Is India going through a massive transformation?
When you look at India in the 21st century, your eyes blur with the glitter. It would have been even tough to envisage this situation about twenty years back. One is left to wonder at what a fast pace modernization has spread in the country. If we do not happen to glance through the villages; walk through the narrow lanes strewn with dung and dirt; do not see the slums of the city; then we might think that India has been transformed. Yes, the population has increased and at the same time, many people have grown rich. We cannot even keep count of those who becomes rich overnight. Even those living in towns and cities are nurturing the dreams of becoming millionaires. There is a constant exodus to the cities. There are several new models of cars arriving in the market. Instead of mere ambassador, fiat, and other standard cars, when we see roads filled with cars of more than 300 models, we are left to wonder if we are in Europe of any other country.
Increase in cars translates to traffic jams
Recently, a car by name ‘Nano’ has been introduced. The ‘Auto Expo’ held in Delhi during January 2008 was brimming with colorful cars and SUVs. Nano stole the show that day. By the end of this year, people will be able to fulfill their dream of owning a car at the cost of just 1.25 lakhs. When the roads are full with this car and cars of other models, then who will be able to travel faster – man walking on the road or the man in the car? This riddle can be solved quite effortlessly. Practically, anyone can own a car by taking a loan and repaying it in monthly installments.
Even ordinary infrastructure has not been built in our country. There are roads, but are filled with ditches and potholes. Only a handful of highways have been developed successfully. When such is the state of affairs, how could the person who approves the plans take a step which could lead to car explosion on the roads? This is a matter of concern. Has anyone ever pondered about the kind of traffic jams this would lead to? An ambulance could be stuck in that jam too; the increase in pollution levels it could lead to. Hence, the opposition is not towards Tata’s Nano alone but against all the cars. There is a need to formulate a rule, but who will do it? When cities are left to grow in a haphazard way and at a haphazard pace, then who is responsible for making the necessary rules and who is to follow them?
The framework is absent, but the process of imitation is in full-swing
Where is all this consumerism going to lead us to? It is taking us towards an unending journey and towards unquenchable thirst. But, are there thinkers left in the country who are thinking about the fundamental problems plaguing our country? When the topic of vehicles has begun, let us also discuss about the incidence of road accidents. The accident rate in our country is the largest in the whole world. There are no ‘Trauma centers’ available at nearby locations. We are discussing of only deaths due to accidents and not about cases where a person is left handicapped. Has anyone thought about how many talented people meet an unexpected end to their life or are left incapacitated for life? When travel itself has become a pain, then for who are these glittering new cars?
Uph! The extravagant weddings of today
Glitter and aggrandizement is present everywhere? Have you seen the weddings of today? Have you gone to a banquet hall? You might have attended a wedding forced due to your dealings with that person, then you would have seen the glitter of the Kalyan Mantap. The grandiose arrangements and everything will be seen a heap of garbage the next day after the wedding is complete. The electricity required for the function is obtained from a generator because our country is far behind in electricity generation. Have you ever thought of how much pollution the generator creates? People spend millions and billions of rupees in the name of wedding. Have you ever asked such a person – “Sir, if you had invested this same money into any activity that can develop the nation, like developing a chosen village or formed an organization that does social work, your fame could have been much more meaningful? You have blown away money like a cracker. These expensive and wasteful weddings are nowhere in the world except here. That is the reason why we have to hang the label of poverty and dishonesty around our neck.
Without dishonest means of earning, how can anyone indulge in these expensive and dowry-prone weddings? When the right muhurat for wedding comes, the marriages happen in tandem and millions of rupees are spent overnight. If we had the correct common sense, we would be recommending and moving towards simple and ideal weddings. One can treat one’s friends and dear ones with a tasty snack or a simple meal. But it is the ego of the man that he is tempted to spend money in showing off himself. Well, there might be people who say – This is my money and I will spend the way I like it. This answer lacks ethics. None of us can decline the role of society in establishing our identity. Without the society, neither would we be rich nor self-reliant. In such a scenario, how can you say – “This is my money. How are you concerned with the way I spend it?” In the coming days, we have to create an atmosphere of such social awareness that those people spending meaninglessly should be banned from the society; those who participate in their extravagant indulgences should be imposed with mental punishment.
The glamour and dazzle of Malls and Mega Marts
Glamour is present everywhere. You need not look towards metros and other big cities. Even small towns have Big Bazars, Mega Marts, PVR Multiplexes, Malls, Plazas and what not. The last 7-8 years has seen rapid expansion of these establishments. But all this does not come without a price. We should remember that if there is a tall building, there is a deep ditch dug somewhere and there are dirty slums elsewhere. These big malls are depriving small shopkeepers of their livelihood and looting us with sky-rocketing prices for their wares. Do the multi-storied PVRs depict the true situation of our country? Can one know the real condition of the country by looking at those glittering buildings? After having seen the pinnacle of poverty, we can easily say that majority of people in our country are living below the poverty line. We are living an 18th-century life in the 21st century. The so-called development of few cities is creating such an economic crisis that will prove fatal to us in the coming future.
Source: Akhand Jyoti Articles