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Thanks to Alpana for e-posting DNB's second missile commisserating with the
meek homeless.
As I understand the learned journalist while bemoaning the predominance
over the meek by the anti-social, lawless and criminal elements in our
society, points out that in overpopulated Assam, the depth of
corruption has reached such a nadir that survival now is
impossible not only for manual labour but also for the skilled.
The next illustrations are worth consideration by our netters because there
is reason to believe that he is speaking from experience, not as an observer but
as actual participator in NGO activities in some way. The first casualty is the
Guwahati Municipal Corporation. Although there is no mention of
specific instances, he says that the Corporation has widely breached the law.The
other illustration, that of the Assam State Electricity Board, speaks of
non-payment of proper taxes, misuse of World Bank loans, 50% increase in
power-tariff and so on. He knows a lot about these irregularities as
he is the author of a special report covering these issues.
The very idea behind the creation of NGOs is democracy, peoples'
participation. On a number of occasions I offered my own formula for salvation
drawing upon the age-old saying: God helps those who help themselves. To
some extent I have to eat my own words.
DNB has summed up his findings in these words:They are all working actively
for their own funerals.
However, on the same issue of The Sentinel there is an article by
Khushwant Singh (Understanding Indians) who in a slightly different context
says: Our rate of progress is that of a bullock cart but there are good reasons
to hope we will soon attain the speed of the 'Shatabdi Express' if we mind
our corrupt ways, check growth of population and waste less time on propitiating
our gods and work harder.
Bhuban
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