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May 28, 2006
Monsoon-like showers in Madhya Pradesh
BHOPAL CENTRAL CHRONICLE
Bhopal, May 25 Though the rainy season has yet to begin in Madhya Pradesh, monsoon-like showers in the state capital rendered ineffective the 'Nautapa' - a period of supposedly extreme summer heat.
Day temperature dipped in other stations as well. A meteorological department official said squalls plus rain would continue for two or three days and in some places a weather warning was issued.
In Bhopal, clouds darkened the skies in the latter part of the day and a windy downpour lasted an hour.
The city recorded a high of 34.9 deg C, four notches below normal, while overnight precipitation was 3 cm.
Day temperature ranged between 32-38 C in other stations while the 'Nautapa' days usually witness the mercury shooting past 43 C.
The cantonment town of Jabalpur was the coolest at 32 C, ten marks below normal, and Sheopur was the hottest at 43 C.
The wet spell is likely to continue for two or three days in Madhya Pradesh due to the influence of upper air cyclonic circulating over coastal Orissa.
Precipitation was recorded in almost all parts of the state over the past 10 days. Life was thrown off kilter at several stations owing to squalls and brief downpours.
Regional Meteorological Centre Director D P Dubey said the circulation was causing showers in Orissa and neighbouring Chhattisgarh as well. "Squalls accompanied by rain are likely to continue over the next two to three days in this state, especially the southern parts," he added.
Lightning hits DD tower
TV broadcasts were briefly obstructed this evening after the Bhopal DD Kendra's transmission tower, on Shyamla Hills, was struck by lightning. "Some equipment got charred," said Superintending Engineer S R Chouhan. "The broadcast was obstructed between 1730-1750 hrs on DD One and between 1732-1813 hrs on the regional circuit."
No heat during 'Nautapa'
The first day of 'Nautapa'- or nine days of extreme heat - remained cool on Thursday due to overcast sky and strong winds.
Unseasonal rains during the last few days have already brought down temperatures and the sun which emerged from the clouds only for brief periods could not unleash its heat.
This has been intrpreted by weather experts and astrologers as a clear sign that this year the monsoon will be weak.
They aver that extreme heat during 'Nau Tapa' is the harbinger of a good monsoon and when 'Nau Tapa' is disturbed or rainfall is recorded during this period the chances of a normal monsoon dwindle.
People in picnic mood
The continuing rainy spell during the sizzling month of May has unexpectedly made the weather pleasant and people who were suffering in the scorching heat are taking this opportunity to enjoy themselves.
An increased number of visitors can been seen at the Boat Club, Van Vihar Zoo and picnic spots and parks in the city. Normally during the nautapa hardly anybody dares venture out of his house at noon. But nowadays at midday the parks are full of people.
The pleasant change in the weather has also brought much relief to the denizens of Van Vihar. The animals that look clumsy and tired during the hot spell are once again lively and active, much to the delight of the National Park visitors.
Tough for slum dwellers
Unseasonal rains during the last five days, have turned several low-lying slum areas in the city into waterlogged quagmires. The thatch of many slum houses has been blown off by gales and the houses have become roofless.
Many slum dwellers had their possessions damaged as water entered their shanties. The residents of these slum are also finding it hard to move about through the water and mud.
Relief for farmers
Agriculturists are advising farmers to take advantage of the unseasonal rainy spell. The moisture will aid farmers in preparing their fields for the next crop. They can also turn their lands to raising green fodder for their cattle. Director of Agriculture R S Manral, said that the unseasonal rainfall was a gift of God for farmers.
He said the fall in temperature would help farmers plough their fields to make them more fertile. The herbs that have sprung up due to the rains would also boost the fertility of the fields.
This is the ideal time for growing fodder for animals, he averred. Fodder crops that can be sown in this period include Jowar, Maize and Lobia.
Does 'Nautapa' rain result in a poor monsoon?
When it rains during 'Nautapa' - nine days of extreme summer heat - people are often worried about whether the monsoon will be healthy but meteorological department statistics reveal that such precipitation has no effect whatsoever on the rainy season.
If Varahamihira's Brihat Samhita - the ancient Indian astrological treatise - is to be trusted, 'Nautapa' is just a natural process. "During this period, the Sun enters the constellation of Rohini," says astrologer Sunil Joshi Junnarkar. The earth's heating up to ferocious levels during 'Nautapa' apparently ensures a healthy monsoon. If it rains during these nine days, claims Junnarkar, the year's monsoon will to be weak.
A look at the last decade's statistics reveals that this has not always been true. Madhya Pradesh's average precipitation is about 800 mm.
In 1996, which witnessed a dry 'Nautapa' from May 24 to June 1, 992.7 mm rainfall was recorded. The following year, the mercury shot up to 43.7 deg C in May but it showered on six of the 'Nautapa' days. Lo and behold the state received 817.8 mm of monsoon precipitation.
Cut to 1998 - a dry 'Nautapa' and 857.5 mm. The subsequent year saw two wet days between May 20-28 and the total rain recorded until September was 832.4 mm.
In 2000, the last day of 'Nautapa' was graced by a drizzle and subsequent rainfall was 419.5 mm. The following year saw three days' showers in 'Nautapa', precipitation measuring 775.5 mm followed. Five days' precipitation during the 2002 'Nautapa' led to only 440.4 mm of rain.
The following year's 'Nautapa' was dry but the rain god wasn't pleased and only 584.8 mm showered on the state.
The 2004 figures were three days' rain and 599.3 mm of monsoon. Last year, the mercury soared to a record 44.9 C on May 25. But the monsoon recorded only 548.2 mm.
Posted by bhola at 05:25 AM | Comments (0)
May 26, 2006
Oldest man celebrates 137th birthday
PRATIVAD.COM
New Delhi: Habib Miyan, listed in the Limca Book of World Records as the country's oldest man, celebrated his 137th birthday on Saturday.
“Kisi rayees ki mehfil ka zikr kya Amir, Khuda ke ghar bhi na jayenge bin bulaye hue (What's an affluent person's party, I will not even go to God's place without being invited),” Habib said.
The world's oldest living pensioner, Habib has outlived his three wives and has a family of 70. Among those who celebrated his birthday were his sixth generation grand children.
Living in this narrow lane of downtown Jaipur, Habib worked as a clarinet player in the royal band of the Pink City. And he has been drawing a pension for the past 67 years for that job.
Despite being blind for many years now, Habib says he's still fairly self-dependent. However, his only regret is that he cannot say his namaz five times a day any longer.
When you're 137 and still going steady there must be something that keeps you going, a grandmother's recipe, a rare herb or a strict diet chart or some sort of a health secret, but Habib says, “Tea is the only thing I'm fond of. I've never been addicted to anything ever since I was born.”
Habib fulfilled his dream of going to Mecca recently. His last wish, he says, is to make it to the Guiness Book of World Records and to meet President APJ Abdul Kalam.
Posted by bhola at 09:06 AM | Comments (0)
May 16, 2006
Corruption won't be tolerated: Chief Minister
BHOPAL CENTRAL CHRONICLE
By Our Staff Reporter
Bhopal, May 15 The Chief Minister, Shivraj Singh Chouhan has said corruption would not be tolerated and special attention would be paid to timely completion of development works. At the same time, it would be ensured that their quality is maintained.
Anybody found negligent and indulging in corrupt practices in the execution of development works, would face stern action, he added. Chouhan expressed these views at a public meeting held at Nasrullahganj on Sunday.
Minister for Public Health Engineering, Rampal Singh was also present on the occasion. Prior to this, the Chief Minister toured a number of villages in Nasrullahganj Tehsil during his Budni Vikas Yatra held on Sunday.
Speaking further the Chief Minister said that all possible efforts would be made in next two and half years to make the Madhya Pradesh a pioneer state in the country. Keeping in view the faith and trust shown in him by the people of Budhni and Nasrullahganj pace of the ongoing development works in the area would be accelerated, he added.
The Chief Minister informed that status of basic facilities including roads, energy and water supply are improved in the state during the last two and a half years. Under the Jalabhishek Abhiyan ponds are being made on the fields of farmers at 50 percent subsidy.
These ponds would help increase underground water-table and farmers would get enough water for irrigation simultaneously. As many as 39 stopdams costing about Rs. 15 crore are being constructed in Nasrullahganj area, Singh revealed.
Chouhan said that many welfare schemes are being implemented in the state for poor people. Now, daughter's marriage is no longer a burden on a poor person. The state government has recently launched the mass marriage scheme for this purpose. Mass marriages would also be organised at Nasrullahganj in June under the Antyodaya Mission.
The Chief Minister also inspected the primary health centre at village Itawa-Itarsi and expressed unhappiness over bad shape of the centre building built only in the year 1998. Chouhan asked the Collector to get FIR registered against the erring contractor.
The Chief Minister performed bhoomi poojan of pond at Borkheda village under the Jalabhishek programme. He also dedicated to the people a road constructed at a cost of Rs. 87 lakh under the Pradhan Mantri Sadak Yojana at village Richhariya.
Commissioners conference on May 20
Bhopal: A meeting of all the divisional commissioners has been convened at the Rajya Mantralaya here on May 20. At the scheduled meeting, the Chief Minister, Shivraj Singh Chouhan would review law and order situation, status of availability of drinking water in rural and urban areas, Jalabhishek programme and activities of the Revenue Department.
The Chief Minister, Chouhan would also review the activities of education and health departments besides apprising himself of the strategy chalked out to increase agriculture production and productivity in the year 2006 and 2007.
In addition to this, the Chief Minister will also review the status of road construction, irrigation, Deendayal Antyodaya Mission, Public Welfare Camps, welfare schemes for scheduled castes and scheduled tribes and mid-day meal programme at the divisional commissioners' meet.
Posted by bhola at 06:39 PM | Comments (0)
Compulsory water conservation slogans on Bhopal hoardings
Compulsory water conservation slogans on Bhopal hoardings
Bhopal: Faced with an acute water crisis, Bhopal's civic boy has made it mandatory for every advertising hoarding to have slogans encouraging conservation of water.
The Bhopal Municipal Corporation (BMC) has decided to promote the campaign by educating people on the importance of water, a BMC official said.
All advertisers have been directed to put up slogans on conserving water. "Those failing to abide by the corporation's directives would be penalised."
There are over 3,000 hoardings in the city although only a third of them are legal.
"The corporation has also made it mandatory to write slogans related to water conservation on every press release sent by it. The idea behind the decision is to create awareness among the people," BMC Commissioner Manish Singh said.
The government has chalked out a plan to assess the demand and supply of water in the 23,000 villages in the state.
The level of water consumption from wells, tube wells, tanks and rivers is being reviewed. An inventory of the water available is also being prepared, said Public Health Engineering Minister Rampal Singh.
Bhopal: Faced with an acute water crisis, Bhopal's civic boy has made it mandatory for every advertising hoarding to have slogans encouraging conservation of water.
The Bhopal Municipal Corporation (BMC) has decided to promote the campaign by educating people on the importance of water, a BMC official said.
All advertisers have been directed to put up slogans on conserving water. "Those failing to abide by the corporation's directives would be penalised."
There are over 3,000 hoardings in the city although only a third of them are legal.
"The corporation has also made it mandatory to write slogans related to water conservation on every press release sent by it. The idea behind the decision is to create awareness among the people," BMC Commissioner Manish Singh said.
The government has chalked out a plan to assess the demand and supply of water in the 23,000 villages in the state.
The level of water consumption from wells, tube wells, tanks and rivers is being reviewed. An inventory of the water available is also being prepared, said Public Health Engineering Minister Rampal Singh.
Posted by bhola at 11:40 AM | Comments (0)
May 11, 2006
Madhya Pradesh makes plans to tackle water crisis
INDO ASIAN NEWS SERVICE
Bhopal, May 11 (IANS) Faced with an acute water shortage, the Madhya Pradesh government is planning to construct 1,000 water structures, including dams and percolation tanks.
'Steps are being taken in view of the increasing water crisis in the state with towns and cities getting water from once in two days to once in seven days,' a top government official said.
'Twenty three districts have been identified for the construction of water structures in the first phase for which the groundwater prospect maps prepared by NRSA (National Remote Sensing Agency), Hyderabad, would be used,' he said.
'Besides, in order to ensure effective implementation of the 'Jalabhishek Abhiyan' (government's water conservation campaign) at the field level, an action plan will be chalked out for the assessment of demand and supply of water in each village of the state.'
The action plan is aimed at estimating the availability of water in the various existing resources of over 23,000 villages in the state.
'The level of water consumption from these resources, including wells, tube wells, tanks, check-dams, stop-dams and rivers, would also be assessed,' he said.
The government is also planning to prepare an inventory of the water structures to figure out why some structures are becoming useless or partially usable, and thereby to remove the defects.
Posted by bhola at 12:22 PM | Comments (0)
100% irrigation grants for scheduled castes and tribes, and farmers living below poverty level
Bhopal, May 9: Madhya Pradesh Cabinet today approved 100 per cent grants to scheduled castes, scheduled tribes and farmers living below poverty line (BPL), for minor irrigation works under `jalabhishek' scheme, besides deciding to waive electricity duty on power plants for initial five years.
The cabinet, in a meeting, decided to extend 100 per cent grant to SC/ST and BPL farmers for construction of ponds under the `jalabhishek' abhiyan, official sources said.
Farmers falling under rest of the categories will receive government grant to the tune of 50 per cent of total cost of the pond, they said, adding state ministers will remain in constant touch with districts under their charge and monitor progress of the campaign that aims to costruct one lakh ponds in agriculture fields across the state.
The cabinet also approved waiver of electricity duty on captive power plants for five years from 180 days of its trial production or achieving full capacity, whichever is earliest.
Generator capacity of the captive power projects must be recorded by officials of state electricity board or the power inspectors, sources said.
An approval was also granted by cabinet to prevent storage or sale of minerals outside the mining region, without approval of authorities concerned, by invoking provisions under Madhya Pradesh Minerals (prevention of illegal mining, transportation and storage) rule, 2006.
Among other decisions, cabinet also formed a committee headed by Transport Minister Himmat Kothari to review provisions of MP Public Service (Promotions) Rule 2002, sources said.
Posted by bhola at 12:00 PM | Comments (0)
President to visit MP
Bhopal, May 10 (UNI) President A P J Abdul Kalam will visit Madhya Pradesh on July 17 to address the state assembly during the Golden Jubilee celebrations of the state.
Dr Kalam has expressed his desire to visit a tribal village during his sojourn.
The information was provided by Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan after meeting the President at Rashtrapati Bhawan in New Delhi, it was officially stated here today.
Mr Chouhan apprised Dr Kalam about the 'Jalabhishek Abhiyan' being carried out in the state to make people aware about the benefits of water conservation.
He also informed the President about the various steps undertaken for bio-diesel production, seep improvement, power generation and better irrigation.
Posted by bhola at 11:59 AM | Comments (0)
May 10, 2006
Madhya Pradesh to set up herbal centres abroad
Tuesday, May 9th, 2006
Bhopal - Madhya Pradesh plans to set up herbal medicine processing centres in Singapore and Dubai, state Forests Minister Himmat Kothari said.
‘The government is also considering setting up a herbal medicine showroom at Dubai in view of the increasing inclination towards such medicines,’ Kothari told IANS.
‘A system is in place for processing, storage, quality control and marketing of medicinal and aromatic herbs. Thirteen small godowns (warehouses) have been built and 35 more are proposed to be built,’ said Kothari.
‘For encouraging herbal production, herbal market systems are functioning at Indore, Bhopal and Jabalpur,’ he said.
India contributes a mere one percent to the global trade in herbal medicine, which stands around Rs.600 billion annually. Such drugs constitute 25 percent of the medicine sector.
Herbal medicine output in Madhya Pradesh increases 10 percent every year and the government is constantly encouraging farmers.
A grant of Rs.175 million was given to 550 farmers by the National Medicinal Plants Board (NMPB). This year, the proposals of 1,275 cultivators were forwarded to NMPB.
A well-equipped laboratory has been set up here for researching herbal medicine.
Besides processing and packaging of natural honey, 36 ayurvedic medicines were being produced and marketed from the facility.
Posted by bhola at 10:07 AM | Comments (0)
May 09, 2006
Rs.3 billion for women-children nutrition
Bhopal: The Madhya Pradesh government has earmarked Rs.3 billion for providing a nutritious diet to undernourished women and children in the state, Rs.1.9 billion more than the previous year.
The main beneficiary would be children, adolescent girls and expectant and nursing mothers who will get the supplementary nutritious diet from mother and child welfare centres called anganwadis, said a women and child welfare department official.
The state's budget for the development of women and children this year has gone up Rs.5.9 billion. Of this, Rs.3 billion is to be spent on the nutritious diet.
"This would not only improve the socio-economic condition of the women in the state but boost the physical, mental and intellectual development of children who suffer malnutrition," he said.
Posted by bhola at 03:59 PM | Comments (0)
May 05, 2006
Former minister booked for corruption in Bhopal
TIMES OF INDIA
BHOPAL: Madhya Pradesh Lok Ayukta have booked former state Civil Supplies Minister Omprakash Dhurve and a contractor for alleged corruption in transportation of foodgrains during 2004-05, official sources said here on Friday.
A case was registered against Dhurve on Thursday for allegedly using his position to extend favours to contractor Mukesh Goyal, allowing him to transport the foodgrains in Hoshangabad district, despite Madhya Pradesh Civil Supplies Corporation approving fresh contracts at lower rates, Lok Ayukta sources said.
Dhurve, an ex-officio chairman of the Corporation, had allegedly delayed approval of the fresh contract on some pretext, they said, adding Dhurve and Goyal here booked under the Prevention of Corruption Act. Dhurve and Goyal were not immediately available for comments.
Posted by bhola at 04:56 PM | Comments (0)
May 04, 2006
Man set ablaze by brother-in-law
Bhopal: A man set ablaze his brother-in-law, suspecting that he had burnt to death his sister seven years ago, police said Wednesday.
Sudama poured kerosene on Gopal, his sister's husband, in Barodia Khan village of Indore district Tuesday, police said.
Gopal, who is struggling for life, was set ablaze outside a temple while he was attending a mass wedding.
His relatives, who were also present at the temple, rushed him to a hospital.
"Gopal has received third degree burns and the chances of his survival are bleak," said police, who have registered a case against Sudama.
After the incident, Sudama managed to run away.
Posted by bhola at 11:24 AM | Comments (0)