Veggie Suicides...

Recently I received a newsletter from Greenpeace India. Among various activities of Greenpeace, one demonstration by its India chapter attracted my immediate attention. The demonstration or protest was prompted by the recent decision of government to approve large scale open air field trials for Genetically Modified food crops, which could include tomatoes, potatoes, corn, brinjals, etc. The show went like this. A host of vegetables were seen hanging from a thread in Bangalore, as they had committed mass suicide in protest of this decision. A suicide note beside one of the dead potatoes said that potato wished to die in honourable manner rather than living as half potato and half scorpion.

The report said that this was followed by a funeral, where dead body of a martyr corn was taken by fellow vegetables on MG Road.

"The imminent approval of the field trials would mean that our food is one step closer to being dangerously unsafe. The health of citizens and the environment of this country is at risk" said Divya Raghunandan, GE campaigner from Greenpeace. (This paragraph has been taken verbatim from the Greenpeace report)

Please visit http://www.greenpeace.org/india/press/releases/veggie-suicides-are-pointing-t for more details.

Water water every where ....

So, its monsoon time in Kolkata. The city and its neigboring areas are receiving continuous rainfall since Monday night. Many parts of Kolkata, known for its poor drainage system remained waterlogged for several hours after rain stopped to give respite for a few hours. However, when the water started receding, Indra- the rain God was back in action.

The weather office has recorded more than 174 mm of rainfall wednesday in addition to 189 mm rainfall recorded on tuesday. The immense rains are caused by the formation of a low pressure area formed over the North-East Bay of Bengal. If met bureau is to be believed, there is prediction of heavy rainfall in the entire Gangetic West Bengal in next 24 hours.

Courtsey: Telegraphindia.com

According to Newspaper reports, the age old drainage system of Kolkata built by Britishers is capable of handling just 4 mm rain per hour, however it rained closed to 153 mm in just about five hours.

The water clogging threw city out of gear, as surface transport services were disrupted. Trams remained out of service for the second consecutive day on wednesday. Number of buses plying on routes were also very less, a huge rush in each of them could be seen. Auto Rickshaws, charged exorbitant fee for small distances. Lifeline of City- Metro rail had to be discontinued for some time on tuesday after a small fire was discovered in two of the carriage which occured due to water seeping in carriage machinery.

Train services on both Eastern and South Eastern Railways in Sealdah and Howrah stations continued to be affected due to waterlogged railway tracks, forcing many cancelations or short-termination. A friend coming from Orissa had to wait for about three hours in train when his train was stopped about 3 km short of Howrah station. Another friend coming from Ranchi had to get off at Santragachi station, around 10 kms from Howrah because of short termination, and a taxy charged him Rs 600 upto Howrah against a normal fare of around Rs 100-150/-

Many schools and colleges were shut and many exams had to be postponed.

According to some sources, the city has received around 30% of rainfall it receives during monsoon season.