Decaying Urban Space - Public Apathy at its Worst

The pathetic state shown by the photographs accompanying this write up existed as recently as 8th Apr 2024!

You will be shocked to say the least, if you were to be told that this is one of the poshest localities of South Delhi – a gated colony with hundreds of mansions valued at a million dollar (and more) each!

The park is one of the central location with millionnaries looking over it every day morning to evening from their million dollar balconies. The rot is making the place repulsive but surprisingly it does not bother the residents, the office bearers of the Residents Welfare Association or the Municipal Corporation staff responsible for cleanliness of the area.
The Colony houses well educated, rich, intellectuals and politically motivated people.
Why still the place has been allowed to go to seed defeats comprehension!

Corruption of the municipal corporation around the world in well known, it is only next to bottom line in India. The RWAs also, at times, become a vehicle for availing undeserved benefits. But the apathy of all educated adults about clean, aesthetic and safe spaces around their homes is a sad reality to contend with.

We all keep talking about responsibilities of citiizen but who will lead the sheep?

Leadership is not only meant to be developed to win wars, or to gain corporate superiority or political power. Leadership is needed in every single field at every conceivable level. The municipal worker who dilligently cleans the road and disposes off the muck properly is as much a good leader as a corporate honcho who ethically leads his business or a Station House Officer who effectively controls crime within his police station jurisdiction.

But what to say about rich people staying in their million dollar homes and getting in/out of their luxury cars in front of their gates right across this greatly disorganised public space?
The custodian being the RWA or the municipal corporation need to be pulled up for neglect, apathy and derecliction of duty!

Just because their drawing rooms are isolated from this public space does not mean they can remain isolated and safe for long. Sooner or later the bug will catch us, in the form of stench, infection and breathing problems. The old and infirm get affected at first followed by the rest. So this becomes everybody’s problem in the end.
On a broader sense the National Cleanliness Mission is not a day early. But here also leadership of respective custodians at various levels is urgently needed , they have to wake up to the reality and start reacting with responsibility, honesty and sincerity of purpose. God forbid if they don’t react all across soon enough, in every locality and every city and every village, the solid and liqued waste will overwhelm the surroundings – polluting our land, waters and air we breathe in.
In my heart I wish to leave the city and move to a small village in rural setting – breathing pure air, drinking safe water, growing organic food and composting my waste!

Few lucky ones can do so, but many millions more are doomed to live and die in such type of (and worse) filthy, inhumane/sub-humane conditions! I am aware that this is just a very small example, there are much much bigger hell holes needing urgent attention!
But believe me it can not wait any longer🙏