Some thoughts on this 2nd Monday of July 2019.
Mumbai is still reeling under Rains which some times moderately to very heavy in the nature, and it looks like there is no respite for Mumbaikars from this rainy weather. After I have stopped working and retired, generally I do not move out when there is heavy rain, but today I had to go out in the heavy rain for some urgent work and one thought which came to my mind and would like to share the same with you, and that is:
I am seeing school going children struggling with their bags, rain coats/umbrellas when they are going to school or coming back from school on the roads, waiting for local buses or trying to get auto rickshaws or any other form of conveyance, then a thought came to my mind why can’t the schools be closed for vacations during Rainy season instead of vacations of 2 months in summer .Why we are continuing with British hangup of closing everything in summer, agreed Britisher could not bear Indian summer so for convenience of their children who were studying in India they started the practice summer vacations.
Britisher even closed Indian courts during summer, as at that time most of the judges in Indian court were Britisher, and they wanted to avoid working in hot summers and hence courts were not working during the summer months, a practice which is still continuing in India even after 7 decades of getting independence from Britisher. They even shifted the Capital to Shimla which came to be known as Summer Capital of India, because the other Britisher who were working in govt administration had no choice but to work, for them working in Shimla during summer months became the option. Why can’t the Indian judges work in summer like rest of the Indians who are working during summer months.
In my opinion the school should have vacations, which should start after 15 June and re start after 15th Aug. The first term of the school should end by the year end or latest by 10th Jan ( with short vacations may be for Ganapati/Pooja/ Diwali/ Christmas & New Year- school to choose any 2 short vacations as per the local/state requirement. The second term from mid Jan to mid June. I think this type of arrangement which can be modified to suit the local requirement/customs/main festivals should be worked out by the every region/state. We all are born in India and are capable of bearing summer. Agreed there are some regions in north which become unbearable during summer and generally they do not have heavy rains. But there are many coastal and North Eastern states which really have heavy monsoons. An attempt should be made on this issue which is very important for the children who are future of our country. In Mumbai this year, monsoons started after 25th Jun and till date schools have been officially closed for 2 days as per govt orders and there have been instances when school was working in morning shifts but due to heavy rains schools get closed for afternoon session. There are many parents, given a choice they would not like to send their wards to schools during heavy rains, even students who travelled by school buses are stuck up in traffic for hours together, which in turn become worry for the parents.
As far as judiciary is concerned they considered themselves above legislature and bureaucracy, but they should realise that with lakhs of cases pending in various courts across the country; it is high time that they should start working like normal govt employee as govt is paying them salaries. Yes they should also be entitled for leave as per govt guidelines, but having working conditions should not be like we are still under British rule should not be acceptable. It is high time that top Judges of the country should realise they are not the elite class of our society, even Ambanis/Tatas/ Birlas/Adanis and many more who belongs to super elite/rich class are working for more hours per year than that the judges of Indian courts. I am not comparing them to present PM who works for then 16/18 hours per day, even there are some ministers who put more than 12 hours per day, so why can’t these judges work like an bureaucrat, but the million dollar question is who is going to bell this cat.
So friends what you think on these issues.
Anil Malik
Mumbai, India
8th July 2019