It was an impromptu visit to the beach the other day. Anything and everything is “happening” in Mumbai. And, a ship stranded on the beach is very much ‘happening’.
The stranded cargo ship and it visitors.Going astray
made it famous.
It had been quiet sometime since I had visited this particular stretch of beach near my house. As, I neared the beach, I was appalled to find it downright filthy. The number of shanties has risen in number and with it the human population has gone up by 5 times, that is because each shanty houses a minimum of 5 people. The beach is so laden with garbage that it is not possible to see the sand let alone walk on it.
The garbage being piled up....
A few months back, when I started jogging, I was advised to run on the beach as it reduces the wear and tear of joints. So, one fine day I got up early in the morning and got geared up to conquer the Juhu-Versova stretch of the beach. Lo and behold! The sight that welcomed me was one of total disgust. There were scores of men defecating on the beach. SHIT! My dream of jogging on the beach ended even before it began.
life goes on for these boys....the world is their
playground...filth or no filth.
The rich and the poor co-exist.
For the young lovers who have no where else
to go.....beaches are their romantic gateways.
Mumbai is the financial capital of India and we do not have finances to build some public washrooms and toilets for these slum dwellers. The people living in these shanties spend thousands of rupees on getting their dwellings legalized. Instead of bribing government officials, they can divert it to build civic amenities for themselves…..but, do they have this kind of awareness?
There is lot of Non-government Organizations working for the betterment of these settlements. But, everything comes to a halt after a certain point because of the government apathy.
Who is to blame?
That is so sad Janu. I am so so sorry to see the beaches riddled with garbage. The stranded ship is a sight to behold though. Shanties rise with poverty. If people have nowhere to go, they need somewhere to stay. I can understand that. :) Thanks for the post.
ReplyDeleteThank you Sonia....The problem is of immigrants looking for a job and the promise of a better life. Life just gets distorted in the glitter of this mega-city.There is a solution to every problem...only if the Government wants to solve it.
ReplyDeleteThank you Sanu for enlightening us about some of the disparity that occurs in your beautiful city. A thought provoking post...
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