Musings from Mehrauli-1

Honestly, I have taken Finance Minister Arun Jaitley's remarks at the Nabard seminar on Agriculture Distress and Enhancing Farm Income in Mumbai yesterday that India can growth at 8 per cent plus is achievable" provided key reform measures are implemented with a pinch of salt.


Why? Given the Congress and other Opposition parties attitude towards the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) government - more belligerence than anything else sheerly out of political expediency. Media reports this morning have it that Congress-ruled States will not be participating in the Niti Ayog meeting convened by Prime Minister Narendra Modi to discuss the Land Amendment Bill among other things. 

 (File Picture: Iftar 2012)

Today's Iftar party to be hosted by Congress President Sonia Gandhi wherein the political heavyweights of Opposition expectedly would confabulate strategy for the forthcoming Monsoon session of Parliament. It is no one's secret what this group would discuss: nti-NDA agenda, of course.


So, this is where my "pinch of salt"observation kicks in. Jaitley is fully aware of this scenario, despite his public bravado.

If one listens to the TV cackle on a daily basis, one cannot escape the impression that the Modi sarkar has not done much in its first year. But when someone of the calibre of Kumar Managalam Birla candidly says that there is a lot of difference in the way the economy is managed,, thus giving a positive feedback, one feels that the Opposition is into rabble rousing. Says he: " ...managing such a large one is of a different complexity altogether. I have a lot of faith in this government. They understand issues well. My sense is that they are doing a lot of work that we are not aware of. Two sectors have taken off-one is coal in terms of production of coal. There has been fairly significant increase in terms of coal from Coal India and for the first time in many years, we are not struggling and have sufficient coal in our plants, which is a very big deal".

Of course, the Monsoon session is going to be a total washout, from policy formulation perspective.

We just entered Q2 and it is the season of Q1 corporate results. Software biggies are already out with their performance. Yes, there seems to be some struggle. Watch out for five themes that will be played out, writes Vatsala Kamat. 

Hazmat Transportation - Safety? My foot!

 Watched?

How was it?

Kiss death for vehicles coming in the opposite direction,,,

Well, this is how safely hazardous materials (HAZMAT) are transported in India....

All safety precautions and directions go through the roof once these vehicles are outside the factory gates of their clients.

These companies, mostly multinationals and huge state undertakings, have taken the easy Öutsourcing Route for their transportation needs.

Float tenders, inviting applications from transporters and fleet owners. Select and hand over the responsiblity of moving their stuff.

Mandatorily, the drivers of these hazmat vehicles are supposed to go through regular exams.

Like anything in India, these certificaites are purchaseable.

Transporters/fleet owners manage their beautifully.

So, drivers are ill-trained to drive these vehicles.

Neither are they properly certified truck drivers because the concept of a proper commercial vehicle training is still in its infancy.

Nor crisis management imparted to them well.

Big talk. Safety is another empty slogan.

Remember that almost two-thirds of cargo is moved by road in India.

Hazmat is no small volume.

Hazmat handling is given the short shrift.

Sad, but true.

“Transport companies have progressed, not drivers”

All India Transporters Welfare Associatioin Secretary General Ramesh Gulati in conversation with Ramesh Kumar

Transcription & Editorial Assistance: Sarada Vishnubhatla 

Watch the TV interview in Hindi @ 
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BuCHQZQd_zU&feature=youtu.be

***

All trade bodies are talking about wayside amenities for truck drivers. What’s happening on the ground?
Ramesh Gulati: In Dudu, Rajasthan, a Drivers Service Center was built by Agarwal Packers and Movers. It is a wonderful idea of Ramesh Agarwal. In this Center, they advise drivers to sleep for a minimum of 6-8 hours compulsorily. Since drivers do not get enough sleep, it causes maximum number of accidents. People say that accidents happen due to their liquor intake but more than their liquor habit there are two main causes of accidents – one, drivers do not get to sleep enough and second is their weak eye-sight.

Those drivers whose eyes are weak do not inform their owners for the fear that the owner will take away their job. This seems to be the biggest reason for the driver not informing his owner. We, at All India Transporters Welfare Association (AITWA), regularly organise eye check-up camps for the drivers where doctors are called in who check their eyes and we give the drivers spectacles free of cost.

Apart from this, there is the issue of wayside amenities. A number of times we have, on behalf of the government, pursued the transport ministry, National Highways Authority of India and all those who work towards creating road safety that NHAI should give a little land so that the wayside amenities can be built. Government must give a piece of land for this. Highways should have wayside amenities. If such amenities are available on the highways, then the drivers can park their trucks properly at a place and take rest.

There could be an arrangement for food also there; little things like need to urinate. There are absolutely no such facilities. If these facilities are given, then the drivers need not park their trucks on the road itself, which may get hit by another truck coming along the same road. Also, there is no electricity in such places. That is why the traffic coming down the road simply hits the parked truck. Most of the accidents happen because of this reason.

Another reason is that the police hiding behind the bushes along the road make a sudden appearance and the driver in complete panic loses control and collides with something or the other. In India there are 18 authorities, which have the right to stop a truck at any given time and place. These 18 authorities have the power to stop a truck anytime and anywhere. As a result, our truck is hardly able to ply 270-300 kilometers. In foreign countries, their vehicles run from 500-700 kilometers on any single day; though we want this here, it cannot happen. These 18 authorities are brought under control, the way it is so in China and other countries where there is only one authority, which has the authorization to stop a truck at any place. Here, it must be reduced and for this we have explained to the transport minister in detail.

Recently, we had a huge meeting in Delhi, which was attended by Transport commissioners from all states. On behalf of AITWA, I had raised the issue of reducing the number of such authorities from 18. When the Transport Minister Oscar Fernandes puts the same question to the commissioners, not one of them was able to say that there are 18 authorities in control here. They merely said there are only about 2 or 3 authorities. No one could say that there are 18 authorities who rule over stopping the trucks. Then, we approached the minister to say that we will give you all the details and the whole list will be sent to the commissioners. We sent it also, with all the details and the entire issue.

If our vehicle travels for 500 kilometers then imagine to what extent our economy will grow. It’s a matter of just one issue which if the transport ministry addresses, then it will do wonders for our industry. The other issue is of the wayside amenities, which is crucial. If built, they will reduce accidents and economy too will grow. Cargo will reach on time since our roads are in good condition.

Recently, I was speaking to a driver, Jaishankar Sharma who is a driver from Sultanpur. He was telling me that the government has issued new rules to tackle overloading... one has to pay ten times the original fine and on top of that, the excess load will be removed... only if the excess load is removed, the truck can go ahead. The driver was saying this will only increase bribe-taking but will not solve the overloading issue. what do you think about this?
We want overloading issue to get resolved but corruption is another issue. The government must look into it. That is why I am repeating myself that these 18 authorities and the police which wield power over us must be removed or else nothing can happen. Our Carriers Act was written in 1865 and they included everything in it. We had made a committee which was supposed to issue a report in a month’s time... but even after two years now, there has been no report... This is when the commissioner of Rajasthan was the chairman of the committee but they still have not submitted the report.

We have submitted a letter to the Minister and the Secretary saying that by Feburary 28 they must submit the report and an agreement must be made. It is so because they have made registration of transporters compulsory. We agree to it but they have included a de-registration clause and a subrogation clause. We have had complete discussions about this, we all agreed also. So the Act must be changed according to the mutually agreed terms. But they want our companies to shut down. They will shut down the company for a week on committing the first mistake; on the second one, the company will be closed for a month. We have said this will not happen. Imagine if a company shuts down what will happen to the resulting unemployment. Neither is the transport ministry creating employment for him nor are they regularizing our industry.

This must be given the status of an industry. So if by Feb 28, they do not do this immediately, our industry is going to start an agitation against this and it will be a strong one from across all over India. They will have to do this by the deadline and we have already given this in writing. Carrier Act of 1865 is still continuing without any changes despite Parliament passing it and our stakeholders also having given their views over it. They must implement all these things. Our request to the government is for it to immediately ask for the report, get it passed by the Law Ministry and then revise the rules. The Act has been passed by the Parliament, only thing left is for the rules to be amended immediately.

It is no secret that few transport companies pay drivers any salary as such nor are they given any social security benefits. Is AITWA, trade body representing big fleet owners, going to tackle this issue? 
You know that there is a severe short supply of drivers and it is a big issue. In this context, we held a big conference in association with International Road Transport Union, after which we had decided to open an institute for drivers in collaboration with the government or with the help of our members. …

Training institutes are fine, apart from that the drivers who are working... there are lakhs of drivers in India who are working in this field... but they get paid by the transport owners on point-to-point basis, no one pays them a monthly salary... the day he does not go to work or if he falls sick for 15 days and he goes home, he will not get paid at all. What is AITWA thinking about it, how is it going to tackle this issue, how to bring these people back into mainstream? 
Quite right. Something should be done for these drivers... Look a pilot gets paid so well but our drivers are a suppressed lot, they are not given any respect... a driver moves a cargo worth a few crores but even a low-ranked police officer also can take him to task.

We all know this but what is the solution for this? How do you tackle this? How do you stop these malpractices? 
This must surely be stopped. We must do something for drivers; but first the industry must get regularized, for which we are trying, we are talking to the government; then their salary, a uniform salary along with PF and gratuity and other related facilities must be given to them, facilities like medical services are also not available ... on top of which, they get into abusing of drugs or they keep away from home for 20 to 25 days a month... a system must get created for them wherein if a driver is going from Delhi to Bombay... then there should be a mid-point where the driver is sent back home and a new driver takes over to go ahead and reach the destination... This way at least the driver need not be away from his family for 20 or 25 days a month. Our companies must plan a system like that...

How long have you been in this industry? 
I have been in this industry from 2003 onwards.

Ok... Have you seen any changes for the welfare of drivers happening in these 10 years? 
I have not seen many changes happening regarding the welfare of drivers... then about their salaries... I have seen companies progressing but according to me not much has been done for the sake of the drivers... there is a great need to do something for them. Simple things like free eye check-ups and the like keep happening, but no one is thinking about their complete health or a proper salary for them and then drivers are in short supply. They say, a truck must have two drivers when plying when even one driver’s availability is so difficult. It is important for our industry and the companies to think and do something about this so that our trucks ply 500 kilometers at least. We must make a procedure policy with the help of the government.

Who is the biggest culprit? 
What can I say... Owners want maximum profits but I would say the biggest culprit is the transport ministry. They only think about roads but there is no one to think about transport. There are many who think for the roads but no one talks about transport nor do something about it. This makes it very difficult for us. The Ministry of Transport must take the lead and also the big leaders in our transport industry who deal in crores, who own 1000s of trucks they must take the initiative. One who owns one or two trucks is at the receiving end of all this - he drives his own truck and then comes back.

What is the situation of the transport industry at the moment? 
Those owning one or two trucks are the ones facing the maximum problem... They are in a hand-to-mouth situation.

What is the future? 
Till the time government does not think about it or till such time the big players of our industry do not take the lead, till then nothing will happen. All must think about how to help the industry grow. It is for their benefit also... small fleet owners cannot do much... there will be cut-throat competition for even slim profit margins. We should not compete so much amongst ourselves because only then we can work together.

Interview conducted @ AITWA headquarters, New Delhi, February 2014

The Missing Truck!

At Gun Point (Hindi)

In Search of Eggs & Sex....

You would not believe, but it is true.

If you are travelling on the highways of western Madhya Pradesh, try asking at roadside dhabas or decent restaurants for egg curry or burji (scrambled egg with tomato, onion, green chillies with spice) either in truck or SUVs.

You will be met with a firm, but a polite “No”.

Why? “This is a Jain-dominated area,” explains Dharam Veer Chaudhry from Haryana at whose massive dhaba we halt around 4 p.m. for our lunch. (Jains are pure vegetarians. They don't even touch garlic and onion).

Co-traveller and TRANSTOPICS Editor October-end born fortyish, but boyish-looking Girish Mirchandani and of course yours truly are crystal clear: no egg, no lunch. Significantly, both of us are vegetarians - rather eggetarians. 

So we halt at many dhabas on State Highway No. 31 or National Highway No. 79 asking, “Bhaiya, anda hai?”  (Sir, do you serve egg preparations?) only to be negatived.

Pissed off is a mild expression.

At last, we find Tauji’s dhaba @ Dodar – situated between Mandsaur and Jaora.

What actually attracted us is the huge line of Agarwal Packers & Movers (APM) vehicles in the courtyard  one of the most well known and reputed logistics firms in India.

“I bet this dhaba won’t have eggs as well,” opines Girish.

What makes him so say? I demand.

“APM is Ramesh Agarwalji’s company. He's vegetarian to the core. These chalaks (Drivers) working for him ought to be Veggies,” reasons Girish, on his maiden long trip on highways with me to get a first hand knowledge of truck drivers’ zindagi (world).

 

Yet, Tauji - who bought the zameen for Rs.13 lakhs five years ago and turned into the ‘mashoor dhaba’ (well known highway eatery) on this stretch, confirms that he would be able to serve eggs.

Wow... At last... Eggs going to be on our plates .... (Not on our faces!)

We troop in to chat up with APM drivers and Tauji.

Okay, the search for egg is likely to end positively soon.

What about our collective search or urge to know more about commercial sex workers on this stretch?

Have we not been advised by dozens of truck drivers and transport blokes not to miss checking out Dodar area – famous for prostitutes who service truck drivers?

We are in Dodar and why miss a chance?

But.... how to open the topic?

I take courage and ask Tauji...

“Burra mat maniyega (Don’t mistake me!)... Is it true this highway has a large presence of prostitutes?”

Krishna Kant Sharma, our driver since we left Indore more than a week ago, is watching the unfolding drama. This MP Brahmin driver, who has traversed this route for several years, has confirmed the belief 2-3 days ago.

“Kya chahiye?” (What do you want from them?) asks Tauji mischievously.

“Hame kuch nahi karna hai.... sirf baat karni hai yeh auraton ke saath,” (We just want to talk to them. Nothing else!), I tell Tauji - dispelling his doubts about moral compass needle!

APM drivers are watching us closely.

Tauji smiles.

“Worry not. Look at those huts at the entrance to our dhaba. They are whom you are looking for,” he says.

“Tauji, you must introduce us,” Girish jumps in.

“Chinta mat karo. Mein kar doonga,” (Don’t worry. I will do the needful) promises Tauji. 

“Pehle kaane to kaalo,” (Eat first) advises the Haryanvi eatery owner.

Must tell you this...

In the past 48 hours we have spotted several hutments on this stretch as we shuttle between Ratlam and Neemuch (150 km distance) and noticed ‘colourfully dressed’ young and old girls/women on the highways.

They were there for the asking, so to say. Sharmaji, shy by nature, slows down our vehicle with the idea of helping us to pick up courage and ask him to halt and step out. Somehow, neither Girish nor I have the courage to step out, go to them and say, “Hello.... Can we ...?”

Can we.... what?

What if they mistake us for 'potential clients' seeking physical pleasure?

Our middle class pseudo moralistic stance perhaps raises its ugly head.

Girish looks for 'directions' from me - he being younger to me.

Am definitely a coward. Could not take that call.

Driver Sharmaji, am sure, must be equally curious to know why these blokes from Mumbai and Delhi want to meet ‘prostitutes’.

He never asked us that question, no doubt.

We kept insisting to Sharmaji that our journey will be incomplete without a rendezvous with these prostitutes. So desperate we were.

Actually I was more eager than Girish.

Why, you may ask.

Over the past four years I have travelled 21,000 km in trucks on Indian highways and written three books. And, significantly, the chapter “Sex @ Hubli” included in my second book, Naked Banana! drew more interest than any other subject.

Sex is an interesting subject to harp on. That’s human psychology.

One more chapter, “Sex on highways” while passing through Bareilly-Meerut stretch also flashed through my mind.

I was looking for nuggets to complete the ‘triology’ on sex on highways.

Now is the biggest opportunity and not wanting to miss it.

Lunch over, we walked up to Tauji.

“Tauji, chale? (Sir, can we go?)” I asked.

With a twinkle, he led both of us to the hutment perched on the periphery of his dhaba.

The row of huts, made of mud walls and tiled roof, stood there.

At two-three feet below the highways level.

On the verandah, we noticed an elderly “madame” sitting there munching something and surrounded by two young girls in colourful salwar kameez.

Two twentyish youth were sprawling on the cot, talking to her.

No, they were not ‘clients’ but part of the business perhaps.

The girls giggled.

The men looked and just ignored us.

Another lean lady squatting on the doorsteps of the two-room hutment mumbled something to ‘madame’.

She saw Tauji and smiled.

Tauji said something in hushed tones.

He was standing very close to her.

Girish and I were still on the highways.

Heartbeart could be heard miles away. Anxiety.

Will she? Won’t she?

Tauji turned to us and said: “You can, now” and left us there.

Girls moved out.

Men turned their back.

The squatting lady moved in quietly.

Madame stood up.

“Kya baat karni hai?” (What do you want to talk?).

Both of us mumbled something.

She signaled us to come down from the highways.

“Not in the open. Come into this room,” she said pointing to the second room with a door.

Few more girls in the next hutment sitting on the cots in the open were watching us curiously.

Maybe they thought we were ‘negotiating’ rates with madame!

If the terms are not agreeable, maybe they can ‘have’ us .... Is this what they were thinking? I don’t know.

Madame entered the hut and we followed.

Nonetheless, her body language and attitude was not friendly.

Who the heck these chaps are? What they want to talk?

There was a mat and a pillow on the cow-dung plastered 6 by 4 feet low-ceilinged hut.

She quickly sat on the mat and Girish moved in next to her.

I took the cow-dung plastered ground space.

“Bolo,” (Shoot) she began.

Girish explained to her about our ongoing study of truck drivers lifestyle on Indian highways.

She nodded.

“How much you charge per driver?” That was Girish.

Rs.200-250/per sitting. Or bedding!

How long they stay with girls?

They come. They do their act. And they walk about.

All in a matter of few minutes.

“Lekin, why you want to know these things?” she demanded.

We can sense her aggression.

Our fear was that she should not mistake us for some police raid or something.

“Look,” I began, “these drivers are ill treated. Nobody respects them. When they seek your services, are they aggressive to take out their frustration on your girls?”

“Nothing of that sort. They come. They do. They go,” Madame repeated.

There was a short pause.

To break any negative vibes, I said: “We are not police. We are writers.”

“So what? We don’t worry about police.”

“How long you have been in this trade?” – Girish

“We don’t keep records.... May be for years,” she blurted out.

“What kind of conversation takes place between drivers and your girls?” I asked.

She gave a dirty look.

No response.

Then she said: “Over? Go now!”

Girish was surveying the room and found packets of condom lying on the ground.

The room smelt of liquor.

I signaled to Girish  that the ‘meeting with madame’ is over and it is time to scoot.

We exited.

She followed us.

Men on the cot ignored us.

Girls in the next hutment kept a vigil.

So quick? That too, two men and one lady?

We thanked Madame and climbed onto the highway.

Though I carried my Sony Handycam, I did not have the courage to click a picture of Madame or the hutment.

Even before moving out Tauji’s dhaba, Girish made it clear that he would not carry his Canon. If necessary, he will use his Iphone camera.

None of us shot a single frame during the meeting with madame which possibly must have lasted a little over 5 minutes.

As we re-entered Tauji’s dhaba, APM drivers asked: “How was the meeting?”

Nothing great, we said.

Tauji kept quiet.

“We exited the dhaba after thanking Tauji.

“If we paid her some money, possibly she would have opened up more and spoken,” surmised Girish.

Maybe he is right.

Had there been a lady partner in our team, would these commercial sex workers have been more frank and forthcoming?

“I don’t think so. They are business-minded. Gender does not make a difference. Time is money for them. Possibly, talking to us is not lucrative," explained Girish.

Tauji hinted that they may be making at least Rs.1,000-2,000 per day.

Dodar village has a peculiar history. Residents of this village dedicate their eldest daughters to prostitution and there is no social stigma attached.

I have to content with shooting their colourful wardrobe on their clothline in their compound.

Just a kilometre away from Tauji's dhaba, says Girish: "Had we given her money, she would have opened up and spoken. That  was a mistake on our part."

I felt it is nothing to do with money. She's a karmayogi - a believer in 'action' and not talks.

Why waste time talking to a bunch of .... whatever?

Opportunity cost calculations reverberated in my psyche.

What opportunity cost? It was fourish and their trade starts not before sunset.

"Will you try them next time by acting like a client?" asks Girish.

What?

"What I mean to say is that will you go to her as a client without any prelims and instead of getting into the 'act', just keep talking to the girl (not the Madame). Pay her and get out?"

Not a bad idea.

Like what Kamalhassan did in the classic Mani Ratnam-directed Nayakan - the 1990s' Tamil superhit film and made into Hindu as Dayavan with Vinod Khanna re-enacting Kamal's role. 

(In the movie, Kamal/Vinod visits a brothel and select a young girl. But both permit her to study the entire night to enable her sit for her high school exams next day!)

***

"Commercial sex workers," I began.

"Come again!" demanded Girish.

"Commercial sex workers...." I repeated.

"Is there another group called 'Charitable sex workers'?" demand Girish.

His quirky sense of humour divert my thoughts.

"Do you think these drivers use condoms?" Girish.

I don't think so. Many drivers point blankly asked three years ago outside Chinchwad Tata Motors plant whether elephants, horses etc wear condoms in the natural act of procreation.

Also remembered a driver at a HIV/AIDS awareness campaign pavilion, tried to fixed a wooden genital with two condoms when asked to demonstrate.

Asked why, his response was: "For double security".

He has to be advised that two condoms is actually dangerous.

Sad, India is the land of Kama Sutra. Yet we are embarrassed to discuss/talk about sex generally.

Sex education is a must - not only for children in high schools. Even for adults.

The right way, I mean.

How safe Indian trucks are?

Take a look at this LMV, snapped at Ujjain.

No seat belt.

No door lock.

Does motor maliks care for their drivers?

Does drivers really care for themselves?

Nobody cares for anyone.

Fact of life.