It was one similar day many years back when I came across this article on Priyadarshini Mattoo. The article talked about how she was stalked, traumatised and finally raped and murdered in broad daylight in her own home.
What will go on in your mind when you read such story? It made my heart so heavy that I started doubting if it will remain in its position. While she was not related to me, my psyche couldnt stop from getting completely disturbed. One thing that stopped coming out were tear drops who were fighting vehemently to come out though. I was asking myself "why am i getting disturbed for a stranger?" May be she was nto a stranger. May be because she was my gentle countrywoman. May be she was that gentle flower who was trampled by a monster. May be because this flower didnt get justice.
I dont know what went on in my mind then that I used to generally google that name "Priya Darshini Mattoo" just with a hope that may be her case is opened and may be justice has been delivered. But no, justice was not to be delivered even after 7 years, 8 years, 9 years.
Then a ray of hope I saw. I saw when while surfing NDTV, came across a campaign for justice for Priyadarshini.
Today on October 17, when I finally read the news of justice being delivered, how should I have reacted? Happiness? I couldnt stop myself from getting emotional. I am sure so many fellow countrymen and countrywomen have got emotional. All that comes to everyone's mind is the plight a 70 year old father had to go through since he lost his little flower destroyed. What might he have done when he went home with this "good" news? He might have stared at his daughter's photo for a long time as if asking "have you heard this news?" "have you heard that your killer is finally punished?"
If we put ourselves in that room with her father, it will break us down, it will bring that fire in us to fight for justice so that so one suffers like Priyadarshini.
Who was Priyadarshini anyway? She was just a stranger. But she was related to all of us. And so is every woman who is taken for granted, who faces the worst in life and waits for justice even after death.
Will our judiciary bring justice to all who deserve? May be finally we are setting a right trend after a long time. Finally may be we are working towards creating the country where a woman feels safe and feels like the country's daughter.
May your soul rest in peace Priyadarshini. You didnt deserve this kind of treatment by your own country. May be you will forgive your country which didnt let you live peacefully and happily. May be you will forgive your country when you see that so many of your countryfolks couldnt get over the sadness of losing you and they kept fighting for your justice.
After a long time, it may really make sense to celebrate deepavali. To celebrate justice. To celebrate ray of hope however trembling it is.
Tuesday, October 17, 2006
Sunday, September 17, 2006
MUSIC AND POETRY
Music and Poetry are my passions.... Not that I am an expert but I am definitely an addict towards them...
http://www.urdupoetry.com
http://www.urdupoetry.com
Thursday, August 31, 2006
Saturday, July 01, 2006
INDIAN GOVERNMENT RELATED
National Portal of India
The above website gives comprehensive information in many area whether it be citizens' rights related, business related, constitution related, laws related etc. etc. Worth spending time if you are interested in learning about these areas.
Government of India Directory
A one point source to know all about Government of India websites at all levels and from all sectors.
The above website gives comprehensive information in many area whether it be citizens' rights related, business related, constitution related, laws related etc. etc. Worth spending time if you are interested in learning about these areas.
Government of India Directory
A one point source to know all about Government of India websites at all levels and from all sectors.
Sunday, June 25, 2006
BUSINESS, MARKETS, INDIA
All of us are so much interested in investing but damn its freaking confusing isnt it? Many sites have started teaching the basic concepts. Ofcourse there is no alternative to experience but something basic concepts are definitely helpful. Some cool sites to look for learning :
INTERESTING INFORMATION IN THIS CATEGORY :
INTERESTING INFORMATION IN THIS CATEGORY :
RIGHT TO INFORMATION
LATEST NEWSPAPER REPORTS :
----------------------------------------
VERY IMPORTANT LINKS :
--------------------------------
-------------------------
September 26, 2006:
*Parivartan agitates for the Right to Information -- GoodnewsIndia Article
July 24, 2006:
* Do you all complain constantly about the corruption in the Government systems?
* Do you all wanted to do something to move the Babus of this country to make it corrupt free
* Did you all wanted to somehow someday move the elephant called government and increase its efficiency?
* Did you all wanted India to be a vibrant and energetic democracy?
* Do you want to behave like a concerned citizen of this country wanting to take this country forward in an equitous way and be part of the real development of this country?
* Are some of you getting excited looking at the NDTV's 'Drive against Bribe Campaign"?
If the answer from you to any or all or some of the questions is "yes" then it is time to shed your passivity and act and that too act really fast because the babus and the politicians are faster than any of you can think of to curtail a landmark act namely the Right to Information Act. This was brought into force after much fanfare and dubbed as the crown of the UPA grovernment. But within 6 months of its effective use by the general public to make the public systems answerable to some of their unconstitutional actions, the government has made a stunning move to curtail the provisions of the Act to protect the Babus.
WANT TO ACT ON THIS WITHOUT BEING INDIFFERENT?
1. Simplest that can be done is to sign the many online Petitions that are there. One of them is http://www.petitiononline.com/save_rti/petition.html. There are also many more on the web. It does not matter even if you signed up at 2 or more places
2. If you are wanting to do a little bit more. Then you can send the mails to the PMO, Ms. Sonia Gandhi. The formats and the email addresses are available at the link http://www.sakshitrust.org/petition-against-rti-amendments/petition-against-rti-amendments.html.
3. Send Telegrams / faxes to the PM with the simple words "DONT AMEND THE RIGHT TO INFORMATION ACT" and put your name as a common citizen of this country
So hope some of us will shed the cobwebs around us and save our democracy and THE BEST THING IS YOU DONT NEED TO BE AN ACTIVIST TO DO THIS. IT IS ENOUGH IF YOU ARE A CONCERNED CITIZEN OF THIS COUNTRY / WORLD.
***********************************************************
July 24, 2006 :
ITS TIME TO ACT IF YOU WANT TO SEE THE ROOTS OF CORRUPTION ELIMINATED FROM INDIA.
URGENT Action Item: Please sign the petition and forward it to your friends, family, batch-mates from school/college urging them to sign and voice their opinions.
What is Right to Information (RTI)?
Right to Information (RTI) is implicitly a part of fundamental rights under Article 19(1) of the Constitution of India, which says that every citizen has freedom of speech and expression. As early as in 1976, the Supreme Court said in the case of Raj Narain vs State of UP that India is a democracy, where people are the masters. Therefore, the masters have a right to know how the governments, meant to serve them, are functioning.
Moreover, the right to information is at the core of the human rights system because it enables citizens to more meaningfully exercise their rights, assess when their rights are at risk and determine who is responsible for any violations ( CHRI website)
However no attempt was made by the governments to enact and implement a regime for accessing information till grassroots campaigns were launched by the civil society - most notably, the movement in the early 1990s in Rajasthan by Mazdoor Kisan Shakti Sangathan (MKSS), demanding access to villages accounts and transparency in administration, brought RTI into national focus.
After years of campaigning, the national government yielded, passing this long-overdue landmark Act on 12th October, 2005. The RTI Act lays down the process in which information can be accessed from government sources.
So what is this recent hullabaloo?
The Indian Cabinet decided to approve an amendment to the RTI Act which will restrict access to "file-notings" under the RTI Law
But what exactly are FILE NOTINGS and Why are they IMPORTANT?
That sacred creature, the government file, usually has two halves: on the right side is the correspondence and materials. This could be someone's grievance, a project proposal, a tender, a concept for a policy, anything the government needs to consider. On the left is the closely held note sheet, which records how the proposition was examined. The advice given in the notings has to be strictly in accordance with laws, rules, norms, and orders. The concerned officer puts down views, advice and recommendations. The file then goes up the line to the decision-making authority. On the way the hierarchy adds more notes, putting their signatures against their views. With all advice in hand a justifiable decision must be made.
Cumulatively, the note sheet reflects the mind of government, bares the intention of an individual officer and whether his advice and consent were grounded on established rules. File notings, then, are X-rays of government functioning. They are proof of fair play and reason , or dishonesty, bias, and negligence. They are the shield that most honest bureaucrats wish they had and the sword that dishonest ones fear. It is only by allowing thorough public scrutiny of the evidence of how the government works at every level that corruption can be fought. File notings fall squarely within the definition of 'information' in the Act. The nature of file notings is inevitably that of advice/opinion, and these are explicitly covered. To twist the definition to exclude file notings would be to destroy the Act's legislative intent. Yet that is what is being sought. Despite clear enunciation that file notings fall within the Act, the Department of Personal and Training's website, says that "information means any material in any form including records, documents...but does not include file notings".
... At least two of the proposed amendments will permanently shield the bureaucracy from accountability, the disinfectant power of transparency and allow them to function in an arbitrary manner. They will also shield the corrupt and deal a body blow to the efforts of people to fight corruption and the arbitrary exercise of power. Both these amendments relate essentially to the process of decision-making. The first one is to make file notings a category of information that can be concealed. In one stroke the bureaucracy will have managed to disable the Right To Information Act as far as its own functioning is concerned. The second relates to barring access to cabinet notes even after the decision making process is complete — putting the decision-making process of cabinet decisions into a permanent black hole.
... The amendments will change the Act so that the decision can be revealed, the process of decision-making cannot. Barring file notings is not barring a kind of information — it is barring information itself. And this move is nothing short of subterfuge against the Act.
... It is not just the records of a ration shop, or the muster rolls on a work site that people across the country are asking for. It is also the policies that lead to foodgrain stocks being made available, or the manner in which tax-payers' money is being spent that matters. There are decisions being made related to health and medicines, water and power, agricultural policy and genetic engineering and governance itself, that have the potential to impact not just the lives of millions of people but even generations of Indians.
******************************************
June 25, 2006
Everyone has heard recently that Right To Information (RTI) Act has been passed by the Indian Government. This act is supposed to empower the common Indian citizen. But how? nobody knows? or may be only a few passionate indidividuals know. And no one has to time to invest to learn about. As we are best known for, Chalta Hai attitude. Absolutely frustrating scary middle class mentality. Anyways, here is some information on RTI...
Check out this fantastic website on Anti-Bribery. It contains lots of information on RTI, Anti-bribery, the RTI campaign thats gonna be happening from July 1, 2006 in different cities in India. This campaign is aimed at educating the citizens in how to use it.
* http://www.antibribery.org/
INTERESTING INFORMATION IN THIS CATEGORY
India Right To Information
If we really need to do something good for the country and our posterity, we better not worry about the fact "How does it matter if just I do".... The scare needs to be killed.
----------------------------------------
VERY IMPORTANT LINKS :
--------------------------------
- Association for India's Development (AID) is putting in exhaustive efforts in collaboration with organizations like Parivartan in making sure we SAVE RTI. Please stop by the following link for all the information. http://rti.aidindia.org/
- PARIVARTAN : Fighting Corruption
- A detailed early paper by Aruna Roy on How the Grassroots RTI Struggle Emerged (A must-read!!)
- Samar Magazine Feature: A history of Mazdoor Kisan Shakti Sanghatan
- Commonwealth Human Rights Initiative (CHRI): Right to Information as a Fundamental Human Right
- The Government of India RTI Website
- RTI Act 2005, India (PDF document ~ 380kb)
- NDTV: Frequently Asked Questions about RTI Act 2005
- RTI Blogsites: http://indiarti.blogspot.com, http://right2information.wordpress.com
- NDTV Compiled RTI Stories - (including Success Stories of RTI Implementation)
- Time of India site : http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/specialcoverage/1823135.cms
-------------------------
September 26, 2006:
*Parivartan agitates for the Right to Information -- GoodnewsIndia Article
July 24, 2006:
* Do you all complain constantly about the corruption in the Government systems?
* Do you all wanted to do something to move the Babus of this country to make it corrupt free
* Did you all wanted to somehow someday move the elephant called government and increase its efficiency?
* Did you all wanted India to be a vibrant and energetic democracy?
* Do you want to behave like a concerned citizen of this country wanting to take this country forward in an equitous way and be part of the real development of this country?
* Are some of you getting excited looking at the NDTV's 'Drive against Bribe Campaign"?
If the answer from you to any or all or some of the questions is "yes" then it is time to shed your passivity and act and that too act really fast because the babus and the politicians are faster than any of you can think of to curtail a landmark act namely the Right to Information Act. This was brought into force after much fanfare and dubbed as the crown of the UPA grovernment. But within 6 months of its effective use by the general public to make the public systems answerable to some of their unconstitutional actions, the government has made a stunning move to curtail the provisions of the Act to protect the Babus.
WANT TO ACT ON THIS WITHOUT BEING INDIFFERENT?
1. Simplest that can be done is to sign the many online Petitions that are there. One of them is http://www.petitiononline.com/save_rti/petition.html. There are also many more on the web. It does not matter even if you signed up at 2 or more places
2. If you are wanting to do a little bit more. Then you can send the mails to the PMO, Ms. Sonia Gandhi. The formats and the email addresses are available at the link http://www.sakshitrust.org/petition-against-rti-amendments/petition-against-rti-amendments.html.
3. Send Telegrams / faxes to the PM with the simple words "DONT AMEND THE RIGHT TO INFORMATION ACT" and put your name as a common citizen of this country
So hope some of us will shed the cobwebs around us and save our democracy and THE BEST THING IS YOU DONT NEED TO BE AN ACTIVIST TO DO THIS. IT IS ENOUGH IF YOU ARE A CONCERNED CITIZEN OF THIS COUNTRY / WORLD.
***********************************************************
July 24, 2006 :
ITS TIME TO ACT IF YOU WANT TO SEE THE ROOTS OF CORRUPTION ELIMINATED FROM INDIA.
URGENT Action Item: Please sign the petition and forward it to your friends, family, batch-mates from school/college urging them to sign and voice their opinions.
What is Right to Information (RTI)?
Right to Information (RTI) is implicitly a part of fundamental rights under Article 19(1) of the Constitution of India, which says that every citizen has freedom of speech and expression. As early as in 1976, the Supreme Court said in the case of Raj Narain vs State of UP that India is a democracy, where people are the masters. Therefore, the masters have a right to know how the governments, meant to serve them, are functioning.
Moreover, the right to information is at the core of the human rights system because it enables citizens to more meaningfully exercise their rights, assess when their rights are at risk and determine who is responsible for any violations ( CHRI website)
However no attempt was made by the governments to enact and implement a regime for accessing information till grassroots campaigns were launched by the civil society - most notably, the movement in the early 1990s in Rajasthan by Mazdoor Kisan Shakti Sangathan (MKSS), demanding access to villages accounts and transparency in administration, brought RTI into national focus.
After years of campaigning, the national government yielded, passing this long-overdue landmark Act on 12th October, 2005. The RTI Act lays down the process in which information can be accessed from government sources.
So what is this recent hullabaloo?
The Indian Cabinet decided to approve an amendment to the RTI Act which will restrict access to "file-notings" under the RTI Law
But what exactly are FILE NOTINGS and Why are they IMPORTANT?
That sacred creature, the government file, usually has two halves: on the right side is the correspondence and materials. This could be someone's grievance, a project proposal, a tender, a concept for a policy, anything the government needs to consider. On the left is the closely held note sheet, which records how the proposition was examined. The advice given in the notings has to be strictly in accordance with laws, rules, norms, and orders. The concerned officer puts down views, advice and recommendations. The file then goes up the line to the decision-making authority. On the way the hierarchy adds more notes, putting their signatures against their views. With all advice in hand a justifiable decision must be made.
Cumulatively, the note sheet reflects the mind of government, bares the intention of an individual officer and whether his advice and consent were grounded on established rules. File notings, then, are X-rays of government functioning. They are proof of fair play and reason , or dishonesty, bias, and negligence. They are the shield that most honest bureaucrats wish they had and the sword that dishonest ones fear. It is only by allowing thorough public scrutiny of the evidence of how the government works at every level that corruption can be fought. File notings fall squarely within the definition of 'information' in the Act. The nature of file notings is inevitably that of advice/opinion, and these are explicitly covered. To twist the definition to exclude file notings would be to destroy the Act's legislative intent. Yet that is what is being sought. Despite clear enunciation that file notings fall within the Act, the Department of Personal and Training's website, says that "information means any material in any form including records, documents...but does not include file notings".
- Read the complete article "Information law: dead on arrival?" by Maja Daruwala, that first appeared in from the Indian Express, October 1, 2005. Maja Daruwala is Director, Commonwealth Human Rights Initiative.
- Aruna Roy's Article (a must-read) in Indian Express: An Act Disabling an ACT
... At least two of the proposed amendments will permanently shield the bureaucracy from accountability, the disinfectant power of transparency and allow them to function in an arbitrary manner. They will also shield the corrupt and deal a body blow to the efforts of people to fight corruption and the arbitrary exercise of power. Both these amendments relate essentially to the process of decision-making. The first one is to make file notings a category of information that can be concealed. In one stroke the bureaucracy will have managed to disable the Right To Information Act as far as its own functioning is concerned. The second relates to barring access to cabinet notes even after the decision making process is complete — putting the decision-making process of cabinet decisions into a permanent black hole.
... The amendments will change the Act so that the decision can be revealed, the process of decision-making cannot. Barring file notings is not barring a kind of information — it is barring information itself. And this move is nothing short of subterfuge against the Act.
... It is not just the records of a ration shop, or the muster rolls on a work site that people across the country are asking for. It is also the policies that lead to foodgrain stocks being made available, or the manner in which tax-payers' money is being spent that matters. There are decisions being made related to health and medicines, water and power, agricultural policy and genetic engineering and governance itself, that have the potential to impact not just the lives of millions of people but even generations of Indians.
******************************************
June 25, 2006
Everyone has heard recently that Right To Information (RTI) Act has been passed by the Indian Government. This act is supposed to empower the common Indian citizen. But how? nobody knows? or may be only a few passionate indidividuals know. And no one has to time to invest to learn about. As we are best known for, Chalta Hai attitude. Absolutely frustrating scary middle class mentality. Anyways, here is some information on RTI...
Check out this fantastic website on Anti-Bribery. It contains lots of information on RTI, Anti-bribery, the RTI campaign thats gonna be happening from July 1, 2006 in different cities in India. This campaign is aimed at educating the citizens in how to use it.
* http://www.antibribery.org/
INTERESTING INFORMATION IN THIS CATEGORY
India Right To Information
If we really need to do something good for the country and our posterity, we better not worry about the fact "How does it matter if just I do".... The scare needs to be killed.
Friday, June 02, 2006
DSP, MATH and COMM
Interesting Finds
Inspiring Individuals
More coming on this....
The Engineer in me wants to speak too .... :-)
[September 2006]
Alright!! Lets get started.... I will start by putting up some cool links I came across....
Interested in RF? Everything you want can be found here :-)
[October 8, 2006]
Textbooks, Lecture Notes, Tutorials in Mathematics
Inspiring Individuals
More coming on this....
The Engineer in me wants to speak too .... :-)
[September 2006]
Alright!! Lets get started.... I will start by putting up some cool links I came across....
Interested in RF? Everything you want can be found here :-)
[October 8, 2006]
Textbooks, Lecture Notes, Tutorials in Mathematics
Sunday, May 28, 2006
NEWS TO KNOW AND ACT
- Deccan Herald, May 26, 2006 --> Latin American Model for Bangalore' s Traffice Woes
- India Together, May 18, 2006 --> Walk on the Road, legally -- Walking Plaza in Pune When will Bangalore have it?
- Samachar Editorial ----> Alitalia humiliates Indian passenger
Saturday, May 27, 2006
RESERVATIONS IN INDIA
To deny, to believe, and to doubt absolutely -- this is for man what running is for a horse.
--- Blaise Pascal
Introduction
As soon as I came to
Anyways, recently, the topic of interest in
I started being terribly against the reservation policy, thinking the way most people in agitation are thinking. But with time, I have also been simultaneously educated by my knowledgeable friends with the other side of the story. I sit back, in awe, with uncertainty, as to what stand shoudl I take? What should be the right thing for the country to do to lift the downtrodden masses, to create a a society without caste, creed and discrimination.....
I dont know the art of writing .... All I know is to jot it down as my heart speaks out. May be one day I will learn the art of articulation....
Political Agenda
Several people, including some senior members in the congress are of the opinion that Arjun Singh brought this up for scoring poilitical mileage against Manmohan Singh and he had to do this since he was almost on the verge of getting shunted out into some less important corners of Congress. Is there any doubt in it? But lets put politics aside.
Caste and Society
However educated we are, we have not been able to get out of this caste disease. You open up some of the Governement forms to be filled up, you will be asked for your Caste. For example, look at the form to be filled to register your marriage. While we are fighting or trying to fight to eradicate this menace how can a sane society not work towards making sure that caste is indeed not an important factor to filled in a form? An interesting story in the same line is, one day I happened to meet a person who was also telugu. Immediately he asked me am I a Brahmin? When I said yes, his next question was , "whats your surname?"..
Reservation
If anyone thinks that reservation is the way to solve the caste problem and hence supporting the plan of the government, I definitely think thats the most foolish decision. I would rather sit, spend time and come up innovative alternate solutions rather than supporting the concept of reserving positions in higher centers of learning.
- Economically Backward? --> Provide economic assitance so that they can take training towards the career they want to pursue. These days every profession, college etc. has entrance. We should look towards providing economic support to the person to be able to prepare for the exam rather than ensuring that a seat will be kept in the institution for him her.
- Socially Backward? --> Its true that "Creamy Layer" concept is brought forward by the government to exclude those who are already established in the society and can sustain themselves, from taking advantage of the reservation. For the remaining, I definitely think they can be considered economically backward too.
Some Government Decisions
Government, in an effort to take a middle path has said that even the general category seats will be increased. In the institutions like IITs and IIMs, where there is already a severe crunch in the number of faculty, how do they expect to increase the faculty to take of this increase in the number of seats? This is going to force these institute of prominence to dilute their constraints in choosing the faculty. The standards of the institute in turn will take a hit. This is going to definitely show up in the research contributions of the institute. In turn the interest of the global industry in these institutes will definitely take a dip. Someone aptly quoted, “Faculty do not grow on trees”.
Are we refreshing the traumatic moments of 1990? Are we in the process of giving birth to more Rajiv Goswamis in a much larger scale? I fear this is going to lead into a huge conflagration.
Either we correct ourselves or Good luck
KEEP READING.....
References and Related Links:
- National Commission for Backward Classes : http://www.ncbc.nic.in
- Information on Mandal Commission -- http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mandal_Commission
- Who are the OBCs? -- http://www.theotherindia.org/caste/who-are-the-obcs.html
- http://www.theotherindia.org
- Who are the regular sanitation workers in India?
- Do you want to contact the govt. stating your stand? -- http://www.sarkaritel.com/
- Upper Castes Get More Top Jobs? NO -- Rediff Article -- http://in.rediff.com/money/2006/may/15quota.htm
- Rediff Article -- Are Brahmins the Dalits of Today? -- http://in.rediff.com/news/2006/may/23franc.htm
- Indian Express Article -- "Costs and Benefits of Quotas" -- http://economictimes.indiatimes
.com/articleshow/1500848.cms - Affirmative Action in the United States and India by Tom Weisskopf -- http://www-personal.umich.edu/
~tomw/bookinformation.htm - India Together Article -- Letters of Resignation of the Knowledge Commission Members -- http://www.indiatogether.org/2006/may/opi-nkcresign.htm
- India Together Article -- The merits of Reservation -- http://indiatogether.org/2004/apr/edt-reserve.htm
- Outlook India Article -- How Sharad Got a Life -- http://www.outlookindia.com/full.asp?fname=Cover%20Story%20(F)&fodname=20060424&sid=1
Sunday, May 21, 2006
LIFE IN BANGALORE
Currently I am visiting Bangalore and seeing the winds of change....
Came here on May 8. No one can ignore the huge amount of liveliness all around you. So different from the Bangalore that I saw in 1998. "Economic Boom", the word that is being discussed throughout the world with regards to India and China cannot go unnoticed when you are in Bangalore. Young faces all around with full of energy walking all around.
Huge Malls have come up everywhere... Cafe Cofee Days are at every corner.
May 27, 2006
--------------
Continuing with the previous observation... Its a fun thing to go to a mall such a forum mall and watch the activities of people. Its kinda hep to go to these malls it seems. Well people like go to have a cup of coffee and check out some hot women... :-) Most folks, I heard, just come, do window shopping, eat at the Transit, then generally chill out, find their way through the mind boggling crowd and go home. Hmm?
"Bangalore economy is booming"... You will hear everyone saying... Then you will hear the same person saying, "the traffic is awful", "Bangalore is going to dogs", blah blah blah....
For a moments, even I think, is this "boom" sustainable or is it one of those revisits of the bubble? I dont know. Only time will tell and I will have to observe. But I can definitely see that its a seller's market. No one gives a damn about the buyers. Real Estate is skyrocketing....You can buy a mansion in Austin for the price you pay to get a 2 bed room apartment in Bangalore. Is this justified? Hey!! who cares? Its a seller's market duh....
While I am happy to see lots of jobs being created , I cant ignore the gap that is getting increased day after day between the human beings. You go to Forum Mall, you enjoy a cup of coffee for Rs. 20, you enjoy a dosa for Rs. 40. Then come out , you will see a mother with two kids, one under her arm and one holding her hand, desperately trying to get a rupee or two from you. But what will she get for a rupee? You help her by giving a rupee? Dare you not.... Immediately 10 people will line up.... Thats what I experienced....
So where is all this headng to? Is it a fight for the status? is it a fight for the money? Is it like, "let me see how fast can i get richer"? I dont know. I have to see more as I observe.... IN the meantime I have to be equally open to both positive and negative things. I need to have the power to appreciate the good and criticize the wrong. Get awayed away by negativity or false pride.
When an economy booms, when more money comes in, a visionary plan should lead to an equal development of the community, a more value for life, more access to comforts.
I find it soo difficult to find the answers to these questions yet, in Bangalore. People defintiely have more purchasing power. They are buying cars, houses and all. But I have felt, the compassion, the value for life is degrading. God only save you if you meet with an accident on the road and its probability is very high.
The heart rending scene that I observed yesterday is going to go away from my mind for quite some time. Because may be I am not habituated to this. May be I have to habituate myself. May be when I usually see an accident in USA, the first thing I see is an ambulance rushing to first take the individual to a hospital. Yesterday, suddenly when we were driving , the traffic suddenly slowed down. Soon we realized that there was an accident and soon we saw a person lying on the road. Seems like he met with an accident. All we saw around were police, police vehicle and other crap. Where was the ambulance to rush that poor soul to hospital?
In the middle of all this economic boom, is the supreme value of human life dignity lost in the traffic and the roads?
May 31, 2006
--------------
Damn it.... My laptop adaptor got fried . :-( I was working on my laptop and suddenly a blast in front of my face and smoke started coming out. What the heck was that? I am sure one of those power surges. This morning there fire crackers outside and I realized that some transformer burst ... Be careful with electricity here buddy or get electrocuted... :-)
Keep Reading as I add more of my thoughts...
Interesting Links I found on the web...
Garbage Crisis in Bangalore: by Sujatha Bagal
Came here on May 8. No one can ignore the huge amount of liveliness all around you. So different from the Bangalore that I saw in 1998. "Economic Boom", the word that is being discussed throughout the world with regards to India and China cannot go unnoticed when you are in Bangalore. Young faces all around with full of energy walking all around.
Huge Malls have come up everywhere... Cafe Cofee Days are at every corner.
May 27, 2006
--------------
Continuing with the previous observation... Its a fun thing to go to a mall such a forum mall and watch the activities of people. Its kinda hep to go to these malls it seems. Well people like go to have a cup of coffee and check out some hot women... :-) Most folks, I heard, just come, do window shopping, eat at the Transit, then generally chill out, find their way through the mind boggling crowd and go home. Hmm?
"Bangalore economy is booming"... You will hear everyone saying... Then you will hear the same person saying, "the traffic is awful", "Bangalore is going to dogs", blah blah blah....
For a moments, even I think, is this "boom" sustainable or is it one of those revisits of the bubble? I dont know. Only time will tell and I will have to observe. But I can definitely see that its a seller's market. No one gives a damn about the buyers. Real Estate is skyrocketing....You can buy a mansion in Austin for the price you pay to get a 2 bed room apartment in Bangalore. Is this justified? Hey!! who cares? Its a seller's market duh....
While I am happy to see lots of jobs being created , I cant ignore the gap that is getting increased day after day between the human beings. You go to Forum Mall, you enjoy a cup of coffee for Rs. 20, you enjoy a dosa for Rs. 40. Then come out , you will see a mother with two kids, one under her arm and one holding her hand, desperately trying to get a rupee or two from you. But what will she get for a rupee? You help her by giving a rupee? Dare you not.... Immediately 10 people will line up.... Thats what I experienced....
So where is all this headng to? Is it a fight for the status? is it a fight for the money? Is it like, "let me see how fast can i get richer"? I dont know. I have to see more as I observe.... IN the meantime I have to be equally open to both positive and negative things. I need to have the power to appreciate the good and criticize the wrong. Get awayed away by negativity or false pride.
When an economy booms, when more money comes in, a visionary plan should lead to an equal development of the community, a more value for life, more access to comforts.
I find it soo difficult to find the answers to these questions yet, in Bangalore. People defintiely have more purchasing power. They are buying cars, houses and all. But I have felt, the compassion, the value for life is degrading. God only save you if you meet with an accident on the road and its probability is very high.
The heart rending scene that I observed yesterday is going to go away from my mind for quite some time. Because may be I am not habituated to this. May be I have to habituate myself. May be when I usually see an accident in USA, the first thing I see is an ambulance rushing to first take the individual to a hospital. Yesterday, suddenly when we were driving , the traffic suddenly slowed down. Soon we realized that there was an accident and soon we saw a person lying on the road. Seems like he met with an accident. All we saw around were police, police vehicle and other crap. Where was the ambulance to rush that poor soul to hospital?
In the middle of all this economic boom, is the supreme value of human life dignity lost in the traffic and the roads?
May 31, 2006
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Damn it.... My laptop adaptor got fried . :-( I was working on my laptop and suddenly a blast in front of my face and smoke started coming out. What the heck was that? I am sure one of those power surges. This morning there fire crackers outside and I realized that some transformer burst ... Be careful with electricity here buddy or get electrocuted... :-)
Keep Reading as I add more of my thoughts...
Interesting Links I found on the web...
Garbage Crisis in Bangalore: by Sujatha Bagal
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