Jamshedpur, Sept. 29: The city is a scene of frenetic activity. A team of 30 artisans is racing against time to give shape to a colossus of aluminium that will greet the goddess at the Shiv Shankar Samiti Puja in Mango.

Standing tall at 80ft, the giant metal pandal is being modelled on a Buddhist monastery in China. Samiti members say they are experimenting with aluminium because it has a remarkable ability to resist corrosion and can be recycled. “Not fancy lights and idols, the pandal has to make a statement. We decided on a metal because it is eco-friendly,” said Ashok Kumar Gope, secretary of the Samiti.

He said about five quintals of aluminium sheets had been bought from Calcutta a month ago. The purchase left the organisers poorer by Rs 4,11,000, but no one seems to be complaining. “We are spending on an experiment that will yield positive results,” Gope said. “Aluminium has lustre and the pandal will look magnificent at night. It will sure be a crowd-puller.”

Jamshedpur, Sept. 29: The panel discussion was a fitting finale of the Tata Steel Rolling Trophy debate today. The discussion had the audience glued to their seats.

Organised by Jamshedpur chapter of Association of British Scholars (ABS), the panellist at the session were Sunita Narain, the director of Centre for Science and Environment and publisher of Down to Earth magazine, Mark Runacres, the deputy British High Commissioner and a fellow at The Energy and Resources Institute and Jeetu Singh, the professor of general management and human resources with XLRI. The moderator was noted columnist Swapan Dasgupta.

While the topic for the debate was “World must slow down its pace of development for ecological security” the topic on which the panellist shed light were solutions to the rising concern of economic development at the cost of ecological security.

Jamshedpur, Sept. 28: For at least one week revenue and land reform minister Dulal Bhuiyan wants to take his mind off politics and pray for the well being of the state and its people.

Bhuiyan believes that politics and worship is a bad combination so, taking a break from the political agendas he decided to immerse himself in the festive fervour.

“I will devote myself to goddess Durga and not think of politics for a week. Durga Puja is celebrated once in a year and I want to enjoy it to the fullest. I will pray to Durga for the welfare of my state and my country,” he said.

Associated with the Bhuiyandih Area Durga Puja Committee from his childhood, Bhuiyan says he is a part of the organising team and has no time to breathe as the Puja is just a week away.

It is Bhuiyan who takes the call about the design of the pandal, the people who will be hired for the jobs, the cultural programme that would be organised.

Jamshedpur, Sept. 28: With a boom in the real estate industry finding that dream home may no longer be a distant dream.

Visitors at the Canvas 2008 at Gopal Maidan got to understand that and a lot more.

Around 15 real estate companies have put up their kiosks at the trade fair and are leaving the visitors spoilt for choice. Apart from residential complexes for LIG, MIG and HIG people, there are flats, duplexes and bungalows which promises not create a hole in your pocket.

Though the rates of interest for home loans have shot up, it has not dampened the spirits of the visitors and attracted a huge footfall to the fair.

“Fairs like the Canvas is the place where construction companies across the steel city come with their best offers. Since people come here at leisure, the companies take their time to explain the offers to the people. This is a good place for buyer-seller interaction,” said Subodh Jha, the general manager of Shree Promoters and Developers.