Naive in NY

I ran into Naresh at Grand Central Station. He started by asking if there was an Indian temple close-by. That was the first sign. I was in a hurry and wanted to say that I didn’t care but he looked a “respectable” man. Then he asked if I was Indian. This was the second sign. Its very clear that I am, at least to other Indians. Are you from Gujarat? As if all Indians in US are from Gujarat! And did I have any friends in Jersey? He was visiting someone there and had dropped his wallet in the cab…with ninety dollars in it.

What do you want me to do? If you LOAN me some money I will return it tomorrow. Considering that he was living in Jersey and I north of NYC, it would be logistically difficult. But then the guy looked harried and I did “loan” him a twenty, left my name and number and walked on.

Of course there has been no call from Naresh. 10 seconds after giving him the money I knew he wouldn’t call. He wasn’t there when I looked back as I was walking away.

Rs. 200 crores

Thats the cost of building a temporary township for housing the labourers who are going to be constructing Reliance's Jamnagar refinery !!

A month from now one lakh labourers will descend on what is going to be the largest construction site in India for the next two years. Work on setting up five sprawling labour colonies is going on in full swing,much before train-loads of workers from Gujarat, Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, Orissa, Andhra Pradesh and other states arrive at the site. Besides, more than 3,000 apartments in Jamnagar have been cornered to house the armies of engineers that will descend shortly for speedy completion of the project within 2 years.

Around 250 acres of land has been acquired for developing five labour colonies near the new refinery site and the construction work is expected to be completed by July 2006. The colonies will also have primary health centres, schools and recreation facilities. Talk of scale!!
Source:Indiatimes.com