Delhi Chronicles: "Did I Put My Family in Jeopardy?" - NYT correspondent
Jump to Page:
< Previous [ 1 ] [ 2 ] [ 3 ] [ 4 ] Next >
Posted on: 02-06-15 15:02:24
Around 2 years back I had a flight from Tor to Delhi and Delhi to Jammu.
The 2-3 hours @3 am, it was so suffocating outside, I was not able to breathe.
Priorities are different for different people.
Some choose health over wealth and some wealth over health. But few doesn't get choice.
I have tried to desist myself writing on this post. Reason was simple – Delhi is the city where I was born and brought up. Due to nature of my work, I had to travel for over 150 kms a day to almost all parts of the city. I have seen the beautiful city, which sometimes known as ‘The City of Gardens’. It has a special place in my heart. I am full of its beautiful memories. I still have the same Delhi in my heart and don’t want to accept its current situation. But the truth is a truth. I have seen it deteriorating. It is like a part of my heart is dying, every year when I visit.
I was there in January this year for one month. First time I got sick due to throat and lung infection. The doctor said that it is due to dust and smoke allergy and you have to bear it as long as you are here. He treated the symptoms to bring some relief to me.
The main culprit is the over population. On my street, all houses except mine have converted from single family house to 4 to 8 family residences. The density increased by over 5 times and there is a minimal increase in the infrastructure so what else can you expect?
Politicians and the bureaucrats are mainly responsible for this situation. Both have their vested interests. They never planned good policies and have no will of execution of policies. Both have robbed the health of the upcoming generation. Most of the politicians lived in the Lutyens Delhi, which is least impacted by the pollution but how long they will be unaffected. In near future, they will also face the consequences.
The situation describe by the NYT correspondent is closer to the reality, if not 100% true. If it is not as worst as described, it will be in very near future so no argument what the correspondent has written.
-----------------------------------------------------------------
A Delhite in Toronto
Quote:
Originally posted by Delhite
On my street, all houses except mine have converted from single family house to 4 to 8 family residences. The density increased by over 5 times and there is a minimal increase in the infrastructure so what else can you expect?
This, exactly this.
Couple of years ago when I visited Delhi, the leaves on the trees were brown, brown because they had a thick layer of dirt over all the leaves. So you can imagine what people are inhaling.
As far as street foods go, what do you expect? It is just that people develop resistance to germs, so all do not fall ill eating those foods. There was a report done on golgappa/pani puri factory by Suvarna News in Bangalore, the video of which is on youtube. It must the same for all cities in India not just Bangalore. It is nasty but if you really want to watch it, you can search on youtube by "Bangalore pani puri factory." The report is in Kannada but they show the factory somewhere in the video.
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Give free food http://www.thehungersite.com ||
Quote:
Originally posted by Delhite
Politicians and the bureaucrats are mainly responsible for this situation. Both have their vested interests. They never planned good policies and have no will of execution of policies. Both have robbed the health of the upcoming generation. Most of the politicians lived in the Lutyens Delhi, which is least impacted by the pollution but how long they will be unaffected. In near future, they will also face the consequences.
Agree with the rest of your post except this. Politicians and bureaucrats are not aliens who landed recently in a spaceship from another galaxy. They are as Indian as the rest of the population.
For example, the Delhi cab drivers who rip you off (any visiting non Delhite will tell you about this) are neither politicians not bureaucrats.
It's very easy and comforting to simply neatly box the blame and point it somewhere. But that fixes nothing.
A factual statement is that the people of Delhi are responsible. And they can bring about change if there is a collective will.
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Are you there?
Quote:
Originally posted by BlueLobster
Quote:
Originally posted by Delhite
Politicians and the bureaucrats are mainly responsible for this situation. Both have their vested interests. They never planned good policies and have no will of execution of policies. Both have robbed the health of the upcoming generation. Most of the politicians lived in the Lutyens Delhi, which is least impacted by the pollution but how long they will be unaffected. In near future, they will also face the consequences.
And they can bring about change if there is a collective will.
How?
I agree with you, except that it's the Politicians and Bureaucrats that lay the foundation of rules/regulations and help enforce it. Of-course, people have to fall in line, but the larger buck stops at the authorities. People are building 5 story houses where the need is only 3 or 2.5 stories. The bribes at the municipal offices pave the way. Enforcing 2.5 stories is the task by authorities from top to bottom. Enforcing the trees and green spaces within the city is the responsibility of authorities. Enforcing and ensuring a clean fuel and even cleaner vehicles are within the purview of Motor Vehicle department. They need to fine people and start sending out tickets. Part of the initiative must be governed by the Government machinery.
Authorities do need to take matters in their hands, where and when self-regulation doesn't work. It's the former that have the power in a larger scheme of things.
Do you think people in Western countries are cows? It's the strictest laws on the streets here that do the trick. Why do you think you drive within prescribed limit or water the lawn in summers only on the designated days? It's the 'fine' or 'ticket' scare. Hit people on their pocket, and see how it goes. Simply, punish the law breaker by putting system in place.
Every city has a Pollution Board. What do they mandate and enforce is everyone's guess.
Quote:
Originally posted by febpreet
How?
How? By being better citizens and following existing laws. The lawmakers and enforcers don't land from outer space, they're also people of the country.
Quote:
Do you think people in Western countries are cows? It's the strictest laws on the streets here that do the trick. Why do you think you drive within prescribed limit or water the lawn in summers only on the designated days? It's the 'fine' or 'ticket' scare. Hit people on their pocket, and see how it goes.
Do you think western countries were built by politicians or bureaucrats? No. They were built primarily by intelligent people who engaged in public policy making, elected the right leaders and as well helped draft and follow the laws we see and use today. Wasn't built overnight and would never have been built without a strong willed population.
Try this. Go to the US. While driving on the road, drive a little over your lane into the next lane when no cops are around. Then watch how one after another guy on the road calls you out even though you may not be in their way. Or take a bucket of garbage and dump it somewhere on a street in front of people. Watch then how people approach you. In India, hardly anyone would, unless you're dumping something on their personal property. The civic sense and collective responsibility outside of "my possessions" is absolutely woeful.
If Delhites start following the rules and the laws of their own will, plus taking active interest in ensuring others do too, eventually the politicians and bureaucrats absolutely have to come around. This is the only real way to trigger lasting change.
Alternatively, you can keep blaming politicians. Its easy, popular, has been done over the past 6-7 decades and absolutely nothing has changed, things keep getting worse.
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Are you there?
