This is the first post on my blog - I just want to vent my thoughts in respect of one news item I read on http://in.news.yahoo.com/080105/211/6p9pa.html. So, one can get a fake ID card for Rs. 5,500/- ... big deal huh. But then this ID idea was apparently suggested by the Lt. Gov. of Delhi to ensure that the job of identifying terrorists becomes easier. But then as also stated in this article- the suggestion failed to take into account corruption at the level of small government offices where the proess of obtaining such IDs begins. A little application of economics would perhaps tell us that for the person who accepts bribe in such cases it is simply a choice between easy money and turning down the money for fear of a prosecution which in all probability will never be initiated. So the remedy to the problem seems to be ensuring that every such culprit is brought to book but what if the law-enforcers choose to ignore such crimes and not take action because after all they can also be taken care of with some amount of money.
As a citizen I often ask myself this question: what am I supposed to do in such a situation- should I take the normal route to obtaining say a driving license and wait for months together or should I grease the palm of the person concerned (or better still approach a broker/agent) to get the job done quickly. In a worse situation in case I am held up for jumping the signal and I need to get to my destination quickly - what am I supposed to do then? I guess it is these choices we make in respect of small tasks which snowball into a vicious circle (if I may say so). Hopefully; the situation is not beyond redemption yet and perhaps small steps in this direction would help matters. A lot more needs to be done by people at the helm of affairs- how many times have we heard of the municipality officials who ratified a building plan being proceeded against in cases of illegal construction- is it a very tough task? I beg to state that it isn't and in fact for our media who (for the most part seem to have sidelined their obligations as the fourth pillar of democracy) can do some work in this regard to focus on culprits in various government organisations who knowingly or unknowingly facilitate the passage of terrorists; who make it easy for the wealthy and willing to bypass building regulations and I am sure that with the public ever-voracious for such news the TRP of any channel which carries on such an operation and broadcasts the results thereof will hit the roof.
As a citizen I often ask myself this question: what am I supposed to do in such a situation- should I take the normal route to obtaining say a driving license and wait for months together or should I grease the palm of the person concerned (or better still approach a broker/agent) to get the job done quickly. In a worse situation in case I am held up for jumping the signal and I need to get to my destination quickly - what am I supposed to do then? I guess it is these choices we make in respect of small tasks which snowball into a vicious circle (if I may say so). Hopefully; the situation is not beyond redemption yet and perhaps small steps in this direction would help matters. A lot more needs to be done by people at the helm of affairs- how many times have we heard of the municipality officials who ratified a building plan being proceeded against in cases of illegal construction- is it a very tough task? I beg to state that it isn't and in fact for our media who (for the most part seem to have sidelined their obligations as the fourth pillar of democracy) can do some work in this regard to focus on culprits in various government organisations who knowingly or unknowingly facilitate the passage of terrorists; who make it easy for the wealthy and willing to bypass building regulations and I am sure that with the public ever-voracious for such news the TRP of any channel which carries on such an operation and broadcasts the results thereof will hit the roof.
