Despite the powers given to them, government officials at times acknowledge their helplessness in many matters, particularly land distribution.
When builders dictate
Despite the powers given to them, government officials at times acknowledge their helplessness in many matters, particularly land distribution. Our colleague recently had an interesting conversation with a government official. Observing her returning from a meeting with builders, our colleague asked her about the outcome. The officer candidly admitted the meeting was more like a dictation session. “The builders have the audacity to tell us to draft proposals and send them to higher-ups. They assure us they would get the proposals (which are always in their favour) passed at the ministerial level,” she admitted.
Going global
Our colleague was present in the social worker department of a well-known city hospital recently when a man stormed in without appointment. He slammed down a right to information (RTI) application demanding details of financial transactions by the hospital under a government health schemes. He flourished a card with names of several international dubious non-governmental organisations. The medical social worker calmly heard him out and told him she wasn’t entitled to give him any information under the RTI Act, 2005, and he should approach the appropriate government authority. When the man turned aggressive, she took his card and coolly dialled one of the numbers. The man immediately pulled back his card, gave her a look and left. She later told our colleague that she dealt with at least three persons daily claiming to be international rights activists in Pune.
Wrong example
A political party had organised a personality development and leadership building camp for its activists. The speakers elaborated on leadership quality and use of proper language while communicating with voters. When the programme was about to end, a leader arrived. After a warm welcome, he started his speech, which lasted 85 minutes. Interestingly, he used slang 17 times during his speech. What an example for the activists, who were being motivated to use good language!
Power of the idiot box
After winning the inter-college debate competition, our colleague rushed home to surprise his parents with his trophy. He proudly banged on the door, and was surprised to find two gloomy people talking in hushed voices in the living room. “Neel died. Panchi doesn’t know it yet,” our colleague’s sister said, almost breaking down. “She will be shattered when she comes to know.” They were too engrossed to even look at our colleague. Sensing some tragedy to a relative, our colleague forgot his joy. At dinner, he gathered the courage to ask, “Mom, who is Neel? What happened?” Pat came the reply, “The protagonist of the daily soap Pyar Ki Ek Kahani. Bechari Panchi won’t know it before Monday.”
Texting all the time?
A colleague’s four-year-old daughter continues to pleasantly shock and surprise. The other day, she admonished him with the words: “You’re messaging all the time”, then snatched his BlackBerry and stuffed it into his trouser pocket. “Now see what I’ll do if you remove that phone again,” she warned. Needless to say, the father promised to go by her instructions.
(Contributed by Partha Sarathi Biswas, Alifiya Khan, Archana Dahiwal, Soumabha Nandi and Abhay Vaidya. Compiled by Bhagyashree Kulthe)
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