Seventh Wonder or Seventeenth Wonder?

The last week had been unexpectedly busy. I had not expected a hectic week, as I had only hoped to complete the account of the State Inter Agency Group, (IAG) finish few other paper works, plan for an inter State exposure visit, and slowly begin to handover things. But, the meeting of the State IAG of which I am the State Coordinator since 26 May 2009, changed the whole thing. I was asked to organize a special commemorative program on 25 May 2010 as that date will be the first anniversary of Cyclone Aila that killed 139 persons, and left over 500,000 people homeless, besides affecting over six million people. In the meeting it was also decided that there will be no decision taken on my successor until the Executive Committee meeting on 24 May. Now, all this is putting me in trouble. It would mean, I will be burning mid-night oil throughout the month.

Meanwhile, someone suggested that the State IAG should start a campaign in the state supporting the claim for the Sunderbans to be declared as one of the Wonders of the World. I always had problem with numbers. Why only seven wonders? Why not seventeen? The second problem with this whole thing is taking place in the backdrop of continues strikes in Darjeeling hills affecting hundreds of thousands, including children. May be, the strikes in West Bengal should be a world wonder! Oh, the Maoists (extreme left wing party people) are killing every day some innocent people, if they do not get some cops to kill ! This must be the nastiest thing on earth! The roads in Kolkata are certainly some sort of a wonder! There are over 30 manholes in a distance of 600 meters from my office to the next road cross. And each of these manholes are covered with an iron plate, and they all pop above the the road, making driving on the road really bumpy and painful. Actually why do they need so many holes? I have never figured it out. This could be another wonder. I am sure, my friends from U.S. and Europe would agree the drivers of Kolkata are the biggest wonder. They swirl, turn, twist in a blink of an eye and take you through unimaginably long and hard traffic that it certainly takes a miracle each time you are in a car or bus to reach safe. Long live wonders of the world.... Vote for more options.