People
say, “Desire is the cause of suffering” but I have a problem with this saying.
My profession takes me around to see places and people; as and where they are. With
farm roads and electricity penetrating to every village, most people now live a
decent and healthy life. People rear hybrid cows, grows vegetables not only for
self consumption but for sale in the markets. Many villagers own Maruti Van,
Boleros etc. to ferry them for business and during emergencies. So the life
seems relatively easy for the farmers than I had seen as a child, and
particularly for those who are hard working, it is like, “Every street is paved
with gold”.
But
sadly, I could see some groups of people who are failing to move with the change.
The wind of change is yet to brush their common sense. Thus, they remain as the
definition of poor. I go for annual household survey and I have been doing this
for the past five years, in and around these same villages. Nothing can make an
impact on these people. Our health education is like pouring water to a
bottomless pot and each year I see them in the same condition. They are normal
human being, have land to cultivate and located in the same geographical are
like other people; but the only difference is that they are too lazy to work. At first meeting, one would feel pity but ask
few questions to the neighbors and visit few times, you heart will start to
boil with irritations.
It
may look quite scary but it is a home to a family of five. Inside the house was
an innocent child sleeping under the mosquito net. One day they came to my unit
with only the pieces of torn health card. I had to issue new card. They are not
poor because they own few acres of good arable land, an orange orchard and
running water supply. I am taken by surprise to see their land fallow, they do
not even grow vegetable for self consumption when rest of the villagers take it
to sell in the market. Let God alone save these souls……
This
belongs to another couple. I think at one point of time the toilet would have
been better than their house. The ruin of the toilet only indicates that our
government has done so much for us. I am in no way trying to be judgmental
about their poor living condition but I am so disappointed that they are not
willing to use their resources and adopt change for their own betterment. One
time I even conducted a delivery of their baby child in the middle of the
jungle.
Nothing
is left undone by the government and the community. I adopted two of their
children. The local government officials and the community built them a new
home and now I feel that these people waiting for us to build them a toilet
also. I sent the father for treatment, bought him medications, only to learn
later that he actually did not complete the course. We pass by their house
every month and find them taking sun bath. They don’t seem to bother about
anything in the world and looks so self-contended, proving us to be foolish
worrying about them. We are the ones so stupid worrying about their children’s
education, their health………
