fire forces evacuation at Charing Cross Railway Station at London

At first sight, one may not recognise it to be a Railway station. Some stations are busy – as so many trains traverse and thousands commute.  Remember that there was Moore market on the place where the present suburban Railway station called Moore Market Railway stands now near Central Railway Station, in Chennai, Charing Cross now stands on a market known as Hungerford Market  that  existed in two different buildings on the same site, the first built in 1682, the second in 1862.  The house had burned down in 1669  and was replaced by a new Italianate market building by Charles Fowler, which opened in 1833. The new market was unsuccessful. It was damaged when the adjoining Hungerford Hall burned down in 1854, and was sold to the South Eastern Railway in 1862. Charing Cross railway station was built on the site and opened in 1864.

The original station building was built on the site of the Hungerford Market by the South Eastern Railway and opened on 11 January 1864. The station was designed by Sir John Hawkshaw, with a single span wrought iron roof arching over the six platforms on its relatively cramped site. It is built on a brick arched viaduct, the level of the rails above the ground varying from 13 feet at the north-east end to 27 feet at the bridge abutment at the south-east end. A year later the Charing Cross Hotel, designed by Edward Middleton Barry, opened on 15 May 1865 and gave the station an ornate frontage in the French Renaissance style.

BBC and other agencies reported that dramatic fire forced evacuation of London's Charing Cross station today, after 'loud screech and big bang' when train pulled into platform.  Charing Cross  in central London, gives its name to several local landmarks, including Charing Cross railway station, one of the main London rail terminals. Charing Cross railway station, is a central London railway terminus in the City of Westminster, England. It is one of 19 stations managed by Network Rail and all regular trains serving it are operated by Southeastern. It is the fifth busiest rail terminal in London.

It is reported that fire started around front carriage of train which had pulled into station  London Fire Brigade said 5% of one carriage was alight on platform six but this was put out. No-one is thought to have been injured in the blaze. South Eastern Trains said the cause of the fire was an electrical fault. Network Rail said disruption was expected to last for a few hours. British Transport Police said there were no suspicious circumstances.

Transport for London said the Underground station was closed for about 15 minutes before reopening. The fire brigade was called and the fire was put out soon afterwards.  Passengers were on the platform when the fire took hold, and were swiftly evacuated.  According to a witness, the train had not  braked properly and had gone into the big buffer at the end of the track. Though there a lot of flames and flashing lights as well, reports suggest that people tried to stay calm even as some onlookers fled fearing a huge blast. 

With regards – S. Sampathkumar

23^rd Nov 2014 @ 19.00 hrs.

"Time" Person of the Year - let it be Sri Narendra Modiji !!

In its early days : - Charles Lindbergh; Walter Chrysler; Owen D. Young; Mahatma Gandhi; Pierre Laval; Franklin D. Roosevelt; Hugh S. Johnson…… and more recently - Vladimir Putin; Barack Obama; Ben Bernanke; Mark Zuckerberg ….. do you know what connects or brackets them together …. It was Gandhiji in 1930 !

Person of the Year (formerly Man of the Year) is an annual issue of the United States news magazine “Time”  that features and profiles a person, group, idea or object that "for better or for worse...has done the most to influence the events of the year".  The tradition of selecting a "Man of the Year" began in 1927, with Time editors contemplating news makers of the year. Since then, individual people, classes of people, the computer ("Machine of the Year" in 1982), and "Endangered Earth" ("Planet of the Year" in 1988) have all been selected for the special year-end issue. Despite the magazine's frequent statements to the contrary, the designation is often regarded as an honour, and spoken of as an award or prize, simply based on many previous selections of admirable people – though the Magazine has had some controversial figures too.

In 1999, the title was changed to Person of the Year. Women who have been selected for recognition after the renaming include "The Whistleblowers" (Cynthia Cooper, Coleen Rowley and Sherron Watkins in 2002) and Melinda Gates (jointly with Bill Gates and Bono, in 2005). Since the list began, every serving President of the United States has been a Person of the Year at least once with  very few exceptions.  Franklin D. Roosevelt is the only person to have received the title three times, first as President-elect (1932) and later as the incumbent President (1934 and 1941).

After a glorious debut on the Forbes list of Most Powerful People in the World, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi may well be on his way to clinching the most-coveted Time 'Person of the Year' title for 2014. Our reverred Prime Minister Narendra Modi is among 50 global leaders, business chiefs and pop icons named as contenders by Time magazine for its annual 'Person of the Year' honour.  The Time 'Person of the Year 2014' will be announced next month.   Time has asked its readers to vote for the individual who they think should get the title of Person of the Year and the winner of the reader's choice poll will be announced next month before Time's editors choose the individual from the 50 candidates as the honouree. A report states that as on 20^th Nov 2014,  Narendra Modi has so far got 3.8 per cent of the votes, the fourth highest after Russian President Vladimir Putin, teenage Pakistani Nobel Peace Prize laureate Malala Yousafzai and Ebola doctors and nurses "who are risking their lives to treat and contain the outbreak in the hot zone". Voting closes at 11:59 p.m. on Dec. 6, and the combined winner of our reader polls will be announced on Dec. 8. TIME’s Person of the Year will be announced Dec. 10.

In a separate "Face-off" poll, Modi has been pitted against Indonesia's new president Joko Widodo. The other candidates in the fray for the 'Person of the Year' title are US President Barack Obama, Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khamenei, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, IS chief Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, Chinese President Xi Jinping, US Secretary of State John Kerry and former US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton.

Among the business chiefs and artists in the fray are Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos, Chinese e-commerce site Alibaba founder Jack Ma, auto major GM's first female CEO Mary Barra, Apple CEO Tim Cook and singers Beyonce, Taylor Swift, reality star Kim Kardashian and actress Jennifer Lawrence. Last year's 'Person of the Year', Pope Francis, is also among the candidates along with the 200 Nigerian girls kidnapped by Islamist militant group Boko Haram.

Charles Lindbergh (1927) was the first, and the youngest, person to receive the distinction. He was 25 years old.  Mrs. Wallis Warfield Simpson, the woman whom English King Edward VIII abdicated in order to marry, was the first woman to receive the honour (1936).  In 2011, it was not any single person but ‘Protesters’. No one could have known that when a Tunisian fruit vendor set himself on fire in a public square, it would incite protests that would topple dictators and start a global wave of dissent. In 2011, protesters didn't just voice their complaints; they changed the world is what Times had to say ! .. it went on to say - Once upon a time, when major news events were chronicled strictly by professionals and printed on paper or transmitted through the air by the few for the masses, protesters were prime makers of history. Back then, when citizen multitudes took to the streets without weapons to declare themselves opposed, it was the very definition of news — vivid, important, often consequential.  "Massive and effective street protest" was a global oxymoron until — suddenly, shockingly —  it became the defining trope of our times. And the protester once again became a maker of history. In Egypt the incitements were a preposterously fraudulent 2010 national election and, as in Tunisia, a not uncommon act of unforgivable brutality by security agents. In the U.S., three acute and overlapping money crises — tanked economy, systemic financial recklessness, gigantic public debt — along with ongoing revelations of double dealing by banks, new state laws making certain public-employee-union demands illegal and the refusal of Congress to consider even slightly higher taxes on the very highest incomes mobilized Occupy Wall Street and its millions of supporters. In Russia it was the realization that another six (or 12) years of Vladimir Putin might not lead to greater prosperity and democratic normality. The stakes are very different in different places. In North America and most of Europe, there are no dictators, and dissidents don't get tortured.

So will it be “Narendra Modi’ – the coveted face of Time magazine as ‘Time Person of the Year 2014’ ? …. We look forward to that.

With regards – S. Sampathkumar

21^st Nov 2014

Vandalur Tiger returns ... another one released in Bangalore and maneaters !!

Most large predatory animals can kill at will – yet may not see humans as suitable prey – but it is stated that when they kill and taste blood – chances are they would turn  ‘man eaters’. Man-eater is a colloquial term for an animal that preys upon humans.  Most reported cases of man-eaters have involved tigers, leopards, lions and crocodilians.  There could have been chance savage attacks on  humans as prey, by many animals  including bears, Komodo dragons, hyenas, cougars, and sharks.

There is news from Bangalore that a tiger, believed to have killed a woman in Pandaravalli village, was released in Bhimgad Wildlife Sanctuary, but fearful Belagavi residents want it recaptured. The decision of the Forest Department to release the captured tiger  seems to have  backfired  with apprehensive residents of Talawade village in Khanapur taluk demanding its recapture. The officials had brought the captured tiger in a vehicle and released it into the forests in the morning – soon after learning of the release, irate residents took the officials to task and asked them why they had let the big cat into the forests, thereby putting their lives in danger. In Bengaluru,  Principal Chief Conservator of Forests stated in a Press conference that no norms were flouted while releasing the tiger into the wild. He also cautioned the media to report with care, especially with reference to terming of the tiger a “man-eater” as the tiger could have killed the woman out of fear and not as prey.

Back home, Vandalur heaved a a sigh of relief when the errant tigress was finally captured.  The Hindu reported that the tigress Vidya was finally captured with a trap inside the animal house.  Reportedly, a drop gate was set up and eight kg of beef was hung on a wire tied to the gate -  the tigress, smelling the meat, entered the animal house.  Vidya has the habit of staying outside the animal house for two or three days at a stretch.

white tiger at vandalur. picture credit : my friend Ms Revathy

The same incident is reported in Times of India, which struck to its version that the animal at large was ‘Nethra’ – it stated that officials have finally trapped Nethra, four days after the Royal Bengal tiger was reported 'missing' at the Arignar Anna Zoological Park in Vandalur.  For the next two weeks, visitors will be allowed to see Padma, the eldest of the five tigers in the enclosure; while the other tigers would be locked in their shelter till an alternative arrangement is made.  Nethra, who had remained elusive since part of the enclosure wall collapsed on Friday, walked into the trap. Sources said that except for Nethra, who had remained in the open enclosure for the past few weeks and refused to enter her shelter, the others — Vidya, Aarthi, Uthraa and Padma — had obeyed their keeper.

As could be read it is ‘Vidya’ in the Hindu, which according to TOI had remained inside the shelter – and the one at large was ‘Nethra’.

‘Man-Eaters of Kumaon’  is a book written by  Jim Corbett. It details the experiences that Corbett had in the Kumaon region of India from the 1900s to the 1930s, while hunting man-eating tigers and leopards. One tiger, for example, was responsible for over 400 human deaths.

Australian shores are croc-infested.  In Aug 2014, an albino-headed crocodile named Michael Jackson was  held responsible for killing a man at the Adelaide River on Monday afternoon. A 57-year-old man was attacked and killed by the crocodile in front of his wife while they were fishing at the river, about 60km east of Darwin. Police and rangers scouring the crocodile-infested river by boat that night shot and killed the crocodile and recovered the man's body. 

In Bhuhaneswar, freedom may just be days away for Gori, believed to be the country’s only fair-skinned crocodile, living in captivity at the Bhitarkanika National Park since her birth 39 years ago.  Gori, which literary means the fair one, remains a virgin having persistently refused to take partners, turning aggressive at times. Lodged in a pen at the Dangmal crocodile research centre in Bhitarkanika National Park since her birth in 1975, the 8-ft long crocodile is a rare albino with white patches all over her body.  The park authorities decided to set Gori free and release her in wild with hope that it could search for partner.  The croc was the mascot for the National Youth Festival, 2010, in Bhubaneswar.

With regards – S. Sampathkumar

20^th Nov. 2014.

Chennai autos .............. and the missing meter !!

A trip to Chennai would never be complete without an encounter with them……… the ubiquitous three-wheelers painted yellow and called ‘auto-rickshaws’.  In the city so well connected by road, rail, sea and air.  - a drive  in this [the peculiar sitting posture of the driver, the cuts and turn-arounds of the vehicle – its capacity to turn at right angles and wade through milling crowds], the language of its drivers, the missing meters and the bargain – can all force mortal fear in you no ends. 

It is popular in Cine lore ….. ‘Auto driver’ directed by Suresh Krishna had Akkineni Nagarjuna on the driver sear.  Vijay played autokaran in Vettaikaran. Arya drove auto in Oram Po.  In the Ajit starrer ‘Attahasam’ – Karuna’s auto being pulled from back by Ajit – in the end Ajit stopping an oncoming auto, adjusting  its mirror, then starting the vehicle was a big hit ………. in the super hit ‘Basha’ – Manikkam (Rajinikanth) is a humble auto driver who helps the needy. He also keeps away from unnecessary fights and quarrels. His ambition is to bring up his brother and sisters with flying colours ~ he has a past ….that was ‘Basha – Manik basha’.

For sometime, Chennai breathed easy …. City autos indeed had meter, strict measures by Police ensured its implementation as those plying without meters were fined …….all were too good to last, and perhaps we are now back to the days of old…. Slowly it became  increasingly difficult to find an autowalah who would charge according to meter, though the fare now for first 1.8 kilometres is Rs. 25 and for every additional kilometre is Rs.12. In this brief honeymoon, delighted Chennaites found how much they had actually been paying extra, when they had to go important places like Egmore or Central …. There was the Supreme Court directive coupled with State Govt initiative, still things are not in place !

Now there is news of Police crackdown on errant auto drivers keeping them on their toes.  TOI reported that Police inspected 2000 autos and booked 300 drivers for various offences including refusal to ply by meter and overcharging.  Only a sustained and strong campaign may be able to make autorickshaws in the city ply by the meter, the latest round of crackdown that began on Monday indicates.  For minor offences the fine was lower, while it went up to Rs.2500/- according to the report.

As the city traffic police and transport department resumed the operation after three months, some drivers argued, some resisted, many meekly paid the fine and apologised. Drivers were still hoping that the campaign would fizzle out after a few weeks. If it is sustained, some drivers said, they would have no option but to fall in line. Some seethed in anger when stopped for inspection. Some blamed share autos for eating into their business. Sources said 24 teams comprising 62 traffic inspectors and 33 RTO brake inspectors were part of the drive. The officials are said to have even identified lands in different parts of the city to station the seized vehicles.  The CITU reportedly is planning to stage a protest on Nov 27 against the drive.  According to some activists – there is cost in everything from the purchase of vehicle, Permit, FC, Insurance, fuel, driver cost and the like……….whether the meter rate is still not sufficient is the Q.   

Another report in TOI mentions of a nasty incident when a mob of autorickshaw drivers attacked a man around 40 years old for a comment to a television news channel near Royapettah General Hospital on Tuesday morning, creating a chaotic scene and halting traffic for at least 20 minutes. A reporter with Tamil TV channel Kalaignar TV was asking members of the public about the transport department and police launching a crackdown on autorickshaw drivers who refuse to ply by the meter, when the unidentified man halted his motorcycle and said. ‘Autorickshaw drivers in the city are corrupt.’ Enraged by the comment, auto drivers who were waiting for customers in the vicinity and others passing by quickly surrounded the man and one of them slapped him, a traffic police officer said.“There were around 50 auto drivers in the mob and they went berserk. The violence held up traffic for 20 minutes,“ he said.

Auto drivers have reacted to the clampdown with anger and defiance. More than 100 drivers held a protest against being penalised at the police commissioner's office in Egmore. A senior traffic official said the crackdown will continue.

With regards – S. Sampathkumar

20^th Nov. 2014.