A pull-out with the national English daily 'Hindustan Times', today, talks about various features of Lucknow as a modern and 21st century city. It feels good to read some stalwarts writing for the special pages and talking about the city we all feel so proud of!
But, honestly, have we left the city worth being proud of?
Increasing cases of eve-teasing, harassment of common citizens in public offices, cacophony of shrill and indiscriminate honking, blazing and blinding lights lights of vehicles, unruly traffic and irrational overtaking, misbehaving police, pain-stained office walls, overflowing dustbins (even at the posh most market areas, such as Hazratganj), pile of rubbish in every corner, and the rest!
If all this was not enough, even the culture of 'pehle aap' ('after you') is fast turning into 'me first'.
Haven't we turned the city into a mini uncultured and uncouth Delhi where people are judged by the labels they wear or the car they get out from, and where people have no qualms in pushing others in order to make their way!
The newspapers daily report of some incident in the city which shames all of us - be it an MLA's son snatching an advocates car, or a pervert taking pictures of girls travelling in autos!
And we all blame either the government or someone else for the falling values and the chaos around us.
In fact, the city has been hijacked by a bunch of bureaucrats and politicians - originally the public servants and the people's representatives - who display no respect for the common citizens.
The most deafening sound of horns comes from the cars which have blue or red beacon on top of them. The glaring light at night is from an official car of a bureaucrat or a politician, which blinds the ordinary citizen driving his humble small car. The only vehicles which one can spot parked with pride at the 'no parking' areas are those of either government officers or of politicians. All those vehicles which refuse to follow the traffic rules are, not surprisingly, the official cars.
Its high time we Lucknow residents need to stop and introspect - where and what went wrong and which are the possible ways we can improve the city and bring it back to its past glory - it may require educating the bureaucrats and politicians or taming their drivers.
This is not all, the authorities as well as the public needs to start respecting the tourism destinations in the city and all across the state. while authorities can ensure better and proper publicity of so many beautiful getaways, Uttar Pradesh has to offer, the public should learn to keep our state and city clean.
Also, the authorities have to learn now that rules are for everyone - irrespective of the allegiance of a person who flouts them.
The day we curtail the culture of accepting bribe from autos and letting them stop anywhere, or charging daily fee from the small kiosks and letting them encroach the footpath, or allotting the contract for parking (to powerful man linked to politicians) at pavements or places where there should not be any parking, or letting the bigger and mightier get away when they break rules (the list is exhaustive), we will be taking the first step to bring Lucknow and Uttar Pradesh on a world map.
And it requires efforts from each one of us!
Increasing cases of eve-teasing, harassment of common citizens in public offices, cacophony of shrill and indiscriminate honking, blazing and blinding lights lights of vehicles, unruly traffic and irrational overtaking, misbehaving police, pain-stained office walls, overflowing dustbins (even at the posh most market areas, such as Hazratganj), pile of rubbish in every corner, and the rest!
If all this was not enough, even the culture of 'pehle aap' ('after you') is fast turning into 'me first'.
Haven't we turned the city into a mini uncultured and uncouth Delhi where people are judged by the labels they wear or the car they get out from, and where people have no qualms in pushing others in order to make their way!
The newspapers daily report of some incident in the city which shames all of us - be it an MLA's son snatching an advocates car, or a pervert taking pictures of girls travelling in autos!
And we all blame either the government or someone else for the falling values and the chaos around us.
In fact, the city has been hijacked by a bunch of bureaucrats and politicians - originally the public servants and the people's representatives - who display no respect for the common citizens.
The most deafening sound of horns comes from the cars which have blue or red beacon on top of them. The glaring light at night is from an official car of a bureaucrat or a politician, which blinds the ordinary citizen driving his humble small car. The only vehicles which one can spot parked with pride at the 'no parking' areas are those of either government officers or of politicians. All those vehicles which refuse to follow the traffic rules are, not surprisingly, the official cars.
Its high time we Lucknow residents need to stop and introspect - where and what went wrong and which are the possible ways we can improve the city and bring it back to its past glory - it may require educating the bureaucrats and politicians or taming their drivers.
This is not all, the authorities as well as the public needs to start respecting the tourism destinations in the city and all across the state. while authorities can ensure better and proper publicity of so many beautiful getaways, Uttar Pradesh has to offer, the public should learn to keep our state and city clean.
Also, the authorities have to learn now that rules are for everyone - irrespective of the allegiance of a person who flouts them.
And it requires efforts from each one of us!
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