Zeenat with one of her cubs in Odisha’s Similipal Tiger Reserve.
Zeenat with one of her cubs in Odisha’s Similipal Tiger Reserve. The translocation effort aimed at enhancing the genetic diversity of tigers in Odisha’s Similipal Tiger Reserve has received a major boost, with tigress Zeenat, brought from Maharashtra, giving birth to four cubs. Photographs of Zeenat gently carrying her cubs in her mouth within the reserve have since gone viral.“Today, a proud chapter has been added to Odisha’s natural resources and wildlife conservation efforts. Tigress Zeenat, relocated from Maharashtra’s Tadoba-Andhari Tiger Reserve, has given birth to four cubs in the conducive environment of Similipal,” Chief Minister Mohan Majhi announced on X on Tuesday (June 2, 2026).“This success not only signifies an increase in the tiger population in the State but also stands as an excellent testament to our administrative foresight in protecting biodiversity and creating a safe and robust habitat for wildlife,” said Mr. Majhi.Odisha Chief Minister further said, “Special measures have been taken by the Forest Department to ensure the safety of the mother and cubs, and their movements are being continuously monitored. Thanks to the dedicated vigil and effective conservation policies of our forest staff, Odisha has today established itself as a secure sanctuary for wildlife.”“Our government remains fully committed to preserving the ecological balance of Similipal intact and strengthening the State’s wildlife conservation initiatives in the days ahead,” he asserted.After her translocation from Maharashtra in 2025, Zeenat had a troubled phase last year. Following 10 days of acclimatisation in the core area of Similipal, the tigress, while attempting to establish her territory, strayed into Jharkhand and then West Bengal in the first week of December, putting the forest departments of Odisha, Jharkhand and West Bengal on alert.The tigress was tranquilised and captured in West Bengal on December 29, 2025. After a medical examination, the tigress was brought back to Similipal on the directions of the National Tiger Conservation Authority. Subsequently, a special enclosure was created in southern Similipal, while forest department officials kept a strict vigil on Zeenat. A sizeable number of tigers in Similipal displays pseudo-melanism, characterised by black stripes much more pronounced than the typical colouration of a Royal Bengal Tiger. It is largely due to the result of inbreeding. Under NTCA supervision, Zeenat and another tiger, Jamuna, were released into the Similipal to improve genetic diversity.According to the Similipal Tiger Reserve authorities, Zeenat was released into a soft enclosure created for Jamuna in the southern division. The southern part covers a major portion of Simlipal’s core area and has denser forest cover and no anthropogenic pressure. The tigress would remain under observation, and in the process, she would continue acclimatising before being released into the wild, the authorities said.The Odisha government had earlier planned to bring six pairs of tigers from other States to Similipal. Zeenat giving birth to four cubs assumes significant importance for the State Forest department, especially after an earlier experiment to introduce tigers in Satkosia Tiger Reserve had failed. A tiger brought from Madhya Pradesh and released into Satkosia died after falling into a poacher’s trap, while another was sent back to Madhya Pradesh after facing hostility from people within Satkosia Reserve Forest. Published - June 02, 2026 05:59 pm IST
West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari said that the West Bengal Government will seek benefits from Pradhan Mantri Cha Shramik Protsahan Yojana (PMCSPY), which the previous government did not subscribe to. File | GTA is the regional autonomous body of the Darjeeling hills, which was set up by a tripartite agreement between Union Government, West Bengal Government and Gorkha Janmukti Morcha (GJM) in 2011.Leaders of GJM Bimal Gurung and Roshan Giri, along with Darjeeling MP Raju Bista and MLAs of Darjeeling, Kurseong, and Kalimpong met the West Bengal Chief Minister and State Secretariat Nabanna Building.Raising the issue of investigation by the CBI in the teacher’s recruitment scam, which was challenged by the previous Trinamool Congress government Mr. Adhikari said that the State Government will withdraw its appeal in the Supreme Court so that the central agency can take up the investigation. “The State Government will withdraw from this case, and the Calcutta High Court’s order for a CBI investigation will be effective in the recruitment scam,” the Chief Minister said.The GTA is being administered by Anit Thapa’s Bharatiya Gorkha Prajatantrik Morcha (BGPM), which is an ally of Trinamool Congress. Mr. Adhikari said that the money allocated to the GTA has not been utilised over the past few years.“We want the people of the hills to get civic services. In the last financial year (2025-26), 180 crore rupees were allocated for the hills. But nothing was done. In the financial year 2026-27, ₹170 crore has been allocated for the hills as well. That money could not be used. We have asked GTA Principal Secretary Shama Parveen to quickly talk to the local MPs and MLAs and work as needed,” the Chief Minister said.In view of the upcoming monsoon season, the Chief Minister directed that there should not be any lapse related to disaster management. Mr. Adhikari directed the Secretary of the Disaster Management Department to visit the hills in the next ten days and send a report to him. The Chief Minister criticised the Trinamool Congress government for the delay in reaching out to the people of the Darjeeling hills during last year’s flash floods claimed 28 lives.Mr. Adhikari said that the West Bengal Government will seek benefits from Pradhan Mantri Cha Shramik Protsahan Yojana (PMCSPY), which the previous government did not subscribe to. He said that the Centre will be able to provide ₹300 crore for the current financial year.“25 big tea gardens in the hills have been closed for a long time. Several thousand tea workers are out of work. The government did not do anything for them because the tea workers did not vote for the previous government,” the Chief Minister said.Mr. Adhikari also directed a Tea Board official to visit Assam and see how the benefits of the central scheme are implemented and submit a report to him.The Darjeeling hills have voted for the BJP in the past few elections, and the 2026 Assembly polls have not been an exception. The first Bharatiya Janata Party government in West Bengal, while pushing for development, is also clamping down on the corruption of the GTA. Published - May 30, 2026 04:08 am IST
Rain-soaked Esplanade junction after a hot and humid day in Kolkata. File | R. Deepak Rain and thunderstorms are likely in different districts of Gangetic West Bengal till the end of this week, in a relief for the south and western part of the State, sweltering under hot and humid conditions.Kalaikunda in Jhargram district recorded the State's highest day temperature at 41.5°C on Tuesday (May 26, 2026), followed by Medinipur and Jhargram, both recording maximum temperatures of 39.4°C.In north Bengal, light to moderate rain at several places kept the maximum temperatures from soaring. Malda town recorded the highest rainfall of 32.6 mm, followed by Rampurhat 28 mm and Raiganj 22 mm.According to the India Meteorological Department, Gangetic West Bengal might record a fall in day temperatures by two to four notches due to thunderstorms, rain and gusty winds till May 30.The western districts of Purulia, Bankura, Paschim Bardhaman and Jhargram sizzled with the maximum temperatures hovering around or above 40 degrees Celsius on Tuesday (May 26, 2026). Published - May 27, 2026 04:25 pm IST
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