Sunday, April 12, 2009

Weather blues: How politicos can save money, time during poll campaign!
By PRABEER SIKDAR

DEHRADUN, 9 Apr 2009:

The recent incident of State BJP President Bachi Singh Rawat addressing an election rally in Nainital LS Constituency via his cell phone while sitting in his hired chopper has definitely highlighted the positive aspect of technology. But it also proves another point: one cannot boss around natural perils like windy conditions, rain, etc!

With hired choppers (reportedly costing lakhs for a day’s service) eating away large chunks of party campaign funds, it really does matter to travel at the right time, and also in the right conditions.

Here enters Anand Sharma, Director of the State Meteorological Department, whose free expert advice on weather related phenomenon in the state is sure to save a politician’s valuable time and money (and also may be life and limb!).

“Politicians seeking my advice before they depart via choppers are nothing new,” Sharma told Garhwal Post, pointing out what Rawat tried to do in Nidar, Sufi in Nainital ‘could have been dangerous’ (where without getting down, Rawat reportedly addressed the rally through a cell phone. The person who received the call kept his cell near the loudspeaker).

“It is because windy conditions are neither safe for landing nor for remaining airborne,” said Sharma, adding that, in this case, nobody sought his opinion.

Interestingly, giving weather related advisories to politicians is old hat for Sharma. “I still have a thank you note sent by then Chief Minister ND Tiwari, when I advised him not to travel to Shimla on 5 July, 2003, as there were indications of rain that day. And rain it did, cats and dogs, as we later went on to record 123.1 mm rain that evening,” he recollected, disclosing that he was personally thanked by the CM for his timely warning.

Sharma’s expert weather advice has also been put to effective use by many politicians during the 2007 Assembly elections as well.

Budget Travel

Though Sharma excels in making advance weather related predictions, it can (if the warnings happen to be true) really help politicos save a lot of their campaign spending and also save time of the people attending the rally.

“The presence of a large number of people at the rally venue is of no use if the chopper carrying the politician cannot make a landing,” he said, adding that adherence to weather reports would also help politicians in many other ways as well.

So, whether the money is black or white, or it is to avoid the wrath of the Election Commission, which also keeps watch on political spending, turning to the weatherman for his free advice, seem to be helpful in the long run.

http://www.garhwalpost.com/index.php?mod=article&cat=Dehradun&article=256

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