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