Mamata to visit Birbhum on Jan 31
Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee is likely to visit Birbhum on January 31, her first trip after the party’s strongman and district unit chief Anubrata Mondal was arrested in August last year by the CBI in a multi-crore cattle smuggling case. According to sources in the state secretariat, Mamata will hold an administrative review meeting in Bolpur, attend a public meeting to distribute government benefits among people the following day and return to Kolkata on February 2. “We are waiting for her visit as there is no proper directive on who would centrally monitor the panchayat election,’’ said a TMC leader.
Kolkata air quality worse than ever
Kolkata’s air quality this winter, especially in December and January, is worse compared with December 2021 and January 2022, data from the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) revealed. Air emission experts said the data this winter reflect the city’s true air quality. The pandemic-induced restrictions had kept the air pollution level in check last winter. A recent report based on CPCB data pointed out that Kolkata’s average air pollution level, particularly of the most toxic fine and ultrafine particulates, went down marginally in 2022 compared with previous years. “The government has to take hard action in key sectors like transport and construction,’’ said a CPCB official.
Institute of social sciences inaugurated
Education minister on Wednesday inaugurated a 12-storey Institute of Human Excellence and Social Sciences that houses a sprawling campus of Vivek Tirtha in New Town in the presence of Swami Smaranananda, president of the Ramakrishna Math and Ramakrishna Mission. The institute, which Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee had proposed in 2014 when she offered five acres of land to the Math and Mission, will comprise seven wings, all aimed at realising the excellence in human being, senior monks of the organisation said.
Pranab mondal
Our correspondent in West Bengal
pranabm@newindianexpress.com