Delhi and Mumbai have gone bonkers by allowing their Air Quality Index to get into ‘severe’ category for almost a month and nobody seems to have a clue or the will to reverse the situation. Also there is absolutely no pressure from its residents as they have stopped discussing it, let alone red flagging it. Both are capitals of our country --one political, while the other financial, and yet history will not look upon kindly on them for messing up their environment big time. While Delhi blames some stubble burning from neighboring State, Mumbai is the latest victim from the open-air uncovered mindless concrete pouring construction that goes on in the maximum city already cramped up for space in the first place. While the air quality of Delhi is described by its residents as a gas chamber, Mumbai might be a notch better, but the fact remains both cities are in pretty awful shape.
That brings us to the most important question --is paying a bomb for a piece of real estate in these cities justified? The penthouses, the bungalows, the high rise buildings, the Malabar Hills, the Kemps Corners, the Lutyen’s all mean nothing, if the air outside your home or office has turned toxic with no signs of improvement. Unfortunately the problem never gets permanently addressed because it is still a seasonal phenomenon, where the thick skin Government endures the scolding from the Supreme Court and then moves on as business as usual. The residents murmur something, but soon are busy with their 9 to 5 routine, while they should be pulling up politicians for the mess they choose to spend their free time revering politicians, while air quality takes a back seat.
If too many cooks can spoil the soup, it’s a given that the sheer number of politicians that reside in Delhi are going to ruin everything, but Mumbai’s quality of life deteriorating is a bit surprising, considering Mumbai residents at one time had influential people who would speak freely and pull up governments, if anybody worked against the city. While corruption has made inroads in the local administrative Mumbai way of life, the silence of the influential people is the biggest culprit for the decline.
Industrialists, social activists, film actors, cricketers and the vibrant media at one time in Mumbai were known for pulling up or suggesting what is good for the city. Their words had weight and reach, so governments were forced to pay attention. The situation now is they speak only when they have to praise government decisions, even if they don’t endorse or understand it. For example, nobody has uttered a word, even after the lucrative diamond market and the ICC World Cup ODI final was moved to Gujarat from this once energetic cricketing city. Not that energy is lacking in Mumbaikars but most of them spend it on travel and focusing on their basics. In other words, they care only about themselves and not about the city anymore. Those who pay a bomb and own their fairyland in gated surroundings, pay little or no attention to the infrastructure outside their comfort zone. By continuously ignoring, they have put themselves in a spot, their Area51 is now under attack, the air they breathe and which they took for granted is now contaminated.
Delhi and Mumbai were at one time great cities but with the unchecked overflowing population from other parts of the country, their infrastructure has taken a hit and the quality of life has slowly deteriorated. Some parts might be world class but the big picture is not. Now Goa is a different kettle of fish, Goans for ages have focused more on the society relatively. Most after minding their own business also mind the business of the society. Many Goans unselfishly go out of the way to participate in a social activity that might help their village or the State.
For example, the Church of Goa focuses and encourages its faithful to care for the environment and many actions are taken in this regard. Schools arrange beach cleaning drives to collect garbage left by insane tourists, while this activity is solely government responsibility. What is in it for Goans or the church or the schools? None of them have any direct monetary benefit, but they all make time and put in the effort to make sure Goa remains beautiful as always and they have given environment a priority. Many Goan individuals have sacrificed their personal ambitions and devoted time to make Goa a better place.
The lesson Indians should therefore learn from Goans is that we might build a palace and make it as comfortable and luxurious as possible but someday you have to step out and use the infrastructure outside your zone. If that stinks then your palace become pointless. Unfortunately, Goa is under pressure to do the same mistake Delhi and Mumbai has done to themselves. The fact is tourists that used to throng to Goa at one time, is because they saw a paradise, but it’s now under attack and the scenery is changing by the day. Also Goa is losing tourists to options that have come on the tourist’s radar as more scenic and untouched.
We are pouring too much concrete on the natural greenery we inherited and while the price of real estate has skyrocketed, hope it does not turn into a bubble valuations if not already. A bubble when broken can have disastrous consequences and unnecessary collateral damage. Meantime Goans who sacrificed their time and careers to keep Goa as it is, are suddenly wondering if it was all worth it, now that they see most Goans slowly getting sidelined from lucrative businesses as equity changes hands. This is exactly what happened to the ‘Marathi Manoos’ in Mumbai, you will hardly find them as members of the elite Bombay Stock Exchange, mostly they are on the streets fighting for crumbs.
(The author is a business consultant)