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 17:35:19
To clarify, I'm not saying politicians and bureaucrats have no responsibility here. They have a HUGE responsibility. But they need to be "motivated" to do something. And that "motivation" needs to come from the people of Delhi. Otherwise, its just a vicious blame cycle.
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Are you there?
In a perfect scenario, yes Public need to change. I am not denying it. But, in the case of India this learning has to come from somewhere. I strongly believe authorities need to take cognizance of the worst state of affairs it's in and educate, regulate, and enforce in the strictest possible manner. This doesn't only apply to Delhi.
Again, I am in complete agreement with you as well.
Quote:
Originally posted by BlueLobster
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.
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.
Yes, absolutely. But that civic sense and education must have been originated from somewhere - either schools, colleges, or century old laws and traditions that stood the test of time and that were once enforced down people's throats at some point in time. India's still in infancy and it's imperative for authorities (schools, colleges, municipalities, etc.) to start the education, if not the regulation part.
It's the vicious cycle. But has to start at someplace. If the public is simply not interested, then the will of Govt. should follow. Or, the other way around. It will not be long before the situation deteriorates. It looks like none is interested realistically.
Quote:
Originally posted by febpreet
It looks like none is interested realistically.
Like someone else said, the most plausible scenario based on historical occurrence is nothing will be done unless there is a true emergency and crisis where people start dying left and right. That's the unfortunate truth there.
That said, we have two brand new govts in place, both in the center and in the state. I guess there's some faint hope that someone may get proactive.
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Are you there?
Quote:
Originally posted by BlueLobster
Quote:
Originally posted by febpreet
It looks like none is interested realistically.
Like someone else said, the most plausible scenario based on historical occurrence is nothing will be done unless there is a true emergency and crisis where people start dying left and right. That's the unfortunate truth there.
That said, we have two brand new govts in place, both in the center and in the state. I guess there's some faint hope that someone may get proactive.
I some how disappointed with both of them. None of them is concerned about preserving nature, quality of air and water etc. As rightly said in previous posts, they are waiting for crisis to come. Considering pollution, less rain, more heat, tree cutting down everywhere, not only in Delhi but across India, they infact are waiting for crisis to come. One is only concerned about bringing investments in India and other is only concerned about corruption. Why can't any one of them stand and say okey we will plant x number of trees this month. Is planting trees such a difficult task? Why cannot they just clean rivers in one year. What will investment from abroad will do if people cannot breath, cannot have clean water to drink.
As righly said by BL and FB, people should also take initiative and education is must and plays an important role. Good thing in Delhi Government working till now is their focus on education specially government schools.
-----------------------------------------------------------------
DELHI INDIAN
Around Charles Dickens time, London and other European cities used to be horrible places to live in. Filth and squalor everywhere. However, public planning and hygiene, implemented on a war footing helped turned the tide.
Urban infrastructure development is primarily in the realm of public policy and needs the input, management and enforcement of visionaries. It is a top-down issue. Urban networks/settings/clusters are very complex, sophisticated entities and need lots of planning, with technocratic people at helm. Unfortunately in India, elected persons like Municipal Councillors handle such issues.
Just look at Delhi suburbs (spilling over neighbouring states). Haphazard planning, anarchy everywhere and every man to himself. With the advantage of national funding and national attention, NCR should have been a world class urban cluster, but sadly it was not to be.
On the other hand look at east Asian cities like Singapore, Hong Kong, Seoul etc. (for similar comparison with India). They were as bad or worse than Calcutta, way back when. Now look at them. Gleaming metropolises. They had visionaries managing their cities. Or look at highway planning in US or autobahns in Germany. They were built during the first quarter of 20th century, but can handle growing population/traffic for another 150+ years.
Meanwhile, our leaders never learn. Here in south, in the state of AP, they are planning a new capital city(Amaravati). And what are they doing about it? They are planning a massive megalopolis of 1.5 crore people, to be designed on the lines of Singapore. Thus, repeating the mistake made with the earstwhile united Andhra Pradesh, ie., putting all the eggs in one basket(Which was Hyderabad). Even the politicians who have some vision in India are consumed by ego, megalomania, corruption and grandeur of power.
Mega cities do not suit India, they tend to turn into sh!tholes. What is needed is even and balanced regional development with smaller towns and district level cities developed as industrial clusters and economic powerhouses with suitable infrastructure planning and development for such clusters.
Regarding individual responsibility, in Singapore people had much more disgusting habits than defecating in the open. They used to pee in elevators. Then, Lee Ken Yew came about. Introduced rattan, which is kind of like south-east Asian lathi. Jab sab ki G ki chamdi utar gayi, public bhi sudhar gayi.
That being said, NYT has a habit of writing hit pieces against India.
If one looks at the Delhi pollution levels as shown in the below infograph, it is clearly seen that the critical levels have been crossed long ago.
1) Delhi has 82 lakh vehicles which is equal to the total number of all three metros combined(Chennai + kolkota + Mumbai). One of the main culprits.
2) Pollution in Delhi is not only from Vehicles, but also due to burning gas discharged from hundreds of Brick making units spread all over Delhi and surrounding NCR area.
3) The study by CNCI finds that every 3rd child in Delhi has reduced or impaired lung function.
4) The first world has smartly moved all manufacturing units to the developing and 3rd world countries thus ensuring that their citizens remain safe from harms way.
see Infograph at:
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/Infographic-Is-Delhi-air-indeed-the-dirtiest-in-the-world/articleshow/47529506.cms
