Akhilesh goes biking in Lucknow, plays cricket
Lucknow, June 4: Having vacated his sprawling official bungalow day back following the Supreme Court's orders, former Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav on Monday hit the streets of the state capital on his high-end sports bicycle and went straight to the Gomti Rover Front, a dream project of his tenure, which now stands stalled.
The Samajwadi Party (SP) chief pedaled his way to the river front and played cricket for around 20 minutes there.
Not only did he give the youngsters a run for their money, hitting some big shots, the 45-year-old also took pot shots at the Yogi Adityanath government and expressed hope that now that his official residence is vacated the state BJP government would do something meaningful for the people.
He announced he would soon start assessing the progress of the projects started during the SP regime between 2012-17. Yadav clarified that as mentioned in some media reports that he had taken with him some 'foreign plants' from his official 4, Vikramaditya Marg residence, the plants were his and he is one who cares for the environment.
"I am a votary of greenery and will continue to do my bit to enhance green cover around us," he said. He along with his wife and three children has been staying at the four suites at the VVIP guest house, a few hundred meters from his now vacated house.
He is likely to shift to the Ansal's township at Shaheed Path, where two expensive villas are being merged to accommodate his office and residence, an official said.
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Bengaluru: Four South African cheetahs arrive at Bannerghatta Biological Park
Bengaluru: Four cheetahs, including two females, have arrived at Bannerghatta Biological Park (BBP) from South Africa, NDTV reported.
The animals, brought from Induna Primate and Parrot Park in South Africa, landed at Kempegowda International Airport at around 1:15 am on Saturday. The transfer was carried out in accordance with the Wild Life (Protection) Act, BBP said in a statement.
Forest, Ecology and Environment Minister Eshwar Khandre received the cheetahs at the airport cargo terminal.
The Minister asked officials and veterinary teams to ensure strict quarantine protocols, a prescribed diet, and close health monitoring for 30 days to help the animals acclimate smoothly.
Highlighting that cheetahs, locally known as “Sivangi,” have disappeared from Karnataka’s forests, the minister stressed the need to raise public awareness through zoological institutions. He also instructed Dr Sunil Panwar, Member Secretary, Zoo Authority of Karnataka (ZAK), to prioritise the safety and well-being of the animals.
The BBP officials said that before transportation, the cheetahs underwent thorough health inspections and quarantine in South Africa as per the guidelines of the Department of Animal Husbandry.
Required No Objection Certificates (NoC) were also obtained from Animal Quarantine Services prior to import.
"Upon arrival at BBP, the animals have been placed in a designated quarantine facility for post-import health checks and observation, after which they will be shifted to their enclosures for public viewing," the BBP said.
This import underscores BBP's commitment to international collaboration in wildlife conservation, scientific management of animals, and strict adherence to regulatory protocols. It further strengthens the park's role in ex-situ conservation and environmental education, official said.
