Urbanization Backfires!

The commercial capital and the city in center, Ahmedabad is getting all the glitters and revamp. Roads, junctions, buildings and public places are rejuvenated over the last few weeks following the Vibrant Gujarat’s international investors’ summit. Would it have happened for the citizens of Ahmedabad in order to provide civil services? I strongly do not think so. I buy the idea that we hide those dirty table and broken shoe rack when we invite guests at our place, but we don’t lose the priorities of our family needs. The areas of the city, which were not likely to be touched by these visitors are still in despair. No one to look at those even! Anyway, this was just to make a way to the following points.

“In the past six months, Modi has spent Rs.750 crore of State money on propaganda – equivalent to the amount Gujarat spends on social welfare and nutrition in a year.” Dionne Bunsha says in his recent article in Frontline, from the publishers of Hindu

Surat, the city of diamonds, sends out 80% of diamonds being used in jewelry in all over the world. Out of 250-300 diamonds factories with more than 2500 grinders, there are only 15 functional. We may just flip a page over a headline of a suicide but there have been 80 in last 2 months and most of them are either diamond workers or their family members. Earning a sufficient living for family is now standing in queue for relief. BECAUSE, perhaps we do not know how to live in a villages and remain in villages. There is no eligibility or courage I might have to say this, but it does at least leave me with a lot questions. The blind migration (URBANIZATION) over easy jobs without having any qualification or any special skills. Thousands left villages, left well settled farming practices and ended up in these “not forever” diamonds. I see it more as the disconnection with the soil, seeds and the dust at the cost of making those artificial beauty objects. I think, no one wants dirty and scruffy hands at the end of the day.

State Government spent 750 crore rupees to provide A-class cars, 5 star accommodations and luxurious services to the investors, and there are queues of diamond workers to get welfare relief. After the discomforting communal divide which has rooted some very downbeat feelings within thousands of hearts (I use ‘thousands’ as out of millions, I doubt that there is much sensitivity in the people of Gujarat regarding these issues.) and the huge distance between the rich and poor, it’s the intensive time of disparity between rural and urban, specially at the time of global melt-down!

“Some get roads to glide and some, a death-ride!”

There is a lot to be heard about villages and victims of our social imbalance, please read on Dionne Bunsha: http://www.hinduonnet.com/fline/fl2424/stories/20071221508312900.htm

The Much Needed, Real Effort!

It is an effort of its kind, which also has been made by honorable Gujarat Vidhyapith last year. The second ‘Gandhi Jayanti Gramjivan Padyatra’ organized from 28th September to 2nd October this year. 700 villages were covered, where students, teachers, volunteers from NGOs and so many other people talked with villagers about Gandhian values and ideas of life and to make the people aware.
 Along with connecting rural and urban, it will allow the rural population to really understand their own situation, applying ideas with which they can improve their own lives by staying only in villages. Migration from villages to cities is taking toll on the balance of the population and economy that is where this kind of event can help villagers to know their own capabilities, strength of their own villages and a better life there. There were four basic issues – literacy, cleanliness, panchayat rights and de-addiction to be addressed. Also, it would help to come over rigid rituals, traditions and will encourage women empowerment in each corner of Gujarat. It is known that most of the villages did welcome ‘padyatris’ last year and they appreciated the motive of this ‘padyatra’.
There is a lot of buzz about technical happenings around the city from the Media, addressing issues like what you can do with your mobile Bluetooth, how harmful the mobile towers are, an author caught a guy for not respecting our national anthem. I really appreciate everything coming to the platform in such a new tabloid. But, should we miss such core news? I believe, we must give full coverage to such an event, with photographs, stories and testimonials by media people, going in villages with these teams and participating in this evolutionary event. Only these things will bring the core values and humanity back to the urban and rural people. Roots are being detached, and we must prevent. All the newspapers of different languages should remark and encourage this as a significant event and display that it is not that difficult to spread a message if we really want. “Hats Off!” to the efforts of Gujarat Vidhyapith and the team. Even a few percents of success would turn into gold and nothing else.
Heartily wishes and gratitude for all the ‘padyatris’!