bouquets and brickbats

My stint in Mumbai continues. Some bouquets and brickbats:

• While I try hard to refrain in expressing any of my predilections, this is one for which I could not stop myself lauding. Kudos to the Indian central government for strictly enforcing a ban on smoking in public places, including railway stations, canteens and coffee houses, private and public work places. Only places where one can smoke is on roads and inside homes !! The ban does not take place until Oct 2 2008, but even now a big furore is being made for it and celebrities seen smoking in such places are censured in the media to set a precedent. Kudos again on the first foot forward.
• Good to see the Indian Tourism Ministry’s mantra of Atithi Devo Bhava (The guest is God) being put in practice. This is a nationwide campaign to promote tourism but mainly endeavors to ensure that the foreigners do not get cheated/grossly overcharged/’held to ransom’ by the local rikshawallahs, taxi drivers, airport luggage porters etc. by training and educating the masses and asking them to interject if they see such a thing happening. Profusely touched.
• I am enjoying my work but whats up with SOME of the ’superiors’ at the place I am interning? They seem to be coming right out of a Kafkaesque chapter, mired in a labyrinth of unnecessary red-tape that does not sit well with the company values. Arrey bhai, is anyone listening?