THE BYSTANDER

Over the years, power cut in West Bengal at this time of year is plaguing; sometime it is due to routine service of the power plants or uncalled for breakdowns. They are usual and seem out of control. But the other factor what is surprising is coal shortage! Coal shortage is equally a routine affair every year. The coal mines being nationalized way back 1969 by government headed by Mrs Indira Gandhi did good to miners as well as those coal mine owners who were handsomely compensated for handing over underground infernos to government. In fact, many underground fires and land collapses in coal mine areas are due to most negligent mining by the mine owners. It is well known fact to anyone who is associated with Indian coal mining industry. Now, the shortage of coal supplies to the power plants is causing power shortage, because numbers of power generating plants are kept idle. Year after year we the tax payers have to suffer for that! In the civil world, perhaps Indian example is unique...

Indian banking industries could avoid the global recession and its after effects like bankruptcy, liquidations that massacred US banking majors. No doubt the practice of prudential banking norm and government control what controlled their exposures to reckless banking practice. But what is ailing the industries is its policy and manpower. The wage in banking industries is one of the lowest amongst peer organizations under government control. For the past two years the employee’s fresh wage agreement is due. No doubt, the trade unions used to be super powers in this industries decade ago, but no more they are so now. As most of the trade unions are controlled by their political bosses covertly or overtly, so their influence in the government does matter. Unfortunately currently, most or all of these political bosses of trade unions sit in the bench earmarked for members of oppositions in Parliament; so there is none to consider their case seriously. Neither they are in any hurry as nex...

The acute phase of global recession seems to be over; as opined by some experts. Though it is too early to be sure, but there are certain symptoms evident in the global economy that is encouraging. The two major economy in Europe, Germany and France in the quarter ending June’09 have shown come back signs to economical phases. After a long period of recession during this quarter Germany has shown a growth of 0.3% in its national income. Some say this is due to their exports surpassed all imports during this period; during the month of last June, the export growth rate in Germany has touched almost 7%. So it is expected that during the third quarter, Germany’s national income would increase by 1 percent. Another lobby of economic experts held that this growth in German economy is due to increase in governmental spending. If that is true , then obviously it will not be sustainable. The same lobby also opines that the basic reforms in German economy are yet to take place. As banking in...

In one of my blogs I wrote about the social sites. There are plenty in the web now. Earlier there were few dating sites, grossly they were considered to be the social sites; it was Google first brought Orkut.com in the web and the social site revolution started. Initially Gmail account could only be opened by introduction, not as of now, anyone can open an account, so was the Orkut. I read the article about Gmail with email data storage capacity upto 6MB in one of the famous English newspaper in India "The Statesman" published from Kolkata. I contacted the writer of the article, whose g mail address was given in the article too. I am not sure how delighted he was, when I asked him to introduce me to Google for opening gmail id. Can you thing such stricture now! Incredible. But that was it. Now you know how easy it is, just click in, put anything in the space as your details, and the account is opened,.Good Luck!

Marriages are made in heaven ---- thus goes the old adage; but in reality we find otherwise. Though I know that there are very few people would agree to me openly but within they know what it is. Years ago I read somewhere that in Russia the marriages are conducted with much pomp and show as we find amongst the middle class and of course wealthy and riches in India or elsewhere in South Asia, but three out of five marriages breaks shortly. Now, it is evident here too in India, especially in amongst the middle class where marriages are solemnized as still something “holy.” Problems crop up for many things, amongst the middle class or the business class mostly it is on dowry (the goodies bride brings along at the time of marriage) counts, sometime torture on newly married brides follow for bringing more and more from her father’s house. The law enacted to protect them and punish the torturer, but that is also grossly misused. I have found men being held under anti-dowry law and taken...

Way back in the year 2004 I first took internet connection thorough my residential land line phone. The download speed was too slow, the service was costly and disruptive but still I was delighted with the thought that I am connected with all over the world. I use to imagine sometime I may come across some Eskimo while chatting; would ask how the life is for him there and what he thinks about us far away from his icy world! Unfortunately that never happened though I met many unknowns online and sometime some long forgotten known. Really it is amazing; meeting one or his son or daughter after 20,30 or even more years whom I knew before decades and have impressions of them. In fact I can not remember which year I came to know about Orkut. One Sidhartha Banerjee wrote an article in my favorite news paper The Statesman. Google was offering to open gmail and orkut account on introduction; I logged in, mailed to the writer whose email address was given in that article. With his introductio...

In a landmark judgment the Supreme Court of India has directed Nizam’s Institute of Medical Science, Hyderabad to pay Rs one crore or INR 10 millions for carrying out wrong surgery on Mr. Prasant S Dhananka decades ago. Mr. Dhananka underwent an operation that turned him paralyzed for life at the age of 19. It is only his spirit of perseverance that he fought the compensation case for more than 15 years and finally got the order from the Supreme Course. Though earlier he was awarded compensation of Rs 15 lakh by National Consumer Court but he decided to proceed further claiming compensation amount Rs 7 crores. The Supreme Court fixed the amount of compensation of Rs 1 Crore, first time ever in the history of consumer compensation in India. In fact amount of compensation is reached, in case of medical negligence, considering the age, potentiality and value of lost opportunities in victim’s life. But the Supreme Court in year 2000 expressed its views while giving verdict in “Charan Sing...