The charismatic union home minister P. Chidambaram wants Delhites to improve their civic sense. Absolutely he is right. But before making that statement he must take walk around the city and see the civic conditions. More importantly he must watch the behaviour of police, traffic constables who are directly under Mr.P.C's control. Any violator can get away by paying few rupees. P.C own men are the main culprits. Pavements are in pathetic condition. Traffic lights are not working. Police don't respond to the public call.
Although heavy police presence can be felt. All can be done for money. My observation is that the police stand on the roads to collect the haftas. It seems that the collected money goes to the top of the hierarchy. This I witnessed when one DCP sponsored his friend's academic cum political seminar. As a coordinator the DCP's men came with dirty notes of all denominations. I was wondering from where these khakis got the money running into lakhs. Obviously the hafta collection goes for all sort of events. From the personal pleasure fulfillment of the cops to their family maintainance to funding their fancy projects for their own career and other growths.
Mr. Home Minister please reform your own men first, provide the facilities for the public and then the public will behave well on their own.
The Times of India writes (26 September 2009)
Union home minister P Chidambaram's wake-up call to all Delhiites comes not a moment too soon. The problems he listed are all well known to anyone
who has spent some time in the city - from poor adherence to traffic safety and norms to haphazard pedestrian habits and unregistered vehicles. The only problem with what he said, in fact, was that he did not go far enough. These problems are as endemic in other Indian cities as they are in Delhi. From Mumbai to Kolkata, Chennai to Bangalore, the urban environment seems to be on a downward curve even as city populations have expanded, propelled by demographics and economic growth.
The results are all around us. When it comes to road accident fatalities, India's major urban centres regularly feature at the top of the list. Crime, especially against women, is another major problem in some cities. Factor in the physical degradation of urban environments and infrastructure - due, in large part, to a complete lack of civic consciousness among citizens - and a less than pleasant image of our cities takes shape.
The growing focus on urban security and the upcoming Commonwealth Games to be held in Delhi have lent urgency to the matter. These problems need to be addressed by government initiatives, but only a top-down approach will not serve. Urban residents have a responsibility and a duty to adhere to the basic norms of civilised society. And if public service campaigns and entreaties do not work - as they have not until now - these norms should be enforced. Laws exist to deal with various aspects of the problem, from violation of traffic regulations to damaging or defacing public property. There must be a focus on implementation now. If necessary, punitive measures such as fines can be beefed up.
As Chidambaram pointed out, other countries have succeeded in sensitising their citizens to the behavioural changes needed for the smooth functioning of a city. This has not been confined to developed nations such as Germany; it has been a success in China as well, as the Beijing Olympics proved. It is time we followed suit.
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Urban India is a chaotic space, no doubt. People have a propensity to break traffic rules, ignore civic laws and, in general, behave badly as the
home minister said. But can the government solve the problem with a crash course on good urban behaviour for citizens? Is it possible to enforce a strict behavioural code for citizens across cities?
Look around. Why do ordinary citizens violate civic laws? Not because law breaking is codified in their DNA, but because the high and mighty do so with impunity. People walk on the road because civic authorities do not build enough footpaths or maintain the existing ones. Beggars are around not because they love begging but because we lack social security measures. If crime is rampant that's because the social and economic climate encourages criminals. An insensitive and iniquitous society is unlikely to be peaceful and its inhabitants can hardly be expected to behave "well".
A city is a living organism and each city is distinct in its own way. There are many variables social, cultural, economic and political that shape the life of a city. These are not static, but constantly evolving on account of the free flow of people and ideas. Migration, inward and outward, is a major factor that shapes the character of cities. People on the move prevent cities from ossifying into dead geographies. Yes, people with diverse interests and social, cultural, linguistic, religious and ethnic identities fighting for scarce resources are the cause of urban conflicts. Most often, these are resolved when collective interests are at stake. In the Indian context, that mostly happens despite the state and its agencies.
The state is responsible for building the necessary urban infrastructure and addressing problems of political economy. The record of our governments on these counts, to put it mildly, is pathetic. It doesn't even give the impression that the state is sensitive to the concerns of the public. State officials, instead of delivering sermons, must concentrate on creating urban spaces and facilities and economic opportunities that will incentivise good public behaviour. Even China first tackled problems of urban blight before embarking on a mass public education campaign and enforcement measures ahead of the Beijing Olympics.
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