Getting along changing bangalore

Getting along changing bangalore


A social system in distress/Pic: Nagaraja
Vinayak Varma
17 Sep 2008 04:27:00 AM IST

THE LITTLE PEOPLE

THE signs around the city that say “Keep Bangalore Clean” are many, while complaints about overflowing garbage bins and dirty roads have now become common. The average citizen’s professed concern for cleanliness does not translate into a concern for the citizens who actually work to implement this onerous task.

There are about 15,000 Powrakarmikas in Bangalore doing this work, of whom about 11,000 are employed on contract basis through 30 contractors. These contract workers get paid a pittance, about Rs.1800 - Rs. 1900 as monthly wages for this work which includes working in the most unhygenic conditions without any protective gear, even though the law mandates so.While these contract workers are entitled to wages equal to that of the permanent workers, seldom does one find the common citizen of Bangalore concerning themselves with this. This has to change.

Similarly, if one were to look at the manner in which domestic workers (still called ‘servants’ in Free India!), the situation is not much better. Conceding that in some of the households, wages have increased, a majority of the domestic workers are still underpaid.

Over and above this are the feudal ways in which they are treated. “Sit on the ground!”, “Do not use the toilets!” (ever wondered why the maid may not be drinking water at the houses she works in), “Keep separate vessels for the servant!”, “Oh! She actually took a day off ! She called in saying she was unwell; what a lie!” and so on and so forth. This has to change.

I guess one way to arrive at what would constitute ‘fair’ wages would be to place oneself in the shoes of these workers and imagine living on it; paying rent, advance for house, education of children, health, food, clothing and atleast some entertainment. If we can do this, we will see the world through the eyes of citizens of this country whose labour is fundamental to our existence but yet undervalued, disrespected and taken for granted.

CONVERSATION STARTER

ANGALORE is a city that has been turned on its head. For those of us who have known and loved the city from the seventies or eighties, it is easy enough to rue the traffic, the proliferation of concrete and glass structures, the congestion and the pollution. Infrastructure is, of course, the major problem. I would like, however, to focus attention on another vital issue that receives considerably less attention: decreasing civility and the loss of community in Bangalore.

We must ask ourselves what kind of a city and community we wish to live in. Do we want to continue to harbour dreams of turning Bengaluru into Shanghai or Singapore, or do we want to create the kind of connections and social investments that can make it a truly diverse, welcoming and cohesive town with a unique identity? This is an age where Indians of different faiths, castes and socio-economic levels are being pulled apart and becoming increasingly distrustful of each other. What can we, as individual citizens, do to prevent ourselves from becoming ghettoized (even if our personal ghetto is a gated community)? While we may not be capable of readily influencing large issues like the Metro construction or haphazard urban development, there is something we can do. Studies show that there is less chance of communal tensions exploding into violence when social networks and bonds are built across members of polarized groups. When ordinary citizens take the time to reach out to their neighbors, they build bonds that develop trust and understanding. When people learn to talk with, listen to and understand each other in honest and constructive ways, they begin to humanize and develop empathy for each other. These connections can be fostered through membership in social clubs that embrace diversity, the mutual celebration of festivals across cultures and the building of economic ties with local traders and hawkers. Shopping locally, rather than commuting to a mall ten miles away, pays off in terms of increasing goodwill within the neighborhood.

As a city we need more opportunities for intentional and constructive civic conversations.

Neutral places like tea shops, cafes, schools and community centres should be developed as safe spaces for Bengaluru’s citizens to share their experiences, concerns and ideas through facilitated town hall meetings and public dialogues.