A day in the life of India - Not a pleasant morning (03-02-11)

This appeared in the front page of the Times of India Edition on February 3rd , 2011 - " A day in the life of India"- Bizzarre .Overloaded.Technicolor.Chaotic.Golmaal.Jugaad.Chaltha hai-You would run out of India before you but you could run out of words!

Though we need to face the harsh reality but as an Indian ,this article early in the morning on the front page is not at all a pleasant beginning to a good morning. India is known to have the largest democracy in the world where we have the power to choose and change the government at our will yet we are not the best . This forces me to think -' Is too much democracy not correct?'

Also how do other countries manage themselves so well?I have been living in Singapore since past few months and seeing the way how this place functions, I sometimes feel so guilty as to why India should not be as wonderful as this place,with so many efficient brains present here? Every time I ask this question , the standard response I receive from all ,within a wink of an eye is that India is a very big country with large population .Its a cakewalk maintaining a small country with a small population base like Singapore! And whenever I hear this, I beg to differ on this....Excuse me !Its definitely not a cakewalk!! Why can't we look at this with a slightly different approach- Smaller country means lesser fund inflow as compared to a big country like India. So if we think logically its all the same at the end of the day... So when they can, why can't we?

Is the intent to make India the best place to live in , not there amongst us?Or do we don't know the definition of 'best'.India got its independence in 1947 as compared to Singapore which got its independence in 1965 and since then there has been no stopping for them!

This blog is definitely not to demean India and praise other international countries!Since I have not stayed in any other international country other than Singapore, all I can wish and want is that why shouldn't we adopt their ways and means of running the country so that ours is also as beautiful and processed as their's.

 The way these countries make things look so simple that any Indian , howsoever proud he is to be an Indian,he will always want to lead a quality and simplified life like Singapore and just keep wondering without a clue as to why India should not be as lovely as them with all the resources in abundance.

Few of my memorable experiences-

Airport Facilities:

- When I entered Singapore , the first thing extremely admirable was the airport ofcourse and then the speed at which the immigration check is done within seconds and the baggages ready to be picked within microseconds! And while I was doing all this, the best part was that I could see my husband waving his hand at me .He could see me from the point of immigration till exit..WOW!

-Similarly when I was coming back to India , all my loved ones could see and wave goodbye to me beyond the immigration point as well which made me wonder if they could see me off till the boarding point .This was so encouraging for sure.

Transport Facilities 

-I cannot find a word better than 'fantabulous' if such a word could exist in our dictionary. I would love to travel in the MRT and buses,all through the day rather than being at home as the seats and the air conditioning is unimaginably comfortable . The travel card called the ezlink card that they provide acts like a debit card;wherein you need to charge currency and it will automatically charge the travel fare once you swipe in at the start of the travel and swipe out at your destination which you cannot afford to pretend and forget as you are charged for the longest fare at the beginning itself! Trust me you are strictly monitored for a swipe in ,the moment you enter .This saves one from the long queue and frustration.And most importantly,one need not stand and argue with the auto rickshaw guys on the fare amount.All the cabs have a tested meter ,which works without cheating the customer.

Sewage and Wastage Disposal

It rains almost everyday and the moment rain stops, within minutes you would not have trace of water anywhere.Its clean and green as ever.

The first few days at my house in Singapore was funny. As ever , I thought waste disposal needs to be kept outside home for somebody to pick it up and throw it off in the big bin which would be kept in some corner in India. One day I forgot to throw the waste off and this came in for high criticism in my housing society. On finding out the reason , I was told that there is a pit beneath the sink in the kitchen from where if the waste things are thrown , it will automatically go into the big bin downstairs. This was an amazing piece of learning and how I wished if the same could be replicated in all the apartments in India.

Imparting good values and manner 

Three values commonly tried to impart via posters ,banners etc-

a.Stand in a Queue and allow the people getting down from the bus/train to come out first.

b.Be gracious enough to give your seat to the old people,pregnant women and people carrying small babies.

c.Learn to pass a warm smile to all you get eye to eye with and say hello.(Trust me, you would not have too many people looking at you even if you are crazily dressed.They wouldn't mind looking at the walls while they walk but would not want to look at you )

Preventing fraud and crime

Each person is tracked there with a unique FIN number which is provided immediately you enter the country .All the transactions ,activities etc is tracked by this number. I was told by one of my friend that her husband was not allowed to leave the country as he had 4$ due for the library books .India was assured that all transaction will be tracked via social security number by 2011!.Are you listening Mr.Nilkeni?

It seems that with a population base of about 5,076,7000 by end of 2010 as mentioned by the Times Series , the number of pending cases is just a two digit number and no case is pending in the court for more than a month! 

Also nobody dares to commit a crime there as the punishment seems to be atrociously strict.Its a place where you are not monitored explicitly.Do whatever you want till it is right and if you tend to commit a mistake even mistakenly, you will be caught! For example,people don't  throw a piece of paper even by mistake down outside as they prefer to put it in their pockets and dispose it off in the dustbin. You cannot see anybody eating or drinking in the MRT's as it is punishable.

Depending on the intensity of the mistake, the punishment ranges from a minimum of $300 to maximum harshest extent, which I have understood from the local people , that the punishment cannot get cruel than this!

No wonder the place is extensively clean!

Clean and Green

The stringent punishments and strict rules has cultivated good habits in the hearts and minds of all.And when you go to that place even as a tourist, you will be forced to be clean and keep the place around you clean.Trust me, when you come back to India after a short span of stay there, you will spend most of your time cleaning the house as the slightest of dirt will irritate you.

I have always wondered as to why people say its nice to have a bright sunny morning.Ah....you will realize soon once you there ,that bright sunny morning without any pollution and fresh air is a real welcome .It definitely makes your day.

The trees are planted evenly in a planned manner and I was told that all the trees and plants are insured by the Government .You cannot afford to pluck a flower until and unless you want to get into the 'mistake' category as mentioned above.

Amenities

The electricity supply has not even tripped for a microsecond since last 25 years ! HUH.... Yes this is so true. The internet speed is faster than lightening,Trust me...

I was visiting a gynecologist after taking prior appointment at 9 AM in the morning. I reached the place in time and I was asked to meet the doctor at 9:05  AM .When I was heading in ,the receptionist apologized to me .I was taken aback .I asked her the reason for apology and she said-"Sorry mam,we wasted your 5 minutes" ! Trust me ,after this incident , I for the first time ,understood the importance of time and the need to be punctual.

 With their exemplary method of running the country, not only Singapore is the 2nd richest county in Asia as compared to India which stands No.19 but also they cultivate those good values in everyone.

I wish and I am sure , with all of us experiencing such facilities and the want to live a luxurious lifestyle ,will make each of us put in ,our own effort and make India the best place to live in !