Tag: patna

India’s first national dolphin research centre to come up in Patna.

Source – newindianexpress.com

PATNA: India’s and Asia’s first National Dolphin Research Centre (NDRC) will come up on the bank of the Ganges in the premises of Patna University.  

Proposed in 2011 the project to set up the national dolphin research centre continued hanging in balance for next eight years, however, the state government has finally expedited the work 

According to deputy chief minister of Bihar Sushil Kumar Modi, around 1,455 dolphins have been sighted during a survey conducted in 2018-19 in the river Ganga by the teams of experts.

“The state government is working hard to set up the national dolphin research centre in the premises of Patna University”, Modi said, adding that a 7 km long stretch between Sultanganj and Kahalgao in Bhagalpur district has already been declared as Vikram Sheela gangetic dolphin sanctuary.

The gangetic dolphin is India’s national aquatic animal but frequently falls prey to illegal poaching.

The presence of dolphins in the Ganga gives a sign of a healthy ecosystem because dolphins live at least in  5 ft to 8 ft deep water.

The gangetic dolphin has been declared  an endangered aquatic animal and is one of the four freshwater dolphins species in the world as another three species are said to be found in the Yangtze River, the Indus River in Pakistan and the Amazon River globally.

The proposed NDRC in Patna would play a major role in facilitating deep and wide researches on the life cycle of dolphins and their behavioural significances in context with climate change.

CAAQMS installed at three places in Patna to monitor air quality on real-time basis.

Source – newindianexpress.com

PATNA: In a much needed-move akin to the that taken in US, UK and Germany for keeping a tab on air pollution, Deputy Chief Minister Sushil Kumar Modi on Monday inaugurated the three hi-tech ‘Continuous Ambient Air Monitoring System’ (CAAQMS) at different places in Patna.

Patna is India’s one of the ten most polluted cities and has recently been witnessing alarming rise in the air pollution.

Modi speaking at the inaugural occasion at Patna’s Eco Park said that the CAAQMS will help in monitoring ambient air quality on real-time basis in city.

He said: “One such system has been installed at ECO Park, second at BIT Mesra and third in the premises of SK memorial hall. This system would get expanded in other cities of state also in near future gradually.”

Elaborating the function of the CAAQMS, he said that ambient air quality would be monitored on a real-time basis on large screens installed at places through metrological sensors.

Installation of the CAAQMS was initiated in 2014 in 17 categories of highly polluting industries and common pollution treatment facilities in India.

The CAAQMS is comprised of sampling, conditioning and analytical components through software designed to provide direct real-time continuous monitoring of ambient of air quality.

Bihar minister escapes attack on convoy, three cops hurt, vehicles damaged.

Source – hindustantimes.com

A Bihar minister’s convoy was attacked about 250 km from Patna by supporters of the losing candidate in the elections for the position of the chairman of Primary Agricultural Credit Society (PACS) in Supaul town of north Bihar. Three policemen were injured and two escort vehicles in the convoy of state welfare minister Ramesh Rishidev were damaged. The minister escaped unhurt.

Police suspect the protests were instigated by one Ateesh Kumar who lost the PAC election. Soon after the results were announced, Kumar’s supporters began shouting slogans alleging irregularities in the counting of votes and accused the administration of supporting the winning candidate. The protestors soon blocked the Patel Chowk, where the minister’s convoy was caught in the melee while on its way to Madhepura town.

Police resorted to firing and lathi-charge but not before protestors had attacked and injured three cops and damaged two vehicles in the minister’s convoy. “The minister’s vehicle was diverted,” said a cop.

Police fired three to four rounds in the air to control the violent mob and arrested more than a dozen protestors said the SP.

“Three police officials including a sub-divisional police officer was injured in the incident,” said Supaul superintendent of police (SP) Manoj Kumar.

JD(U) minister Rishidev said, “I was not aware of the protest… escort vehicles accompanying me were damaged.”

A PACS is a grassroots-level unit that gives loans to rural agricultural borrowers and collects repayments. It is considered the final link between the borrowers and the financing agencies. The election for the chairman of PACS is hotly contested by political parties.

RAIN LIKELY IN PATNA, GAYA, RANCHI AROUND DEC 13, MINIMUMS TO DROP WITH FOG MAKING AN APPEARANCE.

Source – skymetweather.com

Dry weather conditions are being witnessed in the eastern states like Bihar and Jharkhand for the past several days. The weather of entire Bihar and most parts of Jharkhand is dry for the last one month.

If we look at the rain statistics, the figures for Bihar and Jharkhand are contrary to each other. Rain in Bihar from October 1 to December 5 is deficient by 62% while Jharkhand is observing a surplus by 51%.

This is because the weather systems originated in the Bay of Bengal and largely affected Jharkhand while missing Bihar.

Now, the winter rains are expected to commence over Bihar and Jharkhand. This will be in the wake of an active Western Disturbance going to affecting the Western Himalayas around December 10. This Western Disturbance will move towards east and simultaneously a Trough in the Indo-Gangetic Plains will also form around December 12 or 13. Thus, scattered rains can be seen in Bihar and Jharkhand on December 13 and 14. Places like Patna, Gaya, Bhagalpur, Ranchi, Jamshedpur will get to see rainfall activities.

This system is expected to be a fast-moving one but the scattered rains in Bihar and Jharkhand will increase the soil moisture. Post this rain, dense fog will be seen in several parts of Bihar and a few pockets of Jharkhand.

A significant drop in day temperature will also be experienced in Bihar and Jharkhand during this period.

As the rainfall normals are very low for December in Bihar, this spell will certainly pull down the deficiency in the state.

Pappu Yadav sells onions at Rs 35 outside Patna BJP office, locals flock shop.

Source – indiatoday.in

Former MP and convener of Jan Adhikar Party (JAP) Pappu Yadav on Tuesday sold onions outside the BJP office in Patna and priced the bulb at Rs 35 per kilogram amid a growing crisis over onion price rise.

At a time when prices of onion are skyrocketing across the country and is being sold Rs 80-90 per kg in Patna, Pappu Yadav chose to encash the opportunity to reach out to common people and launch an attack on BJP.

As the news of Pappu Yadav selling onion at cheaper rates spread in the area, hundreds of people queued up outside the BJP office to buy the crop.

Speaking to India Today TV, Pappu Yadav lashed out at the Centre for failing to provide a reprieve to the common man who has been reeling under rising prices of onion for the past few weeks.

Pappu Yadav also hit out at Union Minister for Consumer Affair, Food and Distribution, Ram Vilas Paswan, for his repeated assurances that the Centre was in the process of importing onion and prices would come down by mid-December.

“The Centre and Bihar government are doing nothing to provide any relief to the common man. When the Centre can provide subsidy on fuel, why cannot it provide subsidy on onions. The minister says that prices will go down in the coming days. Until then what are the people supposed to do,” asked Pappu Yadav.

BJP legislator and spokesperson Prem Ranjan Patel called Pappu Yadav’s move to sell cheaper onions outside BJP office a “nautanki”.

Crores of people in Bihar set to form 1,600 km long human chain on January 19, 2020.

Source – newindianexpress.com

PATNA: Come January 19 Bihar will set yet another world record of over 16,200-km long human chain formation with more than 8 crore people across Bihar to reaffirm commitment towards liquor ban.

This would be the third human chain formation after an 11,292-km long human chain was formed in Bihar for the first time in 2017 comprising of 2 crore people.

Chief Minister Nitish Kumar claimed that the 16,200-km long formation of human chain on January 19 in 2020 would be a manifestation of people’s resolve to ensure complete prohibition and fight against social evils like child marriage and dowry.

The human chain would also create awareness on the conservation of water for life and greenery.

“The people’s commitment on Jal-Jeevan-Haryali would be reflected through the formation of world’s longest 16,200-km human chain with more than 8 crore people,” a senior officer of education department said.

In 2018, around 4 crore people formed a 14000-km long human-chain showing solidarity to the liquor ban made effective in the state from April 5 in 2016.

According to official order issued to all district education offices, the formation of human-chain will start from 11.30 am to next 30 minutes on January 19.

The centre point of proposed third human-chain would be at the historic Gandhi maidan and all district headquarters would be linked with the formation of human-chain in all the 38 districts.

The longest 1320-km long human-chain will be formed in Muzaffarpur followed by 732-km long in Samastipur, 696-km long in Patna, 648-km long in each West and East Champaran, 576-km long in Saran, 564-km long in Sitamarhi, 516-km long in Gaya, 504-km in Rohtas and Nalanda each and other districts.

Elaborate security arrangement will be made to ensure the safety of people.

Among them, the participation of women and girls is expected to be in massive numbers.

“If everything goes well, this would be the world’s longest human-chain ever made for the causes of social reforms and anti-alcoholism The Indian satellites would be clearly capturing the human chain from the space”, said a senior preferring anonymity.

Toxic Air Leads to Increase in Cases of Respiratory Diseases in Bihar.

Source – weather.com

Persistently high pollution levels in Bihar have led to an increase in the cases of respiratory diseases, especially chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), across the state, according to a report in the Times of India.

As per the data released by the Bihar state health society, the cases of acute respiratory illness (ARI) in the state have increased from over 2 lakhs in 2009 to 11 lakhs in 2018.

Patna has consistently been among the most polluted cities in India. In fact, the current pollution levels in the capital of Bihar stand as a testimony to the persistent issue of deteriorating air quality.

On Tuesday (December 3) as well, the state capital was the most polluted city in the country, according to the daily AQI bulletin by the Central Pollution Control Board. The city has recorded an overall AQI of 380, which lies in the ‘very poor’ category. It is followed by Muzaffarpur, another city from Bihar, with an AQI of 336.

The rest of the positions in the top half are occupied by Uttar Pradesh-based Varanasi (335), Ghaziabad (326) and Kanpur (316). AQIs between 301 and 400 are all classified as ‘very poor’, and CPCB says that prolonged exposure to such pollution levels can cause respiratory illness.

Between April 1 and November 4 this year, 246 cases of respiratory illnesses were reported across four major hospitals of the city, viz. PMCH, NMCH, IGIMS and AIIMS-Patna. Out of these cases, the maximum were from the district of Patna (165), followed by Vaishali (17), Nalanda (14), Bhojpur (6), Saran (5), Begusarai (5) and other districts.

In an attempt to improve the air quality across the state, the government of Bihar has reportedly proposed a ban on the movement of state-owned vehicles that are more than 15 years old. The restriction could also be extended to commercial vehicles, but only for the Patna metropolitan area.

The state cabinet is expected to give its approval to the proposal as well, by Wednesday, December 4.

Jawan in Patna shoots wife, sister-in-law in moving car.

Source – indiatoday.in

An Indian Army jawan shot his wife and sister-in-law to death in a moving car before killing himself on Sunday.

The incident happened at Ranitlab police station area of Bikramganj, Patna in Bihar.

The jawan — Vishnu Sharma — was travelling with his wife, son and sister-in-law in a car from Garhani Bhojpur to Patna. The reason behind the incident is not clear yet but it is reported that the jawan also tried to kill his son.

Vishnu’s son was in the front seat alongside the driver of their car. The jawan and his wife along with his sister-in-law were sitting in the rear seat. The driver, who was Vishnu’s uncle, said there was no tiff that had happened before the fatal shooting incident. Jawan’s uncle said that Vishnu first shot down his sister-in-law and then his wife. Jawan’s uncle said that he stopped the car upon listening the loud gunshot. The jawan wanted to kill the kid but his uncle saved the little one.

The jawan was suffering from dengue for the past one month and was coming to Patna for his treatment. It was then when he shot down his wife and his sister-in-law in the moving car before killing himself.

The jawan was on a leave for the past one and a half months. He took the leave to attend the wedding of his sister-in-law. On November 22, his sister-in-law got married. But on Sunday, she died after the jawan shot her down.

It is reported that dengue had affected his mental health. He was paranoid of somebody killing him all the time and for all these reasons he was often brought to Patna for treatment.

The police are investigating into the matter.

Patna’s severe air quality due to Ganga’s shifting course: Govt study

Source – downtoearth.org.in

The shifting of the Ganga river away from Patna as well as biomass burning in the city’s vicinity are responsible for its current poor air quality, a study by the Bihar State Pollution Control Board (BSPCB) has said.

“The main cause of deteriorating air quality in Patna is the Ganga moving away from its banks in the city in the last two decades. The river has shifted four km to the north in a long stretch from Digha to Kalighat and dry sand on the exposed bed is mainly contributing to poor air quality,” BSPCB chairman, Ashok Kumar Ghosh, said.

“Winds blowing from the Himalayas are spreading the Ganga’s dry sand into Patna, thus contributing to the poor air quality,” he added.

Ghosh said there was currently no solution in sight to check the spread of the sand. While its mining had been stopped in Patna, transportation of the sand into the city in exposed vehicles from nearby areas was still going on, he added.

The BSPCB has prepared a plan to create a ‘green zone’ on the dry bed left behind by the Ganga as it has shifted away from Patna that has been increasing year by year as Ganga is continue to shift away from Patna in the last two decades.

The board will plant 117 varieties of trees in this ‘green zone’, taking into consideration, the threat posed by climate change. But this plan has been pending due to a lack of funds.

Besides the Ganga’s shifting course, biomass burning in Patna’s neighbourhood is also contributing to the poor air quality.

“People still burn wood or coal for cooking purposes. They also burn dry leaves and fodder on a large scale in the villages to keep themselves warm them in winter. This contributes to the severe air quality in Patna,” Ghosh said.

Vehicles, construction, brick kilns, diesel generator sets add to the deadly mix.

According to the BSPCB’s website, Patna’s Air Quality Index (AQI) was 430 at 12 pm on November 27, 2019. It was 427 at 3 pm and 425 at 4 pm on the same day. It was 419 on November 26 and 404 on November 25. All these figures are classified as ‘Severe’.

On November 28, it reduced to 395 and was 358 on November 29. These figures mean Patna’s air quality is now ‘Very Poor’ instead of ‘Severe’.

Ghosh said that despite the severe air quality in the city, monitoring was being done by only one station.  

He added that four new ambient air quality monitoring stations would be functional in Patna by the second week of December.

This village in Bihar wouldn’t care even if onions cost Rs 500. Know why?

Source – indiatoday.in

Onion prices are skyrocketing all over the country retail rate of onion has gone up to Rs 70 per kg to Rs 100 per kg in different parts of the country.

In Bihar, the price of onion has gone up to Rs 70-80 per kg. Onion prices are increasing in such a way that Bihar State Cooperative Marketing Association Limited (BISCOMAUN) has been supplying onions at Rs 35 per kg for the last few days to provide relief to people in many areas of Bihar’s capital Patna.

Interestingly there is a village in Bihar that has no interest in the prices of onion even if it touches Rs 500. The Triloki Bigha village in Chiri Panchayat of Jehanabad district, which is 80 kilometers from Patna. There are 35 families in this village and the population is about 300 to 400 people.

No matter how high the prices of onions are across the country, people of this village don’t care as no one eats onions in the entire village.

Surprisingly enough it was discovered that every person in this village is pure vegetarian and do not consume onion or garlic. No one in the village touches liquor too.

Elders in this village say no one has eaten onion or garlic in this village for many centuries.

A native of the village, Rampravesh Yadav said, “The people of this village stopped eating onions since centuries because there is a temple of Lord Vishnu in this village.” Even today the people of the village follow the practice started by their ancestors with full sincerity.

Yadav further added that he doesn’t even know what the price of onion is.

Rampravesh Yadav also claimed that some villagers who ate onions in the past met with accidents. Then the villagers decided not to ever consume onions.

Yadav also said that the villagers definitely have some difficulties in following the tradition but they adhere to it, adding that if any person ever goes out of the village, he tries to eat food in a place where onion and garlic are not used.