CHANGE WE NEED(ed), a long ago !!!!!

There is a widely cited axiom that in a Democracy, whenever any of the three pillars of the

democracy viz. the Executive, the Legislature, or the Judiciary fails to execute its duties

responsibly, the other one steps in to fill the vacuum. The veracity of the axiom has been

quite validated by the recent High Court order for immediate commencement of anti-encroachment drive in jharkhand where the government for the past 10 years has been playing just the role of being a nominal representative.

I was more than happy when i had, what i would say a glimpse of reforms in ranchi, just before

the national games. I was so excited to see the roads being widened, encroachments being

lifted, vehicles getting parked at the right places instead of the roadsides, auto-rickshaws

not being allowed to pick more passengers than is the rule and above all the overall sense of

freshness and optimism in the air.For the first time i realised that even my city could look

beautiful,but for the unwillingness of the people to bring a change.

However i was more than sure in a corner of my heart that things would get back to their normal clumsy and obnoxious way, once the games would conclude. And alas, it did !!! Everyone,

including the officials and common people started resorting to their age old erratic ways.

People again started parking at places of their will,parking spaces were again taken up by

street side vendors and people again were clinging on to the extended seats of autos like it

was some free ride to Mars that they didn't want to miss on.

But the dwindling hopes of cynics like me have once again been given ignited by the recent High

Court order in which it has sternly instructed the Arjun Munda government to remove all

encroachments in all the cities of jharkhand with immediate effect, failing which the

government would have to pay a hefty fine per day. And yes, as you would have expected, the

effect is conspicuous.The city is looking cleaner and beautiful with each passing day of the

drive and the streets which once looked so crammed up look so spacious.The seriousness of the

issue can be understood by the fact that even the offices of the Congress,Indian Medical

Association, Jharkhand Olympic Association and INTUC were sealed in Dhanbad during the drive as they were located in an illegaly constructed building.

The only difference is that the government which should have done it voluntarily, is being

forced to do it. Also while all the parties and their leaders including some of the leaders of

the ruling coalition have come on the streets to protest against it, the court is in no mood to

listen,not even ready to give the drive, an abeyance of a single day. While this does

necessarily mean that many people will be rendered homeless and a lot of inconvenience will be

caused to many other, one cannot deny the fact that such strong measures have to be taken to

build a more robust society where the residents can be proud of their cities and not just fall

into saying "is sehar ka kucch nahi ho sakta".

So while the anti encroachment drive is running in its full flow,a lot of hue and cry being

made over the same and people in my locality getting anxious like never before, for it's their

turn tomorrow, all i can do now is, smile incessantly....for it's the first time that i am

falling in love....with my own city.