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.


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East Coast Railway to run 186 special trains during Rath Yatra

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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.


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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

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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

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


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Ajmer airport to be operational by Independence Day

AS per saltest indications, Ajmer airport to be operational by Independence Day. It is believed to be in the final phase of completion and teams from different technical departments are visiting the airport to verify security and management systems.
Flights were supposed to start from March-April this year but it was further delayed for few months due to a number of reasons that included a land dispute. The latest news s that the airport will start trial this year in mid-July and regular services will start from August 15 - its maiden flight would be to Delhi.
This has been reported in timesofindia.indiatimes.com dated 16 March 2017.

Ajmer airport will also connect to other cities like Jaipur, Chennai, Mumbai and some companies have assured to provide services from Ajmer in a charter plane with 70-80 seats. Incidentally, the foundation stone of Ajmer airport was laid down by former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and some BJP minister will now inaugurate it. The demand for an airport in Ajmer had been there since 1982 because it is a tourist spot and thousands of tourists and devotees visit Ajmer and Pushkar every month including foreign dignitaries.
Security measures like scanners and security doors are already installed in the airport and terminal is ready for passengers.


Image courtesy wikimediacommons.org

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

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Rajasthan offers adventure sports like paragliding and solo flights to attract tourists

Rajsamand in Rajasthan plans to woo tourists by offering them adventure sports like paragliding and solo flights. The district administration has granted licence to an expert pilot who will impart coaching to people from next month. A suitable and safe venue for training has already been identified at Morjan hills in Kesuli village.
The adventure sports training is expected to give boost to tourism and also generate employment opportunities for the local youths.
This has been reported in timesofindia.indiatimes.com dated 17 March 2017.

Paragliding is a recreational sport and is the closest one can get to fulfil their dream of free flight. In India, it is performed by using a light-weight, foot-launched aircraft that has no rigid structure. The pilot is attached to this structure by means of a harness and a fabric wing aids in the flight of the individual.
Any healthy person above the age of 12 can learn paragliding and, the training schedule would be of 10 days duration when the pilot would be taught how to master the basic techniques of paragliding like launching, turning and landing. Once he gets hold of that, he can undertake a solo flight. Equipment like safety belts, and helmets have already been procured. Paragliding courses are pretty expensive and are commonly available in China, Norway, Australia, Canada. In India, there are a few schools that offer courses in paragliding, solo flights and tandem flights.


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Rohtang tunnel will boost tourism potential in Himachal Pradesh

Once the construction of the 8.8-Km horseshoe shaped Rohtang tunnel is completed, the tourist footfalls in the picturesque, remote Lahaul Valley in Himachal Pradesh is expected to rise. The government will provide basic infrastructure and other facilities to attract tourists to the valley in Lahaul-Spiti district.
Efforts are on to identify necessary land for construction of an airport in the district.
This has been reported in thestatesman.com dated 16 March 2017.

The rafting stretch from Darcha to Jispa on the Bhaga river and from Kaza bridge to Tabo has been notified by the state government and, in the period 2015 to 2017, Rs.40 lakh has been sanctioned and utilized to develop and beautify the Buddhist Gompas. In addition, these is a proposal of installing a ski lift in Keylong, the district headquarters. It is under process.
The Rohtang tunnel was scheduled to be completed by 2015 but the Border Roads Organisation (BRO), a wing of the Defence Ministry, aims to open it now for traffic in 2019. The project is a joint effort of the BRO in collaboration with Strabag-Afcons, a 60:40 joint venture between Strabag SE of Austria and India's Afcons Infrastructure Ltd.


Image courtesy wikimediacommons.org

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Chennakeshava temple in Belur is 900-years old

The Chennakeshava temple in Belur, situated 220-Km from Benglauru attracts plenty of tourists every year and has turned 900 years old but there is hardly any celebrations to mark the historic occasion. The temple is well known for its Shilabalika sculptures and was constructed in 1117 AD to mark the victory of Gangaraja, a general in Hoysala King Vishnuvardhana's army, over the invading Chola army a year earlier.
More than 10,000 people visit the temple during weekends.
This has been reported in timesofindia.indiatimes.com dated 13 March 2017.

Heritage and tourism buffs are disappointed at the failure of the state government to exploit the occasion and hardsell Belur, Halebidu and Talakadu as the most popular tourist destinations of Karnataka. Belur was the Hoysala capital, while Halebidu, also in Hassan district, is 16-Km away.
Incidentally, the Chennakeshava temple has been proposed for the UNESCO World Heritage status for its 12th century architecture four years ago. Darpana Sundari (Lady with a mirror) which is carved on the walls of Belur temple and the carvings on the pillars are unique.


Image courtesy wikimediacommons.org

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

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Risk of travel by boat in Kochi backwaters a matter of concern

Travel by boat in the backwaters of Kochi is normal but there are many risks associated with such travel because many of the vessels operating in the region have thrown caution to the winds in terms of meeting crucial requirements.
The Transport Minister has pointed out that out of the 51 vessels used for operating ferry services in the State, 14 were wooden boats that were over 25 years old, and most of the remaining ones were over 15 years old. This was refuted by the Kerala State Water Transport Department (KSWTD) authorities. They have clarified that none of the boats operated by the department in Kochi were that old. They have added that all the boats meet the safety standards stipulated by the State government and carry life-saving gear and modern communication equipment.
This has been reported in thehindu.com dated 4 March 2017.

On Marine Drive, there are private boats that take tourists out into the backwaters, some time in blatant violation of safety norms. In spite of strict warnings, boats that should not carry guests on the upper deck, do so by adding a temporary deck. Some of the boats have life jackets more than a decade old sourced from the Tamil Nadu Fisheries Department under the tsunami relief program.
As per official estimates, close to 400 tourist boats are operated in the Vembanad lake and surrounding water bodies.


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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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The curse of social media – cold blooded murders committed


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Kangana Ranaut is 'fearless Julia' in Rangoon

Shakti Kapoor holds his audience spellbound in the Khandagiri Yatra


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Suicide bomb attack kills at least 72 in a Sufi shrine in Pakistan

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Mumbai plans houseboats in the creeks on Mumbai coast to woo tourists

Mumbai has plans on the anvil to operate houseboats in the creeks on Mumbai coast in an effort to woo tourists. It could start between the waters of Marve-Manori and Gorai. The Maharashtra Maritime Board (MMB) has received 11 proposals from coastal districts to set up houseboats.
It will be on the lines of what Kerala has done - houseboats will be promoted in the backwaters of Maharashtra too. They already operate at Tarkarli in Sindhudurg district and have become a big hit with tourists.
This has been reported in timesofindia.indiatimes.com dated 28 February 2017.

The proposed houseboat can accommodate two families at a time and MMB would levy a 10% charge on what the operator will charge for each tourist. Besides, there will be a security deposit. The scheme will be implemented in an environmental friendly way and tourists will be taken through the creeks and shown the mangroves.
MMB also has plans to launch water sports facilities at Juhu, Versova, Aksa, Marve, Manori, Gorai, Ghodbunder, Bhayandar and Vasai. The facilities will include kayaking, banana rides, water scooters and speed boats.


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


Didi caught in the whirlpool of industries (satire)

Moody’s love hate relationship with the raincoat (satire)

The curse of social media – cold blooded murders committed


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


ISIS carries out car bombing in Baghdad - kills at least 55

Suicide bomb attack kills at least 72 in a Sufi shrine in Pakistan

Mayor of London worried about ISIS attacks on the city

Cafe owner in Vienna levies charges on tourists who charge devices for free in the cafe

The owner of a popular tourist destination in Austria has put her foot down on tourists who come to her cafe and put their laptops and, mobile-phones for charging. She doesn't mind it if is for a few minutes but when it goes on for hours on end, she is naturally unhappy - who will pay for the electricity is her question.
Therefore she has begun to levy a charge of one euro ($1.50) if they spend too much time charging their phones, tablets and laptops.
She has been levying the charge since last year.
This has been reported in nzherald.co.nz dated 17 February 2017.

The owner of the cafe says that a quick, 15-minute charge was OK, but when tourists spend more than an hour powering up their devices, that is not acceptable. Those who use more than one power outlet would have to pay up extra for the charges. The charge she levies is the first of its kind in Austria.
Incidentally, the cafe is located inside a famous, colorful block of apartments and is a local favorite with out-of-towners.


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North Korea is keen to attract tourists

North Korea has always been a secluded state and its leader Kin Jong-Un is keen to attract tourists. He wants to increase it from the present 100,000 annually to two million by 2020. It is an ambitious project but already several tourism zones have been created over the past few years towards achieving this objective.
There are traditional tours of state sites and monuments, and tourists can now choose to go for snowboarding, and would soon get an opportunity to put up in an underwater hotel.
This has been reported in nzherald.co.nz dated 13 February 2017.

In view of secrecy surrounding the activities of North Korea, the tourist would have to accept that his movements will be restricted and he must follow the group and its itinerary and also follow the guide - each group is assigned two guides. Moreover, visitors must not show disrespect to the country's supreme leaders and take photographs of soldiers or military areas.
Tourists can see ox-drawn carts, people hitchhiking, cars that have been outfitted to run on coal emitting thick black smoke. Moreover, there are visits to architectural sites, skiing and hiking trips, and supermarkets and pubs in Pyongyang where visitors can meet and rub shoulders with locals.


Image courtesy wikimediacommons.org

New luxury cruise liner Seabourn Encore is labeled as 'sexiest ship at sea'

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India's first igloo built in Sethan village, 12 km from Manali

The igloo built by two skiers in Sethan village, 12 km uphill from Manali, is claimed to be India's first igglo. It is made out of snow blocks and situated at an altitude of over 3,000 m close to Hampta Pass in Himachal Pradesh. The height of the igloo is nine feet. It is a 12'x10' structure with a 12-foot-high frontage and can accommodate a snow bed, a table and a chair.
They built the igloo by learning the technique from YouTube and it was built within 20 days.
This has been reported in thestatesman.com dated 9 February 2017.

The igloo is built in an area known for growing delicious apples and the igloo can take in three persons and the area could easily stay in the structure. There is more than three feet of snow where the igloo has been set up. Given the present temperatures, the igloo will not melt till March-end.
Renting out igloos to tourists can give a boost to adventure-related tourism under the home-stay scheme in the Kullu-Manali region which is a hot spot for tourists, which is followed by Shimla and Dharamsala.


Image courtesy wikimediacommons.org

New luxury cruise liner Seabourn Encore is labeled as 'sexiest ship at sea'

Mahatma Gandhi’s samadhi at Rajghat gets a new look

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People in Delhi are missing the popular boat ride at Purana Quila

It has now been over 100 days that the people of Delhi are missing out on the popular boat ride at Purana Quila. This is a popular tourist site and has remained closed all winter. The neighboring Delhi zoo is now open to the public, after having been kept out of bounds following a bird flu scare, but the boat club wears a sorry look with boats stacked together and the water body all dried up.
The Purana Quila lake sourced water from the Yamuna and through borewell and on average attracted 2,000-4,000 visitors daily. But, it has missed out on the annual high of footfall that is seen during the annual trade fair held at Pragati Maidan nearby and New Year. On those occasions, the footfall goes up to 7,000 on an average.
This has been reported in thehindu.com dated 22 January 2017.

The boating previously used to earn ₹ 6 lakh per month on an average and during the peak season it would go up to ₹ 9 lakh. Its monthly electricity bill to maintain the facility comes to around ₹ 45,000 and with 70 boats, it has assets worth ₹ 2 crore that is lying unused.
Incidentally, it is very popular with children who come during the summer and winter vacation and spend an entire day here. Children go to the Delhi Zoo nearby and then come for a boat ride which is a clean, affordable place for the middle class. The place helps children be close to nature and also out of harms way of malls.


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Puri beach carnival to be held for the first time from January 20 to 26

Puri beach carnival, on the lines of Goa Carnival, to be held for the first time from January 20 to 26. Undoubtedly, Puri is fast changing into a cultural destination from being just a beach paradise.The Puri beach carnival would offer a fete of art, music, theatre, poetry and many more.
The event will be a week-long affair of fun and frolic and will be organised on the entire stretch of the beach from Hotel Mayfair to Swargadwar.
This has been reported in telegraphindia.com dated 7 January 2017.

The carnival will be hosted by Odisha tourism, Puri district administration and an event management company, it will start with a parade, where local communities will take part in their traditional outfits. Various stakeholders of the Puri tourism industry, including hoteliers, restaurant owners and tourist guides, will don colorful attires at the event. Tourists will also be encouraged to join the carnival procession.
There will also be a sand art exhibition by Sudarsan Pattnaik will be the highlight of the event and, also, beach and adventure sports like beach karate, beach kabadi, volleyball, malkhamb, judo, para sailing. A tattoo workshop has been planned as well.
There will be a boat rally with around 50 decorated boats that will sail on the sea.
In addition, the Pallishree Mela, a sort of fair will also be there - beach vendors will showcase their artworks like stone carving, appliqué work, woodcarving, mask making and palm leaf engraving. And then, of course, there will be plenty of seafood.


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Gold Coast Dreamworld unable to woo back tourists after the tragedy that took four lives

Gold Coast Dreamworld has been unable to woo back tourists and has remained 'practically empty' during peak season two months after four people were tragically killed on a ride at the theme park. It was the Thunder River Rapids ride and it claimed four lives when they were thrown off a malfunctioning raft and the ride is being decommissioned.
This has been reported in nzherald.co.nz dated 4 January 2017.

The park had reopened on December 10 after being closed for six weeks following the death of four visitors on October 25 - they were in the Thunder River Rapids ride. Ever since that tragedy, the park has not been able to win back the crowds. Slashing ticket prices, extending opening hours and offering free meals have not succeeded in bringing back the crowds.
Many of the rides like the popular Tower of Terror and Giant Drop were closed as they underwent further safety audits and parts of the park remained deserted in what is usually Dreamworld's busiest time of the year.


Image courtesy wikimediacommons.org

Bhitarkanika National Park in Odisha unable to attract foreign tourists

Alert Uber cab driver in California saves a 16-year-old girl from pimps

China to ban trade and processing of all domestic ivory by end 2017


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Lord Shiva wants winter favorites, Durga raises her hands (satire)

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Two suicide bombers kill at least 27 in Baghdad market


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Tourists flock to Shimla, The Queen of Hills, to ring in the New Year

Tourists, both domestic and foreign, have flocked to Shimla, The Queen of Hills, to ring in the New Year 2017. There was a huge rush of tourists in Shimala as well as in other popular hill stations of Himachal Pradesh - they hope to be in the midst of snowfall in the first week of 2017.
This has been reported in thestatesman.com dated 1 January 2017.

The famous Winter Carnival in Shimla virtually turned the historic Ridge Ground and Mall Road area into a human sea and, with the influx of tourists heading towards Shimla for the New Year celebration, there were long queues for parking in ‘Queen of Hills’ - this gave rise to traffic jams and parking woes.
All hotels and other tourist accommodations in the hill station were full to the capacity - it brought smiles to the faces of hoteliers who did brisk business, especially after snowfall on Christmas on December 25. The administration made elaborate arrangements to maintain law and order with deployment of additional security on The Mall and Ridge to avoid any untoward incident.
Over the years, winter tourism in Shimla, which generally, lasts for about three weeks from mid December to first week of January has picked up very fast and the rush during the peak days from Christmas to New Year is considerably more than the summer tourist rush.


Image courtesy wikimediacommons.org

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Snowfall in Kumaon hills is attracting foreign tourists, but not like previous years

Recent snowfall coupled with the nippy climate in the Kumaon hills is attracting tourists to places like Munsiyari, Kausani, Chaukori and Ranikhet. These had been reeling under the impact of demonetisation but, hotels are now fully booked for the New Year.
Places like Munsiyari and Thal had received snowfall on December 25. Subsequently, tourist numbers had picked up and over 7,000 tourists have visited Munsiyari in the last few days.
This has been reported in timesofindia.indiatimes.com dated 30 December 2016.

Hoteliers feel that if the trend continues, they would be able to recover some of the profit from their business which had been hit due to demonetisation. Of course, cash availability still remains grim because most ATMs are out of cash. Tourists who are arriving are carrying cash with them since it is not possible to depend on ATM withdrawals or net banking.
Other places like Chaukori, Kausani and Ranikhet have also seen a steady influx of visitors who want to usher in the New Year in sylvan surroundings. Unfortunately, there is no rush of tourists this year unlike other years and, those who are visiting are unable to purchase local goods due to paucity of cash - that, in turn, is affecting the local economy of the area.


Image courtesy wikimediacommons.org

Drone delivers hot food items and cold beverages to customers' homes in the US

18th rhino killed in Kaziranga - this exceeds the figures of last year

Christmas in Delhi - fancy Santa hats from China sell for Rs 400 a piece


Moody in silent mode over black money (satire)

Didi upbeat about Christmas tourism (satire)

Lord Shiva and Goddess Durga discuss swipe machines (satire)


London Police deputes anti-terrorism patrol units under Operation Servator

Australian police foil a IS terror plot targeting Melbourne during Christmas

12 persons killed as truck ploughs into Christmas shoppers in Berlin


Carrie Fisher of Star Wars fame stops breathing on board a non-stop London-Los Angeles flight

Aamir Khan's Dangal expected to cross Rs 100 crore in first weekend

Glastonbury Festival could shift from Somerset to a new location towards the Midlands

Flamingo bird festival a big draw for tourists in Nellore

Flamingo bird festival a big draw for tourists to Nellore is a rich cultural and visual treat for visitors, youth, schoolchildren and bird enthusiasts of Nellore. It will be held in the lake town, Sullurupeta. There will be musical nights, dance events and a variety of cultural programs during the three days with noted performers.
This has been reported in thehindu.com dated 26 December 2016.

The forest department staff would be making necessary arrangements at the Pulicat and Nelapattu bird sanctuaries for the convenience of the visiting tourists and the public. Subsequent to recent rains, Pulicat lake has received considerable inflows from the local streams. It has attracted plenty of Flamingo migratory birds for the past 10 days. These birds with their striking curve beaks and flame-coloured plumage present a seasonal treat on either side of the Sullurupeta-Sriharikota road.
Viewing towers have been put up at several points and resting areas on the Sriharikota road to enjoy the sights and bird enthusiasts can take a leisurely look at the bird life in the sanctuary.


Image courtesy wikimediacommons.org

Drone delivers hot food items and cold beverages to customers' homes in the US

18th rhino killed in Kaziranga - this exceeds the figures of last year

Christmas in Delhi - fancy Santa hats from China sell for Rs 400 a piece


Moody in silent mode over black money (satire)

Didi upbeat about Christmas tourism (satire)

Lord Shiva and Goddess Durga discuss swipe machines (satire)


London Police deputes anti-terrorism patrol units under Operation Servator

Australian police foil a IS terror plot targeting Melbourne during Christmas

12 persons killed as truck ploughs into Christmas shoppers in Berlin


Carrie Fisher of Star Wars fame stops breathing on board a non-stop London-Los Angeles flight

Aamir Khan's Dangal expected to cross Rs 100 crore in first weekend

Glastonbury Festival could shift from Somerset to a new location towards the Midlands

Bhitarkanika National Park in Odisha unable to attract foreign tourists

The Bhitarkanika National Park had received global exposure in the wake of the International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources team that had recently visited the park for lijely conferment of world heritage tag on the wetland site.
But, it has failed to pay dividends in terms of translating into more foreign tourist inflow. Out of a total of 66,971 international tourists who visited Odisha last year, only 211 visited the park. In 2014, 207 foreigners had visited Bhitarkanika and the figure was 211 next year. This year, it is 150 foreigners till November end.
This has been reported in telegraphindia.com dated 28 December 2016.

Those involved in tourism sectors feel this situation can be attributed to the hassles in mandatory registration of overseas visitors. Foreigners who arrive here are victims of official apathy. At times, the foreign visitors are stranded at least an hour at the divisional forest office during verification.
An international tourist has to furnish photocopy of passport, visa and three recent passport size photos during the registration process. No fee is charged for registration. This registration is mandatory as per direction received from the bureau of immigration, ministry of home affairs.


Image courtesy wikimediacommons.org

Drone delivers hot food items and cold beverages to customers' homes in the US

18th rhino killed in Kaziranga - this exceeds the figures of last year

Christmas in Delhi - fancy Santa hats from China sell for Rs 400 a piece


Moody in silent mode over black money (satire)

Didi upbeat about Christmas tourism (satire)

Lord Shiva and Goddess Durga discuss swipe machines (satire)


London Police deputes anti-terrorism patrol units under Operation Servator

Australian police foil a IS terror plot targeting Melbourne during Christmas

12 persons killed as truck ploughs into Christmas shoppers in Berlin


Carrie Fisher of Star Wars fame stops breathing on board a non-stop London-Los Angeles flight

Aamir Khan's Dangal expected to cross Rs 100 crore in first weekend

Glastonbury Festival could shift from Somerset to a new location towards the Midlands