Take steps to bring down the number of cars plying on Mumbai roads. I have laid emphasis on this issue many times in the past and finally I am happy that the learned High Court has issue directive on it. Our governments are not sensitive to public needs and welfare. The bigger newspapers will not come forward to support such issues because they feel shy of being called “not smart or not savvy”. They will not use bicycles because these are considered downmarket.
The air quality of Mumbai is degrading and I hope that the honourable High Court asks the state government to ensure that prominent newspapers publish the air quality data on the upper side of the front page. I have already mentioned about this through my previous columns. The quality of air that we breathe is important for our health and kids. Correct and timely actions are not taken by the government due to political wrangling which results in policy paralysis. Someone has rightly said that if you were aware that Satyapal Singh is resigning, why you did fail to take corrective steps? How can you ignore such a simple aspect?
The government has taken a decision in a haste to announce the construction of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj’s statue. Shivaji was very fit, agile and alert and you must emulate those qualities first. Even if you want to remember him, you can build a wind turbine for electricity generation off shore and name it after him. You can install his statue in the vicinity and ensure that these structures are built predominantly by Indians (may be you can seek technical assistance from foreign experts). The aspect is applicable to Sardar Patel’s statue.
It should be remembered that Patel spoke less and worked more where as these days Modi is talking too much and not implementing what he says. He is saying, I will build this, I will provide this but he is not saying that I will make you work hard like the enterprising Gujaratis and later it will be possible for you to enjoy all goodies. Even though Modi has a vision but he is not clarifying that people will need to work for getting the desired results. He knows that people will run away saying, “Are woh to kaam karne ko bolta hai”. “Chalo doosri party ke paas chalte hain.”