Role of Senior Citizens in awakening the Society

Role of Senior Citizens in awakening the Society

Let us join the NGO in the name of awake and get awakened (Jago te Jagao) set up at Rajpura distt Patiala (Pb). The very purpose of this NGO is to instill a sense of awakening in the people regarding their duties towards the society. We want that educated people of the country who have ample time to spare and are leading a comfortable retired life and have zeal to do should stand up and rise to the occasion to do something worthwhile for the environment and your surroundings.We invite them to join this organization. You can create awareness among the people about cleanliness. The subject of cleanliness is very common place but still it is felt that although people do keep their homes clean but prefer to throw their household leftovers in front or in the sides of their of houses as if they have done their duty well. But we feel that they are in fact trying to save a few pennies which they should have spent by employing a safai karamchari in their locality who could have lifted the leftovers/garbage regularly from their houses itself.

There are many other things which need attention of such educated elderly persons. They should keep their ears, eyes and mind open while on the move. They can take care of their health by regular walks in the parks and while in the parks they can give their bit towards maintenance/cleanliness and lightning in the park. They can also take the help of youngsters and children in this regard by mobilizing them and making them friendly. If you are walking on the road in the evening you may find many street lights not working. You must be abusing the authorities for this situation but never bothers to take up the issue with the authorities on telephone or by making a small visit to the office of the authorities concerned. I understand a feeling is coming in your mind that who bothers/ who cares and what alone I shall be able to do. This feeling is not correct. It is like underestimating yourself. You have led a long public life and have performed so many good acts for the society so why not now. So do not feel you self small and take necessary steps to do something for this society and mind that you have to take initiatives till the last breath. An educated person is an asset in him self. Do not get disheartened at the initial failures. Your advances will certainly make the difference and the things will start moving by taking a few small steps. you will feel elated at the things taking shape by dint of your small effort as we have felt a few days back when we were able to get a park renovated with the help of the local municipal authority.

Be an extrovert and talk with the people while standing at public places, may be the people are not known to you. While in a train or in a bus see if you can extend a helping hand to your equivalents/ladies. Be a member of some social organization where you will find a platform to reach the people and engage yourself in multifarious activities. Try to lead the organization and give 100% selflessly .Do not bother much about criticism and keep on leading the organization and if resignation is demanded do not annoy even one and submit your resignation to the authority immediately .If not interested in leading then do not be a fault finder and leg puller. Always give constructive suggestions and try to enrich the working of your organization.
Do not urinate on the roadsides and do not spit on the roads. Do not forget to refresh yourself at your home before leaving so that you may not need to urinate at public places or on the road side. This is very important in case of ladies. Also we can ease ourselves on the railway stations/bus stands where there are toilets and then move towards our destination. If you find these toilets filthy/untidy than must bring it to the knowledge of the authority. Not that we are to do these things in our city only but can do at any place/city which we happen to visit and give ourselves a cosmopolitan status.

If you happen to be a shopkeeper take reasonable profits and sell quality products .Do not sell adulterated/stale eatables as it can spoil the health of the customers and can recoil upon you legally It is unethical as well . At the same time if you are a customer do not think that the shopkeeper is a thief. After all he is to get his wages for the services being rendered by him. Going to some Govt. office/bank/LIC office for getting some services, do not forget to take 2-3 telephone numbers of that office particularly the dealing hand and the senior most officer of that office if you are put on waiting list. Even if not put on waiting list it can be of some use later for getting some information and you will not need to rush there and waste your valuable time and bother the office people unnecessarily. At the same time the officers sitting in the offices shouldn’t get irritated at the site of a visitor to their office. Please do not treat him as an intruder because he is not a hindrance in your work but you are sitting there for the purpose of serving the common man which was rightly stated by the Father of our nation 75 years back when nobody knew the importance of a customer. After all we all are service providers and at the same time service takers also. So do the same behavior which we expect from others. Hence it is better that the persons sitting in the offices should take up the issues promptly and resolve the matters sooner than later.

I don’t know why people consider the field of politics as untouchable and consider that only men of bad character can join politics whereas it is a field to serve the people. If you have the capability to lead and a desire to serve the society in a big way then why not enter this field. I feel that the leaders of today are falling prey to the ulterior designs of the people and do not do good for the entire people of whom they proclaim to be the leaders. Even after 65 years of independence our politicians have failed to generate the sense of responsibility among the people. People only cry for their rights and conveniently forget about their duties/responsibilities towards their society of which they are integral part .So carry out those responsibilities also and try to awaken the people who matter.
As regards corruption a very burning issue of today I have to state that more or less the people in general are responsible for this state of affair. I think 90% of the working force of this country is honest and only a very limited percentage is corrupt and in my opinion this corruption revolves around high-up and the people sitting at responsible positions in the Govt. of the day. For small jobs like getting a passport, a voter card , pan card, Driving License, Ration card issued or getting a power connection, getting a site plan approved or getting a water connection etc.or the other services ,one should not grease the palms of the responsible persons. In fact what happens if we need the above services in coming few months we continue to wait and approach the concerned officials only a few days before we need them urgently and in this hurry we try get our work done by greasing the palms . Then who is responsible for this corruption we and not anybody else and I am of the opinion that many people want to get the illegal works done by negative means and cry foul corruption , corruption. Here I will like to quote an example. I was standing in a group of 10 persons at some place sometimes back and as usual the hot issue of corruption was being debated. All of us were senior people who had long experience of public life . I put them a simple question Sir all of you must have approached some or the other Govt. dept for getting some services or the other, here I want to know what had your experience been and how much did you pay for getting those services illegally. Low and behold, you will be surprised to know that not a single person could quote even a single instance when they had paid anything illegally to get the services. So I feel that corruption is not that wide spread. But at the same time I don’t deny that it is not there at all.

As regards Police people put it at the highest point of their negative list and often blame the Police sitting in the four walls of their houses for all the ills in our society. Here I am talking of Punjab police only and not of the entire nation as I have had good experiences. Whenever I needed them for resolving the issues they were of great help and I have found them only a call away. Therefore keep their telephone numbers in your mobile and ring in case of need .I hope you will be attended to. We should not forget the immense sacrifices made by the police during militancy in the state of Punjab .Not only the police but their innocent family members were also mercilessly killed for taking revenge. This however never means that there are no bad elements there, but I do feel that most of them are ready to serve you in case of difficult situations.

Are you going to bazaars for making purchases or visiting some public office for getting some services? If you are on foot it’s all right. But if you happen to use your vehicle then it’s a little different thing. Your vehicle is very dear to you and you always try to lines are important. Please do not park your vehicle haphazardly. Do not park it on the road. Find some keep it dent free and if you have to go to an auto repair shop for removing the dents and paying huge wages for repair then these lines are important .we should find some open space to park your vehicle even if you have to walk a little to reach your destination. By parking your vehicle in a suitable manner will help in the unhindered flow of traffic and you will also escape the abuses of the people passing by.Please do not park your vehicle in front of the office/shop even for few minutes. Better to find a vacant space. Do not sound your hall unnecessarily to please your ears as It is very horrible for others .Put it to use sparingly . Do not jump red light as it can cause havoc .Be compassionate to the elderly /ladies and the children and allow them to cross the road safely. Give the proof of strong traffic sense. I want to refer here a small quote which I came across 50 years ago in a newspaper. It related to some foreign land in which I saw a herd of small birds crossing a road in a line and on both the sides of the road hundreds of vehicles got standard to let those birds pass peacefully and unhindered. I think this sort of traffic sense should also prevail in our country.

I once again I invite the senior members to join this movement of JAGO TE JAGAO so that even after superannuation we feel VIP i.e. Very Important Person and not VIP i.e. Very Important Problem.