an experience taking the Delhi Metro

An experience riding the Delhi metro I generally do not take the metro ride but this time by close of year end planned to take the metro and experience it. Sharing my experiences from a perspective of a visually impaired passenger! On 26 December, going to AADI in Green Park from Kishangarh In the morning generally my head is filled with the challenge of getting out of the house, this is a trivial aspect for many but for a visually impaired person it is always a challenge as I need to think of how do I get to the bus stand or auto stand walking alone. The fear is not of falling down or going astray, the fear is of being attacked by stray or street dogs as when they look at a person walking with a white cane then tend to be feared and hence bark and attack, the other ofcourse is of being run down by a zooming vehicle which is not of a major fear to me as I have also walked in the middle of small roads!! Earlier I used to depend on someone to drop me to the auto or bus from home but now I stopped caring about this much and just take off with my white cane!!! Now once overcoming the challenge of this fear I reached the bus stop was helped by a passerby to reach and board the bus number 604 to Chhattarpur, bought my ticket and sat near the window. Was listening to the hustle bustle of the crowd and with the cold wind in Delhi’s winter enjoyed the ride as much as it was warm inside the bus. When the time came to get down someone announced that this was Chhattarpur metro, now the point lingered in my mind I need to find someone to guide me to the metro train as there was no way I could get up there on my own. This was simple, just had to shout for help so in Hindi I asked after getting off the bus, can anyone drop me to the metro? (Bhaiya thoda metro tak choodengy) there was a hand which pulled me and said yes come (chaliyea). This was welcoming and easy I thought! He first held me in my hand trying to pull me but I had to state to him the guiding technique and insist that I hold his elbow and not him holding me. This was good for a start but in between he tried to pull me and hold me but again I had to insist that he will be in front and I will hold his elbow and I am comfortable with this. I had my stick out on my right hand and holding him on the left so that I was confident of being guided! And being safe!!! We passed some stairs and then went across the long passage through. He then dropped me till the security gate and asked me to put off my bag for checking through the x-ray. I was not comfortable as how can I leave my bag with a stranger, so I found a way, I crossed the x-ray check point frisked and gave the security gard my bag so that I am sure I will get it back. This was done. By this time my first philosophical deo had left – guess he was in a hurry. Then I had to ask for help again. “Bhaiya toda metro tak pohanchasakte hai”can you drop me to the metro please. Other gentlemen offered, gentlemen or not I don’t know only stating so for the fact that he offered to drop me – my second philosophical deo! He then guided me through the ticket barricade which was easy as I had a card and then through the stairs. He asked me before taking the steps if I was comfortable taking the escalator and I stated yes and had to tell him that I am a born traveller and have been around the world. We reached the platform and then boarded the train. All the way we were chatting I kind of responding to his quaries, you have the problem since birth, are you working, are you single or married, someone needs to travel with you why are you travelling alone …etc. etc. Now inside the metro I move a side and was offered a seat “something welcoming” was pleasantly listening to the various chatters and the frequent announcements of the metro going off in Hindi and in English. Once green park was announced I moved to the door and walked out. Now again requesting for help (bhaiya toda bahar tak choodengey) brother can you drop me outside. Again, a hand pulls me and now my 3rd philosophical deo for the day comes around I had to go through the ordeal of explaining him the guiding technique and insist that I hold him and not him holding me or pulling me. He guides me through the stairs, ticket barricade and the escalator through towards Gautam nagar. Also again same series of questions. On my request he also offered to drop me at AADI’s gate as he was going the same direction. I thanked him and left walking through the gate into AADI building to meet Pankaj. This story continued for the days I was visiting AADI and meeting number of philosophical duos all along for assistance and guidance and people asking many questions. Life is so simple I think but for the freedom of walking about and the crowd it would not have been simple taking the metro ride!!! How many requests, how many thankyous, how many questions to answer!!! Also get to know more of individuals as I was talking. Someone works in the media, in the travel industry, in as teacher but visiting his folks in Delhi, once some students returning from college and many more. Life goes on as people are ready to give that little bit of help and assistance it is a bit easy if not we would have been in disaster!!! Sometimes wonder if the Delhi metro is really accessable for disabled?

FIGHT AGAINST INCAPABILITY Although I belong to the so called educated and intellectual loght, at the end of the day for a common man I am an incapable citizen. Yesterday I got to take the Indigo flight from Hyderabad to Delhi scheduled departure at 1940HRS. I reached the Rajeev Gandhi International Airport in Hyderabad at 1800HRS and headed to the Indigo counter guided by a gentleman from the entrance of the airport. Once I gave my ticket to the man behind the counter he asked me if I needed assistance to board the aircraft. I replied “yes” as usual practise and told him that I had web checked in and blocked seat D26 which is an isle seat. He took my ticket and told me that I will be given a seat in the front row... I insisted and repeated that “I have web checked” and my seat is D26 which is a isle seat. To my surprise, he responded that as you need special care we will allot you a seat in the first row, and asked me if I wanted the window, middle or isle seat in the front row. I was shaken and realised that in this free nation my choice is only limited to the first row. “As a traveller I have no right to use the web check in facility and choose my own seat like others” am I incapable??? Began to question myself “do I need special care???” I decided to fight??? I insisted that I need the aisle seat but not in the front row. The man behind the counter was persistent and said that he can offer only the first row and “it was for my own benefit” where the air hostess will take care of me?? I responded, “I know my benefits and my requirements” and he need not tell me. Also showed him a boarding card issued by indigo where they had given 7D isle seat in my previous journey. The struggle went on for few minutes and then he had to give up. I then came down to saying that I need an isle seat for sure but could be given in the first 3 seats. Then he indigently looked up and said that the second row is a window seat, the third row has an isle seat and blocked me to 3C. I told him courteously that I travel alone and had reached the airport on my own and will not need much assistance in the aircraft. Particularly the “special care”. I respect his views and also assured him not to put all persons with disabilities in the same box in his head, as people are unique and some might need that support As he was handing over my boarding card he stood up and said “sorry” I replied “sorry” is a dirty word and this is what the English has left back in the country for people like you who constantly harass disabled people. I shook his hand and bid best regards and good evening for his good public relations skills. As I walked through the security gate I wondered, did I get special care when I travelled alone in the train last night from Bangalore to Hyderabad in the second class sleeper??? Did I get special care when I travelled alone on the bus from my friend’s house in north Hyderabad to the airport??? Whatever it is just because I am blind; I am “incapable and need special care” so say the society.

Travel etiquette

I travel very much, each time I travel by train I observe that people have seemed to have lost their civic sense these days. Those of you who travel by train will agree, when you enter a A.C. coach in a train it is like a fish market. People talking loud, shouting at the top of their voices. If there is a group or a family traveling then it is much more.

Even people who are traveling alone or others are hooked on to the mobile sets answering or talking loudly. Some of the conversations I have observed goes like this.

“hello, hello! can’t hear you, hello, hello”
“there is no network, I am in train”
“we are on train”
“pick me up at so and so time”
“on train safe”.
“how is every one at home”
“eat well, sleep well”

And most of these conversations go on and on as if there is no tomorrow!!!

I just wonder what people did and managed when there were no mobile sets???

The other annoying factor is the loud music emerging out of mobile hand sets, some people tend to showcase their music to the whole world. They seldom realize there are co-passengers traveling and need to maintain silence.

I am not against mobile use but people need to realize that when they are traveling they need to respect the privacy of other and not think the train is a fish market or their home. This is where we lack civic sense and the social etiquette in society.

In the west for example when I travel by train it is comparatively quiet, people do respond to mobiles but in a low voice, they keep quiet as if it is traveling in a plain. In India luckily while travel by flight it is relatively quite. Thank god passengers are asked to switch off their mobile or even that would have become a fish market.

I only wish:
- Mobile use is ban on trains.
-People learn some civic sense so that they remain quiet or talk softly. when they are traveling with others – respecting others privacy.
-stop being so dependent on the mobile sets.
-Stop listening to loud music on rains.

Inequality in water consumption patterns

It is interesting to look at the consumption pattern of water amongst the various population in India. There is an urban, rural divide and also difference in rich & poor in consumption pattern. Majority of people live in rural areas and most of them have limited or no access to tap water, 24/7 running water. They have to walk for miles to fetch water which is a major task for the women folk every day. They manage to get around 2 / 3 pots of water each day which is 10 liters of water for all the house hold use. On an average, per capita consumption of water in a city like Delhi is 225 to 250 liters per day. Poor people living in slums of Delhi do not have access to water sources so the average per capita in such areas is only around 33 liters per day.

Now we see there is a huge distinction between the usage patterns of water for domestic use. Particularly between urban rural divide and rich – poor. Some use 10 to 33 liters per day and the others use 250 liters per day!!!

It is important to understand the politics of use of water, lot of consumers in the affluent areas need so much water for daily house hold use which is generally for bathing (showers), washing machines, kitchen use, gardening etc. in poor quarters of the city and large tracks of rural areas people have access to water sources only to cook and bath.

If this scenario continues, there will be a situation where the haves will use more leaving less to poor house holds. The future trend should call for action to encourage rich consumers to use less so that poor quarters have some more to use which is dignifying and humane.

Guru Bhai

IS THIS JUSTICE

PLIGHT OF DISABLED WOMEN IN GOPALPUR ORISSA

You will remember, the super cyclone of 1999, which played havoc in costal Orissa. The state was also hit by tsunami in December 2004.

Visiting this region in early 2010 I found that people have lost their livelihoods, migration pattern has changed and that the verse affected are disabled people amongst others.

Women with disability in Gopalpur area do not do any work. They are afraid of cyclones and floods as they are dependent and cannot run at the instance of any calamity. Their parents or guardians look after most of the ladies.

Migration is high, as most of them have lost their livelihood due to poor fish habitation in the area and changing aquatic behavior. When people migrate they are forced to take along children and disabled with them.

At the work site, disabled girls are left behind alone and are vulnerable to physical abuse and prone to sexually transmitted disease and HIV.

What does this teach us?

1. Increased climatic change leads to people loosing livelihood;
2. Loss of livelihood leads to migration;
3. Migration has its own ill effects on individuals;
4. Disabled people are doubly vulnerable in such situation;
5. Women with disabilities are exploited;

There is no justice; climate change leads to many other consequences “Unimaginable and less known”.



Praveen Kumar G

"SAVE WATER ITS PRECIOUS"

Water is a crucial element of our sustenance and living. However, increasingly, access to safe drinking water has become an issue on this planet. It is
said that around 1 billion people around the world do not have access to adequate and safe drinking water. In India alone, it is said that 33% of the population
do not have access to clean drinking water.

Each day, we use water in all forms. As individuals we need around 300 liters of water per day, for cooking, washing, in direct form. Food consumption
also adds to the water intake indirectly and also the products we use have water.

“Virtual water” is the hidden consumption within everyday products and crops such as cotton, rice, coffee and sugar. For example, production of one cotton
shirt requires 2700 liters of water. Even the computer and electronic gadgets we use has used water in its manufacturing process.

Do you know that, one kilo of meat takes a massive
10000 to 16,000 liters of water to produce
, Much of that used to grow the grain the animal eats. One hamburger uses 2,400 liters of water!

Do you know, it takes 7 liters of water to produce a water bottle

Do you know, it takes 10 liters of water to make a sheet of paper

We can always minimize using products we use every day and also maximize on the goods we use. The mottto “reuse, recycle and reduce” should be the norm
if we are really concerned about our planets resources. Indeed, water is becoming a scarce resource particularly clean drinking water.

Access to clean drinking water is a problem for billions around the world and could be a problem for our children and future generations. we need to act!
Now to make a change;.

Now the question is how do we get around doing this and save water; It is said that. Higher incidence of vegetarianism in India (approximately 30% of the
population) does play a role in keeping individual water footprints lower - the water contained in our diets varies with a vegetarian diet using 2.6 cubic
meters of water each day, while a country with meat based diet uses over 5 cubic meters.

Use recycled bottles and make sure we carry water bottles with clean filtered water rather than purchasing the mineral bottles always. This is a difficult
task as widely traveled particularly on the Indian Trains I am sure not to get clean drinking water! But am exploring an option of using portable ZERO
B filter!!!

Use paper judiciously, as we all know that paper comes from the tree and the virtual water consumption is very high.

Use gadgets until it is totally unrepairable.

Use clothes for long time or give it to people who don’t have it as they can use it. Think before buying things for the sake of fancy, peer pressure; just
to be stored in the shelves!!!

Each time I drink water my thought is only that our generation and future should have this wonderful and precious natural element for easing life and not
become a commodity of trade.

Just think when you take that sip of water how quenching it is and remember you and I have a role in preserving it.

Act now for “a water for all society”

Guru Bhai

"our actions and responsibility"

It is imperative and a reality that we need to save this planet. A planet for us and our brothers and sisters. Children and millions to be born.

We have lived and enjoyed most of nature but at the rate of pollution and hazardous activities human raze has got into we need to really sit back and think
about the existence of Mother Nature. As I sit and think back I have many thoughts about the environment and how each one of us is contributing to the
nature’s destruction. I am really not aware about the big talk around “CLIMATE CHANGE” and the carbon foot print and others but only have felt the change
through personal experience:

1. 10 years ago, I remember we did not use even a fan at home or office in Bangalore city;
2. Summers are getting hotter each year particularly over the past 3 years. You all will agree that this year was unbearable;
3. Many water bodies I have personally visited are getting polluted Cavari river in Karnataka and Mahanadi river in Chhattisgarh are two rivers which were
clean and beautiful I remember even bathing in them many years ago today they are all polluted beyond imagination; particularly in places where human contact
is high.
4. Rains have become lesser particularly in northern India;we hear of failure in crops. Agriculture growing patern has changed;
5. My friends and I used to go by public transport, today every one have a personal vehicle, if not a car at least a 2 wheeler;
6. Increase in having junk food has increased leading to wastage of large quantity of packaging; earlier there used to be even milk bottles which were
delivered with the milk and after consumption recycled and reused;
7. People use more plastic these days;
8. Consumption attitude has increased; of gadgets, every thing one thinks of;

Can we really make a change is my question, pondering over the matter some years ago I told myself that let me make a beginning and if not a large contribution
will try to at least do something to humanity and planet which I believe has given me many things; so I am trying hard to do the following:

1. Use light only when it is needed; luckily, I don’t need any light but encourage folks at home to switch off lights;
2. Use electrical gadgets only when necessary;
3. Using only one bucket of water for bathing;
4. Using cold water for bathing at least in Delhi for 9 months in the year;
5. Using a mug of water for brushing teeth and face;
6. Use rechargeable batteries for my radio, camera;
7. Limited use of plastic – recycle plastic covers and bags; we at home use plastic bags for keeping cloths, I take them on my travels and keep using until
its unusable; we take cloth bags for shopping including vegetables and grosaries;we avoid taking plastic bags unless situation is unavoidable.
8. We have decided not to purchase any vehicle; and use the public transport;
9. No use of air conditioners at home;
10. Walk where ever possible and not use the elevator;
11. Use one mobile until it gets obsolete;
12. don't print stuff for reading; including emails and reading stuff; first of all i don't need hard copies;
13. use CFL bulbs;

These are small things I know, but hope they make a change in the environment in the long run. My hurdle begins now, having tried to work on saving our
plannet at a small scale my efforts are not really going to make a change I think because we:

1. get all stuff in plastic in the shop lets take a simple packet of maggy,packet of bread, packet of milk, curd, all our ration “””all in plastic””” can
we do away with it???
2. We are fascinated by gadgets we tend to purchase more and more and fill the shelves of our house with these stupid toys as they become cheep and affordable;

3. All recycled products come at a higher pries/ at least to my knowledge; not reached by the common man;
4. printing stuff unnecesserally;

I only hope and pray that rivers, streams should not become history, natural habitation of birds and animals should not become comics for our children,
forests become entirely concrete jungle with no space for peace and sanity, air and water become tradable commodities like food and clothing.

The thought still lingers in my head every day “our planet” what I am doing: are you?