In
the year of 2000, I came to my native village Khandoi in district Bulandshahr
of Uttar Pradesh State of India after I had almost left it in 1961 for my
further studies, career and professional duties. I had decided to close on my
Engineering Profession and involve myself in Social Engineering with the
objective of improving quality of life in rural India to begin with my own native
village. On my arrival in the backward village from a developed urban culture
with flourishing profession, people were astonished and when I told them that
my objective was to work with them and for them for getting better services
from the government and administration, they seemed to welcome me. But it
proved to be a faked gesture as just a formality.
My
Struggle on Electricity Front
With
my basic concern of improving quality of life of people in the village I
presumed that the people would welcome if I get them better electricity supply,
transport facilities, etc. I knew the universal fact that everything has a
cost, and better services would mean more cost to the people. I began with
electricity supply to the village having a badly shattered electricity
distribution lines from the government monopoly. People were hardly getting any
supply and whatever was available was with voltage fluctuating beyond limits of
tolerance, and with no reliability. Only thing people liked about electricity
supply to them was that it was freely available to them for the government
monopoly company never bothering for revenue against their electricity supply.
Their losses were compensated for through government funding. In return, the
officials concerned were happy for no complaints from the people about their
poorest possible services. So, things were going on peacefully with both sides
satisfied in their own ways.
But
this was not the picture in my mind for which I had arrived in the village to
resettle myself permanently. I didn't want anything free that costs money, and
I wanted to have good quality of electricity supply and related services from
the officials concerned. I insisted on villagers to have authorized electricity
connection and pay for electricity consumed by them. About 100 agreed and
became authorized electricity consumers while other 400 insisted on relying on
stolen electricity.
With
my efforts and contacts at the highest level, things related to electricity
supply in the village were improved. This facilitated the authorized consumers
as well as those involved in electricity thefts. Irony of the situation is that unauthorized
consumers of electricity are actually source of personal incomes of officials hence
they have no interest in having authorized consumers for their organization.
In
due course of time, condition of electricity distribution network has been
deteriorating for carelessness of officials and its misuse by the people. As
soon as I get it corrected, misuse is increased and situation begins
deteriorating fast. So I have developed a feeling that by getting the network
in good condition, I serve those involved in electricity thefts thus promote
misuse of electricity.
I
Give Up
Electricity
supply case was first test case of my social concern, wherein I have been
proved wrong. Now the situation is that the Government officials meant to serve
people, as well as the people themselves have become highly immoral, and both
are very well serving each other's purpose of getting maximum from others' pockets
with paying for what they get. Both seem to be made for each other and
complementing each other with their illicit characteristics. Persons trying to
intervene to improve the situation are out of sync of both and disliked. This
is where I stand today in the village. So I give up on my concerns for the
rural people and their problems.
What
I am to Do, Now
I
can't help my society in improving quality of life of people as a native of the
village, but there is nothing that debars me from improving upon my own
strength through studies, research and authorship as a global citizen. So I
have decided to remain indoors for most of the time and devote myself fully to
study of Vaidic scriptures which indeed have scientific knowledge of immense
value to humanity, not only of the present but for a long time to come. The
most important part of this knowledge is related to human health, promising lifespan
of about 500 years.
I
have been experimenting with knowledge available in Vaidic scriptures to
improve upon my own health and hence my lifespan. I have set a target for
myself to have the lifespan of about 250 years. I am quite hopeful on this and
making good progress. I want to prove to people that Vaidic scriptures are of
great value to humanity through my own life.
What does it Mean to Humanity
Every individual is principally concerned with three subject matters - his/her own life, his/her Society, and the Governance he/she is bound to follow. For each of his/her actions and efforts, he/she looks at the outcome balance with respect to these 3 concerns, with an expectation of some positive results through his/her own perception.
Irony of human life is that all these concerns can't be taken care of simultaneously for mutual confrontations of these. Therefore, the individual sacrifices his/her own interests on one concern or the other. For this sacrifice, he/she wishes to get compensated for through other concerns. If this compensation is missing, the person refuses to make sacrifices.
In all such cases, it is the Society that is ignored and suffers the most in the individual's concern for his/her own life and his/her compulsions under governance system. Ignorance and sufferings on social front too cost the individual heavily but secondarily and mostly in the long run, causing increased sufferings for the whole humanity in the long run. This is why humanity has been suffering on account of social discipline.
As far as India is concerned, the situation has been perilous for a very very long time, and there is very little concern for it by individual members of the Society. Hence, the doomsday for India is closing on a dark future for the Nation, Society and the Individuals.
