Patna Needs this campaign

I have shared my grievances on the current state of the public transport in a previous article यातायात और हम. I believe I had raised a few pertinent questions in that article. In this article I would like to highlight another important concern for any commuter – safety (and no I am not referring to the usual law and order angle). This is important especially in the context of the reemergence of Patna as a potential growth city. As a keen follower of news related to my native place, I have noticed an upward trend in road accidents / road rages in last few years. However, what coaxed me into writing this was a post in the Patna Community on Orkut where a member had narrated about a road accident. The incident took place near Boring Road crossing in which a couple of school kids on a bike hit a pedestrian and ran away – the man was critically injured. She then went on to describe the apathy of police and the indifference of common people towards the incident – despite heavy gathering none (including the Police) showed the interest in calling an ambulance for the man until his identity as a big shot was established.

I narrated the entire incident (as provided in the Orkut post) to emphasize on the seriousness of the issue in hand. It made me wonder – has Patna changed for good or worse? As a child, I was once involved in a road accident and a complete stranger helped my father to take me to a hospital. He stayed till I was treated by the doctor. That had also happened in Patna albeit some two decades back. Has that spirit of Patnaites withered away with time? However, I would resist questioning the conscience of an average Patnaite and would try to focus mostly on the practical aspect.  

A city is characterized by the life it offers to its citizen. An emerging city like Patna needs to be promoted as a favoured destination for the talented – this would bring business / investment not only to Patna but to the entire state of Bihar. And this is the reason why it becomes important to give due attention to the concerns related to traffic and public transport. Unfortunately, Patna not only boasts of a shoddy public transport system but is also marred by regular traffic mayhem. Add to it a complete disregard to traffic rules by both motorists and pedestrian and one has a complete recipe for a disaster. Thus, before this situation spirals out of control, there is a need of concerted efforts from all sections of the society to fan out this menace.

Initiating and implementing reforms for improving public transport in the city would take some time; so would creating infrastructure (Parking lots / widening of roads) to decongest traffic. However, a campaign could be planned and carried out immediately to imbibe responsibility and traffic sense among common people. This would require initiation from Traffic Police, support from all the media groups operating in the city and a will to improve the existing situation from the Patnaites. The following pointers can act as a guideline for such a campaign:

• Discourage Underage Driving: As pointed out in the incident narrated above, the perpetrators were most likely underage. Almost a decade back, when I was in school, underage driving was still a norm (It was fun for many). However, I think that the time has arrived to rectify this attitude – with the increase in the magnitude of traffic in the city underage drivers pose serious threat not only to others but to their safety as well. Such a measure would require cooperation from parents, school administrations and vocal support from media organizations. Most of the school going kids would not be eligible to drive vehicles – Traffic SP and DM can ask the schools to strictly enforce a rule which would bar the underage students from bringing vehicles to schools. Parents need to be persuaded by constant pressure from school administrations and media groups. The first step would be for the Traffic Administrators to call a meeting of school principals and editors of media groups to brainstorm over the issue and arrive at an effective way for implementation.
• At least a month long campaign in all the leading dailies / news channels / radio stations to inform the general public about the traffic rules. Carry out a general survey about the traffic sense (say ask them about Zebra Crossing) and I am sure the results would be eye opener. There should be an appeal to follow the traffic rules and basic traffic sense  while on roads – maybe repetition have an effect on the mentality of Patnaite. 
•  I am sure people who have lost / nearly lost their dear ones in road accidents would willingly support the cause. Seek their support – bring out the stories of such families. It is necessary that people realize that one rash act can devastate the lives of so many. This would probably be the most influential way to ensure that people act in a responsible way while on road.
• Bring in NGOs, Clubs (like Rotary) etc. to engage people through various activities / road shows to improve awareness about traffic rules.
• If fund becomes an issue, then enroll leading car manufacturers in the campaign. With Patna emerging as a vibrant market for cars, I am sure these companies will readily sponsor such initiative / campaign.
• Finally, build pressure on the state government / local administration to start giving due attention to the traffic woes of the city – introducing effective public transport system; installation of traffic lights / street lights; sprucing up the traffic police with resources (both human and technical); building foot overbridges and underpass for the convenience / safety of pedestrian etc. 

 

I believe such a campaign is a necessity for Patna. In its fast pace of catching up with other city, this city should not ignore the essentials of a good / vibrant city.

यातायात और हम

मैं बहुत सालों बाद हिन्दी में लिखने का प्रयास कर रहा हूँ। ऐसा नहीं है कि मैं अपनी मातृभाषा से दूर हो गया था पर आखिरी कुछ सालों में हिन्दी लिखने की जरूरत नहीं पड़ी। और अब जब मैं हिन्दी में अपने भावों को अभिव्यक्त कर रहा हूँ तो उसमें भी स्वार्थ छुपा है – मैं इस विचार के माध्यम से अधिसंख्य लोगों से जुड़ना चाहता हूँ।

कुछ दो हफ्ते पहले मैं राँची मे था। झारखंड की राजधानी ने अभी तक वो सुखद दिन देखे ही नहीं जिसकी वो हकदार है हालांकि राजधानी बनने के बाद यहाँ प्रगति की लहर जरूर उठी थी पर लगता है अब वो थम सी गयी है। लेकिन मैं जो कहने जा रहा हूँ वो सिर्फ रांची तक ही सीमित नहीं है – राँची में हुए अनुभवों ने सिर्फ इस आलेख को लिखने कि प्रेरणा दी है

जैसे ही मैं राँची रेल्वे स्टेशन से बाहर निकला, मुझे घेर लिया गया – ‘टैक्सी चाहिए क्या?’, ‘ऑटो?’, ‘रिक्शा लगेगा साहेब?’, ‘कहाँ जाना है?’ रेल के माध्यम से मैं राँची काफी लंबे अंतराल के बाद आया था जब मेरे पिताजी यहाँ नियुक्त थे तब हमेशा आना जाना लगा रहता था पर इस बार तो मैं राँची ही एक साल के बाद आया था मैंने तुरंत अपने मौसाजी को फोन लगया – ‘कचहरी का ऑटो ले लो। दस रुपए लगेंगे। फिर तो तुम्हें पता है’पर कोई भी ऑटो बीस रुपए से कम मे जाने को तैयार नहीं था। और हाँ, एक और नियम है - जब तक ऑटो पूरी तरीके से भर नहीं जाये (मतलब कि ओवरलोडेड ना हो जाये) कोई भी ऑटो एक इंच नहीं हिलेगा। जब मैं अपनी मौसी के घर पहुँचा तो पहले कुछ शब्द इस प्रकार थे – ‘यहाँ की यातायात व्यवस्था तो बदतर हो गई है’ जवाब मिला – ‘सरकार नहीं है तुम यातायात कि बात कर रहे हो? जंगल राज में स्वागत है।’

मुझे समझ जाना चाहिए था कि उस दिन सुबह यातायात कि जो छवि मुझे मिली वो सिर्फ ट्रेलर मात्र था। पूरी फिल्म तो अभी बाकी थी शाम के वक्त मैं अपने माता पिता के साथ खरीदारी करने निकला। मैंने अपना प्लान माता पिता के साथ मिल कर बनाया था – तय हुआ था की जिस दिन मैं पहुंचुंगा उसी दिन वे भी राँची आ जाएँगे ताकि उनसे भी मिलना हो जाएगा। खैर, हमलोग राँची के मेन रोड की दुकानों मे खरीदारी करते रहे और समय का पता ही नहीं चला रात के 9 बज गए थे पर मेन रोड पर चहल पहल थी। हमने सोचा की कचहरी से हमें आराम से सवारी मिल जाएगी – पर जब कचहरी पहुँचे तो पूरा ऑटो स्टैंड खाली थोड़ा आगे रातू रोड के स्टैंड पर भी हमारे गंतव्य के लिए ऑटो नहीं मिल रहा था ‘रिजर्व पर जाएँगे। 100 रुपये लगेंगे।’सबकी अपनी मनमानी है हो भी क्यूँ ना? भई, अब उनके अलावा कोई और तो है नहीं जो आपको आपके घर तक पहुँचा दे। आपको लग सकता है कि 100 रुपये की ही तो बात थी – परेशान होने से अच्छा था दे देते। मेरा तर्क है कि अगर हम इस तरह की मनमानी को बढ़ावा देंगे तो कभी यह उल्टा हमपर ही भारी पर सकता है फिर मैं उस समय सक्षम था पर यह भी संभव है कि इस परिस्थिति में कोई असक्षम व्यक्ति भी फँस जाये खैर, बहुत कोशिश के बाद हमें रिक्शे मिल गए जो हमें हमारे गंतव्य तक ले गए

उपरोक्त घटना उस रूट की है जहाँ नियमित रूप से अनेक सवारी आपको मिल जाएगी यह रूट राँची का समझिए राजमार्ग है जब उस रूट पर वो हाल था, तो उन स्थानों का सोचिए जहाँ नियमित रूट निर्धारित नहीं है। अगले दिन हम इस परिस्थिति से भी रूबरू हो गए इस बार बारी रिक्शे वालों की थी – कुछ किलोमीटर की दूरी के लिए 100 रुपये मुझे कुछ ज्यादा लगे। काफी रिक्शेवालों से मोल-भाव करने के बाद हमें एक सवारी मिली पर फिर भी वो महंगी थी। मेरी परेशानी भारे से नहीं है। भारा परिणाम है, समस्या नहीं। समस्या है ‘पब्लिक ट्रांसपोर्ट (सार्वजनिक यातायात)’ का अविकसित होना। मैंने अपने रिश्तेदारों के सामने यह बात रखी। मेरे मामा ने मुझे बताया की यातायात व्यवस्था सुदृंद करने के लिए बसें खरीदी हुई हैं बस उसे चलाने के लिए कोई पहल नहीं की गई है। जब राजधानी में यह हालात हैं तो राज्य के अन्य शहरों एवं गाँवों मे मौजूद व्यवस्था का अंदाज़ा लगाया जा सकता है। और यह सिर्फ झारखंड की समस्या नहीं है। देशभर के अनेक शहरों की यातायात व्यवस्था लचर है।

मेरे जन्मस्थान पटना को ही ले लें। पिछले पाँच वर्षों मे पटना वापस विकास के पथ पर आया है – और विकास की गति भी काफी ठीक है। पटना फैल रहा है – सड़कें चौड़ी हो रही हैं पर आज आम आदमी जाम में ज्यादा फँसता है। किसी भी दिन का अख़बार उठा लीजिए – जाम की खबर तो मिल ही जाएगी; साथ में छपा होगा गाड़ियों की लंबी कतारों का एक चित्र। हरेक पखवाड़े यातायात पुलिस के तरफ से एक वक्तव्य आएगा – ‘हम पटना को जाम-मुक्त कराने के लिए प्रयत्नरत हैं’। समस्या इतनी भयावह होती जा रही है की व्यापारियों एवं पुलिस की बैठक में यातायात मुख्य मुद्दा होता है – कानून व्यवस्था नहीं। कुछ समय पूर्व तक ‘लॉं एंड ऑर्डर’ के लिए बदनाम रहे बिहार के लिए यह एक सुखद अनुभव हो सकता है पर इससे समस्या की गंभीरता कम नहीं होती।

पटना के इस हालात का यदि विश्लेषण किया जाये तो कुछ बातें उभर कर सामने आती हैं –
१) पटना में गाड़ियों की संख्या में तेजी से बदोतरी हुई है – ज्यादा गाडियाँ अगर सड़कों पर आएंगी तो जाम की संभावना तो ज्यादा होगी ही।
२) सड़कें चौड़ी हुई हैं तो अतिक्रमण भी बढ़ा है – उच्च न्यायालय के लगातार निर्देश पर भी अतिक्रमण हटाने के लिए कोई विशेष कार्यवाई नहीं की गयी। नगर निगम जिला प्रशासन को दोष देता है और जिला प्रशासन नगर निगम को।
३) ‘पब्लिक ट्रांसपोर्ट’ लचर है- शहर के नागरिकों के लिए सिर्फ ऑटो और रिक्शे हैं। बसें सिर्फ नाम मात्र की हैं और उसमे भी अधिकतर खटारा हो चुकी हैं। एक दिन अगर ऑटो चालकों ने बंध का आयोजन कर दिया तो पटना स्थिल हो जाता है। जवाहर लाल नेहरू शहरी नवीनीकरण योजना के तहत 100 लो फ़्लोर की बसें पिछले वर्ष तक ही आ जानी थी – उनका अभी तक कोई पता नहीं चल है। शहर में मेट्रो चलाने की बात है; रिंग रोड बनाने की बात है; मरीन ड्राइव की तर्ज़ पर एक एलेवटेड कॉरिडोर भी बनाने की खबर है – पर सब कुछ फाइलों में ही सीमित है।

आप चाहें तो इनमें अन्य कई कारण भी जोड़ सकते हैं। पर मुझे लगता है की सबसे बड़ी समस्या ‘पब्लिक ट्रांसपोर्ट’ ही है। एक प्रभावी यातायात व्यवस्था के अभाव में मज़बूरन अनेक यात्रियों को अपने निजी वाहनों का प्रयोग करना पड़ता है। फिर अतिक्रमण तो है ही। इसपर तड़का लगता है ‘पार्किंग स्थल’ की कमी का और तैयार हो जाता है एक प्रभावकारी जाम जो हर रोज़ पटनावासियों को परेशान करता है। और इन सभी का प्रमुख कारण है दूरदृष्टि की कमी – खास तौर पर उनके द्वारा जो हमारे लिए योजना बनाते हैं। क्या यह इतना कठिन है? किसी भी समस्या पर हमारा कदम प्रतिक्रियात्मक होता है। नतीजा यह होता है की जब तक हम एक समस्या का निदान करते हैं दूसरी समस्याएँ दरवाजे पर दस्तक दे रही होती हैं। और यह हाल हमारे हरेक शहर का है- चाहे वो छोटा हो या फिर बड़ा।

कलकत्ता को ही ले ले जहाँ मैं पिछले कुछ वर्षों से रह रहा हूँ। यहाँ आपको यातायात के वो साधन भी मिल जाएँगे जो भारत में कहीं और नहीं मिलेंगे जैसे कि ट्राम और हाथ-रिक्शा। फिर यहाँ बसें हैं, मेट्रो हैं, टॅक्सी हैं, ऑटो हैं और कहीं कहीं आपको पेडल-रिक्शा भी मिल जाएँगे। पर यहाँ भी सब कुछ ठीक नहीं हैं।

१) ज्यादातर बसें अभी भी खटारा हैं। जवाहर लाल नेहरू शहरी नवीनीकरण योजना के तहत मंगाई गयी कुछ बसों से हालांकि स्थिति मे बदलाव जरूर आया है। बसों के ड्राईवर ‘रैश ड्राइविंग’के आदि हो चुके हैं। आम राहगीर की जान पहले से ज्यादा सस्ती है अभी।
२) आपको हावड़ा जाना है। आपको मिनी-बस मे उठने से मना कर दिया जाता है क्यूंकि आपके पास सामान है – मतलब अब ट्रेन से सफर करना हो तो या सामान लेकर मत जाओ या फिर स्टेशन के लिए कोई और सवारी ढूंढ लो।
३) चलिये बस ना मिला टॅक्सी ही सही – लेकिन कलकत्ता के टॅक्सीवालें भी इतनी आसानी से मानने वाले नहीं हैं जनाब। उनकी अपनी मर्ज़ी है- कहाँ जाना है, कब जाना है, कितने मे जाना हैं सब उनपर है। अगर आप गलत जगह फंस गए तो 100 के जगह 300 रुपये भी देने पड़ सकते हैं। और मीटर की तो बात न ही करें तो अच्छा है। पश्चिम बंगाल सरकार ने खुद माना है की ज्यादातर टॅक्सी के मीटर खराब हैं।
४) अब टॅक्सी की बात उठ ही गयी है तो हावड़ा मे मौजूद प्री-पेड टॅक्सी स्टैंड की बात कर लेते हैं। पर यहाँ से टॅक्सी लेने के बावजूद आप पूरी टॅक्सी पर अपना आधिपत्य मत समझिए – भई, टॅक्सी तो ड्राईवर की ही हैं ना। वो पूरी कोशिश करेगा की कोई और सवारी भी मिल जाये- आपके प्रतिरोध पर वो समझाने की कोशिश करेगा कि महंगाई का जमाना है और अगर आप ‘एडजस्ट’ कर लेंगे तो अच्छा रहेगा। फिर हरेक स्टेशन कि तरह यहाँ पर भी आपको कई टॅक्सी ड्राईवर (प्री पेड वालों कि बात नहीं कर रहा हूँ) मिल जाएँगे जो आपको ठगने का पूरा मन बना कर रखते हैं।
५) ऑटो और ओवेरलोडिंग का तो जन्म-जनमान्तर का साथ है – इसलिए मैं इस पर टिप्पणी नहीं करूँगा। पर ‘हाथ-रिक्शा’ पर अवश्य कुछ कहना चाहूँगा – ‘दो बीघा जमीन’ सन 1953 में प्रदर्शित हुई थी। इस फिल्म मे बलराज साहनी ने ‘हाथ-रिक्शा’ को एक पहचान दी थी – बेबसी की। आज 57 साल बाद भी हम कलकत्ता को इस ‘बेबसी’ से आजाद नहीं करा पाये तो इसका जिम्मेदार कौन है?

आपने ध्यान दिया होगा कि इस लेख में अब तक मैंने सिर्फ दुखड़ा रोया है – कुछ नया नहीं बताया है। ना ही मैंने कुछ ऐसा कहा है जिससे इन समस्याओं का हल निकालने में कोई मदद मिले। पर इतना सब लिखने के बाद भी मुझे लगता है कि इन सभी समस्याओं का मूल कारण हम हैं। ऑटो ओवेरलोड होते हैं क्यूंकि हम ऐसा करने देते हैं; टॅक्सीवाले ज्यादा भाड़ा माँगते हैं क्यूंकि हम ज्यादा देते हैं; जाम लगने का कारण भी हम ही हैं- कभी गलत जगह पार्किंग करेंगे तो कभी सिग्नल की अनदेखी। लोग कहेंगे की मजबूरी है इसलिए करना पड़ता है – मैं मानता हूँ पर इस मजबूरी में किए गए समझौतों में हमने अपने हित की अनदेखी कर दी।

और ज्यादा अफ़सोस इस बात का है कि यातायात समस्या से हमें निजात न दिला पाने की प्रशासनिक विफलता पर भी हम प्रभावी जन-प्रतिक्रिया में असक्षम साबित हुए हैं। मुंबई में ‘सी-लिंक’बनने मे एक दशक से ऊपर लग जाता है और उसके उदघाटन पर हम सिर्फ तालियाँ बजाते हैं – यह प्रश्न नहीं करते कि इतना समय क्यूँ लगा? पटना में एक रेल्वे ओवरब्रिज पिछले 4 वर्षों से बन रहा है और हम धैर्य से उसके बनने का इंतेजार कर रहे हैं। सभी बड़े शहरों में ‘त्वरित यातायात माध्यम’ विकसित किए जाने के लिए क्या पहल कि जा रही है, प्रशासन से इसका जवाब भी नहीं माँगते।

अगर हम (प्रशासन और आम नागरिक) आज नहीं जागे तो भविष्य में यातायात एक बहुत बड़ी परेशानी बन कर उभरेगा। अभी भी समय है - जरूरत है दूरदर्शी सोच की और सच्चे प्रयास की।

SAVE WATER

‘So, how is the water scenario?’ I asked my mother over phone.

‘Newspaper reports suggest that the dam has 7 days of water left in it. I think they will start cutting water supply in the next few days.’

‘But it’ll not affect us. Right?’

‘I hope so. The boring is deep here but the electricity supply has become random. We can’t have water until there is electricity.’ She sighed.

I visited the small town in Jharkhand where my father is posted currently a few days after this conversation took place – the situation was grim. The dam which caters to the water needs of around 1.5 lakh residents (Census 2001 data puts the population figure at 1.27 lakh) of this town did not have much water left. I found a long queue at a hand pump stationed very near to the house in which we stay. There was dejection written on the faces of men, women and children in the queue as the hand pump refused to cough up any more water. The water table has gone down. The boring in our house is deep but as I mother pointed out there is a huge problem of electricity supply. Inverters have become integral part of the life of people of this scenic town. I even witnessed the landlady consulting a ‘pandit’ to pinpoint a guaranteed location for getting water in case there is a need to have another boring to tide over this water crisis.

Not very far away, an unlikeliest candidate for water scarcity problem is facing a similar situation. Patna, my native place, is probably one of the very few cities in the World to be located in the vicinity of four perennial rivers. If newspaper reports are to be believed then it is going through one the acutest drinking water shortages in the recent memory. Residents have come out on streets demanding regular supply of water. The water table has gone down here as well but that is only one aspect of this problem. With the entire city dependent on ground water very little was done in past to build a mechanism to provide drinking water directly from River Ganges. The state government seems to have come out of its slumber lately and is preparing a plan to provide drinking water directly from ‘Ganga’ to at least a part of the city. Then there is the usual problem of implementation issues – The existing pumps are overloaded; the hand pumps are not maintained properly (A report in today’s Dainik Hindustan suggests that this is done deliberately); the water pipes are old (There has been an order to replace the water pipes in some areas) and what not.

And it is not that only Bihar and Jharkhand are reeling under the water crisis. Picture these:

Scene 1: Last year, the entire Madhya Pradesh went through similar fate. Residents of cities like Indore and Bhopal were not able to get water supply for 10 or more days at stretch. Reason – the water sources of these cities went dry. Riot like situations were reported at few places if I could recall correctly. Imagine, if one has to go through such adverse situations.

Scene 2: A village in Rajasthan has now only few viable sources of water – all of these are locked. There is assigned quota of water on the basis of caste and one cannot take more than what is allotted. Taking more than the share allotted would mean punishment (the news report did not go into the specifics). This would mean taking bath once in a week (with what was shown in report, it was not even the customary bath – it was more like what we say in Hindi ‘Haanth Mooh dho lena’). If this situation persists for long, there is a high possibility of class war taking place across regions.

Scene 3: Last year, farmers in Bihar took up arms to protect the water they claimed to be their own. With Water becoming scarcer, such situations will come up more frequently and may result in undesirable consequences.

I mentioned all these instances to drive in the need for a better Water Management mechanism in our country. The problem of water shortage can only be addressed by the collective actions of all the pillars of society – the administration, the corporate and the citizens. I believe the actions of the citizens hold the key to solve this problem. And I also believe that we have not acted responsibly till now. Just to illustrate on this point – two days back while we were returning from an outing, I pointed out a municipal water supply point without any mechanism to stop the flow of water to my friends. Obviously, a lot of water is being wasted every day because of this. However, what disturbed me more than this were the replies that I got from my friends.

‘What do you expect in Calcutta?’ said one. And it is true. Such a sight is common if you reside in the city of Calcutta/Kolkata. However, this remark somehow suggests that people have stopped to bother.

Another friend replied, ‘But there is no water scarcity in Calcutta’. First of all, I think that this statement may not be true. As far as I know localities like Lake Town etc. do not have proper drinking water supply. Second, even if his statement was true – Is it wise to squander our resources just because we have plenty of it?

If the above example in a way shows our indifference to the cause of water, the next one will show complete disregard for this precious natural resource. One of my very dear friends has a very weird habit. He lets the tap running in full flow throughout his stay in restroom. Confront him on this and he is likely to reply – ‘Ask me to do anything but not this. This is a habit and I cannot get out of it even if I try’. My friends and I have tried many times to reason with him and have not succeeded till now. Thinking of him, I am always reminded of old Doordarshan Ad – ‘Pani ka mol pahchaniye Yeh anmol hai’. I think there is a need for similar effective campaigns now (I barely watch television nowadays and hence do not know if we have similar initiatives on air) – the people should be sensitized about the challenges lying ahead and should be encouraged to act accordingly.

So what’s next? I have often been told to stop asking people to change their ways for a cause as it is difficult to change habits/ move against tide. But as old habits die hard, I am going to ask again – Is it so difficult to change? I think it is difficult but not impossible. I had this bad habit of leaving my workstation on after work (Reason- Superstition). My friend pointed out to me that this act is a means to waste electricity (It was not as if I was not aware of it). He asked me to switch off my workstation daily and I was reluctant doing so (I told you na… it was superstition). It took a lot of coaxing from his part and little understanding from my side to make me do the right thing. Now, I switch off my workstation every day without fail. The electricity which I save through this may not be much but if such understanding is shown at mass level we can make big difference. I think similar mass level actions can do wonders for solving the water problem in many parts of the country.

‘Will this be enough?’ many of my friends have raised this issue when I discussed the water scarcity problem and the above solution with them. The answer is ‘No’ but at least this will be the first step in the right direction. We would then need a more active participation at the community level. I am sure many constructive steps can be taken at the micro level to assuage the problem of water scarcity. We all know of ‘Rain Water Harvesting’ (though I have rarely seen it implemented) and I am sure that there would be many such effective methods. In my search for possible solutions, I put across this question in the Patna community in Orkut (While raising the issue of Water Scarcity in the city) with the hope that some knowledgeable junta can shed light on it. I am still awaiting any positive reply on this topic. I know this may not be the most effective way to search a solution – I felt that sharing my concerns with people who have been affected by the problem might bring out the collectivism required to address the issue. I am just hoping that I am right in this regard.

‘Bin Pani sab soon’ (without water there is nothing) is an old proverb – residents across vast stretch of this country are discovering its relevance now. People have predicted that the third World War will be fought over Water and this may be realized sooner than later. The ball is now in our court. The big question is – Are we willing to do our part?

Do Our Part

This one is not directly a statement on our society. However, it does come under one of the issues concerning our life.

This is the seventh winter of my life in Calcutta (I still prefer it than Kolkata) and this one is the worst. I have never felt the need of having pullovers/ sweaters or jackets in this city but I used to enjoy the cool weather during December/ January. Not this time. It is 21st December and we are still waiting for our first tryst with the winter – Calcutta style. In the elevator today, my colleagues commented on the ‘unusual weather’ condition as I could only agree. So, is this the beginning of climate change?

Experts agree that the recent Copenhagen summit was a failure in almost all respects. However, it succeeded in creating a flurry of media activities at least in India. If the world had already not woken up to the imminent climatic hazards, these activities ensured that the people are sensitized about the difficult future we may face if we do not act fast. With the busy schedule at work, I was not able to follow much but was able to catch some stuff on the receding glaciers in Himalayas. A programme on CNN-IBN was tracing the retreat of Gangotri glacier: - to many people in India (especially in North India) it would be hard to imagine life without Ganga (River Ganges). But if the predictions are true then it is not very far off when we will face that day. While the world leaders debate over how the burden of climate change should be shared, I think it is time that common people start their own small steps in at least delaying the catastrophe (who knows that in the meantime, we will achieve the means to retain the natural balance). It would be great start if we stop taking our natural resources for granted. I have been following and participating in some discussions on urban/ infrastructure development in some social networking sites for quite some time. The discussions generally are euphoric on the development of physical infrastructure but seldom take into account the maintenance of balance with the nature. Take the case of my native place Patna. In the last 4 years the city has started to catch up with other similar sized city, however, at the expense of its greenery. The result is that summer season is becoming unbearably hot. My aunt has decided not to visit Patna again during summer vacation of her kids. Fortunately, the state government has recognized the need of greenery and is developing scores of parks across the city to maintain the natural balance. It is not enough but it is a good start. I think, it is time that common people start coming out and play important role by carrying out their responsibilities. It is not only about planting trees; small contributions like switching off electrical devices while leaving rooms, closing the tap if not using the water etc. can make much difference. Standalone these may look small things, but if done on a mass level, these would make big change in the longer run. Remember the old Ad on Doordarshan ‘Pani ka mol pahchaniye, yeh anmol hai’: Ask the significance of this 20 year old message to the residents of cities in Madhya Pradesh (like Bhopal, Indore etc.) where taps went dry this year. If we do not recognize the need to preserve our natural resources then we may soon face a life not so comfortable.

James Cameron in his latest cinematic extravaganza ‘Avatar’ tried to highlight this necessity of bonding with nature. The ‘indigenous’ of Pandora Na’vi have the connection with their nature and fought hard to save that from the greedy hands of humankind. They knew they cannot live without their nature and it is time for us to decide: - will we be able to live/ survive without our rivers, trees and wildlife? In my opinion, it is time to ‘Do Our Part’. Make small contributions (I know it is not always possible), advocate proper use of energy, demand for energy efficient Public Transport System, reduce our reliability on motorized vehicles for covering small distances (better walk or use bicycles – both options are good for health), have at least a small efforts for making the neighbourhood green and give the children space to play in fields so that they can connect to nature. It is too much of a task and cannot be done effectively at individual levels.

P.S: I recently came to know that one of my seniors of the postgraduate college is trying to develop an integrated approach for an efficient transport system. I will try to help in my capacity (to whatever extent I can) and hope he succeeds. I hope that many more people are working on such projects.

As I complete the post, the date has changed to 22nd day of December of 2009 and I could feel that ‘long forgotten’ cool weather in Calcutta (Kolkata) this morning. Maybe we can still save our race and this planet from disaster through our concerted efforts.

Awakening

Authorspeak: I would like to reflect on some of my observations on society in large. This would mean that I would be more infrequent with my posts. However, I would try my best to keep up the pace. The first few posts may be on Bihar – this one definitely is on Bihar. Considering the debut – it is a huge post and though I have written it keeping Bihar in mind I think it is applicable anywhere in India.

As a native of Bihar, I have been observing the state for quite some time. And though I am a Non Resident Bihari, I have been visiting the state regularly. I would have remained a silent observer and would not have attempted to write this had I not realized the need of ‘Awakening’. This primarily happened because of three reasons:

• The recently concluded Employment-cum-Counseling fair at Patna
• A news article in Dainik Hindustan regarding the conceptualization of ‘Loknayak Circle’ for easing out traffic in the heart of Patna, and
• The experiences during my recent visits to Patna during Diwali and Chhath

I would take these one by one and in the process would hope to put forth my point.

I would like to start with the news articles published in Dainik Hindustan on 01/11/2009 and 02/11/2009 regarding the conceptualization of a ‘Traffic Zone’ which promises to ease out traffic near Patna Junction. What caught my eyes was the mention of the fact that an NRI has helped in developing this system. To me it looked decent on paper. Whether it is implemented or not is altogether a different story. However, is it not heartening to see that some Biharis (Residents or Non-Residents) are contributing in their small way for the betterment of Bihar? In this write-up I would like to stress on this simple well known fact – ‘Small, insignificant acts can also usher in great changes’ (especially when they are done collectively). Sticking with the current example – wouldn’t it be a lot easier on roads if we simply follow the traffic rules? I know that it is far easier said than done – and there lies the need of ‘Awakening’ towards self responsibility not only in the common populace but also among the administrators and leaders. As I complete my small analyses of the remaining two events, I hope to garner more support for the need for ‘Awakening’.

From what I have gathered through my acquaintances, relatives and friends in Patna and of course through news items published in various dailies and news portals, the Employment -cum-Counseling fair drew large number of Unemployed/ Employed looking for better options. No doubt the state government’s move to bring in employment to the youths of the state should be appreciated. However, news articles and also some of my acquaintances suggest that all was not hunky-dory in the two day event. There was lack of proper communication and guidance; there were some incidents of vandalism reported; also there were reports of widespread dissatisfaction over arrangements; then there is also issue of quality of jobs being offered and finally and most importantly – the employers were dissatisfied with the quality of candidates they were getting. These issues are reflective of the prevalent socio-cultural-economic scenario in Bihar. One by one I would like to address these issues.

I will start out with the vandalism. Vandalism is almost becoming synonymous with the present day Bihar and unfortunately students are the biggest culprits here. Whether, it is BN College or the incidents of burning trains in Bihar – these incidents play a big role in sabotaging Brand Bihar. These small acts not only bring bad name to Bihar but also damage its growth prospects in long run. In their quest for short term gains, the perpetrators of such acts forget that in the longer run they may be affected adversely. The act of vandalism in the fair was reflective of the ‘Hum nahi to koi nahi’ syndrome prevalent in many parts of Bihar. I think whatever incited that incident could have been sorted out with sensible talk (people involved in it and their sympathizers would argue that I was not present and so would not know of the actual situation: which is true. But over the years, I have realized that violence seldom fetches the desired result – of course if one is not talking of establishing a reign of terror). Also, people may reason out that considering the scale of the event such small incidents are bound to happen. My simple argument: Wouldn’t the event have been better without such incidents?

And it is not that I do not associate with the resentment of some sections of candidates. Not very long ago, I was a part of a similar placement process looking for a dream job. I completely understand the reasons of resentment and yet would never support acts of vandalism. Agreed that the quality of jobs in this Employment fair left a lot to be desired and the State government would do better by bringing in companies offering better profiles next year – But in a state like Bihar, even the jobs that were on offer would be needed by scores of people. So, if one does not like the job profile or is dissatisfied with the salary offered then he/she should either not apply for that particular job or negotiate with the employer for a better deal. Why squander the chances of many others by playing the ‘rowdy’ game and putting the company ‘off’? I was pained to see a comment by a protesting dentist who stated that he earns more than what was being offered by the employer – in this case a private clinic. If he does earn more than what was being offered then clearly the job was not meant for him – ideally he should have sidestepped for another deserving and needy candidate. He didn’t and here comes the fact of acknowledging one’s responsibility towards the betterment of the society at large. I agree that they should have been informed about the profile and pay scale but many times the participating companies choose not to disclose the information beforehand.

This brings me to the complaints of inadequate management (in many cases mismanagement) by the organizers. Clearly either there was a lack of proper planning or they could not foresee this heavy turnout. Having observed the placement process of some of the better institutes of the country I could say that such processes require extensive planning. And with the event of this scale, it becomes a much more difficult task. I think the organizers would have been better off by taking some professional help in this regard. And here comes another instance where a little co-operation from all of us can make things simpler and better. I am sure that many Biharis working in Event Management industry would have been more than willing to help had the organizers approached them for guidance during the run-up to the event. This can be a model of citizen-administration partnership for turning around Bihar. However, if such kinds of initiatives are ever taken up then they would require a platform – obviously a proper channel would be needed to utilize this huge pool of resource/talent (both resident and non-resident Biharis). This may also help to bring in companies for such fairs – after all many Biharis hold influential posts in big companies.

As I conclude this section – I would like to address the issue of employer’s dissatisfaction over the quality of candidates. The answer to this seems very trivial – the preparations by the candidates were not adequate. Even the students of premier institutes burn midnight oil for months to succeed in their placement process. The same is expected from everyone else (unless of course one has a ‘pairavi’). However, the candidates are not to be blamed here – in the absence of proper guidance and grooming programmes they are not expected to excel in the job interviews. And here lies another need of awakening – for the job candidates it should be the realization that they just can’t expect to walk in and crack interviews without proper preparation; for the rest of the state it should be realization that our collective efforts may actually change the lives of many such people. The question is how? The platform I talked about a few moments ago may come to the rescue. There may be HR counselors hailing from Bihar who may agree to train the candidates. However, the important question to be raised here is the funding – even if they agree to take the sessions for free, organizing such sessions would need lot of money. One may ask - Who will spend that amount of money on unemployed youths apart from the government? I choose to differ. If households capable of doling out money decide to contribute in accordance to their ability and if the government make that contribution tax exempted then we can potentially have a lot of money. A simple calculation suggests a sum of Rs. 10 crores if 2 lakh households contribute an average sum of Rs. 500 pa (that turns out to be Rs. 42/ month). I chose ‘average sum’ because this would require voluntary contribution and thus some may contribute less and some more. This money can then be utilized to address many issues apart from one illustration already pointed out. And as such platform would involve people money, it should be transparent and trustworthy – a reason why an individual cannot possibly start this small revolution. Hindustan’s Samagam and Bihar Times Conclave are initiatives to provide platform to visionaries to share their vision of Bihar – I do not see any harm if another platform is provided to common people to make their state a better place to live. I think it is time when main newspapers houses like HT Media, Dainik Jagran, Prabhat Khabar, Aaj, Times group etc. and portals like Patnadaily, Bihartimes, Jaibihar etc. come together to provide such a platform to common people who dream a lot to contribute but could not do so in the lack of proper avenues. Imagine, a bunch of town planners giving inputs to make our cities better (like the NRI in the case of Loknayak Circle) while some intellectuals/ historians actually putting efforts to preserve and restore our historical monuments. It is time to stop blaming government for all our miseries and start making difference to our own lives. Obviously this would require a lot of efforts from our side.

This brings me to the third topic in hand – my visit to Patna during Diwali and Chhath. Visit to the native place especially during festivities would glad anyone. However, I also observed that despite the city’s substantial growth in last few years the mindset of its people is yet to change. I saw people throwing garbage on roads deliberately – is it so hard to walk a few hundred meters and dump the garbage in the can? Or is it because one is too ashamed to carry the garbage to the dumpster? If that is the case the best solution would be to just pay the NGOs collecting garbage a few bucks and spare oneself from such shame. However, if it is due to the lack of dumpsters (which it is in many cases) then why there is no outcry from people? Is it because of the fact that we have tuned ourselves to live along with filth? If we continue with our tendency to throw garbage at our will, how can we expect the Municipal Corporation to make the city clean? Not to say that PMC is doing any commendable job. If its own backyard remains littered with filth then how can one expect it to clean the entire city? I am talking about the lane which connects the under construction Buddha International Park with Buddha Marg and also houses the Auto stand for autos to Danapur. That stretch is mess – it is an apt example of ‘Chirag Tale Andhera’. People literally walk over garbage to catch autos – the stench is unbearable and the auto drivers would make you suffer more by parking their vehicles right in front of the pile of garbage. I asked one auto driver why the auto association does not take any step to clean the place for the convenience of passengers. His reply – ‘In few days the stand will be shifted. Further it is not our responsibility…. This gets cleaned at times but again comes back to the same state’ - A terrific tale of our civic sense and understanding of our responsibilities. That place is the gateway to Patna and we have allowed it to be such a mess. Is this the image of Patna we want the visitors to carry away with them? Hindustan’s office is round the corner. I wonder when they will catch hold of the concerned authority; bring him to that place and take a commitment to make it the best place in the city – and just not take the commitment but ask for a specified date when the task will be achieved – make him accountable.

If this is not enough then again there are regular offenders of peeing in public. The boundary wall to the Buddha International Park has become a virtual toilet – just imagine we are planning to keep the remains of Lord Buddha in that park. What a shame!! People argue that there are very few public toilets in a city this big and thus people have to pee in public. The fact is true but then, there are many who are habitual offenders. While traveling on auto I found one perfectly dressed guy urinating against the flyover’s wall just opposite to the Hindustan’s office. As far as I remember there is a Sulabh Shuchalay in the vicinity. But who would go for a Sulabh Shauchalay for such a ‘small thing’? Before we make demands to make public toilets we must ensure that we would utilize them properly once they are built. And I think, I read somewhere that around 70 public toilets are being built across Patna – Can someone from the media fraternity take the responsibility of asking the concerned authority for a specific date on which the project will be completed and make him/her accountable. It is time that the media also start making visible changes apart from reporting news and one of the first thing would be to make authorities, common people and their leaders accountable and responsible.

And before I sign off, I would like to narrate a small incident which took place on the night of 26/10/09 – a day after ‘Bhor Ka Arghya’. It was not even 10 pm and the auto drivers at the junction started asking for Rs. 10 – Rs. 20 for any destination from Patna Junction to Danapur. People were harassed by them and no one could do anything. When the auto drivers go on strike or protest against atrocities/removal of their stands they fail to understand that they will not be able to earn people’s support for genuine causes until they stop exploiting people. They need to understand their duty but will that ever happen is a big question. This brings out another important issue – what the administration is doing to ensure that people are not harassed by the auto/ bus drivers. Also why there is a huge silence on the state of public transport in Patna? If I can correctly recall I read in a news article that the buses under JNNURM would start plying in November. I hope at least that promise is kept.

It is time that we realize the importance of carrying out our responsibilities towards society. Blaming the government/ administration will not always help. A change can be brought not by protesting violently but by acknowledging our constructive role in the society and making those little contributions which will finally define our society.