Alarmed by the sudden spurt in criminal activities in Bihar, the state police headquarters is setting up a task-force in all the districts to prevent such incidents.
"We have decided to constitute a special task-force in each district in the wake of the spurt in the incidents of abduction for ransom, bank robbery, cash loot and petty crime", top state officials said.
Fully equipped with modern facilities, the task-force, comprising station house officers (SHO’s) and efficient police officers, would deal with criminal gangs perpetrating abduction, contract killing, bank dacoity and road robbery, they said.
The task-force would work under the purview of superintendent of police of the respective districts.
The deputy inspector general of police has been asked to identify the gangs operating in their respective zones and engage the task-force personnel to attain the desired results, they added.
The security personnel involved in the task-force would also keep watch on the activities of the gang-lords running a crime syndicate from behind the bars, they said.link
Friday 5 June 2009
Woman saves hundreds of dying trees in Bihar
A young woman has saved hundreds of trees in Bihar's East Champaran district by finding a cure for their ailment.
Kiran Kumari, a 19-year-old science student of Class 12, discovered a remedy that treated Seesam trees spread over about 600 acres. The trees - highly prized for their timber - regained instant health three years after they had been afflicted by a disease.
She is a resident of Manjhar village in East Champaran, about 200 km from here, and a farmer's daughter. Her efforts were recognised last year when she was awarded president's medal.
"Kiran's hard efforts to protect Seesam trees bore fruit as greenery was back on trees and smile back on faces of people," said Maheshwar Singh, a villager.
"After experimenting with dozens of remedies to protect Seesam trees, I discovered a simple but effective remedy to save these trees afflicted by diseases. I treated the roots of the trees with a diluted solution of kerosene (50 ml kerosene with 10 litres of water) and painted the stems with lime solution mixed with tobacco," Kiran told.
Kiran plans to study environmental science and then to work for the protection of trees. "I love to devote my time to protect trees and greenery," she said. link
Kiran Kumari, a 19-year-old science student of Class 12, discovered a remedy that treated Seesam trees spread over about 600 acres. The trees - highly prized for their timber - regained instant health three years after they had been afflicted by a disease.
She is a resident of Manjhar village in East Champaran, about 200 km from here, and a farmer's daughter. Her efforts were recognised last year when she was awarded president's medal.
"Kiran's hard efforts to protect Seesam trees bore fruit as greenery was back on trees and smile back on faces of people," said Maheshwar Singh, a villager.
"After experimenting with dozens of remedies to protect Seesam trees, I discovered a simple but effective remedy to save these trees afflicted by diseases. I treated the roots of the trees with a diluted solution of kerosene (50 ml kerosene with 10 litres of water) and painted the stems with lime solution mixed with tobacco," Kiran told.
Kiran plans to study environmental science and then to work for the protection of trees. "I love to devote my time to protect trees and greenery," she said. link
Thursday 4 June 2009
JD(U) leader finds place in Limca Book of Records
Janata Dal (U) leader and a former MLC Ram Karan Pal has made it to the prestigious Limca Book of Record-2009 for creating a “national record” by publishing a book on the original news clippings about him. Pal has brought out a book on original news clippings on himself (in their original form) titled “Dr Ram Karan Pal: Vyaktitva Aur Vichar”. It was published in 2003. Pal is the only man from his shepherd community, an extremely backward caste (EBC) in Bihar, who became a legislator.
“Of the 1,100 copies published in the first edition, all were given out as complimentary copies to museums, libraries, universities, state legislative assemblies etc,” a certificate issued by the Limca Book of records, reads. Pal’s name feature on page nos. 107-08 of the latest edition of the record book which hit the stands across the country recently.
Pal said the recognition has encouraged him further to champion the cause of the downtrodden. “My goal in life is to struggle for the suffering humanity,” he said. Seventy-year-old Pal served as a member of Bihar Legislative Council from 1995 to 1997 and 1998 to 2004 when he was chief whip of the ruling RJD. He was also a member of various boards, councils and commission of various ministries of Central and state government.
Pal started collecting the news clippings published on him in different newspapers and magazines across the country ever since he joined mainstrean politics. In 2003, he got them compiled and published a book which turned out to be only one of its kind in the country. “It was, indeed, a painstaking effort,” Pal said.
During his long political career, Pal was jailed thrice as political prisoner and was member of various committees of Bihar Legislative Council and different political parties. He also served as chairman of Bihar State Hydel Power Corporation from 2003-05. Several leaders, intellectuals and social and cultural organisations have congratulated Pal on his achievement.link
“Of the 1,100 copies published in the first edition, all were given out as complimentary copies to museums, libraries, universities, state legislative assemblies etc,” a certificate issued by the Limca Book of records, reads. Pal’s name feature on page nos. 107-08 of the latest edition of the record book which hit the stands across the country recently.
Pal said the recognition has encouraged him further to champion the cause of the downtrodden. “My goal in life is to struggle for the suffering humanity,” he said. Seventy-year-old Pal served as a member of Bihar Legislative Council from 1995 to 1997 and 1998 to 2004 when he was chief whip of the ruling RJD. He was also a member of various boards, councils and commission of various ministries of Central and state government.
Pal started collecting the news clippings published on him in different newspapers and magazines across the country ever since he joined mainstrean politics. In 2003, he got them compiled and published a book which turned out to be only one of its kind in the country. “It was, indeed, a painstaking effort,” Pal said.
During his long political career, Pal was jailed thrice as political prisoner and was member of various committees of Bihar Legislative Council and different political parties. He also served as chairman of Bihar State Hydel Power Corporation from 2003-05. Several leaders, intellectuals and social and cultural organisations have congratulated Pal on his achievement.link
Impostors appearing for CPMT exam arrested
Aliganj police arrested five persons who were appearing in CPMT examination in the name of other people here on Thursday. Those nabbed identified themselves as Amit Kumar Koniyar, Sudhir, Jitendra Pal Singh, Jitendra Kumar Sharma and Satyendra Kumar. All of them were nabbed from Kendriya Vidyalaya and Public Service Commission.
During the initial interrogation from them police came to know that all of them hailed from a different city and had no connection with each other. Amit is from Motihari in Bihar, Sudhir from Khatripur in Ghosi Mau, Jitendra Pal Singh from Jhansi, Hitendra Kumar Sharma from Banda and Satyendra from Kheri in Lakh Sarai of Bihar.
Police said that substantial details about how Amit committed the crime was known but investigations were on with regards to the involvement of others in the similar crime.
ASP and circle officer (CO) Aliganj, Shalabh Mathur said that Amit was appearing in the examination in place of Vijay Kumar of Jaunpur district. With regards to the family background of Amit, Shalabh added that he was the son of a farmer and last year had cleared the examination of CET Karnataka. Since his family is financially weak he could not pay the fees of the institute in which he got the admission.
Coincidentally he met a boy, Deepu in Patna who told him that if he appears for the medical entrance examination in place of his friend, Vijay Kumar, he would pay him Rs 1.50 lakh in order to complete his studies.
The sum promised to be paid was to be delivered only on the condition if the impostor cleared the examination. Amit left Bihar from Shramjeevi Express two days ago and then after collecting the admit card from Vijay came to Lucknow to sit for the test.
It was during the checking when the photograph on the admit card which was of Amit did not match the photograph with the authorities which was of Vijay. Amit confessed his crime in front of the Aliganj police but claimed that he committed the crime for the first time and had no idea if Deepu and Vijay had committed the crime previously too.
About the arrest of the other four, police said that investigations were on but they were initially taken into custody as they could not give satisfactory answers to the authorities concerned with regards to marks obtained in intermediate examination.
Shalabh Mathur said they were waiting for an official complaint from the medical authorities to come out with some thing substantial with regards to remaining four in custody.link
During the initial interrogation from them police came to know that all of them hailed from a different city and had no connection with each other. Amit is from Motihari in Bihar, Sudhir from Khatripur in Ghosi Mau, Jitendra Pal Singh from Jhansi, Hitendra Kumar Sharma from Banda and Satyendra from Kheri in Lakh Sarai of Bihar.
Police said that substantial details about how Amit committed the crime was known but investigations were on with regards to the involvement of others in the similar crime.
ASP and circle officer (CO) Aliganj, Shalabh Mathur said that Amit was appearing in the examination in place of Vijay Kumar of Jaunpur district. With regards to the family background of Amit, Shalabh added that he was the son of a farmer and last year had cleared the examination of CET Karnataka. Since his family is financially weak he could not pay the fees of the institute in which he got the admission.
Coincidentally he met a boy, Deepu in Patna who told him that if he appears for the medical entrance examination in place of his friend, Vijay Kumar, he would pay him Rs 1.50 lakh in order to complete his studies.
The sum promised to be paid was to be delivered only on the condition if the impostor cleared the examination. Amit left Bihar from Shramjeevi Express two days ago and then after collecting the admit card from Vijay came to Lucknow to sit for the test.
It was during the checking when the photograph on the admit card which was of Amit did not match the photograph with the authorities which was of Vijay. Amit confessed his crime in front of the Aliganj police but claimed that he committed the crime for the first time and had no idea if Deepu and Vijay had committed the crime previously too.
About the arrest of the other four, police said that investigations were on but they were initially taken into custody as they could not give satisfactory answers to the authorities concerned with regards to marks obtained in intermediate examination.
Shalabh Mathur said they were waiting for an official complaint from the medical authorities to come out with some thing substantial with regards to remaining four in custody.link
Bihar govt works on 'Sahabhagi' model of development
The Bihar government during the last three years has ensured construction of at least 54,000 school buildings by giving funds worth Rs 3 lakh each to school committees comprising of parents of the children studying in these schools.
“We have not only incorporated the principles of ‘Sahabhagi’ in our party JD(U)’s manifesto but our government is also following them in its actions,” chief minister Nitish Kumar told a Times Foundation delegation which delivered him a letter from The Times of India Group chairman Indu Jain at his residence here on Thursday.
Congratulating Kumar on adopting the concept of ‘Sahabhagi’, an initiative launched by Times Foundation to promote inclusive governance by involving citizens in the administrative decision-making process, the letter said the JD(U) move also manifested itself clearly in people’s verdict during just-concluded parliamentary elections in favour of development with pro-people policies gaining the predominance.
“The entire nation today looks at Bihar as a state deeply engaged in building a sustainable model of development through partnered approach of its government with the people,” the letter read and added the ‘Sahabhagi’ model of working with the people will go a long way in building a dependable and transparent support system for inclusive growth in the state through inclusive governance and people’s cooperation.
Kumar said his government is executing programmes with direct participation of people. “By ensuring that every family has a member in the village-level Primary Agricultural Cooperative Societies (PACS), which were earlier used to be run by a select group, we are trying to ensure a positive engagement between the people and the power,” he said.
The CM was informed that as part of the ‘Sahabhagi’ initiative, Times Foundation in collaboration with state governments was working in education, health, environment and disaster management areas in places like Delhi, Mumbai, Tamil Nadu and Jammu & Kashmir.
“Public participation is showing encouraging results in Bihar, too. This has also minimized cost on execution and checked pilferage,” Kumar said. Earlier, the delegation called on deputy CM Sushil Kumar Modi, who also reiterated the state government’s commitment to promoting ‘Sahabhagi’ principles.
Later, an interactive session was held on ‘Sahabhagi: An instrument to bring people and power together’ at ADRI. Jointly organized by ADRI and Art of Living, the meet was attended by the city’s intelligentsia. Those present included ADRI member secretary Shaibal Gupta, senior bureaucrats Anup Mukherjee and Manoj Srivastava, CII’s Bihar chapter chairman Satyajit Kumar Singh and AoL’s Indu Sinha.link
“We have not only incorporated the principles of ‘Sahabhagi’ in our party JD(U)’s manifesto but our government is also following them in its actions,” chief minister Nitish Kumar told a Times Foundation delegation which delivered him a letter from The Times of India Group chairman Indu Jain at his residence here on Thursday.
Congratulating Kumar on adopting the concept of ‘Sahabhagi’, an initiative launched by Times Foundation to promote inclusive governance by involving citizens in the administrative decision-making process, the letter said the JD(U) move also manifested itself clearly in people’s verdict during just-concluded parliamentary elections in favour of development with pro-people policies gaining the predominance.
“The entire nation today looks at Bihar as a state deeply engaged in building a sustainable model of development through partnered approach of its government with the people,” the letter read and added the ‘Sahabhagi’ model of working with the people will go a long way in building a dependable and transparent support system for inclusive growth in the state through inclusive governance and people’s cooperation.
Kumar said his government is executing programmes with direct participation of people. “By ensuring that every family has a member in the village-level Primary Agricultural Cooperative Societies (PACS), which were earlier used to be run by a select group, we are trying to ensure a positive engagement between the people and the power,” he said.
The CM was informed that as part of the ‘Sahabhagi’ initiative, Times Foundation in collaboration with state governments was working in education, health, environment and disaster management areas in places like Delhi, Mumbai, Tamil Nadu and Jammu & Kashmir.
“Public participation is showing encouraging results in Bihar, too. This has also minimized cost on execution and checked pilferage,” Kumar said. Earlier, the delegation called on deputy CM Sushil Kumar Modi, who also reiterated the state government’s commitment to promoting ‘Sahabhagi’ principles.
Later, an interactive session was held on ‘Sahabhagi: An instrument to bring people and power together’ at ADRI. Jointly organized by ADRI and Art of Living, the meet was attended by the city’s intelligentsia. Those present included ADRI member secretary Shaibal Gupta, senior bureaucrats Anup Mukherjee and Manoj Srivastava, CII’s Bihar chapter chairman Satyajit Kumar Singh and AoL’s Indu Sinha.link
Friday 29 May 2009
Shalinee Kumari: American Debut To Open at Frey Norris Gallery
The Frey Norris Gallery will present the American debut solo exhibition for Indian artist Shalinee Kumari. Shalinee Kumari hails from a remote village in one of India’s poorest and most rural states, the Mithila region of Bihar. For centuries the women of Mithila have traditionally adorned their homes with wall paintings, in preparation for engagements, weddings, and births. Kumari continues and expands upon this tradition by depicting current world events as she learns of them through her primary connection to the outside world—the BBC piped into her local café. She focuses on three primary global subjects: capitalism, terrorism and environmentalism—all through her vibrantly colored paintings on paper.
The eldest of four daughters, at twenty three years of age, Kumari was to be promised into marriage but denied her family’s wishes to pursue a career in art. To date, she has received grants from the East West Foundation, the Ford Foundation, and others to pursue her career enabling her to attend a local art school, to exhibit and lecture in Delhi, and ultimately, to leave India for the first time to attend her first solo exhibition at Frey Norris Gallery in San Francisco.
Kumari may be the first artist of this Mithila region to tackle contemporary subjects. The Berkeley Art Museum, the San Francisco Asian Arts Museum and the Craft and Folk Art Museum in Los Angeles are all advocates, collectors and exhibitors of the work itself.
A 20-page catalogue is available with an essay by David Szanton, the former Director of International and Area Studies at UC Berkeley, a social anthropologist with a long interest in art history and the relationship between art and social change.link
The eldest of four daughters, at twenty three years of age, Kumari was to be promised into marriage but denied her family’s wishes to pursue a career in art. To date, she has received grants from the East West Foundation, the Ford Foundation, and others to pursue her career enabling her to attend a local art school, to exhibit and lecture in Delhi, and ultimately, to leave India for the first time to attend her first solo exhibition at Frey Norris Gallery in San Francisco.
Kumari may be the first artist of this Mithila region to tackle contemporary subjects. The Berkeley Art Museum, the San Francisco Asian Arts Museum and the Craft and Folk Art Museum in Los Angeles are all advocates, collectors and exhibitors of the work itself.
A 20-page catalogue is available with an essay by David Szanton, the former Director of International and Area Studies at UC Berkeley, a social anthropologist with a long interest in art history and the relationship between art and social change.link
Engineer brutalizes wife on road
Hundreds of people rubbed their eyes in disbelief as a 29-year-old marine engineer, earning a monthly salary of Rs 1.8 lakh, dragged his 24-year-old engineer wife by hair on the Warisaliganj-Nawada main road in Bihar and kicked and punched her relentlessly. Even as fisticuffs rained on her, the woman kept trying to save her six-month-old daughter in her lap — till she fell unconscious right on the road.
The ugly drama at the Manjaurs Pasi village did not end even then. When trainee DSP Satish Kumar, accompanied by other cops, arrived at the scene following a tip-off, the marine engineer pompously questioned their authority to “interfere in my family matter”. “Aap ki himmat kaise hui yahan aane ki (How dare you come here)?” he asked.
However, as the cops acted tough, Rakesh Kumar who is posted as Section Officer II on a private cargo ship Kaveri, attempted to flee in his wife’s car, but was overpowered after a hot chase.
Rakesh’s father, Parmeshwar Choudhary, a government school teacher, tried to bribe the cops at the police station by displaying thick wads of currency notes which, he said, totalled Rs 2 lakh. Parmeshwar was also arrested.
Rakesh’s wife Poonam later lodged an FIR at the Warisaliganj police station against her husband and in-laws. She said she married Rakesh in 2005 despite her family’s opposition. She had then just finished her diploma in electrical engineering while her husband was undergoing marine training in Mumbai.
She said she was a victim of regular brutality ever since her marriage, but passively tolerated it in the hope that her husband would reform himself. Her husband, according to her, was a compulsive boozer and blew his entire income on alcohol.
Whenever he came home on leave, he used to brutally assault her in front of her in-laws for not bringing adequate dowry, she said. “Even animals are not beaten so cruelly,” she added, tears rolling down her cheeks.
An engineer with BSNL currently posted in Ranchi, Poonam said she has filed a divorce petition in the Ranchi civil court as her frail body could no longer endure such brutality at the hands of her husband. “I would bring up my daughter single-handedly and would never let her evil father’s shadow fall on her,” she said.
Meanwhile, the father-son duo were forwarded to judicial custody.link
The ugly drama at the Manjaurs Pasi village did not end even then. When trainee DSP Satish Kumar, accompanied by other cops, arrived at the scene following a tip-off, the marine engineer pompously questioned their authority to “interfere in my family matter”. “Aap ki himmat kaise hui yahan aane ki (How dare you come here)?” he asked.
However, as the cops acted tough, Rakesh Kumar who is posted as Section Officer II on a private cargo ship Kaveri, attempted to flee in his wife’s car, but was overpowered after a hot chase.
Rakesh’s father, Parmeshwar Choudhary, a government school teacher, tried to bribe the cops at the police station by displaying thick wads of currency notes which, he said, totalled Rs 2 lakh. Parmeshwar was also arrested.
Rakesh’s wife Poonam later lodged an FIR at the Warisaliganj police station against her husband and in-laws. She said she married Rakesh in 2005 despite her family’s opposition. She had then just finished her diploma in electrical engineering while her husband was undergoing marine training in Mumbai.
She said she was a victim of regular brutality ever since her marriage, but passively tolerated it in the hope that her husband would reform himself. Her husband, according to her, was a compulsive boozer and blew his entire income on alcohol.
Whenever he came home on leave, he used to brutally assault her in front of her in-laws for not bringing adequate dowry, she said. “Even animals are not beaten so cruelly,” she added, tears rolling down her cheeks.
An engineer with BSNL currently posted in Ranchi, Poonam said she has filed a divorce petition in the Ranchi civil court as her frail body could no longer endure such brutality at the hands of her husband. “I would bring up my daughter single-handedly and would never let her evil father’s shadow fall on her,” she said.
Meanwhile, the father-son duo were forwarded to judicial custody.link
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