Anupam Srivastava is a Special Correspondent with Hindustan Times, Lucknow. Has produced exclusive stories in medical, civil aviation, civic, political and other issues for over 20 years.
Articles by Anupam Srivastava
His shehnai had a Khalifa touch
CAN YOU believe it? Ustad Bismillah Khan worked for the All India Radio in Lucknow years ago. Just for Rs 28 per month! He took initial tips on shehnai from Ustad Ahmed Khalifa of Lucknow, claims noted shehnai player Ustad Sartaj Khan, who is also a distant relative of the Ustad. ?Khan saheb participated in the music festival held at an exhibition in the city during his childhood. There he was awarded a gold medal for his emotional flights. In 1940 he formed a group of his own and started giving public performances .
Published on Aug 22, 2006 12:09 AM IST
None | Anupam Srivastava
Frail but full of hopes
SATYAVATI RANA has lost her health but has not lost hopes of seeing her son Sher Singh Rana a free person. She was in Lucknow to garner support for the deeds of her son during the Vrihada Kshatriya Karmshala organised by Akhil Bharatiya Kshatriya Samanwaya Morcha in Ravindralaya on Saturday.
Published on Aug 20, 2006 01:39 AM IST
None | Anupam Srivastava, Lucknow
Aminabad: Walk through if you can!
CAN YOU believe it? An 80-foot wide road in Aminabad has only 10-foot space to drive on. The rest has been encroached by footpath vendors. People walk a 2-minute stretch in 40 minutes. But, the business goes on as usual!
Published on Aug 19, 2006 12:14 AM IST
None | Anupam Srivastava
Months: Five Drives: 100 Result: Zero!
THE LUCKNOW Municipal Corporation (LMC) launched about 100 anti-encroachment drives during five months. But, the result has been a big zero! LMC bosses quote figures to prove their efforts. But, the people report ?no relief? and prove the menace continues as ever. To top it all, urban development minister Azam Khan calls LMC ?impotent? as far as such drives are concerned. And the final outcome is that encroachments continue despite the High Court?s repeated orders to remove them.
Published on Aug 18, 2006 01:02 AM IST
None | Anupam Srivastava
When tomato scored 100...
TOMATOES TUMBLED down to Rs 40-45 a kg after hitting a century on the Rakhi day. But, still they are out of the middleclass kitchen?s reach. What to eat? Potatoes are selling at Rs 10-15 per kg, Parval Rs 30-40 a kg, Brinjal Rs 16-20, ladyfinger Rs 10-12 for a kg. And the apple has refused to be a daily take by racing at Rs 90 a kg.
Published on Aug 12, 2006 12:02 AM IST
None | Anupam Srivastava
Lab ill-equipped for cola tests
THE DISTRICT administration?s proposed drive to test colas for pesticides may end in a whimper. The State-owned Government Public Analyst Lab at Aliganj is not equipped to conduct the residual pesticide test. But, what all does the lab lack in? All the chemicals used in the pesticide-specific tests, besides eight instruments, including Gas Mask Chromatograph. ?Don?t even dream of testing the residual pesticide in cold drinks in this lab. Do you know how we conduct the tests here, we are struggling to have proper facilities for simple tests,? said an official of the lab.
Updated on Aug 22, 2006 03:45 PM IST
None | Anupam Srivastava
He says no, boss says go!
THE NAGAR SWASTHYA Adhikari says no when the boss wants the birth and death certificates to be issued from zonal offices in public interest. Then what? The Adhikari gets transferred as zonal officer and is asked to issue certificates! Learn to do it when you can?t, seems to be the message from the boss. ?Public interest is supreme and we are here to serve people and not our own interests,? says LMC chief Ram Bodh Maurya.
Published on Aug 04, 2006 12:03 AM IST
None | Anupam Srivastava
The two faces of Narhi
BHAIYYAJI IS respected. Bantu is feared! But, there is still something common about them. Both belong to Narhi. And both have served Narhi as LMC corporator.
Published on Aug 03, 2006 12:17 AM IST
None | Anupam Srivastava
The two faces of Narhi
BHAIYYAJI IS respected. Bantu is feared! But, there is still something common about them. Both belong to Narhi. And both have served Narhi as LMC corporator.
Published on Aug 03, 2006 12:17 AM IST
None | Anupam Srivastava
CM?s Lohia Path hits a graveyard!
LOHIA PATH may soon face hurdles as a private graveyard has come in its way near Vijay Khand-I. The private graveyard drew PWD authorities? attention on Tuesday when its earthmovers went to get the place even and fill it with the mud. But, to their surprise they found several graves just on the side of the road. Which are not visible usually.
Published on Jul 27, 2006 12:04 AM IST
None | Anupam Srivastava
CM?s Lohia Path hits a graveyard!
LOHIA PATH may soon face hurdles as a private graveyard has come in its way near Vijay Khand-I. The private graveyard drew PWD authorities? attention on Tuesday when its earthmovers went to get the place even and fill it with the mud. But, to their surprise they found several graves just on the side of the road. Which are not visible usually.
Published on Jul 27, 2006 12:04 AM IST
None | Anupam Srivastava
Development plan: Flop show leaves officials annoyed
FEEDBACK VENTURES, the agency hired by the Centre to prepare the city development plan faced a lot of criticism during its presentation of the CDP in front of higher officials of the Urban Development Department on Tuesday.
Published on Jul 26, 2006 01:07 AM IST
None | Anupam Srivastava, Lucknow
Development plan: Flop show leaves officials annoyed
FEEDBACK VENTURES, the agency hired by the Centre to prepare the city development plan faced a lot of criticism during its presentation of the CDP in front of higher officials of the Urban Development Department on Tuesday.
Published on Jul 26, 2006 01:07 AM IST
None | Anupam Srivastava, Lucknow
Gunning for bad colonisers
THE LUCKNOW Municipal Corporation has trained its guns on those colonisers who haven?t provided basic civic amenities in their colonies. To begin with, the corporation has lodged FIRs against two private colinisers. One of them is Zabbar, who developed Samnan Gardensa and the second one is Prem Gupta of Prem Nagar. But, there are many such colonisers who are in the LMC fireline for ignoring basic issues.
Published on Jul 26, 2006 12:18 AM IST
None | Anupam Srivastava
Gunning for bad colonisers
THE LUCKNOW Municipal Corporation has trained its guns on those colonisers who haven?t provided basic civic amenities in their colonies. To begin with, the corporation has lodged FIRs against two private colinisers. One of them is Zabbar, who developed Samnan Gardensa and the second one is Prem Gupta of Prem Nagar. But, there are many such colonisers who are in the LMC fireline for ignoring basic issues.
Published on Jul 26, 2006 12:18 AM IST
None | Anupam Srivastava
Pak plutonium is an old Chinese story
Pakistan's Khushab nuclear research complex is likely to come under intense international scrutiny following a report that included satellite imagery.
Published on Jul 25, 2006 12:46 AM IST
None | Anupam Srivastava
Pak plutonium is an old Chinese story
Pakistan's Khushab nuclear research complex is likely to come under intense international scrutiny following a report that included satellite imagery.
Published on Jul 25, 2006 12:46 AM IST
None | Anupam Srivastava
Flood-like scene at River Bank...
NULLAH WATER overflowed on Thursday to create a big mess in the Riverbank Colony, submerging the entire stretch from KK Hospital to Shaheed Smarak with waist-deep sewer water. The situation arose because the barrels of Gomti river were closed and operators of the municipal corporation never bothered to switch on the pumps to flush out the overflow in the area. The Ghasiyari Mandi nullah which brings all the water of the city into the Gomti overflowed and dirty water entered the houses within minutes.
Published on Jul 21, 2006 12:10 AM IST
None | Anupam Srivastava
Dirty runs the water through Ashiana taps
NEARLY A dozen people in Ashiana sector J took ill after consuming foul smelling water supplied by the colonisers. They suffered a severe bout of diarrhoea, fever and gastroenteritis. Residents said they had complained about a week ago to the Ashiana estates manager about
Published on Jul 19, 2006 12:02 AM IST
None | Anupam Srivastava
CDP dream: Let city be info-hub
THE CITY is all set to become an info-hub and centre of medical tourism, projects the City Development Plan (CDP), which is being prepared by the World Bank-hired Feedback Ventures for the Jawahar Lal Neheru Urban Renewal Mission. If the things go according to the vision document, Lucknow could be one of best IT and medical tourism destinations of the country.
Published on Jul 17, 2006 01:13 AM IST
None | Anupam Srivastava
Stop! Veggies don?t need a make-up
?DON?T FOOL the customer by selling coloured vegetables. This is unhygienic, unethical and can result in legal action against the guilty,? warned LMC boss, launching a drive against vegetable vendors using non-permissible colours to sell greens. ?Colours make vegetables salable, but turn them inedible,? said an LMC official.
Published on Jul 15, 2006 12:04 AM IST
None | Anupam Srivastava
Cry, but the dogs won?t go!
SORRY! YOU?LL have to live with street dogs. It sounds strange. But, that is what it means for the Lucknow Municipal Corporation seems to have been influenced by the animal rights activists and not catching the stray dogs.
Published on Jul 12, 2006 12:03 AM IST
None | Anupam Srivastava
GREENS TRIGGER KITCHEN SPATS!
?NO DARLING! No more fruits. We have to save money for vegetables,? says a desperate father to his daughter. ?But, why?? asks she and her father says, ?the government doesn?t want us to eat, it seems.? This reflects sheer desperation that the galloping prices of essential commodities have forced parents into. The price hike has not only upset the middle-class kitchen but also the mood, triggering daily spats at the dining table.
Published on Jul 06, 2006 12:09 AM IST
None | Anupam Srivastava
Aminabad, a model market!
THE LUCKNOW Municipal Corporation has decided to develop Aminabad as a model market of the city. In a major initiative to give a new lease of life to the long time favourite market of the city, the municipal commissioner has invited its traders to have a discussion with him on ways to develop it on Tuesday evening.
Published on Jul 04, 2006 12:24 AM IST
None | Anupam Srivastava
Artefact fetches Rs 2.5 lakh
THE CRAFT festival by Tamil Nadu Handicraft Development Corporation Ltd started on a happy note. A 6x4 feet masterpiece of craftsmanship portraying Lord Venkateshwara was purchased for Rs 2.5 lakh by a city-based businessman whose name was not disclosed. Earlier, inaugurating the exhibition at Lalit Kala Kendra, Aliganj, Governor TV Rajeswar appreciated the work of the Tamil Nadu artisans and showered praise on brass statues of Ganesha, Nataraja, stoneware, sandalwood items and rosewood carvings, besides the display of day-to-day utility art pieces, including thoonda lamps, Vasamalai lamps, wooden sculptures, wall brackets, door handles, etc.
Published on Jul 02, 2006 12:45 AM IST
None | Anupam Srivastava
LMC may enlist pvt agency to ?extract? tax
DON?T BE surprised if a private agency sleuth knocks at your door for House Tax collection. Inspired by the ?men? hired by private companies and banks for recovery of dues from defaulters, the Lucknow Municipal Corporation (LMC) is planning to outsource its tax collection work to private companies in the city.
Published on Jul 01, 2006 12:02 AM IST
None | Anupam Srivastava
How NRIs created a pro-deal tide
The US-India Political Action Committee decided to cut across political affiliations and mount a counter-campaign.
Updated on Jun 28, 2006 12:03 PM IST
None | Anupam Srivastava
Children of a lesser god. No more
?You are welcome, Namaste,? communicated Gudia through her sign language to principal secretary, Handicap Welfare, Rohit Nandan on Tuesday. She had come to attend the ?Advocacy meet?, organised by Sense International, on the deaf-blind children in Hotel Park Inn.
Published on Jun 28, 2006 12:03 AM IST
None | Anupam Srivastava
Tales of footpath badshahs!
REMEMBER AMITABH Bachchan in Muqaddar ka Sikandar? He did every menial job on the footpaths to finally amass wealth. Lucknow has it?s own share of these rags-to-riches tales? Rajkumar Gupta is one such ?king?. He started from a small readymade garments shop which he puts up on the roadside in the weekly markets of Sadar, Alambagh and Nishatganj. With his savings, he has constructed his own house and educated his five children. They all want to help him today.
Published on Jun 25, 2006 12:16 AM IST
None | Anupam Srivastava
City wilts as fuel turns greens pricey!
VEGETABLE PRICES have upset every household budget with people wondering how Rs 3 per litre rise in diesel prices can throw tomatoes up by Rs 30 a kilo! And that?s not just tomatoes. Parval which sold at Rs 12 a kilo a fortnight ago is staring at housewives with Rs 20 per kg. Onion is dearer by Rs 4 kg and potatoes are bouncing up by Rs 3 to Rs 4 per kg.
Published on Jun 23, 2006 12:15 AM IST
None | Anupam Srivastava