An evening of fun at Venom

It was NYE hangover at Venom on a recent Friday night as revellers thronged to the nightclub for an evening of fun.

And with DJs Kunal and Parth at the console, there never was a dull moment. PYTs and hunks upped the glam quotient as they turned out in their sartorial best.We spotted denim jumpsuits, lace tops, frills and floral prints in plenty.

The DJs revved up the music with house numbers and made sure that the party people found it hard to leave the dance floor. We spotted a gang of friends – Divya, Mika, Saurav, Rose, Rubens, Mathews, Thais and Andy – having a good time. As the night wore one, the music got louder, the steps got wilder and the party crazier! It was one good night!

Committee threatens stir against eviction

KOLKATA: A day after hawkers were evicted from Harish Mukherjee Road, a section of them attempted to return to the pavement opposite SSKM Hospital.

Members of the Aituc-affiliated Calcutta Hawkers’ Men’s Union alleged that they have been unfairly evicted from the pavement for they had been allowed to sit there by the Left Front-led Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC) board. The police removed the hawkers and a picket was posted on the road to keep them out.

Later, the Union and the Hawker Sangram Committee held a press meet. They submitted a list of the evicted hawkers who had been permitted by the KMC to sell their wares there. It was also pointed out that hawking could not be prevented opposite a hospital.

“Since the hawkers were not encroaching the adjacent pavement, they can’t be thrown out. Neither the national hawker policy of 2004 nor the rules led down by the KMC-appointed apex committee prohibit hawking on opposite pavements. More importantly, these hawkers are not new entrants, as has been wrongly claimed. They have been there for years and were permitted to conduct business by the KMC,” said Shaktiman Ghosh of the Hawker Sangram Committee.

The hawker unions will have a meeting on Thursday to chalk out their course of action. “We shall return to the Harish Mukherjee pavement. If we are prevented, then we shall launch a prolonged agitation,” said Ghosh.

He went on to allege that the police and the civic authorities were gulty of receiving bribes from hawkers who have encroached pavements. “Rather than evicting legitimate hawkers, they should identify and haul up those who have been encroaching prohibited zones. We are ready to cooperate wioth the policein this regard,” Ghosh added.

Chief minister Mamata Banerjee said hawkers can’t threaten the government or hold it to ransom.

“They are entitled to their opinion. But I don’t have to listen to what they say. Our government has always been in favour iof hawkers, it remains so and will continue to support hawkers in future. But we are not going to listen to their self-styled leaders who are only interested in raising money. The KMC and the police is drawing up a policy which will be in place very soon,” Mamata said.

A musical evening evening with DJ Xavier at The Basement

Alife-size cutout of a pair of green goggles at the entrance of The Basement, Hotel Samilton, made for an apt backdrop for all the ‘chammak challos’ to pose as their ‘bodyguards’ got into a click-happy mode before hitting the dance floor to DJ Xavier’s music.

With party revellers sporting neon bangles and headgears, the place exuded a different feel. “”Chammak challo” and “Subha hone na de” have literally become a rage. Both were MUST songs of the night with people flooding me with requests from every nook and corner of the nightclub. But when it comes to ringing in the New Year, “The final countdown” is still the most favourite among party animals,” said DJ Xavier.

While music was enough to give the packed crowd at the do a high, there was lip-smacking food for company. Well, it couldn’t have been any better, we say!