(ARTICLE) Panna Tigers in Trouble : Sanctuary Magazine

tigers in trouble

The CM’s hunger for power forces her to deny Dalit hunger and suicide deaths in Bundelkhand, says SR DARAPURI

Actress Sushmita Sen, who dons the director's hat for an upcoming film about Rani Laxmi Bai, says it was destiny which made her a filmmaker.

"Jhansi Ki Rani" will celebrate the life of the valiant Indian queen who fought British colonialists during the first war of independence 150 years ago.

Sen, also the film's producer, will be playing the queen's role.

"Me directing a film, it's actually destiny," Sen told reporters in Mumbai on Friday.

"I was never meant to direct (the film)… it just so happens that I will be directing it."

The tourism industry here is elated over the announcement of a tri-weekly train linking Khajuraho.

Rakesh Chauhan, president of the Agra Hotels and Restaurant Association, said: "It would now be possible for tourists from Delhi to halt at Agra for the night and go to Khajuraho by train. Earlier one had to go by road."

Khajuraho, in Madhya Pradesh, has the largest group of medieval temples famous for their erotic sculptures.

Work on a new railway station, around 20 km from Jhansi, has begun, according to officials here.

The humble hand pump has become an emancipator for a handful of women in Bundelkhand. Savitri, Prema, Bhuri and 20 other illiterate, oppressed women from Karvi in Chitrakoot district are earning their livelihood by repairing hand-pumps.

The union government’s decision to wave off agriculture loans to the tune of Rs.600 billion ($15 billion) is unlikely to alleviate the sufferings of the poverty-ridden population of Bundelkhand region of Uttar Pradesh, said a World Bank consultant. “While loan waiver has already caused a sharp fall in the stocks of all public sector banks, it would not provide any long-term respite to the harried farmers (of the region),” observed Arvind Mohan, who is also a professor of economics at Lucknow University.

KANPUR: The entire Garhar village under Orai block of Jalaun district was upbeat on Friday. It was smelling freedom from the shackles of seeking bails and being jailed at regular intervals.

"We have lost several of our near and dear ones due to divine injustice. Drought destroyed crops resulting in debts and subsequent suicides," said middle-aged Devesh Vishwakarma, whose father Ram Narain committed suicide last year after failing to pay Rs 1 lakh drawn from the regional Triveni Bank.

The Rs 60,000 crore amnesty from burdening loans comes as a relief to four crore farmers.

But in the so-called suicide zones of the country, where drought and debt have driven farmers to end their lives, the move comes too late.

NDTV travelled to Bundelkhand, where there have been 2000 suicides in three years. Here the intended beneficiaries of the loan waiver have either lost their land or are already dead.

Ram Rati, a suicide victim's widow said, ''There was no food for three to four days. So he hung himself from a tree.''

Notorious dacoit Radhey Patel, right-hand man of deceased dacoit Dadua, has reportedly surrendered before the Madhya Pradesh police in the forests of Satna late on Thursday.

Radhey had struck a deal with politicians and the police in Madhya Pradesh, said a police source from Chitrakoot.

Consequently, it is likely to affect the relations between the police of two states. Also, with the assembly elections closing in, the surrender has gained political significance.

The report of the surrender came as a disappointment for the UP police, which was on hot at his heels.

by: TAPAS CHAKRABORTY

Lucknow, Feb. 24: The great barrier has conquered time but not the bandits lording over the badlands of Uttar Pradesh.

Kalinjar Fort, considered one of the marvels of ancient Indian architecture, has been under siege from dacoit gangs that have struck terror in Banda and Chitrakoot districts and ensured that tourists did not dare venture anywhere near the structure in Narayani block, 270km from Lucknow.

The fort, which sits on a hillock at a height of 700ft, is being protected by the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI).

NEW DELHI: As the high-profile Purana Qila, built by Sher Shah in Delhi circa 16th century, dazzles in glory, Maoists and bandits call the shots at two other grand forts associated with the warrior-ruler in Bihar and Uttar Pradesh, keeping wary tourists away from enjoying their splendour.

Rohtas Fort in Bihar, built by Sher Shah (1486-1545) and later used by travelling Mughals as a garrison, is in the iron grip of Maoist extremists and tourist traffic to the impressive structure has dried up.

झांसी (उत्तर प्रदेश)

Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Mayawati Friday agreed to the creation of a separate state of Bundelkhand, provided the central government initiated the process. While addressing the state assembly here, the chief minister said: "Creation of a state is a central subject, so once the central government moots the proposal, we will be the first ones to ratify it."

She observed: "Our party has always been in favour of smaller states because we feel that these are better administered."