Compassionate administration, citizens are cornerstones of a city worth living in - Hindustan Times
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Compassionate administration, citizens are cornerstones of a city worth living in

ByShubhra Puri
Sep 03, 2019 01:49 PM IST

Do good In the fast-paced, frantic lives that we lead, we need to make some room for good in our lives every day through the people around us and environment we take for granted.

I found the theme of a recent workshop held in the city quite fascinating. Organised by the international Charter for Compassion, the workshop brought together change-makers to talk about compassionate initiatives in Gurugram. My mind went a trifle off tangent. I wondered how compassionate is Gurugram as a city? Here are some of the thoughts that crossed my mind.

Gurugram’s air quality has gone from bad to worse and there is need to monitor the city’s air closely and take stringent steps to clean it.(Parveen Kumar / HT File)
Gurugram’s air quality has gone from bad to worse and there is need to monitor the city’s air closely and take stringent steps to clean it.(Parveen Kumar / HT File)

Towards its people

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Is the city serving its workers well? These are the industrial, construction and domestic workers—the people who built this city and are sustaining it. They left their villages to work here as shop floor workers in auto units and their ancillaries, as masons and labourers constructing our homes, buildings and offices; as maids, drivers and support staff. Aren’t these the ignored, invisible, faceless lot of the city? There aren’t enough government and private schools that cater to them, neither are there enough government hospitals, dispensaries or primary health centres to cater to their medical needs.

The land and environment

Is the city conserving its natural resources such as water, air and forests? Certainly not. The real estate boom, the weak town and country planning and subsequent land use changes and manipulations have all left Gurugram and its people devoid of precious natural resources. The water table is down in the dumps; the air quality has gone from bad to worse and the natural forests of Aravallis that provide the last vestige of hope—being a water recharge zone, our green lungs and home to biodiversity—are under constant threat. The pressure on land and water resources is so high that the city’s liveability index is at an all-time low. What will we do of the plush malls and condominiums when the air becomes too toxic to breathe? We can’t stop it from penetrating our homes.

It’s high time that Gurugram becomes conscious about and compassionate towards its natural environment. Conservation must be taken up on a war footing. We need to monitor our air closely and take stringent steps to clean the air, revive water bodies, conserve rainwater in ponds, homes and buildings, and save the Aravallis by declaring all of it as a “natural conservation zone” for all times to come.

Social Equality

Is the city designed and structured to cater to the needs of all sections of the society? Is it easy for pedestrians and cyclists to move on the roads? Is it comfortable for people to use public transport? Are there enough parks and playgrounds for children? Are there public places that can be used by all in the city? Are our streets, footpaths, streets, buses etc designed for the differently-abled? Are there enough night shelters for the poor and homes for the elderly? Are there enough schools that cater to children with special needs? To sum up, can all sections of the society live with greater dignity and comfort in the city?

There is a lot that needs to be done in upgrading the quality of life for the disadvantaged.

Essential services and the citizenry

Are the city authorities compassionate enough in ensuring a hassle-free experience for residents to get basic services done such as renewing driving licences, paying property tax, getting a birth/death certificate issued? These functions, as per my personal experience, have become more streamlined in the city. Is there a thriving civil society that is monitoring and engaging with the authorities? Here again, I can vouch that Gurugram scores decently well.

Gurugram is fairly diverse and but do people have a sense of belongingness towards the city? Gurugram has a diverse set of residents—the original descendants whose forefathers lived here, families that have migrated from neighbouring cities like Delhi, youngsters who are temporarily here for jobs. The point is, how do we develop a “new shared culture” for the city? For this to happen, we need to have more cultural centres and public places where people can converge, express, raise concerns and collaborate.

Finally, are we compassionate as individuals? When our domestic help is in trouble, do we grant her a few compassionate leaves to help her tide over her issues; do we reach out to a person in distress on the road; forgive someone who has accidently brushed against our car or simply start our day with a random act of kindness?

In the fast-paced, frantic lives that we lead, we need to make some room for good, even if we are not volunteering with any organisation or supporting a cause.

It will need effort from all of us—the authorities, NGOs, city planners, citizen groups and residents—to make Gurugram compassionate as a city. A compassionate city will have greater well-being, will respect human values, be smart and sustainable and, perhaps, a happier city to live in where everyone feels a sense of belonging. So, get, set and go! Let’s work together to make Gurugram more compassionate. Let’s be compassionate.

@ShubhraGF

(Shubhra Puri is the founder of Gurgaon First, a citizen initiative to promote sustainability in Gurugram through workshops and research books)

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