Being a Malayalee when I came to coimbatore it was a wonder world where I could travel long distances with a two rupee coin, could see excellent infrastructure like roads, bus stations and working traffic lights and could smell the fragrance of jasmines in the heart of the city from the baskets of flower vending ladies at Gandhipuram in the evenings, I was really wondered to be in state where there was a spirit of development and progress everywhere. I could see many private educational institutions mainly running on the revenues from the students from kerala working with out being hampered by strikes and politics; I could see roads getting wider as per the traffic requirements after wiping out the shops and street peddlers with out outcries of protests from the political parties. I could see institutions with excellent health care facilities and could see ambulances flying to the hospitals from an accident spot with out being a part of the traffic block.
At first sight itself Coimbatore impressed me with the infrastructure and the amenities that the town provides to a vast population.
But the things changed in a matter of time. To conquer is easy but to maintain the statuesque is bit difficult. The first thing which I stumbled was when a friend of mine met with an accident. We had to pay even for the mobile recharge of the sentry at the police station before we could release the bike even though a drunkard came and hit our parking bike. I took it as an exception. But later on there were so many experiences like that. I was really wondered to see so much of escort vehicles and traffic regulations for the one day visit of the states chief minister when the chief minister of Kerala sometimes used to travel with out an escort vehicle; I later concluded that it may of the reason that once an Indian prime minister was killed in a bomb blast in Tamilnadu; and there may still be branches of extremist groups of the neighboring country running in the state. But still I feel that this much of security is nothing but a sort of showoff.
I had a great respect for the chief minister when I came to know that he is supplying rations for the below poverty line group at a rate of one rupee and is providing colour television sets to all the families and bicycles to all the girls up to +2 and is promoting industrialization like anything in the state. I was happy to hear that BMW factory is setting up in the state. I still remember the state wide strike that we Keralites have arranged for welcoming the auto giant when they came to visit Cochin, which was their first priority in setting up their factory. I was also happy to hear lots of mega industries like the Nokia, Samaung etc have their factories in Tamilnadu along with lots and lots of small scale industries in the state. I was really dumbfound when my friend took me to some of the small scale industries in and around the housing colony at Hopes College Junction where he is staying. I could also see lots of malayalee restaurants from Ukkadam to every where as there is a large student population who are resorting to these shops for the tastes of their home. People of very far away places like Kannur and Kasargod are running business in coimbatore andi could see a large malayalee population earning their livelihood from the city.
I also met Mohammed, a Sudanese student who was studying in PSG Tech at a tea shop. He was staying in an apartment and he told me that his parents are there at his native land. It is a good thing to hear that the fame of Tamilnadu education has reached even overseas. He is happy about the educational facilities in Tamilnadu and the only thing which bothers him is the hot climate. He told me that he is planning a trip to Vakala beach of kerala and added that he is likes the climate of kerala more.
But on the same day I met Mohammed when I came to the Bus station at Gandhipuram I felt really bad about the mess going over there. The private bus people are cajoling the passengers to get in to their bus rather than using a government transport at the bus station. I felt it really bad and even the cops were present there when all these kinds of business were going on. Nobody is questioning these guys. Likewise the Mineral water vendor at the bus station was charging 1 Rupee extra to the MRP for a bottle of “Aquafina” and gave me an explanation that it is the cooling cost!!! and when I told him that I’m gonna complaint; he just scorn at me and asked me who am I gonna complain about him….. I am sure that these kinds of ridiculing never happen in Kerala. I felt that Kerala is having better and conscious consumers. Like wise the Urinals at the same bus station were charging 2 Rupees though the board speaks of 1 Rupees per person and the person in-charge told me that it is an old board. I relay wonder why these people are lying so blatantly as I could see the same board week after the other.
You may ask why I am bothered about these small little pennys……… I do have an answer for that. My answer is Krishnan; a person whom I met during my return journey from coimbatore. He was working as a welder in a workshop and he is staying 2-3 bus stops away from my place. But I saw him taking a bus ticket to my stop and I asked him the reason…… I was astonished to see a “Penny wise Pound foolish” policy in an illiterate person like Krishnan. He gave me the answer like this. For him to get down at his bus stop in an inter-state fast passenger bus, needs to spend another 6 rupees additional and if he is getting down at my place and is catching a local bus will cost him only 3 rupees and he told me that each penny is valuable for him as it is so hard earned. Though Krishnan was eloquently speaking of his better job opportunities in Tamilnadu, I have a feeling whether the corruption is engulfing the goodwill of the state. For corporates the richie riches who never bother about few thousands to get their things in a speedy and preferable way corruption may not be a problem but for the other major population including Krishnan, it may take away a major part of their earnings.
I have just sited the examples of corruption at the root levels in Tamilnadu. I now remember the famous dialogue from the hit tamil movie Annyan that the corruption in today’s society is so subtle that nobody understand the corruption of a 5 crore ruppes taken as 5 paise from one hudered crore population. These tendencies are to be countered to any extent as at least some of the persons like Krishnan are directly feeling the heat better to any other observant economist analyzing the corruption and nepotism in the society.
Everybody is giving voices for setting up of a central agency to counter terrorism; a major problem affecting the life of many and the economy of the country. Likewise there should be a central agency to counter and punish corruption as it is an equally important hazard affecting today’s society. But never speak of eradicating corruption from the base level as we always do. Our tendency is to eradicate corruption from the lower stratum; that may be from the attendants in the office while the higher bureaucrats and the persons in power are doing major corruptions blatantly. That year old idea sounds ridiculous. Never think of felling down a big banyan tree by tearing its leaves. We need to start from the roots. Likewise the higher stratum needs to be free of corruption and should exemplify them for the lower stratum to follow. For that we need better leaders and the election time is on and we need to respond through our ballots by electing the most suited candidate rather than looking for the politics, religion, caste or community of the candidate. But to be stated with great remorse that electors of India usually ensure that there will be some tainted candidates at least with some criminal and corruption background to reach the Loksabha. But let us all hope that the 15th Loksabha will be different. India which is in a growth trajectory needs to keep its pace and we all should exercise our legal right to vote keeping such a thought in mind that MY COUNTRY NEED TO PROGRESS.
At first sight itself Coimbatore impressed me with the infrastructure and the amenities that the town provides to a vast population.
But the things changed in a matter of time. To conquer is easy but to maintain the statuesque is bit difficult. The first thing which I stumbled was when a friend of mine met with an accident. We had to pay even for the mobile recharge of the sentry at the police station before we could release the bike even though a drunkard came and hit our parking bike. I took it as an exception. But later on there were so many experiences like that. I was really wondered to see so much of escort vehicles and traffic regulations for the one day visit of the states chief minister when the chief minister of Kerala sometimes used to travel with out an escort vehicle; I later concluded that it may of the reason that once an Indian prime minister was killed in a bomb blast in Tamilnadu; and there may still be branches of extremist groups of the neighboring country running in the state. But still I feel that this much of security is nothing but a sort of showoff.
I had a great respect for the chief minister when I came to know that he is supplying rations for the below poverty line group at a rate of one rupee and is providing colour television sets to all the families and bicycles to all the girls up to +2 and is promoting industrialization like anything in the state. I was happy to hear that BMW factory is setting up in the state. I still remember the state wide strike that we Keralites have arranged for welcoming the auto giant when they came to visit Cochin, which was their first priority in setting up their factory. I was also happy to hear lots of mega industries like the Nokia, Samaung etc have their factories in Tamilnadu along with lots and lots of small scale industries in the state. I was really dumbfound when my friend took me to some of the small scale industries in and around the housing colony at Hopes College Junction where he is staying. I could also see lots of malayalee restaurants from Ukkadam to every where as there is a large student population who are resorting to these shops for the tastes of their home. People of very far away places like Kannur and Kasargod are running business in coimbatore andi could see a large malayalee population earning their livelihood from the city.
I also met Mohammed, a Sudanese student who was studying in PSG Tech at a tea shop. He was staying in an apartment and he told me that his parents are there at his native land. It is a good thing to hear that the fame of Tamilnadu education has reached even overseas. He is happy about the educational facilities in Tamilnadu and the only thing which bothers him is the hot climate. He told me that he is planning a trip to Vakala beach of kerala and added that he is likes the climate of kerala more.
But on the same day I met Mohammed when I came to the Bus station at Gandhipuram I felt really bad about the mess going over there. The private bus people are cajoling the passengers to get in to their bus rather than using a government transport at the bus station. I felt it really bad and even the cops were present there when all these kinds of business were going on. Nobody is questioning these guys. Likewise the Mineral water vendor at the bus station was charging 1 Rupee extra to the MRP for a bottle of “Aquafina” and gave me an explanation that it is the cooling cost!!! and when I told him that I’m gonna complaint; he just scorn at me and asked me who am I gonna complain about him….. I am sure that these kinds of ridiculing never happen in Kerala. I felt that Kerala is having better and conscious consumers. Like wise the Urinals at the same bus station were charging 2 Rupees though the board speaks of 1 Rupees per person and the person in-charge told me that it is an old board. I relay wonder why these people are lying so blatantly as I could see the same board week after the other.
You may ask why I am bothered about these small little pennys……… I do have an answer for that. My answer is Krishnan; a person whom I met during my return journey from coimbatore. He was working as a welder in a workshop and he is staying 2-3 bus stops away from my place. But I saw him taking a bus ticket to my stop and I asked him the reason…… I was astonished to see a “Penny wise Pound foolish” policy in an illiterate person like Krishnan. He gave me the answer like this. For him to get down at his bus stop in an inter-state fast passenger bus, needs to spend another 6 rupees additional and if he is getting down at my place and is catching a local bus will cost him only 3 rupees and he told me that each penny is valuable for him as it is so hard earned. Though Krishnan was eloquently speaking of his better job opportunities in Tamilnadu, I have a feeling whether the corruption is engulfing the goodwill of the state. For corporates the richie riches who never bother about few thousands to get their things in a speedy and preferable way corruption may not be a problem but for the other major population including Krishnan, it may take away a major part of their earnings.
I have just sited the examples of corruption at the root levels in Tamilnadu. I now remember the famous dialogue from the hit tamil movie Annyan that the corruption in today’s society is so subtle that nobody understand the corruption of a 5 crore ruppes taken as 5 paise from one hudered crore population. These tendencies are to be countered to any extent as at least some of the persons like Krishnan are directly feeling the heat better to any other observant economist analyzing the corruption and nepotism in the society.
Everybody is giving voices for setting up of a central agency to counter terrorism; a major problem affecting the life of many and the economy of the country. Likewise there should be a central agency to counter and punish corruption as it is an equally important hazard affecting today’s society. But never speak of eradicating corruption from the base level as we always do. Our tendency is to eradicate corruption from the lower stratum; that may be from the attendants in the office while the higher bureaucrats and the persons in power are doing major corruptions blatantly. That year old idea sounds ridiculous. Never think of felling down a big banyan tree by tearing its leaves. We need to start from the roots. Likewise the higher stratum needs to be free of corruption and should exemplify them for the lower stratum to follow. For that we need better leaders and the election time is on and we need to respond through our ballots by electing the most suited candidate rather than looking for the politics, religion, caste or community of the candidate. But to be stated with great remorse that electors of India usually ensure that there will be some tainted candidates at least with some criminal and corruption background to reach the Loksabha. But let us all hope that the 15th Loksabha will be different. India which is in a growth trajectory needs to keep its pace and we all should exercise our legal right to vote keeping such a thought in mind that MY COUNTRY NEED TO PROGRESS.
