Mumbai, April 2004,
Just out of my business school, working with great brand called the Levers, and just dreaming to make it big in my life, and there comes the twist of my life and career, my father was not in good health, and I had to be back to Cochin Kerala for good, and there started my new career in Kerala.
It’s been 4 yrs since i have been in Kerala, what i have found out is Kerala is one god forsaken country, no doubts, there are politicians who make parties like the congress A group, B group, M group etc and god alone knows what for? and the best part is we the people of Kerala without realising the fact have heavy discussions on who is a better group and who is not.
No one have any intention of making this state a great place to live in, in comparison with other states, Kerala has the largest number of strikes, hartals,bandh and other forms of exercises where one can just stop working, initially, I use to wonder why are there so many strike and blame the politicians, thinking, how are they so successful? later i came to understand, that, the strikes are successful, thanks to attitude of Keralites, we are a set of lazy people who just want to have some small excuse to take a leave I still have no Clue.
The low income level, I thought that was the cause of this laziness, but the answer is NO, even those with high income is as lazy as the one who has low income, so salary is not the constraint, then what is it? God alone know. May be the communist attitude that runs in their blood.
Since 4 yrs there has been no well maintained metaled roads in Kerala, the government blame it on the rains, according to the chief minister Mr V S Acuthanathan, the roads are bad because people travel in it, so it’s bound to be bad, I just wish Kerala had good safe motor able roads. Another interesting point to note is when asked for poor condition of road they say its because of rains when asked about electric power cuts every day they say its because of low rain fall. How contradicting!
THE CORPORATION OF COCHIN, says there is no place to dump the garbage, so the corporation can take only food waste and no plastic waste, no paper waste, no garden waste, shall be taken, and one should find there own measures to dumb the waste, this shall make people defaulters and then the corporation can fine them. I cannot fight with the corporation because they shall fine me for the default that I have done, without which one cannot get their business going.
The corporation can probably get a world record for constructing a smallest possible bridge in the longest possible time, in marine drive which is close to 10 meters which took a cool 2 and half years to complete the same. to add it all, it was inaugurated by a minister.
The commercial capital of Kerala, Kochi, has more number of Red Killers (the Private Bus Operators) who kills innocent lives and is back to work next day. They drive in the city roads with as much ease as driving a motor cycle. The traffic police will always help the rash bus drivers, and they will hide in small by lanes so that they can fine the small motor cycle defaulters largely for defaults like Parking in a no parking area, and defaulting the one way, and so on, however they leave the Rash driving bus drivers free. Why is it like this?
The Chief Minister of the State, Mr V.S. Achuthananthan which his favorite automobile the JCB started demolishing every so called, illegal litigation of land that has happened. He damaged several buildings in the busiest road of the commercial capital of Kerala, The M.G.Road, and he stopped half way through. I wonder, why he had to do it? and what has he attained, however the best part of this demolition drive in M.G.Road was the people of Kerala who came to visit, this like a football match and was clapping when small portion of buildings which was part of litigation was demolished, and now almost an year down the lane, the remains look like few demolished sites of a war in Iraq. I still have not figured out why was this act done? And what have the government of Kerala attained out of it.
THE SMART CITY, similar to the one in Dubai, is always in signing process, for 4 yrs its still in signing stage, do the government of Kerala strongly believe that we the people of Kerala are such great fools, i guess they do, the road that leads to smart city is the size of a service lane of a six track highway which the entire state of Kerala have never seen. As soon as you land at Kochi International Airport, you see huge hoardings which sell apartments near smart city, not knowing the fact the smart city is on the process, not yet. An apartment in the surrounding areas of smart city would cost you an average of 40laks, for which you shall if lucky fetch you a monthly rental of nothing more than 8000 for a 3BHK, the real estate developers says it’s the finest investment one can make. Does it?
Let me not blame? Today I have two food outlets, in the city, one successful outdoor catering unit, and an advertising and brand management consultancy. It would not have happened if I was not in Kerala. It will need a great leader and a great visionary to make Kerala and good place to do business in.
I dream of a Kerala, which is clean, which has no strike, which has good tarred motor able roads and a lovely place to live.
Hisham Kabir
