Rolling out the green carpet

The sleepy town of Rampurhat in Birbhum district, West Bengal, buzzed with activity over the weekend. Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee was scheduled to reach the city yesterday after inaugurating a farmers' meet. What stole the limelight was a grass carpet spanning 15,000 sq feet that was laid out on the lawn in front of the guest house where Banerjee was expected to stay the night. The construction of the guest house - Panthashree - was completed last year but the beautification of the open space remained incomplete. Official sources put the cost of the grass carpet at an estimated Rs 6 lakh, against the Rs 10-14 lakh Prime Minister Narendra Modi had reportedly spent on his name-inscribed pin-striped suit.