BLACK FRIDAY: Year after year, the story of India continues on similar lines, especially when the rains come lashing in. Every monsoon season, the story is the same. Pot-holed roads, blocked drains, water-logging, traffic jams and endless woes. The story does not change a wee bit, despite the fact that we had a great Anna Hazare farcical drama in New Delhi. This is the capital city of India and every year during the monsoons the inadequacies surface. Bearing the brunt of these woes are the common people, those who drive in cars, travel in two-wheelers and buses, walk their way to their offices and homes and the thousands of cyclists. No matter how positive one hopes to be, one cannot but curse the mess one sees around.
But if we were to think carefully, it’s easy to find out whom to blame. The blame needs to be shared 50:50. Fifty per cent of the blame should go to the government, for not building proper roads. It’s the year 2011 and we still cannot make roads that take on the monsoons. There are no footpaths, the trees are not pruned and there is garbage all around. Switch on the radio and we get to hear the Chief Minister saying that we need to plant more trees in the city. But what about pruning it? What about branches falling on cars and people? No one gives a damn!
Fifty per cent of the blame should fall on us. Indians are notorious for their lack of civic sense. Cutting across all income barriers, they share a common platform when it comes to lack of civic sense. Even well-read people living in luxurious homes can be seen spitting and urinating in the open. I have seen rich men, women and children throw paper and other garbage out of their cars while on the road. So when it is not raining, all this much is actually clogging drains and pipes. When the rains come, there is no way for water to escape, causing flooding on streets.
Why curse the government? Why curse the people? The rains do not last long. Just for a day lifting our saris and trousers does not make a real difference in our lives. An occasional branch falling on our neighbour’s car does not make a difference. Dog poop in front of your door does not make a major difference. A few more hungry mouths to feed do not make a difference. An Anna can come and fast and even that makes no difference to our lives. We are Indians. Nothing makes a difference to our lives! The mantra is to be positive.... P.Tharyan 09-09-2011
