Hazari Pals get Lapierre's helping hand

Bishnupur, West Bengal, Feb 28 (UNI) Renowned French author Dominique Lapierre, who acquired cult status in West Bengal post 'City of Joy', today criticised the state government's decision to pullout rickshaws from Kolkata.

Lapierre's 'City of Joy' was based on the trials and tribulations of richshaw puller Hazari Pal moving through different shades of life.

The author was here to inaugurate a reconstructed school, 'Bodhalaya Vidyalaya' from the money raised after the auction of former Hollywood diva Audrey Hepbrun's black gown, that she wore in the sixties film 'Breakfast at Tiffany's', while potraying the eccentric mythical socialite 'Holly Golightly'.

He had raised 850,000 dollar after auctioning the gown at Christies in London. He is building 15 schools across the state from that money.

''The West Bengal government should not withdraw the handpulled richshaws that have attained iconic stature in Kolkata. Rather the government should rehabilitate the rickshaw pullers,'' he opined.

Asked about a rehabilitation plan, he said, ''that should be decided after discussing the matter with the rickshaw pullers. They are aware of what they need.'' He also inaugurated a centre for the mentaly challenged called 'D L Centre of Excellence for Disabled'.

Asked about future projects, the author of 'Is Paris Burning' said ''I am penning down a document on the Sunderbans and the maladies that ails the world's largest mangrove region.'' ''Due to global warming the Sunderbans is being severely affected.

The islands are dissapering. I have visited a few other islands and seen that water there is contaminated with Arsenic or has a high level of salinity. Something has to be done for this,'' he stressed.

On why he concentrated only on West Bengal he quipped, ''I have little money which I spend here. Ask Bill Gates why he doesn't spend.'' A handpulled rickshaw was kept as a model in front of the excellence centre.

UNI