Tanmoy has some real good suggestions for us. Terror attack in Mumbai has left us all dazed and shaken. But this time it will be good if we don’t move on and pretend if nothing has happened.
What is community service? What to my mind we can do instantaneously?
First, ask ourselves do we know how to fight an emergency / crisis situations ourselves? If the answer is no, let’s ask ourselves what can the emergency situations be. Fire in our apartment, may be! If we don’t know how to fight fire, do we know, if we write a letter to the nearest fire station, they will come and teach us some of the basic things.
People in fire service and police service often tend to feel that none cares for them unless one is affected. This can be a good exercise perhaps to get them involved.
Can anyone of us amongst ourselves take the responsibility of doing that for our own colony, apartment back in India?
Get yourself trained without really relying on tacit intelligence (we are tremendously over confident, I know!) and importantly help the women and children in our family / colony to get trained.
Secondly, can we start telling our children about our savings and teach them banking operations. In West, all children after the age of 10 tend to know about such things. We seem to protect themselves till eternity.
Thirdly, can we as a community go to the “lazy” police station across the street and tell them that we are scared. I know many of you loathe such police officials but trust me the feeling is mutual. They loathe you too but we must not assume they are utterly rubbish and stop involving them. If we make police / firemen a part of our community, after sometime they would become conscious of their existence too. We have to give them confidence, that we trust them. How many of us invite these people to our community functions? We don’t but why is that so?Fourthly, can we be aware of things like Right to Information Act, Consumer Court, Public Grievance System in Government, Directorate of Public Grievances and many such organizations.
Fifthly, have a diary at home where emergency numbers are stored. I am sure most of our mobile phones don’t have them and same is for our family members. Why is that so? How long shall be inflict wounds on our families because of our callous attitude.Sixthly, how many us have ever planted a tree or have helped someone to plant one?
Quite useful and practical suggestions.
I have always said that mutual understanding and acknowledgement of each others contribution is essential for the improvement of society. Unless we give importance to the jobs that deserve importance – like the job of a coast guard, of a policeman, or of a fire fighter – and stop giving unnecessary importance to worthless politicians who have won their seat by simple ‘do numbari’. Alongside this, giving compulsory NCC training, first aid knowledge, and basic practical knowledge of fighting fire, are things that should be implemented in the curriculum of every central and state board. And the parents will not take this seriously if the Board Exams do not have evaluation of students on these issues along with other subjects. We need a lot of change. But trust me, none is going to happen. As I have always said, we need a few nuclear blasts in this country to make us aware of our real mistakes. And I say this even if it means that I might be blown of in the nuclear blast too.
I do hope some people act on your suggestions as well as Tanmoy’s! Our biggest problem is apathy and callousness.
Nice intelligent suggestions.
Hi,Alka-Tanmoy’s suggestions are really good,specially the fire ones and the teaching children about savings one. And,maybe it IS high time we realized that self-help and group/community help is the best(ONLY?) help we’re going to get in our country,unless,of course,it’s a situation like the Taj one.
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I mean,anything we think related to services,makes me first think’How much of a palm would I have to grease to get my work done?’…sad but true-that’s the way things have been working out,and,we only tend to make these people the way they are,by using money as an easy way out..believe me.Just one example-when we took our flat in the nineties,I made dozens of trips to the concerned authorities to get it transferred in the City’s books,to our name…all failed. Then, a friend found a ‘contact’Babu…we were told what it’d cost, we paid,and,the next day,the work was done,and the taxes etc began coming in our name. Just think-if both husband and wife are working,would they have the time to go and fight these people and lose working days salaries to boot??Sighh!!I wish E-governance would buck up in our country-that’ll at least shorten these,err,shortcuts,for want of a better word.What do you think?
Oops- I meant,your suggestions and Tanmoy’s ones,too.
Very useful information and awareness.
Those are practical suggestions, Alka. Sometimes, it is much better to show our gratitude to the government department workers. One family that I know, sends sweets to the EB officials of their area after the major festivals. It is not the sweets or their value, but the fact that some one has thought about them, that makes the people there very happy. How many people would have shouted at them? I think it is time for us to get into the participative democracy mode. Democracy was meant to be participative, I guess!!
Destination Infinity
Areee Alkadi, You never said me that your husband is a good photographer. Come on Alkadi, I know I am not good enough. But then why…?
What’s up Alkadi? No post for long. You must be travelling. Right? Do write about your trip. Waiting to read your joyous experience.
Great article! Where did you find that? First time here. Will frequent more.
Excellent suggestions .But I have always miantaind that every youngman after the age of 18 MUST be sent for compulsory military trining.It will not only teach them the basics but also bring in confidence in them to face and fight-out any situation in a given circumstances.I also know that our political class will ensure that our youngmen remain as it is….votes are more important than the nation for them.
its all when people, we, ourselves decide to put our foot down and step forward in unity, most of us think but barely anyone takes action.
BPO work from home
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Enjoyed reading your post…