A 3500-4500 years old town has been found in the village of Dwarkapur-Agiyabeer near Uttar Pradesh’s Basti in an excavation by Ancient Indian History Culture and Archaeology Department Team of BHU.
During the excavation, the archaeologists discovered remains of weapons made out of bones, sculptures made of mud, floor tiles and utensils.
The digging of the site, which is now believed to be a settlement of fishermen, started in 1999.
Director Dr Ashok Kumar Singh told that evidence of two cultures has been found- Iron-Stone Age and Copper-Stone Age. Equipment made out of iron, spears, parts of swords, axes were also excavated from the site.
Excavators also found beads which are likely to have been used for beautification.
source: http://www.timesofindia.indiatimes.com / The Times of India / Home> News> City News> Lucknow News / by Navbharat Times / April 16th, 2018
The gharial is threatened by the loss of its riverine habitat, depletion of fishes, and entanglement in fishing nets.(HT Photo)
The Kukrail gharial breeding centre in Lucknow alone houses around 300 gharials — once considered to be the total population of the crocodilian in the country. And there are still eggs left for new ones to make an appearance.
“We have 300 gharials with us. But this figure represents only what is left after hundreds were sent for breeding to different places over the years,” said Ashok Prasad Sinha, conservator of forest endangered species project, Uttar Pradesh forest department.
The gharial (Gavialis gangeticus), also known as gavial or fish-eating crocodile, is a type of Asian crocodilian set apart by its long and thin snout. It is different from the crocodile or the alligator, which exist in bigger numbers. It is native to the northern part of the Indian subcontinent.
The jaws of the gharial are too thin and delicate to grab a larger prey. They keep lying in wait for fishes to swim by and then quickly catch them by whipping their heads sideways. They do not chew their prey, but swallow it.
Sinha said that the Kukrail centre is responsible for sending gharials for breeding to places like Madhya Pradesh and Chennai in Tamil Nadu. “In all, 238 gharials were sent to Delhi, Rampur, Bijnor, Etah, Mathura and Kanpur. Thirty-one gharials were also sent to other countries, including Bhutan, the US (New York), Pakistan and China,” he shared.
The latest batches of 116 gharials left the centre for the natural habitat of Kartania forest range on March 15 and 29. “We are happy that even after sending so many, we still have 300 gharials left. According to wildlife statistics, gharials fall under the critically endangered category,” said Sinha.
The gharial is threatened by the loss of its riverine habitat, depletion of fishes, and entanglement in fishing nets. As its population has sharply declined since the 1930s, it has been listed as critically endangered on the IUCN Red List — a comprehensive inventory of the global conservation status of biological species.
source: http://www.hindustantimes.com / Hindustan Times / Home> Cities> Lucknow / by Gaurav Saigal, Hindustan Times,Lucknow / April 14th, 2018
The award covers the period between January 1, 2017 and December 31, 2017
Lucknow :
Lucknow Metro’s underground project has bagged the prestigious international Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents (RoSPA) health and safety awards, 2018. The project will be awarded with the highly acclaimed ‘RoSPA Silver Award’ for the health and safety performance for the period between January 1, 2017 and December 31, 2017 by the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents (RoSPA). This is a British charity organisation that aims for promotion of safety and prevention of accidents in project execution the world over.
For Lucknow Metro Rail Project, Gulermak-Tata Projects Limited (TPL) Joint Venture (JV) are the contractors who have been entrusted with the civil work of the 3.67-km long Charbagh to Hazratganj underground stretch. The contractors have been declared winner of this coveted award, announced the Lucknow Metro Rail Corporation (LMRC).
Officials said that this award is a very important achievement for the team of Lucknow Metro since it was selected among some very prominent international projects. This award highlights LMRC’s continuous commitment in achieving highest standards of health and safety in the project execution for the Lucknow Metro Rail Project. The award will be presented in a ceremony on July 5, 2018 at Birmingham, United Kingdom.
RoSPA Silver Award winners indicate that the company has achieved a high level of performance by adopting good management systems which are delivering consistent improvement and are working towards the level of excellence.
In the recent past, LMRC has also won several prestigious national and international awards, including the Best Urban Mass Transit Project in 2017 by the ministry of housing & urban affairs, government of India, the best metro project for ‘Excellence in Innovative Designs’ in 2016, the ESQR Quality Choice Prize in 2016 in Berlin (Germany) under the Gold Category, Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam Memorial Award on Innovation in Governance in 2016, the ‘International Quality Summit (IQS) Award 2016’ under Gold Category by Business Initiative Directions (BID) Group One – in Madrid, Spain and the Dun & Bradstreet Infra Award, 2017 in Mumbai etc.
The contract for Charbagh – Hazratganj underground stretch of Lucknow Metro Project was awarded in April, 2016. The scope of work includes 3.67 km of tunneling with Tunnel Boring Machine (TBM) and construction of three underground stations at Hussainganj, Sachivalaya and Hazratganj. The project is progressing at a very fast pace with about 75% of work having been completed.
“This has been a significant technical and managerial achievement for the team of Lucknow Metro since the work involved construction/tunneling through some of the most congested areas and highly dilapidated buildings of the city requiring extensive instrumentation, monitoring and traffic management”, said officials.
source: http://www.timesofindia.indiatimes.com / The Times of India / Home> News / by Priyanka Singh / TNN / April 11th, 2018
At present, 28-species of butterflies could be seen, but soon the number can go up to 40, said zoo director RK Singh. Butterflies are the most important indicator of good environment.
The park will be further developed to increase the number of butterflies(HT Photo)
Now, visitors can also have a look at different species of butterfly at the Lucknow Zoo as the state’s first butterfly park was inaugurated by forest minister Dara Singh Chauhan here on Monday.
At present, 28-species of butterflies could be seen, but soon the number can go up to 40, said zoo director RK Singh. Butterflies are the most important indicator of good environment.
He said that the park will be further developed to increase the number of butterflies. “We have placed host plants that attract butterfly and hopefully more species will come up soon,” said Singh.
He said that the park will also generate awareness among visitors about the risks that butterflies face due to increasing pollution and use of chemical fertilizers.
There are around 2,000 species of butterflies in the world of which, 1,500 are found in India. On the occasion, the forest minister said that soon Uttar Pradesh would be leading state in eco-tourism as several programmes for the same were being implemented.
source: htt://www.hindustantimes.com / Hindustan Times / Home> Cities> Lucknow / by Gaurav Saigal, Hindustan Times,Lucknow / April 10th, 2018
CM with awardees at a function in Lucknow on Thursday
Lucknow :
Chief minister Yogi Adityanath gave away the prestigious Rani Laxmi Bai Veerta awards in Lucknow on Thursday. As many as 129 women and girls were awarded. The CM said his government was committed towards the security and welfare of women and all necessary steps have been taken in this regard.
Among the awardees was Pallavi Fauzdar Mishra, a solo lady biker, who is also fashion and jewellery designer. Pallavi made four back-to back world records by covering 3,500 km ride, more than 5,000 metre above sea level, from Delhi to Ladakh.
Speaking to TOI, 38-year old Pallavi, a resident of Lucknow now living in Delhi, who started riding a bike when she was nine, said, “Ek zindagi kam pad jaati hai bahut kuchh karne ko.”
With just a pack of inhaler, drinking water and some clothes, Pallavi started her journey in July 2015 from Delhi to Leh, Ladakh. It took her over seven days to cross eight high passes 5,000 metre above sea level and braved seven avalanches.
In September 2015, Pallavi drove up to 54 km ahead of Badrinath, Uttarakhand, crossing passes at 18,774 feet near Indo-Tibetan border, her world record.
source: http://www.timesofindia.indiatimes.com / The Times of India / News> City News> Lucknow News / by Urooj Khan / TNN / March 30th, 2018
At reservation counters, too, it was women on duty for the day
Lucknow :
Women piloted express trains in Lucknow division of both Northern Railway and North Eastern Railway on the occasion of International Women’s Day on Thursday.
At reservation counters, too, it was women on duty for the day. The all-women staff on Lucknow-Prayag Intercity Express included one assistant loco pilot, five travel ticket examiners (TTEs) and sanitation staff.
The train was flagged off by divisional railway manager (DRM) Northern Railway Satish Kumar from Charbagh station around 7.30am. At NER station, Gorakhpur-Nautanwa Express was driven by a woman assistant loco pilot. With four women TTEs, the train departed from Gorakhpur around 11.30am.
According to Kumar and DRM NER Vijaylaxmi Kaushik, this was the first time in the history of NR and NER’s Lucknow divisions that maximum operational work, including piloting the train, ticket checking and reservation, was carried out by women.
For assistant loco pilot Mamta Yadav, it was the first opportunity to pilot an express train. A graduate from Gorakhpur, Mamta said, “It was a dream come true. Since childhood, I had wanted to drive a train. It felt daring to take such a responsibility.”
TTE of Lucknow-Prayag Intercity Express Vijayalaxmi said, “I have been a TTE for five years. For the first time, I have seen an all-female staff on the train.” TTE Mundri Devi said, “Incidentally today, there were around 150 female passengers on my reservation list. I felt like all women had come out to support us. I am thankful to the railways.”
Riyansha, who had come to board the train for Prayag, said, “When I woke up this morning, my husband wished me for women’s day. At the station, I saw women everywhere, even my loco pilot and TTE were females. I felt very proud.”
Gulnaaz, another passenger, said, “My friends and cousins had planned to celebrate women’s day in my hometown. On knowing that a woman will pilot my train, I immediately sent a message of thanks to railways on social media.
Rahul, who had no reservation and demanded Mundri Devi a seat, was turned by her. “I have realised that not only at home, but even outside, women uphold values of honesty and integrity. I will have to adjust in a general coach, but I also proud somewhere,” said Rahul.
source: http://www.timesofindia.indiatimes.com / The Times of India / News> City News> Lucknow News / by Urooj Khan / TNN / March 09th, 2018
Hiding in a tree, she carefully took aim at the approaching British
The Indian Rebellion of 1857 against British rule saw some of the most ferocious battles fought across the nation. The soldiers were courageous and fought tooth and nail. While the revolt did not succeed, it went down in history as a righteous struggle.
Amongst all the illustrious freedom fighters, Uda Devi’s name stands out for leading one of the fiercest battles in Lucknow against the British.
Uda Devi hid in a tree, and took out more than 30 British soldiers without batting an eyelid.Representative image only. Image Courtesy:Wikimedia Commons
Born to a Dalit family in Awadh, Uttar Pradesh, Uda Devi at an early age, recognised the dissent the local people showed against the British Raj. She decided to contribute to the cause, and approached Begum Hazrat Mahal to seek help, in order to prepare for the battle against the British.
Begum Hazrat Mahal was kind and helped Uda Devi form a woman’s battalion, which the latter would lead herself. Thus, when Awadh was attacked by the British, Uda Devi and her husband became a vital part of the armed resistance.
The Battle in Sikandar Bagh
The Sikandar Bagh gate, where the battle took place.Image Courtesy: Wikipedia
In autumn 1857, north India was in a state of practical anarchy. A general revolt against the growing authority of the British East India Company consumed the cities of Delhi, Jhansi and Kanpur.
In Lucknow, a small British garrison clung stubbornly to life at the Residency (a collection of buildings) on the banks of the Gomti River.
Surrounded by rebels and bereft of adequate supplies, the small British contingent teetered on the edge of annihilation throughout the summer of 1857.
In November, General Colin Campbell broke through the enemy lines and managed to save the trapped garrison. This was the ‘Second Relief of Lucknow’, during which Campbell’s 93rd Highland Regiment advanced along the Southern bank of the Gomti, proceeding toward the Palace of Sikandar Bagh.
Here, the rebels fought desperately, after fortifying their position. A pitched battle ensued, leaving over 2000 rebels and soldiers dead, after a fierce hand-to-hand combat. It was during the battle that Uda Devi’s husband was killed. Enraged, the brave soldier decided to avenge his death.
On seeing the British army approach Sikandar Bagh, she climbed up a banyan tree, disguised as a man, and took aimed, killing 32 British soldiers.
Once the dust had settled, an officer noticed that many of the British casualties had bullet wounds that indicated a steep, downward trajectory.
The needle of suspicion naturally pointed to a sniper, who could be hidden in the nearby trees. British officers fired at a nearby pipal tree, and a rebel fell out of the tree, dead, her body riddled with bullet wounds. Upon investigation, it was found that the rebel was, in fact, Uda Devi.
The British were shocked when they realised the soldier was a woman. It is said that even British officers like Campbell bowed their heads over her dead body, in recognition of her bravery.
Uda Devi is indeed an inspiration, especially to women from non-dominant castes. Befittingly, on November 16th each year, the members of her Pasi caste gather at the site of her fall and celebrate her as a brave rebel, who defied all odds to take British lives, for a cause. It has been over a century since she was martyred, yet the memory of her sacrifice is kept alive by her community, which celebrates her unwavering and courageous spirit.
Uda Devi is also one of the inspirations behind an all-women battalion, of the Uttar Pradesh Provincial Armed Constabulary. The government is keen on recruiting women from OBC and Dalit communities in these battalions.
The women PAC battalions will help the government in crowd control, and during agitations where the participants are mostly women. The government is currently identifying land in Uttar Pradesh, where centres for training these women cops can be built.
The raising of women PAC battalions is an excellent step towards empowering the women from the weaker sections of society, and it is only fitting, that one of the units, derives its name from a ‘Dalit Veerangana’ like Uda Devi.
source: http://www.thebetterindia.com / The Better India / Home> Inspiration> Women / by Rayomand Engineer / March 01st, 2018
Lucknow girl Purva Dhawan returned home recently after hoisting the tricolor at the base camp of Mount Everest which is 17,595 feets above the ground level.
Purva now aims to climb the Mount Everest (18,192 feet) in year 2019. (HT)
Lucknow girl Purva Dhawan returned home recently after hoisting the tricolor at the base camp of Mount Everest which is 17,595 feets above the ground level.
Purva Dhawan left for tracking for the base camp from Lacula in Nepal on December 23. She reached the base camp on December 31 when the temperature was -32 degree Celsius.
Purva now aims to climb the Mount Everest (18,192 feet) in year 2019. Before that, she has planned to conquer the Kanchanjanga peak which is the highest in India. She is also a trained Kathak dancer and is pursuing her degree in commerce from Dr. Ram Manohar Lohia Avadh University, Faizabad.
A resident of Indira Nagar, Purva said she got training in mountaineering from Nehru Institute of Mountaineering in Uttar Kashi, Uttarakhand.
source: http://www.hindustantimes.com / Hindustan Times / Home> Cities> Lucknow / by Hindustan Times, Lucknow / January 10th, 2018
Yogi government is planning to promote UP’s religious sites for tourism in a big way.
He had formed the Brij Tirath Vikas Parishad just two months after Rampur assuming office.
Lucknow :
The UP government is planning to rejuvenate the almostbarren Govardhan Parvat, which has huge mythological significance for Hindus, by reviving flora of Dwapar Yug along its 21-km perambulation path. Indian Agriculture Research Institute has been roped in for the project in Mathura.
The Yogi Aditya Nath government is planning to promote the state’s religious sites for tourism in a big way. Yogi had formed the Brij Tirath Vikas Parishad just two months after Rampur assuming office.
The CM, who is also the chairman of the parishad, has tasked it to find five varieties of trees: kadamb, karoli, tamal, pakkad and tilkan and develop the vegetation around Govardhan Parvat to resemble what has been described in the sacred texts.
Myhtology has it that Lord Krishna picked up Govardhan hill, and held it above his head with his little finger for seven days to protect villagers from incessant rain, a result of the wrath of Indra.
“In Hindu mythology, kadamb was the favourite tree of Lord Krishna, who used to play the flute and play with his friends under its shade. We’ve sent our research team to find this tree in Rajasthan’s Karoli Dham area. The entire Govardhan project is being monitored by the CM,” said Brij Tirath Vikas Parishad CEO Nagendra Pratap.
In a recent report to the CM, the parishad said the hill’s green cover had shrunk over the years and it was necessary to preserve its sanctity as it was intrinsic to Hindu culture and mythology.
The government has sanctioned Rs 226 crore as the first instalment for the project. Forest officials blame brackish water of the Yamuna in Mathura for poor vegetation on the hill. The parishad now plans to use water harvested from neighbouring Bharatpur district in Rajasthan for irrigation around Govardhan Parvat, said Pratap.
source: http://www.timesofindia.indiatimes.com / The Times of India / News> City News> Lucknow News / by Rohan Dua, TNN / January 04th, 2018
A mobile app and new-age rail ticketing Anand Purohit earns IRs. 50,000 a month as a ticketing agent using the RailYatri app
Twenty-six-year-old Anand Purohit is not looking for a job any more. He says he has found a profitable vocation. This resident of the tiny town of Akot, in Maharashtra, was not keen on joining his father’s kirana shop and hotel business. “I wanted to break out on my own, earn for myself and do something different.”
Gunjeeta Tiwari Bhatt runs her business from home and can care for her baby too
Ditto the case with 31-year-old Gunjeeta Tiwari Bhatt, who had been working as an accountant for five years in Uttarakhand. When she married and moved to Delhi, she wanted to look after her child and also try her hand at entrepreneurship. “I manage to look after my one-year-old and run my independent business from home,” she says gleefully.
Both Purohit and Bhatt are part of a new breed of entrepreneurs created this year, thanks to the travel app RailYatrti. As ticketing agents for the app, authorised by the Railways, they earn ₹40,000-50,000 a month.
On any given day, the RailYatri mobile app has around 300 or so ticketing agents answering customers’ queries, helping them book tickets, confirm and re-book their journeys, and assisting with refunds on the massive Indian Railways network across the country.
All in one place
A third-party mobile app, RailYatri provides every kind of railway-related information, including train cancellations, route change, delayed start, important hotspots such as railway accident sites, visibility during fog and congestion on routes. But for services like ticket booking or queries on refunds, passengers are routed to the ticket agents via the app.
So, how does the app work? From the app installed on your mobile phone, you are routed to a ticket agent, who answers queries and handles the online booking. For those who find reservations tedious and complicated, the app is a convenient solution. It’s almost like how you book a cab on Uber or Ola. The difference here is that you have a human interface handling your travel requirements. Payments can be through money wallets, net banking, and debit and credit cards.
Besides handling all enquiries regarding train routes, distances, fares and refunds, the ticketing agent also suggests the best options for confirmed reservations. “We simplify train travel as much as possible,” says 42-year-old Deepak Suri from Bareilly. Known to be one of the most successful RailYatri entrepreneurs, he says he was about to close down his railway reservation agency when the mobile app appeared two years ago.
Today, he has eight employees to handle calls routed through the RailYatri app. With 100-200 phone calls for ticket bookings a day, he makes a monthly sale of ₹70-80 lakh. “Above all, the technology ensures that I get timely payment for my sales — no more do I have to work on credit.” DEEPAK SURI, RailYatri agent in Bareilly
Sitting in Bareilly, Suri serves customers all over the country. “Requests come from Kolkata, Gorakhpur, Benares, Puri, Mumbai, Nashik — you name it.” The rail reservation business he set up 10 years ago had substantial traffic until it took a massive hit with the advent of cybercafés and online booking. Now he is back in profit with RailYatri.
Customer queries
And what is the most asked question by passengers? Purohit, who has employed two people this year, says ticket confirmations seem to be their main worry. “Through the app, which uses machine learning, I am able to give them the best solution.” RailYatri uses predictive analytics to zero in on wait-listed and quota-specific tickets with the best chance of confirmation.
“Refunds is another area where customers need help,” says Bhatt, who initially trained for a few days at the RailYatri headquarters in Noida.
RailYatri was started two years ago when technology buffs got together “to remove the black box that shrouds information regarding Indian Railways”. Today, the app has grown to include food and gift delivery at stations. And with its user base growing, the field is opening up for more Purohits and Bhatts to become part of the journey.
source: http://www.thehindubusinessline.com / Business Line / Home> India Interior / by Preeti Mehra / December 29th, 2017
