Problem of plenty
It’s destination Delhi for all migrant workers, as both Uttar Pradesh and Haryana shy away from welcoming the migrants. A senior bureaucrat pointed this out, while accusing the Delhi government of making the state unreasonably attractive. According to the bureaucrat even though the migrants work in Noida and Gurgaon they bank on Delhi for sustenance. “Those who work in Noida and Ghaziabad live in East Delhi, while those working in Gurgaon live in the Najafgarh belt in West Delhi. These places are clearly overburdened in terms of housing as well as infrastructure,” he said.

All not welcome
Even though the Gay Pride March warmly embraced all members of the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender community — both rich and poor — the celebrations that followed the High Court verdict seemed to have sidelined the poor and the transgenders. Those who flocked to Jantar Mantar and posed for the shutterbugs, shouting ‘Gay Ho’ were visibly the elite and the rich. Ashok Row Kavi, noted gay activist, said he had received complaints about the exclusion and it was “sad” that the moment had been hijacked by the rich and the elite. The celebrations were for all, he said. “This isn’t good.”

Punishing problems
Deprived of electricity and water, angry residents of Ghaziabad blocked the National Highway 58 and Dabur Chowk. The area has been going without electricity for over 15 hours a day. As the crisis deepens, leaders of various political parties have started the usual blame game. A leader of a national party is learnt to have told a few people that the UP government was punishing them.

... contd.