June 2002 stories

"Mega Plans for Mahabodhi"
Patna, June 29 (Times of India). The Times of India report on the plans announced after the inclusion of the Mahabodhi Temple in the world heritage list includes details of the proposed destruction of Bodhgaya which is being denied by the local District officials. According to the Times of India the majority of Bodhgaya is to be demolished and its inhabitants moved to a new location outside of the town as part of its "development".
[excerpt from TOI report]
"The development plan was announced jointly by the Magadh division commissioner-cum-secretary Temple Advisory Committee Hemchand Sirohi and the Gaya district magistrate, Brajesh Mehrotra. Earlier in the day, the Mahabodhi Temple was included in the list of World Heritage sites at the Budapest meeting of the UNESCO committee for World Heritage sites.
As per the announcement made in Bodh Gaya on Friday evening, a buffer zone has to be created within a radius of one km from the temple to meet the conditions laid down by UNESCO for the privilege of the temple entry into the UNESCO list.
Mahabodhi Temple, it may be recalled, is the second monument from Bihar, Bengal and Jharkhand to be included in the World Heritage Sites list. All shops, business establishments, government buildings and residential premises would be relocated within a period of next five years to create the buffer zone.
Strict restrictions have also been imposed on all future constructions outside the buffer zone. To commemorate the inclusion of the temple in the UNESCO list, the foundation for the Buddha Meditation Park and Yashodara Kunj were laid down on Friday afternoon. The divisional commissioner also announced the plan to develop the Kalchakra ground, Pargati Maidan and other pilgrim infrastructure. Some foreign monasteries too, are likely to be relocated and hotels demolished for the creation of the buffer zone.
The residents displaced from Bodh Gaya would be resettled on a 1,100-acre government land to the west of Gaya-Dobhi road and the colony would be named as Gautam Nagar. " link to story at TOI

Mahabodhi Temple Bodhgaya included in World Heritage List.
Gaya, 28 June, (Dainik Jagran). The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation 26th Meeting was concluded in Budapest last night. In which the announcement was made that the Mahabodhi temple would be included in the World Heritage list. full story

Driver Killed, Loaded Truck Stolen
Gaya, 23 June. (Dainik Jagran). Last night on the GT road in Gaya district a truck driver was killed and his loaded truck stolen. Due to police alertness the thieves then abandoned the truck and fled. The police then recovered the truck and its load, the deceased driver was from the Allahabad area of UP. Near Pathar Kanthi in Sherghati district the criminals blocked the road by parking an empty truck across it and stopped the truck... full story

Direct flights between Gaya and Thailand
Samastipur, Bihar, June 21. (UNI): Direct flight services between Gaya and Thailand would start during the last week of September to boost tourism and attract Buddhist tourists to Bihar, Civil Aviation Minister, Sayed Shahnawaz Hussain, said today. full story

Government to Spend 112 Crore Rupees on Bodhgaya Airport. London, 13 June. The Hindustan Times Newspaper reports that Air India announces various investments including "the government has earmarked Rs 112 crores for the development of the airport at Bodhgaya, the Buddhist pilgrimage centre in Bihar, which was added to the list of world heritage centres by the UNESCO recently. " link to full story

Mahabodhi Temple Draft Development Plan Ready Bodhgaya, 13 June (Dainik Jagran). Several draft development plans have been prepared by the central Tourism Minister bearing in mind the memo given by Kalicaran Singh the secretary of the Temple Management committee for the 1400 year old ancient historic Mahabodhi Temple and the all round development of the world famous [town of] Bodhagaya. full story

Three die from Smallpox Fury in Barachatti Village Barachatti 4 June, (Dainik Jagran). In Patiauna village of Vinda Council in Barachatti block a dreadful outbreak of smallpox is raging. Due to the smallpox so far three children have died and about a dozen children are in its grip. full story

[Related story in WorldNetDaily Smallpox outbreak in Pakistan? Newspaper stands by story reporting deadly disease 'epidemic' link to story]

[See also an earlier story: Outbreak of Smallpox in Barachatti Gaya, 24 April. (Dainik Jagran) There is news that hundreds of people are struck by fear due the dreadful outbreak of Smallpox in the village of Amukhapa in the Barachatti block of the district.
[Note: it is possible that the Hindi word 'cecak' which means smallpox, is being used to refer to a condition like smallpox here, rather than smallpox itself:-PGF] Full story.

Lone Doctor Runs Bodhgaya Health Centre
Bodhgaya, 3 June, (Dainik Jagran). The only health centre in the international tourist centre of Bodhgaya is nowadays on the brink of breaking down. It is forced to preach a message of living in a clean environment whilst itself being surrounded on all sides by piles of refuse. full story

Vimalasara Claims to be Victim of Police Excess
Gaya, 3 June. Controversial Buddhist Monk Vimalasara claims to be a victim of police excess. He will soon be judged by the court. The Venerable Vimalasara has been imprisoned in the prison ward of the medical college for the last three weeks. full story

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