Babu’s audacity
Babus are now so mighty that they are inclined not to be serious while attending meetings the Chief Minister convenes. Recently, CM convened a meeting with the officials of a few departments. Interaction on, an officer was caught busy on his mobile app. Noticing things, CM asked the officer to spell out his idea of the matter under discussion. The Babu was left red–faced as he was unaware of what was being discussed, his focus trained on his mobile. Chief Minster Harish Rawat being politeness incarnate did not rebuke the Babu as expected. He rather took pains to explain things in details and then asked him again to tell what he felt about the things he explained. However, other Babus have taken strong exception to the audacity shown by one of the members of the Babudom. One of the angry Babus said that they could well imagine how General Khanduri would have reacted had he convened the meeting as the Chief Minister. The unattentive officer must have been shown the door, he said.
Renovation-struck Journos
Media centre, an earthquake resistant building, constructed in less than six months at a cost of Rs 1.5 cr, is presently under renovation. The building is meant to provide office accommodation to the media persons, particularly those from the electronic media, who did not have offices of their own in Dehradun. Before they had to shift after the renovation started, they used to get free internet facilities and free computers besides air-conditioned rooms to work in. But renovation continuing- the State Government says it is spending Rs 5 crore on it-the journos are again facing the same predicament they faced before the building came up, sans any office of their own. Questions abound as to what has necessitated the renovation. The building was from the beginning earthquake-resistant. Interestingly, the company entrusted with the work of renovation would merely adorn the frame using the state of the art technology. Many say that the cost involved is far more than what it should be. On Thursday, the electronic media persons who are working from here and there without any permanent office of their own raised the issue before the Chief Minister Harish Rawat during a press conference. They said that the CM must provide them with alternative office accommodation till the renovation is completed. The CM empathised with their plight.