Ailments Of Our Society

Rev Fr Paul Lelen Haokip *

INTRODUCTION:

I will be briefly dealing with some of the visible and destructive set-ups of our society. We need to exercise vigilance, responsibility and duty towards the below topics. The watchdogs of the society have sounded enough alarm but the question is 'who will bell the cat?' True enough, 'knowledge is insufficient without work'.

Even as some of the Congress MLAs are revolting for reshuffling of the ministerial posts or rather, reminding the CM of his past promise; nature seems to be revolting to us all. The increase in the number of BJP MLAs in Manipur seems to be another revolt or sign of ailment in the present Government.

But do we know our ailments or question our ailment or go for treatment of our ailments?

MEDICAL CARE/CRUEL:

Issues have been raised about the credibility of medical doctors in and around the country. How is it possible that some educated and qualified medical practitioners prescribe unnecessary drugs to patients of a particular pharmaceutical company. Is it not fraud, lie and disrespect to another citizen?

The weak moments (sickness time) are advantages tick to sell someone's product. In my opinion, those doctors need re-education. On the better side, I do have come across some doctors who prescribe just minimum drugs and very hard to find in the market. One pharmacist told me "magidi asili hidak ngaktani, phangba wa e". That frank confession of the pharmacist opened my horizons to some truths.

TRAFFIC/TERRIFIC POLICE:

It is a surprise to see the flex on the footpath of RIMS road and demand money for the wrong parking. One hundred for no proper receipt and three hundred for a proper receipt. Ten rupees for a wrong turn at traffic points. Does it become a right parking after the fine is paid to the official in-charge or subordinates? All done with the government issued uniform.

Encouraging story as well, I also find a traffic police at the Governor's chowk with a smile all the time in that heat, rain, dust and noise. I always wanted to meet him personally and thank him for his humanitarian service but never succeeded. My lack of initiative. They should be paid sufficiently for the endurance of the dust, smoke, heat, rain so that they may not take bribe or be bribed.

JHUM/DOOM CULTIVATION:

As you sow, so shall you reap. Years back, jhum cultivation, deforestation, climate change etc were part of the syllabus of the high school children to be by-hearted for marks and promotion to the next standard. Today the results of the above have become the syllabus of every family, leikai, town and the state of Manipur.

Really, they have disturbed our hearts and ask for promotion of 'care for the environment'. Would you blame the hill settlers for felling trees when they have no alternative means for household use to cook food? Should they not cut trees, where will we get the numerous furniture of wood for various social functions and marriage gifts?

You can debate, they brought down so, we use; they demand so, we bring. Either or, the environment is affected and depleted. We could bribe in the market, we could over charge the patients, but we could not fool the nature.

This is the hard truth of nature communicated to us through scotching heat, uneven rainfall, barren fields with insufficient water etc. Whom do we blame? Ourselves, may be the most authentic guess. Doomsday is ahead. Prepare for the Armageddon. This is self inflicted and self chosen misery. We all are culpable.

Instead of mutual finger pointing, we rather pool our heads together for better days ahead. Either we will have to learn to treat mother-nature kindly or perish like the dinosaurs. Either we encourage our children to plant trees or expire side by side. Option is ours, choice is a must, action is the top priority.

EDUCATION OR PROXY-ACTION:

Thanks to Union Minister of HRD, Smt. Irani for the assurance of clearing all pending projects on education and the 6% investment on education. Looks like in India, more than education of the heart, marks (education of the head) is focused and taking us to heights of foolishness and barrenness.

It surprises me to see people seeking government teacher posts. May be for the fat salary and the less job or the possibility of proxy. Ask them please. If education is a serious industry for the survival of the future generation, the educators (teachers, lecturers, professors) should be the most respected and responsible persons in the society.

Judge for yourself and grade the levels of commitment, input and output. If teaching gives birth to all other profession, than teachings should be the healthiest mother of all professions and teachers should be the most committed band of social builders. Let education begin with the teachers and honourably pass-on to the students.

CONCLUSION:

Time to retrospect and ask yourself "Am I part of the problem or part of the solution". Mere critique is mere knowledge, insufficient as a catalyst for societal change. Just as a patient acknowledges his/her ailment and frankly explains to the physician for medical care, so the scruffy systems of our society should first acknowledge and return to the path of change.

Individual awareness and change leads to societal transformation and holistic environment. Conclusion is for this small article but we begin our pro-active work towards addressing the ailments discussed above. Finding security, freedom from want and freedom from fear should be our mantra.