Page 53 - West Bengal

Indian Navy begins preparatory actions in Bengal in wake of Cyclone Remal

Indian Navy has readied two ships equipped with HADR and medical supplies for immediate deployment

Cyclone Remal: Passengers face inconvenience as several flights halted

Passengers complained that the airlines did not inform them about the cancellation of their flights through email or registered phone number

LS polls phase 6: 59.06% voter turnout; highest in WB, lowest in J&K

An approximate voter turnout of 59.06 per cent was recorded in the sixth phase of the Lok Sabha elections on Saturday in 58 constituencies across six states and two Union territories with the polling percentage in the Jangal Mahal region of West Bengal touching 78.19. Incidents of minor clashes and protests were reported from West Bengal while there were instances of EVM malfunctioning at some places, including Delhi. Jharkhand recorded a turnout of 62.74 per cent, Uttar Pradesh 54.03 per cent, Bihar 53.30 per cent, Jammu and Kashmir 52.28 per cent, Haryana 58.37 per cent, Odisha 60.07 and Delhi 54.48 per cent, according to the figures released by the Election Commission (EC) as of 7.45 pm. The EC said polling percentage in the Anantnag-Rajouri seat in Jammu and Kashmir is the highest in many decades. With the conclusion of this phase, polling is now complete in 486 seats in 28 states and Union territories. The last of the seven phases of polling is scheduled on June 1 and counting

Cyclone Remal: Kolkata airport to suspend flights for 21 hrs from Sun noon

The authorities of Kolkata airport have decided to suspend flight operations for 21 hours from Sunday noon in view of the possible impact of cyclone Remal, an official said here. The precautionary measure was taken after a meeting of the stakeholders of the Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose International (NSCBI) Airport here on Saturday. In view of cyclone Remal's impact on the coastal region of West Bengal, including Kolkata, a meeting was held with the stakeholders and it has been decided to suspend flight operations from 1200 IST on May 26 to 0900 IST on May 27 due to predicted heavy winds and heavy to very heavy rainfall in Kolkata, NSCBI airport director C Pattabhi said in a statement. With a wind speed of 110-120 km per hour, gusting to 135 kmph, the cyclonic storm is likely to make landfall on May 26 at midnight along the adjoining coasts of West Bengal and Bangladesh. The Met Office has warned of extremely heavy rainfall in the coastal districts of West Bengal and north Odisha on

Lok Sabha polls 2024 Phase 6: Over 39.1% voter turnout recorded till 1 pm

Lok Sabha elections 2024: Sixth phase will see voting in 58 of 543 Lok Sabha constituencies, including all seven seats in Delhi

Lok Sabha polls 2024: EC releases absolute number of voters for 5 phases

Election Commission says recorded vote counts was communicated to all candidates' polling agents on the polling day and such data is unalterable

Lok Sabha polls 2024 Phase 6: Over 49% voter turnout recorded till 3 pm

Lok Sabha elections 2024: Sixth phase will see voting in 58 of 543 Lok Sabha constituencies, including all seven seats in Delhi

Severe storm forming in Bay of Bengal, likely to make landfall on Sunday

A deep depression over the Bay of Bengal is likely to concentrate into a cyclonic storm by Saturday evening and make landfall on May 26 night along the adjoining coasts of West Bengal and Bangladesh, the Met office said. The cyclone is likely to make landfall with a wind speed of 110-120 km per hour, gusting to 135 kmph, it said. The Met office has warned of extremely heavy rainfall in the coastal districts of West Bengal and north Odisha on May 26-27. Extremely heavy precipitation may hit parts of northeast India on May 27-28. Storm surge of up to 1.5 metre is expected to inundate low-lying areas of coastal West Bengal and Bangladesh at the time of landfall. The weather office warned fishermen not to venture into the sea in north Bay of Bengal till May 27 morning. The Meteorological Department issued a red alert for West Bengal's coastal districts of South and North 24 Parganas on May 26 and 27, where extremely heavy rain is likely in some places. The weather system - a deep ..

Lok Sabha polls 2024 Phase 6: Over 10.8% voter turnout recorded till 9 am

The sixth phase will see voting in 58 of 543 Lok Sabha constituencies, including all seven seats in Delhi

Battleground 2024: Stage set in Delhi as 58 seats go to polls in Phase VI

Anantnag, Puri, Sultanpur in focus; all 7 seats in Delhi, 10 in Haryana to vote

Severe cyclone forming in Bay of Bengal to make landfall on Sunday midnight

A depression in the Bay of Bengal is likely to concentrate into a severe cyclonic storm and make landfall between Sagar island in West Bengal and Khepupara in Bangladesh around May 26 midnight, bringing heavy rain in the coastal districts of the state, the Met department said on Friday. The system, which lies over central Bay of Bengal, about 810 km south of West Bengal's Canning, is likely to concentrate into a cyclonic storm by May 25 morning, the Met said. Moving in a northward direction, the system will further concentrate into a severe cyclonic storm by May 25 evening, the weather office said. The severe cyclonic storm is very likely to cross West Bengal and Bangladesh coasts between Sagar island and Khepupara around midnight of May 26, it said. The weather system will bring heavy to very heavy rain in the coastal districts of West Bengal on May 26 and 27, the Met said. The Met office warned of heavy to very heavy rain on May 26 and 27 in Kolkata, South and North 24 Parganas,

WB to move higher court to challenge HC order on OBC certificates: Mamata

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Friday announced that her government will approach a higher court, challenging the Calcutta High Court order that cancelled all OBC certificates issued in the state since 2010. Addressing an election rally in Sagar in South 24 Parganas district, she said the state government would appeal to the higher court against the order after summer vacation. We do not accept the order that scrapped OBC certificates. We will contest at a higher court after summer vacation," Banerjee said. The Calcutta High Court on Wednesday struck down as illegal the OBC status of several classes in West Bengal granted since 2010, sparking a political debate in the middle of the Lok Sabha elections. The court observed that the inclusion of 77 classes of Muslims in the list of backward categories was to treat them as a vote bank. Banerjee urged electors "not to cast a single vote to the BJP or any other party except the TMC so that the INDIA bloc can form a govern

Explained| Why did Calcutta HC cancel OBC certificates issued since 2010?

The two-judge bench of Calcutta HC emphasised the total absence of legislative policy in the 2012 scheme that governed the State's authority to classify any group as OBC

Cyclone Remal to hit West Bengal, Bangladesh coasts by May 26 evening: IMD

Impact on monsoon progress 'not clear,' say experts

LS polls: Pre-poll violence in Bengal's Nandigram after BJP worker's murder

Violence erupted in Nandigram on Thursday, which comes under Purba Medinipur, a Lok Sabha constituency scheduled to go to polls on May 25

Storm developing in Bay of Bengal, likely to reach near WB coast on Sunday

A cyclonic storm developing in the Bay of Bengal is likely to reach near the coasts of West Bengal and adjoining Bangladesh on May 26 as a severe cyclone, the Met department said on Thursday. In its wake, light to moderate rain in many areas with heavy rain at isolated places is likely to occur in West Bengal's coastal districts of North 24 Parganas, South 24 Parganas and Purba Medinipur. A well-marked low-pressure system existing in the Bay of Bengal is likely to concentrate into a depression on Friday and thereafter into a cyclonic storm over east-central Bay of Bengal the next day, the weather office said. Subsequently, it would reach near Bangladesh and adjoining West Bengal coasts by Sunday evening as a severe cyclonic storm, the Met said. The weather office warned fishermen not to venture into the north Bay of Bengal till Sunday.

LS polls: Pangs of deprivation among tribals seen in Bengal's Bankura

An indomitable spirit of struggle seems to be the source of sustenance for residents of the Santhal villages of Ranibandh in Bankura, where pangs of deprivation of access to government welfare schemes like Awas, Lakshmir Bhandar or MGNREGA keep their lives on the edge. Although infrastructure developments in the form of blacktop roads cutting across the lush green forests, solar street lights in some pockets and tap water connections to households were apparent, people claim that unequal distribution of government benefits affects them big time. The story remains uniform across the Santhal villages of Ghagra, Rautera, Sonardi, Haludkanali and several other forest-covered areas, forming parts of West Bengal's Jangalmahal, which were affected by Maoist activities a little over a decade ago. "Some are getting these benefits twice over, while others are fully deprived," said Sukhlal Mandi, who works as an occasional bus driver on a local route, while sitting outside his modest but ...

Nandigram, cradle of anti-land acquisition stir, wants another 'poriborton'

Years have passed and peace has returned to Nandigram

Mamata compromising national security for sake of vote-bank politics: Shah

Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Wednesday accused West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee of compromising national security for the sake of vote-bank politics, and committing a sin by allowing infiltrators to change the state's demography. Addressing a poll rally at Kanthi in East Midnapore district, Shah also asserted that the Trinamool Congress will disintegrate, resulting in the farewell of the Mamata Banerjee government after the BJP wins 30 Lok Sabha seats in the state. Bengal has become a safe haven for infiltrators. Due to infiltration, the demography of the state is changing, which is impacting not only Bengal but the entire country. Mamata Banerjee is committing a sin by allowing infiltrators to change the demography of Bengal. She is compromising national security for the sake of vote-bank politics, he alleged. The BJP has maintained that infiltrators are the vote bank of the TMC. Shah also criticised Banerjee's recent comments that certain monks of the Ramakrishna .

LS polls: BJP gains ground as TMC struggles in Adhikari's backyard Kanthi

The future of the Kanthi Lok Sabha constituency in West Bengal appears to be volatile on account of the dual and opposing factors of the BJP sharply gaining political ground and the TMC desperate to retain its sway over voters. While the BJP looks emboldened by its recent rural poll successes and the Adhikari family's defection to the saffron camp, the TMC seems to be counting on its grassroots connections and the state's welfare schemes which the party believes have attained last-mile connectivity with the electorate. Located in Purba Medinipur district, the Kanthi seat exemplifies dynasty politics through the influence of the state's Leader of Opposition Suvendu Adhikari, whose family members have held key political positions in the past and continue to wield substantial power in the region, poll watchers believe. The poll results would, hence, serve as a litmus test for the endurance of political dynasty and durability of the Adhikari family legacy, revealing whether their suppor