SO, THE honourable High Court has appointed a Joint Inspection Committee to monitor the action taken by the Nagpur Municipal Corporation (NMC) and the Nagpur Police about parking spaces, hospitals and any violations of by-laws and other civic issues particularly in the crowded and messy Dhantoli area. This action is most welcome in every which the way. Yet, the loosefooter cannot escape the uneasy feeling that this action has come a day too late. For, as he wonders, will there be any agency or person powerful enough to undo the damage that has already been done -- thanks to the laxity of administration (and possibly corruption)? For, the Dhantoli woes do not appear good enough to be rectified at such a late stage unless a massive drive is undertaken either to direct various facilities and entities altogether to move out of the area -- and demolish, if needed, the illegal arrangements done by people on a sly basis.

 

This is not pessimism -- the loose footer insists. On the contrary, this is realism, denying which would be disastrous in the long run. For, what has happened in Dhantoli is happening also in many other areas -- such as the neighbouring Ramdaspeth. Areas like Bajaj Nagar, Laxmi Nagar, Shankar Nagar, Dharampeth, Gokulpeth, Tilak Nagar, also are facing more or less similar issues -- of the creation of an inept bureaucracy and corrupt system that is all the time waiting to be bought over. And yes, most such things are happening also in Sitabuldi, Sadar, Itwari, Mahal, Jaripatka, Pachpaoli, Hanuman Nagar, Wardhaman Nagar, and Ajni, and Hindustan Colony on Wardha Road, Narendra Nagar, Besa, Beltarodi, Manish Nagar... ! But let us return to Dhantoli for the current discourse. This is one area whose woes caught the attention of the honourable judges for whatever (but welcome) reasons. But the reality of the Dhantoli area is that before the honourable High Court was woken up through normal process, much dirty water had flown under the bridge, much muck had been collected by way of unplanned development and administrative sanctions to activities that were suspect in law, to say the least. For, otherwise, how could one single area be made home to dozens of hospitals with little thought to basic principles and precepts of town-planning and urban design and utilitarian value? In Dhantoli, each of these dimensions appears to have been given a go-by.

 

Hence the haphazard placement of hospitals. Hence the haphazard parking. Hence a total absence of regulation or control on any count. So, one day, a Commissioner of Police rises in the morning and orders the entire Dhantoli area as a ‘No Parking’ zone. In one single day, Dhantoli becomes all of a suddenly a beautiful open place, so to say. That ban on parking lasted for some time, and then went for a toss -- for whatever reason. For, obviously, it was a bad idea implemented in utter haste and without much thought. Today, what Dhantoli offers to people is nothing but a chaos whose solutions would need all the gods in the heavens to descend on the Earth and redefine the universal laws of common sense -- so that some order could be established in Dhantoli. CONSIDERING all this, the Joint Inspection Committee has a lot of work on hand, -- and a lot of bad blood, too, if it really decides to do its work with a missionary zeal and visionary spirit (and also if it is allowed by the system to perform its stated task professionally by avoiding courtiership altogether).

 

For, among the first tasks that Dhantoli would have to be subjected to is the withdrawal of permission to many a medicare entity with a clear direction to move out of the area. Is that possible? Does anybody in this city have the courage -- and also willingness -- to undertake such an unpleasant task? Moreover, a serious investigation, too, may have to be launched into how certain permissions could be granted and by whom. For, when the Joint Inspection Committee is to monitor these issues, its work will almost naturally entail some administrative questioning as well or at least recommendation for action against the runners of the system granting improper permissions. Of course, there will always be the regular argument that no irregularity was ever indulged. If that was so, why did the honourable High Court form the Joint Inspection Committee? -- if the loose footer may ask!