All over the place, everyone is comparing and complaining about the differences between India and other countries. But, let us forget about economy and population and all those statistical figures for a moment. One of the biggest difference I feel is in the attitudes of people and one particular aspect - civic sense!
The trigger to this sudden line of thought was some brain damaging construction activity that went on in one of the neighbouring houses. Suddenly, yesterday some grinding/drilling/polishing or some such activities began somewhere in the neighbourhood. Now, that this needs to be done by whom so ever can be understood, that this was going to be continued through the night took us all unawares. The non stop droning of the drilling (or whatever) machine had gotten everyone to "bang head against walls" condition in the first half hour itself. By noon everyone was hoping there might be a break for lunch at least but no. Then we started looking forward to the 5pm deadline beyond which workers in kerala stop working with a religious fervor. But no such luck, they broke that record as well (might have been north Indian workers). Finally the work halted by around 8pm and silence has never sounded so musical before. We didn't even switch on the television in order to just enjoy the sound of silence but unfortunately (and extremely surprisingly for kerala) the workers were back in half an hour!
My point is not that in another country drilling wouldn't happen. It would. But, I am sure they would be obliged to inform their immediate neighbours at least of the oncoming sound pollution. Whats more important is that I am sure other countries would definitely have and abide by a decent cut off for such noisy work. Well, not here. No one cares and everyone suffers in "silence".
It's the same about honking, stopping your cars right at the turns and lets not even get into the spitting/cleanliness bit. With people getting such high education, more money and a much higher standard of living as such, I wish the same would reflect in the way they treat their country, at least their immediate neighbours and surroundings!
Anyways, since this is a huge ongoing debate in our country and the discussion shall go on for ever, I am stopping right here as my purpose was to take it out of my system and that has been achieved.
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