Mumbai Musings

Yes, No, May be…

By now there have been innumerable “charcha” sessions, which have apparently been very “positive.” However, as of now chief minister Devendra Fadnavis has declared that 80% of talks with the Shiv Sena are complete and they will reach a decision soon. In the meanwhile, they have been taking potshots at each other every now and then. Fadnavis, while talking to the media, said that only interlocutors should speak to the media so that the talks move forward. He was perhaps referring to Sena leader Ramdas Kadam’s comments about the BJP “fooling” his party. Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray may have relented and given up demand for deputy CM and home ministry, say some reports. Hopefully all this will be sorted out before the winter session, which is around the corner. Then Sena can decide whether it agrees with BJP policies or not.

No End to Crime

Crime surveys are usually quite grim and depressing. These too are no different and in fact continue to show that “acche din” for Mumbai is perhaps not a reality. Two surveys—one by the state’s CID and another by Praja Foundation threw up some figures. A rise of 85.15% in crimes against children in Maharashtra, says the CID report. Kidnap and rape of children under 18 years of age is recorded to be the highest in Mumbai. While that may not be surprising because of the population, this does not look good: “Kidnap and rape of children aged under 18 have increased in Mumbai with 279 and 221 cases registered in 2013, respectively, against 142 and 141 in 2012,” says the Times of India.

Praja Foundation’s white paper, in its fourth year now, says molestation cases have gone up by 52% in the city, largely due to increased reporting and registration. However, conviction rates remain low at 22% (overall) and about 8% (serious offences such as murder, rape)—which means nearly 92% offenders get away. More than 30% of those surveyed in Mumbai feel unsafe, and 34% of those who witnessed a crime did not report—because they didn’t have time! Perhaps these figures say something about the relationship between conviction rates, the citizens and the police?

Bad News, Again

This has become an unfortunate ritual. Couple of months after the monsoon recedes, the bad news starts pouring in. Once again, there is severe drought-like situation in several pockets of Maharashtra with output of several crops—soyabean, cotton, fruits—likely to be severely affected. Delayed and insufficient rainfall is the culprit this time. At other times, it is too much of it, or hailstorms or something else. Vidarbha and Marathwada have reported suicides and the “agrarian crisis” will be the first major challenge for the Fadnavis government, which has already asked for Rs 4500 crore relief from the centre. According to Vidarbha Jan Andolan Samiti, 120 farmers have killed themselves in Marathwada and Vidarbha in the past month alone. Maharashtra, even otherwise, has the highest number of farmers’ suicides in the country. Drought has been declared in 19,000 of 39,000 villages. And it is only the start of winter. Situation will worsen as water dries up further—for people, cattle and remainder of crops. Sharad Joshi, veteran farmers’ activist and founder of Shetkari Sanghatana was planning to protest at the winter session but, last we heard, he did not get permission.

Bullying the Cabbies

Whatever may be the outcome of elections, there is one pet peeve that the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena will not give up: Taxi drivers of Mumbai. Mumbaikas will tell you that most of them are an annoying lot for not wanting to go where one wants, but when MNS puts up hoardings threatening them to behave or face consequences, there is reason enough to worry for them. The last time MNS took on the north Indian cab drivers, it resulted in shameful violence and the image of Mumbai, as a cosmopolitan city where anyone can earn his/her living, took a severe beating. Now MNS has put up these hoardings on the Western Express Highway, currently a nightmare because of a flyover construction work. It is a hoarding with typical Raj Thackeray pointing his finger and the threat, “Remember taxi drivers, if you act smart, it is us you deal with!” I would rather have them deal with traffic constables, but then if wishes were horses… 

Fattest of Them All

This is beginning to sound like an endless list of worrying developments. But then this is what there is. Nearly half of Mumbai’s youth are unfit, overweight or obese. Dr Jayashree Todkar, head of the Maharashtra chapter of the Association for Advanced Research in Obesity, conducted the survey among approximately 10,000 students, ranging from newcomers to post-graduates, of 15 colleges between February and April 2014. The results were declared last week and, to say the least, they were expected. Youngsters do not associate fitness with hereditary diseases such as diabetes or hypertension. Moreover, they do not consider obesity as a disease, but this is what is truly problematic —only 6% of the 9670 students said they were into some form of outdoor activity—exercise or running or sports. 

Green Lungs

This may just motivate those 94% youth who do not believe in stepping out. Finally plans of a 9-acre park on the land of a defunct mill in central Mumbai are underway. Located in Dadar East (it cannot get more central than that, can it?) the park is set to have cycling tracks, yoga, open gym, play area for children and, even a laughter club area. To be designed and developed by the civic body, it is likely to take a year for completion. Our space starved and polluted city can definitely do with such projects. However, one must not ignore two issues—the need for maidaans (simple open mud grounds for children to play) as opposed to “theme and design” parks and the fact that recently festival days and programmes to be observed on such grounds have gone up from 30 to 45 per year.

Train Spotting

If you are a lover of trains, you may want to know that the Western Railways recently observed its 150th anniversary of entering Mumbai and they now have an interesting souvenir collection, displayed at Churchgate station itself. Go look.