Monday, June 3, 2019

Discipline..... What's that?

"Two wheeler rider thrown off the vehicle and dies of head injury"

"Youngsters performing stunts on bikes and bike racers on Marina Killed"

"None of the victims were wearing a helmet"

"Infant riding with parents falls from mother's lap , dies"

The stories are endless. The traffic police says "they do not have the numbers to control " - Times of India in its report of date.

Blatant violation of traffic rules, scant respect for police, law enforcers taking shelter under insufficient numbers and added to that some corrupt law enforcers... Where is the solution?? 

Is it going to be stopped or do we have to simply live with it? !

A visit to Marina walking path reveals more trash than the ones in your bin at your home - paper cups, water bottles, liquor bottles, tissue papers and plastic bags... All strewn over the place but not many trash cans in the vicinity. Even if there is one, it is not recognized !!



The Police booth  near the Gandhi statue has provided Drinking water , for summer .... laudable. But, better if they  provide some trash cans, too. Not a single trash on the walking path between Light House and Queen Marys College- the stretch where maximum handouts are issued and also thrown by the receivers.

Wonder what is preventing the corporation from providing trash cans in such highly visited places when the Tiruvannamalai Giri Valam stretch is lined up with more trash cans than the trash ?

Lack of resources or lack of will ?

Very disappointing and distressing scenes !

Walkers in the marina beach have to put up with the cattle also taking walk along with them multi tasking with their morning ablutions too ! Some walkers utter more out of disgust that the cattle belongs to the influential people of the neighborhood and nothing could be done about it !!



Our own 'self disciplined ' people who look for trash cans the moment they cross immigration point at the airports and demand tissue to wipe their hands clean before a meal, do not hesitate to throw litter wherever they feel like at public places, on the other side of airports !!

There were opinions that we need to educate people more on the need to keep the environment clean and that literacy is the main issue.

Last week, we were in the Kumaon jungle completing a safari in Nainital forest , after a two hour jeep ride through dense jungle and disappointed at not sighting any wild animal. When we pulled out a biscuit packet, the third standard 'educated' Gypsy jeep driver warned us immediately not to throw the wrapper anywhere as there is a trash can at the exit point !! Literacy, the issue  ???.....!!

In other countries, when the road users site a patrol vehicle or hear their wailing sirens, they shiver in their pants and push hard on the brakes, reducing speed. No amount of greasing the palm is going to help. Here, a couple of notes, could allow a driver without a proper license to even drive on the hills, risking passenger lives !!

Self discipline, more non corrupt police, stringent application of law and deterrent punishment could turn the tide and stem the rot.

Unfortunately , all seemed to be distant dreams , atleast for now !!

I am not going to be impressed by the special cleaning drives that could happen on June 5th, being the World Environment Day. Such stink and rot can only be cleared on a sustained drive and not for the camera flashes of a scheduled event!!