There is a pretty long history to it. No, I’m not referring to the British era when the canals used to be put to good use. Everybody knows Kolkata’s canals used to look like unshaven, uncouth backyard sewerage drains not long back. I’ve the misfortune of writing on the plight of canals in an earlier entry.
Being utterly mediocre in whatever they do despite lofty ideals, the powers-that-be could never comprehend the true value of the canals. Until their eyes were opened by British Waterways when it was commissioned to study feasibility of restoring the canals.
Ordinary people, devoid of intelligence of ruling class, never doubted the usefulness of the canals. But the wise mandarins in government offices sought British help. Why? Because underneath the exchange of reports there was a begging palm asking for funds. The British are way too smart. They charged for making an easy feasibility report, then refused any financial help to fund the project.
A Kolkata canal in ‘full bloom’.
Picture source : http://www.calcutta-project.ch/galleries/albums/userpics/img_45.jpg.
After the British report landed sometime in mid-2001 (see Business Line report here), it has taken the government 5 long years to start navigation on the canal. Once again, the colossal wastage of time and opportunity has totally escaped the attention of rusted government machinery.
Ultimately though the ferry did start. Only to stop a little later. It happened yesterday. The inaugural run from Bagbazar lock-gate upstream got unceremoniously struck near Ultadanga rail-bridge. The launch carrying 2 ministers, including the all-powerful housing minister Goutam Deb, wouldn’t move because of the uncut soil below. The people on either side of the canal had a hearty mid-day enjoyment. They laughed and joked as the ministers sat stone-like waiting for the launch to move. After a good 40-minute wait, they had to be ‘rescued’ to return to their seats of power.
For long we’ve habitually known that for any government job, there is a big divergence of ground reality from whatever is shown on paper. This incident re-enforces our already-known ‘knowledge’.
Leave a Reply