MUMBAI, July 25: KDMC and Akhil Bhartiya Natya Parishad, Kalyan Branch, jointly organised a convention of drama lovers at Kalyan. It was arranged after the Rangbhoomy Prayag Parikshan Mandals met. President Shantaram Nandagaokar expressed his regret over the government's inaction on the suggestions made by the mandal. The chief guest Purshottam Darvekar appealed to senior citizens and reporters to object to obscenity in theatre.

No rain

Kalyan needs rain, and badly. Last week, the rain was counted at 29.3 mm, whereas by this time, the total works out to 789.1 mm. This is very low according to experts. The work of plantation agriculture has not even been completed by 30 per cent till today. If the heavens do not open up soon, the district agriculturist are going to have a problem on their hands.

No rain please!

Then again, the absence of rains may caused the agricultural department concern, but the intrepid rail commuters who have to use Kalyan station are not exactly complaining.

It takes a slight drizzle to convert the station into an island surrounded by swelling rivulets. This after the `planned development' of the station's surroundings. A traffic cop notwithstanding, rickshaws are parked everywhere else except at the rickshaw-stand outside the station, so it becomes quite a sight to see the thronging crowds wading through the waters. On Thursday, this diarist saw a group of rickshawallahs enjoying the scene and passing snide ones. Doesn't take much to bring out the sadists in some people...

A mobile loo

A KDMC official was complaining about how this diary dwells too much on the shortcomings of the corporation while sidelining its achievements. Okay sir, here goes. One of the best things the KDMC has done in years is constructing mobile toilets along the road to Birla College. Along with taking care of the slumdwellers of Indira Nagar who used to relieve themselves in the open, this has come as a great relief to the college kids who walk it down from Shahad station early in the morning. Keep them coming, sir.

Copyright © 1997 Indian Express Newspapers (Bombay) Ltd.