Cold conditions grip Bengal, Kolkata records season's lowest temperature on last day of year
Kolkata (PTI): Cold conditions gripped several parts of West Bengal on Wednesday with the minimum temperatures dipping to below 10 degrees Celsius, as the IMD said that the chill is likely to continue in the sub-Himalayan districts for the next one week.
Kolkata recorded the season's lowest minimum temperature on the last day of 2025 at 11 degrees Celsius, 2.8 notches lower than normal, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) said.
Minimum temperatures in sub-Himalayan districts of the state are likely to dip further by two to three notches during the weekend, the Met office said.
It forecast light rain or snow in the upper reaches of Darjeeling district during the next three days.
The citizens of south Bengal are likely to get a little respite from the cold conditions with minimum temperatures set to go up by two to three degrees Celsius gradually over three days from Friday, it said.
Light to moderate fog is likely over all the districts of West Bengal in the morning hours during the next four days, the IMD said in its forecast.
The minimum temperature at the hill tourist town of Darjeeling dipped to 3.4 degrees Celsius, the lowest in the state on Wednesday, it said.
The sub-Himalayan districts of Kalimpong, Jalpaiguri, Cooch Behar and Alipurduar are likely to receive light rain during the next three days, it said.
Across the plains of the state, Sriniketan recorded the lowest temperature at 6.5 degrees Celsius, the Met data said.
The other places which recorded sub-10 degrees Celsius minimum temperatures are Kalyani (7), Bardhaman (8), Bankura (8), Kalimpong (8.3), Panagarh (9.2) and Kalaikunda (9.4), it said.
Let the Truth be known. If you read VB and like VB, please be a VB Supporter and Help us deliver the Truth to one and all.
Time has come to implement Women's Reservation Act: PM Modi's letter to LS, RS floor leaders
_vb_91.jpeg)
New Delhi (PTI): Prime Minister Narendra Modi has said that the time has come for the implementation of the Women's Reservation Act in its true spirit and the 2029 Lok Sabha elections and Assembly elections are conducted with the quota for women in place.
In a letter to the floor leaders of Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha, ahead of the three-day special sittings of Parliament, Modi also asked all members to come together in one voice to pass the amendments to the women's reservation law, officially known as Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam.
"After extensive deliberations, we have reached the conclusion that the time has now come to implement the Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam in its true spirit across the country.
"It is imperative that the 2029 Lok Sabha elections and Assembly elections are conducted with women's reservation in place," the Prime Minister said in his letter dated April 11.
The Budget Session of Parliament has been extended, and a special three-day sitting of the House has been convened on April 16 to 18.
The Women's Reservation Act will ensure an increase in the number of Lok Sabha seats to 816, of which 273 will be reserved for women.
The provision to provide 33 per cent reservation to women in the Lok Sabha and state assemblies was brought by amending the Constitution in 2023.
However, the women's quota would have come into effect only after the completion of the delimitation exercise on the basis of the 2027 Census. This meant the reservation would not have become enforceable before 2034 if the present law remains as is.
To implement it from the 2029 Lok Sabha elections, changes were needed in the Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam; hence, the government is holding a special session to pass the amendments to the law.
_vb_07.jpeg)
_vb_85.jpeg)
_vb_84.jpeg)