Every morning I walk past two big stinking garbage heaps located on the main street of a Pune suburban where I live.
They are less of garbage dumps and more of zoos in early morning hours.
Crows, dogs, cows, pigs, donkeys, goats and, I am sure, rodents, roaches and other forms of life feast there.
The other day I saw the donkey herdsman driving away cows saying to himself how his donkeys deserved to eat there more than the 'bloody' cows.
Poor cows- who are never accompanied by their herdsman- stood there confused, not knowing what to do next!
MICHAEL SLACKMAN writes from CAIRO:
"...It is unlikely anyone has ever come to this city and commented on how clean the streets are. But this litter-strewn metropolis is now wrestling with a garbage problem so severe it has managed to incite its weary residents and command the attention of the president...
...But the crisis should not have come as a surprise.
When the government killed all the pigs in Egypt this spring — in what public health experts said was a misguided attempt to combat swine flu — it was warned the city would be overwhelmed with trash.
The pigs used to eat tons of organic waste. Now the pigs are gone and the rotting food piles up on the streets of middle-class neighborhoods...
...“They killed the pigs, let them clean the city,” said Moussa Rateb, a former garbage collector and pig owner who lives in the community of the zabaleen. “Everything used to go to the pigs, now there are no pigs, so it goes to the administration.”..."
(NYT, September 20, 2009)
Artist: Sudhir Tailang, The Asian Age, August 2009
Dear Aniruddha,
ReplyDeleteLet me wish you and your family very happy Diwali and prosperous new year. I am using this opportunity since I don't know your e-mail id. Pl accept my best wishes thru' this interesting blog site.
Recently, I had been to Chinchwad, where I have my own flat, since 1989. I try to visit from time to time this small and industrious village going on expanding to an amzing limit on the lines of Pune-Mumbai. I could not come here during the last whole year. Then last two days -10th & 11th Oct, I was in Mauli Hills in Pune with my relative who has built a cool and nice "gharkool".So, I could observe the glimpses of Pune which you have narrated here. Pune is on the fast track to become another Mumbai Mahanagar.
BTW, did you start reading Sadhana? Antarnaad Maasik is also a amagazine worth reading in these days. Shri Bhanu Kale (editor) has established it with his innovative ideas with tremendous support of readers. I recommend you to read the Diwali issues of both these periodicals.(Pl ignore these suggestions if you already read them.)
Regards.
Mangesh Nabar
Thanks Mangesh. Happy Diwali to you and your family.
ReplyDeletePlease let me know your e-mail. I will send my e-mail to that address.
I have not read either of the magazines you suggest. I may not read them in near future either. My loss, I guess.
Thanks for the suggestion though.