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VOL 16 ISSUE 25 ● NEW YORK / DALLAS ● JUNE 24 - 30, 2022 ● ENQUIRIES: 646-247-9458 ● [email protected]

Consulate General of India, NY Celebrated

International Day of Yoga at the Times Square
THOUSANDS, INCLUDING
CONSULATE AND
GOVERNMENT OF INDIA
UNDERTAKINGS STAFF
PARTICIPATED
NEW YORK CITY (TIP): The 8th
International Day of Yoga (IDY) was
celebrated by the Consulate General of
India in New York at the iconic Times
Square, the cross-roads of the World,
today. This year the Yoga celebrations
were special, for they formed part of
Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav - 75 years of
Renowned Yoga expert Ms. Ruchika Lal of the Art of Living Foundation conducted the lead Yoga
session at the Times Square on June 21 from 0930-1030 hrs. Consul General of India Randhir Kumar India's Independence.
Jaiswal, his wife and members of the Consulate staff are seen participating in the Yoga session
CONTD ON PAGE 3

Supreme Court strikes down New Senate Approves Bipartisan

Gun Safety Bill, hours after
York gun law, expanding gun rights the Supreme Court struck
The ruling comes as Congress is actively working on gun legislation down New York's Gun Law
following recent mass shootings in Texas, New York and California The Senate approved
bipartisan legislation
Will bring out a carry guns on the streets of the nation's
on Thursday, June 23,
largest cities - including New York, Los aimed at keeping
special edition to mark Angeles and Boston - and elsewhere. firearms out of the
About a quarter of the U.S. population hands of dangerous
America's Independence lives in states expected to be affected by people
on 4th of July. the ruling, the high court's first major
gun decision in more than a decade.
Justice Clarence Thomas wrote for the WASHINGTON D.C. (TIP): The
majority that the Constitution protects Senate approved bipartisan legislation
Articles and advertisements The Supreme Court said Thursday, June 23, that "an individual's right to carry a handgun on Thursday, June 23, aimed at
Americans have a right to carry guns in public.
may please be submitted by for self-defense outside the home." keeping firearms out of the hands of
WASHINGTON, D.C. (TIP): In a In their decision, the justices struck dangerous people, after a small group
June 29, 2022 to major expansion of gun rights, the down a New York law requiring people to of Republicans joined Democrats to
[email protected] Supreme Court said Thursday, June 23,
that Americans have a right to carry
demonstrate a particular need for carrying
a gun in order to get a license to carry one
break through their party's
longstanding blockade of gun safety
guns in public. in public. The justices said the measures and shatter nearly three
The ruling comes as Congress is requirement violates the Second decades of congressional paralysis on
For any questions, please actively working on gun legislation Amendment right to "keep and bear arms." toughening the nation's gun laws.
call 646-247-9458 following recent mass shootings in California, Hawaii, Maryland, The 65-33 vote included 15
Texas, New York and California. Massachusetts, New Jersey and Rhode Republicans in favor and came hours
The justices' 6-3 decision, along the Island all have similar laws. The Biden after the Supreme Court struck down
known party lines, follows a series of administration had urged the justices to New York's gun law, likely limiting the
recent mass shootings and is expected to uphold New York's law. CONTD ON PAGE 32
ultimately allow more people to legally CONTD ON PAGE 32

Afghan earthquake death toll at

1,000 makes it Afghanistan's
deadliest earthquake in two decades,
according to U.S. government data
Aid to the earthquake hit region begins to arrive
KABUL (TIP): Aid began arriving on Thursday,
June 23, in a remote part of Afghanistan where an
Afghanistan's deadliest earthquake earthquake killed 1,000 people but poor
in two decades has claimed 1000
communications and a lack of proper roads are
lives and rendered thousands
without shelter CONTD ON PAGE 32
 TRAVEL THE INDIAN PANORAMA
FRIDAY JUNE 24, 2022 33
Odisha – Sanctuary for
Murli Menon
here are seven types of sea turtles in

T India. These include the Green

Turtle, Hawksbill, Loggerhead,

Olive Ridely Turtles

Leatherback and Olive Ridley. The Olive
Ridley turtle indulge in mass nesting, once
a year, on a full moon night every March.
There are only three beaches in the world,
where Olive Ridley's choose to nest.
Coincidentally, all these three beaches are
located in Odisha state in India. These takes place after midnight in pitch
mass nesting sites are located at darkness, all flashlights, torches and
Rushikulya beach in Ganjam District, Devi camera flashes should be avoided while
beach in Puri district and Gahirmatha observing the turtles. The female turtles
beach in Kendrapara district of return without laying the eggs if they are
Odisha.Mass nesting of Olive Ridley disturbed slightly! Radio-tagging of
turtles usually take place placein March at turtles for research purposes should be
Rushikulya, April at Gahirmatha and May banned too! All mechanized fishing
at Devi. I was there at all these three should be banned on the Odisha coast
beaches to videotape and photograph these with immediate effect.
turtles. The enemies of the Olive Ridley turtle
One has just returned after a close includes a port which has come up near
encounter with nature at Rushikulya Gahirmatha sanctuary, two offshore
beach at Ganjam District in Odisha State. drilling platforms which are directly in
Ganjam is a three hour drive away from the middle of the migration route of the
Bhubaneshwar, near Berhampur, on the turtles, 50 km. away from Devi mouth and
fringes of the "Chilka Lake." Rushikulya beaches.
After Rushikulya, one also witnessed the Large trawlers which kill mother and
mass nesting at Gahirmatha and Devi beby turtles in a heartless manner. As
beach. The Olive Ridley turtles are an turtles come up to breathe every 45
endangered species and they need to be minutes, they are caught in the fishing
protected at all costs. nets of these large trawlers who fish in the
One passes the historical village of waters off the Odisha coast. The trawler
Balugaon along the way from owners kill the pregnant mother turtle by
Bhubaneshwar to Ganjam. We are to surface in the ocean to breathe. Sea- emotional experience, which demonstrates first blinding it by piercing their eyes with
welcomed by a group of flamingoes flying turtles spend a large part of their lives in the interconnectedness of man, animals hot iron rods heated in the boiler room of
in formation, as soon as we enter Ganjam the ocean but as they lay eggs, the females and nature. The turtle hatchlings break the the boat. Then they pour hot water on the
Town. We start our trek to Rushikulya have to come to the shore once a year. It is shell of their eggs with a tooth designed for mother turtle to stun it and then in a
Beach which is 3 km. away and soon find no coincidence that every year these the purpose and emerge out of the shells macabre ritual, the behead the mother
ourselves in the middle of a flat beach with turtles choose Rushikulya beach for mass and sense the reflection of the stars on the turtle with a giant knife and throw the
rust coloured sand as far as eye can see. nesting. The other two sites where one can ocean and move towards the brighter dead turtle into the sea. Every year 100,000
After thirty minutes of cruising through witness mass nesting are Devi river mouth horizon and enter the ocean. The nesting dead turtles are found on the beaches of
the beach, one sees a large water body in near Puri and Gahirmatha Beach in turtle is sensitive to light and needs pitch Odisha. Everyfish-eater is directly
the distance. We are informed by our guide Bhitarkanika sanctuary in Kendrapada darkness for nesting. Any natural or responsible for killing these innocent,
that the water body is the Rushikulya River district of Odisha. There are few events in artificial lighting on the beach, disorients pregnant, mother turtles when you eat
which meets the sea at Ganjam. The the history of Indian wildlife which is the turtles, who may return to the ocean fish.
nearest village is Gokharguda which is worth watching and seeing thousands of without laying eggs if disturbed. Hence is As I return after spending a memorable
about a kilometer away from Rushikulya turtles crawl out of the sea and laying their is imperative to ensure minimum stay at Rushkulya,Devi and Gahirmatha I
beach. The other villages on the periphery eggs after digging a deep pit and covering movement on the beach, especially during am reminded of an ancient saying of the
of the beach include Purunabandha, the pit with sand to protect the eggs from the nesting season. Oriyas:
Palibandha and Nuagaon.Devi beach is an predators is a miracle which tops the list. Olive Ridley turtles come to nest on a full "Turtles are my friends,
uninhabited beach which stretches to Thousands of Olive Ridely turtles moon night after midnight, till 4:00 a.m. To Make them your friends today
about 10 km. at Jahania village located emerge from the sea at the same time and watch the nesting one has to sleep on the Together we can save them"
about 100 km. away from Bhubaneshwar. nest on the beach together, for two to three starlit beach in temporary straw huts,
Gahirmatha beach lies inside the days. Only the females come ashore. The scanning the coastline for unusual
How to get there?
Bhitarkanika wildlife sanctuary and is males continue to remain in the ocean. movement. As soon as one sights a turtle By road: Rushikulya Beach is 140 km.
accessible only by boat. Nesting takes place in pitch darkness crawling away to the soft sands or spots the away from Bhubaneshwar. The non-stop
We come to the edges of the beach to find between 12:00 midnight and 4:00 a.m. The tracks of the turtle on the sands, one drive from Bhubaneshwar to Rushikulya
hundreds of cattle egrets lined up on the female digs out a deep pit, using her hind follows the tracks to spot the turtle, who should not exceed three hours. Devi beach
edge of the water. It is a pleasure to watch flippers to dig the soft sandy soil. She digs a lays about 100-140 eggs in a space of about is 100 km. away from Bhubaneshwar and
a multitude of colourful birds at close two feet deep pit, lays her eggs into this pit 45 minutes and returns to the sea, only to Bhitarkanika sanctuary is located about
quarters, as they flock to the edge of the and covers it with sand with her front return the following year! Olive Ridley 150 km. away from Bhubaneshwar.
water. The water is shallow and the sand is flippers. Every female lays about 80 to 100 turtles have a life span of 100 years and Gahirmatha beach can be accessed only
swampy. The unique feature about eggs at a time in a time period of 45 nest after once they turn 25. by boat and forest department permits are
Rushikulya beach is the softness of the minutes. The mother turtle returns to the After spending a week each at mandatory before entering the sanctuary.
sand. As the river empties into the sea here, sea and after 45 days the eggs hatch at Rushikulya, Devi and Gahirmatha These permits have to be obtained from
the beach is made up of soft sand. It is dawn, the infant turtle breaks the shell and beaches, observing the mass nesting of the Forest Office at Bhubaneshwar, a week
possible to dig deep into the soil with one's crawls on its own into the ocean to join his the turtles, one can suggest the following prior to your intended date of visit.
bare hands. The deep blue sky, reflected in parents. The baby turtle breaks out of the remedial measures to protect these gentle By air: The nearest airport to reach
the crystal clearness of the waters is a joy egg and burrows through the sand, reaches and delicate darlings. Jackals should be Rushikulya Beach is at Bhubaneshwar.
to behold. Watching the crimson sunrise the surface and opens its eyes to see the prevented from entering the beach and Bhubaneshwar is connected by direct
over the rust coloured sands is the reflection of the stars on the ocean and eating the turtle eggs by fencing off the flights from most Indian cities.
highlight of the visit to Rushikulya. moves in that direction to enter the ocean. mass nesting sites. Developmental By train: Ganjam is the nearest
Every year, between January and The sex of the hatchling depends on the activities including ports, oil refineries railhead to reach Rushikulya. From
March, about 300,000 Olive Ridely sea temperature. More females are born at and steel plants should be located far Ganjam taxis ply to Rushikulya.Most
turtles land at Devi, Rushikulya and higher temperatures and more males are away from the three turtle nesting sites in trains going from Bhubaneshwar to
Gahirmatha beaches for mass nesting! born at lower temperatures. Odisha. All commercial activity, including Vishakhapatnam stop at Ganjam.
These giant turtles are 70 cm. in length and Sea turtles return to the place they were movement of ships and boats should be (Murli Menon, is a travel writer, stress
weigh 45 kg. They travel from the the born to nest. It is indeed amazing , how restricted during the three months when management consultant and author-
depths of the Pacific Ocean near Ecquador these turtles manage to find their way back mass nesting takes place. No offshore based at Ahmedabad, India. He is the
in South America and travel 9000 km. to the beach they were born after drilling must be allowed along the route of author of "ZeNLP-Learning through
across the Pacific to reach the Bay of migrating thousands of kilometers away the turtle migration. stories" published by The Written Word
Bengal. This mass turtle migration over from their "natal beach." Watching Illegal sand mining on these beaches Publications, "ZeNLP-the power to
9000 km. is a miracle of nature which thousands of infant turtles hatching from should be stopped with immediate effect. succeed" published by Sage publications
happens on three days of every year in the their eggs and entering the ocean enmass The female sea turtle requires absolute and "ZeNLP-the power to relax" by New
first three weeks in the month of March. at the exact moment the first rays of the privacy and should be undisturbed while Dawn Press. He can be reached at
The sea turtle is a marine reptile which has sun strike the earth, is an extremely laying her eggs. As mass nesting always [email protected])