GO....SMOKING

Government has unleashed yet another shot off its repertoire to hit the common public in its misplaced concern for them by imposing a ban on smoking in the public areas. However, the biggest cache remains the absence of explicit and comprehensive definition of public areas and also a big question mark over the inclusion of some.
This ambiguity will lead to a chaos of sorts for the common public (read: smokers) as any place can be termed as the public place by the Law enforcers and you have to budge
Imagine someone smoking on a road being accosted by policemen harassing him/her on account of smoking in a ‘public place’.

What’s the solution…SETTLEMENT… as neither the smoker is sure and in all likelihood nor the police as to what is the public place???? But than Police…..like in most of the cases where amm janta is involved will have the last laugh… This will create an additional revenue model for our already highly corrupt police as the hapless smoker in all his ignorance of the places that qualify as legal smoking areas will end up paying fine under pressure by unscrupulous officials, to escape the embarrassment.

The worst hit are going to be the poor uneducated class smoking their bidis .They will either have to cough up a fine at the drop of the hat if seen smoking at any place under the sun or some frustrated hawaladar will vent his wife’s or inspector ire on him.
That seems to be a really innovative and hands on approach to drive home the message of cigarette being really injurious to health.

However, this ambiguity, according to the self proclaimed experts of this law, relentlessly flashing across the T.V frames for last few days will be clear with the time.

But I being an aam janta must ask that why this ambiguity in the first places itself…?
Why is there such a big ETC in the list of public places mentioned in the ad by the govt of India declaring this law….?

This inefficiency and lack of foresightedness reminds of a not too old such move by the govt of India in various states to make helmets compulsory in its drive to ensure the road safety.
Though this could be a personal opinion and I may be incredibly wrong, I feel that adults must and can’t not be forced into their own safety by wearing a helmet; it has to be left to them as they will otherwise surely find another more dangerous way out.

Moreover Helmet is just a damage control device and not that can ever prevent an accident. Thus the prime focus should be on the ways to prevent one…

The law resulted in the mushrooming of the swarm of cheap low quality helmet sellers overnight. These helmets would do anything but save a life should an accident happen.

Also, what really seemed really myopic to me was the inability of the beaurecrats sitting on the high chairs to foresee the possibility of the market being fraught with the tawdry helmets defeating the purpose of the safety of human life…
Why the govt did not come down equally heavily on the useless helmet manufactures as much it did on the helmet less drivers???
If the govt were really so concerned about the human life… why did it not ensure a minimum quality standard to be followed for every helmet..?

This law like many such laws made by govt of India which I would say in my own kiddish manner, was followed only in its ‘aesthetic’ and symbolic sense as the most of people were not wearing a helmet but a replica….and that too momentarily at the sight of Khaki…

There are many such thoughtlessly ,hastily declared , ruthlessly implemented and inefficiently maintained rules I have come across in last few years of my mental awakening (many would say ‘weakening’)…Will surely take up a few more of them sometime soon…and also some more on NO SMOKING………..