The Hindu : Karnataka / Bangalore News : Reporter's Diary

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Tuesday, Jul 19, 2005

Karnataka

Karnataka - Bangalore

Reporter's Diary

MLCs too have their

lighter side

THE POWERS of the Finance Department in any Government are vast and no department can take decisions without the approval or clearance of this all-important section. Any decision sans financial clearance is doomed.

A ruling party member in the Legislative Council made a wisecrack recently at the expense of the Finance Department, sending the entire house into peals of laughter. The occasion was a question raised by L. Hanumanthaiah of the Congress on when the Government will stop using a "derogatory" reference to barbers and use the term "Savita Samaja" as desired by the people of that caste.

The Social Welfare Minister, Y. Nagappa, replied in typical officialese. He said the Karnataka State Backward Classes Commission has studied the representations of the caste leaders and its recommendation is under consideration. Upset by the "standard reply," Marithibbe Gowda of the Congress, forgetting that he is on the treasury benches, asked the Minister: does that also require the Finance Department's clearance?" The spontaneous comment evoked laughter from the House, for the Government always uses the excuse for delaying its decisions. For a while, Dr. Nagappa was speechless.

Caught in the mobile phone cacophony

DO YOU remember the ban on the use of cellphones in buses? Though the ban had the objective of preventing mobile phone users from disturbing other commuters and the bus driver, it has hardly been implemented.

The Bangalore Metropolitan Transport Corporation seems to have made only a half-hearted attempt to implement it.

The signs warning passengers that the use of mobile phones is banned in buses have not been put up in all buses. Nor do the drivers and conductors make sure that people keep their cellphones switched off.

If noisy authorickshaws force you to close your ears and the shrill horns of lorries continue to bother you, the cacophony of a cellphone user constantly laughing at jokes and another shouting at his employee will make you cringe. If the person sitting in front of you is not speaking on the phone, you are lucky. If you do not get a call yourself, you are even luckier. And if you do have to use a mobile phone, you, indeed, must be the luckiest person.

Safer autorickshaws for children

AUTORICKSHAWS PLYING schoolchildren are a sight to watch in most parts of the city. You even see children resting on sidebars as the driver finds his way through narrow lanes and busy main roads. One wrong move and all hell could break loose. Yet, many parents prefer to send their children by autorickshaws as they are cheaper than school vans.

But in the Goan capital, Panaji, there is no such danger. All autorickshaws there have doors, and drivers ensure that these are tightly shut before they start their vehicles.

The three-wheelers look safer, with the doors making all the difference.

Of course, with doors, sidebars are ruled out, and there are no schoolchildren sitting precariously on them.

T.S. Ranganna,
Govind D. Belgaumkar
and Rasheed Kappan

Printer friendly page
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Karnataka