In the face of all the damage that the rain gods are wrecking in Gujarat this article is blatantly self centered. I am a Mumbaite/Mimbaikar and I am affected more immediately by the problems faced here.
News channels have inundated us with images of the water logged state of Mumbai - India's answer to Shangai. Well, I don't think the situation is going to improve much in the future. Today's edition of TOI had good articles on water logging measures that can be taken in the immediate future.
I think it is time citizens woke up to their duty as well. We merrily use plastic bags and Bisleri bottles like there is no tomorrow and when tomorrow comes, we crib. Newspapers start blaming BMC when the rain water doesn't drain away due to clogged systems and then publish pictures, but why don't they wake up, as well, from November or whenever they expect BMC to be on its toes? Why do we persist in throwing garbage out of train and bus windows and not complain vociferously when the kachra overflows outdated garbage dumps on our street corners? Till we improve there is going to be no improvement.
I remember a Mumbai where people like Nana Patekar would clean the place outside their homes and ensure that the nullahs around were clean. He would clean the nullah outside his house before and after Ganesh Chaturthi. How many us do that still? We wait for BMC workers to do such work. Of course, Preity Zinta does her annual drive.
It is pathetic. I know I have not cleaned my street in more than 10 years. I was in school when last I did some brooming and then too it was just pretty street brooming. That meant we swept the dirt into the side gutter. I can't blame the BMC then. There are these cleaning drives that we join josh mein and then forget hosh mein. Then accurse others with dosh. Not fair.
I know that BMC workers have a job to do that they have not even begun but let us please not forget that it was the people of Mumbai who eraned it its reputation not the BMC. Everyone pitched in as required to build a better place. We have, I think, grown too complacent in our middle class values and in our aspirations to white collar work.
Before we ask that the Government give us our Shangai let us honestly answer the question of whether we are worthy of it. Are we? We who can't be bothered to even segregate our garbage in our homes, use CFC instead of bulbs, continue to use plastic, continue to throw garbage on the streets, and continue to turn a blind eye to incompetent authorities till we suffer the consequences.
Sorry, got on too high and long a soap box.
-Written on 3rd july 2007
In response to a casual comment by Deba in a mail.
News channels have inundated us with images of the water logged state of Mumbai - India's answer to Shangai. Well, I don't think the situation is going to improve much in the future. Today's edition of TOI had good articles on water logging measures that can be taken in the immediate future.
I think it is time citizens woke up to their duty as well. We merrily use plastic bags and Bisleri bottles like there is no tomorrow and when tomorrow comes, we crib. Newspapers start blaming BMC when the rain water doesn't drain away due to clogged systems and then publish pictures, but why don't they wake up, as well, from November or whenever they expect BMC to be on its toes? Why do we persist in throwing garbage out of train and bus windows and not complain vociferously when the kachra overflows outdated garbage dumps on our street corners? Till we improve there is going to be no improvement.
I remember a Mumbai where people like Nana Patekar would clean the place outside their homes and ensure that the nullahs around were clean. He would clean the nullah outside his house before and after Ganesh Chaturthi. How many us do that still? We wait for BMC workers to do such work. Of course, Preity Zinta does her annual drive.
It is pathetic. I know I have not cleaned my street in more than 10 years. I was in school when last I did some brooming and then too it was just pretty street brooming. That meant we swept the dirt into the side gutter. I can't blame the BMC then. There are these cleaning drives that we join josh mein and then forget hosh mein. Then accurse others with dosh. Not fair.
I know that BMC workers have a job to do that they have not even begun but let us please not forget that it was the people of Mumbai who eraned it its reputation not the BMC. Everyone pitched in as required to build a better place. We have, I think, grown too complacent in our middle class values and in our aspirations to white collar work.
Before we ask that the Government give us our Shangai let us honestly answer the question of whether we are worthy of it. Are we? We who can't be bothered to even segregate our garbage in our homes, use CFC instead of bulbs, continue to use plastic, continue to throw garbage on the streets, and continue to turn a blind eye to incompetent authorities till we suffer the consequences.
Sorry, got on too high and long a soap box.
-Written on 3rd july 2007
In response to a casual comment by Deba in a mail.
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1 comment:
I agree completely. Our home just aint the 800 square foot we own..it the planet earth..it is the country...it is the city we live in and must take the onus on oursleves to ensure that the mother earth doesnot greive
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