CIRCULAR - BULLET RAIL ROAD OF INDIA

Prakash: - So, what, if Mamata Banerjee is inaugurating 6 new trains from Howrah station on 30^th December 2009. Boss, in a country like India, these Duranto and super fast trains will be of no use, in this Jet-age.

Ravi: - Yeah, I agree with you. After the virtual death of Air Deccan, which was killed by Vijay Mallya, the middle class people have totally started ignoring the flights. They depend on Indian railways for their journeys from one city to another. Now, to go from one city to another, if it takes around 12 to 16 hours, then I must say that Indian railways have not prospered so much in terms of its speed and rail-road infrastructure improvement efficiencies.

Arindam: - Not only have that, anyone can block the trains at any time. There is no tight security at all. Every day, you will read in the newspapers that Naxalites or Maoists have blown up train lines or have attacked some bogies of a train.

Shreya: - The biggest question is that are we really utilizing the Railways to connect all the parts of India. The answer is no. Look at China; they are even planning to build a rail-road which will directly link Kathmandu with Tibet. Also, they are planning to create a rail-road, which will connect all the major cities of China and will be extended till Myanmar.

Gauri: - China always has a tendency to spread their spider-web, so that they can conquer Indian Territory. But, I don’t think that China has also progressed in its Railways infrastructures.

Ravi: - Boss, Indian Railways is the oldest of all rail connections in Asia. China started late, but, now, China has the largest rail-road network in the world. So, you can imagine how rapidly they have capitalized on their rail tracks.

Prakash: - In terms of speed also, they have defeated Japan. Japan has bullet trains that run through its four islands and it covers the entire distance in around 5.5 hours or so. The speed of their trains ranges between 328 to 334 Km per hour, whereas, the recent bullet trains of China are having speeds within the range 385 to 392 Km per hour.

Shreya: - Those are bullet trains and runs on magnetic fields. Now, India has so much population that if you implement those trains, then there will be accidents and you don’t know, how many people will die every day.

Ravi: - China has the largest population and if they can implement that, then why not India?

Prakash: - Hang on, I think that Shreya is having a misconception that those bullet trains run on ground level only. No, let me tell you that the tracks of bullet trains are constructed 1 Km above sea level and it runs there only. Only platforms of main cities are at the ground level. Their tracks are like the flyovers over flyovers.

Arindam: - We can also start implementing bullet trains in India. For example, say, the speed of the trains will be around 300-320 Km per hour and a circular rail road for bullet trains will be constructed, which will link four Metro cities of Kolkata, Chennai, Mumbai and Delhi. There will be two rail tracks. On one track, a bullet train will run in clockwise direction (Delhi-Kolkata-Chennai-Mumbai) and in another track, the other bullet train will run in anti-clockwise direction (Delhi-Mumbai-Chennai-Kolkata). The distance between each adjacent metro cities are around 1900 Km. So, it will take around 6 hours to cover up that distance at a speed of 300-320 Km/hour.

Gauri: - Hmm…6*4=24 hours. That means, a bullet train will take around 1 day to complete a round of 4 Metro cities. For example, if two bullet trains have started its journey from Delhi at 12 AM, then one train will reach Kolkata at 6 AM and the other one at Mumbai at the same time. Then, again at 12 PM, both the trains will enter Chennai. At 6 PM, the first train will reach Mumbai and the second train will reach Kolkata. Ultimately at 11.30 PM, both trains will reach Delhi. After reaching each Metro city, driver of the trains will get changed.

Arindam: - Very soon, the “CIRCULAR-BULLET RAIL ROAD OF INDIA” will become a reality for the entire world.

PRICE RISE IN INDIA

Vikram: - Today, BJP party has called a 12 hour bandh in protest to the price rises of all commodities. Really, they just need an issue to call a bandh. Where are the prices rising, tell me?

Farhan: - You are working in a reputed IT MNC and you are drawing 45000 bucks per month. If the price of commodities rises also, it will hardly affect you. If the price of potatoes increases to 33 bucks per Kg from 16 bucks per Kg, then you can still afford to eat potatoes in your daily curries. But, everyone is not a rich man like you. Majority of our Indian population don’t even get food for two times a day. The recent hunger index clearly proves that more than 73% people of our population eat food for once in a day.

Seema: - as a net result, the malnutrition comes in. People lose their immunities against several diseases.

Ranajit: - See, this year is a disaster for India. Drought was there, which is why, it affected the crop production everywhere.

Arindam: - for your kind information, let me tell you that India is a country where crops are produced in three different seasons. If one fails, then other surely succeeds. After that drought, monsoon came late, but it came well and it increased the crop production in later half of this year. I totally disagree to the fact that there is a shortage of crops and for that reason, the prices are rising.

Pallavi: - It is not the first time in Indian history, that there are floods or droughts. But, I have never seen such a steep price rise in commodities before. Pulses are now sold at 115 bucks per Kg, whereas the inflation is just around 1.07%.

Vikram: - Don’t consider the inflation here. There is a serious flaw in calculating the inflation rate. They give 70% weightage to WPI and 30% weightage to CPI and that creates a serious problem in analysis.

Seema: - The biggest question lies in the management of rural sector. Are the farmers able to distribute their crops to the markets very efficiently?

Ranajit: - of course, why not? There are E-Choupal systems of ITC, where farmers can easily see the exact price of a crop through portals and can then sell directly to the market.

Pallavi: - Boss, you are talking about the educated farmers of Maharashtra, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Kerala and Tamil Nadu, who knows how to surf the internet, but, what about the farmers of other Indian states? They don’t even know what is mouse and keyboard of a PC, internet surfing aur portal dekhna toh doorh ki baath hain. In their cases, they sell their crops to those middlemen, at whatever minimum prices are quoted to them.

Vikram: - That is not bad at all. Farmers are not aware of the actual price. They will sell it at low prices to middlemen. Now, middlemen will make some profits by selling it at a reasonable price to the market.

Arindam: - No, Vikram, these middlemen are very clever. For example, say the standard selling price of potatoes are Rs.15/Kg. Now, a farmer is not aware of that. He will sell potatoes at Rs.12/Kg to the middlemen. Now, these middlemen are very much aware that the exact price is Rs.15/Kg, but they will sell it to the market at Rs. 18/Kg. Then, there are businessmen and politicians who understand the impact of black marketing. They will offer the price of Rs.20/Kg to these middlemen and will buy all food stocks in bulk. As a middleman, I will think about my profits only. So, I will sell all the food commodities to those politicians and businessmen only.

Farhan: - hmm, yeah, you are right. Now, as the stocks are kept with those businessmen and politicians, there will be a scarcity of foods in the market. Indian Government will have no clue about that. They will be in the illusion that there is a shortage of food, which is why, prices are rising. As a normal citizen, you have to survive by eating those vegetables. So, you have no other choice than to buy potatoes at Rs. 33/Kg. Look at the profits of businessmen and politicians. They will be earning a profit of Rs.13/Kg by doing black marketing. This is how the food scams in India takes place and it is the only reason for the recent “PRICE RISE IN INDIA”.

SANTA CLAUS GOT HIS CHRISTMAS GIFT

Sameer: - Wow, this is the first time, I dressed like a Santa Claus and gave chocolates, pens, pencils, exercise copies and other gifts to the little students of our Julien Day School. I am feeling very proud and happy about it.

Ricky: - Thanks Sameer, for participating in this Christmas festival, but, Arindam, you could have also dressed like Santa Claus.

Arindam: - Dhaath, I don’t know how to dance like Santa Claus. By the way, I have contributed money for buying those gifts for children. That is more than enough from my side.

Debarati: - Accha, you don’t know how to dance. In any party, after drinking alcohols, you cannot control yourself, when you start dancing, aar ekhon nyakami hocchey…basically, you are a conservative Hindu, that is why; you have not dressed up like Santa Claus.

Ricky: - Ok, ok, that is not an issue. Please stop fighting among yourselves. Come on; let us go to the Cathedral Church now.

Arindam: - No, boss, I have never visited any Church. I will not go. You people go. I will rather go and watch the film ‘3 Idiots’. It will be releasing today only.

Sameer: - Arrey, we will also go and watch that film. Debarati has already done the online advance booking for all of us. Don’t worry about it. Outside the Church, we will get to eat many delicious cakes. Those cakes are even more delicious than ‘Monginis’ cakes. Come on; let us go.

Arindam: - Thik hai chalo…free mein cake khaaney ko milega…I don’t want to miss this opportunity.

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Debarati: - You have never visited any Church…omni dhopbaaji. I have seen your picture in Facebook, where you were standing in front of Medak Church. Now, don’t say, that the photo was edited with the help of Photoshop CS.

Arindam: - Aha, I have not gone inside any church. I just see the architecture of the Church from outside, that’s all. However, inside this church, it is looking like a classroom. There are tables and chairs. The Father is looking like a teacher, reading the Holy Bible and everyone is repeating his words. Babah, what a prayer? One thing, I don’t understand, why they always sing with a shrill voice, like ‘oooohaaaaaaaa’, like it was in the Opera House of ‘Dil Chahta Hai’ film.

Sameer: - Saaley, doh minute ke liye chup nahi baith sakta hai kya? It is not the Cinema Hall, it is Cathedral Church. Please keep quiet for some time.

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Arindam: - Ok, the prayer has ended. We have eaten all these cakes. Now, the entire Church is empty. Chalo, let’s go and watch the film. It is now 3.30 PM; the show will start at 5 PM. There will be traffic jam, so, we must start our journey now.

Ricky: - sssh…look there. Yeah, my doubt was right. On every weekend, I have spotted Sameer outside this Church. I was sometimes confused to see him, because as a Hindu person, why he will roam outside the church on every weekend.

Debarati: - Today, on this special day, he is going to propose her. Already, she told me to pass a love letter to her. I have done my duty.

Arindam: - Who is that girl? Oho, I can see only one girl, sitting there and praying for something to God. But, she is a Christian girl. How dare Sameer fall in love with her? I will complain about it to our RSS Headquarter. We will not tolerate it. Even if he marries that girl also, that girl has to get converted to Hinduism; otherwise, we will not let Sameer marry her.

Ricky: - uff, why do you get too much excited. Now, don’t utter ‘Jai Shree Ram’ inside this Church, please. See, the name of the girl is Sonali Fernandez. She is a hybrid product. Her father is a Christian and her mother is a Bengali Hindu. So, after marriage with Sameer, she will surely become Sonali Sen. Don’t worry about that.

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Sameer: - Hey guys, listen. Tonight, after watching ‘3 Idiots’, I will sponsor a dinner party at Jimmy’s Kitchen, because she has accepted my proposal inside this church.

Arindam: - See the fun, just now, you were providing gifts to the children and now our Bhagwan Ram has given you a sweet gift. Really, on this 25^th December, “SANTA CLAUS GOT HIS CHRISTMAS GIFT.”

CO-OPERATIVE CLIMATE CONTROL

Deepak: - We were accusing Mr. Jairam Ramesh, a few days ago, on the basis of a decision; as it looked like that India has vowed itself in front of USA, in terms of carbon emission rate. Nevertheless, in Copenhagen, Mr. Jairam has tackled all the issues very well. It is not bad at all.

Mahesh: - See, while announcing that declaration beforehand, he was not aware of the fact that developed countries are playing games with the developing countries. However, in Copenhagen, when he saw that it is not only India, but also the other developing countries like China, South Africa, and Brazil are facing the same problem, then he understood, that blindly signing on any deal will be a foolish act to do.

Swaraj: - One basic thing, I really don’t understand. These developed countries agreed to reduce certain amount of their carbon emission as per the norms of Kyoto Protocol. Not even a single developed country has been able to reduce their carbon emission by that rate, which they agreed. Now, rather than focusing on the agenda, why the Kyoto Protocol failed at the first instance and to take new innovative measures, so that in the next phase, the Kyoto Protocol becomes a great success, they are just shifting the entire focus on the developing countries.

Rohini: - Now, you cannot force like that. In this global recession, if you request to any of the developing countries of the world to reduce per capita carbon emission, then that means, you are indirectly compromising with the profitable opportunities of any chemical or manufacturing industry. That is not feasible at all. First, let those developed countries prove by example that they are very much co-operative in controlling the climate of our world.

Arindam: - Everyone is concerned about the carbon emission to prevent global warming. But, no one is campaigning against the cutting down of trees, poaching tigers, killing whales, fishing in the areas where penguins hunt for their foods and about the pollution checks. If you people are really concerned about the climatic conditions of Earth, then why only talk about carbon emissions. It is only a part of the entire problem, boss.

Mahesh: - No, no, there are environmentalist who are constantly campaigning on that. Believe me; it is not so easy to control these things globally, unless you get co-operative hands from all the countries of the world.

Deepak: - If that is so, then why these developed countries are constantly forcing only the developing countries to sign agreements or deals.

Rohini: - Now, developing countries are not blind that they will accept the deal. Maybe, you are not aware of the fact that developing countries like India and China are talking between themselves on a common agenda, which will safeguard their domestic industries as well as climate control can also be achieved.

Arindam: - That means, you want to say that the process has to be very slow and gradual. Ok, but, it cannot be so slow that before 2020 only, the iceberg starts melting heavily.

Swaraj:- Ok, if I consider another scenario that the developing countries agree to cut their carbon emissions by 25-30% within 2015, but then on the other hand, what is the guarantee that Kyoto Protocol will not fail for the second phase and even if it fail also, who is going to take disciplinary actions on these developed countries. Do we have any central authority to take strict actions regarding carbon emission rates of both the developed and developing countries? The answer is a big ‘No’. Now, in a trial of court, a lawyer cannot play the role of a judge.

Mahesh: - Why scientists are not coming out with new innovative ideas, so that there will be rapid industrialization, but side-by-side, there will be no substantial increase in carbon emission. Are we really serious about the implementation of non-renewable energies in our daily life? I don’t find the developed countries to be very serious about that.

Arindam: - Ha ha ha, well said. In this Copenhagen summit, everyone is interested in blame game. Leaders of developed and developing countries are just fighting with each other. There are some people protesting about the entire summit. Now, if they really want to control the climate of the World, then no one should go for signing a deal without any fruitful negotiations. The negotiations should be based on compromise in such a fashion that at the end of the day, it will become a Win-Win situation for every country. The motto should be “CO-OPERATIVE CLIMATE CONTROL.”