ulta pulta
Writ in water
Jaspal Bhatti

I remember an old song "Chingari koi bhadke to sawan use bhujhaye, sawan jo aag lagaye to use kaun bhujhaye". If someone’s house catches fire, he rings up the fire brigade office. But what if on the way the fire engine itself catches fire. The victims will not only crib about their fate but possibly also sympathise with that of the fire department.

Imagine if one goes to a police station to lodge a burglary complaint, but return empty-handed on finding that the inspector is depressed because his own house was burgled last night.

The offices of Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) were leaking and damaging the furniture and also putting important documents at risk. After this nobody can blame the BMC authorities for being insensitive to the Mumbai citizens’ plight, who face clogged roads and disruptions in road and train traffic every year. Because the BMC itself is now having first-hand experience of these problems.

Instead of working hard throughout the year on measures to tackle the rainy season, the BMC should try operating its office underwater so as to win public sympathy. The leaking roof of the BMC offices should be shown on various television channels with the BMC Commissioner sitting in knee-deep water. The Commissioner’s message could keep on flashing on TV channels every now and then "Garmi ya barsaat, BMC aapke saath."

HOME