WB govt to build concrete embankments in Aila-hit areas
Kolkata: The West Bengal government has decided to construct 50 km of concrete embankments in Aila-hit areas of Sunderbans in South 24-Parganas and part of East Midnapore before March 2015. Irrigation Minister Rajib Banerjee said his department had already constructed 21 km of concrete embankments there, which was badly affected by cyclone Aila in 2009. On the issue of flood-control measures taken by the state government, Mr Banerjee said a master plan had been prepared to combat flood in North Bengal in collaboration with the Brahmaputra Board. Regarding steps taken to tackle erosion of the Padma and the Bhagirathi in Malda district, he said the government had sought fund from the previous UPA-II government but that was not provided. Mr Banerjee said a meeting was held recently with the authorities concerned of the Union Water Resources Ministry and it was expected that some funds would be released by the Centre. Regarding dredging of rivers, he said it was beyond the financial capability of the government because of limited resources. (UNI)
City zoological park white tigers safe:Authorities
Chennai: The authorities in the Arignar Anna Zoological Park (AAZP) at suburban Vandalur on Saturday scotched rumours that white tigers have escaped from their enclosures after the portective wall around the moat had collapsed due to continuous rains last evening. The AAZP said all the white tigers were safe and were housed in their enclosures. ‘No tiger has escaped and all the white tigers are in their enclosures inside the zoo,’ AAZP Director KSSVP Reddy said. Already gripped in the panic following reports of presence of a panther in the forest areas of Vandalur for the last few days, the fears of the locals further compounded last evening following rumours that two white tigers had escaped from the enclosure after the outer concrete wall of the moat collapsed following rains. Howver, zoo officials denied the rumous and said all the five white tigers were transferred to a safe location. “We built a temporary barricade in place of the broken wall and all the five tigers have been transferred through cages to another location inside the zoo itself”, the officials said, allaying the fears of the locals. “There is no need to panic”, the official said. (UNI)
UP officers fined for not providing information under RTI
Lucknow: A fine of Rs 25,000 each was imposed on fifty officers of various departments on charges of not providing information sought under Right to Information Act. Taking serious note of not providing information sought under RTI, the Uttar Pradesh State Information Commission has imposed a fine of Rs 25,000 each on 50 officers of various departments, an official release said here. During the meeting chaired by Information Commissioner Hafiz Usman, directives were also issued to take departmental action against some officers, it said. The commission issued notice of disciplinary action against Divisional Commissioner of Faizabad Vishal Chauhan and issued order of personal appearence on January 30. (PTI)
Hurriyat plan to assemble near UNMOG office foiled
Srinagar: Moderate Hurriyat Conference (HC) plan to assemble near the local office of United National Military Observers Group (UNMOG) was foiled by police on Saturday afternoon. A number of HC activist, who managed to reach near the office, were taken into preventive custody. Amalgam chairman Mirwaiz Moulvi Omar Farooq and several other leaders have already been put under house arrest or taken into preventive custody to foil the assembly, which was called to draw the attention of the international community towards alleged human rights violations by security forces, particularly killing of three people in firing recently. A large number of security forces and state police personnel were deployed around the UNMOG at Sonawar since this morning.
However, traffic on the main road was plying normally. (PTI)