House arrest! That’s what it
really is. And it is really a marvelous experience! Nothing to do and all day
to do it in! And Yes! You can put off to DO NOTHING for tomorrow. That really
appeals to the Indian mind. I have always wanted to procrastinate, just never
got around to it. Till now!
How
can you complain about such a scenario?
As
soon as lock-down was announced, the residents of our colony got together and
organized themselves. Basically it was the ladies whose main concern was to
keep the home fires burning.
Their
demand was simple- food! Bread, butter, eggs, veggies, fruit. These were daily
needs.
Within
a record time, Sumeet and Robin had organized a home delivery system. Manoj,
the odd-job-man of the colony ownes a scooter rickshaw. A WhatsApp group was
formed. Manoj would be informed as to who wanted what. Manoj would be in the
Mandi at the crack of dawn and back while the people were still having ‘chota
haazri’. The aloo, gobhi, mutter and all other essential food stuffs would be
home delivered. Bawa catered to the carnivores! Kabbabs, salami, chicken would
also be home delivered. Please note Manoj would have a bath and change clothes
before he attended to his duties in the colony.
Wonderful!
The housewife had more time for the family. No pushing around in the Mandi, no
fighting for a parking spot. And the most important outcome. At least 15-20
cars were off the road. Ours is a small colony but if this system of shopping
was followed all over the Tri-City, thousands of cars would be off the road,
easing traffic conditions, reducing pollutants and helping Man breathe easier.
An example result emerged in the first two
weeks. With Mother Nature’s help the Planet healed itself. Panthers came
wandering into Chandigarh. A sambar herd were found grazing in a Chandigarh
park. Chinkara or spotted deer had a free run on the Himalayan Expressway. All
this happened in just two short weeks!
It
was a tremendous cleaning up of the environment. It also meant billions of
litres of fuel being saved daily across the country.
Foreign
exchange saved. Store the fuel saved for essential services like the Defence
Forces and farmers.
If
you analyse the lockdown situation it has been a win-win situation for
everyone. The individual, the Nation, the Planet! The flora and fauna
flourished.
It
would not be a bad idea to have one week each month as lockdown!
But
please people, stop and think, and don’t complain. India has performed the best
in the world in fighting the Carona virus. The day we crossed 400 deaths in a
two month period, Italy, Spain and Portugal were reporting that many deaths in
a twenty four hour period.
Appreciate
the safe and hygienic conditions created for you. Most important the side
effects. Saving time, saving money, wear and tear on the car, tension on the
driver. Best side effect, cleaning up the Planet!
After
the lockdown is lifted, we should carry on this practise of home delivery. Show
the Tri-City residents how we made our contribution for our City, our Country,
our Planet. Remember, every little drop fills the bucket.
Another
practise that will be a further help, a car-pooling system. One car in the
colony should be dedicated, for a whole week to drop and collect children to
school. Next week another family’s car. Again the number of cars on roads
reduced, traffic will move faster, fuel saved, time saved, money saved.
It
is now an accepted fact globally that our lifestyles will change after the
Carona lockdown is over.
Let
us put our Planet first, our Children second and Ourselves last!
There
is a light at the end of the tunnel!
Contributed
by H. Kishie Singh
Kansal
Enclave.