Varsity teacher on dolphin deaths
Patna University zoology professor R.K. Sinha, known as the Dolphin Man for his four-decade battle to save the Gangetic dolphin, on Monday expressed concern over the aquatic mammal being injured by boats and ships.
Sinha was speaking at the inaugural day of the two-day workshop on "Current trends in life sciences" organised by the Central University of South Bihar. "Last December, I spotted around 43 dolphins in the Ganga here. The number of river dolphins is dwindling everyday because of poaching and other activities," Sinha said. "Death of the river dolphins on being caught in fishing nets is a known fact but very few people know that the dolphins are also dying because of being hit by boats and ships. Efforts should be made to reduce vehicle collisions with this aquatic mammal."
Rajendra Memorial Research Institute of Medical Sciences director Pradeep Das spoke on the kala-azar prevention programme run by the centre in Vaishali district, at the workshop.
Discussion on Jaitley's budget
The Association for Study and Action in collaboration with Patna University's department of personal management and industrial relations organised a discussion on the Union budget at Darbhanga House on Monday.
Union finance minister Arun Jaitley presented the budget on February 1.
Head of the university department Sharad Praveen, retired Patna University professor N.K. Choudhary, NGO Bhudev Yagya Samiti's chairman Kumar Shubhmurthy, Association for Study and Action vice-president Meera Mishra were among the dignitaries at the programme.
Choudhary said the Union budget did not fulfil expectations of the people on issues such as health, climate and employment generation. Shubhmurthy said that since the time of Jawaharlal Nehru, the Union budget was being prepared in the style of European nations.
"The government should make policies as such that it benefits the last man in the queue but the Union budget being prepared by the government these days does not take care of this important factor," he said.
