22 greater adjutant storks found dead at Deepor Beel Wildlife Sanctuary

A total of 22 greater adjutant storks have been found dead at Deepor Beel Wildlife Sanctuary located 15 km away from the city of Guwahati. This species of birds is listed under Schedule IV of the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972.
Details of how these highly endangered birds dies are not established but the ongoing investigation had hinted at poisoning. This is because the carcasses were found at a spot close to the GMC's garbage dump. It is suspected that the birds might have consumed poisonous substances in the garbage.
This has been reported in timesofindia.indiatimes.com dated 3 February 2017.

The National Green Tribunal (NGT) has taken note of the incident and has directed the state government to file an affidavit within three weeks.
The preliminary autopsy report indicated that the stomach of the birds was empty at the time of death. Efforts are on to find out if there were traces of toxic substances in the birds' muscles or if they have died from some sort of viral/bacterial infections.


Image courtesy wikimediacommons.org

Mars mission very much on the cards - six scientists are getting ready in Hawaii

Remembering Princess Diana on her 20th death anniversary

Restaurant offering only organic food opens in Jubilee Hills, Hyderabad


Didi to UP on a selling mission (satire)

Ronald Grump invites Moody to Las Vegas (satire)

In the wonderland of deo sprays, fairness creams, and condoms


Sets of the film Padmavati in Jaipur vandalised, Bhansali cancels shooting

Indian born actress Priyanka Bose talks about the movie 'Lion'

Pakistan government lifts the ban on Indian films with 'Raees' and 'Kaabil'


Fire in a mosque in Texas - the Islamic Center of Victoria badly damaged

ISIS had plans to launch chemical warfare - evidence unearthed in Mosul

26-year-old man mows down four people and injures another 25 in Melbourne CBD

Restore the 75-Km long Adi Ganga that runs from the Hooghly to the Bay of Bengal

The National Green Tribunal wants that the 75-Km long Adi Ganga that runs from the Hooghly to the Bay of Bengal be restored. It has sought reports from three central departments on the condition of the strip of water known as Adi Ganga and how it can by restored.
The three departments are the National Ganga River Basin Authority, Ganga rejuvenation ministry and the environment, forest and climate change ministry and the NGT wants that they submit their reports by January 27.
This has been reported in telegraphindia.com dated 20 December 2016.

This unique body of water used to be a key transport link in the city and large parts of South 24-Parganas. But, over a period of time, it has disappeared in places like Garia, Rajpur, Sonarpur because houses, fuel pumps and other structures have come up on what was once the course of the waterway.
In 1998, the state government had indicated in a report to the high court that 40,000 people had been living in shanties set up by encroaching on the banks of the channel. There were as many as 7,851 illegal structures identified along a 15.5-km stretch of the waterway (from Hastings to Garia) - it included 90 temples, 69 godowns and 12 cattle sheds.
In addition, environmentalists feel that the construction of 300-odd pillars along the middle of Adi Ganga to support the Metro Railway viaduct from Tollygunge to Garia has further ruined the channel. NGT is of the opinion that, the ancient waterway can be restored if all the concerned agencies of the central and the state government took an "active interest" in the matter.


Image courtesy wikimediacommons.org

Squirrels of Seattle, Boston and Toronto are stealing Christmas light bulbs

Petrol tanker crashes into other vehicles in Kenya - leaves at least 30 dead

Qantas to fly non-stop from Perth to London in 17 and a half hours


Moody and the half pant brigade (satire)

Lord Shiva cracks jokes and Durga fries samosas (satire)

Didi sharpens her weapons to conquer the Hindi belt (satire)


AR Rahman contender for Oscar nomination for Pele: Birth of a Legend

Julia Roberts of 'Pretty Woman' fame to star in her first TV series

Meryl Streep creates history with her 30th Golden Globes nomination


Suicide bomber kills at least 49 people in a military camp in Aden

US estimates that active ISIS fighters in Iraq and Syria have dropped considerably

Syrian forces shoot dead 82 Aleppo civilians in their homes

National Green Tribunal continues with its ban on farming on the banks of the Yamuna in Delhi

National Green Tribunal has refused to permit farmers to carry out cultivation on their farms located along the banks of the River Yamuna. This is because the waters are polluted with heavy metals and other high pollutants and these will affect the quality of the final vegetable.
People will buy these vegetables and fall sick after eating them.
This has been reported in deccanherald.com dated 16 November 2016.

NGT has commented that till such time Delhi Jal Board cleans, no permission will be given to carry out farming on the banks of the river. The observations came during the hearing of a plea filed by a local farmer who was seeking NGT’s nod for cultivation on the ground because the only source of his livelihood was farming.
NGT was firm that cultivation of edible crops and vegetables on the floodplains of Yamuna can be permitted only after Yamuna is restored and made pollution-free.


Image courtesy wikimediacommons.org


Some more interesting links -

British Prime Minister Theresa May's visit to India - mango and visa on the agenda

Air India Express to provide improved air connectivity between Kolkata and Singapore

Mamata Banerjee to visit the United States in 2017 to woo industries


Lord Shiva’s views on Kalighat and marriages (satire)

Moody and the half pant brigade (satire)

Didi’s idea - deflate tyres to punish unruly drivers (satire)


Iraq special forces advanced into Mosul while ISIS militants killed 20

British police have foiled 12 terror plots against Britain in the last three years

No-fly zones to be imposed over jails to prevent drones from being used to smuggle drugs into prisons


Michael Fassbender says no to next James Bond - will a woman take over?

Second trailer of Wonder Woman released- will be in the cinemas in July 2017

Kolkata International Film Festival (KIFF) begins 11 November

Work on Calcutta Eye in the Millennium Park on the banks of the Hoogly to start in January 2017

Calcutta Eye is one of chief minister Mamata Banerjee's dream project - it tries to recreate the famous London Eye landmark at Millennium Park along the Hooghly. It has, finally, received the green signal of the National Green Tribunal after being held up for nearly two years.
This has been reported in telegraphindia.com dated 1 November 2016.

Objections had been raised by environment activists because the bank of the Hooghly was eroding and projects were being planned at the cost of blocking the flow of the river. There were genuine concerns about the safety of the proposed Calcutta Eye project because it would be a very heavy and tall structure and people will be riding the giant wheel. However, fast erosion of the riverbank has changed the character of the soil.
But, with the green signal from the NGT, work on it is expected to begin by January or February.
Incidentally, parts of the giant wheel would be built by different companies in Belgium, UK and China and would finally be assembled in Calcutta. It is expected to take 18 months from the day work starts for the wheel to be ready.
The Ferris wheel will be 120 metres in diameter and have 60 cubicles, each with eight seats. The budget for the project is Rs 300 crore and the share of the state government is Rs 86 crore.


Image courtesy wikimediacommons.org


Some more interesting links -

Pine needles to produce electricity in Uttarakhand

Lost £250 wedding ring retrieved after the eight million gallon lake was drained

Jakarta to pay $1.5 for every rat caught to contain rat menace


Fuchka Festival in Kolkata and selfies (satire)

Moody fires cannons to eliminate mosquitoes (satire)

Lord Shiva’s Durga puja is about selfish people and selfies (satire)


Carey Mulligan leaves teddy bears outside gates of 10 Downing Street to protest attacks on Aleppo

Battle to liberate Mosul rages and ISIS fighters flee the city dressed as women

Group clashes in prisons in Brazil kill at least 18 inmates


The Guardians of the Galaxy 2 trailer released

Trailer of xXx: Return of Xander Cage starring Deepika Padukone launched in four Indian languages

Jackie Chan's Kung Fu Yoga to release on 28th January 2017

National Green Tribunal directs Visva-Bharati to stop the Poush Mela or shift its venue

The poush mela or the fair in the Bengali month of had been started in 1894 by Rabindranath Tagore's father Maharshi Devendranath - the objective was to promote local artisans. It is held for three days in December on the "mela ground" located on the campus of Vishva-Bharati University.
However, it does not wind up within three days but an extended version of the fair called Bhanga Mela continues for another 10-12 days. This is a gross violation of environmental norms during the fair.
This has been reported in telegraphindia.com dated 10 August 2016.

Hence, the National Green Tribunal has directed Visva-Bharati to either stop the Pous Mela or shift its venue from its current venue. The mela had been started with a noble purpose but, gradually, the purpose has disappeared and it has now been commercialised and taken over by unscrupulous elements.
The tribunal has directed Visva-Bharati to file an affidavit stating its decision in this regard and the state government should also inform how it planned to help the varsity. The tribunal's ruling has come based on a petition filed by green activist Subhas Dutta in February who had alleged there was gross violation of environmental norms during the fair.


Image courtesy wikimediacommons.org


Some more interesting links -

Theresa May to pay upto £13,000 to families who stay on sources of shale gas

Vadodara museum bans entry of Pokemon GO players in its premises

India in 2016 Rio Olympics - both Sania Mirza and Leander Paes bow out in first stage itself


Moody’s solution for dental care – eat drumsticks (satire)

Lord Shiva stumped by the sea of humanity on 21st (satire)

Didi to gift pepper spray to all girls (satire)


Syrian city of Aleppo falls into hands of rebels and jihadists

North Korea plans to conquer the Moon in 10-year's time

One ISIS suicide bomber of Brussels attack was a cleaner at the European Parliament


Rajinikanth’s Kabali sets a box office record with Rs 600-crore collection

Edinburgh Festival 2016 will have programs on current politics from Brexit to Trump

Shah Rukh Khan could make a movie on tennis star Sania Mirza

National Green Tribunal bans farming on the banks of the River Yamuna

The National Green Tribunal has banned farming on the banks of the River Yamuna and has refused to entertain the plea of a farmers' body that sought modification of NGTs earlier order prohibiting cultivation of edible crops and vegetables on the floodplains of Yamuna. The reasons given by NGT are that the waters of Yamuna was "highly" polluted. It contained "acidic, heavy metals and other high pollutants" and these were injurious to health. Hence, it cannot be considered to be a source of water for irrigation and agricultural purposes.
This has been reported in news18.com dated 7 June 2016.

NGT has observed that if cultivation is permitted, it will become part of food chain which will reach human beings causing various diseases. The River Yamuna carries not only large quantity of sewage but also industrial waste. There are from electro-plating industries, textile dying industries and other polluting industry that are located in Delhi.
NGT has also said the cultural activity was permitted and no other activities can be permitted till the river Yamuna is restored and made pollution free.


Image courtesy wikimediacommons.org

Some more interesting links -

Switzerland builds the 57-Km long Gotthard Railway Tunnel under the Swiss Alps

Shocking discovery of carcasses of 40 tiger cubs in Tiger Temple of Thailand

WWII bomb in London bound Eurostar in Paris creates panic


All about chest size and happy days (satire)

Lord Shiva unable to fathom IPL T20 cricket (satire)

Monsoons and Didi’s flipflops aka Hawaii chappals (satire)


Rock music festival in Germany suspended due to lightning strike in which more than 70 injured

Arnold Schwarzenegger was chased by an elephant in South Africa

Kavita Kaushik to play the role of an Army doctor in TV show “Dr. Bhanumati on Duty”


ISIS using human shields to counter attacks by Iraq military

ISIS cornered as Russian-backed Syrian army enters ISIS stronghold in Raqqa

Germany arrests three ISIS men who planned an attack on Duesseldorf