Authority and Citizens join hand to combat water logging

In New Town, for the past several months, Hidco and NKDA have been taking steps so that water does not accumulate in New Town during monsoons. We have installed the huge drainage pumping station at Jatragachi. The canal leading to it from Eco Park has been excavated and cleaned and a new sluice gate installed to isolate the water in the lake from the pass-khal: photo:

New Sluice Gate at Eco Park lake
(Photo courtesy Suman Neogy) 

We have excavated new stretches of periphery canal in Action Area 2. We have cleared drainage pipes in Chinar Park. We have re-excavated canal near Tarulia in Action Area I.

Yesterday I held a meeting with local residents where NKDA, Hidco and PHE engineers were present. I appealed to all to help us to ensure that drains are not choked with construction materials being used to build houses. It was decided that a joint publicity-cum-cleaning drive would be flagged off from 12 noon tomorrow (Friday). Roadside stalls will also be requested to help clean the drains underneath. Additional dustbins would be placed for the stalls to keep the drains free. Awareness would be generated not to use drains for dumping cement slush and sand.

Residents pointed out instances of water logging due to Metro works. I collected the street numbers and spoke to Mr H.S.Yadav, CGM RVNL yesterday itself and today Metro engineers have made an inspection and initiated action including installation of additional pumps to drain away water from these streets,. As decided yesterday, Mr Ananda Ganguly, ED Hidco, held a meeting with Cement Mixing Plant owners of New Town and sensitized them that excess concrete etc should be brought back to source instead of dumping in drains meant for draining water during rains.
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Here is a clipping from today's Hindustan Times:

Hindustan Times dt 19.6.2014

Pisciculture in New Town

To meet maintenance expenses of Eco Park and other greeneries in New Town, the Board of Hidco approved last Saturday a scheme of pisciculture in New Town. This was based on a Detailed Project Report prepared by Fisher Expert T.K.Giri. Based on studies and scientific analysis of water bodies carried on for a month, the report mentions the following points/ recommendations:

1. There are 70 ha of water bodies in Action Area 1, 88 ha in Action Area 2 and 48 ha in Action Area 3. This includes canals and dehydrated tanks. However some are not fit for fish cultivation right now.
2. Development work is needed in many of these areas to make fish farming effective. Examples: Shaping and embankment, leveling of tank floor, weed clearance etc.
3. Some sporadic fishing activities are already being carried out and needs to be controlled.
 The report recommends that immediate activities may be started in 11 water bodies in an area of about 100ha.  The ensuing production will be able to cater to 87% of New Town's fish demand within 3 years. The invested capital will also be recovered in three years or less.

We have decided to continue the engagement of Shri Giri to take the project forward.
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Here is a clipping from today's Times of India:

CM takes Core Committee Meeting at Eco Park

As per schedule, Hon'ble Mamata Banerjee went to Eco Park / Eco Island to hold meeting of Core Committee on Industry at the Glass House yesterday. Meeting was scheduled at 4pm but she arrived at 3.30pm. She inspected mango produced by a Self Help Group of Bankura. She travelled across the water on the floating motorised jetty. Before the meeting, she intently looked through the glass walls of the Glass House and inspected Eco Park. A photo:

Admiring the view 

On the occasion of the first meeting of Chief Minister in Eco Island, NKDA had installed a raging bull in front of the gate through which CM entered. A photo by my Sony camera:

Installation completed on 16th June 2014

We were fortunate not to have rains. But the weather was quite hot and humid and uncomfortable. Even then, CM did an end-to-end walk, right till Bnglar Haat.

Here are few press clippings appearing in today's papers:

Anandabazar dt 17.6.2014

The Telegraph dt 17.6.2014

Ei Samay dt 17.6.2014

ToI dt 17.6.2014

ToI dt 17.6.2014

Hindustan Times dt 17.6.2014

Khabar 365 dt 17.6.2014

Khabar 365 dt 17.6.2014

Sanbad Pratidin dt 17.6.2014

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http://youtu.be/LMRdRnhhTuY

Water Cycling

Water-based rides already existing in Eco Park include Shikara, Paddle Boat, Motor Boat, Kayaking and Water Zorbing. To this was added yesterday: Water Cycling. A photo taken yesterday:

After duo-cvcling, now water cycling:
Unique experiences in Eco Park

We started "release a butterfly" campaign yesterday. Details are well-covered in the Hindusthan Times story appearing today.

Blue Tiger butterfly:
Bred and released in Eco Park

Hindustan Times dt 16 June 2014

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Here are a few other clippings appearing today:

Khabar 365 dt 16th June 14

Times of India dt 15th June 14

Ei Samay dt 14 June 2016

Anandabazar dt 14.6.2014

Anandabazar dt 14.6.2014

CCTV for Eco Park

To ensure safety and security of the visitors at Eco Park, S.P. Chatterjee, Chief Engineer (Electrical) and his team have started installing Closed Circuit TVs in Eco Park. It will take a few weeks to complete the installations. The agency showed us a powerpoint presentation too. Here are two photographs:

Special zooming CCTV at Gate 2 of Eco Park

Using the web, views can be monitored
remotely too, as in Hidco Bhavan

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Here is a clipping from today's Times of India:

And here is an advertisement that we will release tomorrow:

Bullish Finances

In the meeting of Board of Directors of Hidco held today, it was decided that fresh Expression of Interest would be invited for plots in Financial Hub in New Town. There are 23 such plots of varying sizes that will be put up on the EoI. Only Financial Institutions can apply. Earlier, 10 such Financial Institutions have taken up / are in the process of taking up plots in the Financial Hub. These are: NIC, WBFC, UCO, UBI, WBIDFC, Union Bank, Bank of Baroda, Bank of India, Corporation Bank and Sriram Capital. In addition, Allahabad Bank had taken a plot earlier in this area. The Notices are expected to be published by next week.The last date of application will be 26th August 2014.

Meanwhile, a model of a bull is being installed on the Major Arterial Road opposite Finance Centre Building and near Gate 2 of Eco Park. I had seen a somewhat similar model near the New York Stock Exchange at Wall Street which is a great tourist interest especially for photos. Here is a photo that I took yesterday of the installation process whose engineering is being done by NKDA:

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Here is a clipping from today's Khabar 365:

Mechanical Sweepers for New Town

With consistent efforts by NKDA's Engineers, we got two mechanical sweepers yesterday. The photos were taken yesterday afternoon:

Large Machine for Major Roads

Smaller Machine for Eco Park Pathways

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Here are two clippings:

Anandabazar dt 12 June 2014

Khabar 365 dt 8th June 2014

Communication Strategy

Yesterday, I attended a workshop organised by the John Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health at Delhi, under the aegis of NMCG (National Mission for Clean Ganga).
Mr Rajiv Mishra Mission Director NMCG, Ms Geetali Trivedi, Pradeep Krishnatray and Raj Kumar Jha of JHU, DAVP, NFDC and the states were present.
In the inaugural session, I mentined that other four states were Hindi speaking and so Bengal's Bangla identity must be preserved in developing campaigns. State variations like Durga Puja etc should be recognised and exploited as opportunities to communicate. Gangasagar should be projected as an international destination. And, how polluted Ganga affects each individual citizen should be highlighted.
I learnt quite a few insights too. For example, the survey by JHU had indicated that envirinment wasn't exactly on top priority of the man-on-the-river bank, that Bengal had a higher awareness on issues like avoidance of plastic waste etc.
Here is a picture on my mobile of the dais just after we descended:

100 mgd water project continues

This afternoon, I was invited by PHED engineers to see underground jack pushing operations just started in Ultadanga at beginning of VIP Road. The crossing across VIP road will take 5 days and the crossing across the canal to the other side will take 8 days. The pipes are six feet in diametre. Here are two photos:

In the picture with me are the following:
Sujit Bose MLA, Ananda Ganguly ED(E), Debashis Banerjee, EE PHED,
Project Manager Simplex and others.

Control Room of the Tunnel Boring Machine

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Here is a clipping from today's Khabar 365:

Angling Plans

Sutanu Sen of PMU has just finalised a design for angling decks to be put up in Eco Park lake. The high point is the recommendation for a multipurpose seat that has a stand for keeping a fishing rod and an under-the seat pouch for keeping miscellaneous objects that any angler has to carry. These seats would be removable and issued on rent to a person for day use. Suman Neogy, GM (Engineering) is making estimates for four angling decks for starter. Here is a 3D drawing of the fishing deck:

Design of proposed angling deck in Eco Park

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Today's Mint carries an article on urbanisation saying that Kolkata ranks first in India according to a survey by an NGO Janagraha. I remember Janagraha from my Chief Electoral Officer days when they'd organised a campaign "A Billion Votes" urging students in colleges to enrol. Here are two clippings:

(Top and below) Mint dt 7.6.2014

The following link may also be visited:
http://www.sify.com/finance/kolkata-best-indian-city-to-live-in-survey-news-default-oghdPdcfjac.html
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Here are a few other clippings:

Khabar 365 dt 6th June 2014

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Tree Bank - on World Environment Day

We are setting up perhaps the first Tree Bank today. Today 5th June is the World Environment Day.
This will be set up in Action Area ID of New Town. It is opposite to "Upasana". The name of the immersion ghat built last year was named Upasana by Hon'ble Mamata Banerjee, Chief Minister. A beautification programme is also being planned along the canal bank near Upasana.

The tree bank is a concept. Just as one keeps money in bank for safety and security while it grows too, a tree bank would nurture and grow trees of various species available in different parts of Bengal. Increasing urbanisataion is a threat to traditional trees and banyan, peepal, asathya, mehgony, gamar and other trees and fast fading out in the places where these were a common sight. The tree bank will provide a space for conservation for anyone interested in the cause.

Ms Banani Kakar of PUBLIC is the first one to show a keen interest. So today PUBLIC will organise a tree planting ceremony and be the first honorary "investor" in the bank. Mr N. Sil, General Manager (Engineering) of Hidco is making the site ready. We will open the account of the tree bank at 3pm today when PUBLIC brings in the saplings and schoolchildren. I call upon other schools and NGOs too to invest in the tree bank. On my part, I have already requested the Forest Department to help in Aranya Saptaha week.

I hope to post a few photos later.

(Later)

Here are a few photos:

Ms Banani Kakar making a point at 3pm today

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Here are two clippings:

Ei Samay dt 5th June 2014

ToI dt 5.6.14

Drainage Pumping Stations

To combat with water logging problem in New Town, several drainage pumping stations have been planned. One is Action Area I is operational since last few years. Another in Jatragachi is operational from late last year. One in Action Area II is about to be commissioned. And another at the junction of Action Area I and III is under construction. I visited this site last week. Here is a photo:

Outfall will be to Bagjola Canal. Built on existing canal bed

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Here are two clippings:

"Travel East"

Few days ago, in departmental order number 809-UD dated 4.5.2014, we gave permission for holding an exhibition called "Travel East" at the Central Park in Salt Lake. This will be the first of its kind on Tourism in the Central Park. It will be organised by the CII-Suresh Neotia Centre of Excellence. It will be a 3-day exhibition scheduled in November (28th to 30th November 2014).

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At New Town, we just completed a 700 seater seminar room. Fully, air-conditioned, it is located on the top floor of the building called Vocational Training Centre (VTC) in Action Area III. A part of the VTC building now accommodates the Technical Education Department of the State Government. Here is a photo of the auditorium when I visited it last Friday:

700 seater auditorium on top floor of VTC

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Here is a clipping from today's Times of India:

And a clipping from today's Khabar 365: