Kobi Pakshya Starts

Bhanusingher Padabali: Rabindra Tirtha 30 July 2016

As in other years, we will observe the anniversary day of Rabindra Tirtha on Sunday 7 August 2016, coinciding with Baise Shraban.  A month-long celebration started yesterday with performance by students of Shantiniketan yesterday (see picture above). Throughout the month of August, various events have been planned. Details can be seen at http://rabindratirtha-wbhidcoltd.co.in/event/cultural-function . Minister Firhad Hakim will plant a tree at Rabindra Tirtha at4 pm on 7th August Sunday Baise Shraban.

As may be seen, in addition to events at Rabindra Tirtha, there will be two special initiatives this year at Najrul Tirtha and Swapna Bhor.

At Nazrul Tirtha, on 7th morning, the films "Postmaster" (new cinema, 2016, Directed by Srijon Bardhan) and Satyajit Ray's documentary on Tagore will be screened at 10.30 am. Free entry for all.

At Swapna Bhor, poet Joy Goswami and others will make a performance at 6 pm.

Other details are given in the link above.


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Clipping:

Ei Samay dt 31 July 2016

More Water Kiosks

Last week, we commissioned coin-operated Water ATM at Eco Park.
Now we are approaching NGO Rupa Foundation to put up water cooler and purifier at the following 11 sites:

1-10: Community Markets in New Town (AA I&II)
11. Parking Plaza near Tata MMedical Centre.

Pic of Water Kiosk (from internet)

These will be essentially electrically operated water purifiers like Aqua Guard etc, mounted on a small structure. The Foundation has agreed in principle to install and more importantly take care of Operations and Maintenance. HIDCO will provide space, water connection and power connectivity. These will be supplied free.  Recently a Trustee of the Foundation inspected the sites and agreed to set up the water kiosks inn New Town.

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Clippings:

Millennium Post dt 30 July 2016

Khabar 365 dt 30 July 2016

Aajkal dt 30 July 2016

Smart Post Measures

CPMG Ms Arundhati Ghosh lighting lamp
at Gate 4 Eco Park today
for Philatelic Counter

Special Cancellation with New Town
Skyline 

"Dak Manjari" Philatelic Counter in Gate 4

Near Hidco Bhavan

Screenshot of Website for Smart Post Box

Track your letter on web

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Clippings:

Khabar 365 dt 29 July 2016

ToI dt 29 July 2016

Pratidin dt 29 July 2016

Fish Ranching in Eco Park Lake

This morning, Minister Chandranath Sinha released 95 units (each unit being 100 fishlings and 5 units of lime) at the lake of Eco Park under the Fishery Department's Lake Ranching Scheme. Lake ranching is a a type of fish farming in which juvenile fish are released into the water to grow unprotected and unassisted to be subsequently harvested.  

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Clipping:

Millennium Post dt 28 July 2016

HT dt 28 July 2016

ET dt 28 July 2016

Landscape around Eiffel Tower replica in Eco Park

Architect Abin Chowdhury today gave me a first drawing of the proposed landscape around Eco Park that is being built on the ring road around the lake. Here it is:

I suggested a few additions and he agreed to incorporate those. Essentially, the landscape would consist of pathways and utilities, souvenir shop and coffee shop, security room and ticket counter, and a possible exhibition on Gustav Eiffel and Paris.

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Clippings:

Khabar 365 dt 27 July 2016

Pratidin dt 27 July 2016

Millennium Post dt 27 July 2016

HT dt 27 July 2016

Di Statesman dt 27 July 2016

New Business Club

Here is a pic of the opening today;

26 July 2016

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Clipping:

Khabar 365 dt 26 July 2016

New Town Business Club

The New Town Business Club will be inaugurated tomorrow 26th July by Hon'ble Minister Firhad Hakim :

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Clipping:

Millennium Post dt 25 July 2016

Water ATM in Eco ParkWater

German Technology at work: Coin and card operated water kiosk

Pure, chilled one litre water at Rs 2. Bring your bottle or glass. Adjoining entry plaza of Gate 2 of Eco Park, turn left once you enter.  Can be paid in coin through a slot. Can also be paid through a touch card if you don't have the change (see trial pic below):

Trial yesterday at Eco Park. Hugely popular

 We started trial run yesterday. Visitors entering Eco Park Gate 2 were told that Water ATM is just inside. Water tanks had to be refilled as so many peple used it on the very first day. There was even a minor queue in the evening. An operator has a help desk. The Rs 2 collections will go towards his pay and maintenance/ cleaning. A pay-and-drink concept just to make it sustainable.

German technology, Indian make. All things are automatic. The number of times water is drawn in one litre steps is kept inside an electronic counter with which the money received can be tallied. Water samples can be taken at each of the four step processes: oxidation, iron removal, activated carbon and Ultra Violet radiation. Water is stored in chillers before delivery.

Public Wi Fi Hotspots

India has only 31,000 plus Wi Fi  Hotspots while UK has 56 lakhs, France 130 lakhs and USA 98 lakhs Wi Fi Hotspots. Wi Fi cost per MB of data use is about 10 times cheaper than 2G/3G/4G . Wi Fi frees up costly mobile data spectrum space  as it uses free spectrum space. It is interoperable , ie its use is not limited to Vodafone or Airtel etc SIM cards.Most importantly, it lowers down the barrier to internet access for the poorer sections - much like the pre-mobile days when people went to PCO booths if they didn't have personal landlines.

In order, therefore, to break the digital barrier, we are trying to create a lot of Wi Fi hotspots in New Town. IIT Kharagpur has made an interesting design which I liked (see pic below) and I am asking telecom service providors including BSNL as well as corporates such as Power Grid Corporation etc to see if they can set up few prototype Wi Fi Hotspots in any of the 76 identified locations of New Town. The locations are bus stands, parks, universities, markets, IT Zones, Eco Park etc.

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Clippings:

Khabar 365 dt 23 July 2016

Khabar 365 dt 23 July 2016

Aajkal dt 23 July 2016

HTdt 23 July 2016

t2 dt 23 July 2016

Ei SSamay dt 23 July 2016

Tall Tree Nursery

With Minister of Forests Shri B K Barman, Chandan Sinha (Pr Secy Forests),
Head of Forest (PCCF Shukla) etc

On seven acres of land on the bank of a canal neear Tata Medical Centre, the tall tree nursery was inaugurated this morning by Minister B K Barman of Forest Department. The project will benefit the Green City Mission of the state government as good quality tall trees will be available for sale at affordable rates for the local residents, housing associations etc. It s a joint mission of WBHIDCO and WBWDC of Forest Department.
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I flagged off a Kaviguru Rally from Rabindra Tirtha this afternoon. 30 motor cyclees and 12 cars would go from Rabindra Tirtha to Santiniketan. A picture of me flagging off:

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Clippings:

Salt Lake Telegraph dt 22 July 2016

Anandabazar dt 22 July 2016