SSC Kolkata Adda - discussions, music, films, videos

[anirban_ban]

Originally Posted by studdmanster

Mamta's dream of converting Kolkata on the footprints of London can be taken place under the following circumstances:
1)increase the number of public urinals by thousands
2)proper maintainence of 1 and using signages proper utilization and easy access
3)improving the river front like it is on both sides of Thames
4)reviving the heritage buildings by proper maintainence, removing illegal residents/tenents of those properties and unifying their colors, renovating and properly lighting them up!
5)clearing the hooghly river like the London authority did for thames
6)making proper laws for putting up hoardings and impossing fines for illegal hoardings!
7)since Indians have a good habit of chewing gutkhas/panparag/khaini and spitting it here and there, proper rules must be made so that they spit on spitpots...which should be installed all around the city...and not on road/cars/someone's helmet/bike/howrah bridge......if caught should be heavily fined
8)some concern for the smokers too..proper butt disposal pot..[]
9)proper public transport system
10)introducing congession fees

then only we can proudly say that our city is an international standard city...

I liked the last one, every meeting and procession (michil) needs to be paid for (1. Security Tax, 2. Road Occupany tax 3. Clean up cost - billable by hour). Also tax any pandals being built for marriage, or political rally or anything.

[sidney_jec]

Originally Posted by SarafIndian

Ok. Lets post something cool..

Nachiketa and Ustad Rashid Khan performing fusion of tagore and indian classical..

Album: Yatra

the images here are too good and the music complements them completely. though i don't understand the lyrics
i don't know but they create a sense of nostalgia (though i don't even remotely have a bong connection)

[ATLfan]

Mamata Banerjee has created a 95 person council to direct the mayor of Kolkata on her quest to make "Kolkata into London." You can read the details about who will be on this council here:

http://www.telegraphindia.com/110060...y_12538078.jsp

West Bengal is headed for a DISASTER. It is unfathomable to think that people voted for someone who, for her whole career, has NO POLICIES. She knows only fasts, dharnas, bandhs, destruction, immobilization. She simply has no policies and no idea of how to be constructive. For all of the CPI-M's faults, at least they were headed in the right direction. Buddhadeb knew that his party was corrupt and heavily bureaucratic. He knew the only way to progress would be through massive private investment, creation of industries, etc. He at least had that vision. He adopted the progressive ideology of communist China. I am in disbelief that people in Kolkata, including even Salt Lake, urban educated middle class, cannot see Mamata Banerjee for the destructive, incompetent, vision-less person that she is. Mamata supporters please read the Telegraph article above. THIS is what you voted for? Can you keep from LAUGHING when reading about Mamata's plans for Kolkata? Rizwanur Rahman's mother and some actors, actresses will be directing the development of Kolkata?

[mountaincloud]

Originally Posted by ATLfan

Buddhadeb knew that his party was corrupt and heavily bureaucratic. He knew the only way to progress would be through massive private investment, creation of industries, etc. He at least had that vision. He adopted the progressive ideology of communist China. I am in disbelief that people in Kolkata, including even Salt Lake, urban educated middle class, cannot see Mamata Banerjee for the destructive, incompetent, vision-less person that she is. Mamata supporters please read the Telegraph article above. THIS is what you voted for? Can you keep from LAUGHING when reading about Mamata's plans for Kolkata? Rizwanur Rahman's mother and some actors, actresses will be directing the development of Kolkata?

Looking at the "expert" panel, any sane person will surely think what is that expertise mamata had in mind when she selected these names? The problem is in Bengal (pardon the generalization) everyone is an "expert". Specialized knowledge has no value. Everyone knows everything. What's there to learn? I already have an opinion. Now you talk me out of it. It's your problem, really.

The only thing that has some value is the diversity of the committee. Maybe, the interaction of the singer and the police officer will generate some good policies: sing like goopy bagha and hold the traffic for a minute so that people can cross the road.

[Suncity]

Originally Posted by sidney_jec

the images here are too good and the music complements them completely. though i don't understand the lyrics
i don't know but they create a sense of nostalgia (though i don't even remotely have a bong connection)

If you know Hindi, the Bangla lyrics are probably not very difficult; you can almost guess the meaning of the words

Jharo Jharo borishe bari dhara
Hai pathobashi, hai gotiheeno, hai grihohara

Jhar Jhar barse barish dhara
Hai pathavasi, hai gatiheen, hai grihahara

I am not a Bangla / Hindi expert. I am sure someone in the forum can help with the lyrics.


Here's a screen print from Santidev Ghosh's book which I found on the internet with some more details of the song

1


2

[SarafIndian]

Originally Posted by sabya99

A cool music by nachiketa!
But for God's sake please dont distort or reverse engineer RABINDRASANGEET. That will be painful to all of us.

I think its fine as long as it sounds nice in my ears. Otherwise I would not listen even if it is made in traditional way. And guruji lived in thousands light years ahead of time even in todays perspective and he personally didn't care about "traditionalism"..

Originally Posted by sidney_jec

the images here are too good and the music complements them completely. though i don't understand the lyrics
i don't know but they create a sense of nostalgia (though i don't even remotely have a bong connection)

The poem says about rain, air, storm, dark, earth and many things. Few lines are very difficult to express in real words. And as you feel, the "nostalgia" is in the tunes and rhythms but didn't appear directly in the lyrics itself..

Originally Posted by Suncity

If you know Hindi, the Bangla lyrics are probably not very difficult; you can almost guess the meaning of the words

Jharo Jharo borishe bari dhara
Hai pathobashi, hai gotiheeno, hai grihohara

Jhar Jhar barse barish dhara
Hai pathavasi, hai gatiheen, hai grihahara

I am not a Bangla / Hindi expert. I am sure someone in the forum can help with the lyrics.


Here's a screen print from Santidev Ghosh's book which I found on the internet with some more details of the song

1
http://img27.imageshack.us/img27/6977/baridhara.jpg

2
http://img27.imageshack.us/img27/4645/baridhara2.jpg

Nice find some and nicely described.

[SarafIndian]

This is one from Anuranan(Reposting). I like the way its done..

[SarafIndian]

Two more songs from "Le Chakka". Both of them are taken in Sri Lanka. This is for the first time any bengali movie is pictured Lanka..

Music: Indradip Dasgupta

Shaba Rabba..


ua ua e..

[SarafIndian]

Source: www.daylife.com

Visitors watch the sun rise from Tiger Hill near Darjeeling.

[sabya99]

Originally Posted by mountaincloud

Looking at the "expert" panel, any sane person will surely think what is that expertise mamata had in mind when she selected these names? The problem is in Bengal (pardon the generalization) everyone is an "expert". Specialized knowledge has no value. Everyone knows everything. What's there to learn? I already have an opinion. Now you talk me out of it. It's your problem, really.

The only thing that has some value is the diversity of the committee. Maybe, the interaction of the singer and the police officer will generate some good policies: sing like goopy bagha and hold the traffic for a minute so that people can cross the road.

I like your fine sense of humor.
If every body is an expert then too many lions can not share the same hill!

[sabya99]

Originally Posted by sidney_jec

the images here are too good and the music complements them completely. though i don't understand the lyrics
i don't know but they create a sense of nostalgia (though i don't even remotely have a bong connection)

Hi Sidney,
I am following your posts for long time. You may not know bangla, but you are a good friend of Kolkata and her people!Your informations have made important contribution in Kolkata related forums.
I appreciate that.

[sidney_jec]

Originally Posted by Suncity

If you know Hindi, the Bangla lyrics are probably not very difficult; you can almost guess the meaning of the words

Jharo Jharo borishe bari dhara
Hai pathobashi, hai gotiheeno, hai grihohara

Jhar Jhar barse barish dhara
Hai pathavasi, hai gatiheen, hai grihahara

I am not a Bangla / Hindi expert. I am sure someone in the forum can help with the lyrics.


Here's a screen print from Santidev Ghosh's book which I found on the internet with some more details of the song

Hey thanks a lot Sun
yes some of the words are pretty easy to understand like the ones in this line

Jhar Jhar barse barish dhara

Originally Posted by SarafIndian

The poem says about rain, air, storm, dark, earth and many things. Few lines are very difficult to express in real words. And as you feel, the "nostalgia" is in the tunes and rhythms but didn't appear directly in the lyrics itself..

thanks Saraf
I guess it was the images along with the soulful music that did the trick for me. Though I haven't heard Rabindra Sangeet but I once heard Amjad Ali Khan perform Ekla Chalo Re. It was one of the best pieces of music I have heard in my life. But sadly no one recorded that performance

[sidney_jec]

Originally Posted by sabya99

Hi Sidney,
I am following your posts for long time. You may not know bangla, but you are a good friend of Kolkata and her people!Your informations have made important contribution in Kolkata related forums.
I appreciate that.

thanks man

[sidney_jec]

what will be the fate of the buildings under the Mamta regime. Will the Writers building, Howrah stations now sport a green color? May not be green but it definitely would not be red.

[debayanlahiri]

TNN

DIDI’S DEFT TOUCH — CAMPAIGN TO CANVAS

How will the new board run KMC with such a huge advisory panel? The solution: a core committee, headed by — who else — Subrata Mukherjee

Beginning its journey with a mayor and nine aldermen way back in 1726, Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC) has come a long way and seen many a milestone, but Mamata Banerjee’s idea of a consultative committee to aid and advise the elected mayor-in council has to rank among the unique.

The challenge ahead is to get a perfect blend of the consultative committee and the executive, without undermining the role of the elected representatives.

Mamata had tried out the model in the railways ministry, where members of the civil society have been included in various consultative committees to act as guides and watchdogs. But then the railways has only a couple of elected representatives while the Trinamool Congress KMC board will have 95 and at least 76 advisers (the names announced by Opposition leader Partha Chatterjee on Sunday).

The question is how to run the corporation with such a huge advisory committee.

The solution, apparently, came from former mayor Subrata Mukherjee, who heads the panel of advisers. Have a core team within the committee.

According to Trinamool leaders, the party will select members from the advisory panel to make up the “core committee” under Subrata Mukherjee. The mayor-incouncil will be accountable to this panel-within-a-panel at the party level, as was the case with the UPALeft steering committee during the UPA-I government. The KMC “core committee” is believed to be much more than that. Full-time experts will chalk out plans, fix priorities and submit it to Mamata, who may then take up the projects or any policy issue with the mayor or the mayor-in council.

“The committee has just been announced. Let me talk to some of the key members and take their opinions on the smooth running of the civic body. We will value their suggestions and record them in the meetings of the committee. The suggestions will be sent to the mayorin-council for framing a policy decision, which will be conveyed to the KMC administration for implementation. This is how we will function,” Mukherjee said on Monday.

It was Mukherjee who proposed the need for this “core committee” to accommodate opinions from all sections, including former opposition leader in KMC Javed Khan, who could not make it this time. Moreover, quite a few professionals, whose names were announced on Sunday, got in touch with senior Trinamool leaders to say that they won’t have enough time to get involved in the day-to-day affairs of KMC because of their busy schedule.

The core committee, as envisioned by its chairman Subrata Mukherjee, will also keep tabs on . policy decisions such as tax reforms, rationalization of property tax, and civic amenities without encroaching on the domain of the elected representatives.

The next question is will the councillors gel with the core committee? They were guarded in their response on Monday. Most said they have nothing against the panel, but would prefer to wait a few months “to see how the arrangement works out”.

Mihir Saha, one of the seniormost councillors in the current Trinamool civic board, sees it as a unique experiment “to set up a citizen’s connect with KMC”. “The committee is unique in the history of KMC. Now, we have to see how it is going to help us in our endeavour to make Kolkata a better place to live in. Whether such a committee becomes effective in running the civic administration effectively or not, can only be seen after it starts functioning,” said Saha.

Echoing Saha, senior Trinamool councillor Atin Ghosh said he was eager to interact with the members of the newly formed advisory committee to read their minds. “We, the councillors, need to interact with the committee members to share our weakness and strength. We need to tell them what we can do and what does not fall within our jurisdiction. But we need their suggestions to serve people better,” said Ghosh.

Sanchita Mondal, Trinamool councillor who defeated heavyweight Congress candidate Pradip Ghosh, said she was already following the model recommended by Mamata in the form of an advisory panel. “Before taking any major decision for my ward, I consult doctors, engineers, teachers and social workers to give proper shape to development projects. This is a tested formula and I have got the desired results by following it,” Mondal said.

However, there are fears among a section of councillors that they would voice only in private. For starters, the choice of Sovan Chatterjee as mayor has not gone down well with a section of the civil society, say sources. There is a possibility that the mayor and some members of the MiC will have to “reorient themselves under the new mechanism”, said a party leader. For, the core committee will take stock of the execution of projects and prepare ‘report cards’ on councillors at regular intervals, as the Trinamool chief hinted on Sunday. Even foreign trips by the mayor or members of the MiC may have to be okayed by Mukherjee’s core team.

[debayanlahiri]

Blend of experience & energy to boost Kolkata makeover
| TNN

Some have been holding the stethoscope and scalpel for years, some others the pen. Some have lived in the glare of the camera and flashbulbs, entertaining millions, while others have argued long hours to settle legal battles. They will now be sitting together in a boardroom, wracking their brains on how to bring about an image makeover of Kolkata — and Kolkata Municipal Corporation that has earned the nickname ‘chorporation’.

Trinamool Congress chief Mamata Banerjee has set her goal on a complete image turnaround of Kolkata, which in the days of the Raj was known as the ‘City of Palaces’. And the advisory committee she has set up for KMC will be both her sounding board and a fountain of ideas.

Trinamool Congress sources said that the party chief wants the committee with experts from all walks of life — many of them household names — to guide the KMC mandarins and take it beyond the routine of drinking water, sewerage and road.

Ninety-one-year-old Amala Shankar is eager to share her views with her comembers. “I have been to so many cities in the world and seen how things work there. I can share my views. I am not here for politics but to see that the city becomes a better place to live in,” Shankar said. She also hopes to realize her dream of a dance school for street urchins.

The long list of advisers includes five actors, seven singers, one painter, two writers, two film-makers, two theatre directors, a teacher, a hospital administrator, a scientist, a statistician, two economists, an engineer, four advocates, an ex-judge, two environmentalists, three from the sports fraternity, four retired IAS officers and many more, including seven politicians. Former mayor Subrata Mukherjee chairs the panel.

“This is an apolitical committee. The councillors are young and energetic and might benefit from the constructive suggestions. I will have to talk to the committee chairman to find out what is expected from us. I can suggest steps on improving the KMC-run clinics. Improvement can be brought about in the scope and nature of work of the clinics,” said Tridib Banerjee, paediatric specialist and one of five doctors included in the panel.

Quizmaster and Trinamool leader Derek O’Brien, also a member of the committee, is looking forward to see the KMC-run schools in a better shape. “Everybody knows that the schools run by KMC are in a mess. There is no point in saying that they have to be improved. The question is how. We have to look at implementable ideas,” the ace quizmaster said. O’Brien is confident of working out a plan. “Wait and watch what we can do in 95 days. We have to find out first where we stand and where we want to go. It is important to understand the situation. The concept (of an advisory panel) is very interesting,” O’Brien said.

While the modalities of the committee are yet to be decided, both Banerjee and O Brien highlighted the need to talk to the people. While many are concentrating on utilizing their field of expertise, others are focusing on larger issues as well.

The CEO of Belle Vue and president of Association of Hospitals of Eastern India, Pradip Tandon, feels a consensus approach will augur well for the city. “The suggestions given by the committee to the chairman will percolate to the mayor and mayor-in-council members. Decisions will be taken and implemented on the basis of consensus. There are problems but we hope to tackle them by agreement,” Tandon said.

“In case of hawkers, for instance, we have to see that they are happy and so are the people,” he said.

Renowned artist Jogen Chowdhury, the only painter on the list, is looking for a book in his collection that traces the development of Singapore. “I want to give it to the KMC administrators so that they can know how transformation takes place. Cleaning the city will complete half of the beautification process. Removing encroachers from pavements should also be prioritized. There are many ideas that I want to share,” said Chowdhury, still awaiting the formal letter inviting him to the panel.

Ambitions are big, expectations are high. Experts also have a tough task cut out for them. Floating ideas is only a fraction of the job. The major part is to sit with the elected representatives, and if necessary with the bureaucrats and ensure that the plan is implemented in time.

ARMY OF ADVISERS

Is there a precedent?
None in KMC. Mamata Banerjee had tried out the idea in the railway ministry first

Will it be a case of too many cooks?
The 76-member panel (as of now) will be governed by a core committee, so ideas and suggestions will be filtered before they reach the civic administrators

Whose idea was it to have a core team on the panel?
Subrata Mukherjee, former mayor, who heads the KMC advisory committee

Will the core committee have any powers?
The mayor-in-council will be accountable to this core panel at the party level, as was the case with the UPA-Left steering committee during UPA-I. But this one goes a step beyond. Full-time experts will chalk out plans, fix priorities and submit them to Mamata, who may then take up the projects or any policy issue with the mayor or the mayor-in council

What else will the core panel do?
Keep tabs on key policy decisions such as tax reforms, rationalization of property tax, and civic amenities without encroaching on the domain of the councillors

What do the councillors think of it?
They are guarded in their reaction. Most say it’s a unique idea from Mamata but would wait to see how it works out. Many of the elected representatives may not like a group of watchdogs hovering over their shoulder 24x7

[debayanlahiri]

Going out? Check your inbox for traffic updates
TIMES NEWS NETWORK

Plan your route before you set out on a journey within the city. The city police on Monday launched a system that will enable every motorist to receive messages round-the-clock about the traffic situation along main roads. One has just to register with a particular number through an SMS. Messages with details of traffic along different roads will then start pouring into one’s inbox.

Inaugurating the system, Kolkata Police chief Gautam Mohan Chakrabarti said, “So far, the motorists in the city had to be dependent on radio for information about traffic snarls. But a large number of motorists do not listen to radio, while almost all of them has mobile phones. So, it is easy to send motorists traffic alerts to help them choose routes with less traffic for a hassle-free journey.”

According to Chakrabarti, this information disseminating system would ease traffic pressure on a number of vital thoroughfares. “It is always better if a motorist opts for less congested routes rather than police diverting them. This will ease the job of the traffic police too. If there are traffic snarls along on a particular road, such messages can alert other motorists planning to hit that road to avoid it. This will, in turn, reduce further traffic pressure on it.”

The commissioner of police warned against issuing ‘non-specific messages’ like slow traffic movement on B T Road. Such nonspecific messages would of no use. People want to get specific information to assess the situation and take the decision accordingly. So the messages must serve the purpose of the motorists. If possible the message may include the alternative routes a motorist can take.

The city police chief has suggested that for the beginning let the traffic police choose 21 most vital thoroughfares and categorise them into A, B and C categories and specify the troubles like processions, rallies, road repairing jobs, or accidents.

DC (traffic) Dilip Bandyopadhyay said that one mobile user has to type KP and send this to 09219592195. The mobile user will keep receiving traffic updates, along with news on any accident or vehicle break down in the city. The city police has tied up with ‘sms gupshup,’ world’s leading social messaging platform. This group has initiated same system with Mumbai and Delhi police.

The police chief also launched a system which will make the paper-work of the traffic police less time-consuming and less complicated. They have devised a system by which the citation form will be scanned and the offence with the place and time will automatically recorded by the system. The system will generate the traffic violation slip. The slip will be sent to the offender within 15 days of his offence.

[sidney_jec]

whats strange is that even TOI has turned green but not in context of the environment

[debayanlahiri]

Govt’s new land reforms ring hollow, say experts
| TNN

The state government’s plan to buy land from farmers at 25% above the market price and distribute it among the landless has raised several eyebrows.

The move is being seen as a last ditch effort by the Left Front to check erosion in its vote bank.

State PWD minister Kshiti Goswami said: “The decision to distribute land among the landless needs to be implemented immediately. Because if we cannot start it now then it can never be launched.”

Goswami, however, is not sure if the effect of the move would be be reflected in 2011 assembly poll results. “I cannot say if the beneficiaries would vote in favour of LF. But it will no doubt help some landless farmers.”

But some others felt that the Left Front will never be successful in winning over the landless with this “land gift” project.

Former land commissioner Debabrata Bandyopadhyay said, “This is a bogus plan.” The landless people who had changed loyalty will not be voting for LF any more even if they are bribed with lands. “Moreover, the state government has no funds. How will it pay a premium price to buy land? A huge chunk of the state budget is used to pay salary of the staff, so how will the government afford it?” he wondered.

Former CBI additional director Upen Biswas calls this move “a gimmick”. “There are 77 lakh landless agricultural labourers in the state,” Biswas said, quoting 2001 census report. “How many of them would be getting land?” Biswas, who has been researching on Operation Barga and is writing a book on the subject, said the Left Front is trying to win back poor SC/ST/OBC and Muslim voters. They can be a deciding factor in at least 100 constituencies, he said.

The former CBI joint director said: “A 2004 report of West Bengal State Institute of Panchayats and Rural Development stated that most of these landless people earn only Rs 30 per day. According to the same report, 64% of pattadars and 52% of bargadars work outside Bengal at least six months a year to earn a living.”

Ruby Sain, head of sociology department of Jadavpur University, described gifting of land as an utopian idea which will not help the LF at all. “Some absentee landlords may be interested in selling their land to the government, but farmers who depend on their land will not sell it.”

[sabya99]

Originally Posted by ATLfan

Mamata Banerjee has created a 95 person council to direct the mayor of Kolkata on her quest to make "Kolkata into London." You can read the details about who will be on this council here:

http://www.telegraphindia.com/110060...y_12538078.jsp

West Bengal is headed for a DISASTER. It is unfathomable to think that people voted for someone who, for her whole career, has NO POLICIES. She knows only fasts, dharnas, bandhs, destruction, immobilization. She simply has no policies and no idea of how to be constructive. For all of the CPI-M's faults, at least they were headed in the right direction. Buddhadeb knew that his party was corrupt and heavily bureaucratic. He knew the only way to progress would be through massive private investment, creation of industries, etc. He at least had that vision. He adopted the progressive ideology of communist China. I am in disbelief that people in Kolkata, including even Salt Lake, urban educated middle class, cannot see Mamata Banerjee for the destructive, incompetent, vision-less person that she is. Mamata supporters please read the Telegraph article above. THIS is what you voted for? Can you keep from LAUGHING when reading about Mamata's plans for Kolkata? Rizwanur Rahman's mother and some actors, actresses will be directing the development of Kolkata?

You are absolutely right. But she learnt this kind of politics from Jyoti Basu! The irony of Bengal is the more violent politics you follow the more lumpens will follow you. Democracy must be rationed!