Jamshedpur Angling Club organising fishing in Jubilee Park on July 29

To mark the 113th birth anniversary of Bharat Ratna JRD Tata, the Jamshedpur Angling Club is organising a meet of anglers on July 29 from 6am to 5pm in Jayanti Sarovar, Jubilee Park. It is an annual event and the yield is expected to be satisfactory.
This is reported in telegraphindia.com dated 22 July 2017.

At a trial run, two members of the club netted over 15kg of rohu and participants can look forward to a weighty yield. At least 70 participants are expected from Calcutta, Kharagpur, Bhubaneswar, Ghatshila, Ranchi and Jamshedpur and entry fee will be Rs 1,200 each.
Accommodation will be arranged for those arriving from outstation. They will be accommodated inside a hall at Jusco's nursery near Tata Steel Zoological Park and tents, food and refreshment will be arranged for the participants. They will be provided with umbrellas and caps, and there will be awards. As a safety measure, use of chemicals in the baits will not be allowed.


Image courtesy wikimediacommons.org

Jharkhand to become plastic free, ban on polybags less than 50 micron thick

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He was framed for a crime he did not commit

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Catch a fish in JRD's honour https://www.telegraphindia.com/1170722/jsp/jharkhand/story_163189.jsp

Glider ride returns to Deoghar to offer bird's eye view of the surroundings

Akash Darshan by a glider of areas around Deoghar like Trikut Pahar, Tapovan and River Mayuraskshi with a bird's-eye view of the temple town is set to return. The service was suspended after a bird hit brought down a glider two years back.
The 10-minute glider rides would be pocket-friendly but it would not include the aerial view of the Baidyanath Dham which is the main temple because of birds that flock in the area for prasad leftovers.
This is reported in telegraphindia.com dated 18 July 2017.

Two aircraft variants would be on offer - the Winch and the Sinus. Both are two-seater gliders, including the pilot (seat). The rate on the is higher at Rs 800 while the fare for the Winch is pegged at Rs 300. Of course, the weather must be clear without any rains.
Trikut Pahar is at 2,470ft and 10km from Deoghar temple along the road to Dumka. Tapovan, also 10km away, is famous for Tapo Nath Mahadev Temple - it used to be a meditation spot for Naga sadhus. River Mayurakshi originates from Trikut Pahar and flows through the Bengal districts of Birbhum and Murshidabad before it joins up with the River Hooghly.


Image courtesy wikimediacommons.org

Jharkhand to become plastic free, ban on polybags less than 50 micron thick

Conflict between man and elephants on the rise in Odisha

Gurgaon to get environment friendly electric buses


He was a Chinese and his assistant was a Muslim

He was framed for a crime he did not commit

He was my first boss and be taught me the basics


Clint Eastwood's upcoming film "The 15:17 to Paris"

Work on superhero film "Deadpool 2" begins

'Spider-Man: Homecoming' brings back the teenage crime fighter


Two Americans gored by bulls in the San Fermin bull running festival

At least 15 killed in shootout in Mexico between police and drug gangs

Suicide bomber kills at least 15 in Mosul

Jharkhand to become plastic free, ban on polybags less than 50 micron thick

It is a welcome move taken by Jharkhand because it plans to ban polybags from the markets. It wants people of Ranchi to start carrying their own bags to the market and not depend on the shopkeepers and vegetable vendors to provide them with bags.
Ranchi Municipal Corporation has is gearing up to enforce the ban on polybags of thickness less than 50 micron which are used to pack groceries and in the poultry, fish shops as well as vegetable markets.
This is reported in telegraphindia.com dated 13 July 2017.

Ranchi Municipal Corporation (RMC) has issued a notification through a few vernacular dailies and indicated the seriousness to make the state plastic-free. According to the notice, the residents of the city must adhere to Plastic Waste Management Rules, 2016, which stipulate the minimum thickness of plastic carry bags as 50 microns for ease of collection and recycling.
The polybags lead to long-time soil pollution, short-time clogging of drains that in turn leads to waterlogged roads during the monsoons.


Image courtesy wikimediacommons.org

New nesting sites for crocodiles in Gahirmatha Wildlife Sanctuary

Patna-Delhi Rajdhani Express to get a new look

Goa expects a flood of tourists


The teacher who taught me Bengali

He taught me to ride a scooter

He was one of the wittiest persons I have ever met


'Spider-Man: Homecoming' brings back the teenage crime fighter

Adele calls a halt to her tour, London will be her final stop

Christopher Nolan's Dunkirk set for release in India in July


Six Afghanistan policemen killed in Taliban attack

Cable car kills seven tourists in Gulmarg

More than 150 killed in explosion of oil tanker in Pakistan

Conflict betwen man and elephants on the rise in Odisha

The conflict between elephants and man is a matter of concern for Odisha because the population of elephants has gone up in the past two years as has the conflict between the two. According to statistics, 393 elephants have died in the state in the past five years and most of them have been victims of either poaching or electrocution by high-tension wires.
Hunters and wildlife smugglers were responsible for death of 28 elephants during this period, nine died of poisoning and 60 were killed in road and train accidents while electrocution claimed the lives of more than 50 elephants in the past five years.
This has been reported in telegraphidia.com dated 8 July 2017.

On the other hand, 300 people have been killed by the elephants in the same period and the animals have damaged more than 4000 houses and crops over nearly 70,000 acres. In the opinion of an environmentalist, the loss of natural habitat was the major factors responsible for the human-elephant conflict in the state. Disappearance and degradation of forest cover compels them to venture into the territory of humans in search of food and water.


Image courtesy wikimediacommons.org

New nesting sites for crocodiles in Gahirmatha Wildlife Sanctuary

Patna-Delhi Rajdhani Express to get a new look

Goa expects a flood of tourists


The teacher who taught me Bengali

He taught me to ride a scooter

He was one of the wittiest persons I have ever met


'Spider-Man: Homecoming' brings back the teenage crime fighter

Adele calls a halt to her tour, London will be her final stop

Christopher Nolan's Dunkirk set for release in India in July


Six Afghanistan policemen killed in Taliban attack

Cable car kills seven tourists in Gulmarg

More than 150 killed in explosion of oil tanker in Pakistan

Gurgaon to get environment friendly electric buses

The government of Haryana plans to set up an environment-friendly transportation system in Gurgaon similar to what is available in Poland. The Urban Local Bodies Minister is in Poland and is believed to be planning to procure around 100 buses in the first instance.
These buses are environment friendly and can reduce carbon emissions to a large extent.
This has been reported in thestatesman.com dated 5 July 2017.

In the first phase, these vehicles would operate in Gurgaon, and it is expected that it will reduce traffic congestion and make available a better public transport system to an average of 50,000 people every day.
The firm of Poland has already established plant for manufacturing of CNG buses in Ballabhgarh near Faridabad and will soon begin manufacturing electric buses under the Make in India program.


Image courtesy wikimediacommons.org

New nesting sites for crocodiles in Gahirmatha Wildlife Sanctuary

Patna-Delhi Rajdhani Express to get a new look

Goa expects a flood of tourists


The teacher who taught me Bengali

He taught me to ride a scooter

He was one of the wittiest persons I have ever met


'Spider-Man: Homecoming' brings back the teenage crime fighter

Adele calls a halt to her tour, London will be her final stop

Christopher Nolan's Dunkirk set for release in India in July


Six Afghanistan policemen killed in Taliban attack

Cable car kills seven tourists in Gulmarg

More than 150 killed in explosion of oil tanker in Pakistan

Odisha to develop water sports for attracting tourists

Odisha is drawing up plans to promote water sports activities in the state to attract tourists. The activities will motorised ones like jet ski, speedboat and powerboat. Then there would be towed activities like parasailing, banana rides and water skiing and also non-motorised activities like snorkelling, canoeing and kayaking.
In addition, there would be individual activities like sunbathing, bathing in seawaters and sand art.
This has been reported in telegraphindia.com dated 1 July 2017.

Those who will operate the facilities will have to make available all life saving equipment, fire-fighting appliances, rescue tubes and other equipment on the vessels and these must be duly certified by competent authorities. Tour operators in the state have welcomed the decision.


Image courtesy wikimediacommons.org

East Coast Railway to run 186 special trains during Rath Yatra

Tax on the 326-year-old Jagannathpur Mela waived

Pollution in Subarnarekha river a matter of concern


He loved model planes and aero modeling

He practices homeopathy with a smile

My friends who used to sell saris


The Big Sick is Anupam Kher’s 500th film

Suicide Squad 2 - the sequel - to start shooting in 2018

Shooting started in Paris for Tom Cruise starrer 'Mission Impossible 6'


900 migrants rescued off the coast of Libya by coast guards

Death toll in the London Tower fire rises to 30, could go up to 100

ISIS carries out its first attack on Iran - at least 12 dead

New nesting sites for crocodiles in Gahirmatha Wildlife Sanctuary

New nesting sites for crocodiles hasve been found in the Gahirmatha Wildlife Sanctuary. The number this year is 80 compared to last year's 75. These are near the Satabhaya beach. The numbers could be still more because the enumerators could not reach inaccessible regions like creeks and wetlands. The female of the species become violent when they see intruders.
This has been reported in telegraphindia.com dated 30 June 2017.

Bhitarkanika is home to 1,682 crocodiles and some of them are albino species. The enumerators were able to confirm sighting 1,671 that live along the water bodies of the sanctuary. Researchers were excited with the discovery of new nesting sites. The crocodile conservation program at Bhitarkanika had begun in 1975. Wildlife workers were ensuring that predators like snakes, jackals and dogs did not devour eggs of crocodiles.


Image courtesy wikimediacommons.org

East Coast Railway to run 186 special trains during Rath Yatra

Tax on the 326-year-old Jagannathpur Mela waived

Pollution in Subarnarekha river a matter of concern


He loved model planes and aero modeling

He practices homeopathy with a smile

My friends who used to sell saris


The Big Sick is Anupam Kher’s 500th film

Suicide Squad 2 - the sequel - to start shooting in 2018

Shooting started in Paris for Tom Cruise starrer 'Mission Impossible 6'


900 migrants rescued off the coast of Libya by coast guards

Death toll in the London Tower fire rises to 30, could go up to 100

ISIS carries out its first attack on Iran - at least 12 dead

Patna-Delhi Rajdhani Express to get a new look

The Indian Railways are gearing up to upgrade the Patna-Delhi Rajdhani Express under the new program called Project Swarn and trains under this category will start running from the last week of September. Under the program the premier train will get a complete makeover and will get some new facilities like trolley service for catering and on-board entertainment in the form of movies and music.
This has been reported in telegraphindia.com dated 29 June 2017.

The makeover is believed to be a 3-month program and will bring change to 10 areas namely - coach interiors, toilets, on-board cleanliness, punctuality, catering, linen, staff behaviour, security, on-board entertainment and real time feedback. The railway board has granted approval for up to Rs 1 crore for renovation of the Rajdhani Express. A total of 30 trains will get the upgrades - that is 15 eachj of the Rajdhani and Shatabdi Express trains.
The decision is taken in view of the forthcoming festive season during which passengers can be provided with the best possible services.


Image courtesy wikimediacommons.org

East Coast Railway to run 186 special trains during Rath Yatra

Tax on the 326-year-old Jagannathpur Mela waived

Pollution in Subarnarekha river a matter of concern


He loved model planes and aero modeling

He practices homeopathy with a smile

My friends who used to sell saris


The Big Sick is Anupam Kher’s 500th film

Suicide Squad 2 - the sequel - to start shooting in 2018

Shooting started in Paris for Tom Cruise starrer 'Mission Impossible 6'


900 migrants rescued off the coast of Libya by coast guards

Death toll in the London Tower fire rises to 30, could go up to 100

ISIS carries out its first attack on Iran - at least 12 dead

Goa expects a flood of tourists

Last year, Goa had a 55 per cent growth in tourist inflow during monsoon and it expects to improve on the figures this year. The Goa Tourism department is upbeat about this. The Tourism department has published this surge of tourists in 2016 between June and September - this period used to be known as lean season by the industry. However, aggressive marketing and promotion, has changed the picture.
This has been reported in thestatesman.com dated 28 June 2017.

Goa is known the world over as a beach destination because of its 105-kilometre-long beach which attracts lakhs of visitors, both domestic and foreign. The growth in monsoon tourism has got a boost because hotels offer special packages and the number of monsoon activities have also increased. Goa Tourism Development Corporation has introduced activities like trekking, white water rafting, monsoon festivals, special monsoon cuisine, trips to picturesque locales, biking, waterfall visits and others to woo visitors.
The introduction of new train services like Tejas and the Maharajah Express are also helping to bring in more tourists from neighboring states. A recent survey by a website has declared Goa as India's most popular monsoon travel destination among Indian travelers for 2017.


Image courtesy wikimediacommons.org

East Coast Railway to run 186 special trains during Rath Yatra

Tax on the 326-year-old Jagannathpur Mela waived

Pollution in Subarnarekha river a matter of concern


He loved model planes and aero modeling

He practices homeopathy with a smile

My friends who used to sell saris


The Big Sick is Anupam Kher’s 500th film

Suicide Squad 2 - the sequel - to start shooting in 2018

Shooting started in Paris for Tom Cruise starrer 'Mission Impossible 6'


900 migrants rescued off the coast of Libya by coast guards

Death toll in the London Tower fire rises to 30, could go up to 100

ISIS carries out its first attack on Iran - at least 12 dead

People enjoy rath yatra in Puri along with a day out on the beach

It was the annual festival of Lord Jagannath's Rath Yatra in Puri and devotees made a beeline for the beach to enjoy the day as the real sea turned out to be a hangout zone for tourists and people of all age groups. The weather was pleasant following overcast skies in the pilgrim city.
There were plenty of makeshift kiosks smelling a variety of products including a kiosk for taking selfies.
This has been reported in telegraphindia.com dated 26 June 2017.

The camel rides was a major attraction especially for the children. Apart from these attractions, there were plenty stalls of food and sweets. As per records, nearly 1.5 lakh people visited the beach today and around 500 coastal lifeguards and six platoons of police were deployed on the beach to ensure law and order.


Image courtesy wikimediacommons.org

East Coast Railway to run 186 special trains during Rath Yatra

Tax on the 326-year-old Jagannathpur Mela waived

Pollution in Subarnarekha river a matter of concern


He loved model planes and aero modeling

He practices homeopathy with a smile

My friends who used to sell saris


The Big Sick is Anupam Kher’s 500th film

Suicide Squad 2 - the sequel - to start shooting in 2018

Shooting started in Paris for Tom Cruise starrer 'Mission Impossible 6'


900 migrants rescued off the coast of Libya by coast guards

Death toll in the London Tower fire rises to 30, could go up to 100

ISIS carries out its first attack on Iran - at least 12 dead

Calcutta remains out of the radar of international flights

Jet Airways has plans to connect three metros directly to Europe but Calcutta is not one of these. According to the aviation industry, little had changed in terms of Bengal's economic potential for airlines to consider starting direct flights between Calcutta and Europe.
There is no doubt that Calcutta has recorded an increase in the number of passengers flying to Europe. They are mostly tourists, students and people who are visiting friends and relatives. Airlines need passengers for corporate travel because that is what makes a route viable.
This has been reported in telegraphindia.com dated 24 June 2017.

The new routes announced by Jet Airways are a direct flight from Chennai to Paris and one from Bangalore to Amsterdam. The inaugural flights on these routes are scheduled for October 29. There are already direct service to Amsterdam from Delhi and Mumbai and the airline also has a direct flight between Mumbai and Paris. It is also exploring possibilities of starting one more daily flight between Mumbai and London from the same month.
Calcutta, unfortunately, is not on the radar because there are direct flights to Europe from other cities and Calcutta is connected to these cities by a network of its own domestic flights.
Air India had plans to reintroduce a direct flight from Calcutta to London but, has postponed the plan now. According to sources in the aviation sector, there has been no improvement in the viability of passenger load, especially of corporate travellers.


Image courtesy wikimediacommons.org

East Coast Railway to run 186 special trains during Rath Yatra

Tax on the 326-year-old Jagannathpur Mela waived

Pollution in Subarnarekha river a matter of concern


He loved model planes and aero modeling

He practices homeopathy with a smile

My friends who used to sell saris


The Big Sick is Anupam Kher’s 500th film

Suicide Squad 2 - the sequel - to start shooting in 2018

Shooting started in Paris for Tom Cruise starrer 'Mission Impossible 6'


900 migrants rescued off the coast of Libya by coast guards

Death toll in the London Tower fire rises to 30, could go up to 100

ISIS carries out its first attack on Iran - at least 12 dead

Stringent rules on the anvil for ornamental fish meant for aquariums

The Centre is ready to bring about stringent rules on the trade of breeding and selling ornamental fish. Once that is implemented, it will deal a big blow to the grassroot level "fish farmers" and traders. West Bengal generates nearly 80 per cent of India's production of ornamental fish, and large sections of people (over 200,000) are fully dependent on it as a means of livelihood.
This has been reported in telegraphindia.com dated 19 June 2017.

Most of the people involved in this trade are self-employed and investment of very little capital. The central notification of May 27 has taken even Benfish by surprise. This is a government of West Bengal initiative and it runs a project for breeding of ornamental fish. They are not aware of this order.
The market of ornamental fish is vast and the Galiff Street market has 500-700 stalls that sell such fish every Sunday.


Image courtesy wikimediacommons.org

East Coast Railway to run 186 special trains during Rath Yatra

Tax on the 326-year-old Jagannathpur Mela waived

Pollution in Subarnarekha river a matter of concern


He loved model planes and aero modeling

He practices homeopathy with a smile

My friends who used to sell saris


The Big Sick is Anupam Kher’s 500th film

Suicide Squad 2 - the sequel - to start shooting in 2018

Shooting started in Paris for Tom Cruise starrer 'Mission Impossible 6'


900 migrants rescued off the coast of Libya by coast guards

Death toll in the London Tower fire rises to 30, could go up to 100

ISIS carries out its first attack on Iran - at least 12 dead

East Coast Railway to run 186 special trains during Rath Yatra

The East Coast Railway has announced 186 special trains between June 25 and July 4 to clear the rush for the annual Jagannath Rath yatra. There will be 36 additional booking counters at the Puri railway station for the occasion. The breakdown is 34 trains on the occasion of Gundicha yatra and sunabesha, while 32 will run on the day of bahuda yatra.
In addition to the above, there will be another 24 booking counters that will operate round the clock at various stations including Bhubaneswar and Cuttack during this period. Four additional enquiry counters will also be set up at Puri railway station along with the existing enquiry counter which will be strategically located for ease of the passengers.
This has been reported in telegraphindia.com dated 17 June 2017.

It is also understood that 60 closed-circuit television (CCTV) cameras would be installed at the Puri railway station to ensure the safety of the passengers apart from two drone cameras to keep tabs on the movement of passengers. There will also be RPF and GRP personnel along with sniffer dogs.
The East Coast Railway will also set up a temporary shed for around 1,000 people with toilet and bathroom facilities near the Puri railway station.


Image courtesy wikimediacommons.org

New outlets for fresh fish from Chilika

The Great Indian Bustard makes a comeback

Trekking options open up in Uttarakhand


Another boss who understood my feelings

My boss rode a scooter and wore a wig

The man who loved his work


Airstrikes kill at least 27 ISIS militants in Iraq

US police arrest serial killer of Phoenix who had killed at least nine people

Gunmen disguised as doctors shoot dead 38 persons in a Kabul hospital


Sequel of ABBA's hit musical Mamma Mia on the cards

Hackers demand ransom for Disney’s latest Pirates film

'Wonder Woman' with Gal Gadot arriving in India in June

Tax on the 326-year-old Jagannathpur Mela waived

This is a huge victory for devotees of Lord Jagannath when the Ranchi Municipal Corporation (RMC) waived a tax on the 326-year-old Jagannathpur Mela. The tax had been announced during the British era, but was imposed only last year. The tax was of Rs 1,000 each from shops at the 10-day annual fair that is hosted near the temple to mark the beginning of the Rath Yatra festival.
This is reported in telegraphindia.com dated 15 June 2017.

The duration of the mela is spread over 700 acres and is of 10 days and thee are nearly 4,000 shops and lakhs of visitors from Ranchi and elsewhere. The area is left littered at the end of the fair and the RMC had imposed the tax to meet cleaning costs. The mela is located on the eastern fringes of Ranchi and Jagannathpur will host the Rath Yatra on June 25 this year.


Image courtesy wikimediacommons.org

New outlets for fresh fish from Chilika

The Great Indian Bustard makes a comeback

Trekking options open up in Uttarakhand


Another boss who understood my feelings

My boss rode a scooter and wore a wig

The man who loved his work


Airstrikes kill at least 27 ISIS militants in Iraq

US police arrest serial killer of Phoenix who had killed at least nine people

Gunmen disguised as doctors shoot dead 38 persons in a Kabul hospital


Sequel of ABBA's hit musical Mamma Mia on the cards

Hackers demand ransom for Disney’s latest Pirates film

'Wonder Woman' with Gal Gadot arriving in India in June

Pollution in Subarnarekha river a matter of concern

A recent survey conducted by the Jharkhand State Pollution Control Board (JSPCB) has revealed the increase in pollution levels in Subarnarekha which is believed to be the lifeline river of Singhbhum. Samples of water taken in the month of April from five locations were checked for various parameters and the results are a matter of concern.
This is reported in telegraphindia.com dated 13 June 2017.

One of the parameters is the pH value of water - it exceeded its normal limit in three f the locations and instead of the natural range of between 4 and 9, it was in the range of 7.9 to 9.2. Moreover, the survey detected excess lead in the water.
The Subarnarekha river passed through areas where there is a concentration of industries and mining activities. This results in the discharge of industrial effluent and domestic waste that are choking the river.


Image courtesy wikimediacommons.org

New outlets for fresh fish from Chilika

The Great Indian Bustard makes a comeback

Trekking options open up in Uttarakhand


Another boss who understood my feelings

My boss rode a scooter and wore a wig

The man who loved his work


Airstrikes kill at least 27 ISIS militants in Iraq

US police arrest serial killer of Phoenix who had killed at least nine people

Gunmen disguised as doctors shoot dead 38 persons in a Kabul hospital


Sequel of ABBA's hit musical Mamma Mia on the cards

Hackers demand ransom for Disney’s latest Pirates film

'Wonder Woman' with Gal Gadot arriving in India in June

Monsoon strikes Kolkata

It was the first downpour of the month and it brought with it a much-needed relief from days of sweltering heat to the city of Kolkata and the Met office has assured of more such spells over the next two days while the weather will remain hot and humid. The heaviest showers were reported from central and south Calcutta but areas in north Calcutta like Dum Dum and Ultadanga did not get any rain. Vehicles were seen plying with their headlights on.
This is reported in telegraphindia.com dated 8 June 2017.

The monsoon winds have covered the north-east and are expected to reach north Bengal in a day or two. The normal date of the monsoon’s arrival in the city is June 8 but, of late, the onset had been delayed by around 10 days. However, meteorologists are confident that the delay won’t be much this year.
It seems a well-marked low pressure area over the Arabian Sea is moving away from the Indian landmass and because of this, the monsoon winds should get a boost in a couple of days.


Image courtesy wikimediacommons.org

New outlets for fresh fish from Chilika

The Great Indian Bustard makes a comeback

Trekking options open up in Uttarakhand


Another boss who understood my feelings

My boss rode a scooter and wore a wig

The man who loved his work


Airstrikes kill at least 27 ISIS militants in Iraq

US police arrest serial killer of Phoenix who had killed at least nine people

Gunmen disguised as doctors shoot dead 38 persons in a Kabul hospital


Sequel of ABBA's hit musical Mamma Mia on the cards

Hackers demand ransom for Disney’s latest Pirates film

'Wonder Woman' with Gal Gadot arriving in India in June

Vistara to discontinue its Bangalore-Calcutta-Guwahati route from June 16

Vistara, owned by the Tatas and Singapore Airlines, have decided to discontinue its Bangalore-Calcutta-Guwahati route from June 16 because of lack of patronage of business class traffic between the eastern cities and one of the most popular destinations in the country. Analysts point out that the discontinuation was a telling sign of the lack of corporate traffic from and to Calcutta.
This is reported in telegraphindia.com dated 31 May 2017.

Incidentally, the lack of demand for premium seats has been one of several reasons that international airlines had dropped Calcutta from their radar. However, low-cost airlines have not lost heart. This is because they operate all-economy class flights that depend to a great extent on students and patients on their way to educational institutions and healthcare facilities in the south. Techies do travel in and out of the city but this type of traffic is usually confined to weekends and the holiday seasons.
Vistara had started operations from Calcutta a year ago in June 2016 and the Bangalore services later last year - it operates two flights on the Bangalore-Calcutta-Guwahati route on a daily basis.


Image courtesy wikimediacommons.org

New outlets for fresh fish from Chilika

The Great Indian Bustard makes a comeback

Trekking options open up in Uttarakhand


Another boss who understood my feelings

My boss rode a scooter and wore a wig

The man who loved his work


Airstrikes kill at least 27 ISIS militants in Iraq

US police arrest serial killer of Phoenix who had killed at least nine people

Gunmen disguised as doctors shoot dead 38 persons in a Kabul hospital


Sequel of ABBA's hit musical Mamma Mia on the cards

Hackers demand ransom for Disney’s latest Pirates film

'Wonder Woman' with Gal Gadot arriving in India in June

Unqualified men pose as doctors in reputable hospitals in Kolkata

It came as a rude shock to the people of Kolkata to learn that unqualified men were occupying seats as doctors in reputable hospitals in the city. CID has zeroed on a person who claims to be a registered Unani practitioner and police are investigating whether it is true or not. In fact, all his educational qualifications, beyond his secondary school certificate, are under the scanner.
He is not the only one - as per police reports, there are at least six more suspects who are believed to working with fake certificates.
This has been reported in timesofindia.indiatimes.com dated 30 May 2017.

The police are in touch with officials of the Medical Council and are investigating these cases that reveal a sordid picture of the health services in the city. The CID sleuths have started questioning one of the the accused to ascertain his wealth.


Image courtesy wikimediacommons.org

New outlets for fresh fish from Chilika

The Great Indian Bustard makes a comeback

Trekking options open up in Uttarakhand


Another boss who understood my feelings

My boss rode a scooter and wore a wig

The man who loved his work


Airstrikes kill at least 27 ISIS militants in Iraq

US police arrest serial killer of Phoenix who had killed at least nine people

Gunmen disguised as doctors shoot dead 38 persons in a Kabul hospital


Sequel of ABBA's hit musical Mamma Mia on the cards

Hackers demand ransom for Disney’s latest Pirates film

'Wonder Woman' with Gal Gadot arriving in India in June

Floods in Sri Lanka leave a trail of 164 dead and 104 missing

The devastating floods and landslides which hit Sri Lanka have left at least 164 dead with another 104 still missing as per information furnished by the Disaster Management Centre. More than 400,000 people have been affected by the severe rains and strong winds that began on May 24. Over 100,000 people have been relocated.
Those who were residing in low lying areas towards southern Sri Lanka were advised to evacuate because of threats of rivers overflowing because the Met department had warned on still more rains accompanied by strong winds.
This has been reported in thestatesman.com dated 28 May 2017.

The Met Department clarified that the depression in the east central Bay of Bengal had intensified in to a Cyclonic storm "MORA" and was gradually moving away from the island. However, under its influence, thee would be cloudy skies, and windy and showery conditions all over the country. The winds could reach up to 80kmph.
Aid has continued to pour into Sri Lanka and rescue teams continue with their search and rescue operations while other teams were engaged in distributing dry ration and food to those who were stranded in their houses that had been inundated by water.


Image courtesy wikimediacommons.org

New outlets for fresh fish from Chilika

The Great Indian Bustard makes a comeback

Trekking options open up in Uttarakhand


Another boss who understood my feelings

My boss rode a scooter and wore a wig

The man who loved his work


Airstrikes kill at least 27 ISIS militants in Iraq

US police arrest serial killer of Phoenix who had killed at least nine people

Gunmen disguised as doctors shoot dead 38 persons in a Kabul hospital


Sequel of ABBA's hit musical Mamma Mia on the cards

Hackers demand ransom for Disney’s latest Pirates film

'Wonder Woman' with Gal Gadot arriving in India in June

Dehradun railway station reopens after 40 days

Railway authorities have announced that the train services through Dehradun would be resumed after it was suspended for 40 days carrying out construction and maintenance work on one of the platforms. The traffic block started on April 17 and is now ready to be thrown open. The closure affected at least 16 trains that crossed Dehradun or originated here and were rerouted to Haridwar creating in this period.
This has been reported in timesofindia.indiatimes.com dated 27 May 2017.

Indian Railways have informed that the work was necessary to improve facilities and cleanliness at the station and the objective was to provide a cleaner railway station to the travelers. The work on the tracks are over and only the finishing touches on the platform remain.
The shopkeepers at the station premises were happy because their business had suffered and earnings had dropped for the period of closure.


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New outlets for fresh fish from Chilika

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More than seven lakh devotees visit Char Dham

This year nearly seven lakh devotees visited the Char Dham or the Himalayan shrines of Badrinath, Kedarnath, Gangotri and Yamunotri. This figure is three lakh more than that of last year as informed by the Garhwal Commissioner.
This has been reported in thestatesman.com dated 23 May 2017.

The increase in the number of devotees is a pointer to the fact that there is growing confidence of people in the reconstruction work that has been carried out in the area and renewed infrastructural facilities that have been created on the route following the massive devastation as a result of the 2013 flash floods.
It may be recalled that Uttarakhand had witnessed a devastating natural disaster in the form of torrential rains of unseen magnitude on June 16-17, 2013. This led to widespread destruction and heavy losses to physical infrastructure, agriculture fields, human and animal lives and roads.


Image courtesy wikimediacommons.org

New outlets for fresh fish from Chilika

The Great Indian Bustard makes a comeback

Trekking options open up in Uttarakhand


Another boss who understood my feelings

My boss rode a scooter and wore a wig

The man who loved his work


Airstrikes kill at least 27 ISIS militants in Iraq

US police arrest serial killer of Phoenix who had killed at least nine people

Gunmen disguised as doctors shoot dead 38 persons in a Kabul hospital


Sequel of ABBA's hit musical Mamma Mia on the cards

Hackers demand ransom for Disney’s latest Pirates film

'Wonder Woman' with Gal Gadot arriving in India in June

New outlets for fresh fish from Chilika

Odisha is setting up fresh fish stalls in different locations to sell fish from the Chilika Lake. The fish will be sold at rates stipulated by the government. The fisheries and animal resource department is about to complete work on these two Chilika Fresh shops at Kharavela Nagar and Rasulgarh. The first such shop was set up at Siripur in 2014 and, subsequently, two more came up at Nayapalli and Saheed Nagar in the following years. Once the two new outlets come up in Kharavela Nagar and Rasulgarh, the city of Bhubaneswar will boat of five such fish shops.
This has been reported in telegraphindia.com dated 18 May 2017.

These shops will sell fresh fish, crab, prawn, shrimp and other related products at reasonable prices. Later, there are plans to start selling dry fish, canned fish and fish pickle very soon. It seems the fisheries and animal resource department would open 100 such outlets in various parts of the state within six months.
Such an action would benefit the consumers and also the fishermen. Fishfed, an apex body of all primary fishermen's cooperative societies in the state, is the brain behind the concept of Chilika Fresh. Fishfed has more than 300 societies comprising 70,000 fishermen.


Image courtesy wikimediacommons.org

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The Great Indian Bustard makes a comeback

In a latest census, as many as 43 Great Indian Bustard have been spotted and 18 were in the Ramdevra closure in Jaisalmer. Recently, one of the birds was electrocuted when it came in contact with high tension wire of windmills in Jaisalmer.
The wildlife census was done at Desert National Park (DNP) in Jaisalmer-Barmer at 147 watering holes and it went on for full 24 hours. The number of water points are in DNP is 53 and forest department officers built machans at these spots with a dozen cameras to record the activities of the birds.
This has been reported in indiatimes.com dated 14 May 2017.

The breakup of the GIBs areawise is - 18 in the new closure of Ramdevra, four in the Loharki closure, in Sudasari closure there were 12 male and 4 female and in the Chauhani Myajlar area, there were one male and four females. Such a census is undertaken annually at DNP, and it is held during Vaishakh month on full moon night.
The birds come to the waterhole and a total 147 waterholes have been identified and 142 of them are in Jaisalmer and 5 are in Barmer. During the last wildlife census in 2016 on Vaisakh Purnima, only 30 godawans (another name for the Great Indian Bustard) were spotted.


Image courtesy wikimediacommons.org

Barack Obama enters the league of top US Presidents with ranking of 12

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Trekking options open up in Uttarakhand

Dronagiri in Chamoli district has been identified as the 'trek of the year' for 2017. This is the village from where Hanuman is believed to have procured the mythical 'sanjivani booti' to revive Laksman. Another location similarly identified is Chaainsheel in Uttarkashi. Environmentalists are worried about these spots can sustain tourism practices because these areas are considered to be ecologically fragile.
This has been reported in indiatimes.com dated 10 May 2017.

Tourists would not be allowed to carry tents or plastic bottles or eatables in plastic packets because food would be served in biodegradable crockery and there would be people stationed across the trek route to remove any debris or litter on the way.
The schedule of trekking -
for Chaainsheel will commence on June 10 and will be sponsored by the state government till July 6. The tourists will stay in the tents and camps provided by the state tourism department. Chaainsheel is located at a distance of 230-Km from Dehradun, state capital of Uttarakhand and is spread over a distance of 25- 30-Km and is surrounded by the mountain ranges of Bangad region of Kotigad valley of Mori block in Uttarkashi district. The trekking event will consist of several batches and the duration of each batch will be 6 days
Dronagiri trek is 23-Km long and will commence from May 21 onward from Joshimath. There will also be two smaller treks of 3.5-Km each to two religious places Dronagiri Parvat and Nandi Kund


Image courtesy wikimediacommons.org

Barack Obama enters the league of top US Presidents with ranking of 12

Public tours of the White House will begin again from March 7

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No more junk food in Maharashtra schools

The government of Maharashtra has banned sale of junk food in school canteens. This is based on the recommendations the Centre that was issued more than two years ago. Schools should not sell food in the `High in Fat, Salt and Sugar' (HFSS) category but should go in for healthy alternatives in order to check childhood obesity and related diseases.
This has been reported in timesofindia.indiatimes.com dated 9 May 2017.

The alternatives that have been suggested are chapatis, rice, vegetables and pulses, rajma, wheat upma, khichdi, payasam, idli and vada sambar, coconut water, lemonade and jaljeera. The government resolution (GR) that bans junk food in schools would include vendors who sell prepackaged or pre-cooked food on campus during breaks. Food in the category of HFSS (High in Fat, Salt and Sugar) lead to obesity, diabetes, and dental and heart problems and schools have been asked to create awareness among children about healthy eating.


Image courtesy wikimediacommons.org

Barack Obama enters the league of top US Presidents with ranking of 12

Public tours of the White House will begin again from March 7

Explosion in French nuclear power plant in a non-nuclear zone


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IT company in Domlur grows its own veggies

This is a wonderful initiative that was taken by a two decade old IT firm in Domlur, Bengaluru. The company made use of a piece of vacant land in its premises to grow vegetables. There was a 4-acre land adjacent to its office where there were a cricket and basketball ground and, still, one acre was vacant and they decided to utilize that land.
This has been reported in timesofindia.indiatimes.com dated 25 March 2017.

All it took was a bit of innovation to convert an empty open space into a garden to grow vegetables for the kitchen. Right now, this IT company not only grows its own vegetable but also sells them at reduced rates. The products cover cabbage, spinach, tomato, sweet corn, okra, beans, carrot, beetroot, radish, bitter gourd, and coriander.
There is a vegetable market in the premises where employees can buy the fresh produce at a discount and it has been going on for the last three months. Initially, the products were given to the employees free of charge. But, it is now sold at 20 per cent less than the market rate. There is a tie-up with HOPCOMS who help them to determine the rate of the vegetables on the day of the mini-market. The money received is pumped back into the system to procure seeds, manure, setting up a rainwater harvesting plant and other related activities.


Image courtesy wikimediacommons.org

Barack Obama enters the league of top US Presidents with ranking of 12

Public tours of the White House will begin again from March 7

Explosion in French nuclear power plant in a non-nuclear zone


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Mumbai will get to see Justin Bieber in action on May 10

Kangana Ranaut is 'fearless Julia' in Rangoon

Shakti Kapoor holds his audience spellbound in the Khandagiri Yatra


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Mayor of London worried about ISIS attacks on the city