Latest news with #ShashankShubhankar
Time of India
7 days ago
- General
- Time of India
Tech push for Pitripaksh Mela this time
Gaya: District magistrate (DM) Shashank Shubhankar has put emphasis on the use of technology in this year's Pitripaksh Mela, set to take place from Sept 6 to Sept 21. In a review meeting held on Saturday with senior officials and stakeholders, the DM outlined plans to integrate digital tools for the convenience of visiting pilgrims. A key directive was to tag all 'pind vedis', ritual platforms used for offerings to ancestors, on Google Maps, enabling pilgrims to easily navigate to their desired sites. He also called for the integration of an artificial intelligence-based chatbot into the existing mobile app and portals. "These advanced technologies will help the tech-savvy pilgrims to solve language-related problems and trace the landmark of desired 'pind vedis'," he said. The administration has already launched a dedicated mobile application for pilgrims, which features detailed information on pind vedis, ponds and essential contacts. This includes local priests (Panda Ji), hotels, guesthouses, dharamshalas as well as district and police officers. The app also provides logistical details to help visitors reach Gaya Ji with ease. In addition to digital upgrades, physical preparations are also. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like 2025 Top Trending Local Enterprise Accounting Software [Click Here] Accounting ERP Click Here Undo Desilting of the Gaya Ji dam began on Sunday to ensure clean water for ritual bathing. The DM also directed officials to clear silt from sites such as Saraswati, Dharmaranya and Pitamaheshwar along the Falgu river. Pilgrims typically perform tarpan at eight ponds and pinddaan at 52 pind vedis stretching from Pretshila in the north of Gaya Ji town to Bodh Gaya in the south. The expansion of ghats in recent years has led to a sharp rise in attendance with around 23 lakh pilgrims visiting last year. To ensure smooth organisation, the DM asked officials to form sub-committees for physical inspections and to hold weekly review meetings. A checklist will be prepared to monitor responsibilities across departments. Further instructions included the repair of roads, slabs and drain grills in the mela area; restarting the laser light show and fountain at Vaitarni pond; replacing broken tiles at Deoghat and ensuring the availability of drinking water, as well as cleaning and maintenance of toilets and changing rooms. The DM also called for the installation of additional power transformers, adequate lighting to eliminate dark spots and proper parking and accommodation arrangements to meet the needs of the large influx of visitors. Follow more information on Air India plane crash in Ahmedabad here . Get real-time live updates on rescue operations and check full list of passengers onboard AI 171 .
Time of India
15-06-2025
- General
- Time of India
Desliting of Gayaji dam, ponds begins ahead of Pitripaksh Mela
Gaya: District magistrate (DM) Shashank Shubhankar held a meeting with stakeholders of Pitripaksh Mela and senior officials here on Saturday, to discuss preparations for the fortnight event scheduled this year from Sept 6 to 21. He instructed officials to decide a theme and decorate the mela area with paintings. The DM instructed to tag locations of all the 'pind vedis' on Google map, and integrate AI (artificial intelligence) based chat bot in govt app and portals. "These advanced technologies will help the tech-savvy pilgrims to solve language related problem and trace the landmark of desired 'pind vedis', he said. Meanwhile, the cleaning of silt from the bottom of Gayaji dam began on Sunday so that pilgrims can take a dip in the clean water before performing rituals and offering 'tarpan'. The DM also instructed to get the silt cleaned near Saraswati, Dharmaranya, Pitamaheshwar and other 'pind vedi' sites, falling along the Falgu river side. The pilgrims perform tarpan at eight ponds and pinddaan at 52 pind vedis spread from Pretshila (North of Gayaji town) to Bodh Gaya (south). During the last two years, after the expansion of the ghats of Falgu river, huge number of pilgrims have come to perform the rituals. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like 5 Books Warren Buffett Wants You to Read In 2025 Blinkist: Warren Buffett's Reading List Undo According to the district administration, about 23 lakh pilgrims reached Gayaji during the fortnight-long Pitripaksh last year. The DM further instructed senior officials, heading different committees, to constitute sub-committees for physical inspection of the ongoing preparations. He also asked them to hold weekly meeting of officials and the staff, and prepare a checklist to ensure proper division of work. He instructed municipal commissioner to get a survey conducted and prepare a plan for repair of the roads, slabs and the grill of drains of the mela area, restart the laser light show and fountain at Vaitarni pond, get the broken tiles at Deoghat replaced and ensure availability of drinking water, besides, cleaning and repair of toilets and changing rooms. Installation of additional power transformers, proper lighting arrangements leaving no dark spot, parking, accommodation arrangements were among other key instructions, the DM gave to officials concerned at the meeting. Follow more information on Air India plane crash in Ahmedabad here . Get real-time live updates on rescue operations and check full list of passengers onboard AI 171 .
Time of India
10-06-2025
- Politics
- Time of India
DM withholds salaries of absentee officials
Gaya: Gaya district magistrate (DM) Shashank Shubhankar ordered the withholding of salaries of nine staff members and seven officials and issued showcause notices to all of them after a surprise inspection of the town block office around 10.30am on Tuesday. Among those found absent were the child development project officer, agriculture officer, panchayati raj officer, statistics officer, MGNREGA programme officer, two junior engineers, clerical staff, an amin, an Urdu translator and office attendants. During the inspection, the DM also reviewed the functioning of the Right to Public Service (RTPS) counter and inquired about the number of applications received over the past week, as well as how many had been processed. He asked the RTPS staff to display relevant information outside the office for the convenience of applicants. Later, during his daily Janata Durbar, the DM directed the district mining officer to conduct an inquiry following a complaint that a vehicle seized for illegal sand transportation had not been released, despite payment of the imposed penalty.
Time of India
04-06-2025
- General
- Time of India
Timely disposal of people's complaints my top priority: Gaya's new DM
Gaya: Aimed at ensuring effective and timely resolution of public grievances, Gaya district magistrate, Shashank Shubhankar, on Wednesday said that a portal was being developed for monitoring complaints of people coming at the Janata durbar. "I have instructed officials concerned to upload all the complaints on a portal. Regular monitoring regarding disposal of the complaints will be done through the portal. In case of inaction, responsibility will be fixed on the official concerned," the DM said in his first interaction with the mediapersons after he assumed charge on Tuesday. The DM said, "Apart from implementation of ongoing or the upcoming development projects, redressal of public grievances will be on his top priority. Now, people having any complaint can come to meet me in the office on any working day of the week from 11am onwards." He further said, "Flying squads will be constituted to conduct surprise inspections to monitor regular and timely attendance of officials and employees at district, block, circle and panchayat level govt offices. Instructions have also been given to officials of different departments like public health and engineering, public works, Pul Nirman Nigam and others to meet people at least twice a week and ensure redressal of their complaints. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Gentle Japanese hair growth method for men and women's scalp Hair's Rich Learn More Undo " The DM also instructed sadar SDO and the traffic DSP to chalk out a plan to ease traffic congestion. In view of Nirjala Ekadashi on Friday, the DM and the SSP Anand Kumar conducted inspection of Deo ghat near Vishnupad temple on Wednesday. He instructed to ensure all arrangements for the expected large gathering of devotees to offer puja at the Vishnupad temple early in the morning on Friday. The arrangements include making available pure and cold drinking water, cleanliness in toilets at Deo ghat, light at all dark spots around the temple area, and deployment of medical team with availability of ambulance for the devotees.
Times of Oman
11-04-2025
- Climate
- Times of Oman
Bihar: 23 dead as rains wreak havoc in Nalanda, 80 deaths reported in state
Nalanda: The death toll in Bihar's Nalanda district has risen to 23, following storm and rains wreaking havoc in the area, the District Magistrate said on Friday. Earlier, the death toll reported in Nalanda was 22 following the devastating storm and rains. 21 people had died as a result of thunderstorms, with DM Shubhankar confirming to ANI that atleast 1 person died due to lightning while others died due to being buried at different places. "23 people have died in Nalanda. Out of which one died due to lightning and others died due to being buried at different places," the Nalanda DM Shashank Shubhankar told ANI. Chief Minister Nitish Kumar has also directed compensation for the families of the victims, and a team has been sent to assess the crop and housing damage in the area. "Action is being taken to compensate all the families as per the instructions of the Chief Minister, and most of the people have been given compensation. Along with this, the team has gone out to assess the crop damage and house damage," the DM said. He said that the work of restoring the 18 kilometres of Low-Tension lines (LT) and 200 electricity poles is ongoing and will be completed by this evening. "There was a challenge to restore the power system because more than 18 kilometres of LT line and more than 300 electricity poles have been uprooted, so it is being restored... All the system will be normal by this evening," he added. A compensation of Rs 4 Lakh has been announced to the families of the deceased. In addition to the loss of human lives, significant damage has also been reported to homes, livestock, and agricultural crops, DM Shubhankar stated, adding that officials will begin an assessment of property and crop damage on Friday, after which compensation for the same will be provided. The powerful storm, which uprooted trees and brought down structures across the region, led to fatalities in multiple blocks of Nalanda. According to the officials, a massive Peepal tree collapsed onto a temple in the Nagma village of the district, killing several people who had gathered to take shelter following the rain and storm. The villagers of the area have claimed a delay in giving them compensation of Rs 4 lakhs. "Compensation has not been received, nothing has been received. Someone had come to meet us; some officers from the government came to the police and identified them. They took our aadhar cards for identifying the deceased," said one of the villagers in Nagma. A total of 80 people have lost their lives following storms in different regions of Bihar. Bihar's Minister of Disaster Management, Vijay Kumar Mandal, said that the government is taking the matter really seriously. Mandal told ANI, "So far, the death toll stands at Minister has announced compensation, we are providing Rs 4 Lakhs each to the bereaved families. People have suffered losses to thunderstorm and rain, farmers too have suffered losses. We are making arrangements for that too. The government is very serious about this, and we will work on it."
