dog's days

Every Dog has its day says an adage
Here is one such list for a week

Spaniel for Sunday
Mongrel for Monday
Terrier for Tuesday
Whippet for Wednesday
Toy poddle for Thursday
Foxhound for Friday
Setter for Saturday
I think pet lovers will relish with this info (courtesy Deccan Herald)

traffic

Traffic in City

It is a routine exercise in recent months for us engaging ourselves with protracted discussions on the problems that this ever growing city is facing with regards to its infrastructure especially the city roads. Many people and agencies who has a stake in the city are often putting their ideas to the Government and its effectiveness after implementation. Recently, a leading news paper had one such discussion under the caption Unlock Bangalore. Despite all this one feels that much of these thoughts are more in paper than in action.
Take for example the new Airport, where every body is keen on opening its gates as early as possible. But, no single agency or person connected with the same is insistent that it should happen only proper connectivity is provided from the city. This is not to talk of expressway or the Metro which is still in nascent stage. Atleast proper road to reach the place in a reasonable time. For every project tobe successful public participation is necessary. In this case the public have to bear the brunt of inconvenience to reach the Airport. The BMTC has plans to introduce dedicated buses from different points in the city with further plans to have call taxi / Auto for the people to reach halting points of these buses. In the existing road connectivity there is every doubt if any of these buses reach the airport in less than 2 hours. Take for example the route from JP nagar 6 Phase. In this route the bus has to clear three traffic signals to reach Jayanagar 4th Block which is at a distance of about 4 kms and the time taken will be not less than 15 to 20 mts. From then on, it has to cross seven signals to come to Corporation junction which needs another clean 30 minutes as it has to steer through a busy route negotiating with other vehicles on the road. Its further route is also not smooth sailing. Alternate road maps suggested by the police recently are meant for users of Taxi and own cars.
This apart consider the plight of everyday commuters on the city roads. Lakhs of people are using public transport to reach their work place or for other works. No road is clear which includes suppossedly subsidiary business centres like Koramangala, Indiranagar, Jayanagar and other places. The elevated roads, the underpasses, the one ways which has been created in many places are nothing but sqeezing the existing capacity and not more. The vehicles once cleared up through these places are bottled up at next junctions. All these are attributed to bad planning or no planning all these years. We have reached a point of nowhere. We have many successful stories in many cities in South America which are similar to Bangalore where it is managed without Metro or other sophisticated transport but with public transport through dedicated lanes, creating awareness to the public the benefits of using the same and also sufficient room on the road for walkers and for cyclists. Perhaps many of our civic officials must have also studied the projects and made reports. Bangalore had the ample opportunity to have a circular railway using the existing line. Nobody gave a worthwhile thought to make this a reality.
To the present chaos, there are some remedies which may look out of the box. Though, these seems tobe of short term it may bring in long term benefits over the period. Despite the existing 33 lakhs or more vehicles which are choking the city roads we cannot bring a blanket ban on the entry of new vehicles. It is an easy remark that public cooperation is necessary. There is no second thought on this point. But who cares for them. The Law makers and its implementors are blind eyed which helps bending of laws very easily. Two wheelers running on footpath, jumping of signals are common phenomenon. Zebra crossing is boldly painted on the roads. Even at automated signals people have to think twice to cross the road as drivers try to scare them by raising the engines of their vehicles. The city roads can breathe to some extent if the Government uses its will power to ban all private vehicles atleast once in a week. This should also apply to Autos. This would encourage people to use public transport on these days which saves fuel apart from good contribution for the environment.
Further, every Government official which includes the top bureaucrats should compulsorily utilise the public transport shunning the dedicated vehicles meant for them. Initially, for one month they should ply in city buses by purchasing tickets. This will give them first hand experience of an ordinary commuter. Subsequently, they should travel atleast for 20 days in a month in ' city buses only' for their official work or otherwise. Now, every top official from certain grades are provided with individual Official vehicle. This would also give them earthy ideas to implement. It is not uncommon to see many of the government vehicles are used for non-official purposes also which includes utilising the same by their family members. With that much government vehicles off the road there will be a drastic improvement of city roads which will also help government save money on precious 'black gold'. This rules should be applicable to all government officers including Central undertakings.
'Charity begins at Home' says an adage. Likewise, the BMTC executives should come forward voluntarily to make use of public transport as of other passengers which help them understand the problems the public face every day. Their sitting in offices and making rules will not solve the problem. Using advanced technology like GPS and other technologies will sure help improvement but basic structure should be experienced and corrected if needed. Shortage of buses during the lean hours, crowd during peak hours, jumping of stops are common phenomenon which can be addressed with their onhand experience. Top officials using public transport will be a morale booster to their staff which can be motivating for better service. This will encourage other public who are using their own transport to make a beeline into city buses. This should invariably applicable to our elected representatives also who are eager to serve the people. All this will help lessening the burden on the city roads to a large extent. . A Government institution like transport, school or hospital can perform better only when its own top people use them as ordinary people. Such attempts will give a confidence to the public to utilise the system better.

People's Voice

Ours is a democratic soverign country where it is supposed tobe governed by the people for the people says the constitution of this country. When goes through the past sixty years of our Independence, the value of parliamentary system through which our elected representatives work for the benefits of the people 'aam Aadmi' as they say is tobe supreme. However, over the period the healthy discussions in this highest public forum seems tobe few and far. No session of Parliament or State Assemblies will be complete without disturbances, shouting during discussions or walking out in protest. Even the direct telecast of the sessions has not helped our elected representatives to behave more maturedly.
When it comes to upper houses, where the members are called elders are representing various fields in the society like education, law, constitutional expertise, scientists and more. This house is created to act as a guardian to the parliamentary proceedings with a responsibility of advising the Lower house when needed. The members here supposed tobe elders not by age but with experience in their specialised fields are more or less become unseen in recent years. These seats are filled up by quotas consists of industry barons, Liquor Lords, Mine Owners and Neo Land Lords (the Land grabbers or the elite land developers). These seats of dignity are also being occupied by political sychophants, those who are discarded by the people in elections and ofcourse the kins of politicians. This has become a backdoor avenue for all and sundry people who has been picked by the political parties for their own advantage. In Britain this house is called as 'House of Lords', whereas in our country it has literally become a House of Lords.
When our parliamentary system is hijacked by such people can we expect these people will hear people's woes. Every one of them are unassailable to the common man. We with a single stamp of voting our representatives will become bonded labourers of these masters for ever. In every election it is said people have the power to throw out the unwanted. But the choice is limited as we have to vote best among the worst. In the past decades people with meagre finances and with rural background came to politics and most of them converted themselves as City Elites, as power politics always veered around the capital of power i.e. State capitals. Political field has also become a family hierarchy. Let alone the people even our political parties are managed only by family members. This is true from Kashmir to Kanyakumari and from Gujrat to Meghalaya or Mizoram.
When people's voice cannot be heard in assemblies and in parliament where they should vent their opinion on the every day problems they face or about the governance ? Public protest is again not for the common man. It is also a stage managed show where personal vendetta is settled by vested interests. In such a situation the media stands as a good avenue for the common man. Here I am having disturbing opinons about the powerful electronic media which tries to sensationalise every issue and passes instant judgements. The public opinion they takes through SMS have only 'aye or nye' as opinions. The newspapers with its long history has provided a platform for the common man to express his opinions through "letters to the Editor'. The importance given to this in news papers is evident as it is published in the centre page along with Editorial. Eventhough some of the national dailies have reduced this space majority of them are giving good encouragement to the people to putforth their opinion. Even the regional newspapers are giving vaunted space for the readers. In this column people are expressing freely their thoughts and opinions on varied subjects. It may be a problem in the locality or the infrastructure in major cities or about the policies of the government. I feels it is necessary that our elected representatives either in parliament or in state assemblies make it compulsory to discuss the views expressed by the people in newspapers. This will help them understand the people's problems directly and find a solution if needed. In the present system no political leader will be able to meet every one in his constituency during his life time ateast once. Even the city corporators themselves are unassailable to common people there is no need to tell about the MLA's and MP's. I once again wishes to highlight the point that the Letters written by the public published in various newspapers should be a topic for discussion in both the houses. This will definetely a good source for our parliamentarians to understand the people better.