Eco-tourism spot for Lucknowites
Acknowledging the potential of the wetland just behind the Atal Bihari Vajpayee International (Ekana) Stadium in Lucknow, the state forest department and Lucknow Development Authority (LDA) have agreed to develop it into an eco-forest. Spread across nearly 37 acres (nearly 4 km), the wetland is inhabited by over 100 species of indigenous and migratory birds, including some listed in Schedule 1 of the Wildlife Protection Act. Besides the regular presence of ducks, bee-eaters, kingfishers, sparrows, parakeets and jacanas, deer, golden jackal, monitor lizards, water snakes and butterflies, some extremely rare and shy migratory birds also make this place their home every winter. Worried that the oasis barely a few kilometres from Hazratganj may lose to rapid urbanisation in the area, the eco-warriors urged authorities to save the place.
Would be mothers beware of food
The presence of pesticides in our food and the environment not only disrupts the hormones and brings about developmental changes in growing years but also affects children even before they are born, a pioneering study by the biochemistry department of King George’s Medical University has found. The study, which has featured in a high impact environmental research journal, has also found correlation between lower birth weight, caesarean sections in preterm births and the level of pesticide toxicity. According to study, pesticides can disturb hormonal balance in women by decreasing the hormone progesterone and alter antioxidant defence mechanisms during normal uncomplicated pregnancies which can also steer to preterm birth.
Tokyo triumph inspires
After India’s brilliant performance in the recently-concluded Tokyo Olympics and Paralympics, the Uttar Pradesh government has shifted its focus to the promotion of sports by providing grounds, equipment and logistics to players and organizing competitions in rural areas. The department of youth welfare has been holding zonal level competitions in rural areas from September 16-30, followed by state-level competitions in October. The events mostly involve athletics, volleyball, kabaddi, wrestling, weightlifting and other sports. Currently, 21 multipurpose halls are being constructed in rural areas in different districts of the state. Four of these are in Mohanlalganj in Lucknow, Panchali Khurd in Meerut, Nagwan in Sonbhadra and Milkipur in Ayodhya. These will be ready within the next six months as per the instruction. Under the Khelo India scheme, the department of youth welfare is also constructing 20 mini stadiums in various districts with special focus on training youth in rural UP. The youth welfare department is augmenting sports facilities to improve fitness of rural youth.
Lucknow to host Kiwis
The City of Nawabs is set to achieve another feat by being named as a cricket test match venue after nearly 28 years when New Zealand team will tour India after the T20 World Cup. The five-day match is also set to be the first Test match at the newly built Atal Bihari Vajpayee Stadium after Uttar Pradesh Cricket Association (UPCA) opened it for first class cricket in 2016. So far, the match against Sri Lanka at KD Singh Babu stadium in January 1994 remains the only test match that the state capital hosted. BCCI is believed to have already finalised the venues for both the test matches with Kiwis. One will be played in Lucknow and the other at Chinnaswamy stadium at Bengaluru.