Ahmedis shocked with kid glove treatment of mosque attackers by Pak Punjab Govt

Lahore, Jun.4 (ANI): After the brazen attack on two mosques belonging to a minority sect in Lahore last Friday, people of the Ahmedi sect hoped that the Punjab government would take some important steps to protect the marginalized strata of the society, but it was not to be.

Amazingly, when the provincial authorities should have been dealing with the militants, who were nabbed alive during the commando operation on the Garhi Sahu and Model Town mosques, with force, they are busy in facilitating the demands of the terror mongers.

According to reports, one of the injured terrorists was allowed to use his cell phone in the hospital and the authorities even arranged a meeting between him and his family members.

The Ahmedis have severely criticised the provincial government for failing to act tough against the militants who were nabbed after murdering innocent people.

“Several terrorist attacks have been seen in the past, but none of the terrorists were treated so lovingly… none were allowed to communicate with their fellows, who then attempt to free him and manage to safely escape… God knows what they had wanted to achieve and the worst part is that they are still at large,” The Daily Times quoted Munawar Ali Shahid, a spokesman for the Ahmedi sect, as saying.

“The only option that an Ahmedi has is either to leave the country or be killed at the hands of a terrorist,” Shahid added.

The Pakistan People’s Party (PPP), which is in opposition in the province, has also launched an attack on the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) led Punjab government, saying the attack on the Ahmedi mosques was a “clear case of negligence.”

“People have lost faith in the Punjab government after the latter contested elections in coordination with terrorist outfits in Jhang and the way the authorities handled the Gojra incident makes it seem that they have an agenda against minorities,” PPP’s Lahore President Chaudhury Asghar Ali Gujjar said. (ANI)

SP rewards Jaya with RS nomination

In a rebuff to Amar Singh and in an attempt to refurbish its anti-woman image, the Samajwadi Party on Wednesday decided to nominate Jaya Bachchan for a second term in the Rajya Sabha. The election to fill 11 vacancies from UP is scheduled for June 17.

The SP chose Jaya over veterans like Brij Bhushan Tewari who, like her is retiring on July 4, and party spokesman Mohan Singh. Jaya Bachchan is the only woman MP of the SP and she had stood by the party when others like Lok Sabha member Jaya Prada preferred to side with Amar Singh in his spat with the party. Jaya Bachchan toed the party line in spite of Singh having brought her to the SP and the family’s good relations with him.

The SP also announced the RS candidature of Rasheed Masood, a veteran socialist. The SP can currently ensure the victory of only two candidates, even though as many as seven of the outgoing members belong to the party.

State SP president Akhilesh Yadav, while announcing the candidates, said, “Jaya Bachchan has been a dedicated worker of the party who contributed a lot in building the party and the party is happy in renominating her for a second term in the Rajya Sabha”.

Welcoming Jaya’s nomination Brij Bhushan Tewari said, “The party ticket is not a matter of right, its the sole discretion of the leadership of the party and we abide by it”. The Rajya Sabha members from UP retiring on July 4 are Kamal Akhtar, Nand KishoreYadav, Jaya Bachchan, Bhagwati Singh, Ram Narayan Sahu, Amir Alam Khan and Brij Bhushan Tewari (SP); Ambeth Rajan, Satish Chandra Mishra and Sri Ram Pal (BSP) and Arun Shourie of BJP.

J and K Govt seeks Center’s clearance to construct concrete huts along LAC

Srinagar, Sep 16 (ANI): The Jammu and Kashmir Government has sought clearance from the Ministry of Defence to construct huts like along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) bordering China.

According to sources the State Government forwarded this proposal with the aim of strengthening the Indian presence along the LAC.

State Revenue Minister Raman Bhalla, said concrete huts would also help the nomadic shepherds to stay.

Nomadic shepherds are currently using mobile tents.

Recently Leh’s Deputy Commissioner Ajit Kumar Sahu said, the Chinese had threatened some shepherds in the remote regions of the district.

The State Government is also reportedly planning to house revenue officials and guards to monitor Chinese activities along the Pangong Lake, sources said.

Meanwhile, National Security Advisor M.K.Narayanan has called a meeting of the China Study Group of the Union Government on Wednesday, to discuss the situation along Indo-China border.

Cabinet Secretary K.M. Chandrasekhar, Defence Secretary Pradeep Kumar, Home Secretary G. K. Pillai, Foreign Secretary Nirupama Rao, Senior officials of the Army, the Air Force and the Navy, officials from the Intelligence Bureau (IB) would also attend the meeting. (ANI)

Deputy Commissioner Leh visits border areas

New Delhi, Sep 11(ANI): The Deputy Commissioner of Leh, Ajit Kumar Sahu, had visited the site where the Chinese intrusion was reported recently. He is undertstood to be sending a report to the Government.

Defence authorities had disclosed that China had intruded into Indian territory on July 31 near Mount Gya, almost 1.5 km inside the Indian territory.

It was reported that Chinese intruders wrote the word “China” in Cantonese in red spray paint on the rocks and returned. A Chinese helicopter had also entered the Indian airspace.

The Minister for External Affairs, S.M. Krishna, had indicated yesterday that incidents do happen along the border and a machinery exists between India and China to discuss incidents of this nature. (ANI)

Abandoned by children, inmates of an old-age perform ‘Shraadh’ in Bhopal

Bhopal, Sep.10 (ANI): Abandoned by their own children, many elderly people at an old-age home in Bhopal, performed ‘Shraadh’ for themselves during the ongoing ‘Pitrapaksha’.

As per Hindu tradition, one’s children or family members perform the Shraadh, the ritual of remembering the deceased.

These elderly inmates took the unusual step, as they realised there was no one in their families to perform this ritual.

“They (children) will not do the salvation ritual for us after our death. We are doing it for ourselves. If today they are treating us in this manner, we don’t know what they will do after our death. What can we say?… There is no one to see us. There is no one to listen to our plight… We will die like this here one day,” said Murari Lal Saxena, inmate of Anand Dham old-age-home.

By performing their own ‘shraadh’ rituals, the elderly said they were preparing for their next life.

Parmanad Agrawal, whose family members have died, said in this age and time he couldn’t trust his relatives to do ‘Shraadh’ for him.

“I’m doing my own salvation ritual. So that I don’t suffer in my next life,” said Parmanad Agrawal, an inmate of Anand Dham, the old age home.

Meanwhile, the in-charge of the old-age home Madhuri Mishra said that the inmates did the rituals out of a sense of compulsion.

“All elderly members were worried and in a sad mood. They said since their children have left them in an old age home then why not do their own post-death ritual even if they were still alive. This will leave no burden on their sons after their death. The elderly performed the rituals in the early morning,” said Madhuri Mishra, In-charge, Anand Dham Old-Age-Home.

Hindus believe in reincarnation, or in the cycle of birth. They believe that the body changes with every birth but the soul remains the same.

According to the Hindu philosophy, this birth and death cycle can be broken and the soul can be liberated by performing “Pind Daan” (rituals for dead).

During ‘Pitrapaksha’, children perform the ceremony and pray that the souls of their ancestors should rest in peace. By Ram Chand Sahu(ANI)

Pre-historic cave discovered in Madhya Pradesh

Raisen (Madhya Pradesh), July 16 (ANI): A cave, which is of great archaeological interest and could hold immense tourism potential, has been discovered at Patni village of Raisen district in Madhya Pradesh.

The one-mile long cave known as Mrigendranath cave sits underneath the green and partially rocky hill of Patni village. Locals had known it for long as a religious site where Hindu sages and ascetics used to come for meditation.

However, it has recently been acknowledged as an important archaeological site, prompting the state Culture and Public Relations Minister, Laxmikant Sharma, to visit the cave along with officials of archaeological department.

After walking 100 metres down into the cave, it becomes so narrow that only one person can walk at a time literally clinging along the wall. As one moves deeper in the cave it feels as if one is walking in a pitch-dark, narrow and air-conditioned tunnel.

However the cave becomes wider in the middle and there is enough room to seat a large number of people there. This wide space in the middle of the cave has been a favourite place for Hindu sages to mediate and perform rituals in front of the dhooni (holy fire). There are some paintings of Hindu gods and goddesses on the wall and some rocks resembling animal figures.

After visiting the cave, Sharma said he would do his best to develop it as a tourism spot and facilitate basic infrastructure at the site.

” We will do everything possible for the development of the hill and the cave from the point of archaeology. However, it has a great potential of tourism. World tourism will be attracted to this. This place should be developed from the tourism point of view, the entrance of the cave should be more open and convenient and the place should be more reachable and there should be basic facilities installed at the place,” he added.

Kapoor Singh, a villager who is the most frequent visitor of the cave, even after coming here on and off for over two decades had admits that he still hasn’t explored the cave fully and doesn’t know where it ends or leads to.

“I know the cave since 1984-85. Many sages used to come here to this cave. I stayed with them. Basically they discovered this and there are many images of Hindu gods and goddesses in the cave,” he said.

Experts are working to ascertain the period the cave belonged to even though a large circle of archaeologists link it to the prehistoric period.

According to some experts the cave could be deemed a world heritage site like the Bhimbetka cave, which is only 80 kilometres away from it.

It will be studied whether there was any link between the two caves or the people who used them. Both the caves are in Raisen district.

“It seems, primitive man used to live in large groups. In the other Bhimbetka cave primitive man lived in smaller groups. But after seeing this cave, it seems they lived here in a community,” said DK Mathur, Archaeological department official.

The newly-discovered cave is expected to boost tourism in the state which boasts of other sites of historical importance. By Ramchandra Sahu (ANI)

Baby hyena turns cynosure of all eyes at Bhopal zoo

Bhopal, July 12 (ANI): Officials at the Van Vihar National Park, the zoological gardens in Bhopal are a delighted lot since a little hyena cub has been brought here from the jungles.

The little female cub has become a cynosure of all eyes here.

Forest rangers overseeing the jungles in Satna region, about 377 kilometres from Bhopal, found this abandoned young hyena, although the hyenas are known to be very possessive, caring and social.

Soon the Conservator of Forests at Satna rushed the orphaned hyena to the Van Vihar National Park.

Prior to arrival of this young hyena, the park had just one old hyena and now the authorities are delighted on the inclusion of this cub amongst other animals in the park.

“We had just one hyena in our national park (zoo), which is very old. Now this baby hyena has come from Satna forest. We are more than willing to accept this hyena in our park. We are taking care of its food and rearing it. We want this baby to grow up into healthy adult hyena so that it can stay in the park for longer period,” said S. S. Rajput, Director of the Van Vihar National Park in Bhopal.

Veterinarians at the zoo have assessed the hyena cub to be around three months old. The park officials have christened it as “Lusi”.

Presently, the cub is on a diet of minced fish and milk, being fed through a feeding bottle.

A hallmark of Van Vihar National Park at Bhopal is that all the animals are kept in almost their natural habitat. Most of the animals here are either orphaned ones, usually traced in the state’s forests or brought from other zoological gardens under exchange programme.

There are different types of hyenas such as brown hyena, striped hyena, spotted hyena or the laughing hyena.

Hyenas are regarded as nature’s major scavengers. They also feed on small animals, insects and even fruits. Of course there are instances of hyenas collectively targeting a game larger in size such as deer and calves of wild buffaloes, if found alone.

A pack of hyenas is usually nomadic, moving from one water hole to another but never straying more than 6 miles (10 km) from one. By Ram Chand Sahu (ANI)

MiG-21 fighter aircraft crashes in Assam, pilots bail out safely

Guwahati, June 18 (IANS) A MiG-21 fighter aircraft crashed Thursday soon after it took off from an air base in Assam, but the two pilots managed to bail out safely, officials said. The aircraft caught fire after it plunged into a pond near a tea garden in Hathiali village in Dibrugarh district, about 520 km east of Assam’s main city of Guwahati, an Indian Air Force (IAF) spokesperson said.

“The aircraft had got airborne from the Chabua air base and was on a routine training-flying mission when the accident took place. The pilots ejected safely,” IAF spokesperson Wing Commander R. Sahu told IANS.

The Chabua air base is about 10 km from the accident site.

“We saw the aircraft plummeting from the sky and plunging straight into the pond with a big splash and then catching fire. The two pilots with the help of parachutes landed about 100 metres away from the pond and suffered minor injuries. Tea garden workers came to their help immediately,” said Dilip Tanti, a tea garden worker, who was among the first to reach the crash site.

Heat wave spreads across India

Nagpur /Raipur, Apr 22 (ANI): Rising mercury levels made life miserable for residents in different parts of the country as they grapple with a heat wave.

In Nagpur, the maximum temperature was recorded at 41 degree Celsius.

People quenched their thirst with sugarcane juice and butter milk or lassi made from curd and flavoured with salt or fruit juice.

The rising temperature has made difficult for residents to even walk on streets.

“It is so hot in morning that it looks like afternoon. The sun is so hot that it makes difficult for people to even walk on streets. The heat is so unbearable that we don’t even feel like eating anything,” said Dhanraj Jain, a resident/.

The situation was similar in Raipur.

The Metrological Department reported that the temperature would continue to rise.

“According to the present situation, we feel that the temperature will continue to rise in the next 48 hours. We have already issued a warning that the temperature might be around 45 degree centigrade,” said M L Sahu, Director of Raipur-based metrological centre.

Usually the months of May-June are considered to be the hottest in the country, but the temperature has touched a high of 40 degrees Celsius in the April itself. (ANI)

Police arrests BJP’s Party divisive Kandhmal candidate Ashok Sahu in Phulbani

Going by the instructions given by the Election Commissioner, the police Tuesday arrested BJP’s Kandhamal candidate, Ashok Sahu, when he was addressing a public gathering in Phulbani. The arrest comes in reaction to Sahu’s April 5 inflammatory speech at an election meeting at Raikia; an FIR was lodged against him on April 9.

Sahu, who ironically is an ex-police officer, was arrested for going against the established code of conduct by making hate speeches against Christians in Kandhamal district, which is considered a communally-susceptible area. According to the information provided by the Kandhamal Police Superintendent S Praveen Kumar, Sahu would be produced in a local court.

The police traced the divisive BJP candidate on Sunday night in Nayagarh district of Orissa, and surrounded the Phulbani hotel where he was staying; but could not arrest him for want of arrest warrant. By the wee-hours of Monday morning, Sahu had managed to flee. When he was questioned about his imminent arrest by NDTV on Sunday, Sahu had said that instead of surrendering to the police, he would prefer appealing to the court for bail.

As the police was taking Sahu away, hordes of BJP activists and Sahu’s followers raised slogans in his support. Terming Sahu’s arrest as “undemocratic” and “arbitrary,” the BJP called it a “black day for democracy in Orissa.”

BJP leader Ashok Sahu arrested for his communal speech

Bhubaneswar, Apr 14 (ANI): Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) candidate for Orissa’s Kandhamal parliamentary constituency, Ashok Sahu, was arrested on Tuesday for his alleged inflammatory speech in the communally sensitive region of Raikia town on April 5.

Sahu, a retired Indian Police Service officer, was arrested in Phulbani town after allegedly evading the police for days.

Sahu could be jailed for up to three years for his communal speech. (ANI)

Kandhamal BJP candidate booked for hate speech

Bhubaneswar, April 11 (IANS) Ashok Sahu, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) candidate for Orrissa’s Kandhamal Lok Sabha constituency, was booked for delivering an inflammatory speech at a public meeting in the region where 38 people, most of them Christians, were killed during communal violence last year, police said Saturday.

‘We have registered a case against Sahu. The matter is under investigation,’ S. Praveen Kumar, district superintendent of police, told IANS.

Sahu made the provocative speech at a public meeting at Raikia town April 5. He allegedly accused the church of indulging in conversion. He also allegedly claimed that Congress Rajya Sabha MP Radhakanta Nayak was using foreign money to spread Christianity.

The Kandhamal district, about 200 km from here, witnessed widespread communal violence after the murder of Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) leader Swami Laxmanananda Saraswati and four of his aides at his ashram on Aug 23, 2008.

At least 38 people were killed in the state and more than 25,000 Christians were forced to flee their homes after their houses were attacked by rampaging mobs. At least 3,170 people are still living in government relief camps.

Sahu, linked to the VHP, had also made similar remarks during the communal violence last year. Christian leaders had immediately refuted the allegations.

While Sahu is contesting the Kandhamal Lok Sabha seat, the BJP has also nominated Manoj Pradhan, an accused in the riots, for the assembly election from G. Udayagiri constituency in the district.

Pradhan was arrested about four months ago and is still in jail.

Case against BJP’s Kandhamal candidate for making hate-speech

Bhubaneswar, Apr. 11 (ANI): A case has been registered against the BJP candidate for Orissa’s Kandhamal seat, Ashok Sahu, for allegedly delivering an inflammatory speech at a public meeting.

“We have registered a case against Sahu. The matter is under investigation,” District Superintendent of Police, S. Praveen Kumar, said.

On April 5, Sahu reportedly made a hate speech at a public meeting at Raikia town, in which he accused the church of indulging in conversion.

He is believed to have claimed that Congress MP Radhakanta Nayak was using foreign money to spread Christianity.

Kandhamal District witnessed the killing of 38 Christians and the burning of several houses and churches during communal violence last year following the murder of VHP leader Laxmanananda Saraswati.

More than 25,000 Christians were forced to flee their homes after their houses were attacked. Thousands of people are still living in government relief camps.

Sahu, who has a VHP background, had delivered provocative speeches during the communal violence last year.

The BJP has also given ticket to Manoj Pradhan, another accused of last year’s Kandhmal riots, for the assembly election from G. Udayagiri constituency in the district.

Pradhan is still languishing in jail. (ANI)

Women candidates in Chhattisgarh put up tough fight

Raipur, April 8 (IANS) The five women candidates fielded by Chhattisgrah’s main parties – three by the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and two by the Congress – are posing a stiff challenge to their male rivals for the Lok Sabha seats.

‘The five women candidates of the BJP and Congress fold have been giving sleepless nights to their rivals. I can’t say they are going to win easily but surely they have great chances,’ political analyst Vinod Singh told IANS.

The BJP has fielded its national vice-president and former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee’s niece Karuna Shukla from Korba, Saroj Pandey from Durg and Kamla Patle from the state’s lone Scheduled Caste reserved seat Janjgir-Champa.

The Congress has pitted Renu Jogi, wife of former chief minister Ajit Jogi, against the BJP’s flamboyant leader and former union minister Dilip Singh Judeo from Bilaspur. It has fielded Phulo Devi Netam from the Scheduled Tribe reserved seat Kanker against the BJP’s sitting MP Sohan Potai.

‘I have been winning the Kanker seat since 1998 and am now aiming for the fourth straight victory, but this time the battle looks tougher than the past three times,’ said Potai.

‘For the first time, the women candidates of the two main parties are giving a tough fight to the rivals. I cannot say much about the BJP candidates’ chances but both the nominees of the Congress hold a clear edge over their rivals in Bilaspur and Kanker,’ said Congress general secretary Ramesh Varlyani.

BJP’s Shukla is locked in a straight battle with her old rival and state Congress working president Charandas Mahant, while Pandey faces a triangular contest with Congress’ Pradeep Choubey and sitting MP Tarachand Sahu, who was suspended from the BJP in January for anti-party activities.

‘No one can deny that I hold the edge but I never underestimate my rivals. The achievements of the state’s BJP government are helping me in a big way to convince voters,’ said Shukla.

‘The UPA government’s failure on terrorism and rising prices of essential commodities have been proving a boon for me. I hope to sail through easily,’ said Pandey.

The BJP leader’s rival admitted that she is putting up a formidable fight.

‘Its a tough contest for me this time,’ said Choubey.

‘The five women have a fair chance to make it to the Lok Sabha. They have an edge over their rivals for now but the last 48 hours before polling will decide a lot,’ said political analyst Anil Vibhakar.

VHP leader’s murder, riots major issues in Orissa

Bhubaneswar, April 7 (IANS) The killing of a Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) leader last year and the communal violence it triggered in Orissa have become major election campaign issues.

At one rally after another, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik’s Biju Janata Dal (BJD), which ended their 11-year alliance last month, are blaming each other for the violence.

Predictably, the Congress is accusing both the BJP and the BJD for letting the violence rage on for days.

It was in Kandhamal district, 200 km from here, that VHP’s Swami Laxmanananda Saraswati and four of his aides were shot dead at his ashram Aug 23, 2008.

Thirty-eight people were killed and more than 25,000 Christians forced to flee their homes after their houses were attacked by mobs. About 3,170 people are still in relief camps.

Orissa goes to the polls to elect 21 Lok Sabha and 147 assembly members on April 16 and 23.

At most campaign rallies, BJP leaders have been criticising the chief minister for failing to protect Hindus.

‘The spirit of Swami Laxmanananda will shatter the dreams of Naveen Patnaik,’ Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi thundered at a public rally here Sunday.

He accused Patnaik of not arresting the killers ‘because of vote bank politics’ — a Hindu nationalist euphemism to mean minorities.

BJP leader Sushma Swaraj also accused Patnaik of not doing enough to nab the killers.

‘The government sat quietly after the killing while the Swami’s killers roamed free,’ Swaraj told a meeting here.

The BJP has nominated Manoj Pradhan, an accused in the riots, for the assembly election from G. Udayagiri constituency in the district. He was arrested about four months ago and is still in jail.

Ashok Sahu, a firebrand Hindu leader linked to the VHP, is contesting for the Phulbani Lok Sabha seat.

The BJD has accused the BJP of playing the communal card to grab votes. ‘The BJP is a communal party and it has a communal agenda,’ Patnaik told a public meeting at Bolangir Sunday.

BJD Rajya Sabha member Pyari Mohan Mohapatra said the coalition collapsed because the BJP and its affiliates were involved in the communal riots and tried to whip up communal passions.

Congress leaders are targeting both the BJP and the BJD, blaming them for the communal divide in Kandhamal.

Addressing an election rally in western Orissa’s Bargarh town April 2, Congress president Sonia Gandhi asked the people to be vigilant vis-a-vis ‘divisive forces’.

‘The people of Orissa are peace-loving but seeds of hatred are being sown by some outfits in the name of religion and caste. Kandhamal is an example,’ she said.

Congress leaders fight for choppers in Chhattisgarh

Raipur, April 6 (IANS) Senior Congress leaders in Bharatiya Janata Party-ruled Chhattisgarh seem to be more keen to take possession of three choppers they got for campaigning than ensuring victory of the party candidates.

The party has provided three choppers to the state unit to help campaign for the state’s 11 Lok Sabha seats.

At least eight party leaders including state’s first chief minister Ajit Jogi, nine-time MP Vidya Charan Shukla and party’s state unit president Dhanendra Sahu, are claiming first use of the choppers.

‘Presently, Jogi, Shukla and Sahu have been using the choppers but several other seniors have questioned this and advised (the) party that other seniors too should be given chance to use choppers,’ party insiders told IANS.

Sources said a few seniors are planning to complain to union minister V. Narayanasamy – who is in charge of Chhattisgarh on behalf of the Congress – against alleged ‘hijack of party helicopters by certain leaders’.

Party insiders say that those leaders using the party choppers should campaign for all the party candidates, not just for their favourite candidates. The state goes to polls in the first phase April 16.

Political analysts say the Congress has a good chance to improve its tally from one to 5-6 seats if party leaders put up a united face.

Indian ice hockey team felicitated for wining IIHF gong

Leh, Apr 7 (ANI): In a rare honour, the Indian Ice Hockey team was felicitated on its return from Abu Dhabi (UAE), where it participated in the International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF) Challenge Cup of Asia.

Ajit Kumar Sahu, Deputy Commissioner, Leh in Jammu and Kashmir did the honours.

This was the first time that the ice hockey team led by Tundup Namgyal had gone abroad to participate in an event of such a scale.

Terming the step as a beginning, Gyal Wangyal, the team manager, said, “More than the performance, the exposure which the players have got has been good. We would have been playing here at district level. We would not have been aware about the rules of the game nor the manner in which the game is played or the approach of the coach to instruct the players.”

Ice hockey as a sport is popular in the region, but due to lack of adequate facilities its development and progress has been slow.

This first ever-international exposure has acted as a morale booster for both the players and the game.

“When we played our first match against Thailand, we did not know how the game was played. But in the 2nd and 3rd match, we played much better scoring a goal and played a very good game against Macau,” said Aman Ali, player of the team.

The players are hopeful that the sport from here would only get better. With the formation of a District Olympic Association, things should get better from here. (ANI)

Sayajibaug zoo’s search for friends a huge letdown, admit authorities

The concept of ‘Friends of Zoo’ fails to catch up in Vadodara unlike in Ahmedabad and Rajkot

‘Friends of Zoo’ is a concept in which citizens are motivated to lend financial assistance to the zoo and adopt animals there. The Ahmedabad and Rajkot zoo authorities have been successful in promoting this concept, but their counterparts in Vadodara are still struggling to generate awareness about the same.

Ahmedabad zoo authorities have already collected over Rs 10 lakh; Rajkot zoo authorities have collected Rs 33,000. However, the Sayajibaug zoo has been able to collect only Rs 7,000. The reason, according to the zoo officials, is inadequate publicity about this concept.

Ahmedabad authorities said that they have been trying non-stop to bring the public closer to the wild animals. “The fact that we have collected Rs 10.94 lakh speaks for our efforts. Today, we have a group of people who are not just lending financial help but are also emotionally attached to the animals that they have adopted. This is the basic motive of the whole exercise,” said R K Sahu, Superintendent, Ahmedabad zoo.

The concept was mooted in Rajkot in July 2008. “It is not the money which is the main factor behind the Friends of Zoo scheme but it is the effort to bring people closer to the wild animals. We keep on floating different ideas that attract people. Now they are realising the cause behind the efforts and are coming forward to adopt birds and animals,” said M G Maradia, Curator, Rajkot zoo.

The situation at Sayajibaug zoo, however, is glum as people have adopted only a couple of birds. “The scheme was never given due importance, and proper publicity has not been done to attract the people. The results are evident: only a couple of parrots have been adopted by the people against the payment of Rs 7,000,” said an official at Vadodara Municipal Corporation (VMC) refusing to be named.

VMC Commissioner M K Das also admitted that there has been a lack of effort. “It is true that we have not been successful in popularising the concept due to lack of publicity. The amount generated is also negligible. However, we are planning to make a renewed approach. A meeting of the concerned persons would be called in which prospective people who can adopt animals would also be invited,” he said.

Congress releases first list Lok Sabha candidates for Orissa

New Delhi, Mar. 28 (ANI): Congress party has announced the list of 16 candidates for Lok Sabha elections in Orissa.

Former Orissa Chief Minister Giridhar Gamang will contest from Koraput (ST), while Union Minister Chandra Shekhar Sahu has been given ticket for Berhampur Constituency.

Former Union Minister Srikant Jena will contest from Balasore, while Ramchandra Rath is being fielded from Aska.

Bhakta Charan Das is another former Union Minister who will try his luck from Kalahandi.

Congress leader Ananta Prasad Sethi has been given ticket from Bhadrak (SC) while former state minister Narasingh Mishra will contest from Bolangir seat.

The reason behind PCC President K P Singhdeo not featuring in the list is believed to be that he would be projected as the chief ministerial candidate of the party for the assembly election, which is being held simultaneously.

Former Chief Minister J B Patnaik’s wife Jayanti and son-in-law S R Patnaik have not been any ticket this time.

In the last Lok Sabha polls, S R Patnaik had contested from Bhubaneswar, while Jayanti had contested from Cuttack.

The party has fielded Bibhuti Bhushan Mishra from Cuttack this time. (ANI)

Dried leaves developed into art objects

Bhopal, Mar 28 (ANI): Dried leaves, which are otherwise considered waste, are being transformed into eye-catching paintings by an artiste in Bhopal.

An engineer by profession, 70-year-old Gopal Krishna Beri, has created numerous paintings and works of art by using different kinds of tree leaves.

Inspired to utilize the waste material into something worthwhile, this septuagenarian used the dried leaves and created some stunning paintings from it.

“Usually people burn this waste and only ashes are left behind. So I wanted to show how this waste could be used to make something useful. Now, my work has become so popular that people come to see my paintings,” Beri said.

He collects the leaves with unusual hues and then cuts them into interesting shapes and sizes to create his art.

Beri’s unique art has also got him a mention in the Limca Book of Records. By Ram Chand Sahu (ANI)