Despite a 60% rain surplus in September and a low-pressure formation over the Bay of Bengal, Kolkata and Bengal may still experience a monsoon rainfall deficit this year. By Friday, Bengal had received 11% less rain than the normal count, while Kolkata had a deficit of 19%. However, the low-pressure formation is expected to bring moderate rainfall until at least Monday, potentially bringing 10mm to 20mm of rainfall to Kolkata a day. Lack of moisture and delayed monsoon arrival have contributed t

The Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC) in India has announced plans to reserve 30% of new public toilets in the city for women. The KMC intends to construct 400 new public toilets across 144 wards, with at least 75 of these being women-only facilities. The toilets will be located in areas frequented by women, such as the central business district, shopping zones, and hospitals, and will be guarded by women 24/7. The KMC also plans to introduce modern toilets with features like changing rooms an

Kolkata Metro has launched an exciting initiative to enhance the daily commute for passengers. The North-South Metro's Medha rake now offers engaging infotainment content, including popular cartoon shows, on digital screens within the Metro cars.

A businessman in Kolkata has filed a complaint after discovering that his wife of 14 years is a Bangladeshi national with a fraudulent Indian passport. The husband's lawyer found discrepancies in the wife's claims and suspected her nationality. The wife had previously accused the husband of cruelty and filed a case under Section 498A. The husband reported the matter to the police and sought legal aid from the Ministry of Home Affairs. The ministry confirmed that the wife obtained an Indian passp

The Bengal government has proposed a panel of 15 senior academics for the selection of Vice-Chancellors (VC) in the state's universities. The proposed panel includes current and past VCs, as well as professors with administrative experience. The governor's nominees include academics from prestigious institutions such as IIT Kharagpur and IISc Bangalore. The governor has been criticized for appointing non-academics as interim VCs in the past. The Supreme Court has asked for suggestions of renowne

A 68-year-old man in Kolkata died from a co-infection of dengue and malaria. This is the first known death of a patient with both infections during the current outbreak in the city. Health experts warn that dual infections have a higher risk of mortality. The man initially tested positive for malaria and was later found to have dengue as well. Despite efforts at treatment, his condition did not improve, and he died in the hospital. Experts emphasize the importance of timely detection and treatme

The Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC) health department is launching a helpline to provide real-time information regarding bed availability at government and private hospitals, specifically for dengue patients. KMC will reserve beds at civic body-run hospitals and Islamia Hospital, and the new hospital in Kidderpore will have 100 reserved beds. Additionally, the KMC health department will contact privately run hospitals to gather daily admission status updates. The KMC is also addressing conce

The city of Kolkata in India has seen a surge in dengue cases, with over 4,000 cases reported so far, more than double the count from last year. Experts believe this may be due to a cyclical prevalence of the virus, which leads to major outbreaks every few years. Certain neighborhoods in Kolkata, including New Alipore, Lake Gardens, and Garfa, are particularly affected. Precautions taken during the pandemic had initially slowed the spread of dengue, but with life returning to normal, conditions

In connection with the death of a Jadavpur University fresher, allegedly due to ragging and sexual molestation at the hostel, the university's executive council has made significant decisions.

Demand for weekend holiday destinations in Bengal has surged during the long weekend between Eid-e-Milad and Gandhi Jayanti. Domestic airfares have also increased, with one-way tickets almost doubling in price. Trains to popular destinations such as New Jalpaiguri and Puri are fully booked. Off-season tourists are expected in Darjeeling, and hotels in Bolpur Shantiniketan have already received bookings.

The internal panel report on the fresher's death at Jadavpur University was finally placed at the Executive Council meeting after pressure from students and teachers. The meeting, which lasted for several hours, did not result in any decision regarding the panel report. While some felt that punitive measures should be decided after the anti-ragging squad's observations, others believed that the 35 students named in the report should be debarred from the hostel. The report recommends the expulsio

The state health department in Kolkata plans to introduce a new-age contraceptive implant to reduce teenage pregnancy rates. Bengal currently has the second-highest rate of teenage pregnancy in India. The contraceptive implant, which lasts for three years and immediately restores fertility, is expected to be more acceptable to younger women. The implant, measuring 4cm in length and 2mm in diameter, releases the hormone progestin to prevent pregnancy. The state health department aims to introduce

A 28-year-old woman from Bansdroni, Kolkata, died from dengue after being married for only eight months. She had been suffering from a fever for several days and tested positive for dengue. Despite receiving medical treatment at home and being admitted to the hospital, her condition worsened and she passed away. This is the first reported dengue death in the area, and locals are calling for vector control measures to be implemented. Experts believe that the dengue outbreak has not yet reached it

Hostel campuses in Kolkata are facing a severe outbreak of dengue and other viral infections. At Jadavpur University, there are currently 12 confirmed cases of dengue and 15 cases of fever. The situation has worsened in the past 12 hours, with two more students being admitted to the hospital. Other universities such as Calcutta University and Presidency University also have several cases of fever and dengue. Measures are being taken to control the spread, including regular cleaning and isolation

The state government plans to introduce a cruise in Digha, modeled after those in the Sundarbans, to attract more visitors. The hour-long ride will start from Nayakali temple and traverse inland. Initially, there will be two trips per day, with more added if demand increases. The cruise aims to boost tourism in Digha, and preparations are being made for a public-private partnership to run the cruise. The vessel will have a capacity of around 80 passengers, and the jetty and temple are being prep

Bengal governor CV Ananda Bose cancelled his trip to the US, citing unwillingness to burden the state exchequer. This came after the state parliamentary affairs minister urged the governor to schedule the swearing-in of Nirmal Chandra Roy. Additionally, the Supreme Court is set to hear the vice-chancellor appointments case, involving both the governor and the state. Bose had been invited to attend the World Culture Festival in Washington DC, but decided to cancel the trip due to financial diffic

The government of West Bengal has cancelled the leaves of around one lakh state employees belonging to various departments in order to combat the increasing cases of dengue. The Chief Secretary has issued a 15-point guideline that includes the establishment of fever clinics and dengue detection centers. The government will also distribute mosquito nets in slums and dengue hot spots. District magistrates have been instructed to use drones and seek police assistance to eliminate mosquito breeding

Observing that it does not propose to run the administration in Manipur, the apex court said necessary verifications shall be carried out before issuing the Aadhaar cards expeditiously.

The arrests were made by the Kolkata Police's Anti-Rowdy Section (ARS), which began a special drive against touts at state-run hospitals in the city.

The Calcutta High Court has ruled that a wife is not the property of her husband and does not need his permission for her actions. The court rejected a divorce plea in which a husband accused his wife of selling property without consulting him. The court stated that the wife's decision to sell the property in her name without seeking approval does not constitute cruelty. The court also observed that the husband's intention was to establish a relationship with another woman.

Prices of protein-rich food items such as eggs, chicken, and fish have increased in Kolkata, affecting households' budgets ahead of the festive season. The reasons for the price surge include higher production costs, wastage during transportation, and supply constraints. The cost of eggs, fish, and chicken has significantly risen, with wholesalers facing additional expenses for quality checks. Monsoon conditions have also impacted the egg market, leading to spoilage and higher wastage. Other pro

A 53-year-old woman in Kolkata has died from complications related to dengue, bringing the death toll in the area to six. The patient had comorbidities including diabetes and thyroid, which complicated her treatment. The municipality has reported over 500 cases of dengue this year, with the worst affected areas being Bangur Avenue and Lake Town Patipukur. The district magistrate has called for awareness campaigns and cleanliness drives to prevent water stagnation, and the civic authorities have

Calcutta University has made summer internships mandatory for students pursuing four-year undergraduate courses. Colleges under the university are forming panels and restructuring their placement cells to coordinate with industries for internship placements. The internships need to be completed before the first batch of students exercise their early exit option in August 2024. Several colleges, such as Asutosh College and New Alipore College, are exploring industry tie-ups and conducting career

The fire broke out around 7.30pm on the ground floor of the building and within no time it spread to the top floor godown.

According to the IPCC report, Kolkata may experience temperatures of 35C or higher for 150 days each year by the end of the century. Extreme heatwaves are also expected to become more frequent. While rainfall in the area may increase slightly, there is a predicted substantial increase in short-duration extreme rainfall events, leading to waterlogging and flooding. The rise in sea level near Sundarbans could cause more severe flooding incidents in Kolkata, and super cyclones could also become mor

The Alipore Met office in Kolkata expects a break from rain for the next week, following showers on Sunday. However, a cyclonic circulation in the Bay of Bengal on Friday could lead to moderate to intense rainfall by the following weekend. International weather agencies have predicted the possible approach of a cyclonic storm named 'Tej' making landfall on the east coast in early October. Local weathermen are monitoring the situation, with a cyclonic circulation expected to form on September 29.

The driver of former businessman Kalyan Bhattacharya, who was found dead in his villa, has been arrested by the police. The driver, Sourav Mondal, had demanded Bhattacharya's BMW car for a trip to Digha with his friends. When Bhattacharya refused, the driver allegedly murdered him and fled in the car with his friends. The stolen BMW and the accused's cell phone have been recovered, and Mondal has confessed to the crime. He has been remanded in police custody for 14 days.

Bengal has successfully reduced its rural inflation by half in August 2023, the sharpest decline among all states in the past year. Data from the National Statistical Office (NSO) reveals that Bengal's rural retail inflation was 5.07% in August 2023, down from 10.29% in August 2022. The state's urban inflation also decreased from 7.37% to 4.46% in the same period. Other states such as Assam, Chhattisgarh, Delhi, Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra, Uttarakhand, and Jammu & Kashmi

Kolkata has experienced the highest increase in annual mean temperature among megacities between 1950 and 2018, according to a recent IPCC report. The city is also predicted to see a rise of 4.5C by the end of the century. Urbanization has contributed significantly to the temperature rise, with over 80% of the warming being generated within the city itself. The city has already experienced extreme heatwaves, with temperatures reaching 50C this June. The report also predicts an increase in short-

Two senior citizens in Kolkata have died from dengue, bringing the total number of deaths from the disease in the city to at least a dozen this year. One of the victims, Pinak Sarkar, had been battling dengue-related complications for nearly a month and was being treated in a Salt Lake hospital. The other victim, Kalpana Dutta, tested positive for dengue and was admitted to the same hospital, but her family said she was showing signs of recovery before her death. Residents in the area have repor

A high-level technical committee in Kolkata has recommended that the Chingrighata flyover be urgently shut down and dismantled due to its irreparable structural condition. The committee has advised that a bridge consultant be appointed to suggest interim measures to prevent any accidents until the bridge is dismantled. The Kolkata Traffic Police have not received any official communication to close the bridge, but will comply if instructed to do so. The closure of the flyover would result in a d

The Calcutta High Court has stated that the Enforcement Directorate (ED) lacks sufficient evidence to take coercive action against Abhishek Banerjee, Trinamool Congress national general secretary, in the alleged teacher recruitment scam. The court has directed the ED to refrain from such actions based on the complaint lodged against Sujay Krishna Bhadra and others. However, the court also stated that it is too early to dismiss the complaint against Banerjee. The ED had produced only Bhadra's sta

Trinamool Congress spokesperson Kunal Ghosh has called for Calcutta High Court Justice Abhijit Gangopadhyay to resign and join politics after the judge made comments questioning a judge's involvement in politics. Ghosh's statement came after the judge questioned the source of a political leader's wealth while hearing a case on Covid compensation. The Trinamool Congress responded quickly, questioning whether a judge should engage in politics from their position.

Two patients died at a private hospital in Kolkata while undergoing treatment. One of them was a resident of Salt Lake and the other was from Bagha Jatin.

Commencing operations on September 26, 2023, the 22348/22347 Patna Howrah Patna Vande Bharat Express will operate six days a week, excluding Wednesdays, providing a faster and more efficient mode of travel between Patna and Howrah.

The Calcutta high court has provided temporary relief to TMC leader Abhishek Banerjee by instructing the Enforcement Directorate (ED) not to employ coercive measures against him within the context of their probe into the alleged school jobs scam in West Bengal.

The competition, according to the tourism ministry website, seeks to honour a village that best exemplifies a rural tourism destination.

The decomposed body of the 36-year-old woman, identified as Madhu Prajapati, was found in Ganesh Nagar and a murder case was filed due to the presence of multiple wounds, Senior Inspector Rajendra Pawar of Kongaon police station said.

The Bangladesh government has granted permission to export nearly 4,000 tonnes of hilsa fish to India over a 40-day period. The majority of the exports will reach the Kolkata market, with the first consignment expected to arrive on Thursday. This is the longest period granted for hilsa export to India since the ban in 2012, and the permitted quantity is higher than last year but lower than 2021. However, fish importers argue that the duration is still inadequate and expect around 1,200 tonnes of