Washed Away...

The Yamuna is overflowing. And with have been washed away the foundations of many lives. The water has most of the surroundings all submerged... it's a really sad situation..There were families there whose lives have been washed away by those waters, all their life savings perhaps destroyed. They live in tents now along the Delhi-Noida Highway. At a time when the Delhi government is pouring crores towards the CWG 2010, investing lakhs in volunteer uniforms and putting 5 crores into the Games Anthem, I wish some few lakhs were diverted towards those whose lives have been displaced due to the Yamuna overflowing. In this stormy unpredictable weather, atleast some concrete rehabilitation, albeit temporary could be provided. How far can the canvas tents protect them? What about basic facilities like electricity, toilets and all? 

The children play on the roadside; the highway is a dangerous playground . Who will account for any lives lost? I don't know to what extent the Government has aided in this case but I don't think it is enough. It forms a sad image when juxtaposed with the Games Village which is a stone's throw away. So much frenzy and excitement in preparing for some visitors while our own citizens languish in need of basic amenities... A sorry state of affairs indeed.

Come Out And Play?

 

(Hehe! Yea! Accidents like this do happen sometimes! It made me fall off my chair in disbelief!)

 

Disclaimer: I have nothing against the Commonwealth games! Please do not kill me supporters, I too look forward to attending the tennis matches and hope to hell that CWG 2010 does not end up as the piece of crap that it is shaping up to be!

Let me tell you a story...

Once upon a time, in a land not so far away there was this Minstrel who was so excited about the Commonwealth Games that was happening in HER CITY! It was the most incredible thing to happen to the city of Delhi after KFC came to Connaught Place (OK, OK perhaps not the same thing! But it still was AWESOME to have that happen! DUDE!). Watching Somdev Devvarman on the field in the flesh tearing apart the opposition would be one of the perks among many! She couldn't wait for October 2010 to come! And then poof! THE END!

Yes, call me a cynic, hit me with Shera stuff toys (actually please do, I can take them home! He is kinda cute!), feed me with more CWG gossip and kill me but whatever! My face looks like a pumpkin right now and I am pissed so there! Go shove it all up from where you shove crap down! (Go figure!)

The CWG 2010 has done so much for our economy and the people that I can't help but stand up in applause for all those who put so much into this thing! The list is so long that I can't point it all out but here are a few of my top ones, straight from the fictional-OC-idiot-spokesperson-I-just-constructed-in-my-mind's mouth:

1) Such incredible use of all that money which would have been wasted on feeding the destitutes and building homes for the  homeless! In fact, the renovation has been so smartly done that you shall not have to worry about excess money for a long time because if smartly done, all the money in the treasury that you earn and give to the Government can be put to good use 2-months later as well, to fix what has been fixed now, because yaiyee! It's going to all fall apart! So cheers!

2) Oh those nasty college students were giving the wardens such a hard time and frankly who cares about them. in fact it's time we give the PG Owners the time to make some cash! Where else would they spend the limited amount of pocket money that they get? Atleast they won't spend it on booze or drugs! Cheers!

3) Those crappy buildings in the city needing a facelift? But we have better ideas! Why spend all that money on fixing a building that can fall to pieces any minute when we can spend that money on the CWG Anthem? Banners are cheaper and more effective! Killing two birds with one stone- The building is hidden and publicity also taken care of! Cheers!

4) The doctors and nurses in our city hospitals have been complaining of being in hard times and not getting any work ever since Swine flu has gone out of vogue! Voila! Not to worry! CWG to the rescue! We give you not one but many better options! Dengue, Conjunctivitis, typhoid, you want it, we got it! Allergies for early birds with a month's stay in the hospital so you don't have to worry about working your ass off at the workplace anymore! See, CWG has the solutions for all your problems!

5) Delhiites (atleast a lot of them!) have always rued the lack of a good beach in Delhi or even a river with enough water! We have the solution, it's easy-peasy! Not to worry! We clog your drains with construction rubble so voila! You have your very own streams and rivers flowing in front of your houses! And you don't even have to pay for it! 

6) Gone were the days when you could complain about getting late because you were stuck in a jam! With new roads, flyovers, there was no excuse for simply waking up late! All your worries are now over! With a lane dedicated to CWG, you can forget all your worries about not having an excuse for not being on time! And finally you can be completely in fashion adapting to the "Indian Standard Time" all thanks to CWG! As an added bonus the city's blueline buses will be taken off the roads where CWG has any mention and half the DTC buses will be on CWG duty! So no tension whatsoever! You're never getting anywhere on time...or maybe never getting anywhere as well! Cheers!

7) The roads in North Campus were so wide and used so less. So we came up with a solution! We cut the road in half and created a cycle/ cycle rickshaw lane! So what if there are big trees in the middle of the lane and cycle rickshaws can't pass through or that cycles are used by less than 0.01% of the area's population! It still is cool and the countries in the West have it and now so do we! And that's hot! Cheers!

So there you have it! CWG has definitely been a boon to our economy and to all of us! So Come Out and Play Everyone! If you are not in the hospital, or stuck in traffic, or stuck in knee-deep water or hunting for a new place to live, or killed by a collapsed building! See you there!!! 

P.S.- The CWG has given me awesome allergies and half my face looks like a swollen watermelon and half-bee stung lips are NOT HOT! So I have every right to say whatever crap I want to! So there!  

P.P.S.-

Are We Ready?

ARE YOU FREAKING KIDDING ME????????????????

Wading in the city!

It rained cats and dogs today. I had to almost swim back home. The traffic was a bummer, drains overflowing, it was a sight to see. Makes one wonder about the drainage system of the city... God save Delhi's pride if the rain gods decide to flash their teeth during the Commonwealth Games! :P Perhaps if they paid attention to the more essential repairs rather than turn to rubble the footpaths and then batter them up again and again in a vicious cycle... perhaps then the citizens would not have to contemplate buying a boat as standby option in a city where even the sole river does not have water enough for a man to drown!

Dressing Up Delhi

 Image source: thecommonwealthgames.org

What's the hype all about? Okay, I know I was supposed to be on hibernation but something came up today that I just could not ignore. It's going to be a shift from my regular way of writing so kindly forgive me dear readers!

The Commonwealth Games have got the whole of Delhi mad. It was irritating even when it began but now it's crossed all limitations. The hypocrisy of those in power emerges like the blazing sun and burns our vision. The city is being dressed up like a bride- new roads, modern bridges, footpaths renovated, new flyovers, better stadiums, new parking lots- the entire city is being scrubbed and shined for the visitors. All this is great stuff I agree but what the heck does the government mean to do by troubling the residents of the city. Why all this renovation work now? Millions being blown everyday for a few outsiders who are going to visit for a matter of two weeks and go? What about those who live here? Do they account for nothing?

Today I found out from Dopey that the students who lived in hostels on-campus were being forced to move to PG accommodations so that the visiting people could stay there. I mean what the hell? It's sheer beastly, that's what it is. What about those outstation students who can't find a place to move into? Nobody gives a damn? 

Footpaths are being renovated for the visitors. Why was this not done earlier? What about those Delhi citizens who walk these roads every day? Don't they matter? For all this renovation roads are dug up all over. It is impossible to walk in Connaught Place now because there's construction work and debris everywhere. Rains make it worse, it becomes slushy and even worse. To cross the outer circle road is no less than a risky challenge, because there are no subways open right now and no traffic police manning the road for most part of the day and vehicles speed down in a constant stream making it impossible to cross. 

Stadiums are being broken down and built again for those sports persons who are going to come in for the Commonwealth Games. What about our own sports persons? Didn't they deserve better stadiums and better training apparatus? Why is everything being spruced up for CWG 2010? Why was this not done before?

New parking lots, flyovers, and all in that part of the city that shall be visited by those coming for the Commonwealth Games. What about the remaining part of the city? Do they not matter? The citizens who live here, pay the exorbitant taxes, walk down these footpaths, use those roads, practise in these stadiums seem to matter not a whit.

My problem is not with the dressing up. My problem is with why now? We pay for it and it is we who suffer. And instead of showing even an ounce of shame, the Delhi Government proudly says " Come out and play". The audacity is surprising really!!!