Friday, 8 July 2011

Bihar News, Latest News from Bihar, News of Bihar, Biharprabha News

Bihar News, Latest News from Bihar, News of Bihar, Biharprabha News

Identity proof to be mandated in all rail travel soon

Posted: 08 Jul 2011 05:31 AM PDT

PATNA: Fed up with frequent complaints about activities of touts at all the major stations across the country, the Railway Board is toying with an idea to make carrying of identity (ID) proof compulsory for all passengers travelling on the reserved journey tickets. The Board is actively considering the proposal with a view to curb the activities of touts completely.

According to a Board official, the Board has been getting complaints from a large number of places, including metropolitan cities, that the common people were facing great difficulty in obtaining confirmed tickets for any class now-a-days. In course of random observation, it has come to light that touts have been exploiting people in the name of providing confirmed tickets to them. Besides, it has been observed that these touts were supplying booked tickets to the people under fake names at a premium.

The Board official told TOI that the Board has sought suggestions from each zone of the railways about the proposal to make carrying identity cards mandatory even for passengers who have obtained reserved journey tickets. The railways has already made carrying of identity cards compulsory for those booking their tickets under ‘tatkal ‘ service scheme, he said.

According to East Central Railway (ECR) chief commercial manager (CCM) Deepak Chhabra, the Board had sought suggestions from the ECR about the viability of making identity cards mandatory for all types of passengers during journey. The ECR has already given its suggestion to the Board in this connection, stressing on the need of making carrying of identity card compulsory for all passengers, he said.

According to sources, the railways has approved various kinds of identity proof for passengers to carry with themselves during their journey. They include personal identity card, driving licence, electors photo identity card (EPIC), passport, ration card, college or school identity cards for students and other identity proof issued by the government or institutions. The railways is concerned about photo proof so that ticket checking squad could verify the ticket, sources said.

Patna Junction has of late witnessed a spurt in touts’ activities. A large number of passengers are being deprived of confirmed tickets for Delhi, Mumbai, Bangalore, Chennai and Kolkata. The touts continue to hold sway these days at the PRS offices in and around Patna Junction. Making carrying of identity card compulsory for all kinds of passengers would automatically curb touts’ activities, sources said. According to an ECR official, the railways would be lenient with housewives in this regard. However, the railways would ensure that housewives carry EPIC or any other proof during their journey, he said.

Bihar to have 2 new thermal power units soon

Posted: 08 Jul 2011 02:28 AM PDT

PATNA: Bihar State Electricity Board (BSEB) has decided to set up two new thermal power units of 250MW each, aggregating 500MW, at Barauni at a cost of Rs 3,666 crore. Power Finance Corporation (PFC) has approved a loan of Rs 2,898 crore for this project and the loan agreement was signed between PFC and BSEB here on Wednesday.

On this occasion, P K Rai, BSEB chairman, Rana Awadhesh, member (administration), Lallan Prasad, member (generation), T T Jha, member (transmission), A K Verma, chief engineer and others officers of the board were present. P K Sinha, assistant general manager, and G Packkiaraj, manager, of PFC were present.

The land required for this extension project of the existing thermal power station, has been tied up. For fuel linkage, the coal ministry has already been approached. Water linkage has been obtained from Central Water Commission, and government of Bihar and Airport Authority of India have given clearance for the chimney height.

Bharat Heavy Electricals Ltd will set up the units on a turnkey basis. The target date for completion of the first unit is April 2014 and for second unit, July 2014, said BSEB spokesman H R Pandey.

Ethical hacking workshop to be organised by IITians

Posted: 07 Jul 2011 11:35 PM PDT

PATNA: Research scholars and Internet security experts from Indian Institute of Technology will conduct a two-day-long workshop on ” Ethical Hacking” here from Saturday.

To be conducted at Bharti Mandapam, the workshop will witness holistic discussions on wireless hacking, mobile hacking, ATM/credit card fraud, password theft and other secretive methods of hacking. The programme is being organized under the aegis of a web portal, allmycourses.com.

An IIT-Kanpur student and group coordinator, Girijesh Jha said: “In recent times, there have been numerous incidents where private information has been stolen and exploited in various ways, including monetary theft, blackmailing and other kinds of harassment.”

This threat of theft has led to a huge rise in demand for network security experts. This has opened up new avenues for students, who need to be trained, Jha added.

Anyone studying above Class X and curious to know about ‘ethical hacking’ can attend the workshop. It does not require any previous knowledge of the field and, therefore, anyone who uses Internet, ATM/credit cards, mobile phones etc can attend the workshop.

Apart from learning, the students attending the workshop will get a participation certificate, and those who perform well during the workshop will get internship opportunities in the companies started by IITians.

Registration for the workshop is going on at Patna Youth Hostel, which will continue till 5pm on Friday morning. The registration fee is Rs 500.

Bihar plans to generate electricity from corn

Posted: 07 Jul 2011 11:35 PM PDT

After successful projects of electricity generation through rice husk, it is time to use corn cob and stalks. By the end of August this year the ministry of new and renewable energy (MNRE) plan to operationalise a few gasifier systems for electricity generation in the corn belts of Bihar. The leftover cobs and stalks after the corn has been harvested can be converted directly into electricity.

For the northeastern part of Bihar – Samastipur, Barauni, Begusarai, Khagaria, Saharsa, Katihar, Purnia, Araria, Kishan Ganj and other districts – nightmarish experiences of powercut may soon become a thing of the past with electricty from corn.

Keeping in view of high yields (of about 3.7 ton per hectare) of maize in the state during summer, a model has been develpoed by MNRE involving NGOs and milk cooperatives.

Dr D K Khare, director, MNRE says, "It has been noted that the country accounts for about 3 per cent of the world maize production and Bihar accounts for 10 per cent of country's production. Maize production in Bihar has been increasing for last few years. In Bihar, crop is cultivated 3 times in a year. Summer crop (third crop) of maize is being raised in limited area (about 10-15 per cent of the total agriculture land of the region) due to non-availability of assured irrigation facilities. There would be enormous potential to grow third crop, if irrigation facility is created."

According to a MNRE study done in Barauni, Purnia and Araria, villagers grow corn during summer, irrigating the crop by using diesel pump sets, which are mostly hired. Barauni has about 200 villages where electricity is not available for more than 2-4 hours. The only exception are the milk collection centres and chilling plants some of these villages have, which are powered by 16 KW (20 KVA) diesel generators. These generators run for four hours in the morning and four in the evening.

Each 32 KW gasifier system using maize refuse can meet electricity needs of 400-500 households for 5-6 hours in the evening. Five to six pump sets of 5 HP can be operated at a time for 6-7 hours for irrigation purposes during summer for growing maize. Generally, 5 HP pump set consumes one litre of diesel per hour. Most of the villagers hire pump sets and pay about Rs. 100 per hour. Thus every day they are paying about Rs 500-600 per pump set.

Each 5 HP pump set can power irrigation of about 1 acre (0.40 hectares) of land in 5-6 hours. Maize crops require irrigation in every 8 days. Five to six pump set could be able to irrigate 5-6 acres (2.0-2.40 hectares) land every day. Thus every month about 40-48 acres (16-20 hectares) land could be kept under assured irrigation for growing maize.

The ministry of agriculture has reported an average yield of 3.7 ton per hectare of maize in Bihar during summer. Dr Khare says, "The farmers can produce additional maize of 60-75 ton from 16-20 hectare land during 3rd crop (garma) if irrigation facilities are created by providing electricity through gasifier system."

The gasifier operation of 5-6 hours per day would require about 50kg per hour corn cobs or stalks. Thus, total quantity of about 75-80 ton per year required for irrigation can be yielded from the land irrigated for one season alone.

Therefore, gasifier operation for 10-12 hour per day (5-6 hours in day time and 5-6 hours in evening) would require maximum biomass feed stock of 150-180 ton per year which could be ensured in those areas of Bihar where maize cultivation is a primary crop.

"The corn crop produced during summer would be sufficient to generate electricity for the whole year", assures Dr Khare. Along with getting electricity the farmers will also get additional income through selling of 60-75 ton of maize and fetch additional income of Rs 6-7 lakh from summer crop alone as present market price of maize from Bihar is around Rs 10,000 per ton.

The maize-power model of distributed and off-grid electricity solutions for rural areas and farmers is expected to save upto about Rs50,000 per month spent on 1,000 liters of diesel. Each system would provide electricity to about more than 400 households for 5-6 hours daily. Additional benefits can be assured from sale of carbon and ash can be utilized for making bricks or tiles.

Rajgir to offer horse driven royal chariots to the tourists

Posted: 07 Jul 2011 07:27 PM PDT

Patna, Tourists at Ghorakatora in Rajgir will soon travel in royal grandeur. Bihar State Tourism Department Corporation (BSTDC) is set to start horse-drawn chariots at the ecotourism spot.

These Victorian-style vehicles would help tourists cover the 7km distance from the ropeway at Rajgir to Ghorakatora Lake. As this area has been declared an ecological spot, motorised vehicles are not allowed.

At present, tourists utilise the service of six tum-tums (carriages) that ply on the route.

Naveen Kumar, the deputy general manager, BSTDC, said: "The corporation has recently placed an order for six-horse drawn chariots. These would ply on the 7km route from the ropeway at Rajgir to Ghorakatora Lake.

"Though the exact fares of the proposed chariots have not been finalised yet, it would be between Rs 150 and Rs 200 per person. The services would start in two months."

Each chariot would cost BSTDC around Rs 2 lakh and would accommodate five people. Six of the best horses in the tum-tum service would be employed to pull the chariots.

The ecotourism facility at Ghorakatora was inaugurated on January 30 this year.

"The horse carriages are doing good business. On the very first day, they made 12 trips. Twenty trips were made on January 31, 14 on February 1, 15 trips on February 2, 31 trips on February 5 and 58 trips on February 6. At present, the visitors are offered a Rs 100 travel package which includes aerial ropeway ride to the Vishwa Shanti Stupa at a height of 400m at Rajgir, horse carriage ride to Ghorakatora and boat ride in the lake," said Kumar.

Chariots apart, BSTDC is also planning to construct two more ecohuts in addition to the two near the lake in Ghorakatora. These huts are made of bamboo.

Moreover, the corporation will also provide aerial lighting using solar panels at this popular tourism destination.

"At present, there is no electricity at Ghorakatora, as it is an eco-friendly site. However, the solar panels are nature-friendly and thus apt for lighting up the place. This would help extend the visiting hours and tourists can stay here till late evening," added Kumar.

Ghorakatora is situated around 120km south of Patna.

It has a number of scenic spots, including a lake, mountains, rich flora including medicinal plants.
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