kolkata confidential

Tiger: A fashion statement?
A renowned NGO had recently organised a “Save The Tiger” campaign. But it was interesting how a seemingly drab wildlife issue drew the ladies who otherwise trot the Kolkata social circuits. A large number of the guests were elegant “pearl and chiffon” ladies. What was amusing was how our madams had to reaffirm every statement made by tiger conservationist Rathore with a “so true”, “correct”, “right right”. Of course, most of the elegant gathering did not have a remote connection with the tiger, except for some occasional visit to a zoo. Neither did their conversations dwell on “wildlife”.

Aftermath of Eden fiasco
Nobody knew what were the recommendations of the committee headed by Sports Secretary A. K. Patnaik that was set up by sports minister Subhas Chakrabarty to probe the power fiasco at the Edens during the IPL match on April 20. The committee was constituted on April 23 and on April 24 a meeting, presided over by Chief Secretary Amit Kiran Deb, was held at the Writers’ Building. After the meeting Home Secretary Ashoke Mohan Chakrabarty briefed the press about the measures to be taken for the smooth conduct of the match that was supposed to be held at the Eden on April 29. When the home secretary was asked about the report of the committee, he quipped, “What report? No report has come to me.”

Media unsavvy?
Gauri Chatterjee, Principal Secretary, forest department, who has retired this week, had one distinction she loved to flaunt. She never met any mediaperson during her entire career. In the week she retired a couple of reporters visited her office to enquire about a meeting she attended that day. Chatterjee refused to meet them and told her staff, “I have never interacted with any journalist during my entire career. And I will not do so at the fag end of it.”

A tale of RTI
The authorities at the University of Calcutta seem to be determined not to allow the students to have an access to their answer scripts through Right to Information(RTI) Act. A student has asked the university for his evaluated answer script under the RTI Act and the matter is subjudice now. “How can an answer script which is the creation of a student can be an information for him?” That is the logic of officials from the examination section.
As far as the marks go, the university is willing to disclose marks allotted on each question.
Sources from the university say they will take the matter to the Supreme Court, if required. “If the court instructs us, we are willing to show the answer scripts but not under RTI,” an official said.