It
has been more than a decade since we had acquired the status of becoming a Sovereign State and I am still a bit tad fearful that I might be retracted to
leave for my pronounced native state after this piece. My parents have been
living in Ranchi from 1990s, if I am being that accurate enough. But, there’s
one thing that I remember is spending my childhood here in the terrain witnessing
the transformation of my city, or politically, more like a resurrection. Not
until I was supposed to be a graduate I had to leave my city behind and then my
journey began from Ranchi to Allahabad, Kerala, Mumbai, and all the way to
Kharagpur. During this period I worked
under different roles until finally settling to be a student, again.
But,
wherever I went there was this pulp to compare my origin and to find reasons to put ourselves on top. You could only guess how difficult sometimes they might be. Obviously, Jacuzzi-an climate was of great help, but, then I also
witnessed things like internet and digitization during my journey and now,
things started to get complicated. With all the hue and cry about “Swacch
Bharat” and “Digital India”,
these past events came roaring to me.
Meanwhile,
being a part of the abroad culture lavished my needs and I felt a dire need to
make a few minor lifestyle changes and ironically, it all started with
purchasing a full-time BSNL Broadband connection. Now, since, I had been
accustomed to culture abroad, so, my expectations were huge and I was sure to
be disappointed. But, anyway I went through with it and surely they
disappointed me by laying connection under the promised time span. Yeah, I was
elated and why wouldn't I be? Now, there was something to brag amongst everybody else.
But,
as it’s very well said that eventually all good things must come to an end but
here eventually came much too sooner. Within around a week the connection was
not working… I was abroad (Abroad refers to outside geographical boundary of my sweet city (not outside country)) and when I ensured enquiries were made and complaints
were filed. So, these are the few transcripts of the public service providers regarding my concerns -
- “Are ho jayega na kch din m theek, wo taar
kaat diya road ko chowda karne k liye (Don’t worry it is just a matter a few days,
wire has been cut on account of construction of road).
- Abhi kb tk hoga iska to koi khabar
nahi h, par ho jayega (We don’t know
how much time will it take but, eventually it will be done).
- Kahe pareshan h aap, jb theek hoga to
aa jayega net (Why are you so
damn worried, you will know once it will be done).”
These
are the few versions of replies that I had encountered. But, the most heartening aspect is they are completely caught off guard with this. It appears as if they had no plan, no idea
regarding what needs to be done, why it needs to be done and, I wonder, how it needs to be done.
Hence, I smiled when I remembered what my Mum used to say during my childhood days that everything rests in the hands of the almighty. Huh, finally found out why Mom's use to say that a lot and gave me a reason to pray, to look forward to heaven for the
graces of the Holy Fathers and Mothers.
Interestingly, we might well be ready to celebrate the ceremony or I wonder, already, anniversary celebrations might have been done with and I would have been late to join the party because no I did not count.
Want
to hear more interesting stuff? Here’s one more! I have been receiving the
bills monthly without fail and so have the others. When I enquired that since it is
not functional why bother sending the bills? I received an apt reply let them
keep coming and you just don’t bother them paying. So much, so good for the Save Tree, Save Paper campaign. And till date, I am receiving the bill of
hope that someday there will be light and we will be enlightened. So let's keep 'em coming homey!
Aah!
It looks so ugly to write about your own when you have witnessed the brevity of
others.But, no wonder still, we are crying
wolf for the DIGITAL INDIA. Then,
also there is no rush towards promoting the clean India, green India campaign. Years
back, there was a very good initiative that was undertaken by the Government to
collect garbage from the societies to avoid improper spillage of garbage. It
was another proudly moment that there is something that was essential for our
sustainability and environment, our environment. The garbage collectors kept on changing scheduled and
people were so grateful to them for their services. Now, rather than dumping of garbage here and there we were acting clean. Felt good to be organised again. But, again the curse of
good fortune - Suddenly, they became engaged in their own tango to be the next busiest person to our Broadband agents. Technology already started to make life tougher. Garbage collection is
no more a daily affair, but rather, this has become 3 day/ 4 day/ weekly/ bimonthly affair –
but again who is counting. Accountability is not
something that we keep in our closet. And, the interestingly fools keep on babbling about in their temples.
Amongst,
all the other things if you can sense there is nothing more humorous than
complaining in any GPSA – Government
public service agency. The excuses, not only the reasons but their placid innocence,
the childlike creativity, genuine ignorance and the tyrannical truthfulness, hope if our politicians should learn from them. These adjectives barely states how difficult their life has been due to all this evil technology. But, still, courageously they say we are here to collect, complaints at office only. And once you are going to their
Digital India’s offline office co-operation needs no mentioning. There’s a dusting register who is waiting for you and a rusty pen protesting against the laws of nature. Sayin all day - "man you keep on
writing ain’t got no time to look into your s**t, you keep mindin your own
business and I ain’t mind my own."
These
are just the experiences that I had observed that are there for a while and rather than fighting against it we are trying hard to adjust to it. So, amidst the resilience of Chennai flood survivors and our own Watergate
trouble (dam water tale for some other time), I thought it is worth spreading. We separated from Bihar, not to go backward but to move forward and these small changes will finally lead towards greater good. Hope our government do get time to realize these basic amenities do need timely attention. It's easier to adapt, but, it is much more rewarding to pro-act.
Key motives behind writing this piece:
- Around a year and still BSNL service provider unable to figure how to resurrect their broadband service.
- Service not running, still bill is sent every month.
- No clue about when service will be up.
- City garbage collector slackening, resulting in garbage spillage within societies.
- Offices aren't prominent enough to register and act in time.
THANK YOU!
