Disenfranchised or Unenfranchised?

My team took me sight seeing to Mumbai at 3:00 AM. I was unable to convince them that I wouldn't be able to see anything in the dark so I went anyways. I was then chauffeured through darkened streets at 60mph, so whatever sights may have been possible were little more than a blur. Since I am their trainer, I used the opportunity as an lesson in English. For example, as we whizzed by some monument or famous building, someone would say "This is the .....", I would correct their English suggesting that the proper way to say it is "That was the ......" since by the time I turned my head, it was long gone. We waited at the Gateway of India for it to open and this is where the story actually begins.

In a previous excerpt. I had commented on the relative cleanliness of this heavily touristed part of Mumbai. Overnight, I saw the efforts of the 'cleaning crew' in making this the cleanest area in Mumbai. The crew of mostly women went around with large tote bins collecting up trash of all sorts; paper, plastic water bottles, sandals, tin cans. Once the bin was full they would walk to the edge of the stone embankment and dump the bins into the Arabian Sea!

Appalled does not properly define my reaction and when I pointed out what they were doing, I was simply told they were not doing their jobs properly. Really? While I cannot, specifically, hold Canada up as the model for waste management, I have difficulty believing that anyone truly thinks this is an acceptable practice, even the people doing it (I can only hope). The 3 R's have no place in Indian society but a quick refresher is in order. Reduce, Reuse, Recycle. They are placed in this order on purpose, reduce is the first best choice, reuse is the second best option and when all else fails, recycle. Canada, for now, has it drawkcab . We are very good at recycle, less good at reuse and not good at all at reduce.

People here in India have started to read my blog and some were particularly interested in my post on pollution. They are aware there are other options than the ever popular 'throw it in the street' and they know other countries recycle so someone asked me 'what will it take for India to get in line with other nations' with regards to the growing mountain (ocean?) of refuse. My first answer is that Indians or some group of Indians require a sense of moral outrage before any real change can occur. Although simplistic, it is very true. Someone needs to stand up and say "This far and no farther!" or nothing will ever change.

Enfranchised, in general, suggests the right to participate in Society and as such act in that societies best interests. Disenfranchised is a term that suggests that a group of people were previously enfranchised but were pushed aside for political or economic reasons. Today, I am coining a new term "unenfranchised" this group does not truly participate in society nor act in its best interests. I am prepared to say that this comprises 95% of the population of India. Although the focus of today's blog is pollution, this argument can be made for most societal concerns. There is an unexplainable lack of trash cans for anyone to use but even when provided, they still go unused. Unefranchised Indians treat living in India like you would if you were living in an apartment that you don't really like. "Well, it is just a place to live until I find someplace else."

In a previous blog, I had estimated the number of people living hand to mouth at 50%, I was told I was low so I looked it up. According to the World Bank, 68.7% of Indians live on less that $2US (125rp) a day and a staggering 96.9% live on less than $5US (308rp) a day. So, without a stable middle class, with a working class who cannot do anything but work to maintain their position and with at least 70% earning a scratch existence, it is left to the super-rich and the politicians to act in Societies best interest. Since these groups generally only act in their own self interest, I do not hold out a lot of hope for India cleaning up its issues for a very long time.

You want to go where?