Despite ‘70 per cent’ work having been completed in the metro rail project, the Hyderabad Metro Rail Limited (HMR) authorities continue to be upset about “negative” news. The other day, HMR managing director N.V.S. Reddy took off on reports in a section of the media that “more than 5,000 trees” were cut for the project and L&T Metro Rail was “abandoning” the work.
“It’s absolutely false. We have relocated 2,000 trees and planted scores of saplings in different parts of the city. Why can’t the information be cross-checked with us instead of relying on individuals and organisations not having any other work but spread misinformation?” he retorted angrily.
Mr. Reddy’s grouse is that as soon as any development happens on the metro rail front, multiple RTI applications are filed immediately asking all sorts of questions, and “we end up spending all our time replying to them.” Other method to “harass” and put “obstacles” is through court cases, but the HMR has been able to get over the legal issues in 290 of the 300 cases filed, he disclosed.
“We have proved with Sultan Bazar stretch that we can take the people along with us. We need lots of patience for this job, others would have had heart attacks by now,” he quipped.
Nurses ignored
At the opening of the critical care block in Niloufer Hospital, Health Minister C. Laxma Reddy felicitated all present and serving Superintendent of the hospital as well as a few doctors, both serving and retired. However, the recognition for nurses, the backbone of the healthcare, was conspicuous by its absence at the well-attended ceremony.
Incidentally, nurses at the Osmania General Hospital, about four kilometers away, were protesting against the government’s negligence towards their profession by delaying recruitment of more nursing staff. A senior nurse at Niloufer remarked that nurses were made sit at the back of the gathering, clearly indicating their importance in the eyes of the political masters. “We run across buildings to save lives but seldom get credit for it,” she said.
Though they were not recognised, the Niloufer’s nurses honoured the Health Minister and placed before him their welfare concerns.
Farmers’ plea
A farmer’s request during a recent round table meeting in the context of demonetisation of currency brought tears to eyes of the listeners.
Crops have been harvested, but there are no buyers, the farmer from Khammam lamented. While rich farmers had facilities at their homes to store the grain, the poor had only two-room houses built under the housing scheme.
“Provide us the ‘black sheets’ (tarpaulin) to cover the grains at the harvest site, so that it will not rot even if it rains,” he requested the State government, even while NGO representatives and social/political activists made impossible demands such as Rs. 50,000 deposited in each person’s account.
The meek may not inherit the Earth, but those inheriting the Earth sure are meek!
Thoughtfulness
Ever since the morning of November 9, about 12 hours after Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s announcement of demonetisation, different sections of people have been scurrying to change the Rs. 1,000 and Rs. 500 notes, and have instead began hoarding notes of Rs. 100 and less.
But a few days later, once the effect had sunk in, some of those who were more conscious started thinking of the vegetable and fruit vendors who visit colonies on two-wheelers. More particularly, they wondered how the lives of the poor were going on with the cash crunch. While vegetables, mainly the leafy greens, are inevitable, there are many families that still consider fruits as luxury.
After a week or so, they started thinking how the ever-friendly and ever-smiling vendors were carrying on with their work. There have been reports by word-of-mouth and on social media of people urging others to think of these vendors and improve their lot by making it a habit of buying vegetables and fruits. So much so, even those who bought their vegetables and fruits in supermarkets have been making it a point to only buy from these vendors. Thank God for humanity!
Bowing to pressure
People standing in queues outside banks in the city have stories ranging from pitiable to funny. One such person waiting outside a bank in Srinagar colony was a barber who shut his saloon to exchange notes. He has been incurring heavy losses since the government announced the demonetisation of Rs. 500 and Rs. 1000 notes.
“After a haircut, the customers have started offering me the banned notes. I refused to take these notes and asked them to give it later. None of them have returned,” he said. The barber then heeded his friend’s advise and started accepting old notes. “Even now am losing business as I have to come here every alternate day to exchange notes,” he said.
(V. Geetanath, Rohit PS, V. Swathi, Suresh Krishnamoorthy, and Rahul Devulapalli)
