Mathura-Vrindavan merger move to be reviewed

 

Mathura  DECEMBER 3, 2014

 

The Mathura-Vrindavan merger move for creating a new municipal corporation, is likely to be reviewed, according to Mathura MLA and Congress party leader in the assembly Pradeep Mathur.

 

Talking to TOI, Mathur said he has had discussions with the chief secretary Alok Ranjan and the urban development minister Azam Khan who have agreed to reconsider the proposal.

 

Mathur also met the UP chief minister to present him two memorandums reflecting the public opinion in Vrindavan and the media reports against the merger move. "I told the chief minister that the merger was not warranted, as Vrindavan had a unique identity of its own in the world. Rather the local body can be upgraged to A level. The place of Vrindavan is special in mythology and history, and it should not be diluted. The chief minister agreed and promised to get the whole issue re-examined." A decision will not be taken in a hurry and without consultations with the stake holders, Mathur added.

 

After the move for merger of Vrindavan and dozens of villages in Goverdhan area with Mathura was published in newspapers, there was a hue and cry in Vrindavan and all sections of public opinion almost unanimously opposed the move. The saints of Vrindavan and the culture-activists said Vrindavan enjoyed a special heritage status with its own unique identity.

 

Activists in Vrindavan expressed relief and welcomed the chief minister's assurance to the Congress MLA to review the initiative.

KASH TUM HOTEL PROMOTION

 

Agra December 1 (IANS)

 

Kash Tum  Hotey, one of the first few films to be extensively shot in Kashmir after 16 years of violence, is all set for release on December 12, according to Manju Bharti producer of the film told IANS today.

 

The cast includes Priti Jhingiani and new comer Mukesh Bharti (black belt) in the lead, with Surendra Pal, Himani Shivpuri, Sanjay Mishra, Farida Jalal, Upasna Singh.

 

The film has music by Nikhil Vinay, predominantly Sufiana.

 

Manju Bharti said the film revolves around an artist who is also a martial art specialist. Music is the USP of the film, she said.

 

Talking to mediapersons Monday evening actor Priti Jhingiani saluted the brave Haryana girls who took up the challenge from eve-teasers in a running bus and dealt with them in an exemplary manner. "No point in organising candle march after a sad incident. Act when you witness one such sordid act of assault," was her advice. Priti said it was time girls became "mardani," and asserted their rights and identity in a positive manner.  Double standards wont do now.

 

Priti Jhingiani earlier had trouble at the Taj Mahal where the security forces prevented her from displaying the CD of her film Kash Tum Hote. According to ASI norms, commercial use of the premises of the Taj Mahal can not be made.

 

Free Mathura ashram deers/black bucks:  Wildlife activists

 

 

Mathura DECEMBER 3, 2014

Wildlife activists Tuesday demanded action against an ashram in Gokul-Mahavan for keeping more than 250 blackbucks in violation of the Wildlife Protection Act. The ivory of the elephant who died in the captivity at the ashram is also missing.

Naresh Kadian, Representative of OIPA (International Organization for Animal Protection) in India, Master Trainer, AWBI (Animal Welfare Board of India) and Member of the Emergency Relief Network, Wildlife Trust of India, visited Karshini Ashram and found the blackbucks, which are Schedule I animals under the wildlife act.

Talking to TOI. Kadyan said the Central Zoo Authority (CZA) of India has never recognised the private zoo "under section 38-H of the act, which violated section 39 of the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972 read with the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act, 1960 sections 3 and 11 because visitors offer food in unlimited quantity, which can harm the animals."

Kadian, along with other activists, has demanded immediate legal action against all offenders "after rescuing all animals, including a female elephant in chains. An elephant died sometime ago."

The ashram had been requested to comply with the regulations but "the management paid no heed. Hence, all trustees of the Karshini Ashram in the Raman Reti area, including the manager along with the local wildlife officials are responsible for breaking the law and criminal conspiracy against the wild animals.

Kadian said all the animals are kept within the boundary wall on the ashram premises with the consent of the wildlife officials.

Hence, the CZA, Wildlife Crime Control Bureau along with Animal Welfare Board of India and Animal Welfare Division, should take legal action to rescue the blackbucks and the elephant.

Interestingly, all these animals have not been declared to be in possession of the ashram, as required under law.

The chief wildlife warden of UP was not available for comment.
In their memorandum sent to the central environment ministry, the volunteers have said there were  13 scheduled wild animals trophies  with the Ramanreti based Ashram,  "without ownership, where as CWLW of UP failed to ask them the source of availability of these trophies, skins along with the purpose of custody. It would be pertinent to mention here that if black buck died in their custody then how and why they have skinned the wild animal bodies, with out any authority." "They asked when and how the elephant died in their custody and where are his tusks."

The volunteers want immediate rescue and rehabilitation of the black bucks and wild life officials involved in sheltering the guilty be investigated under the Act. .

Naresh Kadian said the wild animals and trophies are in illegal custody and the Mathura police had failed to perform its duty. Giving details he said " Black buck skin: 1 to 6. Tiger skin: 1 to 5. Cheetah skin: 1 Shahtush shawl: 1 Black buck male: 122. Black buck female: 157. Black buck calves: 4. The said scheduled wild animals trophies along with the Black buck are in the illegal custody of the Udasin Karshni Ashram Trust at Mahavan (Old Gokul), Mathura in Utter Pardesh, where as male elephant was died on 24-2-2010 but the tusk of this male elephant was not recovered, female elephant tied with chain, where as Central Zoo Authority refused to recognize as zoo, in fact it was a contempt of Hon'ble Supreme Court of India, as intimated by the CZA letter dated 10-1-2001."

chief conservator of forests and wild life, Agra division PK Sharma told TOI "yes Naresh Kadian brought this to my notice. I am aware of the whole situation. Investigations are going on and we will do the needful."

 

Kadian said he had originally complained to the central ministry of environment and forests on October 17, 2013, thereafter brought it to the notice of the Animal Welfare Board and the Central Zoo Authority. "The passing the buck game is continuing. So far no action has followed from any department. They all admit but are scared of taking any action."

VRINDAVAN TEMPLES GET SET FOR WINTER

DECEMBER 3, 2014

Vrindavan

 

As mercury dips, temples in Mathura-Vrindavan begin special preparations to insulate "little Krishna" idols from from searing cold, by wrapping them up in exquisitely crafted woollen quilts, lighting up "angeethies" to warm up the inner chambers of the presiding deities and introducing a wide range of food dishes with dry fruits and generous helping of saffron in boiled milk.

At the famous Thakur Radha Raman temple in Vrindavan the annual month long winter festival began with special darshan at the Bhandeer Van amidst chanting of bhajans and samaj gayan attended by a large number of devotees from all parts. Temple priest Acharya Sri Vats Goswami said "Bhandeer Van is one among many important Sri Krishna shrines in Braj. It is widely believed that Bhrama himself solemnised the divine marriage of Radha with Krishna here."

In Vrindavan, its been a week of festivities starting with the 508th birth anniversary (prakatyotsav) of Sri Bankey Bihari, held with great pomp and fare. "The main function was held at Nidhi Van on Friday after a procession that meandered through the narrow streets of the holy town," said Jagan Nath Poddar, a local resident. Dozens of bands and thousands of devotees from many parts of India joined the procession, dancing and singing.

This year, being celebrated as the 500th anniversary of the arrival of Chaitnya Mahaprabhu to Vrindavan, and discovery of various shrines in the Braj mandal by his eight disciples, a series of programmes are being organised. On Monday, foundation-stone of a grand gate "Chaitnya Dwar" on the Mathura road, near the ITI, was laid by saints and politicians including a national office bearer of the Samajwadi Party Kiranmay Nanda, MP, who promised to donate Rs 5 lakhs. Vrindavan municipal chairman Mukesh Gautam said people living in the holy town still revered Chaitnya Mahaprabhu and followed his teachings.

"Winter is special in Vrindavan, as temples prepare special prasads, full of dry fruits and ghee. Milk products of Vrindavan are famous as are the Pedas of Mathura," said Madhu Mangal Shukla, a local resident.

आगरा की शैली में निपटें ठंड से

बृज खंडेलवाल 

पूरे उत्तर भारत में पड़ रही कड़ाके की ठंड से ताज नगरी आगरा भी अछूती नहीं है लेकिन शहर के हलवाइयों के पास इस सर्दी का भी इलाज है।

शहर में मिठाई की दुकानों के मालिकों का कहना है कि इस सर्दी से बचने के लिए शुद्ध घी के पकवानों से बेहतर कोई उपाय नहीं है।

आगरा में ढाई सौ सालों से भगत हलवाई शॉप नाम से मिठाईयों की दुकान चला रहे शिशिर भगत ने आईएएनएस को बताया, "बृज मंडल (भगवान कृष्ण की जन्म भूमि) की पुरानी मान्यता है कि शरद ऋतु अच्छे खान पान से सेहत बनाने का मौसम है।"

उन्होंने बताया कि यही वह समय है जब लोग बेफिक्र होकर तेल-मसाले वाले भोजन का लुत्फ उठाते हैं। घी में बने पकवानों और लड्डओं के बाद केसर और सूखे मेवे वाला दूध भी शौक से पिया जाता है।

गोवर्धन होटल के मालिक सुरेंद्र शर्मा ठंड को लानत भेजते हुए कहते हैं, "पिस्ता और काजू की बर्फी, तिल के लड्ड, गाजर का हलवा खाने के बाद मघई या जर्दा और कीमम वाला बनारसी पान खाना चाहिए।"

वृंदावन के आचार्य जैमिनी के मुताबिक दाल बाटी चूरमा, साग के साथ मक्के या बाजरे की रोटी इस समय लोगों का मनपसंद भोजन होता है।

कुंज बिहारी शर्मा बताते हैं, "गाढ़ी मलाई वाले केसर मिले गर्म दूध की वृंदावन और मथुरा के विश्राम घाट में बड़ी मांग है।"

शहर में हर गली-नुक्कड़ पर चाय की दुकानों में अदरक वाली चाय की मांग होती है। मधुकर चतुर्वेदी जो एक मंदिर के पुजारी हैं, कहते हैं कि गर्म मूंगफली और गुड़ चिक्की आम आदमी की पसंद है। आगरा की सुप्रसिद्ध गुड़ वाली मिठाई गजक पौष्टिक होने के साथ साथ ठंड से भी बचाती है।

गृहिणी सीमा गुप्ता कहती हैं कि जाड़े में हरी सब्जियों की भरपूर मात्रा और सस्ती कीमत भोजन में विविधता बढ़ाती है। हरी सब्जियां वैसे भी स्वास्थ्य के लिए अच्छी होती हैं।

आगरा की सूखे मेवे वाली प्रसिद्ध आलू टिक्की और भल्ला ताजमहल देखने और आगरा घूमने आए पर्यटकों की मनपसंद है।

खाने के शौकीन एक शहरी सुधीर गुप्ता ने आईएएनएस को बताया, "चिकन और बिरयानी की छोटी दुकानें अब हर जगह नजर आ जाती हैं। ऐसा पहले नहीं था क्योंकि आगरा मूलत: शाकाहारियों का शहर है। अब तो दक्षिण भारतीय खाने और चाइनीज सहित हर तरह के खाने का विकल्प मौजूद है।"

पारम्परिक जलेबी-कचौड़ी, लड्ड और आगरा के प्रसिद्ध पेठे सहित शहर में पिज्जा, बगर्र भी लोगों के बीच लोकप्रिय हैं।

Activists demand stringent safety norms

 

Agra, Dec 2 (IANS) Activists here Tuesday urged the central and state governments to strictly enforce environment safety laws to protect life as well as property from human negligence.

The participants were speaking at a seminar on "Lessons of Bhopal Tragedy", to mark the 30th anniversary of the grim tragedy that hit Bhopal Dec 2-3, 1984.

In Agra too, hazardous chemicals from tanneries and petha units flow into the Yamuna river while fires in shoe units posed a major threat to environment and human survival, speakers said.

Chandra Kant Tripathi, registrar of the Central Hindi Institute, said: "Our attitude towards maintaining safety norms is lax, at times callous. This mindset should change."

An NGO functionary, Shravan Kumar Singh, said training in safety and precautions must begin from schools.

He asked the fire brigade, police and pollution control board officials to regularly monitor industries.

Activist Anand Rai said the way industries were being run, "one can only be grateful to god that tragedies like the one in Bhopal are not repeated. Our level of preparedness for disaster management is tardy and faulty".

Activists Mahendra Rawat and Sandhya Agarwal demanded strict vigilance and punishment for those failing to implement safety norms.

"We hear of industrial accidents, leakage from chemical factories or blasts. The need of the hour is to educate people."

HEMA  MALINI  WANTS  WATER RELEASED FOR YAMUNA

Mathura December 3 (IANS)

 

Hema Malini, MP from Mathura-Vrindavan, has demanded immediate release of water in river Yamuna from the Hathini Kundi barrage to ensure that lakhs of pilgrims who visit Sri Krishna land are not put to inconvenience and the pollutants in the dry river are diluted for the safety of the people.

 

Hema Malini raised the issue in the Lok Sabha and urged the prime minister to take appropriate action at an early date to satisfy the "Braj basis," whose life had become hell due to the polluted river.

 

Talking to IANS, Hema Malini, Wednesday evening said "I placed all the facts before the house and voiced the frustration and concern of the local Braj Basis who have long been demanding action to save the Yamuna river from pollution. The industries in Haryana and Delhi were polluting the river which had been reduced to a vast sewage canal. The pollutants were adversely affecting children, particularly as lead and other trace elements had been found to flow freely in the river. The only solution is to release water on a continuous basis for the downstream cities and divert the waste and sewer through a parallel drain to the Agra Canal as was promised earlier."

 

Hema Malini said "the problem can not be resolved unless the governments at the centre and state take prompt steps. I am happy the prime minister has heard me patiently during my recent meeting with him. I have explained the importance of Mathura and Vrindavan and the contribution of Yamuna river to Sri Krishna bhakti, apart from its life sustaining role."

 

The BJP  Lok Sabha member has been actively engaged in reviving culture in Braj and addressing urgent issues to promote Mathura as a heritage city.