photo (the Hindu)        

           

A nauseating breeze by the filth water

 A walk through the periphery of Ulsoor Lake facing the Fire Force gate, the so called walking path, will have even someone with a bad cold feel nauseated. While the path on the right side of the entrance has a whelming breeze and a scenic view pleasing the eye, the other side could be described as an exact contrast to the same.  

                The place looks all inviting and attractive from outside to walk through with the water on one side and shrubs with colourful flowers on the other. One might as get grab their street food or evening cup of tea from those numerous stalls outside.  All said and done, this description would be valid provided one walks only towards the right. The fact that the path is not well cemented nor does it have a seating place for the visitors is also quite dis satisfactory.

               It would probably take only a few steps towards the left to discover that the other side of the lake has something in exact contrast to this. From the stench replacing the cool breeze to the floating garbage on the water that is an abstract distraction to the scenic view, it has all left the residents and visitors complain.

              A few steps from the entrance is Kalyani pond with flies and mosquitoes living merrily with no disturbance of any sort from mankind and the flowers left to rot right in there. Further ahead is that part of the lake that appears to be a dump yard, with all the garbage in the locality found floating on water.

Also, the fact that there are no public toilets around would be a excuse for many to litter around.

 A PINCH FELT HARD 

      It is a common saying that it is neither the higher nor the lower strata of the society that suffers. The higher are satisfied that everything is an arm’s distance away and the lower are mostly convinced that certain commodities are way too far for them to reach. It is the lower middle class hanging on a ray of hope with one leg on either side that feels the pinch of every price hike.

     It is rupees seven thousand with which Raju( name changed) has to run a household. An auto driver by profession, this 38 year old has a wife and two kids to cater to. And, in an attempt to combat the recent hike, he is forced to work overtime.

     He is expected to shell an amount of 2,000 for his twelve year old boy’s education alone. His 14 year old little girl is forced to stay back home and help mom as school fee for her would mean zero savings for her dad.   An ailing wife with asthma also does basic tailoring, the profits of which is just sufficient to pay the medical bills.

  

    A worried Raju expressed his anxiety over shelling more on the groceries than he did earlier. With the price of every commodity from rice to fuel increased, for someone who counts every single pie earned is a pinch felt hard.

  It is one typical case that reflects the ironic side of ‘hole in the pocket’. A count on every person from the lower income group affected by the hike also means a count of them whose savings are decreasing pie by pie.

     For a man from the lower middle strata with the responsibility of schooling of one and marriage of another, a monthly savings of rupees 1,500 only reflect that his dreams are close to horizon where every day’s sun raises and sets leaving him with a night of thoughts and worries.     

With inputs from Axi Tak

     

In an era of water wars    

The serenity that the thin streams of water flowing graciously down the hill creates and the sanctity associated with it is all deeply buried under the issues related to it. It was once believed that sitting on the banks of a river or at the beach relaxes the mind. Ironically, it is now, a cause for regional and National stress.

     The Cauvery, an assurance of life for many, flowing from Talakaveri, her place of birth is no more known for scenic beauty under the blanket of dense white fog. The paper that makes it to the tea table each morning has a different story to say, a follow up of the infamous ‘Water wars’ issue.  

     A glass of pure water that quenches the thirst dries the mind. A sense of satisfaction that it fetches along is in no time swept away by the scepticism of whether we will have to fight for the same one fateful day.

  An optimistic spirit that something might turn good at the end is all smothered by the stench of a nearby drainage stream or a polluted lake. Ultimately, it is a glass of water that has the ability of calm a frustrated mind thinking of the water issue.

     

Juveniles remanded just for 3 years

If convicted, the minor rapists will be behind bars for

 a maximum of 3 years

                 

       Ineffective law comes to the rescue of the juvenile arrested in relation to the gang rape case of the 21 year old national law school student. It is merely based on the school documentation that the accused who is termed to be the most violent will be tried under the juvenile law, this despite the fact that he is just 3 months short of turning an adult.

    Be it the Delhi rape case or the one that happened in the silicon city last October, the probability of an easy walk through is much high for the juveniles, the irony being that they do no deeds that a juvenile is entitled to. ‘Innocence ‘is what ought to be questioned. It is remorseful that someone who brutally assaults a girl and torments her physically is considered a ‘child’.

       From luring the couple into the bus to throwing the girl out of the bus, it was the juvenile who was a mastermind behind it all. The city’s boy is termed ‘accused number one’ and the most violent of the eight others involved. It is a doubtful if any of these characters signify ‘juvenile sinlessness’.

         This is one of the many issues that the country is battling against, infact something that needs to be addressed to at the grass root levels. Though the police are pleading helplessness as being handcuffed by the law and a majority is fuming about the issue, there is an air of cynicism revolving the same.

 

Woman emotions harassed and bruised

It is with anger boiling within and an emotion overflowing from the heart that every woman tries to express to the world her sordid state when it comes to feeling secure.

   The Delhi gang rape which has evoked an epidemic outrage in the country is one clear example of a sorry state that a woman is in; half the time worried about whom to take along with her at the late night hours and more so what sort of clothes to get dressed in. Sadly, a woman also needs to be told which route to choose while riding back home from work.

It is also appreciable that two woman MP’s endeavor to bring about a change and their strong worded arguments might bring about a potential change. It is quite disturbing when a handful of libertarians express capital punishment would be a little too much for the crime. It is high time now that issues like these be addressed seriously in a country like ours.

 It is bad defense when someone expresses that ‘a woman asked for it’ or she was ‘provocatively dressed’ or an even pervert term to use ‘inviting’. When 60 cases of rape get registered in the country, it is mere common sense that tells me that not everyone could be in bikinis or shorts.  Moreover, she enjoys every liberty to get dressed in the manner she wishes to.

 It leaves most girls in Bangalore in a state of concern and with a lot of questions in mind. It is also true that Bangalore is stealthily following Delhi with increasing acts of eve teasing and rapes. 

Say no for that splash of red

The evening breeze plays with my hair locks hidden below the helmet as I rush towards the signal with a hope to escape before it turns red. If you are wondering why, I can assure you it is no emergency. It is just to avoid having a splash of saliva escaping out of the window grills of a bus with some tobacco and pan masala in it on my vehicle.

   Oh yes, if my stars are bad, I end up looking, in fact frantically try and explore enough space to manage and place one foot on the road to ensure that my brand new sandals do not have to be on someone’s spit. On the other hand, I convince my second foot to stay on the vehicle hoping that my pedicure does not go a waste.

  I wonder why the literacy rate in India is low and the very next moment, someone from the BMW parked beside lowers the window. No, not to ask for some help to reach his destination but to leave an imprint of his on the road. It is then that I realize that there is a lot of difference between being literate and being educated.

 Let me also take the privilege of introducing a term to you, one that is a tip of the tongue phenomenon for all of us: ‘the civic sense’. It appears nice and heavy on a glossy sheet of paper and is sheer hypocrisy in reality.   

  It triggers a thought in the mind. Why can’t this be a good revenue maker? Considering the number of them committing this offence, it is certain that the fine collectors can bag at least twice the amount that the traffic inspectors collect for those still having a tint on their car windows.  

A woman who dared to...

“A woman is like a tea bag; you never know how strong it is until it's in hot water.” 
says Eleanor Roosevelt. In a situation when the entire city was at home on the BMTC and KSRTC strike day,  it was Prema Ramappa, a 33 year old lady BMTC bus driver who dared to take the bus out of her depot.

 Threats from disgruntled elements or her colleagues’ precautionary words, nothing could change her firm mind. The duty bound Prema explained that she got into the bus despite her own colleagues trying to stop her .She said “ I feel my job is service to the public. This is the reason I found it necessary to do that.

 I also know that it is from that service that I earn my daily bread. That is the reason I found it essential to do the same.” She added.

 It was at Shantinagar bus stop that people waited just to get a glimpse of the bold lady and express their appreciation. Prema, unmindful of the consequences she will have to face made her trips to and fro from majestic to kormangala depot. “I could see how relieved the people felt when they saw a bus passed by. They also offered me money as a token of appreciation and a few invited me home for lunch” added the overwhelmed lady.

  Thanking her managing director K R Srinivas, she said “He was so generous. He handed over a cheque of rupees 10,000 with no second thought.” Prema was in limelight earlier too when she became the first BMTC women driver. The lady also expressed that given a chance, she would still be happy to drive the bus.