Refresh Bangalore

Our normal quick “stare and compare” of the front pages of our two morning newspapers provides us a balanced view of events to start our day. A few days ago, our morning ritual was disoriented. We have come to recognize the slant the Times of India and the Deccan Herald use to cover the news. That morning the Times of India (TOI) veered way off its traditional course and reported about another world.

The Vayu Express, the bullet train between Bengalooru and Mysuru, the TOI reported with front page prideful glee, had reduced the commute by five minutes. What? The road between Bangalore and Mysore is hardly finished! Bangalore is still called Bangalore. Mysore is still Mysore. There is no bullet train! Interest in the news of pesticides in colas and political intrigue in Delhi reported in the Deccan Herald barely held our attention.

The spoof was actually a clever awareness campaign initiated by the TOI to bring the plight of Bangalore’s crumbling quality of life into public consciousness. For all the wonders of modernization, IT growth and international branding, Bangalore’s quality of life has taken a beating. The TOI, on its website RefreshBangalore.com, asked readers to comment on the question, “What's wrong with Bangalore?” Readers wrote:

• Limit the pollution caused by the autos and buses
• Ensure that people do not litter on the road
• Corruption is the only real problem
• First of all population needs to be checked
• Launch a fresh green revolution
• Lack of infrastructure, poor planning
• Clean the city of garbage

One really engaged reader commented, “Hang corrupt officials and corrupt ministers in front of the public offices.” Progress does start with a vision.

There is a striking parallel to Refresh Bangalore and the Keep America Beautiful campaign started in the US in the early 1950’s. That campaign gave rise to Earth Day in 1971. The most enduring image of the early campaign was the Public Service Announcement featuring Iron Eye Cody, better known as the Crying Indian. Iron Eye Cody’s single tear helped place in the US public consciousness the need to respect our air, water and environment. Much still needs to be done in the US. To our fellow Bangaloreans we offer, “Be the change you want to see in the world.” (M. K. Gandhi).