Bringing the chirps back to Mangalavanam

Bringing back birds to Mangalavanam Bird Sanctuary is now a priority for the Kerala Forest Department.

The department is working on a proposal to desilt the water body inside the sanctuary to improve the water flow and piscine population, which will go a long way in attracting the avian visitors.

Over the years, the number of birds reaching the sanctuary has considerably dropped. Earlier studies carried out by P.S. Easa and E.A. Jayson of the Kerala Forest Research Institute (KFRI), Thrissur, had recorded the presence of 72 avian species in the sanctuary.

These days, only a few cormorants, bulbuls and robins can be spotted in this protected area.

A number of factors including the construction of high rises around the sanctuary, predator pressure and low availability of food may have deterred the birds, say forest officials.

V. Gopinath, Chief Wildlife Warden, Kerala, feels that low availability of food could be one of the factors deterring water birds from the sanctuary.

Heavy silting has almost levelled the water body. It has also affected the inflow of water and fish from the open waters to it. The water body will have to be desilted to a depth of at least two to three feet for ensuring exchange of water during tidal action and for the fish to come in, he says.

The department will soon convene a meeting of the Mangalavanam Advisory Committee and various stakeholders including environment groups, legislators and civic representatives of the city to discuss the proposal.

Discussions were also held with a few agencies which own land near the sanctuary. Railways and other agencies have offered support, he says. 

Source: http://www.thehindu.com

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Confusion surrounds identity of man 'too good looking' for Saudi

Mystery surrounds the identity of three UAE men who were allegedly deported from Saudi Arabia for being too good looking. 

 Websites around the world have identified Dubai-based Iraqi-Emirati model, Omar Burkan Al Gala, pictured, as being one of the three.
However, his friends say that he has been living in Vancouver, Canada, and was nowhere near Saudi at that time.
The Saudi press reported that three UAE members of a cultural delegation were removed from a cultural festival in the country on Friday, April 12, and deported, because Saudi police feared their good looks might corrupt Saudi women.
The Abu Dhabi Tourism and Cultural Authority confirmed to 7DAYS that it sent a delegation to the festival to promote tourism, but said it could not comment further.
The mystery deepened when a US blogger posted sultry photos of Omar Burkan Al Gala online, claiming that he was one of the three men deported.
That sparked an online frenzy, with hundreds of thousands of people logging on to Al Gala’s facebook, Twitter and Instagram accounts to check out his photos and send him messages. His facebook page now has 400,000 ‘likes’.
Al Gala did not reply to several requests from 7DAYS for comment. Messages posted on his facebook wall, in which we asked about the reports of his alleged deportation, appear to have been removed.
However, one of his Emirati friends said that he was not in Saudi at the time and accused international media of “using him” to advance their story. “The guy lives in Canada,” she wrote in an online message to 7DAYS. “There is no reason for him to be in Saudi Arabia, plus take into consideration that there isn’t a picture or video at showing him being arrested. The media basically used him because he’s good looking.”
She also pointed out a YouTube video of his from Canada, in which he said he missed family in the UAE. She said: “Why would he say that if he’s in the UAE? LOL. That’s because he’s in Vancouver.”

Source: http://www.7daysindubai.com

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Food Van in Cochin - Fries on Wheels @ Panampilly Nagar

We spotted a food van in Panampilly Nagar last week, probably one among the first in Cochin. Inside the van, a young charming lady was preparing burgers and fries for people who were peeping through the side window and placing orders. She is Alpha, a fashion designer who went to UK for higher education and came back with the dream of starting a restaurant.

Alpha and her brother, who was also studying in UK back then, had the idea of starting a western model food joint in India. Initially, they thought of a restaurant selling fried chicken but was not very confident about the location. They were also skeptical on whether people will accept it. Then came the idea of starting a mobile restaurant selling fries and burgers. Along with their dad and mom, they started 'Fries on Wheels'. Their initial location was Fort Kochi but later, they shifted to Panampilly Nagar and made it their permanent location.

This one month old food van is open from 6:00 pm to 9:30 pm on all days. The menu includes fries, burgers and rolls, both veg and non-veg. You can find the van near South Indian Bank, Panampilly Nagar.

In future, they are planning to add Sri Lankan dishes to their menu. After they get permanent customers and a good place, they are looking forward to opening a restaurant next year. A place to park fries on wheels!

Source: http://www.facebook.com/routecochin.co

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Birthday boy lands in police station, does not know why

VASAI resident Ashwin Sharma's birthday Friday ended on a rather bizarre note. The marketing professional was allegedly detained at Vasai police station for 45 minutes. His crime? Travelling home drunk in an autorickshaw after celebrating his 29th birthday with friends. Conceding that Sharma should not have been dragged to the police station as he was not driving, senior officers have now promised to look into the matter.
Friday, the auto-rickshaw in which he was travelling from the railway station was allegedly stopped for nakabandi at Ambadi Road Junction in Vasai West. A constable, who ascertained that Sharma was under the influence of alcohol, took him to Manickpur police station. He was finally allowed to go home at 4 am, but was kept in the dark about why was detained.
Sharma had gone to Kino 108, a popular nightclub in Andheri West Thursday night to watch his favourite band — Split — perform. "It sounded like a good idea, to watch them perform on my birthday. A few of my former colleagues also turned up and it was an impromptu party. A few of us took alcohol," he said.
Sharma then caught the last train to Vasai from Andheri with another friend who lives in Vasai East. "We reached Vasai at 2.45 am and I took an auto from the station. A nakabandi was on at Ambadi Road Junction and the constable asked me if I was drunk. I told him I was that I was returning home after my birthday celebrations. He told me that I was drunk and shouldn't be going home in this state and that I come with him to the police station instead. I agreed because I did not want to argue with him," he said. Sharma said the constable then instructed the auto-rickshaw driver to take him to the police station. "I showed him my proof of identity, but was made to sit there for 30-45 minutes. At 4 am, the same constable said I was free to go," a puzzled Sharma said.
After spending all of Friday thinking of what happened, Sharma went to Manikpur police station Saturday to find answers. "I found the same constable, he introduced himself as Satyanand. He told me the police had received information Friday of illegal activity in Vasai and had enforced nakabandi. He said I was angry and was arguing with him at the police station. Finally, after spending 45 minutes there, he said I could leave," he said.
Even though his anger has now given way to bemusement, Sharma cannot understand why he was asked to go to the police station at all. "They may have had information of some illegal activity, but they had no reason to hold me at the police station. He, however, did not tell why he kept me in the police station," he said. Vasai Additional Deputy Superintendent of Police Sangramsin Nishandar said he was unaware of the incident. "I do not know of this but this is a serious issue. The man wasn't driving, so he should not be asked to go to the police station." He also promised to act if Sharma submitted an application. Manikpur police station senior inspector Shyam Chaudhary said the nakabandi was enforced near the railway station to keep an eye on criminals on the prowl. "At the nakabandi, we mainly check two-wheelers and four-wheelers and occasionally auto-rickshaws. I will look into the matter," he added.

Source: http://www.indianexpress.com

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Metro extension proposal: Kochi Metro Rail officials visit SmartCity

KOCHI: To explore the possibilities of extending Kochi Metro to SmartCity, a team of officials of Kochi Metro Rail Corporation Limited (KMRL) and Agence Francaise de Development (AFD), a French agency that is expected to finance the project, visited the site of the IT project in Kakkanad on Saturday.

After visiting the site, the team watched a presentation by SmartCity officials that suggested a possible alignment and other benefits.

"Last month, we had submitted a proposal to E Sreedharan to extend the metro. As far as we know, there are plans to extend the project up to the civil station area. SmartCity is just two kilometres away from there. I think they liked our presentation," said a SmartCity official, adding that Edachira and Brahmapuram were the two likely spots for the metro station.

As per the presentation by company engineers, SmartCity would directly hire more than one lakh personnel over the next eight years.

Professionals employed in indirect jobs would be around 3 lakh and with the completion of Infopark's second phase, the total employment may reach 5 lakh. Sources said that extending the Metro could ease the traffic problems.

Considering the potential growth of traffic in the area, the state government has already decided to construct two four-lane highways through the area. One of the four-lane highways will connect SmartCity and NH 49 at Puthencruz via Brahmapuram and Karimugal.

The other route will ensure connectivity through MC Road at Perumbavoor via Kizhakkambalam and Pattimattom.

But the SmartCity authorities are of the opinion that these roads alone won't serve the purpose.

"The government is yet to fix the time frame for construction of these roads. So, extension of the metro project would be the best solution," an official said.

Source: http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com

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Man falls to death at Al Ain's Jabeel Hafeet...

A 31-year-old man has plunged to his death off Jebel Hafeet in Al Ain.

The incident took place on Thursday when the Asian man had gone to the popular mountain for a day trip.
A source in Al Ain told 7DAYS yesterday that the man was at the top of the mountain, which is 1,240m above sea level, when he slipped and fell.
bu Dhabi Police said their rescue team rushed to the scene along with a helicopter as soon as they received an emergency call about the incident.
Lieutenant Colonel Rashid Hamarain Dar Makki, Director of the Civil Defence Department, said the man’s body was found at the bottom of the mountain.
He said the search operation lasted for almost four hours before the rescue men discovered the body, which was then taken to hospital.
Abu Dhabi Police said officers were still investigating the incident to establish how the victim fell.
They urged members of the public to be careful when they visit the peak at
Jebel Hafeet, as well as other high points on the mountain.

Source: http://www.7daysindubai.com

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Abu Dhabi jaywalkers paying Dhs8.5 million bill for their careless capers

New statistics have revealed jaywalkers in Abu Dhabi are paying a hefty price for their attempts to dodge the traffic.

The figures, released yesterday by Abu Dhabi Police, show that 42,806 pedestrians were stopped and fined in 2012 for attempting to cross a road in an unauthorised spot.
At Dhs200 per person, that means the pedestrians clocked up a whopping Dhs8.5 million bill for their careless capers, with police insisting there are plenty of safe places for walkers to cross.
“All 42,806 were issued with fines for violations that occurred near designated crossing areas such as footbridges, pedestrian walkways and subways,” said Colonel Hamad bin Mubarak Al Ameri, director of the traffic department at Abu Dhabi Police.
Police insist the threat of fines paid off however, as accidents involving pedestrians being run over were down 14 per cent on 2011. Seventy people were killed in such accidents in 2012, 81 died the year before.
However, pedestrians were not the only ones in the firing line. Al Ameri said the number of motorists fined for not giving way to people at crossings took a huge leap from 983 violations in 2011 to 3,588 during 2012.
That fugure resulted in the impatient drivers clocking up a further Dhs1,794,000 in fines for drivers.
Motorists who do not give priority to pedestrians on designated crossings are fined Dhs500 and get six black points.
“Crossing roads from non-designated areas and drivers’ not giving priority to pedestrians crossing roads are dangerous traffic offences as they increase the risks of run-over accidents,” said Al Ameri.
He urged motorists to reduce their speed at pedestrian crossings, in industrial areas, near shopping malls and residential areas and to give pedestrians the right of way.
The police official also told pedestrians to use specified crossing areas or footbridges to avoid accidents or being slapped with fines.
Police said Abu Dhabi Municipality will this year build 26 new footbridges including 20 on various roads in Abu Dhabi city, two in Al Ain and four in Abu Dhabi’s western region to provide more safe crossings and further reduce the number of people dying while attempting to cross roads in the emirate.
That figure resulted in the impatient drivers clocking up a further Dhs1,794,000 in fines.
Motorists who do not give priority to pedestrians on designated crossings are fined Dhs500 and get six black points.
“Crossing roads from non-designated areas and drivers’ not giving priority to pedestrians crossing roads are dangerous traffic offences as they increase the risks of run-over accidents,” said police official Al Ameri.
He urged motorists to reduce their speed at pedestrian crossings, in industrial areas, near shopping malls and residential areas and to give pedestrians the right of way.
He also told pedestrians to use specified crossings or footbridges to avoid accidents or being fined.

Source: http://www.7daysindubai.com

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Boy's Ferrari 'treat ride' backfires on dad as video goes viral

A businessman in India has been charged with endangering the life of a child after letting his nine-year-old son take his 315kph Ferrari out for a birthday spin.

Mohammed Nisham’s wife filmed the boy driving the supercar around a street in Kerala at speeds of about 55kph, with his seven-year-old brother in the passenger seat.
Neither child was wearing a seatbelt.
The video went viral and sparked outrage across India.
Kerala Police inspector MV Verghese yesterday said Nisham had also been charged with allowing a minor to drive.
However, the boy’s mum insisted they had no regrets about letting their son get behind the wheel of such a powerful car.
“I am proud of him,” said Amal Nisham. “He’s been driving since he was five.
“He was insisting for months. It was his birthday so we allowed him to drive the Ferrari. He’s a cautious and confident driver.
“It’s not easy for a child to achieve such a feat at a young age.”
The video, which sees the boys driving along a residential street in the Ferrari F 430 with children chasing them on foot, went viral on YouTube and caused an outrage across India, resulting the police charges.

Inspector Verghese said the dad, who has a thriving tobacco and real estate business, owns a stable of 18 cars worth an estimated Dhs15 million.
Dubai-based mum Lesley Cully, founder of the safety awareness campaign Buckle Up In The Back, said the parents showed “jaw-dropping negligence” by allowing the joyride.
“Money can buy you a lot of things but it doesn’t buy common sense,” said Cully.
“How proud would the mum be if he kills them – or kills other people?
“This is wrong on so many levels.”
Zohaib Yahya of Sheikh Zayed Road firm Exotic Cars said there was no way a nine-year-old boy should have been given the keys to such a high-powered vehicle, which he said retails for around Dhs550,000.
“You need a driving license before you drive any car, let alone a Ferrari,” he said. “You need to be careful.”
The legal driving age in India is 18.
Inspector BJ Kumar said the boy’s father Nisham handed himself in at a police station in Kochi, in the southern Indian state and was granted bail.
Inspector added that police would likely impound the Ferrari while the case is ongoing.

Source: http://www.7daysindubai.com

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