There’s a sudden spurt of
cleanliness drive going all around the city and mostly towards the Rajpur Road
and adjoining areas. A good sign but it leaves many wondering simply because
when in the worst of conditions in the past few weeks, when epidemic like Dengu
and viral fever were catching people in almost every house no mass fogging or
spray of insecticides, bleaching powder or garbage removal quickly being done
by civic agencies although a big hue and cry by the residents and NGO’s. How
this situation has suddenly changed and activated the civic authorities puts a
big question mark.
Curious as I am, I tried to go
round the city to get an answer. As one approaches towards Rajpur Road and its
adjoining areas the cleanliness suddenly starts showing-up. Well I found Mr.
President is coming to the Doon that this make-up exercise was on a war
footing.
I was pretty amused to see, if
you may like, go for a stroll on the Rajpur Road in the next one or two days
towards the President House – Aashiyana and enjoy the spectacular view of
mosquitoes being chased off by fogging machines, bleaching powder being
lavishly sprinkled on both sides of the road up to the payments and on the wild
growth and hedges and even tree trunks. For a moment I thought it has snowed in
that patch. I am sure the President must have smelt the odour of the bleaching
powder even inside his grand house.
Make-shift security huts, water
tankers hurriedly pumping water through pipes to some reservoirs in the
Presidents villa over its boundary and if I understood it well, sewage cleaning
kind machines too were in ready preparedness along with fire and health service
wagons. All this made me wonder what is happening. I could not stop my laughter
at this funny sight. This exercise hurriedly carried a day before the arrival
of the President should have been in place earlier as a regular maintenance practice
of the grand Presidents House.
What however is a big eye sour and
a no less funny sight among the many make-up exercise going on as a result of
the President of India coming here to stay for a couple of days is the chaotic
way of vehicles, both six, four and two-wheeled, being parked along the road at
least half a kilometre on both sides of the President’s House. Surprisingly
these vehicles are mostly government ones and those of the police department.
One can see a chaotic and festive look for those outside the grand Presidents House
chatting, gossiping and enjoying no less than as if a Dushera or Diwali
carnival was going inside the premises. Every cop donning a special security
batch pinned to his/her shirt’s pocket appeared more relaxed than on toes. I
hope there’s much more to security for the President than what superficially
seen.
Mr. President, while all the
Doonites welcome you from the bottom of their hearts to come and stay in our
city, if you happen to read this piece, we ask you to come here more often as
your presence will keep many on their toes and the Doon clean.
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