INTO THE PAST WITH PAIN...161

INTO THE PAST WITH PAIN…161
Dr K Prabhakar Rao

( It is old city of Hyderabad and some Municipal workers yadiah and Seetha ram, Munshi and Sammaih are seen on a street. They have some tools and measurement tapes with them. Along with them is an earthmoving machine that is popularly known as JCB. It has a large hydraulic operated long arm with a shovel that is fearsome. The operator is seen sitting in the cabin of the JCB and looking around as if he is a hangman near a scaffold.)

Sammiah. (Looking at the machine operator) Bhai, Yakub, Kaisa shuru karenge ham ( how will we start?). Arre, Yadiah hold this tape end and we shall mark the line. Arre Seetha Ram Tum Chunaa dalna ( You pour white lime powder along the line)

Seetha ram. OK. Fine.

Yadiah. Achaa bhai (Ok ) I shall do as you said.

( The workers start marking and the work proceeds. They mark lines for a distance of hundred feet for the present and the digging machine goes to the start of the line aligns itself and prepares to dig. Seetha ram brings a coconut, lights some agar batthis and camphor and breaks the coconut and sprinkles water over the JCB.)

Yakub, Bismillah. Now I shall start the work.

( The JCB lifts its digging arm and the shovel is brought down and scoops earth and throws to side. The work goes on for few minutes. The shovel uproots two water domestic water connections and breaks the existing sewage connections. Suddenly a group of Persons converge at the site. They are seen shouting and throwing choicest abuses at the crew. Some are armed with Iron rods too. Karim, Inayatullah, Afzal are leading the crowd).

Karim. Who is breaking these roads. You have broken the water line. You have broken the drainage connection. Kya ye tera baap kaa raaj hai ( Is it your fathers property?)

( He rushes towards the JCB driver with a rod raised. The JCB driver leaves the machine and runs away)

Yadiah. Arre Bhai Thahro ( Stop). We are doing this work at the orders of government. Who are you to stop our work

Afzal. We are stopping the work. Kya Karlega tu. ( What you can do)

( Yadiah has a cellphone and he rings up the contractor and informs the situation)

Seetha Ram. Look. You should not stop work. This is a government order. We are laying new and larger sewage pipe line here. Old one is frequently getting blocked .

Afzal. Nothing doing. We will not allow. Let your officer come for talking to us.

( In the mean time the contractor arrives in a car. He gets down and approaches them)

Contractor. What is the problem here? We are laying new pipe lines here for your benefit only. Plesae do not stop work.

Afzal. Look Mr. This machine has already broken water and sewage lines of some houses. When are you going to lay the line and when we can use them. How we will have water.

Contractor. Bhai. There will be some difficulty for some time. Within few days everything will be fine. You will have large sewage line and no blocked lines will be there. Please co operate.

Karim. How can we trust you? You will run away after doing half work. Call your municipal officers. They must talk to residents here and give assurance.

Contractor. They are all busy. I am telling the truth. With in two days we will dig everything. With in two days we shall build new man holes. At the same time water lines will be repaired. Another two days re connections will be given to houses connecting man holes.

Afzal. What a joke. Were you ever so efficient? Whom you are fooling> Go and tell some one, not us.

Contractor. You can not stop work. This is illegal

Afzal. Is breaking our connections legal. Who will bear cost off these reconnections?

Contractor. My officers will tell you.

Afzal. Then let them come

(Contractor informs his officers. In the mean time Gandhi, Nehru and Patel are seen passing that way. They stop seeing some commotion)

Gandhi. What happened here? Why there is some tension here?

Contractor. These people are stopping the work of government.

Patel. Strange. Government doing some work! I thought some private work is going on

Contractor. No. This is purely govt work. It is given to contractor.

Gandhi. That is good to hear that government is concerned about welfare of people.

Contractor. Please tell these people not to prevent our work. It is for their benefit only.

Afzal. We will not fall in your trap. Sir these contractors can not be trusted. The deal is between the govt and contractor. People are not taken into confidence. These people will ditch us finally.

Contractor. Why should we do that? We are not cheats. We are doing our duties.

(In the meantime a jeep arrives and stops. From it three Municipal officials get down. They are well dressed and a guy is chewing pan. All have cell phones in their hands. One guy has very large belly and is even unable to walk easily. He is being helped by others. Contractor receives them)

Contractor. Sir. These men are stopping our work. We could not proceed. A day has been wasted out.

Officer. ( Looks at the people) What is the problem? Why you are interfering in the work?

Afzal. Sir. We are residents here. This JCB has broken the water and sewage connections to our houses. The contractor is clueless about the connections here. He is simply breaking things as if he is some great guy,

Officer. When JCB works it does like that. WE can not do any thing. Once the pipelenes are laid all connections will be given

Afzal. At whose cost sir? Contractor is unable to clarify.

Officer. You guys please do not worry. You are from old city. We shall cause you no inconvenience to you. We shall restore all connections free of cost. You need not pay single paisa to us.

Contractor. You need not pay the workers any mamool or chaika paisa. I shall pay them

Afzal. That is good. Then OK. We have no problem. Can we trust the officers?

Officer. Why not? This provision is there in contract especially for old city residents. Same provision is not there for residents of other parts. All such reconnections are to be made at the cost of Residents.

Gandhi. Why so? Are they not human beings? Are they not entitled?

Officer. Sir. That is the rule. This is old city. We have separate rules.

Patel. You are not fair. There is no natural justice. You can not have different rules in city. The other residents have no unity and voice. So you exploit. Is it not correct?

Officer. What can we do?

Gandhi. I think these are rules made by Municipal offices. I think no Govt will make such foolish rulers. You are inviting troubles.

Patel. Is Hyderabad not part of India? Is it still under Nizam 7?

Officer. Come on. Plesae do not make jokes. We are officials.

Patel. So what? What is so great about it? You are just public servants. You have no clue what you are doing.

Officers. You keep quiet. Who are you here to discuss with us?

Patel. I am a citizen.

Official. Do you have voters card?

Patyel. Is it required? I do not have.

Official. Then you can not talk.

Gnadhi. Can I talk?

Official. Who are you?

Gandhi. I am MK Gandhi. Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi,

Official. I heard this name once. Are you the same MK Gandhi who people say brought freedom to us.

Gandhi. Very true. I am happy that you atlesat remembered freedom word.

Official. I passed department tests. I belong to special cadre.

Gandhi. Speak up. Why are you discriminating people?

Official. That is none of your business,

Gandhi. why? It is very much our business.

Official. Please do not waste time. We have to go.

Gandhi. You can not escape us. We shall be after you.

Official. OK Now. We shall go. Ask these men to go away. Contractor. Please start work. If these silly characters interfere hand them over to police.

Patel. Do you think we are scared of police? We have seen thousands of guys like you. We shall not allow you to live in peace.

( The Officials go away in the car and the contractor asks the JCB to start work. Yakub, the operator gets into vehicle and starts work)

Gandhi. Patel. Let us go to the place where this type of work is being taken up in other colonies away from old city.

Patel. OK Bapu. We have to teach those guys some strong lessons. They are very arrogant.

Gandhi. Power makes people arrogant. These are small officials, may be DE level at best.

Patel. OK Bapu. Let us go

( The trio go away singing Ramdhun)

CURATIN FALLS