A successful change

Many times we desire some change. If I start to list some of the changes-small and big- the list may look like

1.       My neighbours should thrown garbage in dustbin only. The dustbins should be cleaned regularly.
2.      People should not pee on side drains and side walls. There should be proper toilet built every 500 m and they should be maintained as any airport lavatory.
3.       People should not be forced to live in and around roads, bridges and slums. There should be proper accommodation-on emergency basis for a fixed time -available for people at an appropriate price.
4.  There should be a provision so that any guilty and lax government servant could be punished –with tangible and credible cut from their salary-without any delay so that a credible deterrence and accountability is created.
5.  The political funding should be made transparent and the current limit of 20000 should be done away with.
6.  A donation to any cause-swachh bharat, education-etc should not just be tax exempt. If a person contributes “X” amount then “kX” k=2-3 or so, should be exempted so as to move and incentivise people to donate.

These and there are many other changes we desire. We might not agree at this point on the solution but we all realise that we wish something to happen in that direction.

But as we somehow already –consciously or unconsciously-know that to any change there will be some gainers and some who will lose. Those while benefiters will support with strong logic, others will strongly oppose. The opposition is generally more dedicated than the supporters and they outnumber the latter too.

For example- take the issue of garbage collection, there is hardly any doubt that the society and its residents will gain –aesthetically as well as health wise-but the municipal people and our “unapproachable” representatives (at local level) may have to put some extra effort. Dustbins of adequate size have to procured and place. The numbers of tractor have to be increased. The number of employees recruited has to go high. (But more people will be willing to go to that job(garbage collection) only when we stop treating them as inhuman and lowly people).

So over all environments might be like this:

Mahesh ji, the localite, “we must have this change. But these lazy municipality does not build dustbins and does not clean them regularly.”

Babban Yadav, the leader,“we have limited funds and still we already are creating more dustbins. But the people themselves are such they don’t want to throw their garbage properly.you can see garbage little everywhere around the dustbin and dustbin is empty. In fact last year half the dustbins were stolen.ab aap hi bataiye hum kya karein”

Chandan, the sweeper, “ you don’t know sir. Our salary is Rs. 3000 and we are on contract .but we get only Rs. 1000.the rest is kept by “A B enterprises” and he does not want to recruit more people. ab aap hi bataiye hum akele kitna saaf kar lenge.”

Verma ji, a public servant, “dekhiye, I have living in this place for last 30  yrs.yahan kuch nahin ho sakta. People here don’t want to change”, meanwhile throwing his cigarette stub on the road.

Mr. A K Shukla, IAS (sub divisional magistrate), “I am really looking into this.But of the record,I have come here  just last month.”(and he will go after few months)

PA to SDM, “SDM sir has so many tasks. How can he focus, solely, on this issue? These are tasks of local officers.”(We always have a perception, DM(or EQV) can make a change. But we must not fool ourselves into believing that every change needs “only one hero” like Bollywood films and we need all players to act and in that we also somewhere come as an equal player.)

“?”-the know-it-all, “See, everything has a time. This problem will also be solved by next 30 yrs, when society is more literate and civilised. You are unnecessarily breaking your head over it.”

At the same time there are many others who don’t want to get into this as they have their own challenges-educating the child, marriage of daughter, job etc- . They can think of world when their personal battles are won.

So there are very few in current environment who are willing to take some time to fight for this issue(garbage) while those who oppose it are most willing to blame it back on people.And there is a large pool of the indifferent and the fence-sitters who see the activity of two groups cynically and as politically motivated.

The first stage to bring the change is to overcome this battle of difference and bringing to a common ground that yes!! we need this change and it can happen if we follow this pathway.This stage is essential as only such a environment can overcome the vocal opposition of "no-sayers" and the lethargy of "indifferent".

 Everyone has to start believing that the issue cannot wait any longer. The wave in realm of thought has to be so strong that even the hitherto indifferent are voicing the cause. Only when such a wave is created then people will be forced to act as per wish of the mass and in public interest.

Every change-in our society -requires some sacrifice and discipline just line our personal achievements. And as it is necessary to achieve and progress in life personally, similarly a society can't afford to remain stagnant.we will have to play some role at some point of time.

We all have some personal responsibilities, some official responsibility. It is up to us what role we envisage for ourselves as far our social and political responsibilities are concerned.-an idea creator, an idea propagator, an active participant and an inactive participant, an sceptic, a cynic, or fence-sitter. The ball is our court once again.