Srijan Foundation

     In what could turn out to be an embarrassment for the Delhi government, a study carried out recently by Northeast (N-E) helpline has found out that nearly 50 per cent of crimes that take place in Delhi are against people who belong to the Northeast.

     The survey also mentioned that girls of the Northeast are most vulnerable with at least 59 per cent cases of molestation and sexual harassment being inflicted on them. The study puts a question mark on the safety and security of Northeast people and has labelled Delhi as being “racist.”

     “Delhi is not a safe place for girls and women, not even during daytime. The police is reluctant to work for our safety and the culprits gain more courage when the police forces let them go free. The public watch as mere spectators if we defend ourselves and judge us as outcaste and uncivilised,” said a BPO employee from the Northeast.

     “Stories of racial discrimination meted out to Northeast people living, studying and working in the city and its surrounding cities have definitely triggered great fears among the Northeast India communities,” said officials of Northeast helpline.

     “What matters most is the mindset of the people towards those different in appearance, culture, and social setup of the Northeast India communities. The greater fear is the snail’s pace, negligent approach, delay and even denial of registration of complaint by police duty officers in handling discrimination meted out to Northeast people,” said the helpline spokesperson, Madhu Chandra.

     “Such is the case that when I broke a finger of a man when he tried to misbehave with me, I was left with a comfortable space in that bus by the public with a clear message that there is one insane, uncivilised, wild Northeast girl among the well-mannered ladies and gentlemen. No one judges him but they make a point to recognise me as an outcaste,” said a girl.

     In a Nutshell ¦ A survey says that girls of the Northeast are most vulnerable with at least 59 per cent cases of molestation and sexual harassment being inflicted on them.

     ¦ The study puts a question mark on the safety and security of the Northeast people and has labelled Delhi as being “racist”.

     As I read the ‘letter to the editor’ of a news paper, HT,I could not but bow my head to Shri Pawan K Sharma of New Delhi.  

     Here is a man who has undergone a personal tragedy, and yet loves his fellow-men enough to warn them to be careful and not allow a blunder to be committed, a blunder that can have fatal consequences to some one nearest to you. 

     I am uploading the letter to the editor, HT, as a mark of acknowledgement and of course the warning the letter carries for those suffering from Asthma. Read his letter for yourself. 

Asthma attack 

          SANCHITA Sharma’s report Asthma alert (November 11), was comprehensive except it did not mention that it is fatal to administer hormones to women with asthma.

I recently lost my wife aged 39 to asthmatic respiratory cardiac arrest tiggered by hormone use. People usually don’t die of asthma unless there is an overriding cause. In my wife’s case, the gynaecologist blundered.

  I request you to share this information with your readers.

  Pawan K Sharma,

 New Delhi  

There are many stories, some true and some apocryphal, about India’s legendary soldier – Field Marshal Sam Manekshaw. It is common knowledge that India’s  military campaign in 1971 to liberate Bangladesh was delayed on professional military advice, against the wishes of the political class. It is delightful to revisit the anecdote in the words of the lead historian of the dramatis personae.

The Field Marshal narrated this incident as a personal example of moral courage,
at the inaugural Field Marshal KM Cariappa Memorial Lecture in October 1995 at Delhi.

   “There is a very thin line between being dismissed and becoming a Field Marshal.” 

     In 1971, when Pakistan cracked down in East Pakistan, hundreds and thousands of refugees started pouring into India, into West Bengal, Assam and Tripura. The Prime Minister held a Cabinet meeting in her office. The External Affairs Minister Sardar Swaran Singh, the Agriculture
Minister, Mr. Fakruddin Ali Ahmad, the Defence Minister, Babu Jagjivan Ram and the Finance Minister, Yashwant Rao Chavan were present. I was then summoned.A very angry, grim-faced Prime Minister read out the telegrams from the Chief Ministers of West Bengal, Assam and Tripura. She then turned around to me and said, “What are you doing about it?” And I said, “Nothing, it’s got nothing to do with me. You didn’t consult me when you allowed the BSF, the CRP and RAW to encourage the Pakistanis to revolt. Now that you are in trouble, you come to me. I have a long nose. I know what’s happening.” I then asked her what she wanted me to do.She said, “I want you to enter Pakistan.”

And I responded, “That means war!”

She said, “I do not mind if it is war.”

“Have you read the Bible?” I said.

The Foreign Minister, Sardar Swaran Singh asked, “What has Bible got to do with this?”

     I explained, that the first book, the first chapter, the first words, the first sentence God said was,
“Let there be light” and there was light. Now you say, “Let there be war” and there will be war, but
are you prepared? I am certainly not. This is the end of April. The Himalayan passes are opening and there can be an attack from China if China gives us an ultimatum.

     The Foreign Minister asked, “Will China give an ultimatum?” And I said, “You are the Foreign
Minister, you tell me”. I told them that my armoured division and two of my infantry divisions were away. One in the Jhansi / Babina area, the other in Samba and the third one in Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu. I mentioned that I will require all the road space, all the railway wagons, the entire railway system to move these formations to the operational areas and that harvesting was in progress in the Punjab and UP and they would not be able to move the harvest which would
rot; and I pointed out to the Agriculture Minister that it wouldn’t be my responsibility if there was a
famine.

     Then I said, “My armoured division, which is my big striking force is supposed to have 189 tanks operational. I have got only 11 tanks that are fit to fight.”

     The Finance Minister, who is a friend of mine asked, “Sam why only 11?”

     So I told him, “Because you are the Finance Minister. I have been asking you for money for over a year and you say you haven’t got it!”

     And finally I turned around to the Prime Minister and said that the rains were about to start in East Pakistan and when it rains there, it pours and when it pours, the whole countryside is flooded. The snows are melting, the rivers would become like oceans. If you stand on one bank, you can’t see the other. All my movement would be confined to roads. The Air Force, because of climatic conditions would not be able to support me. Now Prime Minister, give me your orders.

     The grim Prime Minister with her teeth clenched said,

“The Cabinet will meet again at four o’clock”.

     The members of the Cabinet started walking out. I being the junior most was the last to go and as I was leaving, she said,” Chief, will you stay back?”

I turned around and said, “Prime Minister, before you open your mouth, may I send you my resignation on grounds of health, mental or physical?”

She said, “Every thing you told me is true”. “Yes! It is my job to tell you the truth” I responded, “and it is my job to fight, it is my job to fight to win and I have to tell you the truth.

“She smiled at me and said, “All right Sam, you know what I want?” I said, “Yes, I know what you want!”[Field Marshal KM Cariappa Memorial Lectures 1995 - 2000, Lancer Publishers & Distributors, Delhi, 2001]

Three cheers to the old soldier! The only regret – I wish all of us had compulsorily read this at school, among all the mythological and faux historical fables, as a living illustration of moral courage.  

I am very happy to inform everyone that children’s classes wil be conducted in yet another location also.

Classes have commenced from 13 Nov 07. It is about a kilo metre away , almost at the other end of the village.

A teacher Shri Swain, has been appointed.

Hopefully this will serve another 30/40 children.

Have some photos. will put them up as soon I can get them scanned.

Colrama

     A message recd from Mr Watwani, of Safdarjung Developement Area. May be there is a lesson in it for all warring RWAs in Delhi.
     Why not dessiminate the phone numbers of civic authorities and municipal councillors so that citizens can ring ring them up when there is a problem in the colony.
     That is the only way to make them understand that citizens are not willing to accept non performance any more.

Dear Friends,

    Most of us use the District Park for Morning/Evening Walk. Even thousands of Sr Citizens & other Residents/Children do visit the park.     

     Lately it is observed that the Park’s Walk Ways are in Very Bad Condition & many a times I have seen Sr Citizens stumbling/falling on these walk ways. it can happen to any one of us & our family members. 

        I collected the Phone Numbers of DDA Horticulture Deptt’s Assistant Engineer & Jr Engineer & spoken to them. They say that these walk way could have been repaired long time back but for the Contractors un-cooperative attitude. Now the Contract has been awarded to new Contractors.

     As per contract requirement, Road Rollers will be run on the walk ways to Press the Protruded Stones to ground level before repairing it.     Though I have been  told/promised that work will start within next fortnight.

     However I request all of you  that lets  please phone to the following Officers so that work on the  Contract  start in time & we have a better walk way for all of us.

     Kindly also make use of the these under mentioned phone numbers in suggesting other good practical suggestions to these officers for the improvement of Park.

Regards.

S L Watwani  

1.  Mr Tripal Singh Tomar, Assistant Director, DDA Horticulture Department – Mobile – 98108 99797        2. Mr  P K Jain,  Junior Engineer, DDA Horticulture Department – Mobile – 98182 51930 ( Also Daily Sits near Nursery Between 11-00 AM to 1-00 PM )

     PS:   1. I also suggest that for other pending issues of common interest, we pass on the information to other  residents in a similar way & by follow up by each one of us, results are bound to come at a faster rate.

     Please pass on this mail to your other known contacts of our area with similar request.

    2. I received a SMS from Mr Shailender Singh ( Monty), Our area Councilor informing that his New mobile number is 99586 93163. Please make a note of it if the information has not reached to you so far.

Mr JR Lal is a proactive member of Citizens Alliance. His experience with MTNL indicates the state of affairs in any govt department.

Citizens must stand up for their rights. 

11.11.2007  

Dear Sir,

 Email appended below would apprise you with another story on the working style of govt. agencies. This time it is MTNL. 

Within hours of sending email, I  received a telephone call at 10.30 AM (same day) from Gulabi Bagh Sanchar Haat asking me to collect the free Trump connection (with lifetime validity and having initial talk value Rs. 50/- only).

Then I visited the place and got the free connection without even submitting the original copy of the paid telephone bill which was earlier demanded.

  If you find merit in the episode worth posting on blog site, please edit the contents of the attachment and post I wonder why so often I face such problems! Sometime I feel fed up.

  Thanks & regards,

 J. R. LAL

From: J. R. Lal To: R. P. S. SINHA (CMD) ; Prem Singh (AM Idgah Exch) ; M. P. Singhal (GM Mob. Ser.) ; A. P. Handa (GM Accounts) ; A. K. Srivastava (GM East) ; A. K. ARORA (Exec. Director) Sent: Thursday, November 08, 2007 8:13 AM

Subject: PROMOTIONAL OFFER FOR GIVING FREE TRUMP CONNECTION 

Date : 08.11.2007 

Dear Sirs, 

I came across to an advertisement issued by MTNL, Delhi which was published in The Hindustan Times of 05.11.2007. The advertisement reads – “Just visit your nearest Sanchar Haat, show your ID proof alongwith any one MTNL Landline paid bill of Rs. 500/- or above for the last 3 months and get Trump Jeevan Saathi Card absolutely free with life time validity.”

 2.    I am a landline phone customer and opted for TriB Phone Plan for tariff for using broad band internet service of MTNL. Under the plan, monthly bill, which I regularly pay, comes around Rs. 700/-. 3.    Prompted by the above said advertisement I visited Sanchar Haat, DDA Market Gulabi Bagh, Delhi on 05.11.2007 at 01.45 PM. There I filled up the prescribed agreement form, completed requirements as told to me there and then presented to Mr. K. P. Singh, Section Supervisor.

 Ludicrous ‘Tamasha‘ at Sanchar Haat 

4.    After presenting the documents to Mr. K. P. Singh ‘tamasha‘ started which continued for about 1 hour and 15 minutes.

             It started when I was asked to attach original paid copy of the telephone bill. In my view, it was a very peculiar demand as I believe, a receipt, issued in any form by a government department (including PSU) against a payment having been received cannot – as a principal – be demanded back from the payer. I also believe that no authority lower than government of India is competent to change that principal. However, having no option against the unlawful demand, original copy of a paid bill was attached. 

           Then another point was raised. Mr. K. P. Singh told me that I cannot be issued the connection as the charges in the monthly bill for usage of telephone alone fall short of Rs. 500/-. To this I told you that there is no such stipulation in the said advertisement and also that I believe, the advertisement as published can neither be ambiguous nor misleading. And, had there been any mention in the said advertisement that only telephone usage charges would be taken into account in case of bills for combined usage of telephone and internet services, I would not have visited the Sanchar Haat for the free Trump connection.

             Mr. Singh then advised me to go to Idgah Exchange for the purpose to which I refused on the plea that advertisement has asked to visit Sanchar Haat and not the Telephone Exchange and I am complying with accordingly. 

             Then Mr. Singh asked me to talk to his superior officers over the telephone. I refused to do so believing that the customer is not supposed to be under such an obligation and it is for the service provider to depute or deploy such persons on such jobs who are well conversant with the latest schemes etc. and may convince the customers to their satisfaction. 

            Thereafter, Mr. Singh and another lone lady staffer there rang up many superior officers. To my surprise, none of them gave a firm direction whether to issue free Trump connection or not. Uncertainty continued to prevail keeping me at bay. After a while, some officer on the other side of the phone line told the lady staffer to issue the connection and she in turn passed on the message to Mr. Singh. Mr. Singh was still sceptic and continued with the telephone to contact the higher officers. At last, some one on the line advised Mr. Singh to get the matter clarified from MTNL’s helpline no. 1503. The lady who attended the call in between 03.05 and 03.15 PM told Mr. Singh to take into account telephone usage charges only for issue of free Trump connection. After that Mr. Singh rejected my case. 

            On reaching my residence, I also rang up helpline 1503 around 03.45 PM and the male staffer who attended to my call at position no. 25, told me that for getting the clarification on the issue, I have to wait for 2 days. 

           It also came to my notice that upto 02.45 PM, Gulabi Bagh Sanchar Haat was not authorised to issue free Trump connection under the said scheme and at the same time 02.45 PM the concerned staff was also instructed to issue such free connections to the eligible customers of their area only. 

 Expectations of the customers - 

 5.    In the interest of customers and save them from harassment at the hands of uninformed or little informed staff deputed for public dealing, suitable measurements like the ones stated below are utmost necessary for improvement in the service delivery system :- 

*  In future text of the MTNL’s advertisements should be drafted in unambiguous manner which may not mislead either the customer or the MTNL’s dealing staff as is evident in the present case.

 *   Terms and conditions must be clearly specified. *   There must be proper planning and preparation before announcement of a scheme. 

 *   There must not be any communication gap and the scheme on launch must be clear upto grassroots level well in time. 

*   Concerned officers and staff should also keep themselves updated on the schemes. 

 *   Public dealing staff must be properly trained. *   Service must be provided in accordance with specified standards of service delivery devoid of harassment and inconvenience to the customers.

 *   Demand should not be made for submission of original receipted copy of the bill as the same is believed to ultra vire the basic financial laws (the GM (Accounts) may kindly look into it and issue suitable instructions to all concerned).

 Request In view of the above I request you to please look into the matter and get me issued free Trump connection under the scheme. In case I am not considered eligible for the same kindly inform me suitably. Looking forward for a favorable reply.

 Wish you Happy Diwali 

Yours faithfully, 

JAG ROSHAN LAL

Am placing an email from Mr Watwani.

 It makes for plesant reading reaffirms faith in the goodness of man.

Dear Friends,

    Luck & Good work  is unbeatable. That is what the saying goes. When it happens in your neighborhood, you feel very proud & happy mentioning to others. You will be thrilled to read  that ……

     On the morning of 06 Nov 07, one of our resident member Shri Shiv Goel returned from some meeting. When he reached near his home, he got a phone call at his mobile. He parked his Vehicle & he got busy in the Phone call with out realising that his PURSE containing huge amount in many thousands & some important documents have fallen near his parked car. He finished with phone Call & went home. After about an hour & half he again got ready for going for office. Moment he thought of transferring his purse from old Trouser to new, he realised that his Purse is missing. All efforts failed to trace it.

       Than came  phone call from Mr Yogesh Gupta of B-2/70  , Safdarjung Enclave . Apparently Yogesh’s father Shri J C Gupta a Sr Resident of B-2 Block when returning from morning walk in the colony Park, picked this purse & gave to his son for making efforts in returning to rightful owner. Fortunately there was Visiting Card of Mr Shiv Goel & when he asked if he has lost something, What a Surprise, what a Luck & what a relief for Shiv Goel. He got everything intact.

        Lets all Pray to God for a very long & healthy life to our Respected Shri J C Gupta. Such people are rare in today’s materialistic world. Lets pass this message to our friendly circle for this laudable work of Mr J C Gupta.

PS

Phone numbers of Shri JC Gupta are available . welcome to ask.

I’ve been having this interesting dialogue on a blog of someone I came across during an Open Source Software conference in Delhi. This person is from Kashmir, a good technologist I believe, a Muslim – although in my opinion he has rather orthodox views – and this is what the dialogue is about. It may be interesting to read this.

Look at the last few posts at the bottom of the page.

http://mirnazim.wordpress.com/2006/10/27/uncovered-women-are-same-as-uncovered-meat/

I was quite inspired after watching the movie ‘Chak De India‘. A lot of us believed that the movie would inspire a sea-change in how Indian sports audience and the government, related to hockey, our (official) national sport; a lot us believed it would change the recent losing spree of the Indian hockey team; we believed that the movie would inspire relief, from the cricket-frenzy that has always had a strangle-hold on the average Indian mind, and allow some breathing space for other sports, and hopefully some advertisers and some decent prize money for these other ignored sports, specifically hockey.

I was truly inspired by Shah Rukh Khan’s ‘meaningful’ performance, after years (other than, an out-of-the-blue Swades!).

This was followed-up by an unexpected victory of the Indian hockey team at the Asia Cup event in India. Chak De India was making its impact on the Indian psyche and sport – this was the popular sentiment in the media and among the general public.

And then…

Then this happened!

http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y76/pintuv/7CDDC78DA6CA82864C32D9405D6F.jpg

Shah Rukh Khan was all over the Indian cricket players, hugging, and shaking hands, and almost taking centre-stage, with the players, during their post-victory celebrations.

This after dialogues like ‘hamari hockey mein chhake nahin hote‘ (he was taking a jibe at cricketers). To my mind , the message of the movie Chak De India, was lost, this very moment; dissolved once again in the (rare big-event) cricket victories of a hero-hungry people.

Over the next few days, we saw the players of the winning hockey team go on a hunger strike, irked by the step-motherly treatment meted out to them compared to the bonanza of million dollar surprise post-match surprise prize, land-allocation by government, job offers by nationalised corporations, to the winning cricket team.

Shahrukh Khan once again, in my opinion, proved his shallowness.

Why do I say so? I must be biased!

Yes, I must admit that I have a bias against Sharukh Khan (and for Aamir; the brand of Aamir Khan’s cinema is truly inspiring and meaningful to me). Allow me to explain why.

The kind of impact actors like Shahrukh Khan and his counterparts in Bollywood, can make on the psyche of people of this country through cinema is immense. Add to that the huge fan-following of Hindi movies from Indonesia to Algeria, and you have a perfect opportunity to play the role of some sort of a mentor, a coach, a guide, and a messenger, if you like.

The purpose of cinema, once again in my opinion, must be larger than simply the ‘entertainment factor’. It must be a larger purpose, to communicate a message, some meaning, some inspiration; or maybe simply entertain, relax and humour the audience. Unfortunately, Shahrukh Khan’s movies in the recent years have been nothing more than shallow and hollow romanticism (such romanticism – myth of romantic love – according to a leading psychiatrist, Scott M. Peck, is one of the leading causes of mental-ill health for people around the world, as he argues in his book – ‘The Road Less Travelled‘).

Also, movie stars, tend to be related to like their characters they depict. This is true, not only for India, but around the world. We all know the deep impression Amitabh Bachhan’s extremely down-to-earth, very human and emotional, sacrificing, role in the movie Sholay, has left on the minds of people from Afganistan to Middle East, apart from India. While travelling abroad, it is common to come across people from Iran or Algeria, who start singing ‘Yeh Dosti‘ when you tell them you are from India.

This to my mind is the purpose of cinema.

Shahrukh Khan running out to hug the Indian players immediately after their victory, and these images being flashed all over the television media endlessly, especially after a movie like Chak De India (where more than once he jibes at cricketers) is to my mind, once again reminiscent of a leadership and moral crisis our country faces, a certain loss of message of the movie Chak De India, and overall, a step-backward in the efforts towards revival of Indian hockey.

Shri JR Lal, a proactive member of CAPRG  has carried out a study of Department of Food & Supplies, Govt of NCT Delhi.
The Department had made announcements in papers that any individual who had an APL ration card and wanted to have amendments made in it can produce the same with supporting documents and the get the work done the same day.
A wonderful Promise indeed.
 Information was procured from the Department under the RTI, and analysed.
 The report is ready. CAPRG has requested for a meeting with the Lieut Governor to discuss Transport Issues inDelhi. It is proposed to present the report to the LG during the meeting.
 CAPRG has been waiting for an appintment since over a week.
 We shall be putting up the report on Monday.
colrama
02 Nov 07