Past few months have been plagued by natural disasters, scams and loss of great souls, icons in their own right- technology czars, musicians, a renowned Indologist- in short excellence from every walk of life.
But, every cloud has a silver lining. Around the world, the Arab Spring, which caught ruthless dictators off guard and, in parallel, renaissance of free speech, thanks to a certain Mr. Julian Assange, challenging the actions and unraveling the truths of the powers-to-be, have been like a straw to a drowning person.
Back in our own courtyard, common man’s response to the clarion call against graft in public domain has been a soothing influence on people frustrated with the apathy of bureaucracy and politicos.
Bengaluru has got its share of good news too. Namma Metro, having overcome all obstacles and delays and chugs along the tracks provided its people a sense of relief, who so far have been punished by choking traffic woes.
Something else too happened on the sidelines. ATCAG- Automated Tracking and Control of Green Assets, a brainchild of M/s Kerberon Automations, a Bengaluru based firm aims to promote cycle sharing among the residents of the city. For more on this, visit www.kerberonautomations.com/atcag.html. This is a really noble concept, keeping in mind the traffic congestion, fuel price hike. Another issue that could be addressed is the disturbing trend vis-à-vis lifestyle diseases, promoting the much needed exercise for people practicing a sedentary lifestyle. Such a system augurs well for the future of cycle as a lucrative mode of transit. Let’s all support this initiative and make sure the concept moves on to other places in the country.
Finally, I take this opportunity to wish everyone a happy, safe, fun filled and prosperous Diwali. I am reminded of a line in a Kannada song-“ದೀಪದಿಂದ ದೀಪವ ಹಚ್ಚಬೇಕು ಮಾನವ...” which literally translates to “Let ever person use a lamp to light another’s lamp, in turn illuminating the whole mankind….”
