Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC) and police to conduct a joint survey on hawkers in Gariahat, south Kolkata

During the pandemic, police stations collected data on hawkers in their respective areas. The present exercise by the Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC) and police is to find out whether there are more hawkers than the numbers registered during a survey in 2015. Such an exercise will help them to identify hawkers who have encroached on roads or are occupying more space than allotted. It will begin with Gariahat in south Kolkata and move out to Hatibagan and New Market. Officials of KMC and police representatives met with hawker leaders at the civic headquarters to fix the dates for the survey. Incidentally, hawkers have already taken over most of the footpaths. As a police officer said - “The number of current hawkers will be compared to the 2015 data. It is apparent that there has been a rise. With this survey, we will be able to quantify the gap.” Survey to identify hawkers encroaching on Kolkata roads starts on Wednesday.

Hawkers encroach on footpaths and force pedestrians to walk on roads, even at the cost of their lives or limbs. It was necessary to ensure “at least walking space” for pedestrians to protect them from road accidents. A senior official of KMC said - “The hawkers who are found to be sitting with the wares on a road will be asked to pack off immediately. Those who occupy more than onethird of a pavement’s width will be asked to remain within the space specified for them.” It seems the Town Vending Committee took the decision to keep two-thirds of the width of footpaths free. Hawkers have almost completely taken over the footpaths in Gariahat, Hatibagan and New Market.

Some popular stories of this blogger –

Egypt is building the “Green River” - a giant belt of lakes and parks deep in the desert

Canine diplomacy between North and South Korea

Trekking in Sikkim near the Kanchenjunga Mountain"

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres cautions planet Earth is on "the highway to climate hell with our foot still on the accelerator"

Japan rearming itself to deter China in East Asia

Cruise ships are in the revival mode

By 2028, Singapore will welcome a near 1000 feet skyscraper known as 8 Shenton Way

The new Royal Caribbean cruise ship “Icon of the Seas” boasts of a jaw-dropping design

SpaceX launched the first Falcon Heavy mission in over three years

Greta Thunberg will not join the COP27 summit in Egypt

Climate activist Greta Thunberg will not be a part of COP27 summit at Sharm el Sheikh tourist spot in Egypt. She disapproves of the country’s human rights record. In fact, she accused the forthcoming UN conference of being "held in a tourist paradise in a country that violates many basic human rights." She attended the earlier 2019 COP25 summit in Madrid when she was just 16. Later, she was there in the 2021 COP26 event in Glasgow. There was no conference in 2020 because of the pandemic. However, she has indicated she will not be attending this year’s COP27. She denounced it as an opportunity for "greenwashing, lying and cheating." In her words - "I'm not going to COP27 for many reasons, but the space for civil society this year is extremely limited.” She revealed this while promoting her new book ‘The Climate Book’ at the London Literature Festival at the Southbank Centre. She minced no words when she said - "It's important to leave space for those who need to be there. It will be difficult for activists to make their voices heard.” COP27: Greta Thunberg to boycott UN summit due to 'human rights abuses' in Egypt.

Incidentally, the venue of the conference this year is Sharm el Sheikh in Egypt. This is a country where there are nearly 60,000 political prisoners. Greta condemned Egypt's treatment of the prisoners. She took to Twitter and said - “We stand in solidarity with prisoners of conscience in Egypt & joined @copcivicspace petition urging Egypt to open civic space and release everyone arbitrarily detained ahead of #COP27." She also came to a protest in London outside the UK's Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office. She stood in solidarity with a British-Egyptian free speech activist Alaa Abd el-Fattah. He has been imprisoned in the country for the past 10 years. Greta held a placard that read "Free Alaa before #COP27." COP is the Conference of the Parties – an annual UN-organised conference usually attended by world leaders and climate experts. Its aim is to discuss and take much needed action against the looming threat of climate change. However, the targets set at these summits are far off track. This is frustrating to people like Greta.

Some popular stories of this blogger –

China launched Mengtian module of its space station from the Wenchang Space Launch Centre in Hainan

Climatic crisis threatens emperor penguins of Antarctica

Britain selects a remote peat bog in Scotland to be the first rocket launch pad on the British mainland

Prime Minister Rishi Sunak could attend the COP27 climate summit

India eyes its own space station by 2035, ISRO wants industry to collaborate

Collapse of the 19th century pedestrian suspension bridge over the Machchu River in Gujarat kills 141, toll could rise

The West Bengal government to launch electric buses in Calcutta to bring down air pollution

Two explosions rocked the capital of Somalia and left at least 100 dead and 300 injured

Horror at Halloween in Seoul – stampede takes more than 150 lives

Tour operators are happy vis-à-vis trend of booking in hotels, resorts, homestays and the toy train across the hills

The Bengal tourism industry says nearly 90 per cent of the accommodation in homestays are booked until Diwali. These have mushroomed in different villages across the hills, both in Darjeeling and Kalimpong districts. Tour operators are happy at the trend of booking in hotels, resorts and homestays across the hills. Moreover, reservation for rides in the toy train of the Darjeeling Himalayan Railway (DHR) have also boosted their enthusiasm. In their opinion, these are indications about the revival of tourism in the hills, especially during the Diwali and Chhath Puja holidays. It is evident that after two years of the Covid-19 pandemic people are back in the travel mood. When compared to hotel bookings, homestays are doing better. As a veteran in the tourism industry explains - “Even in 2019, homestays were not so popular. But after the pandemic, people prefer to stay in isolated places instead of crowded ones. That is why bookings are so high in these accommodations.” Hill tourism on a festive peak.

The bookings reveal that during Diwali, tourists plan to go to prominent spots like Darjeeling, Kurseong and Kalimpong apart from locations like Sonada, Chatakpur, Mirik, Sitong, Lava and Loleygaon. Even lesser known homestays in Mirik like tea estates and orange groves are booked. Moreover, an official of the Darjeeling Himalayan Railway DHR reveals there is a huge response from tourists for rides this season. The DHR conducts 12 daily joy rides from Darjeeling station. The return trip from Ghoom covers the Batasia loop and is the most popular ride in the DHR. The tourism industry suffered huge losses because of the pandemic and it hopes return of tourists can boost the industry.

Some popular stories of this blogger –

Hurricane Roslyn, a powerful Category 4 storm, struck the Mexican resort of Puerto Vallarta

The government of India has identified wildlife conservation as one of its key goals

It seems Beijing wants to remove the status quo vis-à-vis Taiwan

Nigeria, the West African nation, sees the worst flooding in a decade with more than 600 dead

Good news for Indians – Diwali will be a public school holiday in New York City starting 2023

Meghan and Harry visited Uvalde, Texas, the location of the second deadliest shooting in a U.S. school to open a new community play space

North Korea fires hundreds of artillery shells in retaliation to annual defense drills of the South

Heavy overnight rain robs residents of Bangalore of their sleep

Taiwan has allies in the Pacific and Lithuania is its newest unofficial ally

Unique flower market of Kolkata at Mullick Ghat on the banks of the Hooghly

Flowers are required for any ritual from different pujas and birthdays to wedding and death. When the requirement is for bulk supply, all eyes focus on the wholesale market at Mullick Ghat in Kolkata. It is located on the banks of the Hoogly River opposite the Howrah Railway Station and comes to life with the first rays of the sun. The flower sellers arrive at dawn by train with the fresh flowers from their far-off villages. It is not just about flowers, but innumerable decorations with flowers that has survived for well over a century. Rammohan Mullick built the ghat in 1855. It was in memory of his father Nimai Charan Mullick. Another ghat known as the Jagannath Ghat, built by Shobharam Basak in 1760, stands right next to the Mullick Ghat. The history of how the flower trade originated at Mullick Ghat is not known. However, it might have links to the religious factor related to pilgrims heading to Puri. Today, this ghat is one of the most vibrant, active and crowded sections of the Hooghly along Kolkata. Mullick Ghat market: Saying it with flowers for well over a century. In the words of a member of the seller’s association of the market, this part of Kolkata attracts innumerable people every day.

They come from different parts of Bengal regularly and the market caters to all kinds of budgets. This is [one of] Asia’s largest flower markets. It is a fact that like other businesses elsewhere, this has also dwindled. The sellers have to be content with negligible profits. However, the endless varieties of requirements for different rituals and festivals that happen throughout the year brings home something extra. As a veteran explains - “Ever since the pandemic, the sales at the market are not encouraging or healthy at all, and we are just able to make ends meet.” When one comes across a flower or a flower decoration when in Kolkata, one must remember that such a creation is a result of the hard toil and daily struggle of countless people. They include those who grow them and transport them from far-off villages to the market in Kolkata.

Some popular stories of this blogger –

Singapore redefines a city with an abundance of green spaces

Australia in the fury of floods with homes in Melbourne flooded, forecast says rivers will remain dangerously high for days

Kim Jong-un supervised long-range cruise missile tests to demonstrate Pyongyang's readiness for "actual war"

The US has agreed to allow 24.000 migrants from Venezuela to stay legally for up to two years

Odisha prepares for possible cyclonic strikes in October-November

Kim Jong-un attends opening ceremony of new massive greenhouse farm, Ryonpho Greenhouse

Egypt will host COP27, the annual United Nations climate talks

Hundreds of pilot whales stranded on remote islands off the east coast of New Zealand

Fort William restarts heritage walk for civilians

Fort William restarts heritage walk for civilians

This is an 18th-century building and houses HQ, Eastern Command, Kolkata. There used to be a heritage walk around Fort William but COVID-19 led to its suspension for two years. This suspension is withdrawn. The building has a rich collection of army history starting from the Battle of Plassey. Visitors enjoy seeing parts of the 18th-century history and storing bits and pieces of information. There are various heritage buildings on the campus. These include a chapel-cum-library. It bears a strong resemblance to the chapel of the Trinity Hall in Cambridge, the Kitchener House and its grand dining table. There are also the Dalhousie barracks where Netaji was kept before being shifted to his Elgin House residence. While inaugurating the walk, Chief of Staff Lt Gen. K.K. Repswal, HQ, Eastern Command, said - “We used to have heritage walks in 2019 but because of the pandemic, it was stopped for two years. Today, we are resuming the walk. You will get to see a lot of war history, about life in Fort William and see the heritage structures here.” Heritage walk resumes at Fort William after pandemic break. Calcutta Heritage Collective arranged the inaugural walk. This is a group created to restore, revive and reuse built heritage in the city and the state.

The shape of Fort William is octagonal. Five of its sides face the land while the remaining three face the Hooghly. Moreover, there is a 9m deep and 15m wide moat. Incidentally, there used to be a fort built near where the GPO stands today. The British East India Company built it between 1698 and 1706. They named it after King William III. The current fort, too, gets its name. Anyway, in 1756, the Nawab of Bengal, Siraj-ud-daulah, attacked the old fort and took over the city. He renamed it Alinagar. Subsequently, the British constructed the new fort in the Maidan area in 1758. It was after the Battle of Plassey and completed in 1781. There are three layers of defense for the fort. These are the rampart walls, the moat (now dry) and a garden called Vatika. Incidentally, the fort has six gates, large enough for elephants to enter. Apart from these, there are nearly 500 cannons made dysfunctional after the British left. The Command Museum, built in 1956 and redesigned in 2010, narrates the story of the Eastern Command, World War II, the Burma Campaign, the Sino-Indian conflict and the Bangladesh Liberation War.

Some popular stories of this blogger –

At least 25 people dead in central Venezuela landslide after days of torrential rain and floods

Tragedy at Durga Puja immersion in Jalpaiguri, West Bengal when flash flood sweeps away at least 8 persons

Death of over 65s in England highest in summer 2022 compared to 2004 due to heatwaves

America imposes fresh sanctions on North Korea after it conducts more ballistic missile tests

Durga Puja 2022 is over and the mega carnival will bring down the curtains

Massacre of children in Thailand in a knife and gun rampage, condolences pour in

President Tsai Ing-wen of Taiwan wants to achieve self-sufficiency in defense

Mamata Banerjee plays the dhak to begin the Durga Puja festivities

Hurricane Ian flattens portions of the coast of Florida, wash away homes

Kolkata gears up for Durga Puja rush with special buses for shoppers

The government of West Bengal wants people to forget the woes of Covid and its restrictions that had strangled businesses for 2 years. This year the focus is on enjoying the goodies that any festival can offer. In order to satisf ay the transportation needs of the common man the West Bengal government has introduced a special bus. The intention is to satisfy the desire for shopping spree that the festivities demand. This will help the shoppers to move about and give a push to the shopping. The special bus will operate in the commercial district of the city as announced by West Bengal's minister of transport. He said the buses would be available from September 4 through September 25. This will include weekends and public holidays. These would cover the commercial districts of Gariahat, Shyambazar, and Esplanade. Moreover, between 12 PM and 9 PM, there will be special air conditioned buses throughout the commercial areas of Kolkata. Other routes to be covered would be from places like Esplanade and Howrah to other destinations in all directions. Durga Puja 2022: Kolkata launches special shopping buses for Durga Puja season till September 25.

An official of the West Bengal Transport Department explained that the action of introducing special buses for Durga Puja shoppers was taken after the outbreak of pandemic had put a brake on the festivities in the city. The Covid since 2020 prohibited people from enthusiastically celebrating Durga Pujo. However, this year there are indications that things are much better. In view of the changed scenario, the transport department is taking action to support this. These special shopping buses will be parked in areas where people can utilize the service as a hop-on-hop-off in retail areas. There will not be any additional fees for individuals who use the service.

Durga Puja from outside India and within –

13 Best Durga Puja in London UK 2022

14 Best Durga Puja in New York USA 2022

2022 Durga Puja Calendar for Toronto, Ontario, Canada

Tourist hotels in Puri, Darjeeling and Digha –

GosaniYatra or The Durga Puja of Puri

Darjeeling hotels brim with tourists

How Can You Enjoy Durga Puja At Affordably Priced Hotel In Digha?

Some popular stories of this blogger –

China grows rice and vegetables on the Tiangong space station

The summer of 2022 was hottest on record in England and it tied with 2018

Second successive loss of India in Asia Cup 2022 – this time to Sri Lanka

A 6.6 magnitude earthquake hit southwestern China and left at least 65 dead

A mass stabbing incident in Canada left ten people dead and at least 15 others injured

Liz Truss, the current foreign minister, will become the next prime minister of Britain

Pakistan got the better of India in Dubai at their second Asia Cup 2022 contest

Catastrophic floods devastate Pakistan with death toll nearly 1300, hundreds of thousands of people are living in relief camps

Bengal appears to be a state where a fish trader turns out to be a another crorepati

Durga Puja for Bengalis usually means a trip to the hill station of Darjeeling

This year, the government of Bengal has declared 10 days holiday for the Durga Puja. Obviously, there is a rush to book hotels in the hill station of Darjeeling. It seems already more than 70 per cent of hotel rooms in this favorite tourist destination are already booked. Darjeeling is located in northern West Bengal. The economy of the region depends on tourism. During the pandemic lockdown, tourism suffered in the hills of Darjeeling and Kalimpong apart from the forests of the Dooars. In view of reduction in coronavirus cases, revival of businesses would now be on the cards. New Jalpaiguri is the gateway to the region and tickets of trains are not available. Occupancy rate of hotel rooms have improved. It seems the region witnessed good footfalls during the summer holidays and hoteliers expect the trend to continue during the forthcoming festive season. Hotels nearly full as north Bengal braces for 'revenge travel' during Durga Puja. Apart from hotels, there is also an increase in demand of homestays.

The 10-day Durga Puja holiday for employees of the Bengal government, coupled with 'revenge travelling,' has prompted this massive demand. That is the opinion of the tourism industry. The surge is in 'revenge travel' because people are trying to make up for vacations lost during the pandemic. This has led to considerable escalation of hotel prices. An official of the West Bengal Tourism's Jaldapara Tourist Lodge says all rooms of the property are fully booked. Efforts are on to create a special menu for the guests. In order to tackle the rush of tourists, there will be special trains between Kolkata and New Jalpaiguri in Siliguri. As for the joy rides in the famous toy trains, the Northeast Frontier Railway has decided to operate four new rides in Darjeeling during the festive season. These will operate between Darjeeling and Ghum.

Durga Puja from outside India and within –

13 Best Durga Puja in London UK 2022

14 Best Durga Puja in New York USA 2022

2022 Durga Puja Calendar for Toronto, Ontario, Canada

Tourist hotels in Puri, Darjeeling and Digha –

GosaniYatra or The Durga Puja of Puri

Darjeeling hotels brim with tourists

How Can You Enjoy Durga Puja At Affordably Priced Hotel In Digha?

Some popular stories of this blogger –

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle arrive in Britain minus their children

Bristol Zoo, the fifth oldest zoo in the world, to close after 186 years

Tala Bridge, the lifeline of North Kolkata, to reopen before the Pujas

China and Russia launch war games to confront tensions with the United States

Taiwan shoots down civilian drone near China

Mamata Banerjee expresses gratitude to UNESCO for awarding Cultural Heritage tag to Kolkata’s Durga Puja

Jilebi and Vada-pau make it to a list of 50 of the best street foods in Asia

Maddox Square puja returns in all its glory after two years due to Covid-19

The Midwest and the South of the U.S. faced severe storms, damaging winds, heavy rains and flash floods

Maddox Square puja returns in all its glory after two years due to Covid-19

The Durga Puja at Maddox Square in Ballygunge has always been a big draw for Kolkata. This year it will return after two years of Covid-19 curbs that discouraged gatherings. Threats of pandemic are gradually receding and the organizers are preparing to welcome back the pandal-hoppers. The area covered by the pandal would be large enough to accommodate the guests. Big time sponsors are also back to ensure that the festive mood remains. Construction work on the pandal has started. As one of the organizers said - “We are delighted that night-long adda sessions will be back this year.” Incidentally, the police authorities at Lalbazar informed that the state government had not yet issued any specific directives about curbs during the Puja this year. Therefore, they have granted provisional clearance for adda at the venue. In case the government issues specific directions on gatherings in public places, the organisers have to abide by those guidelines. Maddox Square adda set to bring buzz back to south Kolkata’s favourite Durga Puja. This puja in south Kolkata began in 1935 and remained a favorite get-together zone for Puja revelers. In fact, some of them would arrive from the suburbs just to be part of the lounging sessions beginning Sashthi.

In the past, Maddox Square used to be famous for its nightlong cultural programs where hundreds of thousands of visitors would continuously pour in and out of the park. This year, there are plans for a cultural program on Mahalaya. On this day, the idol would be brought to the pandal. That is what a member of the organizing committee revealed. He adds - “We don’t believe in theme-based puja celebrations. Just that this time the pandal will be done up with patachitras.” The major sponsors are also showing interest. The enquiries for stalls and banners are encouraging and the organizers expect to revive the charm. Obviously, the food stalls would be a main attraction. Those who have gone out of Kolkata and settled in other cities like Chennai, Bengalore etcetera could return to enjoy the Durga puja in Kolkata.

Durga Puja from outside India and within –

13 Best Durga Puja in London UK 2022

14 Best Durga Puja in New York USA 2022

2022 Durga Puja Calendar for Toronto, Ontario, Canada

Tourist hotels in Puri, Darjeeling and Digha –

GosaniYatra or The Durga Puja of Puri

Darjeeling hotels brim with tourists

How Can You Enjoy Durga Puja At Affordably Priced Hotel In Digha?

Some popular stories of this blogger –

Greenland is losing ice at a fast rate with global sea level rise

Meghan Markle says she and her husband were "happy" to leave the UK

NASA enters second phase of going to the Moon after 50 years

It is easy to mint millions in Bengal if one knows the ropes and has the right contacts

Warships of the U.S. enter the Taiwan Strait, adds to tension in the region

India and Pakistan meet in Dubai for Asia Cup 2022

Treaty to protect marine life on the high seas

China uses drones and rockets for cloud seeding to get rainfall

Business mood in Durga Puja markets in malls and footpaths

Laal Singh Chaddha was a domestic flop but is breaking records at the worldwide box office

Aamir Khan was disappointed with the domestic flop of Laal Singh Chaddha. However, its performance at the worldwide box office brought smiles to Aamir and his fans. It has overtaken other recent hits of 2022 like Gangubai Kathiawadi, Bhool Bhulaiyaa 2 and The Kashmir Files. Aamir’s Laal Singh received $7.5 million (Rs 59 crore) in over a week of release. In comparison, Gangubai Kathiawadi earned $7.47 million, Bhool Bhulaiyaa 2 earned $5.88 million, and The Kashmir Files earned $5.7 million. Each of these was also major hits in India. Laal Singh Chaddha is now the highest-grossing Hindi film at international box office, earns more than Gangubai Kathiawadi and Kashmir Files.

Aamir’s film was produced on a reported budget of Rs 180 crore and it made slightly more than Rs 55 crore. Its production began prior to the pandemic. Its filming was in starts and stops during the last three years. The film could still improve its profits in case it does better in China. Aamir had back-to-back success with some of his films like of Secret Superstar (2017) and Dangal (2018). Normally, his films seldom fail to leave its mark at the box office. His fans must be hoping to see a reversal of fortune.

Some popular stories of this blogger –

Out of more than 20,000 Durga Pujas in West Bengal, some are hundreds of years old

Flash flood in Afghanistan kills at least 95, sweeps away thousands of homes

Prince William and Kate shifting from Kensington Palace to Adelaide Cottage with their children

CM of Bengal announces 11 days holiday for Bengalis to celebrate Durga Puja 2022 in a big way

The US and South Korea begin their joint military exercises in view of North Korean nuclear threat

Woman goes missing in flash floods near the Temple of Sinawava at Zion National Park in Utah

Durga Puja and a trip to the sea beach of Digha

Japan wants to promote new concepts related to drinking and marriage in order to revive its economy

Unidentified gunmen stormed a hotel in Mogadishu and killed at least 20

Prince William and Kate on a week’s visit to Belize to mark the Queen's Platinum Jubilee

The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge landed in Belize on an RAF Voyager aircraft. This visit is a part of the Platinum Jubilee celebrations of the Queen. Governor general Froya Tzalamthe welcomed them. The Duke inspected the guard of honor that the Belize Defence Force presented. They played military tunes. Earlier there were fears of cancellation of the visit. It seems a section of the locals did not like the idea of a helicopter landing on their football pitch. The plan was to visit a cacao farm in one of the villages. However, the visit did go through and the Royal guests visited a different chocolate farm.

Source - Sky News dated 20 March 2022

After landing, the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge met the country's Prime Minister Johnny Briceno and his wife, Her Excellency Rosanna Briceno. They wished the guests “a fruitful and memorable visit."

This would be e weeklong tour of Belize, Jamaica and the Bahamas. It would mark the first major overseas tour of William and Kate in over two years. The reason was the pandemic. The two of them had discussed the trip with the Queen. They would share her sentiments with the people of Belize.v


Popular stories on this and related sites –
Owners of the 10 teams in TATA IPL 2022

Tidbits of the 15th edition of TATA IPL 2022

A cat has nine lives, I have many more – 4

A cat has nine lives, I have many more – 3

A cat has nine lives, I have many more – 2

A cat has nine lives, I have many more – 1

Old age home for senior citizens

Health is an important issue for senior citizens above 60

Senior citizens in the world of smart phones and credit cards