Azad Hussain
It happened recently, while in the morning I was driving my vehicle near Janglat-mandi Anantnag- the area which is known for frequent traffic jams in the town, I saw a man, showing hand signals like a traffic cop but was not wearing any uniform. However the man was wearing a facemask and rubber hand gloves with a hoe in his hand. While he was trying to stop the vehicles, suddenly a dog that was perhaps just hit by a vehicle and was lying dead on the road, caught my attention. Subsequently I guessed the gentleman was a municipality worker who amidst the rush of vehicles was trying his best to lift the dead body of the dog from the middle of the road inorder to bury it somewhere out of the reach of people. The narrow stretch at Janglat-mandi which remains routinely abuzz with huge traffic mess was not too different on that day too. So it was quite disturbing for man, because the continuous movement of vehicles hindered him a lot. The vehicle drivers were in so hurry that they didn’t let him to do his job with ease, which required just a few seconds to complete. Irked by the vehicle movements he moved back and forth with hoe in his hand trying to get a space for few seconds to lift the dog. While doing so he was also making hand signals to stop the vehicles in such a way, as if he was begging before the drivers. The drivers didn’t care about the urgency of the municipality worker but were perhaps extra careful for their own time and haste. Everyone was trying to pass either from right side or from left side of the dead body to cross the spot. After observing all this, by the moment I reached the spot, I stopped my vehicle in the middle of the road in order to pave way to gentleman to lift the dog. The vehicles behind me created much noise by continuously blowing horns, but I turned a deaf ear to them until the gentleman in a jiffy rolled up the dead body in a big cloth, lifted it and put it in his hand cart which was ready there by the roadside.The point is that firstly a disciplinary action should have been taken against such a kind of a driver who killed the dog and then fled. Because there is no guarantee that such kind of drivers can’t kill any person next time. Secondly that to lift a dead dog from the middle of the road is not of everybody’s calibre. We should salute such people who perform such kind of duties for the good of others. But the sadist part of the story is that people instead of giving helping hand to the people doing such kind of good deeds, create hindrances to them. People want to achieve the objectives of their own interests, caring less for the things which are good for the larger interest of people. Shouldn’t we introspect ourselves, while living a social life. Don’t we become irresponsible to contribute our part of social responsibilities for the society as a whole.
Just a day after the said incident, I witnessed another incident at Main-chowk Anantnag where an elderly lady was hit by a speedy WagonR and was severely injured. She was carrying a bottle of milk in her hand which spilled and spread out on the road. Not more than a week was passed when a heart-wrenching accident occurred at Pampore which left several people dead. The CC TV footage was clear that the tipper driver violently crushed the car. Why drivers seem so careless. Even some drivers drive so violently, as if they have received road as their inherited property from their forefathers. Violating all the rules they occupy middle of the road and let other vehicles stop beside the footpath. Young bikers drive with the speed of wind, they don’t only risk their own lives, but put pedestrians and other vehicles at extreme danger. It is not only during the driving but it has become a habit for some people that they always remain in hurry round the clock. They often want to take undue advantage by putting urgency as a reason. Be it at ATMs, at hospitals, at clinicals, at barber’s shop and other places, most of the people want to be in the front of the queue, even after being late comers. No doubt some times people would be facing urgencies or some elderly people and people with severe health issues need to be given first turn at hospitals and other places, but why some self-centered people always remain on toes to carry out their work in least possible time by cheating straightforward people. Therefore, we need to develop some sense of honesty and social responsibility to live a disciplined life. people while driving, while visiting hospitals, visiting clinicals and other places should show some patience to let people receive the services on their turn. Most importantly while driving a vehicle, a driver should remain extra careful for the safety of himself and others, because it is the matter of previous.
( The author is a promising teacher and writes regularly for Kashmir Horizon. Views are his own) [email protected]
