016.

It is not uncommon for reindeer or other wildlife to fall victim to lightning strikes, but the numbers in this case are staggering and have never been heard of before. Reindeer tend to stay very close to each other in bad weather, and that could explain how so many were killed at one time during the storm. Thousands of reindeer usually migrate across the barren Hardangervidda plateau with the change of season.
This, incidentally, happens to be the second time this month that a large group of animals has been killed by lightning. On 25 August, a total of 38 sheep died after they were struck by lightning in Kanchipuram in India.


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Bus service from Kolkata to Khulna takes off on trial basis

A bus has taken off from Kolkata to Khulna on a trial basis under the Bangladesh Bhutan India Nepal (BBIN) Agreement. Last year, West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee had launched bus services from Kolkata to Dhaka also under the BBIN agreement.
This has been reported in thestatesman.com dated 31 August 2016.

The bus will go from Kolkata to Khulna via Jessore and the bus service, on trial basis, was flagged off from the Kasba Paribahan Bhavan by the transport minister Shubhendu Adhikari. The bus will be operated by the West Bengal Surface Transport Corporation and will cover the 185-Km in around 12 hours taking into account immigration checks and traffic congestion. A regular time table will be finalized after the trial run.
The state government has decided to operate more buses to a number of destinations in Bangladesh. These will be Siliguri to Chittagong via Phulbari, Kolkata to Chittagong via Dhaka and Benapole, Guwahati to Kolkata via Shillong, Dhaka, Benapole and Petrapole.
The state government is also keen to introduce bus services to popular tourist destinations, including Dhaka-Kathmandu and Dhaka - Thimpu via Fulbari in Siliguri.
A cargo vehicle from Kolkata to Dhaka was also flagged off. The Bangladesh government also introduced a cargo vehicle service today from Dhaka to Delhi via Kolkata.
These are intended to improve regional co-operation among India, Bangladesh, Bhutan and Nepal.


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Didi meets Puja organisers and outlines her do's and dont's

With a little more than a month to go for the Durga Pujas and with preparations in full swing, chief minister Mamata Banerjee took the opportunity to meet over 350 festival organizers from different parts of Kolkata in a "coordination meeting". The meeting was organised by Calcutta police at Netaji Indoor Stadium.
On the occasion, Mamata Banerjee outlined a number of do's and dont's that should be followed to ensure that everything goes like clockwork.
This has been reported in telegraphindia.com dated 31 August 2016.

This has been a regular annual exercise for the past few years where the entire cabinet is present along with other leaders and representatives of the state police and different agencies, including fire services, CESC, disaster management and the PWD.
The basic objective is to have a direct interaction with representatives of clubs and address potential problems that could come in the way of a safe festive period.
Among the measures identified by the chief minister are -

Crowd management - the Calcutta Municipal Corporation (CMC) must ensure that all the gates at every park hosting a Puja were kept open. Three of the gates should be for dispersal of crowds and only one for entry. This is because lat year, there was a stampede at Deshapriya Park in south Calcutta which had boasted of the 'world's tallest Durga'. 11 persons were injured in the stampede and Calcutta police had to shut down the puja.

Ambulance - each Puja organiser must keep at least two ambulances ready for any emergency. It seems a number of Puja organisers admitted they never thought of such a plan.

Power cut - puja organisers should keep ready large battery-operated torches for any power outage. This is to prevent people from creating trouble. Moreover, the Puja organisers should deploy large teams of volunteers and also keep ropes ready for crowd management.

Immersion - immersions would not be allowed on October 12 which is Muharram. On October 11, which is Dashami, immersions would be allowed till 4 pm. October 13 would be a full immersion day.


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Jaipur experiment to save the sparrows

In order to save the house sparrows from extinction, Jaipur carried out an experiment of sorts. In the month of February, which is the normal breeding time of sparrows, conservationists involved in the birding fair in the city sold about 1,200 nest boxes. People could put these up these boxes outside their homes. These were meant to serve as safe sites for the house sparrow to breed in.
However, six months down the line, the results are not encouraging. A rough estimate of the number of boxes in which sparrow chicks were found revealed that only 40% of the boxes hosted sparrow families.
This has been reported in timesofindia.indiatimes.com dated 30 August 2016.

The reasons for the birds shying away from cities are the modern architecture which are inhospitable to these birds that usually nest in crevices of buildings. Many of those who took home the boxes reported that they failed to attract breeding sparrows. While it was meant for sparrows, it seems mynahs took up some boxes. These birds are gentle and need all possible support to survive the hostile environment that human beings are creating for them. Sparrows eat up insects and keep the population of insects in check. Obviously, the Jaipur imitative should be followed up and not discarded - it will require patience. However, it has been observed that Jaipur is turning out to be more hospitable to pigeons and mynahs, which appear to be chasing off the mild sparrows. People feed grains to the pigeons hence they come.


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German tourist dies while taking selfie in Machu Picchu

A German tourist lost his balance and died after falling down a ravine - he was taking a selfie at the ancient city of Machu Picchu in the Peruvian Andes. The 51-year-old had ignored warnings before he went to a restricted area close to a cliff.
It seems he wanted to pose for a photograph as if he was flying, by jumping in the air, but dis-balanced and fell to his death. His body was subsequently recovered by a rescue team.
This has been reported in nzherald.co.nz dated 1 July 2016.

Selfie deaths are becoming more common due to the prevalence of personal mobile devices. As revealed by figures released earlier this year by Priceonomics, India was the number one location for deaths by selfie, followed by Russia and the United States.
Selfies have been the cause of at least 49 deaths around the world since 2014. In order to check the trend, the Russian Interior Ministry has published a "Safe Selfie" guide to help prevent further deaths and, in India, Mumbai has declared 16 "no-selfie zones" across the city. The most common cause of selfie death was falling from a height.

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Tourists to Darjeeling during the Pujas would get more toy trains

Tourists going to Darjeeling during the pujas can now expect more number of toy trains to choose from. The Darjeeling Himalayan Railway (DHR) plans to introduce three more pairs of joy rides with effect from 10 September apart from introducing a couple of coaches in all of its engines.
This has been reported in thestatesman.com dated 30 August 2016.

By virtue of this augmentation, the strength of Toy trains will rise to nine. At present the DHR has three steam and three diesel engines as of now.
Incidentally, DHR has been serving people for the last 136 years and, hence, decided to add three new rides.
Moreover, Jungle safari ride which used to run for a whole week is now open for twice a week, i.e., on Saturday and Sunday. This safari is being operated with a steam engine unlike diesel engines. The fare of the jungle safari has risen from Rs.500 to Rs.1100. He further informed that a heritage coach and another dining coach will be added for the tourists who want to enjoy assorted facilities during their joy rides. Both the coaches will have exclusive interior and will showcase the heritage of the UNESCO recognized toy trains.
It is estimated that the DHR would attract more than 2 lakh tourists this time around and the railway will add a goods carrier from the month of November to carry the goods and luggage of the visitors. The revival of DHR is an indicator of a boost for Darjeeling tourism and for the heritage ride itself.


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Japan cancels more than 100 flights due to Typhoon Lionrock

Japan has cancelled more than 100 flights and evacuation warnings were issued for thousands of people in view of the approach of the powerful typhoon Linrock - it was near to the northeast of Japan in the region that had been devastated by a massive earthquake and tsunami five years ago. The typhoon was expected to make landfall in the Tohoku region with sustained winds of 120 km per hour and gusts up to 176 kph as it moved north from the Pacific Ocean.
Apart from cancellation of 110 domestic flights, some Shinkansen bullet train services have also been suspended.
This has been reported in timesofindia.indiatimes.com dated 30 August 2016.

As a preventive measure, Toyota Motor Corp would suspend production at two of its factories that fall in the path of the typhoon because heavy rain and strong wind would affect road conditions and lead to delays in delivery of spare parts.
Similarly, Tokyo Electric Power Co (TEPCO), the operator of the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant that was destroyed in the March 2011 disaster, would be putting on hold some of the outdoor operations. About 1,200 households lost power in eastern Japan near Tokyo.
The category one typhoon could dump about 35 cm of rain in the northeast and that would be more than the average rainfall for all of August. However, Typhoon Lionrock was expected to be downgraded to a tropical storm by the time it made landfall.


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Researchers unearth reasons of why people snore

Snoring is something one grows up with and non snorers try to adjust with those who snore. People attribute various reasons for snoring - like blame it on allergies, or excessive drinks or an ill designed pillow, or even your genes. However, researchers suggests that it is most likely caused by a combination of tiredness and exposure to traffic fumes.
This has been reported in nzherald.co.nz dated 30 August 2016.

The interesting study was conducted at Bergen University in Norway and covered 12,000 people from cities throughout Europe. They found that almost 25 per cent of men snored heavily at least three nights per week. Moreover, those who were exposed to traffic pollution were the most likely to do it. The researchers believe that this could be a result of toxic gases and particles released by engines, particularly diesel.
In the opinion of researchers, air pollution can lead to snoring due to an increased level of inflammation in the body and that noise from traffic also affects the sleeping patterns. They leave people tired and restless. They observed that men who slept in bedrooms near to traffic-heavy roads were susceptible to increased snoring due to air pollution and traffic noise. However, women with similar sleeping arrangements were more susceptible to daytime sleepiness.


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Catamaran services to return to Kolkata after a decade

ISKCON plans to revive the catamaran services in Kolkata after a decade - it plans to tie up with a city-based river cruise operator, and cater to spiritual tourism from Kolkata to Mayapur which is the global headquarters of ISKCON in Nadia - and Sagar - which is the pilgrim spot of lakhs of Hindus.
The catamaran service is expected to start just after the Puja and, in case it turns out to be viable, more vessels would be added. The journey time would be three-and-half-hours and three hours to reach Gangasagar and Mayapur, respectively.
This has been reported in timesofindia.indiatimes.com dated 27 August 2016.

It may be recalled that the industrial group DCL had introduced catamaran service in Kolkata to ferry passengers to and from Kolkata and Haldia but, due to lack of enough high-end passengers it was closed down. However, the new setup is confident of the viability of Catamaran services. The cost of each upstream or downstream trip to each destination would be pegged at Rs 3,000-3,500 per person. The boats can hit a top speed of 58 mph, or 93 km/hr.
Moreover, there are possibilities of using the catamarans for tourism purpose. These can make about 30 stopovers along different ghats and the government has plans to set up holiday cottages along the route to provide accommodation to tourists. The state government is believed to be developing about 50 jetties where the catamaran will stop over.


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Indian Olympic medal winners get goodies only after they win - but not for basic preparations

The way India looks at a major sports event like the Olympics is totally out of sync with what other countries think and how they pursue the objective of bringing home the precious gold, silver and bronze medals. In India, the concept is simple - once the players bring home the medals, we will glorify them still further. We will gift them cars, flats, promotions apart from cash - but, not till they prove themselves in the field.
It has happened in the past and this year is no exception. The three women who have done India proud are PV Sindhu (shuttle), Sakshi Malik (wrestling) and Dipa Karmakar (gymnastics). Dipa did not make it to the medal but proved her worth. SAme with Lalita Babar (steeplechase). But, Sindhu has already been promised Rs 13 crore and Sakshi Rs 5.6 crore, while Lalita and Dipa will be given Rs 15 lakh each.
This has been reported in timesofindia.indiatimes.com dated 24 August 2016.

If these funds had been used to prepare these and other promising players in advance, the medal tally would have been better. It is during the preparation periods that funds are required. It seems the sports ministry runs a special program for improving India's medal prospects in the Olympic Games called the Target Olympic Podium (TOP) Scheme. As per this scheme and from funding through sports federations, Sindhu was given Rs 44 lakh while Sakshi got Rs 12 lakh. That's 3.4% of Sindhu's post-medal awards and 2.1% of the money Sakshi is to get. Dipa, who finished fourth in the vault, got only Rs 2 lakh for Olympic preparation under TOPS.
Out of a total of 118 athletes who represented India at Rio, 67 were funded by TOPS and received a total of Rs 17.1 crore - that is much less compared to the amounts now being showered on Sindhu and Sakshi. Incidentally, the US Olympic committee rewards American Olympians with bonus payouts of $25,000 for gold, $15,000 for silver and $10,000 for bronze - however, they invest much larger sums into the preparations.


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159 'Govindas' of Mumbai injured in Janmashtami dahi handi celebrations

Dahi-handi is an intricate part of Janmashtami celebrations, especially in Mumbai. It is done on the birthday of Lord Krishna who is lovingly called Govinda and, during the dahi handi event, youngsters form human pyramids to reach for the prize money that is stored in the earthen handi (or pot). Lord Krishna's fondness for milk products is legend and the earthen handi contains generous amounts of dahi or curd.
Invariably, climbing the human pyramid to access the 'loot' is fraught with dangers and, this year, 159 Govindas have suffered injuries. Out of the injured, two children, a 12 year-old from Ulhasnagar and a nine-year-old from Kandivli, are battling for life after suffering serious head injuries. And, this is in spite of a Supreme Court order that has imposed certain restrictions on participation of children - those below 18 are barred. However, the event went on and the injured had to be rushed to hospitals with cuts, bruises, blunt trauma and a few with fractures through the day. Out of them 115 were given first aid and discharged.
This has been reported in timesofindia.indiatimes.com dated 26 August 2016.

Incidentally, as a result of the SC directive, the number of those injured was less as compared to previous year- statistics of the BMC reveal that last year, the figure was 364 and this year it is nearly half.
Both the kids who have suffered serious injuries fell from the sixth tier of a human pyramid. One of them was not provided safety harnesses which aggravated his injuries.


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New Zealand to go in for aerial delivery of Domino's pizzas - via drones

Fast food companies have been toying around with idea of aerial delivery of pizzas and, such pizza delivery may sound futuristic but Domino's has been obtained the OK to test New Zealand pizza delivery via drones. The fast food chain has gone into partnership with drone business Flirtey to launch the first commercial drone delivery service in the world which could begin later this year.
This has been reported in nzherald.co.nz dated 25 August 2016.

Domino's have said that it had been investigating innovative and new delivery methods in view of growth in its business and one of the options was the robotic delivery, which the government is still considering. While details have been kept a secret for obvious reasons, it is understood that Domino's would use drone delivery alongside its usual delivery methods - and, only where it would be faster than the use of a car or scooter.
The company has made it clear that it will not offer the full range of its products for drone delivery - and such delivery would be restricted to only those customers who live within a certain distance from a store and will get the benefit of aerial delivery.

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6.2 magnitude quake leaves nearly 250 dead - Amatrice turns into a ghost town

It was a 6.2 magnitude quake that struck the town of Amatrice in Italy early morning and left nearly 250 dead with the town resembling a ghost town. The town is a notable summer getaway in central Italy and is famous as the birthplace of a pasta dish made with tomatoes and pork cheeks.
This has been reported in timesofindia.indiatimes.com dated 25 August 2016.

The main quake was followed by a number of strong aftershocks — including one nearly as strong an hour later — that flattened houses and buried residents in the rubble. As Mayor Sergio Pirozzi of Amatrice has revealed to the media - half the town no longer exists. In fact, Amatrice, a quiet mountain town about 100 miles northeast of Rome looked more like a ghost town. It has a permanent population of about 2,000 and is a place where people had ties to Rome in one way or another because of employment or business interests like running restaurants, bars and hotels - food has always been part of the town's culture.
Observers feel that the initial quake was comparable in intensity to the one in 2009 in the central Abruzzo region that took more than 300 lives. The quake and aftershocks were felt as far away as Bologna, Rome and Naples and camps were set up to house hundreds of homeless. The authorities were also trying to take stock of an unknown number of tourists.


Image courtesy wikimediacommons.org


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The aunty with a gun spreads terror among Romeos of Shahjahanpur

She is a 42-year-old woman who is lovingly called the 'Bandookwali aunty' or Aunty with a gun. She protects the girls in and around the area and is a symbol of terror for eve-teasers. Her very presence in the village has done what the police have not been able to. There has been no complaint of eve-teasing or sexual assaults on women from Mahanandpur village for quite a long while. The girls here feel safe because they know that they have someone to protect them.
This has been reported in timesofindia.indiatimes.com dated 18 August 2016.

She is a mother of two girls herself and had applied for an arms licence to protect her own girls. But, her circle of protection kept growing because her daughters' friends, their friends and acquaintances, etc kept increasing. She meticulously cleans her double-barrel gun as she sits on a charpoy. She recollects the 1990s when the women had to move from pillar to post to get a complaint registered against their assaulters. Many young girls committing suicide because they got no support from anyone. She had lost her husband and decided to fight for herself - hence, her need for a firearm.
She got the license due to former CM Mayawati-ji. Due to her presence, girls and women roam around even during late evening hours.


Image courtesy wikimediacommons.org


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Airlander-10, the world's largest aircraft aka 'the flying bum', takes off on maiden flight

The 302ft-long Airlander 10, or 'the Flying Bum', is part plane, part helicopter, and part airship and has been branded as the world's largest aircraft. It has taken off successfully on its maiden voyage from Cardington airfield in Bedfordshire. It was its first since a revamp in Britain.
This has been reported in dailymail.co.uk dated 18 August 2016.

Its bulbous exterior has earned it the less-than-glamorous nickname of 'the flying bum'. Its developers Hybrid Air Vehicles (HAV) have labeled the ship as a 'great British innovation' after the flight. It was a modern milestone in airships, which ended with the Hindenburg disaster in 1937.
The Airlander is a combination of an aircraft that has parts of normal fixed-wing aircraft, it has got helicopter, and also airship. It has been designed to use less fuel than a plane and has the ability to carry heavier loads than conventional airships.
HAV say it can reach 16,000 feet, travel at up to 90 mph and stay aloft for up to two weeks. Unlike hydrogen which is the gas used in the Hindenburg, Airlander uses helium which is not flammable. It could operate in wind speeds of 80 knots and can provide air transportation for people and goods without the need for a runway.
It has immense prospects and HAV are confident of getting plenty of customers — both civilian and military — because of its potential to gather data and conduct surveillance for days on end. It can carry up to 10 metric tons (22,050 pounds) of passengers or cargo. The company has hopes to have an even bigger aircraft that would be capable of carrying 50 metric tons (110,000 pounds) and it could be in service by the early 2020s.


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Kolkata hit by sudden storm with wind speeds of 70 km/hour - leaves three dead and six injured

Kolkata was hit by a sudden storm with wind speeds of 70 km/hour that has left three dead and six injured. The storm was accompanied by rain and it took its toll on not just the city but the coastal areas of the state also. Of the tree persons killed, two were in Jadavpur in southern part of the city and one at Beliaghata in northern part of the metropolis.
This has been reported in thestatesman.com dated 18 August 2016.

The three deaths are due to uprooted trees and at least six other persons were injured in different localities in the storm. The condition of one of them was critical. There was heavy traffic snarls at different parts of the city due to water logging. It caused problems for home bound commuters.
Kolkata Mayor Sovan Chatterjee informed that the municipal corporation has deployed 22 teams to clear the uprooted trees from the roads. Moreover, due to snapping of overhead wires, train services in Sealdah section were disrupted for hours.

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No Smart City tag for New Town in Rajarhat

There was a proposal to make New Town in Rajarhat into a Smart City because it had made it to the shortlist of 13 prospective smart cities this May - it was its second attempt. However, the state cabinet has taken a decision of not pursuing the project. With an investment of %s 500-crore of the center and an equal amount by the State, New Town could have boasted of having new-age amenities such as intelligent street lamps with integrated distress buttons, multi-nodal transport hubs and smart bus stops.
But, Bengal has spurned the offer and it is so far the only state to have done so.
This has been reported in telegraphindia.com dated 18 August 2016.

The decision of the cabinet would be communicated to Delhi. The chief minister Mamata Banerjee had indicated much earlier that she did not want to include New Town in this central project and the cabinet has formalized this decision.
The decision would translate into losing out on a number of benefits besides smart solutions to everyday problems like a modern water treatment plant, an entertainment zone spread over 2,450sq m between Home Town and Axis Mall, cycling tracks along all thoroughfares, a senior citizens' park and e-health clinics. It comes as a huge disappointment for those who have invested their life's savings in properties in New Town. They were eagerly waiting for civic amenities in New Town to be upgraded because, as it stands, they do not have many amenities.


Image courtesy wikimediacommons.org


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Tomato and onion prices plummet in Chennai due to over production in Karnataka and Maharashtra

Unplanned production of vegetables in Karnataka and Maharashtra have resulted in over production and a correspondingly steep fall of prices in Chennai. The price of onions came down to Rs 17 while tomatoes from Bengaluru were selling at Rs 12 per kilogram and the local variety for just Rs 8 per kilogram.
This has been reported in timesofindia.indiatimes.com dated 17 August 2016.

In some areas of the city, tomatoes were selling at Rs 5 per kilogram. As one vendor said - since these are perishable items, he sold them for Rs 5 to avoid wastage.
The Koyambedu vegatable market saw 300 trucks from Karnataka bringing in tomatoes while the same number of trucks brought in onions from Maharashtra. Obviously, the prices could fall still further with the increased supplies.


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Odisha reduces bus fares because of reduction in price of petrol and diesel

The central government has announced a cut in the price of petrol and diesel and the Odisha government has, accordingly, decided to reduce bus fares across all categories through the automatic fare adjustment mechanism.
This has been reported in thestatesman.com dated 17 August 2016.

As per a notification of the concerned department, the fares of ordinary and express buses have been reduced by 1 paise per kilometer and by 2 paise per kilometer for deluxe and AC deluxe buses respectively. Accordingly, the fare for ordinary buses has come down to 58 paise from 59 paise per kilomter, express buses from 62 paise to 61 paise, deluxe buses from 82 paise to 80 paise and AC deluxe buses from Rs 1.03 to Rs 1.01 paise per km.
Based on a demand of All Odisha Private Bus Owners Association, the state government had, on June 4, implemented the automatic mechanism for revision of fares. Under this scheme, the fare for ordinary and express buses would be hiked by one paise per km if the price of diesel is hiked by Rs 2 per litre. Similarly, the fare of ordinary and express buses would be reduced by one paise per km if the price of diesel is reduced by Rs 2 per litre. The fare for deluxe and AC deluxe buses to be hiked by two paise per km if the price of diesel is increased by Rs 2 per litre.


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Throats of two kids slashed in Delhi by glass-coated kite thread

It was tragedy for the parents when the throats of their kids were slashed by glass-coated kite threads - the kids were looking out of the sun roof of their vehicles when the tragedies struck. Both the incidents happened in Delhi.
One of the kids, a three-year-old girl, died in her mother's lap before they could reach the hospital. The other, a four-year-old boy, died in hospital.
This has been reported in news.sky.com dated 17 August 2016.

Police have registered a case against an unidentified individual, but, in the opinion of the authorities, it is very difficult to establish blame. In recent years, cheap synthetic and nylon kite strings from China have flooded Indian markets and this imported variety of product, coated with powdered glass, makes it both extremely sharp and strong.
The Delhi government plans to impose a ban on its sale and use and those who violate the ban could face up to five years in jail and also a fine.
In addition, police have raided shops that sell the string in the northeastern city of Rampur following the death of a 23-year-old man - he died when his throat was sliced as he was riding his motorcycle.
Animal rights activists have also expressed concern and have called for a ban on the flying of kites after a number of birds were either killed or injured.


Image courtesy wikimediacommons.org


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Swarm of honeybees attack visitors in flower show at Lalbagh Botanical Gardens

It was during the Independence Day flower show at Lalbagh Botanical Gardens that swarms of honeybees attacked four men. While one of the victims is critical and under observation in hospital, the others escaped with minor injuries. The attack took place at around 3pm immediately after they stepped into the botanical gardens.
This has been reported in timesofindia.indiatimes.com dated 16 August 2016.

The victims were rushed to the hospital. They had planned to meet friends at the venue and enjoy the holiday. Both received immediate medical attention and the administration confirmed that they had removed three bee hives from the main premises before commencing the show. Moreover, since this was not their breeding season, there are only a few honeybees around and extra care had been taken to ensure adequate safety for visitors.
It may be recalled tat last year, a seven-year old girl died after she was attacked by bees in the I-Day flower show, 2015. She had come with her parents and, when she was playing near a tree, she suddenly started screaming. Her father tried to shield her from the swarm of bees but, it was too late. She succumbed to her injuries.


Image courtesy wikimediacommons.org


Some more interesting links -

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Lord Shiva loves and enjoys dancing (satire)

Moody discusses women’s fashion with Baba Someday (satire)


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'Taarak Mehta Ka Ooltah Chashmah' crosses 2000 episodes - enters Limca Book of Records

Next James Bond movie would not come before 2018