Dah-lee mein seaons hote hain, Madamji (Delhi has seasons, Ma'am) the snobbish shop assistant proclaimed when I asked him for a cotton dupatta to match my paisley printed, light-coloured, cotton kurta. Instead, he proceeded to show me a vast range of beautiful pashminas. And, he hastened to add, such prints don't work during winter - stick to solid colours and bold lines and you will be fine. This was a couple of years ago. Now I know better. The seasons he was referring to are broadly two: Diwali to Holi and reverse, which includes a stuffy monsoon period as well. Post Diwali, you put away your cottons and muslins and bring out the woollies and the silks. In Sarojini Nagar market, depending on how the roadside vendor assesses your level of "cool-ness", you are offered socks or stockings. In Dilli Haat, Kashmir and HP artisans are the flavours of the season..exhibiting their gorgeous stoles / shawls / carpers and other winter accessories and crafts. Then there's adrak-waali chai, flavourful shorbas and hearty soups. 'Nuff said?
So folks, its that time of the year. The raat-ki-raani was in bloom just recently and dogs, big or small, desi or videsi, have started wearing sweaters while trotting about the city (only the finest Burberry will do, mind you, for our fashion-conscious residents and their pooches). Weather-wise, winter is just so delightful in Delhi. There are a host of free concerts in the park and several theatre and dance festivals. Over the past month or so, SK and I have been eating out on the terrace a lot before the real chill sets in and we're forced to flee indoors (SK will be fleeing inside a lot earlier than I, the So-Cal guy that he is :-)). A thin envelope of fog (actually a dust-smoke haze, the pessimist in me cries out!) greets us in the mornings now, soon to be the cause of a lot of trouble at the airports and railway stations. For all the technology and highly-skilled trained staff that airlines claim to have, they still can't seem to figure this one out. Come December and hundreds of flights will be delayed, our preparedness will be questioned and yet, nothing much will change. It simply baffles me, this ineptitude to deal with what truly harsh, winter-stricken parts of the world would label a 'minor inconvenience'. True, North America also has its airport-shutdown days and Siberia might witness quite a few disruptions, but nothing on the scale of what we have come to embrace as part of this otherwise glorious weather pattern.
It is Atithi Devo Bhavo time - when we welcome tourists from all over the globe, charge them unthinkable sums of money for a night in the city or on the fringes of a national park for a glimpse of the elusive big cat. All glory to them. And finally, its another special kind of season in India...that which signals the impending arrival of its foreign-resident, homeward-bound people (NRIs). Hoards and hoards of them (I too, was one such specimen, until recently) zipping from one end of the city / country to another, squeezing in yet another visit with yet another relative or friend or buying that last souvenir in the hopes that the luggage will not give way. My mother said once: NRIs yeti ghara, toch Diwali-Dasara
At the stroke of the midnight hour
15 November 2010
09 November 2010
Flying economy
He flew economy. Not business. With 250 "dhando-people" in tow, America's salesman-in-chief (as Obama has been described recently) flew in the US economy in a desperate (?) bid to win over the hub of outsourcing. How the mighty fall!
The Obamas made Mumbai their first stop, not a bad move, considering the maximum city is the economic and financial capital of India. Some might even say that the stock market's Diwali mahurat trading bonanza of 21k+ was, in no small measure, attributable to the potential gains from trade that Obama was rumoured to bring along with him.
However, as Indians, most of us like the Republicans more, I suspect, what with their low-taxation and free-trade policies. So Obama's more restrictive approach, if you will, is all well and good for the American rhetoric, but here, he sang a different tune. Within hours of landing, he signed deals with billions of dollars (sold us a lot of fighter jets, watch out, neighbours?), claiming to generate 50,000 jobs back in the States, boost bilateral trade and open doors to more and greater opportunities for our people. Does India really need to trade with the United States? While India's annual GDP growth (largely fueled by growing domestic demand) is in the 8-9% range, the US economy is only growing at about 2%. But we like the products that American make (market); from cheap consumer electronics to fancy educational degrees. Why the US claims to need India as a major trading partner is still a bit of a mystery. Its trade deficit is still pitted against only China's capacity to manufacture and supply extremely cheap goods in tremendous volumes, year after year.
As is customary, we went a tad overboard with our hospitality - what with the traditional welcome being accorded by PYTs dressed as brides of India, the finest camels and horses on display at Rashtrapati Bhavan (err, why?), the lavishness of the meals, the PM enveloping Obama in a great bear-hug at the airport (what a nightmare for protocol sticklers!), the Obamas being forced to Bhangra their way from Mumbai to Delhi and so on. Hopefully it provided a wee bit bit of distraction to the visiting dignitaries who are probably still smarting from a resounding mid-term loss of the House and barely managing to hold on to the Senate.
Finally, a note to Michelle Obama's on her choice of clothing on which more was written than the politics of diplomacy in the past few days. Please don't bring your drab greens and greys and utterly shapeless outfits over to India again. We like people of and with colour. Outsource the wardrobe - you know the drill.
The Obamas made Mumbai their first stop, not a bad move, considering the maximum city is the economic and financial capital of India. Some might even say that the stock market's Diwali mahurat trading bonanza of 21k+ was, in no small measure, attributable to the potential gains from trade that Obama was rumoured to bring along with him.
However, as Indians, most of us like the Republicans more, I suspect, what with their low-taxation and free-trade policies. So Obama's more restrictive approach, if you will, is all well and good for the American rhetoric, but here, he sang a different tune. Within hours of landing, he signed deals with billions of dollars (sold us a lot of fighter jets, watch out, neighbours?), claiming to generate 50,000 jobs back in the States, boost bilateral trade and open doors to more and greater opportunities for our people. Does India really need to trade with the United States? While India's annual GDP growth (largely fueled by growing domestic demand) is in the 8-9% range, the US economy is only growing at about 2%. But we like the products that American make (market); from cheap consumer electronics to fancy educational degrees. Why the US claims to need India as a major trading partner is still a bit of a mystery. Its trade deficit is still pitted against only China's capacity to manufacture and supply extremely cheap goods in tremendous volumes, year after year.
As is customary, we went a tad overboard with our hospitality - what with the traditional welcome being accorded by PYTs dressed as brides of India, the finest camels and horses on display at Rashtrapati Bhavan (err, why?), the lavishness of the meals, the PM enveloping Obama in a great bear-hug at the airport (what a nightmare for protocol sticklers!), the Obamas being forced to Bhangra their way from Mumbai to Delhi and so on. Hopefully it provided a wee bit bit of distraction to the visiting dignitaries who are probably still smarting from a resounding mid-term loss of the House and barely managing to hold on to the Senate.
Finally, a note to Michelle Obama's on her choice of clothing on which more was written than the politics of diplomacy in the past few days. Please don't bring your drab greens and greys and utterly shapeless outfits over to India again. We like people of and with colour. Outsource the wardrobe - you know the drill.
22 October 2010
Spoil-sport
A little over a week ago, 2010's biggest sporting (?) extravaganza came to an end. A spectacular finish for India, with over a hundred medals and the 2nd spot in the overall rankings.
The 19th Common Wealth Games (CWG) which, for most of this year, drew much criticism from within the country and outside for shoddy preparations, later seemed to transform Delhi during their 12-day run in the capital. Embroiled in controversy, CWG was badly hit by the erratic late monsoon pattern, poor construction, petty bickering, conflicting (hidden) agendas; all resulting in seemingly-endless delays. But a mad dash to a brilliant opening ceremony (thankfully, without Bollywood in tow) set the tone for the remainder of the event.
Never has Delhi witnessed so much discipline on the roads! Stern-looking security guards at every street corner ensured it became a fortress, albeit a gorgeous one. Delhi's famous green cover too shone and aerial shots of Lutyen's zone reversed much of the damage done to its reputation over the past few months. CP's gleaming white pillars and buildings proudly displayed their decades-old heritage, beautifully blending into modern-day Rajiv Chowk, with its hi-tech underground Metro hub.
While the Games passed off peacefully, were sportsmanship and fair play ever in the minds of the Organizing Committee (OC) / Delhi Govt. / Sports Ministry / misc other (important) officials who were entrusted with the responsibility of conducting this grand event? Its a given now that there was rampant corruption and blatant abuse of power at every level and as investigations get underway, we are subjected to mud-slinging fests and blame games. Such a pity!
On a positive note, a huge round of applause for our sports women and men who brought us laurels in an international (non-cricketing) arena. Lets hope the new generation of Delhi and indeed, the rest of the country, view sports in a new light and work towards greater goals. Lets hope also that the stadia and other training facilities built in and around Delhi serve to hone the skills of this new talent and encourage more youngsters to take up sport professionally. Lets finally hope that the CWG mess doesn't spoil the country's future in sport.
The 19th Common Wealth Games (CWG) which, for most of this year, drew much criticism from within the country and outside for shoddy preparations, later seemed to transform Delhi during their 12-day run in the capital. Embroiled in controversy, CWG was badly hit by the erratic late monsoon pattern, poor construction, petty bickering, conflicting (hidden) agendas; all resulting in seemingly-endless delays. But a mad dash to a brilliant opening ceremony (thankfully, without Bollywood in tow) set the tone for the remainder of the event.
Never has Delhi witnessed so much discipline on the roads! Stern-looking security guards at every street corner ensured it became a fortress, albeit a gorgeous one. Delhi's famous green cover too shone and aerial shots of Lutyen's zone reversed much of the damage done to its reputation over the past few months. CP's gleaming white pillars and buildings proudly displayed their decades-old heritage, beautifully blending into modern-day Rajiv Chowk, with its hi-tech underground Metro hub.
While the Games passed off peacefully, were sportsmanship and fair play ever in the minds of the Organizing Committee (OC) / Delhi Govt. / Sports Ministry / misc other (important) officials who were entrusted with the responsibility of conducting this grand event? Its a given now that there was rampant corruption and blatant abuse of power at every level and as investigations get underway, we are subjected to mud-slinging fests and blame games. Such a pity!
On a positive note, a huge round of applause for our sports women and men who brought us laurels in an international (non-cricketing) arena. Lets hope the new generation of Delhi and indeed, the rest of the country, view sports in a new light and work towards greater goals. Lets hope also that the stadia and other training facilities built in and around Delhi serve to hone the skills of this new talent and encourage more youngsters to take up sport professionally. Lets finally hope that the CWG mess doesn't spoil the country's future in sport.
02 July 2010
Of Cast(e) Offs and Hand-me-downs
This is a really difficult piece to write, partly because I still haven't entirely figured out my own thoughts on the subject and partly because at many levels I stubbornly refuse to mutely accept the forced chains of tradition with regard to lineage and rights.
In an earlier post I wrote about the need to include one's caste in the ongoing census in India. To me, it was simple: if you want to integrate marginalized and excluded communities (solely as defined by our unique caste system) into "mainstream" economic channels and social activities, how will you identify who they are? How will you ensure that the real deserving and needy get access to special economic schemes and opportunities targeted at them? And so I saw a self-reported caste count as a step toward better ‘identification’ of these oppressed groups. But this issue on caste in the census has unfolded like a can of worms and its likely going to derail the development process with its endless debates and disruptions. Whether or not we should promote inclusive long-term and sustainable development on the basis of caste, creed, gender or religion is another matter (for the record, its one that I do not agree with - I only support a society built on the strength of its human resource with investments in their future and creation of opportunities for all, irrespective of the origins of its people). The fact however is, in our country, we hail reservations (affirmative action), the women's reservation bill, creations of new and further sub-divisions of existing religious groups and other such exercises undertaken periodically. We also routinely discriminate on the basis of one's geographical origin (“she's from there”, eyes rolled), skin colour (I get aggravated by the numerous skin lightening products in the market, more so when promoted by supposedly leading figures from the entertainment world – get real, people!) as if those parameters in themselves should demarcate any person from the rest of us. And could women in India please put an end to believing that white = good marriage proposal/ good job/good life? Seriously. That would give these overnight wonder white products a run for their money.
So what is caste? Is it merely a statement of the occupational and hierarchical heritage handed down to us by our ancestors? Is it a reflection of our DNA? Both? Neither? Why can’t caste be replaced with economic parameters? Are the recent violent khap panchayat diktats handed out on any scientific understanding of the situation or are they (yet another) form of bullying by mostly male members of two consenting adults who choose to live together and/or marry? When we automatically spew out our caste (known to us only anecdotally any way), do we care to understand if it is relevant in our lives? I’m interested in knowing more about the origins of this system and its intended functions, limitations. What upsets me is if somebody says that a warrior’s son can only be a warrior and cannot convert. I cannot change unless I marry somebody from a different caste and then have to ‘automatically’ assume his caste (or everybody around me assumes it on my behalf!). This is so outdated what with many married women (including myself) not taking their husbands names and families becoming more and more nuclear, a little less focused on what was and a little more focused what we will be.
A few words on religion (this, by the way, is intrinsically linked to caste in our great nation). I’ll stick to Hinduism, that’s what I was initiated into from childhood. Why don’t some of our temple authorities allow certain sections of our society to enter their premises? Faith is faith – is it any different when coming from a dark-skinned individual or a ‘supposedly’ low caste child or women in general? (I say supposedly because I will not adhere to this pre-determined grading system). Temple donations are not indicative of one’s belief; in fact, there are hundreds who give simply in the spirit of giving out of the glare of media. I always thought that temple priests were the epitome of cleanliness and wisdom, symbolizing the word “sacred”. So what/who allows them to show up at work unkempt, filthy-mouthed, blatantly abusing the power vested in them? Who allows them to push around devotees because they can’t be bothered to put in overtime on a busy day? What prevents more women from taking this up as a profession? The deep-rooted exclusion which is ever-present, yet, which we pretend doesn’t exist. Too much needs to change, and quickly.
I’ll sign off with the hope that during the next census round, I’ll be interviewed by a lady who has broken all stereotypes: she’s dark-skinned and overcome obstacles both financially and socially, she’s educated and gone ahead and she’s cast off any doubts that one might have about her aptitude or knowledge. She drinks water from a glass that I would use. I hope that irrespective of my response to her question of caste; she allows herself to consider me as an equal, an Indian.
In an earlier post I wrote about the need to include one's caste in the ongoing census in India. To me, it was simple: if you want to integrate marginalized and excluded communities (solely as defined by our unique caste system) into "mainstream" economic channels and social activities, how will you identify who they are? How will you ensure that the real deserving and needy get access to special economic schemes and opportunities targeted at them? And so I saw a self-reported caste count as a step toward better ‘identification’ of these oppressed groups. But this issue on caste in the census has unfolded like a can of worms and its likely going to derail the development process with its endless debates and disruptions. Whether or not we should promote inclusive long-term and sustainable development on the basis of caste, creed, gender or religion is another matter (for the record, its one that I do not agree with - I only support a society built on the strength of its human resource with investments in their future and creation of opportunities for all, irrespective of the origins of its people). The fact however is, in our country, we hail reservations (affirmative action), the women's reservation bill, creations of new and further sub-divisions of existing religious groups and other such exercises undertaken periodically. We also routinely discriminate on the basis of one's geographical origin (“she's from there”, eyes rolled), skin colour (I get aggravated by the numerous skin lightening products in the market, more so when promoted by supposedly leading figures from the entertainment world – get real, people!) as if those parameters in themselves should demarcate any person from the rest of us. And could women in India please put an end to believing that white = good marriage proposal/ good job/good life? Seriously. That would give these overnight wonder white products a run for their money.
So what is caste? Is it merely a statement of the occupational and hierarchical heritage handed down to us by our ancestors? Is it a reflection of our DNA? Both? Neither? Why can’t caste be replaced with economic parameters? Are the recent violent khap panchayat diktats handed out on any scientific understanding of the situation or are they (yet another) form of bullying by mostly male members of two consenting adults who choose to live together and/or marry? When we automatically spew out our caste (known to us only anecdotally any way), do we care to understand if it is relevant in our lives? I’m interested in knowing more about the origins of this system and its intended functions, limitations. What upsets me is if somebody says that a warrior’s son can only be a warrior and cannot convert. I cannot change unless I marry somebody from a different caste and then have to ‘automatically’ assume his caste (or everybody around me assumes it on my behalf!). This is so outdated what with many married women (including myself) not taking their husbands names and families becoming more and more nuclear, a little less focused on what was and a little more focused what we will be.
A few words on religion (this, by the way, is intrinsically linked to caste in our great nation). I’ll stick to Hinduism, that’s what I was initiated into from childhood. Why don’t some of our temple authorities allow certain sections of our society to enter their premises? Faith is faith – is it any different when coming from a dark-skinned individual or a ‘supposedly’ low caste child or women in general? (I say supposedly because I will not adhere to this pre-determined grading system). Temple donations are not indicative of one’s belief; in fact, there are hundreds who give simply in the spirit of giving out of the glare of media. I always thought that temple priests were the epitome of cleanliness and wisdom, symbolizing the word “sacred”. So what/who allows them to show up at work unkempt, filthy-mouthed, blatantly abusing the power vested in them? Who allows them to push around devotees because they can’t be bothered to put in overtime on a busy day? What prevents more women from taking this up as a profession? The deep-rooted exclusion which is ever-present, yet, which we pretend doesn’t exist. Too much needs to change, and quickly.
I’ll sign off with the hope that during the next census round, I’ll be interviewed by a lady who has broken all stereotypes: she’s dark-skinned and overcome obstacles both financially and socially, she’s educated and gone ahead and she’s cast off any doubts that one might have about her aptitude or knowledge. She drinks water from a glass that I would use. I hope that irrespective of my response to her question of caste; she allows herself to consider me as an equal, an Indian.
08 June 2010
Customer Service
In India, we have helplines for just about everything. Namashkar, mera naam .... hai, mein aaj aapki kaise sahayata kar sakta(i) hoon? My name is .... how may I help you today? Friendly, pleasant and polite enough. And that's where it ends. Before it even began! I am exhausted by the sheer amount of time and energy (not to mention, money) wasted in dealing with this first line of customer service executives who mean well but are able to help very little in real, substantive terms. Picture this: Me "I'd like some help please in locating my credit card, the courier company says they're unable to deliver it because of an incorrect address provided by you. I don't know the card number since its a new card. Could you trace it by the name of card holder?” Him "Sure, ma'am, what is the CC number? I need the number to proceed" Needless to say, its a fairly pointless dialogue and unless escalated to the level of the supervisor, a lost cause. And its not just credit card companies - this happens with mobile phone service providers, cable guys, public utilities, private banks and so on. The unwillingness, probably stemming from a deficiency in capacity, to grasp a customer's problem and instead rattle off a series of verification questions or worse still so-called problem-solving techniques which are in no way related to your query is incredibly frustrating and unproductive.
For the past 5 days now, I have been trying to get Tata Sky to repair what I think is a minor glitch with the recording function of my TiVo box. After all, how serious can it be if I understand the issue without any training whatsoever in the field of digital transmission and storage of content over satellite? (SK, you will be proud :-)) Service engineers have waltzed in and out of our apartment, set-top boxes have been changed, wires have been ripped out and furious exchanges with team leads at the other end of a phone line have followed, all to no avail. Why not? Because, we as Indians, do not analyse the problem. This is not taught to us in school. What we are taught instead is to memorize solutions (seriously!), blurt them all out and hope that one of them will be the correct answer. Sadly, not.
Since liberalization in 1991/92, we have been promoting our economy as services-oriented, a haven for outsourcing with a focus on large pools of a cheap, English-speaking labour force. To make this model sustainable and profitable in the long-run, we simply cannot ignore a focus on the quality of training imparted to this labour and equally importantly, on the quality of service which they provide. When the West talks about frustration in dealing with Indian staff, lets for a minute, forget about their underlying distaste for our accent and possibly appearance and address another issue here: that of the utter lack of problem-solving aptitude which is all-too-apparent within the first few minutes of getting into a conversation with a helpline agent. Do organizations not lose huge sums of money if every single case is taken up with a mid-level manager? What then, besides benching, is the purpose of hiring hoards of little or badly-trained junior staff? This is employment generation and retention at its worst. Companies often complain that newly-recruited staff is not employable, i.e. the training they bring from their education institutions is so ill-suited to the demands of a real work environment, that they “spend” millions on (re)building this workforce. But I believe that to create a truly skilled worker, they need to “invest” and invest well.
On the Tata Sky front, the manager is now going to come over and attempt to fix the problem. If that too fails, Aamir Khan and Gul Panag, you will be subpoenaed. Stay tuned.
For the past 5 days now, I have been trying to get Tata Sky to repair what I think is a minor glitch with the recording function of my TiVo box. After all, how serious can it be if I understand the issue without any training whatsoever in the field of digital transmission and storage of content over satellite? (SK, you will be proud :-)) Service engineers have waltzed in and out of our apartment, set-top boxes have been changed, wires have been ripped out and furious exchanges with team leads at the other end of a phone line have followed, all to no avail. Why not? Because, we as Indians, do not analyse the problem. This is not taught to us in school. What we are taught instead is to memorize solutions (seriously!), blurt them all out and hope that one of them will be the correct answer. Sadly, not.
Since liberalization in 1991/92, we have been promoting our economy as services-oriented, a haven for outsourcing with a focus on large pools of a cheap, English-speaking labour force. To make this model sustainable and profitable in the long-run, we simply cannot ignore a focus on the quality of training imparted to this labour and equally importantly, on the quality of service which they provide. When the West talks about frustration in dealing with Indian staff, lets for a minute, forget about their underlying distaste for our accent and possibly appearance and address another issue here: that of the utter lack of problem-solving aptitude which is all-too-apparent within the first few minutes of getting into a conversation with a helpline agent. Do organizations not lose huge sums of money if every single case is taken up with a mid-level manager? What then, besides benching, is the purpose of hiring hoards of little or badly-trained junior staff? This is employment generation and retention at its worst. Companies often complain that newly-recruited staff is not employable, i.e. the training they bring from their education institutions is so ill-suited to the demands of a real work environment, that they “spend” millions on (re)building this workforce. But I believe that to create a truly skilled worker, they need to “invest” and invest well.
On the Tata Sky front, the manager is now going to come over and attempt to fix the problem. If that too fails, Aamir Khan and Gul Panag, you will be subpoenaed. Stay tuned.
07 June 2010
Monsoon Magic and Water Woes
The first spell of the southwest monsoon (ver. 2010) rains hit South India a few days ago. Mira Nair made this very special season famous with her heartwarming movie "Monsoon Wedding" - but nothing beats the experience of being caught in a downpour for the very first time after a scorching, unforgiving summer! The earth comes back to life with a heady fragrance of the raindrops hitting the dry mud. Birds chirp away: the cuckoo bird, the mayna bird, the parakeet, all vying for attention as SK and I sip our morning tea on the terrace. Leaves glisten in the sunlight while squirrels run up and down on the tree trunks chasing each other and steering clear of the stray kitty hiding in the bushes. Then there's monsoon food (naturally). Kanda bhajees (for all Punekars out there, atop Sinhagad where the best ones are to be had!) and piping hot momos with thukpa, at Dilli Haat in Dilli. Also, romantic bread-wine-cheese evenings indoors listening to soothing strains of melodious music while watching the rain fall. Or outdoors grabbing a quick bite at the hastily put up food stall with hard-to-resist samosas and jalebis! 'Nuff said.
Last month, I hopped over to Guwahati in Assam, where the northeast monsoon had already started. I don't know anything about this region except what I studied in geography class way back in high school but just the drive from the airport made me want to move there. Lush green landscapes, misty skies, lofty mountain tops and genuinely cool breeze. Little rivers of fresh rainwater were being formed all around me. Its then that I wondered, what happens to it? Do we just allow it to drain off into the soil? Although the northeast gets a got deal of rain every year, paradoxically, it faces a severe clean water shortage, I was told. Not surprisingly then, I saw houses with pipes running across the lengths of their roofs collecting rainwater and emptying it in tubs below for future consumption. How do we go from being a state of want to a state of plenty? What we need is a change in our mindset and a change in our behavior as well, i.e. to save when we have plenty so we aren't caught scrambling in times of dire need.
What is unacceptable is that while parts of our country are flooded annually, there are vast areas which go without water for years on end. Even more criminal is seeing utter wastage of water during transportation - more often than not, water tankers in Delhi have ill-fitting or no caps. As a result, you could practically give yourself a good hose-down if you manage to ride behind one of these tankers as they make their way on somewhat-bumpy roads to quench the thirst of thousands of denizens who queue for hours for a single bucketful of water. Just the sight of children and the elderly all lined up in the afternoon heat should be enough to make us demand that we have better maintained tankers and better enforcement of water utilization. But how many of us bother to get our private water tanks serviced regularly so that they don’t overflow from the morning water supply provided by the authorities? How many of us pay our water bills on time, if at all? Do we care, even for minute, if we don’t face the problem? The pervasive culture in Delhi (and I suspect across many cities in India) is to avoid paying the government even a penny wherever possible and yet complain about the lack of public utilities in the system. Making a large purchase (consumer durables / jewellery / others) and then insisting on a fake receipt or a cash payment – so we don’t pay VAT and the shopkeeper is only too happy to comply since he / she doesn’t need to get books audited and can in turn pay lower taxes. Do we have any justification for complaining about bad roads if we don’t pay road taxes? Ditto with water and electricity consumption.
On a larger scale, we need ways to use (and harvest) water more efficiently. I’ve read that notable efforts (water harvesting, recycling) are already being undertaken by various stakeholders, including large hotel chains and corporations. In the agriculture sector, one such example is SRI or the system of rice intensification methodology for increasing the productivity of irrigated rice cultivation by changing the management of plants, soil, water and nutrients, in turn leading to major water savings.
This is the biggest investment we can make for ourselves and future generations. Save a drop today for an ocean tomorrow.
Last month, I hopped over to Guwahati in Assam, where the northeast monsoon had already started. I don't know anything about this region except what I studied in geography class way back in high school but just the drive from the airport made me want to move there. Lush green landscapes, misty skies, lofty mountain tops and genuinely cool breeze. Little rivers of fresh rainwater were being formed all around me. Its then that I wondered, what happens to it? Do we just allow it to drain off into the soil? Although the northeast gets a got deal of rain every year, paradoxically, it faces a severe clean water shortage, I was told. Not surprisingly then, I saw houses with pipes running across the lengths of their roofs collecting rainwater and emptying it in tubs below for future consumption. How do we go from being a state of want to a state of plenty? What we need is a change in our mindset and a change in our behavior as well, i.e. to save when we have plenty so we aren't caught scrambling in times of dire need.
What is unacceptable is that while parts of our country are flooded annually, there are vast areas which go without water for years on end. Even more criminal is seeing utter wastage of water during transportation - more often than not, water tankers in Delhi have ill-fitting or no caps. As a result, you could practically give yourself a good hose-down if you manage to ride behind one of these tankers as they make their way on somewhat-bumpy roads to quench the thirst of thousands of denizens who queue for hours for a single bucketful of water. Just the sight of children and the elderly all lined up in the afternoon heat should be enough to make us demand that we have better maintained tankers and better enforcement of water utilization. But how many of us bother to get our private water tanks serviced regularly so that they don’t overflow from the morning water supply provided by the authorities? How many of us pay our water bills on time, if at all? Do we care, even for minute, if we don’t face the problem? The pervasive culture in Delhi (and I suspect across many cities in India) is to avoid paying the government even a penny wherever possible and yet complain about the lack of public utilities in the system. Making a large purchase (consumer durables / jewellery / others) and then insisting on a fake receipt or a cash payment – so we don’t pay VAT and the shopkeeper is only too happy to comply since he / she doesn’t need to get books audited and can in turn pay lower taxes. Do we have any justification for complaining about bad roads if we don’t pay road taxes? Ditto with water and electricity consumption.
On a larger scale, we need ways to use (and harvest) water more efficiently. I’ve read that notable efforts (water harvesting, recycling) are already being undertaken by various stakeholders, including large hotel chains and corporations. In the agriculture sector, one such example is SRI or the system of rice intensification methodology for increasing the productivity of irrigated rice cultivation by changing the management of plants, soil, water and nutrients, in turn leading to major water savings.
This is the biggest investment we can make for ourselves and future generations. Save a drop today for an ocean tomorrow.
02 June 2010
Gaon Ki Gori
Does India live in its villages? Does asking this question 62 years after Independence make its rural economy and population more relevant? No, sadly, it doesn't very much. But the village definitely has potential. What lives in the villages is India's massive votebank. Repeatedly abused, often ignored and rampantly (mis)used. A recently released study by the McKinsey Global Institute (MGI) looks at infrastructure, governance and other challenges facing India's cities and metros and proposes, amongst other policy reforms, a sweeping overhaul of the way cities are managed (including appointing CEOs and the like) and pumping in massive amounts of funding to make them ready for the 590 million-odd people that will reside in them by 2030. A detailed analysis of the migration from the village to the city or the semi-urban area, an all-too-common phenomenon for lack of opportunities/growth prospects/survival mechanisms in the villages linking it to such studies will go a long way in addressing these critical issues.
However, as much as I am a city gal (skyscrapers do make my head spin and Lutyen's Delhi has spoiled me beyond words), my heart and sanity to a large extent are beginning to need a regular infusion of the gaon. There's a purity in the air there that cities cannot match. I am not just referring to the weather but to attitudes as well. Depending on one's definition of quality of life, I'd say, its so much better in many rural areas than in our cities! Yes, its difficult to get power and water a lot of the times. And many village folk do not have access to basic services including primary health care centres, toilets, banking, grocery stores. But the food always tastes nicer, people are kinder and gentler, there's plenty of greenery (in most parts), lots of animals and beautiful birds, a sky full of bright stars. So the gaon also gives me a sense of hope. One day, I hope to muster up the courage to spend an extended period of time there (I still fall prey to the city's offerings: pools and nice roads, nice cars, shopping) and in the process learn about the way villagers lead their lives, with respect for the environment, in today's concrete, urban-centric world.
However, as much as I am a city gal (skyscrapers do make my head spin and Lutyen's Delhi has spoiled me beyond words), my heart and sanity to a large extent are beginning to need a regular infusion of the gaon. There's a purity in the air there that cities cannot match. I am not just referring to the weather but to attitudes as well. Depending on one's definition of quality of life, I'd say, its so much better in many rural areas than in our cities! Yes, its difficult to get power and water a lot of the times. And many village folk do not have access to basic services including primary health care centres, toilets, banking, grocery stores. But the food always tastes nicer, people are kinder and gentler, there's plenty of greenery (in most parts), lots of animals and beautiful birds, a sky full of bright stars. So the gaon also gives me a sense of hope. One day, I hope to muster up the courage to spend an extended period of time there (I still fall prey to the city's offerings: pools and nice roads, nice cars, shopping) and in the process learn about the way villagers lead their lives, with respect for the environment, in today's concrete, urban-centric world.
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