Kolkata, 15 February : BJP today described the ruling CPI(M) and Opposition Trinamool Congress in West Bengal as "two sides of the same coin", while asserting that it was going to fight in nearly all the seats for the upcoming Assembly elections."We are going to fight in almost the seats in West Bengal," BJP leader Arun Jaitley said on the sidelines of the party's national office-bearers' meet here.
"We regard the CPI(M) and Trinamool Congress as two sides of the same coin. CPI(M) has run the state to the ground and there is no industry, huge unemployment and public discontent," BJP central observer Chandan Mitra said.
He said the CPI(M)-led Left Front government in West Bengal had done nothing for the development of the state in its 34-year rule. န Photo : PTI
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Dhaka Stock Exchange to take World Cup Cricket break !!
Dhaka, 15 February : Trading at Dhaka Stock Exchange (DSE) will remain suspended on 17 February for the ICC World Cup Cricket inauguration.
The DSE website on Tuesday says: "As per decision of the Board of Directors, trading of shares in Dhaka Stock Exchange will remain closed on 17 February, 2011." With the declaration, trading at the DSE will remain suspended for four days at a stretch.
Trading will remain closed on 16 February, the day being a public holiday on the occasion of Eid-e-Miladunnabi. On the other hand, 18 February and 19 (Friday and Saturday) are the regular off days at the DSE.
The DSE website on Tuesday says: "As per decision of the Board of Directors, trading of shares in Dhaka Stock Exchange will remain closed on 17 February, 2011." With the declaration, trading at the DSE will remain suspended for four days at a stretch.
Trading will remain closed on 16 February, the day being a public holiday on the occasion of Eid-e-Miladunnabi. On the other hand, 18 February and 19 (Friday and Saturday) are the regular off days at the DSE.
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Five EC observers meet WB' hills district officials at Siliguri
Darjeeling, 15 February : A five-member team of Election Commission observers, led by Sudhir Kumar Rakesh, arrived at Siliguri today en route to the Darjeeling hills where the indefinite bandh called by GJM in support of its demand for a separate state entered the seventh day.Officials here said that the observers' visit came at a time when a food crisis had gripped the entire hills due to the bandh that crippled the four hill sub-divisions, leading to short supply of essential commodities.
The observers took stock of the law-and-order situation at a meeting with the district administration at Siliguri in which Darjeeling district magistrate Mohan Gandhi, SP Devendra Pratap Singh, senior administrative and police officials besides district election department officials were present. The observers are likely to meet representatives of political parties, including the GJM, at Siliguri later.
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At least 7 sailors missing in mishap in Chittagong port area
Chittagong, 15 February : At least seven sailors are missing after two lighterage vessels sank and another was damaged in a collision with a larger ship.
Meanwhile, Chittagong Port authority has confirmed that operations are continuing normally following the incident. The port's radio control room said that the two vessels, MV Titu-21 and MV Titu-22, sank 10.65 nautical miles away from the Kutubdia lighthouse around 1:30am(BDST) on Tuesday. Another light vessel named MV Titu-16 was partially damaged in the incident.
Meanwhile, Chittagong Port authority has confirmed that operations are continuing normally following the incident. The port's radio control room said that the two vessels, MV Titu-21 and MV Titu-22, sank 10.65 nautical miles away from the Kutubdia lighthouse around 1:30am(BDST) on Tuesday. Another light vessel named MV Titu-16 was partially damaged in the incident.
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Pabna court summons Nobel laureate Yunus in fraud case
UNB, Pabna, 15 February : A Pabna court has summoned Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus on Apr 18 in a fraud case involving a Grameen Bank village phone.
Abdul Mazed, resident of Gangahati village of Ataikula Upazila, filed the case under section 420. The plaintiff also named Pabna regional manager of Grameen Bank Mahbubur Rahman, administrative official Masud Raza and Ataikula branch manager Mohammad Habibur Rahman as co-accused in the case. Judge of Pabna Cognisance Court Laila Sharmin took the accusation in cognisance and ordered the four accused to be present before the court on 18 April.
Abdul Mazed, resident of Gangahati village of Ataikula Upazila, filed the case under section 420. The plaintiff also named Pabna regional manager of Grameen Bank Mahbubur Rahman, administrative official Masud Raza and Ataikula branch manager Mohammad Habibur Rahman as co-accused in the case. Judge of Pabna Cognisance Court Laila Sharmin took the accusation in cognisance and ordered the four accused to be present before the court on 18 April.
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Kolkata... ranked below average in Asian Green City Index
PTI, Singapore, 15 February : India's cosmopolitan cities like Mumbai, Kolkata and Bengaluru have been ranked "below average", while Delhi is a "average" performer in 'Asian Green City Index' that termed Singapore as the "greenest city" in the continent.According to the study, Pakistan's commercial capital Karachi was the worst performer, being alone in the list of cities "well below average."
In the index of 22 cities, Mumbai, Kolkata and Bengaluru find themselves with Manila, capital of the Philippines, and Vietnamese capital Hanoi.
The research commissioned a few months back by German engineering major Siemens and Economist Intelligence Unit categorises, Asian cities with respect to the environmental performance in eight categories: energy and CO2, land use and buildings, transport, waste, water, sanitation, air quality and environmental governance.It said "well above average" Singapore City "stands out in particular for its ambitious environmental targets and its efficient approach to achieving them."
The Indian capital is among "above average" performers in Energy management and curbing CO2 emissions, but Kolkata disappoints with a below average tag. Each inhabitant in Delhi generates, on average, an estimated 1.1 tonnes of CO2 per year, the third best level in the Index, and well below the Index average of 4.6 tonnes.
The report lauded Delhi and said it "has proactive policies to limit greenhouse gases. It also scores particularly well for its climate change action plan."
Even Mumbai had better reading with its inhabitants emitting an estimated 1 tonne of CO2 per capita per year, which is much lower than the Index average.
Giving example of Delhi's environmental governance, the report said "City's environmental department is using school 'eco-clubs' to try to shape student's views: Students can engage in a vast range of activities, including air monitoring, water harvesting, eco-tours, and awareness-raising campaigns...Convenient way to spread information widely on environmental campaigns."
Kolkata is one of the better performers on the water front with consumption of 138 litres per person per day. This is one of the best rates among the 22 cities, and better than the average of 278 litres.
Mumbai is also competing with Kolkata on water front. The report said the western metropolis has "fairly efficient water system," losing just 14 per cent of its water flow through leaks versus the Index average of 22 per cent.
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