e-buses on six main routes
Due to soaring pollution levels, the transport department has woken up to boost clean and green transport by plying electric buses on six main routes in Lucknow. The plan is expected to take shape within a month as the technical formalities have been completed and procedural glitches removed. A total of 40 buses will be bought in two phases. Twenty buses will be delivered to the Lucknow City Transport Services Limited within a month.
IPL moves out of Lucknow
The City of Nawabs, which had been in race with Rajkot and Kolkata to host prestigious Indian Premier League matches, is disappointed as it has now been officially cleared that no play-off match would be held in Lucknow. As the T20 cricket league enters the middle stage, Lucknow was vying to organise two play-off matches - Eliminator and Qualifier 2 on May 23 and 25, respectively. Now, Eden Gardens would walk away with the honours as the IPL governing body chose Kolkata over Lucknow and Rajkot. The cash-rich cricket tournament is going strong. It recently completed 500 matches and is heading towards more milestones.
Dubious distinction for city
Lucknow is one of the six cities of Uttar Pradesh figuring among top 20 polluted cities in the world. Ranked 13th in the world and fourth in Uttar Pradesh, experts attribute the dubious distinction to huge heaps of garbage being burnt in the absence of a scientific landfill site in the city. This adversely affects the air quality index. Besides, there is an unbound expansion of concrete jungles in the city, even without adapting the standards to control air pollution. All these factors have combined to push the city into the dubious list.
Cops buckle up to check cyber crimes
A couple of days ago, a Cabinet minister’s email was hacked in Lucknow. With incidents of cyber crime on the rise alarmingly, UP police chief OP Singh has announced special cyber crime cells to tackle the menace. As the nature of crime and criminals has undergone massive change during the last couple of years, it was imperative to raise a specialised combat cell. Even the kitty of police department was replenished, with the state and the Centre contributing I4.5 crore and I4 crore, respectively.
Namita Bajpai
Our correspondent in Uttar Pradesh
namita.bajpai@newindianexpress