Reliance Retail sacks 400 in West Bengal Sunday, September 30, 2007 | AY
Retail, a subsidiary of Reliance Industries, has sacked 400 staff in West Bengal after it inability to start retail operations here due to stiff opposition from some political parties and local traders. The development in West Bengal comes on the heels of the company facing similar protests from traders and political parties in Orissa and Uttar Pradesh. The company is understood to have put its plans in Uttar Pradesh in the cold storage, and is also believed to be rethinking its strategy in Orissa. The company had hired about 800 people in West Bengal for staffing Reliance Fresh outlets which were to come up in and around Kolkata. The company had originally planned to invest Rs 2,000 crore in developing the agri-retail network in West Bengal.
Bengal CPI(M) in a spot over Muslim youth’s death Saturday, September 29, 2007 | AY
By Gautam GhoshKolkata, Sept.27 (ANI): The West Bengal CPI(M) leadership is in a spot of bother over the recent death of a Muslim youth in the city under mysterious circumstances. Opposition parties like Trinamul Congress and the Congress have already started a political campaign against the ruling Marxists, holding a section of Kolkata police responsible for the youth’s death. While the opposition parties’ aim is to exploit the sentiment of the minority community with an eye on the civic and panchayat elections next year, the CPI(M) and the state administration appear to be on the defensive. The Marxists’ predicament over the issue has become all the more apparent with some major Left Front partners like the RSP and the Forward Bloc publicly criticizing the role of the city police and demanding a judicial probe into the youth’s death.Rizwanur Rahman, a youth belonging to a middle-income family, who married Priyanka Todi, daughter of a rich businessman, was found dead with a fractured head near a railway track in the northern suburbs after the girl’s parents sought the help of the city police to “get their daughter back.” A section of police officers, belonging to the anti-rowdy section, had earlier created pressure on the young couple and the bridegroom’s family to take Priyanka back to her parents. All this caused considerable mental agony to the couple who refused to relent. The police, however, persuaded the bride to visit her family after her father was allegedly taken ill with the promise that she would be allowed to come back to her in-law’s place within a short time. The girl never returned and all the efforts made by her husband to contact her failed. A depressed Rizwanur subsequently left his house after receiving a call on his cell-phone, never to return.The matter created a flutter in the political circles here following media exposure of the role of police officials in the tragedy. Things came to such a pass that city police commissioner Prasun Mukherjee convened a press conference “to clear the misgivings” about the role of concerned police officers. However, the police chief could not explain why the officers tried to intervene into the registered marriage of two adults. He also described Rizwanur’s death as a suicide or the result of an accident, thereby ruling out murder. The youth’s family members wondered how Mukherjee could make the sweeping remarks without waiting for the post-mortem report and accused him of shielding the “guilty police officers.” The issue assumed a political colour with Trinamul Congress chairperson Mamata Banerjee visiting the youth’s family and holding the city police directly responsible for the tragic death. The Trinamul Congress also organized a public rally in the city yesterday where Ms Banerjee and Rizwanur’s relatives accused the CPI(M) leadership of “offering money” to them to hush up the case. The finger of accusation has been raised against city mayor Bikash Ranjan Bhattacharya, CPI(M) MP Mohammad Selim, ministers like Abdus Sattar and Abdur Rezzak Molla as well as party leader Robin Deb. The concerned CPI(M) leaders and ministers, who visited the youth’s family after his death, however, have denied the allegation, saying they had gone only to console and help the family.The matter has become complicated with state CPI(M) secretary and Left Front chairman Biman Bose making a complete U-turn on the role of the city police. Bose, who had earlier sided with the city police chief giving a clean chit to his officers, yesterday conceded that the police had harassed the couple. Bose’s rethink on the issue is clearly aimed at assuaging the minority community in the city which has been hurt by the police’s role. However, his public criticism of the police officers has certainly caused considerable embarrassment to the city police chief as well as Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee who also holds the home portfolio. Bhattacharjee has tried to wriggle out of the situation by ordering a CID probe into the youth’s death. However, the opposition parties appear determined to take their current movement to a fever-pitch if the state government tries to hush up the case. (ANI)
Siliguri tense after fans of Indian Idol champ clash Saturday, September 29, 2007 | AY
Siliguri (West Bengal), Sept 28 (ANI): Within a week after a native of Darjeeling, Prashant Tamang, won the coveted Indian Idol singing competition, things turned worse in Silliguri today after fans of Tamang clashed with local residents here.Close to 2,000 fans of Tamang were protesting in Silliguri today against the alleged derogatory remark made by a radio jockey in Delhi-based FM radio station, when things turned violent.Nepalese dominated fans of Tamang clashed with locals and police here leading to widespread violence in the commercial city of West Bengal.Two people have been seriously injured and dozens other have sustained minor injuries.Army has been called in and large numbers of paramilitary and police personnel have been deployed in the city, where Section 144 has been clamped.Police had to open fire in air to control the situation there. Teargas shells were also fired.Tamang, an ethnic Nepalese youth, who is working with the Kolkata Police, won the closely fight competition after beating Amit Paul from Meghalaya. (ANI)
Indian Idol clash: Buddhadeb seeks legal action against FM station Saturday, September 29, 2007 | AY
New Delhi, Sept 28 (ANI): West Bengal Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee today sought legal action against the Delhi-based FM radio station for allegedly airing derogatory remarks against the newly crowned Indian Idol Prashant Tamang.“I have sought for necessary legal action against the FM station,” Buddhadeb said here.The West Bengal Government has already sought Union Home Ministry’s advice on the matter and has deployed army in Silliguri after fans of Tamang clashed with locals in Siliguri. Last week Tamang, a native of Darjeeling and an ethnic Nepalese youth, won the coveted Indian Idol singing competition after beating Amit Paul from Meghalaya.Tamang is working with the Kolkata Police.Meanwhile, Section 144 has been clamped in Siliguri and security forces in some parts of the city reportedly carried out flag march.Earlier in the day, close to 2,000 fans of Tamang were protesting against the alleged derogatory remark made by the radio jockey, when things turned violent.Nepalese-dominated fans of Tamang clashed with locals and police here, leading to widespread violence in the commercial city of West Bengal.Two people were seriously injured and dozens other sustained minor injuries.Police had to open fire in air to control the situation there. Teargas shells were also fired. (ANI)
Siliguri under curfew for second day Saturday, September 29, 2007 | AY
Siliguri (West Bengal), Sept. 29 (ANI): Curfew continued for the second day in Siliguri today, paralysing normal life following Friday’s violence by fans of ‘Indian Idol’ Prashant Tamang.Shops and businesses remained closed and roads were deserted with several police and army personnel patrolling the streets to ensure peace.Rajesh Pandey, District Magistrate, Darjeeling, said the situation is under control.On Friday, police clashed with supporters of Prashant, leaving at least 30 people injured. They were protesting against the alleged derogatory remark made by a Delhi-based radio jockey. Police were forced to impose a curfew when a procession turned violent. West Bengal Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee has sought legal action against the Delhi-based FM radio station for allegedly airing the derogatory remarks against Prashant. Last week Tamang, a native of Darjeeling and an ethnic Nepalese youth, won the coveted Indian Idol singing competition after beating Amit Paul of Meghalaya.Tamang is currently employed with the Kolkata Police. (ANI)
Ami Yasin Arr Amar Madhubala Thursday, September 27, 2007 | AY
Buddhadeb Dasgupta’s Bengali film Ami Yasin Arr Amar Madhubala (The Voyeur) is to be showcased at the Toronto, London and Athens Film Festival during September/ October. While this is producer Anurradha Prasad and B.A.G Films and Media Ltd’s maiden Bengali venture, it is the fifth film of the director to be shown at the Toronto International film festival (TIFF). His earlier films being Uttara, Mondo Meyer Upakhyan, Swapner Din and Kaalpurush. Starring Prosenjit, Sameera Reddy and Amitav Bhattacharya, Ami Yasin Arr explores how simple acts of passion can change one’s destiny in a politically charged up atmosphere.
Bengal CPI(M) in a spot over Muslim youth’s death Thursday, September 27, 2007 | AY
By Gautam GhoshKolkata, Sept.27 (ANI): The West Bengal CPI(M) leadership is in a spot of bother over the recent death of a Muslim youth in the city under mysterious circumstances. Opposition parties like Trinamul Congress and the Congress have already started a political campaign against the ruling Marxists, holding a section of Kolkata police responsible for the youth’s death. While the opposition parties’ aim is to exploit the sentiment of the minority community with an eye on the civic and panchayat elections next year, the CPI(M) and the state administration appear to be on the defensive. The Marxists’ predicament over the issue has become all the more apparent with some major Left Front partners like the RSP and the Forward Bloc publicly criticizing the role of the city police and demanding a judicial probe into the youth’s death.Rizwanur Rahman, a youth belonging to a middle-income family, who married Priyanka Todi, daughter of a rich businessman, was found dead with a fractured head near a railway track in the northern suburbs after the girl’s parents sought the help of the city police to “get their daughter back.” A section of police officers, belonging to the anti-rowdy section, had earlier created pressure on the young couple and the bridegroom’s family to take Priyanka back to her parents. All this caused considerable mental agony to the couple who refused to relent. The police, however, persuaded the bride to visit her family after her father was allegedly taken ill with the promise that she would be allowed to come back to her in-law’s place within a short time. The girl never returned and all the efforts made by her husband to contact her failed. A depressed Rizwanur subsequently left his house after receiving a call on his cell-phone, never to return.The matter created a flutter in the political circles here following media exposure of the role of police officials in the tragedy. Things came to such a pass that city police commissioner Prasun Mukherjee convened a press conference “to clear the misgivings” about the role of concerned police officers. However, the police chief could not explain why the officers tried to intervene into the registered marriage of two adults. He also described Rizwanur’s death as a suicide or the result of an accident, thereby ruling out murder. The youth’s family members wondered how Mukherjee could make the sweeping remarks without waiting for the post-mortem report and accused him of shielding the “guilty police officers.” The issue assumed a political colour with Trinamul Congress chairperson Mamata Banerjee visiting the youth’s family and holding the city police directly responsible for the tragic death. The Trinamul Congress also organized a public rally in the city yesterday where Ms Banerjee and Rizwanur’s relatives accused the CPI(M) leadership of “offering money” to them to hush up the case. The finger of accusation has been raised against city mayor Bikash Ranjan Bhattacharya, CPI(M) MP Mohammad Selim, ministers like Abdus Sattar and Abdur Rezzak Molla as well as party leader Robin Deb. The concerned CPI(M) leaders and ministers, who visited the youth’s family after his death, however, have denied the allegation, saying they had gone only to console and help the family.The matter has become complicated with state CPI(M) secretary and Left Front chairman Biman Bose making a complete U-turn on the role of the city police. Bose, who had earlier sided with the city police chief giving a clean chit to his officers, yesterday conceded that the police had harassed the couple. Bose’s rethink on the issue is clearly aimed at assuaging the minority community in the city which has been hurt by the police’s role. However, his public criticism of the police officers has certainly caused considerable embarrassment to the city police chief as well as Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee who also holds the home portfolio. Bhattacharjee has tried to wriggle out of the situation by ordering a CID probe into the youth’s death. However, the opposition parties appear determined to take their current movement to a fever-pitch if the state government tries to hush up the case. (ANI)
Rs 700-cr IT park in Kolkata Wednesday, September 26, 2007 | AY
DLF Ltd has announced plans to develop its second IT Park in Kolkata. The company is developing the facility on 25 acres of land offering 2.5 million sq ft of IT/ITES workspace. The upcoming IT Park will become an important part of the new IT Corridor at New Town Rajarhat, and will generate 40,000 jobs, directly or indirectly. The IT Park will involve an investment of Rs 700 crore and will be developed in phases. The first phase is expected to get operational by the end of this year or early next year.
Heavy rain disrupts work at Tata small car plant in Singur Wednesday, September 26, 2007 | AY
Singur/Kolkata (West Bengal), Sept. 26 (ANI): Work at an upcoming small car plant at Singur in West Bengal has been badly hit following water logging due to incessant rains.The halting of operations has left most of workers facing a difficult situation."Because of the flooding at the project, work is held up. Contractors say there is no work, and therefore, there is no pay. For the last three days, we have had nothing to eat. What to do?" asks Sahib, a contracted worker.The construction of the factory at Singur began earlier this year. The company plans to come out with the world's cheapest car. The project has become a test case for Left rule in West Bengal, as the state’s farmers have accused the government of taking their land coercively. Heavy rains have expressed the ineptness of the infrastructure at the proposed factory premises. The overflowing of the Hooghly River, the flooding of agricultural land and no relief in immediate sight has compounded public problems. "The position is dreadful. The river is over flooded. Three bighas (0.12 hectare) of our land is all submerged causing huge losses to my potato and other crops, for which I had availed loan. None from the State Government has even cared to come and visit us. Even the panchayat has not been helpful," said Samiran Mitra, a farmer.The extreme water logging of roads in Kolkata has disrupted normal life as well. "Only rickshaws are moving, there are neither any autos nor buses. Nothing is available and we are facing problems in getting to office," Sanjeev, a resident said. Every year, monsoon rains leave a trail of death and destruction across South Asia, but much of the economy of a largely agricultural region depends on this downpour. (ANI)
Kirilenko cruises to Kolkata win Tuesday, September 25, 2007 | AY
Fourth seed Maria Kirilenko clinched the Sunfeast Open in Kolkata on Sunday after beating Mariya Koryttseva in straight sets. The Russian was much too strong for her unseeded opponent, winning 6-0 6-2. It was the second career title for the 20-year-old, who had not won a singles crown since a victory at Beijing two years ago. She is the owner of three career doubles titles, including a win earlier this year in Doha. Kirilenko took command right away against Koryttseva, breaking the 22-year-old Ukrainian three times in the first set.
Pawar and Ganguly wish Team India good luck Tuesday, September 25, 2007 | AY
Kolkata, Sept. 24 (ANI): Loads of well wishes are coming India's way as they take on Pakistan in a dream final at the Twenty20 World Cup in South Africa today, six months after their ignominious first-round exit from the 50-over version in the Caribbean. Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) President Sharad Pawar said: "Now after watching the game against Australia, I am confident the boys will prove their mettle," Pawar said. Indian opener Sourav Ganguly said he was confident about the youngsters delivering the goods in the final."I just wish them good luck. The way they are playing, I know they are going to win the final," he said. India stunned Champions Australia in the semi-final by 15 runs on Saturday. Pakistan managed a six-wicket win over New Zealand in the other semi-final. Both began as rank outsiders in the game's shortest and newest version, but have put their Caribbean failure in the background. The two last met in the final of an ICC global event in 1985. With the average age of their players below 24, India beat England, South Africa and Australia in must-win games, vindicating the selectors' decision to groom them for the future.Mahendra Singh Dhoni was named captain after Sachin Tendulkar, Rahul Dravid and Saurav Ganguly opted out and the wicketkeeper is moulding the team in his mirror image, flamboyant but committed to the team's cause.The board had only reluctantly agreed to send a team, having initially argued Twenty20 was new at domestic level and worried it could overshadow the lucrative one-day version in the game's commercial hub.During the Super Eights stage of the tournament, left-handed batsman Yuvraj Singh became only the fourth batsman in elite cricket to hit six sixes in an over, against England, and also smashed 70 off 30 deliveries against Australia. (ANI)
West Bengal will get new university next year Sunday, September 23, 2007 | AY
A new university will make its debut in Left Front ruled West Bengal in 2008. The university of Barasat, comprising 57 colleges on the northern fringes of the city presently affiliated to Calcutta University, will become operational from the 2008-2009 academic session. Calcutta University is too huge and unwieldy triggering demands for its division to improve academic and administrative standards. The new university will be initially administered by a preparatory committee set up by the state government. Efforts are on to start postgraduate courses in 31 subjects in the university. The North 24-Parganas administration has been asked to locate a plot for the campus. Overburdened with an increasing number of courses, examinees and answer scripts, Calcutta University has been urging the government to take steps to lessen its workload. As many as 170 colleges are affiliated to Calcutta University.
Frequent landslides in Bengal, Sikkim damage highways Sunday, September 23, 2007 | AY
Tarkhola (WB)/Singtam (Sikkim), Sept 22 (ANI): Frequent landslides due to heavy rains in West Bengal and Sikkim have damaged national highways connecting with other states.National Highway 31A, which connects Siliguri in West Bengal to Sikkim, is in a deplorable condition following heavy downpour over the past few days.Sikkim has been cut off from rest of the country following a major landslide at Sevoke in West Bengal. The situation worsened after a fresh landslide in Sikkim's Tarkhola area in Kalimpong district.Meanwhile, incessant rains have hampered repair works. Officials handling the repair work said they were working as hard as they could to finish clearing the debris from the road, so that regular vehicular traffic can resume."To tackle this situation, we had already provided a diversion through the forest. The only restriction in that approach is that it is one way. So, we had already requested the West Bengal Government as well as the Sikkim Government to regulate the traffic on either side," said A K Dikshit, commanding officer of the border road task force. He added that otherwise there was no restriction for any type of vehicle, and a bridge has been provided for light vehicles.With the national highway being blocked, the supply of essential food articles and vegetables has been severely hit.Residents in Sikkim said that if immediate measures were not taken, there would be further scarcity in the market."The problems that we are having to face because of this forced shut down are colossal. The things we used to buy for 10 rupees, we now have to buy them for 20 rupees, which is double the price. We want them (government) to fix this problem as soon as possible," said Bahadur, a local. (ANI)
Tata Motors gives jobs to 17 displaced Singur youths Sunday, September 23, 2007 | AY
Singur (West Bengal), Sept 22 (ANI): Tata Motors has given jobs to 17 youths whose families had given up their farmland for a proposed car factory at Singur. These 17 men have joined a training programme sponsored by Tata Motors and the West Bengal Industrial Development Corporation (WBIDC)."We took training in a sponsored program by Tata Motors and the WBIDC. After that, we sat for a test and got through. We have got our training in Jamshedpur. We are now joining as trainees," said Somen Ray, one of the recruits.Himangshu Shekhar Barui, another recruit added, "We were recruited by Tata Motors. We will be going to Jamshedpur and Pune for special training." Tata Motors started to build its factory in Singur in January 2007 to make the world's cheapest car at 100,000 rupees.There have been regular protests in West Bengal since then over the acquisition of agriculture land for industry. The opposition Trinamool Congress is at the forefront of a campaign to provide better compensation to farmers whose lands have been acquired by the State Government for the project. The State Government says that it has compensated most of the affected farmers.The proposed Special Economic Zone (SEZ) has since been scrapped by the State Government, and they are looking for alternative land. (ANI)
Pranab hopeful of resolving stand-off over N-deal with Left at Oct 5 meeting Sunday, September 23, 2007 | AY
Kolkata, Sept 22 (ANI): External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee today expressed the hope that the deadlock over the Indo-US civilian nuclear deal would be broken at the UPA-Left meeting to be held on October five. "I am hopeful that the issue would get resolved then (at the meeting on October five)," Mukherjee told reporters. Mukherjee, who heads the UPA-Left panel formed to resolve the nuclear deal issue, said that at the two meetings of the committee, the UPA has received three notes from the Left on the issue. “We have already replied to two of them, a third note has come which will be discussed at the meeting on October five,” he added. Mukherjee had on Wednesday termed the second meeting of the panel as “constructive,” and said that the talks would continue to iron out differences over the deal. Meanwhile, former West Bengal Chief Minister Jyoti Basu has added confusion over the Left’s stance on the issue saying, “We need nuclear power and there is nothing new in this.” However, he did no made it clear as to whether he was also in favour of a bilateral nuclear deal with the US. “I had tried getting nuclear power (for West Bengal). At that time, the Centre had said that states that have coal will not get a nuclear power plant. Later, this rule was changed and I had suggested South 24 Parganas district as a location,” he said. Earlier, the Left parties alleged that the United States was pressurising India to go ahead with the bilateral civilian nuclear cooperation deal. CPI leader A B Bardhan had said that he felt the US was laying down the timetable for the Indian government on the 123 Agreement. The Left parties have rejected the government's response to the concerns expressed by them over the nuclear deal, saying they were not convinced with the Centre's contention on the issue. The government had earlier submitted its reply to a five-page note of the Left's objections on the deal. The UPA-Left committee set up to resolve the differences over the nuclear deal held its first meeting on September 11, with the members outlining the agenda for the discussion. The committee framed the issue following broad issues for discussion, implications of the Hyde Act on Indo-nuclear 123 Agreement and on the self-reliance in the nuclear sector, implications on foreign policy and security cooperation. The 15-member panel, which is headed by Mukherjee, comprises of Union Cabinet Ministers, A K Antony, P Chidambaram, Kapil Sibal, Saifuddin Soz, Prithviraj Chavan, Lalu Prasad, T R Baalu and Sharad Pawar; and six Left leaders Prakash Karat, Sitaram Yechury, A B Bardhan, D Raja, Debabrata Biswas and T J Chandrachoodan. The panel was named after Left, which provides crucial support to the UPA Government, rejected the bilateral nuclear deal with the US, and warned the Government of serious consequences if it went ahead with operationalising the Agreement. The Government had said that the agreement would be operationalised after taking into account the committee's findings. (ANI)
Violence erupts in Kolkata over murder of a Muslim youth Sunday, September 23, 2007 | AY
Kolkata, Sept 22 (ANI): Violence erupted in Kolkata on Saturday following the murder of a Muslim youth. An irate mob of over hundred people clashed with police in the city, and also blocked roads after rumours spread of the murder. Police had to resort to tear-gassing to bring the situation under control. Two vehicles were burnt and property was damaged before the mob was dispersed by the police. "There was a road blockade organised by some people at number Four Bridge regarding the person who died yesterday named Rehman. The rumour was that the body was missing, which was not correct, it was a rumour. We tried to pacify them but, they did not listen to us,” said Kuldeep Singh, Additional Commissioner of Police. The police are patrolling the area to check against any untoward happening. Three policemen were badly injured in the incident. (ANI)
Rs 53 cr contract to Tulip Thursday, September 20, 2007 | AY
The West Bengal government has awarded a Rs 53-crore contract to Delhi-based Tulip IT Services to develop the next phase of the state-wide area network project (WBSWAN) on a build, own, operate & transfer (BOOT) model. The Rs 840-crore Tulip is a leading provider of data connectivity and is an end-to-end connectivity solutions provider. As per the agreement, Tulip will deploy, manage and operate the entire network for five years. The scope of the project includes expansion of the existing state IT infrastructure beyond districts to connect all sub-divisions, block headquarters and gram panchayats, as well as manage operations of the entire network for a period of five years.
Tendulkar wishes national side luck Thursday, September 20, 2007 | AY
Kolkata, Sept 18 (ANI): Master blaster Sachin Tendulkar today wished the Indian team luck for the ongoing Twenty20 World Cup in South Africa, and hoped it would do well in the upcoming matches. "I have been watching, it’s (Twenty20 format) fantastic. The team has done well. It is just the last match that wasn't the result we wanted, but the tournament is still wide open, and I am confident the team will do well," Tendulkar told reporters at a function to promote the Kolkata Open WTA event here. Commenting on his role as a senior pro in the team, Tendulkar said he was aware of the responsibility to guide youngsters. "From my side, whenever I feel I should go and tell youngsters, or any other player in the team, I always share that thought with the player. I don't wait for someone else to come and tell me if I think something is missing. “Similarly, I have told the youngsters, the most youngest member of the squad to just walk up to me and tell if he feels something is missing," he said. He refused to comment on Rahul Dravid's resignation as the skipper. Tendulkar, 34, along with former skippers Sourav Ganguly and Rahul Dravid, had opted out of the inaugural World Championship of Twenty20 to 'make way' for youngsters. (ANI)
Kolkata man carves architectural splendours Thursday, September 20, 2007 | AY
By Ajitha MenonKolkata, Sep 19 (ANI): A man from Kolkata has a fiery passion for woodcraft, and has carved several miniature replicas, which include the Eiffel Tower in Paris, the Big Ben of London and the famous Howrah Bridge.Amit Todi, a businessman who started carving replicas two-years ago, spends hours of his free-time carving pieces of wood, creating architectural splendours.Over time, what started as a project has turned into Amit's hobby."I had to make a model of my factory. So I met a person in Singapore who makes such models. But he quoted the price of making model at Rs. 100,000," said Amit.At this moment, Amit recalled his childhood days when he specialised in woodcraft. "I purchased all the accessories from Singapore and made model of my factory on my own," said Amit.And since then Amit has not looked back.Although, Amit has never been to any of the buildings that he recreates, but relies on their photographs collected from various sources.Mukta Todi, Amit's wife said: "We find out as many photographs as possible of the structures taken from different angles from Internet. We also take out all the information."The latest structure carved by Amit is the Chrysler Building of New York, which is the world's tallest brick building. Amit's latest wooden replica has as many as 3000 windows, keeping as close as possible to the original 1,046 feet and 4.5 inch (319 metres) high building. (ANI)
Kolkata man carves architectural splendours from wood Thursday, September 20, 2007 | AY
By Ajitha MenonKolkata, Sep 19 (ANI): A man from Kolkata has a fiery passion for woodcraft, and has carved several miniature replicas, which include the Eiffel Tower in Paris, the Big Ben of London and the famous Howrah Bridge.Amit Todi, a businessman who started carving replicas two-years ago, spends hours of his free-time carving pieces of wood, creating architectural splendours.Over time, what started as a project has turned into Amit's hobby."I had to make a model of my factory. So I met a person in Singapore who makes such models. But he quoted the price of making model at Rs. 100,000," said Amit.At this moment, Amit recalled his childhood days when he specialised in woodcraft. "I purchased all the accessories from Singapore and made model of my factory on my own," said Amit.And since then Amit has not looked back.Although, Amit has never been to any of the buildings that he recreates, but relies on their photographs collected from various sources.Mukta Todi, Amit's wife said: "We find out as many photographs as possible of the structures taken from different angles from Internet. We also take out all the information."The latest structure carved by Amit is the Chrysler Building of New York, which is the world's tallest brick building. Amit's latest wooden replica has as many as 3000 windows, keeping as close as possible to the original 1,046 feet and 4.5 inch (319 metres) high building. (ANI)
Aloye Phera Wednesday, September 19, 2007 | AY
Director Subhash Sen has made a contemporary Bengali copy of Anuraag and has titled it Aloye Phera (A Return To Light) - obviously suggesting the blind girl regaining her vision thanks to the last-minute gesture of love by a dying boy. Ashok Bhadra’s music sounds suspiciously like some old 1960s hits of Laxmikant-Pyarelal and Kalyanji-Anandji. The cinematography is flat and unimaginative and characters stick out as cliché stereotypes. A story that worked in 1972 is very unlikely to appeal to the audience in 2007. This kind of time-leap does not work in contemporary cinema.
Darjeeling toy train incurs heavy losses due to recurring landslides Wednesday, September 19, 2007 | AY
Siliguri (West Bengal), Sept. 18 (ANI): The world famous toy train, which runs between New Jalpaiguri and Darjeeling in West Bengal, is incurring heavy losses due to recurring landslides, which block tracks, restricting train movement.The Darjeeling Himalayan Railway (DHR) in Siliguri has over the past five years been facing losses to the tune of 60 million rupees annually.According to DHR authorities, it spends nearly 2.5 million dollars annually for the upkeep of the tracks, and its revenue recovery from tickets is less than 24,630 dollars. To counter losses, the authorities are requesting tour operators to make the railway more popular among the people by giving it for hire for social functions, which they believe will boost the revenue collection."The DHR financially is losing a lot of money. That is why we are requesting the tour operators. We have some responsibility to make it financially viable also," said Subrata Nath, Director of DHR.The Darjeeling Himalayan Railways (DHR) is famous for its non-engineering construction. It has three loops and six "Z" reverses on the entire line, which turns the concept of engineering on its head.The track goes up and down the slopes till it reaches the tea-abode of Darjeeling. There are no tunnels on the 88-kilometre track.The DHR, which runs the toy train was conferred World Heritage Status in 1999. It was the second railway line in the world to be declared a UNESCO heritage site, the first being Zemerin in Austria.The DHR route passes through Ghum, the second highest railway station in the world situated at a height of 7407 feet.The engineering marvel used by DHR was an inspiration to several mountain railways in the world.The 126-year-old railway is called "Toy" because of its miniature size and snail pace speed compared to regular locomotives.The train still maintains its quaintness with wood compartments and no brakes. It travels at a slow speed of ten kilometres per hour.The DHR was the result of the sole effort of Frankin Prestage, agent of the then Eastern Bengal Railways, who not only envisioned it, but also played a major part in its construction. (ANI)
Tendulkar joins Sania to promote Sunfeast Open Tuesday, September 18, 2007 | AY
By Ajitha MenonKolkata, Sept.18 (ANI): The Sunfeast Open glamour quotient is at a high. Cricket star Sachin Tendulkar arrived here today to promote the WTA Tier III tournament.Addressing a joint press conference with Sania Mirza, Tendulkar said he was a great fan of tennis and loved to play it too.Tendulkar refused to talk much on cricket, but said it was for the selectors to decide on who would be the next captain of the Indian team. As far as he was concerned, the little master said playing good cricket was all that mattered to him. He also had a word of praise for Team India's performance in the Twenty-Twenty series. He said the team had been playing well.Sania Mirza said she was always inspired by Tendulkar. Mirza, who has opted out of the Sunfeast Open due to a wrist injury, said she admired the way Tendulkar played under pressure even when going through an injury phase. Commenting on the drop in her world ranking following her decision to opt out of the tournament, the tennis star said she would rather be fully fit and playing well than taking chances with her injury just to maintain her ranking.Tendulkar is slated to entertain fans at the Netaji Indoor Stadium this evening with a session of tennis. (ANI)
People in West Bengal ask for food, not nuclear deal ‘nonsense’ Tuesday, September 18, 2007 | AY
Durgapur (WB), Sept 17 (ANI): Faced with shortage of food, people of Bankura village in West Bengal let out their anger at a CPM’s protest rally against nuclear-deal, saying they want food and not nonsense.Villagers also beat the CPM leaders.Nearly a thousand villagers clashed with police, forcing the latter to open fire. A schoolboy (16) and another man (23) were injured in the police firing. Nine other villagers were injured in the baton-charge. They have been admitted to hospital.Police arrested ten other villagers.Earlier on Sunday, a dozen villagers from Radhamohanpur, about 250 kilometers from Kolkata, had come to complain against hoarding by ration-shop owners to the CPM leaders, who were holding an “anti-imperialist” meeting.The villagers erupted when panchayat chief Pabitra Mondal — who was on the dais trying to convince a crowd of 200 daily wagers about the dangers of the 123 Agreement — tried to shoo them away.One man jumped on the dais, snatched the microphone and began abusing the assembled CPM leaders.“We’ll teach you a lesson. You can’t give us rice and wheat, instead you talk mumbo-jumbo. We don’t understand the nuclear deal, give us food,” the Telegraph quoted a villager, as saying. Mondal said: “I had never seen a mob so angry. They dragged me from the dais and beat me. I ran to the panchayat office but they dragged me and four others out and beat us.”As the news of violence at the CPM meeting spread, violent protests against ration dealers were reported from elsewhere in the district.Men and women came out of their homes, armed with sticks, knives, burning torches and even brooms. The dais, party banners and festoons were soon in flames.The police were driven out as soon as they arrived.The mob could only be controlled by a bigger police team, together with the Rapid Action Force, who caned the mob and rescued the CPM leaders.A police officer was also injured in the incident, besides 11 villagers -- two in police firing and nine in baton-charge.Arjun Mondal, 30, a farmer, said: “We didn’t get rice or wheat from the ration shops for nearly a year. The dealers sell in the black market with CPM backing.”The local CPM party officials blamed the Trinamul Congress, BJP and Maoists for the violence. Trinamul leaders denied the charge. State CPM Secretary Biman Bose, who admits that the Left’s stand against the Indo-US nuclear deal lacks the force of bread-and-butter issues and will be difficult to sell to an electorate, said he hadn’t heard about the incident but would find out what happened.The State unit, which has to fight elections, favours caution while taking a decision on toppling the UPA government over the nuclear deal in contrast to the party’s central leaders, who have never contested polls. (ANI)
Tennis stars taken for a ride on horse carriages in City of Joy Monday, September 17, 2007 | AY
Kolkata, Sept 17 (ANI): Tennis players from across the globe, who are in the City of Joy--Kolkata to take part in the WTA Sunfeast Open, were treated to a unique experience on Sunday as they were taken on a ride in horse carriages.The carriages took the players on a ride around the landmark Victoria Memorial as hordes of curious onlookers glanced at them.The players seemed upbeat riding the quaint carriages, a reminder of the erstwhile British Raj in India."It has been a great experience. We are looking to our week here, starting with the buggy ride," said Kathy Roeckard."It's different than United States. There are lots of people but they are so nice they love to help us. They are good," added Christie Seredny.The tournament, which will commence on Monday, will see the likes of Wimbledon finalist Marion Bartoli and Russian Daniela Hantuchova, along with India's ace Sania Mirza. The players will compete for prize money of 175,000 dollars. (ANI)
Wadia group plans to invest in WB Sunday, September 16, 2007 | AY
Bombay Dyeing joint managing director Ness Wadia confirmed on Friday that his group would be interested in infrastructure, healthcare and education segments though he declined to reveal investment numbers. Mr Wadia, who was sitting among the audience at the national executive committee meeting of Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce & Industry (FICCI) here on Friday, actually walked up to chief minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee to tell him about his investment plans in the state. The gesture was widely appreciated. Mr Wadia’s spontaneous response followed Mr Bhattacharjee’s request to the private sector for setting up schools, ITIs and polytechnic colleges through the public-private-partnership (PPP) route. The Wadia group, as part of its social welfare initiative, had long ago entered education and healthcare.
SSB revives youth weapon training programme Sunday, September 16, 2007 | AY
Kolkata, Sep 15 (ANI): The Special Services Bureau (SSB) has revived its programme under which youths of villages along Indo-Nepal and Indo-Bhutan border are given weapon training. The SSB, which is responsible for guarding country’s border with Nepal and Bhutan, has revived this programme after the gap of seven years.The SSB instructors are providing weapons training and basic combat skills to 15 young men at Ranidanga and this training will last for 10 days, SSB sector commander HC Pandey said.Divulging the plan of the paramilitary force, Pandey said that they would train at least 400 youths at Ranidanga. "We want the border populations to be part of our effort to defend the national frontiers effectively," the BBC quoted Pandey, as saying. The officials, however, said that these trained villagers would not be provided with weapons.We want to create a pool of trained people who if required would be motivated to co-operate with security forces and fight alongside them, they added. (ANI)
West Bengal workers demand opening of tea garden shut for over a year Sunday, September 16, 2007 | AY
Old Hasimara (West Bengal), Sept 15 (ANI): Hundreds of workers of a tea estate near the Indo-Bhutan border in West Bengal have demanded immediate reopening of their company that has been closed for a year now. The Varnabari Tea Estate was shut last year, citing low profits, after which, close to 2000 workers, mostly tea pluckers, lost their jobs. Staging a sit-in on the National Highway-31 on Friday, the workers accused their employers of holding back their provident fund and other dues. "Time has come to open our shut mouths. Apart from that, the plantation owners should be arrested, they have misappropriated money meant for our provident funds and gratuity," claimed Amil Kugur. Workers claim that over 100 workers have died of malnutrition-related ailments over the past year. "With the tea gardens closed for such a long time now, we are dying of hunger. We fail to understand why the estates are still shut…," said Meena Orowa, a labour leader. Some of the finest 'Darjeeling Tea' is grown in tea estates across West Bengal. The state has 183 established tea gardens belonging to British era, besides over 500 tea gardens planted in recent years. The tea industry in West Bengal forms the backbone of the state's economy. India is the largest exporter and consumer of tea in the world. (ANI)
Kaalpurush- Best feature film Saturday, September 15, 2007 | AY
The 53rd National Film Awards will finally be conferred today after a delay of around one year. They were announced last month. Budhadeb Dasgupta directed 'Kaalpurush – Memories in the Mist' (Bengali), has been declared the Best Feature Film. The Award carries a Swarna Kamal and Rs 50,000 each for Producer and Director of the film.
Sania uncertain for Sunfeast Open Wednesday, September 12, 2007 | AY
Sania Mirza, nursing a wrist injury, will take a final decision on her participation in the next week's $175,000 WTA Sunfeast Open only after reaching kolkata. Sania, on a roll in the WTA circuit this year, has been troubled by the nagging injury for a long time and aggravated it during her US Open campaign. The ace doubles player, however, said Sania as well as the organisers were hoping that her wrists recovers in time so that she takes part in the tournament, which might otherwise lose some of its sheen. Sania, the country' best ever women's tennis star, has zoomed to the 27th spot in WTA rankings after a series of good showings in the last few months.
US visas in Kolkata cross 27,000 in 2007 Tuesday, September 11, 2007 | AY
Issue of US visas to Indians during 2007 was projected to cross 27,000 as compared to 21,000 in 2006. Minister Counselor for Consular Affairs, US Embassy, New Delhi, Peter G Kaestner said that owing to growing commercial ties between the two countries, the demand for visas was increasing. To cope up with this, Kaestner said that it had been decided to double the size of consular offices in Kolkata and Chennai. The official said that the US was eager to grant visas to legitimate Indians. The number of windows at the city consular office would be increased from three to 10 to provide varied services.
Meow 104.8 FM to hit Kolkata airwaves Monday, September 10, 2007 | AY
Meow 104.8 FM, the radio initiative from the India Today Group, is all set to officially launch in Kolkata on September 20, 2007, preceeded by a soft launch on September 15. Meow FM has a programming mix for the ‘she’ listener. Its tagline – ‘Thodi Meethi, Thodi Catty’ – reflects the station’s positioning, conveying its desire to appeal to the myriad moods of a woman. In Kolkata, Meow FM will air programmes in Bangla and Hindi during the day, and towards the evening the programmes will gradually migrate to English, with Hindi as the common factor across the day.
Seven killed in West Bengal landslides Monday, September 10, 2007 | AY
Kalijhora (WB), Sept 9 (ANI): Landslides triggered by incessant rains over the past two days have wreaked havoc in West Bengal’s Himalayan region.Seven people have been killed in the latest spell in Kalimpong and Kurseong areas of Darjeeling District.Close to 500 houses, including 300 in Kalimpong municipality areas have either been buried or damaged due to landslides.Vehicular traffic has also been severely disrupted on the National Highway 31-A, which is the only road link with Darjeeling and Sikkim, due to damages on several sections of the highway.Restoration work is taking place at a snail's pace, due to continuous downpour.Government agencies have stepped in, providing relief material to the displaced."The situation in Kalimpong is bad and transportation is completely disrupted. We are trying for alternative routes," said Ashok Bhattacharjee, Urban Development Minister, West Bengal.All major rivers in the region, including the Teesta, the Leesh, the Tons and the Mansi are in torrent.Over 2,000 people have died in flood-related incidents in the South Asian region so far this year. (ANI)
IGI Opens the First Gem Lab in Kolkata Sunday, September 9, 2007 | AY
The International Gemological Institute has opened the first diamond, gemstone, and jewelry certification laboratory in Kolkata, its third laboratory in India. IGI opened its first laboratory in Mumbai in 1999 and now services diamond traders, jewelers, and jewelry brands across the country. The second IGI India laboratory, also in Mumbai, is located in the Santacruz Electronics Export Processing Zone. The Kolkata market today accounts for approximately 11 percent of the total Indian diamond consumption. Another facet to IGI Kolkata is its 30-year-old School of Gemology and the introduction of programs for gem and jewelry enthusiasts starting with the Polished Diamond Grading course.
Seven killed in West Bengal landslides Sunday, September 9, 2007 | AY
Kalijhora (WB), Sept 9 (ANI): Landslides triggered by incessant rains over the past two days have wreaked havoc in West Bengal’s Himalayan region.Seven people have been killed in the latest spell in Kalimpong and Kurseong areas of Darjeeling District.Close to 500 houses, including 300 in Kalimpong municipality areas have either been buried or damaged due to landslides.Vehicular traffic has also been severely disrupted on the National Highway 31-A, which is the only road link with Darjeeling and Sikkim, due to damages on several sections of the highway.Restoration work is taking place at a snail's pace, due to continuous downpour.Government agencies have stepped in, providing relief material to the displaced."The situation in Kalimpong is bad and transportation is completely disrupted. We are trying for alternative routes," said Ashok Bhattacharjee, Urban Development Minister, West Bengal.All major rivers in the region, including the Teesta, the Leesh, the Tons and the Mansi are in torrent.Over 2,000 people have died in flood-related incidents in the South Asian region so far this year. (ANI)
Lapierre-Waugh funded charity gives computer training to Kolkata inmates Saturday, September 8, 2007 | AY
Kolkata, Sept 8 (ANI): A charity supported by French author Dominique Lapierreand former Australian cricketer Steve Waugh has launched computer training for its inmates in collaboration with a private training institute.The charity, ‘Udayan’ has started vocational training in computer programmes for its inmates with the support of Aptech, a global learning solution company. "We did have some boys whom we sponsored to take computer courses in Arena and other organisations, and now they are doing well. They have taken the advantage of being educating at Udayan," said J.G. Stevens, the Founder-Director of Udayan. The children start with basic computer programmes like MS Word, Powerpoint,Excel at 'Udayan' itself. But Aptech offers scholarships for higher trainings like animation, graphics or other packages of the choice of students. "I am learning computers here. I like to work on power point, paint, word and excel," said Shabir Mohammed, a student.The older inmates of Udayan have found employment outside and some have even started paying back, by training their juniors at home. "The primary level teaching to the students, selected students are done free and the second level, those who are doing advanced courses, they are given scholarships over the fee structure currently prevailing," said Barunanshu Sarkar, the regional head of Aptech Limited.Over 6000 children have passed through the gates of 'Udayan' since its inception in 1970. Udyan is a home for children from Kolkata's leprosy colonies. (ANI)
Mamata woos Muslims with an 'unattached' tag Saturday, September 8, 2007 | AY
Kolkata, Sept 6 (ANI): Trinamool Congress chief Mamata Banerjee in her bid to woo the Muslims said that her party would go 'all alone' in the elections and is "now with no on", as she distanced herself from the BJP-led NDA alliance. "We are now with no one and are trying to stand on our own," Mamata said to a group of Muslim students here today.Stating that in spite being part of the NDA at the Centre, her party voted against draconian POTA and demanded Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi's resignation after the Gujarat riots. "The Left is falsely drubbing me as 'communal'," she said, adding that her party was the only party in the West Bengal, which protested on the streets against the demolition of Babri Masjid.Stating that her fight against the CPI (M)'s 'atrocities and misrule' would continue, Mamata said that she would continue with agitation programmes against the 'illegal' land acquisition in Nandigram and Singur. Muslims constitute more than a quarter of the West Bengal's population and their support plays a pivotal role in the elections. (ANI)
West Bengal continues to be hit by floods Saturday, September 8, 2007 | AY
Cooch Behar (West Bengal), Sept. 7 (ANI): Heavy rains and floods wreaked havoc in parts of West Bengal on Friday, rendering thousands homeless.The lives of scores of villagers in West Bengal’s Cooch Behar District are simply on hold, as the floods submerged their homes and farmlands.Incessant rains and overflowing river waters have damaged or destroyed homes, inundated crops and blocked roads, forcing the villagers to look for alternate shelter.Rajesh Sinha, the District Magistrate of the area, said that about 200 families have been provided with shelter. All major rivers, including the Teesta, Tons, and the Mansi are in spate following the torrential showers. (ANI)
Floods wash away National Highway-31 in West Bengal Saturday, September 8, 2007 | AY
Bagrakote (West Bengal), Sept. 8 (ANI): The National Highway-31 has literally disappeared at several places at Bagrakote in West Bengal due to heavy downpours and gushing floodwaters.Large parts of the highway, which connects the remote northeastern states to the rest of the country, crumbled and vanished, as floodwaters ravaged the area.Settlements along the highway have been submerged as well, and normal life has come to a halt."The rains have completely flooded the area and the drains are all clogged up. We tried putting soil to stop the flood water, but even that got eroded," said Bishnu Roy, a resident. All major rivers, including the Leesh, Teesta, Tons, Mansi are in spate following the torrential rains.Incessant rains and overflowing river waters have damaged or destroyed homes, inundated crops and blocked roads, forcing people to look for alternate shelter. (ANI)
Scientist AP Mitra passes away Thursday, September 6, 2007 | AY
Mitra, a leading crusader against greenhouse gas emission and its effects on human health, died of a kidney problem at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) in the morning. He is survived by his wife and two daughters. Mitra was the director of NPL during 1982-86 and held the prestigious post of the director of the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) during 1986-91. Born in Kolkata on Feb 21, 1927 to a schoolteacher, Mitra had his education the same city. He inculcated academic values from his father and raised them to the highest standards. After obtaining a master's degree in physics from University of Kolkata, he joined SK Mitra, the doyen of ionospheric research in India, for his doctorate at a time that was considered the golden era of Indian ionospheric science. Besides being bestowed with several awards, he had over 200 research publications and a number of books to his credit and guided over 20 PhD students.
Orkut Now Available in 5 Indian Languages Wednesday, September 5, 2007 | AY
The insanely popular social networking site will now be available in 5 new languages - Hindi, Bengali, Marathi, Tamil, and Telugu. Orkut is asking users for feedback to help them improve the translation or tell them what language they'd like to see Orkut in by visting the community Indian Language Translations. These five languages were initially chosen because together they cover 80% of India. To view the Orkut site in Hindi, Bengali, Marathi, Tamil or Telugu, users have to click the settings button under their profile photo (or click the blue settings link at the top of any page); on the general tab, choose their preferred display language from the drop-down menu at the top of the page and finally save the changes.
Kolkata RBI employees call for strike on Sept. 26 Tuesday, September 4, 2007 | AY
All India Reserve Bank Employees Association, Kolkata unit, would go on a strike on September 26, demanding recruitment of Class III staff on state basis. Although the RBI was saying that it was going for job outsourcing as the central bank was overburdened, there was no recruitment in the class III category in the last 17 years. Due to lack of employees, almost every operation starting from currency management to banking supervision was getting affected. From a headcount of 2000 in class III a few years ago, the number has declined to 730.
People in Orissa, West Bengal celebrate Jhulan Yatra Tuesday, September 4, 2007 | AY
Puri (Orissa), Sep 2 (ANI): Hindus in Orissa and West Bengal celebrated colourful "Jhulan Yatra", which literally means swing procession ahead of Janmashtami, the festival marking the birth of Lord Krishna.During the 17-day long festival, which began on August 23, idols of Lord Krishna and his consort, Radha, are placed on beautifully decorated swings and nights are spent in singing and dancing before the deities."With the onset of monsoon, when the nature assumes green form, Radharani (consort of Hindu God Krishna) prepares a swing deep in the jungle and invites Lord Krishna for 'raasleela' (cosmic dance performed by Krishna with his consorts). This festival is to commemorate the ritual," said Mahanta Adhikari Banshidhar Das Goswami, priest at Gadagadia Math.Though the origin of the festival is not known, it is believed Jhulan Yatra is the first major festival after the famous Chariot festival."I have full devotion towards Jagannath Temple. That's why I have come here to see the Jhulan Yatra. The swings made in different designs and colours for God attract me. I come here every year," said Prashanta Kumar Panda, a devotee.People believe visiting temples during the festival absolves them of all sins and bring prosperity. (ANI)
Left campaigns against multi-nation naval exercise Tuesday, September 4, 2007 | AY
Kolkata, Sept. 4 (ANI): The Left parties today launched a massive protest against the joint naval exercise “Malabar”, involving India, the US, Japan, Australia and Singapore that began in the Bay of Bengal this morning.The rally was flagged off by veteran leader of the Communist Party of India - Marxist (CPI-M) Jyoti Basu from Kolkata, and will be led by CPI General Secretary A B Bardhan.Basu said the Congress Party-led United Progressive Alliance (UPA) Government was showing a marked leaning towards the United States, signifying a threat to India's sovereignty."They (UPA) are showing inclination towards America, which was not part of the Common Minimum Programme (CMP). The CMP talks about independent foreign policy. I hope the success of this procession," said Basu.Another rally from Chennai, along with the one from Kolkata will converge in Visakhapatnam on September 8.The Left alleges that the nuclear pact between the two countries is part of America's vision to make India a subservient partner.The Left views the exercise as a manifestation of India's growing strategic alliance with the US.There were suggestions from the political quarters within the ruling UPA to suspend the mammoth naval exercise in view of Left’s growing ire against the Congress-led Government over the Indo-US civilian nuclear deal. The naval exercise was planned a year ahead and it was finalised after three stages of preparations that included discussions on availability of logistics and ships.The exercise in which one can see flotilla 26 warships, including aircraft carriers, missile frigates and destroyer, will end on September 9. Left parties also held similar protests during a port call by USS Nimitz to Chennai in July, saying it would compromise India's sovereignty. (ANI)
Babul Supriyo in Bengali film Monday, September 3, 2007 | AY
After Himesha Reshammiya it is singer Babul Supriyo's turn to face the camera for veteran Bengali director Tarun Muzumdar's next film. The unique aspect of Babul's acting debut is that he sings only one song for himself. I guess the fact that I lost 20 kg helped me get into the hero's bracket. Whether it's singing or playing the romantic lead, weight loss always helps big time," says Babul.
Kolkata firm has new ERP solution for SMEs Sunday, September 2, 2007 | AY
Coral Soff'wares Ltd, a software firm that has corporate majors like Tata and Lafarge as its clients, is launching an ERP application catering to small and medium enterprises (SMEs). Coral ERP - Enterprise Resource Planning that integrates all the data and processes of an organisation into a unified system - has been developed to address the shortcomings of conventional ERP and make it a flexible and easily deployable product. Coral has been a leader in many business application software products and services for SMEs. Some of its products, like X-ise - India's first Central Excise Software to manage and maintain records related to central excise - have also been implemented for large enterprises like Amul, GlaxoSmithlineKline, Kodak, Lafarge and Tata.
Kolkata remembers Mother Teresa ahead of her tenth death anniversary Sunday, September 2, 2007 | AY
Kolkata, Sep 1 (ANI): Special prayers and a feast for the poor and needy are being held here to commemorate Mother Teresa tenth death anniversary in Kolkata today.After the beatification of Mother Teresa, the Roman Catholic Church had declared September 5, the day Mother left her earthly abode, as Feast Day - a day for joy and celebration. However, nuns and co-workers of the Missionaries of Charity, founded by Mother Teresa, gathered to offer prayers and flowers to the 'Saint of Gutters' as they observed the day ahead of the actual date of her death anniversary."The co-workers of Mother Teresa come to different houses of kolkata, and want to feed the poorest of the poor, especially the orphan children. Usually it is September 5, but it is not possible because we have many other programmes so, they decided to have it today said, Sister M. Adrian, a nun of the Missionaries of Charity.Asha Mondal, a co-worker of the Missionaries of Charity, said, "Today is our Mothers feast day and we like coming here and helping. So all the co-workers come here and prepare food for the poor people and outsiders."Albanian born Mother Teresa made Kolkata her home and dedicated her life to the service of poor and destitute children.The Pope beatified the Nobel laureat in October 2003, paving the way for her canonisation, or being declared a saint.She qualified for beatification after Vatican officials acknowledged that she was responsible for a miracle in which an Indian woman was cured of stomach cancer through her intervention.Mother Teresa, who died on September 5, 1997, at the age of 87, was popularly known as the "Saint of the Gutter" for her extraordinary love and dedication to poor, homeless and diseased people.She came to India in 1929 at the age of 18 and took up teaching and became an Indian citizen in 1948.The nun started working in slums and later set up her Missionaries of Charity, which was approved by the Vatican in 1950.The organisation now runs over 500 charity homes in over 100 countries.Mother Teresa received several national and international awards for social service during her lifetime. They include the Magsaysay Award in 1962, the Pope John XXIII Peace Prize in 1971, the John F. Kennedy International Award in 1971 and the Nobel Peace Prize in 1979. (ANI)
Left flexes muscle with anti-US rally in Kolkata Sunday, September 2, 2007 | AY
Kolkata, Sep 1 (ANI): The Left Front's vehement opposition against India's growing engagements with the US was in full force today, as a huge 'anti-imperialist' rally was taken out by the communists in Kolkata, leading to traffic snarl in many places.The cadres, carrying placards with anti-imperial slogans, shouted slogans against the Indo-US nuclear deal and the soon to be held multilateral naval exercise in the Bay of Bengal.The rally also coincided with Germany's attack on Poland in 1939 that led to the beginning of the World War II."We are observing the rally since 1945 when fascist forces were defeated by peace-loving people, and we observe the day as 'Peace Day' or 'Anti-Imperialist Day'," a senior CPI (M) leader said. This rally will also help in making people aware about forces, who are threatening our country's sovereignty and integrity," he added. West Bengal Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee was present at the rally along with Left Front chairman Biman Bose.Meanwhile, in an article published in CPI (M) mouthpiece, party General Secretary Prakash Karat wrote: "The nuclear deal, the military agreement and the economic policies designed to advance the interests of US capital are parts of the trio which are harmful for India`s sovereignty, independent foreign policy and the people`s economic interests."Karat contended that strategic alliance with the US would make India a US ally like the South Korea and Japan. The Left parties have already announced launching huge rallies along the east coast of India against the naval exercise with the US, which is scheduled to begin on September 4. (ANI)
New radar system to guide planes Saturday, September 1, 2007 | AY
The city airport is set to get an advanced radar system within six months to streamline the movement of aircraft. The technology — a powerful ground radar known as Advance Surface Movement Guidance & Control System — will guide aircraft through the maze of traffic in the apron area. The airport already has category II instrument landing system that allows better navigation in the air during adverse weather conditions. Apart from aircraft, there are other vehicles constantly on the move to service flights. We are, therefore, planning to instal a low-range, high-intensity radar to track aircraft movement between the runway and parking bay. The technology will not only streamline on-ground vehicle movement, thereby optimising operational time, but also enhance safety by eliminating risks of missed approach due to incursion of a vehicle in the aircraft’s path. The Air Traffic Control Guild in Kolkata has been pitching for the system for quite some time.
Pranab Mukherjee to address seminar on SAARC Saturday, September 1, 2007 | AY
Kolkata, Sep 1 (ANI): External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee will deliver the keynote address at the inaugural session of seminar on "SAARC: Accelerating Cooperation through Connectivity". West Bengal Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee will also grace the inaugural session. The seminar is being organized by the Public Diplomacy Division of Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) in association with Research and Information System (RIS), Global India Foundation (GIF) and Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI). The seminar will see the participation of academicians, think tanks, representatives of industry, intelligentsia, civil society and senior officials. The seminar will discuss issues related to globalisation and economic integration: imperatives for South Asia regional economic cooperation; strengthening physical connectivity in South Asia, and fostering people-to-people connectivity in South Asia. Ever since its creation in April 2006, the Public Diplomacy Division of MEA has been in contact with researchers, think tanks, academia, civil society and industry, both within India and abroad, to highlight the contours of Indian foreign policy, as well as initiate debate and discussion within the wider public about the key foreign policy issues confronting India. It is in furtherance of these objectives that the Public Diplomacy Division is organising this seminar to discuss the opportunities and challenges to accelerating cooperation within SAARC. (ANI)
