1. After Rural Poll Setback, 3 Bengal Ministers Resign
Three West Bengal ministers “have submitted their resignation” to Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee following the poor show by the ruling party in the recent rural polls. These pockets come mainly under three districts — Jhargram, Alipurduar and Nadia.
State OBC Welfare Minister Churamani Mahato hails from Gopiballavpur in Jhargram, Tribal Development Minister James Kujur comes from Kumargram in Alipurduar, and Abani Mohan Joardar, a minister without portfolio, got elected from Uttar Krishnagar in Nadia.
“All three have been asked to concentrate on party organisation,” Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee said after accepting their resignation.
(Source: The Times of India)
2. Kolkata Second-Most Polluted Metro in Country, Says WHO
The city is in the grip of severe air pollution that remains largely unassessed, and so is its health impact. In 2017-18, the city’s pollution levels rose faster than ever before because of an exponential growth in the number of vehicles, construction activities and biomass burning.
A recent report by the World Health Organization (WHO) confirmed that Kolkata is the second-most polluted metropolis in the country, next only to Delhi. The study revealed another alarming trend — Kolkata’s air quality is declining faster than Delhi’s.
(Source: The Times of India)
3. Police Wait for Crash Survivor's Statement
The inquest into the Sunday morning crash on National Highway 6 that led to the death of businessman Shibaji Roy has progressed little because the accident spot is not covered by CCTV cameras.
Sleuths said any headway in the probe would depend on what 17-year-old Aashna Surana, who was in the Ferrari Roy was driving, would say.
Aashna, daughter of Roy's friend Adarsh, is on ventilator at CMRI hospital. The hospital authorities said the doctors treating the teenager were unsure when she would be able to speak.
"Aashna Surana's condition is little better on Tuesday. But she has multiple injuries and her condition is still extremely critical. She is being monitored by a team of doctors round the clock," said a hospital spokesperson.
She has fractured a leg and an arm.
(Source: The Telegraph)
4. Meat Cheat: Rs 1-Crore Fine Likely
Each of the 13 people arrested for allegedly supplying carcass meat to eateries will be asked to pay a demurrage of Rs 1 crore – the first time such a move has been initiated for cheating consumers.
The Consumer Affairs Department is getting ready to start a case against the arrested accused, minister Sadhan Pandey said on Tuesday, 5 June. This case will be separate from the criminal case the police are probing.
"I will write to Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee to seek her clearance for starting cases against the accused suo motu," said Pandey, minister in charge of consumer affairs and self-help groups. "We have checked with our legal team... There are provisions under 12(1)(d) of the state Consumer Protection Act wherein we can start cases individually against the accused and seek demurrage of up to a crore each."
The minister was speaking on the sidelines of a FICCI seminar.
(Source: The Telegraph)
5. Partha Backs Attendance Rule
Education Minister Partha Chatterjee asked college heads on Monday, 4 June, to bar students with poor attendance from appearing in exams.
The minister's message came a day after the principal of Seth Anandaram Jaipuria College, head of evening section of the institution and some teachers were kept in confinement till late on Monday by students who had been barred from writing the BCom second semester exams because of low attendance.
"Our stand on the issue is very clear. The students have to regularly attend classes. No student with low attendance will be allowed to write an exam," Chatterjee said on the sidelines of a programme at Netaji Indoor Stadium, when asked to comment on the students' agitation at the north Calcutta college.
(Source: The Telegraph)
6. ‘Paradise’ Not Lost as 82-Year-Old Theatre Eyes Multiplex Makeover
After dwindling collections saw Elite Cinema down its shutters after over eight decades on 1 June, another iconic theatre, Paradise on Bentinck Street, is feeling the pinch of empty seats. But unlike Elite, all is not lost for Paradise.
Eighty-two years after Rabindranath Tagore graced the opening of the 1936 Bombay Talkies film ‘Achhut Kannya’ starring Ashok Kumar and Devika Rani, Paradise is hoping to regain its lost glory by turning into a multi-screener.
“If Tagore came for our opening show, Padma Vibhushan Nellie Sengupta dropped by on the silver jubilee of ‘Achhut Kanya’. Netaji was the guest of honour when Devika Rani-starrer ‘Jeevan Prabhat’ opened in 1937. We have photographs of their visit,” said Arun Mehra of Bengal Properties Private Ltd that runs Paradise. But unlike Elite, Mehra has no plans of closing down the theatre. “Earlier, we had plans to convert Paradise into a multi-screen. Now, we may revive this plan,” Mehra added.
(Source: The Times of India)
7. 31 Animals Find ‘Parents’ at Alipore Zoo
Representatives of several corporate entities and individuals on Tuesday adopted 31 animals from the Alipore zoo. The proceeds — Rs 11.5 lakh — will be spent on the welfare of animals.
“This is the continuation of the adoption scheme started in 2013-14. Even after so many years, people continue to show so much enthusiasm and a sense of responsibility towards the zoo inmates,” said zoo director Asis Kumar Samanta. The animals put up for adoption ranged from macaws to fishing cats, peacocks to jaguars. SBI alone adopted seven giraffes and two jaguars for Rs 9 lakhs.
(Source: The Times of India)
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