Developed

Poisoned air

Food

Rivers, lakes, wells

(Perhaps even dried)

Poisoned lives

And minds

Time traded in

And so smiles

Simplicity and faith

And connections

With all and things around

For a little money

The idea of safety and security

Within suspicious walls and fences

Which multiply fear

 

Behold

Progress, development and prosperity abound.

 

The inspiration for this one: Where do you draw the line?

 

Viewpoints : Crises or Crying Wolf?

There's 2 or 3 sides to the world now. 

One set's enjoying the orchestra of the numerous fiddles hired, well paid Neros are playing on an exquisitely crafted stage (to be followed with a master-chef prepared multi course dinner). They tolerate little argument or interference that breaks this engrossing, rapturous music and do everything in their power to try and make sure it continues - forever.

 

The other is a set that is not inside those concert or dining halls - for reasons as varied as opportunity, ability, circumstances, or a mere continuing of whatever they were doing earlier. Many of these end up supporting the wheels that keep the concerts running, without necessarily even knowing about them. Change has already happened to these, in the other direction - and they're paying the price already.

 

Then there's those who see bigger change coming, or even here, and cannot ignore it. Often they could just switch off and get into the concert, but cannot. They're trying to build lifeboats, and arks, and grow food in a pot, and grab electricity from the wind and sun and everything. Everything as it is seems wrong, worrying and worth questioning. The future is unknown but the present is certainly not pleasant. They see what's happening with the second set, the power that the first set possess but refuse to use, and worry even more.

 

Perhaps it always was like this. But the tension seems pretty heightened right now.

Shooting, but in the dark ?

Beijing has set goals for being more public transport dependent by 2015.

This goal-setting is what I think needs a serious rethink in urban plans. Delhi's trying to improve infrastructure so more and more cars can drive longer distances. Bangalore is - well - executing fast and nicely on a tonne of bandaids without any apparent set of goals and directions - at least not the right ones.

What would I love to see Bangalore shoot for ? Let's say, by 2015....
(These aren't calculated numbers, but more to emphasize the kind of goals we need to shoot for)

• 25% lesser distance travelled in private cars
• 30% increase in trips on cycles
• 50% more commutes by public transport. Integrated ticketing for trains/buses
  
• >50% people need to travel <10>
• Traffic free city core - except for public EVs, cycles, train
  
• 25% reduction is landfill-waste (70% is organic, we can try segregating)
• Revival/addition of raja kaluves for interconnecting lakes that formed a natural drainage chain
• 30% water needs met through rainwater harvesting
• 40% reduction in number of borewells
• At least 10 recharge wells per sq km for reviving the water table
• Revival of 15 lakes
  
• 25% increase in tree cover, addition of at least 10 "mini forests" inside city limits
• 10% electricity through solar/wind sources

There are ways to achieve each of those (and more such goals). Government initiative, legislation, citizen participation, activism, corporate CSR and incentives - there are many tools. But they will yield results if there is first a consensus on a set of goals that is persisted with, and against which "development" is frequently measured. At the moment, its the actions themselves that are considered good enough for a government showcasing itself as a development friendly one. The thrust and direction of the development is immaterial, and often harmful in the medium or long term without any goals driving the activity.

Edit: @sids says "Without such goals, development is self perpetuating". Well put!