To Err is Human.... To Blame, Politician.

While Mumbai saw a deluge of rains... It looked like the Gods were hell-bent on sinking this piece of land under the seabed. There was water that could submerge humans which were 6 feet tall... the sewage lines choked.. trains, buses and all commute stalled.. and people were left stranded where they were... it appeared to be the end of the world. But it stopped and as it turns out it has been a bit more than a rude awakening since then...

As usual, the Indian junta started its howling, protesting and cribbing in the aftermath. The environmentalists, the media and the "mumbaikars" did not lose even a moment in blaming the governement for the catastrophe. People blamed the politicians for the very little interest in they showed the city other than making individual fortunes and siphoning off the revenues to their own constituencies.

And in the recent developments, the Mumbai Govt has banned the use of plastic bags in the State. Whats more, manufacturers and stores selling plastic bags will be fined Rs 5,000, while individuals using bags face penalties of Rs 1,000. This is just the icing on the cake... Guess what could be next... A ban on wrapping your stuff in a newspaper or using soap while bathing ? This is just the typical indian politics.. "When nothing else works, ban something". The irony of the fact is that, the environmentalists welcome this move. This ban if imposed would leave 1 lakh people unemployed overnight. So, it might take the entire mumbai population to be paying fines each day to make up for their salaries and payouts.

Does the govt have a plan for them ? You would hope they would.
Has the govt considered how much of corruption and malpractice it would lead to ? You would hope they have.
Have they considered what would be an alternate to the handy plastic bags which proud shoppers flaunt as they make their walk out of a shopping mall or a vegetable market ? One sure hopes so.
But if all hopes could turn to realities, there would be no misery in the world. Sigh.. Hopes are nothing but hopes and I just hope that this "optimism" pays off and I live to see Mumbai turning into a Singapore one day.

This reflects the terrible short-sightedness and the incapability that surrounds the indian political scenario. The last I had checked, India was a democracy where everyone had a right to everything that was within legal limits... where one could proudly pursue his ambitions and dreams. But, this plastic ban seeks to do just the opposite... it is just a tad lesser than stifling the people of the country of things they can use and things that they cannot. I fail to fathom, what would such a move achieve. Instead of empowering the people to make wise and knowledgeable decisions, instead of educating them on the pros and cons of using plastics these drastic moves are just another way of invoking an uproar.

A few alternatives that could have been taken...

a. Educate the public on the perils or using such things and the possible harm this can cause to the infrastrucuture and the environment. Create an awareness of using paper bags and recycling them. Cleanliness cannot be substituted by these foolish and rash rules. People are ready to listen and no one needs to teach Indians how to adopt. If they are convinced that it is for their betterment, they WILL listen and comply.

b. Impose strict rules on littering, squatting and loitering in the open rather than making people pay fines just for carrying around plastic bags. Ofcourse, we Indians never go down without a fight and hence heavy fines and\or imprisonments might have to be levied if these have to be followed. Guess why I have never seen a train stopped by pulling the chain by anyone just for amusement ?

c. Stop the morchas, the yaatras, the high profile visits of VIPs. They do nothing but disrupt the life of a normal citizen and arouse hatred. Instead, build on contingency and evacuation plans in case of such natural calamities.

It is upto the people to wake up from their slumber and realize the potential that their vote has. It is they who voted this government to power. It is they who have put these incompetent morons in those prestigious positions. What they fail to realize that , these politicians have made politics their profession and it is no more done for the benefits of the society. Instead, it is their livelihood and they can go to any limits to flourish from it.

~Dead Pep