Kolkata confidential

A blessing in disguise

With malaria, chikungunya and dengue spreading in the state, ministers, officers and clerks at Writers’ Buildings are a scared lot. So much so, apart from urging the usual fumigation drives, they are making special arrangements for their rooms. While some are busy putting mosquito coils and repellants, others are back to basics — simply going for what could possibly be thorough clean-up in years.

Policing the police

With Diwali round the corner, the cops are busy watching each other. Reason? Every year Diwali gifts pour in at the police stations — television sets, refrigerators, microwave ovens, even bundles of cash come apart from the usual packets of sweets. This year, the top brass has indicated that this must stop. The junior officers have a query of their own: Who will keep an eye on the top brass?

Coming round

The power situation of the state is critical owing to a shortage of coal. And now Governor Gopalkrishna Gandhi’s earlier decision to switch off lights in Raj Bhawan for two hours every day has begun to look good to senior ministers and CPM leaders. When the Governor had begun the power-saving measure in April, all had turned vociferous critics. But now a senior leader said that if people adopted the same measure it would be a way out of the crisis. “We had opposed the decision then. But now we are ready to welcome a similar move if he made one,” he added unabashedly.

Cracker of a Diwali

The cracker ban burns bright in the minds of the senior officers of the state police. A couple of days ago, an IG and a DIG were moving along the eastern fringes of the city, when they heard crackers bursting. They immediately informed the local additional superintendent of police, and the officer-in-charge of Sonarpur police station was directed to rush to the spot. When the OC reached — a half-hour later — he found the ‘culprits’ absconding. Since this was a request by an IG, the poor man had no option but to begin an investigation ¿ which even after a hour, yielded little. Returning empty-handed, he faced flak from seniors for being unable to crack even a cracker case. Sources said that the OC has now vowed that he would use all his resources on enforcing the cracker ban ¿ at the cost of law and order if need be.

Making hay

When CPI-ML state secretary Himadri Roy — better known as “Somen” — was discharged after an eye operation from the Calcutta Medical College and Hospital, there was considerable curiosity among the police personnel posted at the hospital premises. Most jostled for a glance of the man rounded up a few months ago. Their more inquisitive counterparts went a step ahead, prodding the media, who had a chance to interact with Somen, with queries like “what did he say about Belpahari” and “did he divulge anything”. As the interview proceeded, all stood by, straining their ears to for some chance tip-off.

Not a sound idea

It’s one of those PR initiatives formulated with little thought behind it. With Diwali around the corner, the Kolkata Police has got into a proactive mode and tied up with a mobile telephony provider to sent text messages to every cellphone, asking citizens to avoid using firecrackers whose sound level is above 90 decibels. Of course, the message fails to inform the receivers how they are supposed to measure the decibel level, as it is mentioned nowhere on a firecracker package.

Gateway to lunacy

The VIP gate of the Kolkata Municipal Corporation — usually used by the VIPs of the civic body including Mayor, Municipal Commissioner and MmiCs — seems open to madmen these days. A few days ago, a mentally-challenged man managed to enter undetected by the gate. Bounding through the corridor, he soon found himself upstairs, which seemed to please him to no end. After a few minutes of circus, the securitymen managed to escort him out. But the junior officials joked that it was tough luck, as the man had perhaps finally found a home.