Good news for girls!!!

Finally, there is good news for girls and women!

There had been efforts at various levels for saving girl children and for women empowerment.
Nonetheless, the Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi started Beti Bachao, Beti Padhao (Save Girl Child, Educate Girl Child) programme has formalised the movement.

It was heartening to know that suddenly there were more plans and schemes on their way to help women, even in Uttar Pradesh where the male female ratio is as low as 1000:918.

Although Uttar Pradesh had a Women Powerline but a phone line helping women who are being harassed on phone is not enough in a state which is notoriously tops the list of those states where crime against women is rampant and high.

However, now even the Uttar Pradesh government, thinking beyond Women Powerline, is taking a step ahead.  Giving 'Shakti' (Power) to women, the government has planned to organise Shakti Diwas (Power Days) at all police stations, across the state.

This special day will be devoted to problems of women. The government is also making arrangements so that these complainant women can be brought to the police stations without any problem.

Harassment of a complainant woman in approaching the police is common in small towns. To avoid such situation, the government vehicles will be used to bring such women to police stations and later the same vehicles will also drop these women back to their homes.

Normally village chiefs are aware if there is any woman in their village who is facing any kind of crime or atrocities - be it harassment for dowry, domestic violence, property issues or any other issue.

The police will coordinate with village chiefs to find out such women and bring them to the police station on Shakti Diwas so that their complaints can be registered.
      
The idea is that the complainant will not face further harassment or threats once the village people see that the woman has the support and backing of the government and police.

This is a move by the government, which is worth appreciation. Now how far this will get implemented in its true letter and spirit, that only time will tell. For the time being it should give a sense of empowerment to all women, who are not in a position to reach the police or authorities if they are being harassed!



  

Cycle Track, So Off Track!

In the Indian state of Uttar Pradesh, its Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav is promoting cycling for the sake of health and environment. Now this is another story that cycle is also the symbol of his party, Samajwadi Party (SP).

Yadav sent a delegation to Netherland also to study how cycle tracks work there. On his insistence, the officials, under the direction of some experts from Netherland, got constructed two cycle tracks in Lucknow, the capital of the state.

Yadav believes that these tracks will help the people of Lucknow in improving their health as they will use these tracks for cycling. Besides, it will help the environment as more people will use cycles instead of cars or motorbikes. He has also urged people to use cycles for commuting.

However, the interesting aspect of these cycle tracks is that both of them are built on the VVIP (Very Very Important Person) roads - Kalidas Marg (having the official residence of the Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister) and Vikramaditya Marg (the personal residence of the current Chief Minister as well as his party's office).

One road Kalidas Marg is out of reach of anyone - forget about the commoners. There are barriers with a full force at the start of the road and no ordinary mortal (read Lucknow resident) can enter that road. The other road also has all VIP residences intimidating the commoners to go there for cycling.

This is not all!

There are two quite impertinent questions:

1. How many people in the city own cycles and ride them as a mean of transport?
2. How are people supposed to manage cycling from their homes to Kalidas Marg and Vikramaditya Marg?

People who own cycles and also use them as a means of transport are either school going children or the class four employees in government and non-government offices. They are using cycle even today albeit at their own risk.

The roads of Lucknow are not at all cycle friendly for either. The courtesy for cyclists by the driver of a four-wheeler is a thing that is unheard of in the city.

Now, for a minute if we suppose that these new cycle tracks is only a beginning; people can start using them for leisure to gradually convert this into habit, it does not seem viable. The question is: How are people supposed to cycle from their homes to these tracks without being hit by a zooming SUV?

After much deliberation in my brain, I realised that the tracks will end up being limited to catering to the children of VVIPs living at these privileged addresses. On the other hand, genuine cyclists (students and class four employees) will still have to face the wrath of junglee (unruly) traffic of Lucknow city.