Governor E.S.L. Narasimhan is cross with the media for the manner in which his regular visits to temples get are reported. He has made his displeasure quite clear on several occasions, even during the latest media interaction.
“I have not stopped anyone from entering the temple when I go. What is wrong if I want to get some divine blessings?” he wondered.
But, what actually got his goat was when there was a comment about him visiting the airport to see off his wife when she was going abroad. “It was my wife I went to see off, wasn’t it…”, he remarked, straight-faced.
Adab Telangana
Compères at the Telangana formation day celebrations on Monday waxed eloquent about glory of the region in Telugu, Urdu and English. Perhaps it is in tune with the logo of the new state. The Urdu compère regaled the audience with fine couplets that celebrated the event.
Khile hain naye gulab Telangana main
Aaya hai jaise shabab Telangana main
Khwab sharminde tabeer huva yun
Sabko pesh hai adaab Telangana main
Talk of punctuality amid rain
Thundershowers, which have been a common phenomenon in in Hyderabad this summer, are capable of spoiling best laid out plans. The other day, a workshop on HIV/AIDS was under threat of being washed away by such untimely rains. The programme was scheduled to begin at around 4 p.m., but it was raining heavily in the Lakdikapul area where the workshop was arranged.
It is usual that functions are postponed in such conditions, by a good hour, or sometimes by even more. However, despite heavy rain, organisers and participants made it to the venue and even managed to start exactly on time. In fact, the venue was packed and there were no chairs for those who came in late due to rain. And, some participants still made it on time despite being fully drenched. Surely a committed bunch.
When cops let
their hair down
As the celebrating crowds spilled over the Tank Bund and the Necklace Road on Sunday midnight to celebrate the creation of Telangana state, the police too decided to sit back and relax - even the traffic cops. The result - a big traffic logjam.
There were quite a few police personnel but they did not appear keen on controlling the surging crowds or setting things in order. At the People’s Plaza, a group of police officials were found seated in a corner enjoying the music and impromptu dance of the supporters.
Such was rush to celebrate in the arena that one side of the Necklace Road took almost two hours to clear after celebrations ended. On Khairatabad flyover, traffic came to a standstill for more than an hour as some motorists and car drivers tried to take a wrong route. Newshounds and photographers had to lug their way back to offices on foot, leaving their vehicles behind lest they miss the edition bus.
Lessons in media management
Apart from the responsibility that any top post entails, government officials find themselves duty-bound to keep the media corps happy, the city's new Police Commissioner found out on Monday. After assuming charge on, M. Mahinder Reddy got down to address his maiden press conference. However, as soon as he was done, a horde of television reporters from various channels surrounded him for a ‘byte’. One after the other the programme went on for half an hour. The poor official could not say ‘no’ and had to repeat the same answers again and again for the ‘exclusives’.
Shocking power play
Till the other day, the power sector employees were divided region-wise, holding demonstrations against each other and sending tempers high. Then came a united struggle - a strike demanding increase in pay that held the State to ransom last week.
A casual conversation with a central discom official revealed interesting details on the adamant attitude of the unions.
It was a now-or-never struggle for the Seemandhra employees, as they have little faith that soon-to-be Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu would effect a hike in their pay, based on his earlier track record.
For those from Telangana, it was the apprehension about the government's ability to pay for to raise their salaries, given the crunch in funds once the new State came into being.
The managements of the two utilities had their own reasons. While the CMDs, all IAS officers, drew salaries below Rs.1 lakh a month, the monthly salary of a divisional engineer after the pay revision would be close to Rs.1.7 lakh. Even for a driver on the rolls, it would be Rs.70,000 per month! Such is the price of skilled work!
