1. Presidency To Confer DLitt On Abhijit Banerjee
The Presidency University authorities have decided to confer DLitt (honoris causa) on economist Abhijit Banerjee who has won this year’s Nobel prize in economic sciences, along with Esther Duflo and Michael Kremer. The university also plans to confer the same upon Duflo and Nobel Laureate economist Amartya Sen who is also its alumnus.
The institute has decided to add Banerjee’s name on the ‘Wall of Fame’ in the main building. It will also have a 3D representation of Banerjee’s face on a wall beside Sen.
(Source: The Indian Express)
2. Bhatpara Municipality: TMC Claims Support Of 21 Councillors, Plans To Bring No-Confidence
After regaining Naihati Municipality in North 24 Parganas district on Wednesday, the ruling Trinamool Congress (TMC) has now set its sight on neighbouring Bhatpara civic body, which was taken over by the BJP after Lok Sabha polls earlier this year.
The TMC’s North 24 Parganas district president Jyotipriya Mullick on Thursday claimed that they have the support of 21 councillors and will soon bring in a no-confidence motion against Bhatpara Municipality board Chairman Sourav Singh who is also a nephew of BJP MP Arjun Singh.
(Source: The Indian Express)
3. Dengue Spurt After Durga Puja
A sudden spike in dengue cases, accompanied by uncommon symptoms such as neurological and behavioural disorders, has been noticed in the city, doctors said.
The number of dengue cases reported in the city started rising around Puja this year, unlike last year when the dengue count had gone up in September and steadied in October, doctors and hospital officials said.
The number of patients diagnosed with dengue was 24 at Belle Vue Clinic, 13 at Ruby General Hospital, 12 at AMRI Salt Lake and seven at AMRI Dhakuria on Thursday.
The average number of dengue patients admitted to Belle Vue on any given day in September ranged from seven to 10, an official said.
(Source: The Telegraph)
4. Central Draft Slams Vehicles For Air Pollution
Vehicles are the biggest source of pollution in Calcutta and Howrah, a central government laboratory researching on environmental engineering has said in a study.
In a draft of its final report, the National Environmental Engineering Research Institute (NEERI) has said the two cities, like Delhi, have to endure pollution from stubble burning in neighbouring districts.
The institute has submitted the draft to the state government on what causes pollution in Calcutta and Howrah and the contribution of each pollutant in terms of percentage.
The institute is part of the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research, funded by the Centre.
(Source: The Telegraph)
5. Police Nod Sought For Bijon Setu Test
The Calcutta Metropolitan Development Authority (CMDA) has sought “traffic clearance” from Lalbazar to conduct a load test on Bijon Setu following the bridge inspection committee’s concerns over its health.
This is the second time that the CMDA has sought help from the police in conducting the test on the bridge that connects the Bypass to Rashbehari Avenue over the rail tracks at Ballygunge.
The test, according to CMDA engineers, will decide the bridge’s weight-bearing capacity. The CMDA had earlier proposed to close down the bridge between 13 and 16 September or the test. But it had to be postponed after the police said closing the bridge a fortnight ahead of Puja could trigger a traffic mess.
This time, the police are still to take a call. “No decision has been taken regarding Bijon Setu,” Santosh Pandey, DC, traffic, said.The CMDA had then said that postponing the test – apparently to make way for puja shopping in the Gariahat area – would delay the assessment of the bridge’s stability.
(Source: The Telegraph)
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