Travelogue on India – An Indian Bureaucrat's Diary http://binoygupta.com Share the life time experiences of a retired Indian Bureaucrat relating to travel and nature Thu, 25 Jun 2009 16:58:43 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.6.1 The Vanishing Tigers of Panna http://binoygupta.com/wildlife/the-vanishing-tigers-of-panna-266/ http://binoygupta.com/wildlife/the-vanishing-tigers-of-panna-266/#comments Thu, 25 Jun 2009 16:58:43 +0000 http://binoygupta.com/wildlife/the-vanishing-tigers-of-panna-266/ Read more ›]]> Panna National Reserve was created in 1981 (from the former Gangau Wildlife Sanctuary created in 1975).
It was upgraded to a Project Tiger Reserve in 1994 – the 22nd in the country.

The Reserve forests and some protected forests in Chhatarpur district were the hunting preserves of the erstwhile rulers of princely states of Panna, Chhatarpur and Bijawar.
The official figures of tigers in Panna Tiger Reserve were as follows:

1993 1995 1996 1997 1998
 
  23
  22-27
  23-28
  22-24
   21

 In March, 2005, the Sunday Express first reported about the vanishing tigers in Rajasthan, prompting the Government of India to take urgent measures.
Around that time, a field researcher submitted a report that some 23 tigers had died or gone amissing in the Panna Tiger Reserve over the past two-and-a-half years.

The Director, Tiger Project, Govt. of India, New Delhi poo poohed the report and insisted there were 32 tigers. By early 2009, it was clear that there was only on male tiger left in Panna. In March 2009, two tigresses were relocated from Bandhavgarh and Kanha national parks to breed with the surviving male tiger. But by May 2009, even he had vanished. In April 2009, a central government team led by former National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) chief P.K. Sen confirmed that there were no tigers left in Panna.

In June 2009, Madhya Pradesh Congress demanded formation of an all-party MLAs

committee to probe into the reason behind the disappearance of the big cats from the reserve.

The same month Jairam Ramesh, Minister of State for Environment and Forests, said the government will fix accountability for the exaggerated projection of the tiger population in Madhya Pradesh’s Panna forest reserve.

What is needed is not enquiry by expert or in-expert committees, but fixing of responsibility.
How is it possible that the officials in charge of the Panna Reserve were not aware of the vanishing tigers?
They should have been the first to point this out.

And how could the Director sitting in his cosy office in Delhi discredit a researcher’s findings instead of trying to ascertain the facts.

Responsibility should be fixed and stringent action should be taken fast.

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Travel India Whale Sharks http://binoygupta.com/travel_india/whale-sharks-conservation-mass-congregation-endangered-species-an-indian-bureaucrats-diary-travelogue-on-india-binoy-gupta-262/ http://binoygupta.com/travel_india/whale-sharks-conservation-mass-congregation-endangered-species-an-indian-bureaucrats-diary-travelogue-on-india-binoy-gupta-262/#respond Mon, 11 Aug 2008 02:20:20 +0000 http://binoygupta.com/travel_india/whale-sharks-conservation-mass-congregation-endangered-species-an-indian-bureaucrats-diary-travelogue-on-india-binoy-gupta-262/ Read more ›]]>
Travel India Whale Shark Georgia Aquarium, Atlanta, U.S.
Whale Sharks

“Whale Sharks are the largest fish in the sea, and yet, we know the least about them,” Jeff Swanagan, Executive Director and President, declared shortly after the opening of the Georgia Aquarium in Atlanta, U.S.

Seeing a Whale Shark in the ocean is very rare.
Even well-known oceanographers such as Dr. Sylvia Earle and Philippe Cousteau did not see their first Whale Shark until coming to an aquarium.

Whale Sharks frequently enter the coastal waters around India.
A few are washed ashore.
Nature lovers try to push them back to deeper waters.

Fortunately for us, today, most of the larger public aquariums display Whale Sharks.

Description
Believed to have originated about 60 million years ago, the Whale Shark, Rhincodon typus, is the largest living fish in the world.

The Whale Shark was first identified in April 1828 following the harpooning of a 4.6  metres  (15.1 feet) specimen in Table Bay, South Africa.
It was described the next year by Andrew Smith, a military doctor with the British troops in Cape Town.
He published a more detailed description of the Whale Shark in 1849.
The name ” Whale Shark ” comes from the fish’s physiology.
It is actually a shark, as large as a
whale, and filter feeds in the same way as whales do.It can grow up to 12.2 metres (40 feet) in length and can weigh up to 13.6 metric tons.

Travel India Whale Shark and Diver
The largest accurately recorded specimen was caught on November 11, 1947, near the island of Baba, near Karachi, Pakistan.
It was 12.65 metres (41.50 feet) long, weighed more than 21.5 
tons (47,300 lb), and had a girth of 7 metres (23.0 feet).



Distribution and habitat

The Whale Shark is found in open waters in tropical and warm-temperate oceans around the world.
Its range is restricted to about ± 30 ° latitude.
It is found to a depth of 700 metres (2,300 ft).
It is usually solitary.
Males range over longer distances than females.

Seasonal feeding congregations of the Whale Sharks occur at several coastal sites such as Ningaloo Reef (Western Australia); Útila  (Honduras); Donsol and Batangas (Philippines); off Isla Mujeres and Isla Holbox (Yucatan Mexico); and the Tanzanian islands (Pemba and Zanzibar).

Description and Feeding

The Whale Shark is a
filter feeder.
It has a huge mouth which can open up to 1.5 metres (4.9 feet) wide and contains between 300 and 350 rows of tiny teeth.
It has five large pairs of
gills.
The two small eyes are located towards the front of the shark’s wide, flat head.

The body is mostly grey with a white belly.
Three prominent ridges run along each side of the Whale Shark and the skin is marked with a “checkerboard” of pale yellow spots and stripes.
These spots are unique to each whale shark and are used to identify each animal.

The skin can be up to 10 centimetres (3.9 inches) thick.

The Whale Shark is not an efficient swimmer and uses its entire body for swimming, reducing its speed to an average of around 5 kilometres per hour (3.1 mph).

Diet

The Whale Shark is a filter feeder — one of only three known filter feeding shark species (the other two are the basking shark and the megamouth shark).

It feeds on phytoplankton, macro-algae, plankton, krill, small fish and small nektonic life, such as small squid or vertebrates.
The rows of tiny teeth play no role in feeding.

The shark sucks in a mouthful of water, closes its mouth and expels the water through its gills. The plankton and other food material is trapped inside and swallowed.

The Whale Shark and Divers

The Whale Sharks are quite gentle and allow divers to play with them.

Divers and snorkellers can swim with them and even touch them without any risk apart from unintentionally being struck by the shark’s large tail fin.

The shark is often seen by divers in The Bay Islands in Honduras, Thailand, the Philippines, the Maldives, the Red Sea, Western Australia (Ningaloo Reef and Christmas Island), Gladden Spit Marine Reserve in Belize, Tofo Beach in Mozambique, Sodwana Bay (Greater St. Lucia Wetland Park) in South Africa and at the Galapagos Islands.

The highest concentration of Whale Sharks to be found anywhere in the world is in the Philippines. From January to May, they congregate in the shallow coastal waters of Sorsogon province (at Donsol).

Recently 150 Whale Sharks have been tagged and identified off the coast off Hol Box Island, Mexico. The island is located north of Cancun in the Gulf of Mexico. They visit the island from June through August and more have been identified every year.

Tour guides can organise swimming with these enormous creatures.


Reproduction

The reproductive habits of the Whale Sharks are obscure.
It was earlier believed to be oviparous, but the capture of a female in July 1996 which was pregnant with 300 pups proved that they are ovoviviparous.

The eggs remain in the body and the females give birth to live young which are 40 centimetres (15.7 in) to 60 centimetres (23.6 in) long.
It is believed that they reach sexual maturity at around 30 years and live to over 100 years.

 Conservation status

The Whale Sharks are captured by artisanal and commercial fisheries in several areas where they seasonally aggregate.
However, they are not endangered.
IUCN has classified them as vulnerable.

Fishing, selling, importing and exporting of Whale Sharks for commercial purposes has been banned in the Philippines in 1998; in India in May 2001; and  by Taiwan in May 2007.

Whale Sharks in India

Around 1,200 Whale Sharks migrate from East Africa to the Gujarat coast in the Indian Ocean for breeding every year.
They were indiscriminately slaughtered by fishermen in the coastal areas of in Gujarat.
About one thousand were slaughtered by Gujarat’s fishermen between 1990- 2001, who killed them for their oil, fins and meat. These fetched high prices in the international market.
However, since 2005, the fishermen themselves have rescued nine of these huge creatures of the sea.

This has been possible through ‘Save the Whale Shark’ – a joint awareness campaign, conducted by the Wildlife Trust of India (WTI), the International Fund for Animal Welfare, Tata Chemicals and the Gujarat government since 2004.

Watching the magnificent creatures is a unique experience.
India is doing a wonderful job protecting and saving them.

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Travel India Supreme Court of India http://binoygupta.com/current-issues/social-issues-current-issues-bureaucratic-apathy-an-indian-bureaucrats-diary-travelogue-on-india-binoy-gupta-261/ http://binoygupta.com/current-issues/social-issues-current-issues-bureaucratic-apathy-an-indian-bureaucrats-diary-travelogue-on-india-binoy-gupta-261/#comments Sat, 09 Aug 2008 16:43:57 +0000 http://binoygupta.com/current-issues/social-issues-current-issues-bureaucratic-apathy-an-indian-bureaucrats-diary-travelogue-on-india-binoy-gupta-261/ Read more ›]]>
Supreme Court of India on our bureaucracy



Even God cannot save this country………
  
Supreme Court of India, New Delhi, August 5, 2008


The Supreme Court was hearing a case relating to unauthorised occupation of Government accommodation.

The Bench had suggested that the Government should amend the law to make unauthorised occupation a criminal offence.

Additional Solicitor General, Amarender Saran, told the court that the Union Government had decided not to amend Section 441 IPC (criminal trespass) for prosecuting squatters of Government accommodation in the country. The Government took the stand that the existing provisions under the Public Premises Act were sufficient to evict those unauthorisedly occupying Government accommodation.
The Government further claimed that out of 99,100 government houses, only 300 and odd were under unauthorised occupation for which action had been taken to evict them.
This did not satisfy the apex court which said the Government does not have the guts to take on the offenders.

Some Observations of the Bench of the Supreme Court comprising
Justices B N Aggrawal and G S Singhvi.

·         We are fed up with this Government. They don’t have the guts to differ with the opinion of the clerks.
·         Even God will not be able to save this country. In India, even if God comes down, he cannot change our country. Our country’s character has gone. We are helpless.
·         You complain about judicial activism when you are in power. When you are not in power, you come to us for remedy.
·         PILs are being filed by people who are vexed with the approach of the Government on various issues.

Insensitive officials need regular flogging……..


Supreme Court of India, New Delhi, August 8, 2008

Those who have experienced the problems involved in going to a police station and filing a FIR (First Information Report) will advise you never to visit a police station.
You will be advised not to file a FIR and treated worst than a criminal.

A Ghaziabad resident, Lalita Kumari, had to run from pillar to post for registering an FIR after her teenaged daughter was abducted early this year.

Even after registering an FIR on the orders of the Ghaziabad Superintendent of Police on May 11, the local police did not try to search for her daughter. Instead they threatened her to withdraw the FIR.
While hearing this matter, on July 14, 2008, Justice Agrawal had noted his “personal experience” while working as the judge of the Patna High Court, the Chief Justice of Orissa High Court and as Judge of the apex court – that despite the Supreme Court’s strict instruction for prompt registration of FIRs, the concerned police authorities do not register FIRs unless some direction is given by the Chief Judicial Magistrate or the high court or this court.

“Further experience shows that even after orders are passed by the concerned courts for registration of the case, the police does not take the necessary steps. And when matters are brought to the notice of the inspecting judges of the high court during the course of inspection of courts and superintendents of police are taken to task, then only FIRs are registered,” Justice Agrawal had noted.

In a large number of cases, investigations do not commence even after registration of FIRs, and in cases like the present one steps are not taken for recovery of the kidnapped person or apprehending the accused person, Justice Agrawal said.

Justice Agrawal had made some suggestionsfor corrective measures to deal with the callous approach of police in filing criminal cases on the complaints of people.

The bench had suggested that if the police fail to file a criminal case, then the citizen may approach the nearest judicial magistrate, who could direct police to register a First Information Report (FIR).

After this, if the police still fail to register an FIR without any proper reason, the magistrate would be justified in launching contempt to court proceedings against the erring police officer and send him to jail for defying court orders.

Only two states – Uttar Pradesh and Arunachal Pradesh, filed their responses to the suggestion.

Justice Agrawal was very harsh.


Some Observations of the Bench of the Supreme Court comprising
Justices B N Aggrawal and G S Singhvi.
·         Government officials are simply insensitive to the suffering of millions of people across the country. They think they live in ‘Ram Rajya’ (ideal rule). They think it’s their ‘swarajya’ (own self-rule, not for the people.
·         This is their style of functioning. They need regular huntering or flogging by  the court to be made to work said.

The bench ordered the chief secretaries and the police chiefs of all states and union territories to file their responses to the court’s July 14 suggestion within two weeks failing which they would be personally summoned to the court and taken to task.

Recommendation

Wake up bureaucrats.  Supreme Court is watching you.

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Travel India Social Inequality http://binoygupta.com/travel_india/social-disparity-current-issues-highest-tax-payers-an-indian-bureaucrats-diary-travelogue-on-india-binoy-gupta-260/ http://binoygupta.com/travel_india/social-disparity-current-issues-highest-tax-payers-an-indian-bureaucrats-diary-travelogue-on-india-binoy-gupta-260/#respond Sun, 03 Aug 2008 09:07:03 +0000 http://binoygupta.com/travel_india/social-disparit-current-issues-highest-tax-payers-an-indian-bureaucrats-diary-travelogue-on-india-binoy-gupta-260/ Read more ›]]>
Social Inequality
 

The extent of social inequality in India – even after 6 decades of independence, is to say the least, unbelievably appalling.
Our politicians, whose primary job is to reduce, if not remove, social inequality, clearly believe in the age old dictum, make hay while the sun shines.

The public, at large, continue to suffer, while the politicians prosper…and prosper.

Take a peep into the background of your neighbourhood councillor, MLA or MP.
Even if he has been in office for a single term, you will find his financial position has suddenly soared up.

Our Tax Payers


Just go through the lists of our top 20, 100 and 200 income tax payers.
They are an eye opener for everyone.

For the latest year – 2007-08:

·         The country’s top taxpayer is from Delhi. He paid Rs 121 crores.
·         Of the top 10 taxpayers, five are from Mumbai and two from Delhi.
·         The top taxpayer among industrialists is Max’s Analjit Singh who is No. 15 in the list. He paid Rs 31.49 crores.
·         Conspicuous by their absence in the top 200 list are the two brothers, Mukesh and Anil Ambani.
·         Their mother, Kokilaben, is almost at the bottom of the list. She is No. 195. She paid Rs 4.46 crores.

The following are the figures for some other interesting personalities:                  
                                   
                                                
Sl No.                Tax paid (Rs. Crores)

·          Shah Rukh Khan               13                                  34.2
·          Mayawati                           18                                  26.26          
·          Akshay Kumar                   40                                 13.5
·        Sachin Tendulkar              81                                   8.8
(Sachin is just ahead of industrialist Kumarmangalam Birla who paid just Rs 48,271 less than the cricketeer.)

(The names of persons other than celebrities are not given here because this could invite threats from extortionists.)

Mayawati

Mayawati’s income, year-after-year, has ostensibly come from “gifts” from her admirers.
An admirable lady indeed!
On the basis of the taxes paid, her personal income this year is estimated to be about Rs 75-80 crores.

Other interesting taxpayers

Some other interesting names in the list of top-200 taxpayers are:                                                                                     Rs. (crores)
·         Naresh Trehan  (cardio-surgeon)                                 8.4  
·         Salman Khan    (actor)                                                   7     
·         Abdul Telgi       (stamp-paper scamster)                    6.5
·         Sanjay Dutt       (actor)                                                  5.8  
·         Aishwarya Rai   (actress)                                             5.6  
·         Abhishek Bachchan (actor)    (paid just Rs 75,192 less than his wife)
·         Nandan Nilekani  (industrialist)                                   5.16 
·         Himesh Reshammiya  (music director-singer)         4.89 
·         Mukul Rohtagi   (lawyer)                                              4.85  
·         Aamir Khan (actor)                                                      4.72 
·         Azim Premji   (Wipro)                                                  4.68 

My Comments

Politicians have apparently done extremely well.
Though, only Mayavati has paid substantial taxes.
Bollywood personalities have done quite well even though most of the films have flopped at the box office.
 

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Travel India Jogeshwari Caves http://binoygupta.com/travel_india/jogeshwari-caves-shiva-linga-cave-temples-travel-india-binoy-gupta-an-indian-bureaucrats-diary-travelogue-on-india-258/ http://binoygupta.com/travel_india/jogeshwari-caves-shiva-linga-cave-temples-travel-india-binoy-gupta-an-indian-bureaucrats-diary-travelogue-on-india-258/#comments Sun, 27 Jul 2008 14:40:09 +0000 http://binoygupta.com/travel_india/jogeshwari-caves-shiva-linga-cave-temples-travel-india-binoy-gupta-an-indian-bureaucrats-diary-travelogue-on-india-258/ Read more ›]]>
Jogeshwari Caves in Mumbai

Jogeshwari Caves, dating back to 520 to 550 AD, are some of the earliest Hindu cave temple sculptures located off the Western Express Highway in Jogeshwari (East) in northern Mumbai (Bombay).
They are a 45-minute journey from Church Gate Station by train and a further 3 kms. by road from Jogeshwari Station.


The caves are accessed through a long flight of stairs leading to the main hall.
The cave temple has a huge central hall, with many pillars.
At the end of the hall are a Shrine and a Shivalinga.
Idols of Dattatreya, Hanuman, Devi Mata, Jogeshwari and an orange Ganesh line the walls.
There are also relics of two doormen.

Unfortunately, the caves are surrounded by encroachments – huts and all kinds of dwellings.
The caves are classified as endangered.
Sewage and waste enter the premises.
The caves are also infested with bats.
The boundary walls of the cave temple have disintegrated.

 

Bombay High Court to the rescue

In October 2007, Janhit Manch, a NGO (Non Government Organisation) filed a PIL (Public Interest Litigation) requesting the Bombay High Court to order removal of encroachments around four caves around Mumbai – Jogeshwari, Mahakali, Mandapeshwar and Kanheri caves.

The Bombay High Court appointed Shiraz Rustomji, Advocate as Amicus Curie (friend of the court).
The Bombay High Court sought a report from a court-appointed committee spelling out minimum intervention measures to rid the heritage monuments of illegal infringement.

As directed by the Bombay High Court, the ASI (Archaeological Survey of India) carried out survey of the four caves and informed the court that there were 750 illegal encroachments around the caves in Jogeshwari.

Shiraz Rustomji informed the court that the encroachments were not just within the barred 100-metre radius of the caves, but were also on the monument itself.
He further told the court that in the committee report submitted to the court, the ASI had suggested removal of encroachments between 17-40 metres from the site.

The BMC (Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation) told the court that none of these structures had obtained a construction certificate from the corporation, but they have been standing for a long period of time.
On 23 July 2008, Justices JN Patel and KK Tated of the Bombay High Court  asked the ASI, State Government and the BMC to present an action plan for removal of encroachments from the area around Jogeshwari caves, a heritage site.

They accepted all the suggestions made in the committee report and sought a check on the state government’s rehabilitation policy for the encroachers.

My recommendation


The encroachments around Jogeshwari Caves will be removed soon.
The ASI will provide security personnel.
Once more, the caves will attract more tourists.

Encroachments are the bane of most of our caves and important historical sites.
A 1992 notification prohibits any construction in the prohibited zone of 100 metres around ancient monuments, while a further 200 metres is designated as ‘regulated zone’, where development is permitted only after the ASI’s approval.

But we have come to such a sorry state of administrative inefficiency that Government bodies need court orders to goad them in to discharging their duty.

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Travel India Medical Tourism Cataract http://binoygupta.com/travel_india/medical-tourism-medical-treatment-medical-tourism-india-ophthalmological-treatment-cataract-an-indian-bureaucrats-diary-travelogue-on-india-binoy-gupta-256/ http://binoygupta.com/travel_india/medical-tourism-medical-treatment-medical-tourism-india-ophthalmological-treatment-cataract-an-indian-bureaucrats-diary-travelogue-on-india-binoy-gupta-256/#comments Tue, 22 Jul 2008 04:39:32 +0000 http://binoygupta.com/travel_india/medical-tourism-medical-treatment-medical-tourism-india-ophthalmological-treatment-cataract-an-indian-bureaucrats-diary-travelogue-on-india-binoy-gupta-256/ Read more ›]]> Medical Tourism 
Ophthalmological Treatment
in India – CataractTravel India.Medical Tourism.Cataract.Human Eye.Cross sectional view

India is the ideal location for all types of cataract surgeries…….from cheap sutureless Small Incision Cataract Surgeries to sophisticated micro Phaco surgeries with the most advanced implanted lenses.

Cataract surgeries take about 10 minutes and the patient can be discharged almost immediately.

What is Cataract

A cataract is a clouding that develops in the crystalline lens of the eye or in its envelope, varying in degree from slight to complete opacity, and obstructing the passage of light. Early in the development of age-related cataract, the power of the lens may increase, causing near-sightedness (myopia), and the gradual yellowing and opacification of the lens may reduce the perception of blue colours.Typically, cataracts progress slowly, causing vision loss; and can lead to blindness, if left untreated. Cataracts may be partial or complete, stationary or progressive, hard or soft.

Causes of Cataract

Cataracts develop from a variety of reasons, including long-term ultraviolet exposure, exposure to radiation, secondary effects of diseases such as diabetes, hypertension and advanced age.Genetic factors are often a cause of congenital cataracts. Cataracts can also be produced by eye injury or physical trauma. Some drugs such as Corticosteroids, Ezetimibe and Seroquel.can induce cataract development.

You can see articles on Cataract on the following web site:

http://www.sightsavers.org/What%20We%20Do/Eye%20Conditions/Cataract/World1414.html 

What should you do


If you have decided to come to India for Medical Treatment, then read on.
We can take care of all your needs and provide you the best single point care and attention.
Email us a brief note, giving your full name, address, contact details and summary of your ailments.

You can contact:
Dr. Binoy Gupta in Mumbai.
Dr. Sanjay Gupta in Kolkata.
Dr. Navin Kumar Gupta in California.
Dr. Vikash Gupta in U.K.

Their phone numbers and other details will be given to you on hearing from you.

email: eleena100@hotmail.com  


You can also see a number of related articles on this blog.

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Travel India Medical Tourism – Ophthalmological Treatment http://binoygupta.com/travel_india/medical-tourism-medical-treatment-medical-tourism-india-ophthalmological-treatment-an-indian-bureaucrats-diary-travelogue-on-india-binoy-gupta-aravind-eye-hospital-255/ http://binoygupta.com/travel_india/medical-tourism-medical-treatment-medical-tourism-india-ophthalmological-treatment-an-indian-bureaucrats-diary-travelogue-on-india-binoy-gupta-aravind-eye-hospital-255/#comments Sun, 20 Jul 2008 17:03:27 +0000 http://binoygupta.com/travel_india/medical-tourism-medical-treatment-medical-tourism-india-ophthalmological-treatment-an-indian-bureaucrats-diary-travelogue-on-india-binoy-gupta-aravind-eye-hospital-255/ Read more ›]]>

Ophthalmological Treatment in India

Why should patients from the West come to countries
like India for medical treatment?

The answer is two fold:
·           It is much cheaper ; and  

·           The treatment is world class.

Ophthalmological Treatment

Of the various specialities, India has one of the best ophthalmological treatment facilities in the world.

There are institutions like:

·           Aravind Eye Hospital, Madurai;

·           Shankar Netralaya, Chennai; and

·           L.V. Prasad Institute, Hyderabadwho are offering very good treatment.

At the same time, they are training qualified ophthalmologists and honing their skills to perfection, who in turn are offering the same level of services.

India is therefore most suitable for the following ophthalmological treatment:

·           All kinds of Cataract Surgeries

·           Lasik (Refractive correction)

·           Squints, Glaucoma, etc.

What should you do

If you have decided to come to India for Medical Treatment, then read on. We can take care of all your needs and provide you the best single point care and attention.

Email us a brief note, giving your full name, address, contact details and summary of your ailments.

You can contact

Dr. Binoy Gupta in Mumbai.
Dr. Sanjay Gupta in Kolkata.
Dr. Navin Kumar Gupta in California.
Dr. Vikash Gupta in U.K.

Their phone numbers and other details will be given to you on hearing from you.

email: eleena100@hotmail.com  

You can also see a number of related articles on this blog.


 

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Travel India Kanheri Caves http://binoygupta.com/travel_india/kanheri-caves-binoy-gupta-an-indian-bureaucrats-diary-travelogue-on-india-252/ http://binoygupta.com/travel_india/kanheri-caves-binoy-gupta-an-indian-bureaucrats-diary-travelogue-on-india-252/#respond Sat, 19 Jul 2008 04:03:39 +0000 http://binoygupta.com/travel_india/kanheri-caves-binoy-gupta-an-indian-bureaucrats-diary-travelogue-on-india-252/ Read more ›]]>  
When we think of caves, we visualize locations in inaccessible places hidden amidst deep forests.
Travel India.Kanheri Caves.Main Vihara
Some caves were carved out in inaccessible places because of fear of prosecution by kings and rulers of different faiths, or due to the desire to remain far away from society, but many were situated on the ancient trade routes and served as halting places for traders and other travellers.

There are some beautiful, ancient, little known caves – Kanheri Caves – about an hour’s drive from Mumbai.
But as the old saying goes ‘there is shadow beneath the lamp’, most Mumbaites do not even know about this place.

 

The Name

The word Kanheri comes from two Sanskrit words   Kanha meaning Krishna and Giri meaning mountains.

Location

The Kanheri Caves are situated on a hill, 42 kms north of Mumbai in Boriveli, deep inside the Sanjay Gandhi National Park.

Description
Travel India.Kanheri Caves.Another Vihhara
Buddhist caves consist of two main types of structures:Chaityagrahas, or places of worship; and
Viharas, or monasteries, single and multiple celled residences of the Buddhist monks.
There are 109 caves in Kanheri dating from the 1st century BC to 9th Century AD, each connected with a flight of steps.
They were chiseled out of a massive outcrop of basaltic rock.
Most of the caves in Kanheri are Viharas meant for living, study, and meditation.Travel India.Kanheri Caves.Steps
The larger caves are Chaityagrahas, or halls for worship.
Many of these are lined with intricately carved Buddhist sculptures, reliefs and pillars, and contain rock-cut stupas for congregational worship.
Unlike the caves of Elephanta, most of the caves are spartan and unadorned.

Sculptural art can be seen in Caves like 2, 3, 41, 67, 89, 90, etc.  
Kanheri has the largest number of cave excavations in a single hill.

Important Caves

The most important Cave is Cave No. 3 built during the 6th century.
This has the last of the excavated Chaityagrahas of the Hinayana Order.
This Cave has 34 pillars and is like a colonnaded hall – 28 mtrs x13 mtrs in dimension.
Inside is a 5 mtrs high Dagoba, or stupa, and carvings depicting elephants kneeling and worshipping the stupa.

Cave 1 is an unfinished Chaityagraha, originally planned to have a double-storeyed verandah and a porch, apart from the pillared hall.
The cave is dated to 5th – 6th  century A.D. as the pillars with compressed cushion or amalaka top appear generally during this period.

Cave 11 is known as the Durbar Hall, or the Assembly Hall.
It consists of a huge hall with a front verandah.
There is a statue of the Buddha occupying the central place as in the case of idols in Hindu temples and also a number of cells for Buddhist monks.
The cave has four inscriptions of different periods. 

Cave 34 is a dark cell and has paintings of the Buddha on the ceiling.

Cave 41 has, besides other sculptures, a figure of the eleven headed Avalokiteshwara.

Cave 67 is a big cell, with the figure of Avalokiteshwara as savior flanked by two female figures in the verandah.
There are also images of the Buddha depicting the miracle of Sravasti.
 

Water System

Kanheri Caves had one of the best rainwater harvesting systems in the world.
The caves invariably contain a cistern for storing water.
There are 86 storage tanks with rock lids some of which have fallen inside and are too heavy to be lifted and placed back on the top.

Farther up the hill are the remains of an ancient water system, canals and cisterns that collected and channeled the rainwater into the huge tanks.

Recommendation Kanheri has some of the finest cave structures so close to Mumbai.

The site can be made a major tourist attraction – as popular as Elephanta and Karla Caves, but sincere efforts are required.

The 6 kms road leading to the Kanheri caves should be repaired and made safe for travellers.

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Medical Tourism Inc. http://binoygupta.com/travel_india/medical-tourism-medical-treatment-medical-tourism-india-american-medical-associations-guidelines-an-indian-bureaucrats-diary-travelogue-on-india-binoy-gupta-249/ http://binoygupta.com/travel_india/medical-tourism-medical-treatment-medical-tourism-india-american-medical-associations-guidelines-an-indian-bureaucrats-diary-travelogue-on-india-binoy-gupta-249/#comments Sat, 12 Jul 2008 12:25:34 +0000 http://binoygupta.com/travel_india/medical-tourism-medical-treatment-medical-tourism-india-american-medical-associations-guidelines-an-indian-bureaucrats-diary-travelogue-on-india-binoy-gupta-249/ Read more ›]]>
American Medical Association (AMA’s) Guidance on medical tourism

The AMA issued the following Press Release on June 16, 2008.
For the first time, the AMA has accepted the practicability of Medical Tourism.


Press Release
Dated: June 16, 2008

CHICAGO — To ensure the safety of patients considering traveling abroad for medical care, new guiding principles on medical tourism (PDF, 20KB) were adopted today at the American Medical Association’s (AMA) annual policy-making meeting. The nine principles are the first-of-its-kind, and outline steps for care abroad for consideration by patients, employers, insurers and third-parties responsible for coordinating travel outside of the U.S.

“Medical tourism is a small but growing trend among American patients, and it’s unclear at this time whether the risks outweigh the benefits,” said AMA Board Member J. James Rohack, MD. “Since this is uncharted waters, it is our hope that the AMA’s new guidance on medical tourism will benefit patients considering traveling abroad for health care.”

In 2006, an estimated 150,000 Americans received health care overseas, and nearly half of the procedures were for medically necessary surgeries. The emergence of medical tourism is in part a response to the rising cost of health care in the U.S., which puts needed health care out of reach for many, particularly those without health care coverage.

“We need to address the cost of care in the U.S. and cover the uninsured so that every American who needs health care can get it right here at home,” said Dr. Rohack. “Until there is significant action at home, patients with limited resources may turn elsewhere for care. It is important that U.S. patients have access to credible information and resources so that the care they receive abroad is safe and effective.”

The new AMA principles call for all medical care outside of the U.S. to be voluntary. They address financial incentives, insurance coverage for care abroad and care coordination. The principles also call for patients to be made aware of their legal rights prior to travel and to have access to physician licensing and facility accreditation information prior to travel.

“For those patients considering medical tourism, the new AMA principles are an important starting point for consideration before making the decision to go abroad for health care,” said Dr. Rohack.

To ensure that insurance companies and others that facilitate medical tourism adhere to the new principles, the AMA will introduce model legislation for consideration of state lawmakers.

For additional information, please contact AMA Media Relations at:(312) 239-4991 or (312) 464-5980

For more information of Medical Tourism in India,
click on the following site:
http://medicaltourisminc.blogspot.com/2008/07/medical-tourism-in-india.html

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Medical Tourism Inc. http://binoygupta.com/travel_india/medical-tourism-medical-treatment-medical-tourism-india-an-indian-bureaucrats-diary-travelogue-on-india-binoy-gupta-2-247/ http://binoygupta.com/travel_india/medical-tourism-medical-treatment-medical-tourism-india-an-indian-bureaucrats-diary-travelogue-on-india-binoy-gupta-2-247/#comments Fri, 11 Jul 2008 15:59:07 +0000 http://binoygupta.com/travel_india/medical-tourism-medical-treatment-medical-tourism-india-an-indian-bureaucrats-diary-travelogue-on-india-binoy-gupta-2-247/ Read more ›]]>  
Medical Tourism in India

If you have decided to come to India for Medical Treatment, then read on.
We can take care of all your needs and provide you the best single point care and attention.

Email us a brief note, giving your full name, address, contact details and summary of your ailments.

These details will be handed over to a General Practitioner.
He will act as your coordinator for your medical treatment.
You don’t pay any thing for all this.

He will consult one or more appropriate specialists attached to leading hospitals.
The specialist opinion will be forwarded to you.
We will offer you a number of options indicating the duration, expenses, etc.

At any point, you can contact the G.P., our representative in the country nearest to you, or any of us and discuss the matter through email, chat mode, or phone.

Go ahead with your treatment only after you are completely satisfied.

We are here to help you, guide you at every moment of your stay in India, and make your stay as comfortable as possible.


You can contact:

Dr. Binoy Gupta in Mumbai.
Dr. Sanjay Gupta in Kolkata.
Dr. Navin Kumar Gupta in California.
Dr. Vikash Gupta in U.K.

Their phone numbers and other details will be given to you on hearing from you.

email: eleena100@hotmail.com  

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