Being a metro
commuter daily and not able to find a place even to stand peacefully in morning
hours often upsets my mood. Recently it so happened that I decided to change my
route and instead of boarding a blue
line metro train from Mayur Vihar Extension metro station I decided to start
boarding it from Noida Sector - 15 metro station.
So I started
commuting as planned. For the first two
days I didn't notice this lady on the footsteps of the metro station as one is
often in a rush to reach the destination in time. But a day later being a daily
visitor in morning and evening I notice this beggar lady who had placed herself
on the footsteps of metro station along with her month and half old child.
As she was a beggar and was looking forward
for more and more money to be earned by attracting the attention of commuters
by intentionally placing her kid in such a way that all commuters had to halt
for a second or two to avoid stepping over the child.
The beggar was
least bothered about the safety of the child, to her money was everything, and
to earn it the child was always placed in the pathway of the commuters. People
were coming and going and simply no one was bothered about her being there. I
only concern was the safety of the child as there was every chance that a
commuter while looking at his phone would accidently step on the child.
I observed the
lady for two days, but on the third day I could not contain myself and warned
her that I would have her arrested if she continued to jeopardise the safety of
the child.
Next morning
when I went for my usual journey to my relief she wasn't there, I thought
probably my verbal warning worked and she had left the place.
Due to some
professional reason next two days I wasn't able to follow the same route, so I
was not aware whether that lady was still there or not.
However, after
the gap of three days when I went back on the same route, sadly that lady was
back at the same place in the same identical condition. I was disappointed
though deep down within I could understand that it is not her fault but the
extreme poverty and hunger that was driving her to risk the life of her child.
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One keeps
reading about various NGOs in and around Delhi. As per the foreign donation
figures are concerned there should not have been any beggar around. But seeing
seven beggars in one metro station every day only talks volumes about the
actual community service being done by the organisations.
It is apparent
that community service is being done rigorously but unfortunately it remains
only on their office records as the same are required to be produced for
scrutiny every year to get the grants.
I sincerely hope
that one day the number of honest NGOs would increase and the dishonest lot is
forced to shut shop by ever vigilant public.
I wonder why
their consciousness does not prick them when they siphon off the funds donated
to feed and improve the lot of downtrodden.
However we
cannot blame only the agencies involved. The police also turn a blind eye when
their palm is greased. This apathy of the police force has given rise to a
mammoth number of beggars who have adopted this as a profession as it requires
least amount of hard work. It is about time that the police force also wakes up
and ensures a beggar free city.
As in above mentioned
case the Delhi Metro Rail Authorities or the police constable posted on the
Noida Sector-15 metro station should have taken some action to stop this.
But,
ironically no one bothers and such practice continues which portrays a bad
picture of our society.
.jpg "BOOK REVIEW - “IT HAPPENS FOR A REASON” BY PREETI SHENOY")
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