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Nowadays we can see the “Kolkata Rising” campaign by The Times of India newspaper all over Kolkata. The campaign basically promotes the way Kolkata has grown in the past years. But on the other hand we can still find people washing clothes and taking bath in the holy waters of the ganga river (though it is so dirty.) What’s the use of promoting Kolkata’s growth, where on the other hand a lot of people living in Kolkata don’t even have basic necessities of life (WATER to bathe and wash clothes.)

6 comments:

Anonymous said...

very true kuldip....

in fact, when TOI & ET publish their Kolkata Rising Advs. they bring in Celebrities for thier comments on how Kolkata risen.....why don't they showcase the thoughts, ideas, conditions and problems of the ordinary men of Kolkata...

regards,

Vivek

Unknown said...

well, the same can be said about the "india shining" campaign, its very easy to look at all the bad/negative things in life, but there is no point in that, instead look at the bright side of life...

instead of just showing a pic and commenting on it, do something contructive regarding this....what do u think??

Kuldip Kumar Garhwal said...

vivek
thanks for sharing your view, i hope TOI and ET reads this blog

vp
interesting thought...
what abt.. photo journalism - something similar to what I am doing at my level - this makes people aware and awareness is the first step for any revolution

Unknown said...

Hi,

Nice to know abt your thoughts.

As someone had point out, its true that there are poverty and backdrops in the city, however I personally feel, that unless we make a cautious attempt for an image change, this problem will come back again and again. Due to our past mistakes Cal is often associated outside (even in other parts of India) as a poor and dirty place. This has to change first. Although Mumbai is far more crappy and Bangalore crippling under its own pathetic infrastructure, its their image that has made companies setting up shop there inturn generating emplyment and making Govt earn revenues, which slowly help to eradicate poverty. I believe, Show positive to outside world, and at the same time change negetive inside.

Its been 8 years that I have moved out of Cal, but just cant wait to get back ;-)

Kuldip Kumar Garhwal said...

Sandip
Thank you for your wonderful, intellectual and well-thought-out comment. Indeed there is something different about Kolkata that we tend to stick to it or want to come back to it.. but nobosy knows what it is… read my post about it… http://kulxp.blogspot.com/2006/02/what-is-different-about-calcutta.html
Thanks once again Sandip
K

Anonymous said...

Change Bihar and UP and everything will be okay in Kolkata, Delhi and Mumbai.

These two states have 25% of India's population, worst HDI in the world and huge migration (60% of total migrants are from these two states and 95% of poor and unskilled migrants are from these two states too). It's simply not possible for these three cities to take any more burden from these two states.

Kolkata (especially Howrah) has already collapsed and now our beautiful Mumbai is under seige and ugly, smelly, backward slums have taken over most of India's best city. Mumbai is now descending into the Calcutta chaos.

Delhi has been totally dirtied by poor migrants from UP and Bihar.

It is not really their fault though. Poor and hungry people will always move to big cities.



Many recent articles are showing how unabated population growth in these two states is pulling down the performance of India's average in all human development indicators. Take out Bihar and UP and the picture looks to be at least in the improve mode. Add those two states in and you see only disaster awaiting to happen.

The GOI, Govt of Bihar or Govt of UP need to seriously do something about upliftment of Bihar and Uttar Pradesh.

Photos are very touching.