Tiger sighted in North Bengal after 40 years

It was the rare sight of a tiger in upper Neora Valley National Park in West Bengal’s Darjeeling district that has brought cheers to conservationists and wildlife enthusiasts because it has happened after 40 years.
A person was driving downhill when he spotted a Royal Bengal tiger between Pedong and Lava and, he quickly snapped a photograph of the elusive predator as not just proof but for the records as well.
This has been reported in thehindu.com dated 20 January 2017.

The Range officer reached the spot where the tiger was spotted and found pugmarks. There was also a half-eaten carcass of a cattle along with tiger scat was found at the spot.
Evidences of the presence of tigers in north Bengal, in areas like the Buxa Reserve, have been found in the past but there was no photographic proof for the past four decades. Forest officials believe that the tiger was sighted at height of 7,000- 8000 feet above sea level.


Image courtesy wikimediacommons.org

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Tourism in Darjeeling, Dooars and Puri hit by demonetisation

Demonetization of Rs 500 and Rs 1000 notes has taken its toll on tourism and has squeezed out the spirit of wanderlust among Kolkatans. Holiday trips normally planned for the December-January period are being put on hold and the effect is felt on bookings for trips to Darjeeling, Dooars and Puri.
These are the eternal favourites and, booking for these have come to a virtual halt since November 8. Foreign travel, too, has slowed down by about 15%, as revealed by travel agents.
This has been reported in timesofindia.indiatimes.com dated 20 November 2016.

With the current situation, unless one has enough cash and easy accessibility to money, traveling is a risk. Confirmation of hotel rooms booked in Darjeeling and across the Dooars has come down to a trickle post-demonetization and there could be cancellations if the limit on bank withdrawals remains.
The December-January period is the time when budget travelers come to Darjeeling and Dooars and usually book hotels in advance. They also depend on cash saved over a period of several months. Tour operators feel that Darjeeling could see a 25% drop in tourists this winter.
As far as foreign travel is concerned, Southeast Asia and the Gulf are the most preferred destinations between December and March and here traffic could plunge by 20%. The Thailand-Singapore-Malayasia-Hong Kong and China circuits are popular throughout the year and the number of travelers peak in winter. However, demonetization has affected this sector as well with advance booking of air tickets on hold.


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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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Bangkok seats go a-begging from Kolkata – it is out of favor with Bengalis

It is a very sad state of affairs that Puja flights to Bangkok have rows of seats still empty and Thailand struggles to woo tourists from the east. The trend is attributed to political unrest over the past year and possibly a Phuket-Pattaya overkill. As a result, Thailand has been dropped from the list of favorites.
This has been reported in telegraphindia.com dated 16 October 2015.

In the festive season of Durga Puja, around 18,000 Calcuttans fly abroad. This is about 50 per cent more than the average for that period in any other month except the winter and summer holiday seasons. Experience has shown that more than 40 per cent of the Puja holiday traffic is to Southeast Asia. Then comes West Asia and Africa (mainly Egypt) that account for around 30 per cent followed by Europe which accounts for 20 per cent. The rest is divided between the United States and Australia.
Among the Southeast Asian countries, Thailand had been the most popular sector for more than a decade. Calcuttans treated Thailand at par with Digha, Puri or Darjeeling – Thailand was nearer home and was full of activity options and, it was also affordable. But – tour operators are puzzled at the sudden new trend.
Incidentally, Thai Airways had added an afternoon flight for five days between October 15 and 24 in anticipation of the usual rush – they are now left staring at the empty seats. And - travel agents who had blocked seats in bulk are stuck with unsold tickets.
(Image courtesy wikmediacommons.org)

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Heavy rains and landslides kill at least 38 in Darjeeling

Heavy rains that led to massive landslides in Darjeeling district of West Bengal have taken at least 38 lives. The death toll could increase as salvage operations continue. Teams of NDRF and NDMA teams are working at the site of the landslide, apart from the SSB and state national disaster teams.
This has been reported in dnaindia.com dated 1 July 2015.

The landslide was a result of incessant rainfall that hit the district and triggered the destruction all across the hills and swept away q number of houses. Due to the landslide, the National Highway - 10 has been cut off leaving hundreds of tourists stranded at the hill station.
Monetary compensations have been announced by both the central and the state governments. The center has announced a sum of Rs. 2 lakh from the PMNRF (Prime Minister's National Relief Fund) to the families of the deceased.
The state has announced that a compensation of Rs 1.25 lakh will be given to those who are injured in the landslide and Rs 4 lakhs to the family of those deceased.
A red alert has been sounded in the Jalpaiguri district also. The Teesta River has overflowed and as nearly 400 people residing in the Dhupguri and Biren basti areas on the banks of the river bank are stranded. Their mud houses have been washed away in the flood. Moreover, the level of water in the Teesta barrage is rising alarmingly and evacuation of people from adjoining areas of the river have started.
(Image source wikimediacommons.org)

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Tourists enjoy snowfall in Sandakphu, no snow in Tiger Hill

#sandakphu #TigerHIll #Darjeeling While it was hot in other parts of Bengal like in Kolkata, Sandakphu in Darjeeling received an hour of snowfall much to the delight of tourists – but, there was no snowfall reported from Tiger Hill which, in turn, disappointed many other tourists.
Sandakphu is located 60-Km from Darjeeling town and reportedly received 4-5 inches of snow on Thursday. It is the highest point of Darjeeling at 3,636m and the snowfall was heavy and continued for nearly an hour. This has been confirmed drivers of the Manyeybhanjyang-Sandakphu route.
In Darjeeling town proper even though the sky was clear in the morning, the weather turned chilly and clouds gathered overhead in the afternoon. A drizzle late afternoon raised hopes of snowfall but that did not happen. There was no hope of snow on Tiger Hill at 2,560m, because the temperature there was in the region of 3-4 degrees, which is not conducive for snowfall.