Connect with us

CITIES

Wild growth cleared from polo ground in Guindy National Park; more space for blackbuck, deer – The Times of India

Published

on

Wild growth cleared from polo ground in Guindy National Park; more space for blackbuck, deer – The Times of India


Blackbuck and spotted deer can now head back to Guindy National Park‘s polo ground from the Raj Bhavan campus now that it’s free of wild growth.
The four-hectare stretch, an important grazing area for the bucks, had not been cleared of overgrowth for eight years. The delay, wildlife officials said, was because Raj Bhavan authorities had denied permission for the cleanup. Some Raj Bhavan officials even tried to install a drop gate to limit the movement of forest staff living inside the park, they said. It was only after prolonged discussions that they finally managed to clear the wild vegetation.
“Blackbuck are animals of the open plains, and thick wild growth makes them uncomfortable and alters their natural movement,” a senior wildlife official said. So, blackbuck were pushed to seek alternative grazing grounds, mainly within the Raj Bhavan campus.
This latest clearing adds to last year’s efforts, when invasive species such as Prosopis juliflora and Antigonon leptopus, a fast-spreading creeper, were removed from six and four hectares of land within the park.
Authorities have now begun planting native grass species sourced from various regions of the park. Once the seeds are sown, an official said the grass will start growing within a month. This is aimed at restoring the polo ground to its original condition, ensuring it regains its natural look and ecological balance.
The Guindy National Park, spread over 2.70sqkm, holds the distinction of being India’s smallest national park and the only one situated within the heart of a metropolitan city. Apart from blackbuck and spotted deer, the park hosts 130 bird species, Indian jackals, civet cats, pangolins, star tortoises, and monitor lizards.
Its significance lies not only in its biodiversity but also as a vital lung space for Chennai. Unlike many other urban national parks, the park has been free of encroachment.
A senior wildlife official compared it to Mumbai’s Sanjay Gandhi National Park, which, despite being within city limits, has faced severe encroachment issues and frequent human-animal conflicts. Mumbai high court had recently ordered the construction of a perimeter wall around that park to reduce leopard intrusions into human settlements.





Source link

Continue Reading
Comments

CITIES

Railway Claims Tribunal gets new Member

Published

on

Railway Claims Tribunal gets new Member


K. Raveen Kumar Reddy, assumed charge as member (Technical), Railway Claims Tribunal, Secunderabad Bench on Wednesday (April 23, 2025).
| Photo Credit: BY ARRANGEMENT

Indian Railway Traffic Service (IRTS) officer of 1988 batch, K. Raveen Kumar Reddy, has assumed charge as member (Technical), Railway Claims Tribunal, Secunderabad Bench on Wednesday (April 23, 2025). The tribunal bench is a quasi-judicial institution established in the year 1989 to expeditiously settle disputes regarding the claims for refund of fares, freight charges and claims for compensation pertaining to accidents and untoward incidents in Indian Railways.

Mr. Reddy had earlier worked as additional member (Traffic & Transportation), Railway Board. During his stint in South Central Railway (SCR), he worked as principal chief commercial manager, chief freight transportation manager and was also divisional railway manager, Kharagpur division, South Eastern Railway, as per a press release.



Source link

Continue Reading

CITIES

Pahalgam attack: IPL players to wear black armbands, no fireworks and cheerleaders during MI vs SRH match today | Hyderabad News – The Times of India

Published

on

Pahalgam attack: IPL players to wear black armbands, no fireworks and cheerleaders during MI vs SRH match today | Hyderabad News – The Times of India


HYDERABAD: In a gesture of solidarity and mourning, players of Mumbai Indians and Sunrisers Hyderabad will wear black armbands during tonight’s Indian Premier League (IPL) match in Hyderabad, to mourn the victims of the terrorist attack in Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir, which claimed several lives and left many injured.
As a mark of respect, the match will not feature cheerleaders or fireworks, both common elements of the IPL’s celebratory atmosphere. The sombre mood reflects the collective grief felt across the nation in the wake of the attack.
Umpires will wear black armbands during match as a symbol of grief. A one-minute silence will also be observed.
Mufaddal Vohra also tweet read: “Players of MI and SRH and umpires will be wearing black armbands tonight. – A one minute silence will be observed. – No fireworks, cheerleaders tonight.”
IPL clash between Mumbai Indians and Sunrisers Hyderabad is scheduled to begin at 7:30pm at Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium.
The IPL clash between Mumbai Indians and Sunrisers Hyderabad is scheduled to begin at 7:30pm at Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium.
28 tourists killed in Pahalgam attack
The terror attack in Pahalgam on Tuesday resulted in 28 tourist fatalities and numerous injuries, displaying disturbing patterns. The incident took place at Baisaran meadow, a picturesque location situated 7km from Pahalgam that visitors can reach only by walking or riding horses.
Witnesses reported that six international militants, wearing Army uniforms as a disguise, reportedly demanded the victims to reveal their names and recite Islamic verses before firing at them from close proximity. The random shooting appeared to be aimed at identifying and attacking non-Muslim tourists, indicating religious targeting.
Lieutenant Vinay Narwal, a Navy officer stationed in Kochi, was amongst the casualties. He was holidaying with his new bride, having celebrated their wedding on April 16. The list of deceased also included two international visitors from Nepal and the UAE.
The incident occurred at 1:30pm in broad daylight, despite the presence of security forces in the vicinity. The attackers targeted tourists who were enjoying the beautiful landscape of pine forests and snow-capped mountains.





Source link

Continue Reading

CITIES

Madras high court dismisses Tamil Nadu govt, TASMAC’s pleas against ED raids | Chennai News – The Times of India

Published

on

Madras high court dismisses Tamil Nadu govt, TASMAC’s pleas against ED raids | Chennai News – The Times of India


The court granted the ED liberty to proceed based on the raids, which stemmed from allegations of financial irregularities and overpricing of liquor bottles, reportedly amounting to Rs 1,000 crore.

CHENNAI: The Madras High Court on Wednesday dismissed the pleas moved by the Tamil Nadu govt and TASMAC challenging the legality of raids conducted by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in the offices of TASMAC.
A division bench of Justice S M Subramaniam and Justice K Rajasekar passed the order while granting liberty to the ED to proceed further on the basis of the raids.
The Tamil Nadu govt and TASMAC claimed that the ED searches were conducted without any jurisdiction in an arbitrary and high-handed manner.
TASMAC alleged that its officials and staff were harassed and subjected to human rights violations by the ED during the searches.
The ED, however, denied the allegations of TASMAC that its staff and officials were harassed and subjected to human rights violations during the raids.
According to the ED, the raids were conducted based on allegations against TASMAC that its officials engaged in overpricing of liquor bottles and other financial irregularities to the tune of Rs 1,000 crore.

KEY HIGHLIGHTS

  • The Madras High Court dismissed the petitions filed by the Tamil Nadu government and the Tamil Nadu State Marketing Corporation challenging the legality of the Enforcement Directorate’s raids.
  • The Enforcement Directorate claims the raids were based on allegations of financial irregularities and overpricing of liquor bottles amounting to Rs 1,000 crore.
  • TASMAC alleged harassment and human rights violations during the raids, which the Enforcement Directorate denied.





Source link

Continue Reading

Trending

Copyright © 2025 Republic Diary. All rights reserved.