Hi Friends,

Even as I launch this today ( my 80th Birthday ), I realize that there is yet so much to say and do. There is just no time to look back, no time to wonder,"Will anyone read these pages?"

With regards,
Hemen Parekh
27 June 2013

Now as I approach my 90th birthday ( 27 June 2023 ) , I invite you to visit my Digital Avatar ( www.hemenparekh.ai ) – and continue chatting with me , even when I am no more here physically

Tuesday 2 January 2018

MUMBAI IS BURNING !


Dismiss   Inefficient   Government   Servant  [   DIGS  ]


Three days back , there was a fire at Kamala Mill Compound

14 persons ( mostly young girls ) died

Maharashtra Government / BMC took the following , expected “ Actions “ :

Set up a departmental ( - not “ high level “ ? ) inquiry

Ordered Fire Audits of restaurants

Started partial demolition of some unauthorised extensions (- don’t expect completion with no guarantee of non-return ! )

Suspended 5 officers / Transferred  one to Andheri ward ( shifting cancer to just another part of body ? )

Tried to arrest the owners of the pub
May be , offered “ compensation “ to the kin of the victims ?

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Only thing , neither the Govt nor BMC did, was to tell the citizens (- though there was every desire to do so ! ) :

“ Statistically speaking, accidents like this are bound to happen in a big city like Mumbai, from time to time .

While you grieve , wait for the next one to happen .

By that time , we hope you would have forgotten this Kamala Mill accident.

Till then, keep busy with your everyday miserable life in this metropolis ! “

=======================================================


Is it unfortunate that the Government officers responsible for such accidents, are never held accountable for their lapses ( or worse , for their “ bribe-inspired “ collusion ) which lead to such accidents

I urge some TV Channel / Print Newspaper to develop / launch , a mobile app ( - to be called , DIGS ? ) , with following features :

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The App will have following SECTIONS :

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[ A ]  NATURE  of accident  ( select from following drop-list ) :


#     Fire

#     Building Crash / Bridge crash
#     Road / Rail / Air travel , accidents ( including those created by potholes )

#     Daily 10 persons getting run over by local trains

#     Falling through open gutter manholes

#     Stampede at religious places

#     Flooding due to monsoon rains

#     Boat capsizing

#     Construction workers falling from heights

#     Epidemic  breakout

#     Running out of Oxygen in hospitals or Power Failures during operations

#    Electrocution

#    Drowning in  swimming pool

#    Hooch   tragedy

#    Food poisoning in public eating place or in schools ( Private or Public )



Citizens may be invited for a comprehensive list ( even involving accidents without deaths )

=====================================================
[ B ]    LOCATION  (  enter  )
=======================================================
[ C ]    DATE  (  enter  )
======================================================

[ D ]   OFFICER RESPONSIBLE ( in your opinion ) :

Chief Minister

Home Minister

Transport Minister ( including local trains / Metros )

PWD / Housing Minister

BMC Chief

Deputy Municipal Commissioner
Assistant Municipal Commissioner

Ward Officer

Fire Department Chief

Officer in charge of Building Approvals

Manager / Owner of concerned premises

NOTA - None of the Above – ( will require providing name and designation )

AOTA - All of the Above – ( can be selected but will result in only “ Warning / Caution Letter “ )

Against each name , citizen will have following choices to tick :

#    Most  Responsible
#    Somewhat Responsible

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[ E ]  PUNISHMENT  ( being recommended by user of DIGS )

What punishment do you recommend for officer who you considered MOST RESPONSIBLE  ?

=======================================================

#     Warning / Caution Letter ( with salary freeze / no annual increment )

#     Demotion ( to a post two levels / grades lower )

#     Salary cut (  by 50 % for one year  )

#     Transfer out of city to a remote village ( even without any work )

#     Suspension ( pending inquiry )

#     Resignation ( forced but as a saving grace )

#     Dismissal ( followed by Inquiry )

#    FIR for a Non-bail able Offense ( followed by IMMEDIATE ARREST )

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[ F ]   CONDITIONS   (  governing use of DIGS app ) :


Any citizen can use it , after an accident

Citizens will log into the App through Aadhar Authentication ( Fingerprint / Iris or Voice )


For each “ Accident Incidence “ , a citizen can use the app , only once ( disabling feature )

DIGS can be used only within the first week after the accident ( late use to be rejected )

Results will be published on the TV Channel / Newspaper web site  and also regularly broadcast ( like the polls being conducted by them )





What I have suggested is a simple – but very powerful – tool through which, MEDIA ( whether Online or Offline ) can bring about E – Governance

=======================================================

Notice to Start-Ups :


How about coming up with a prototype CHAT-BOT ( based on Google Action ? ), eliminating all typing , which users will find very easy to use ? 

=======================================================


Through DIGS , media can mobilize citizens and even come up with a ,

CITIZEN’S  CHARTER  OF  DEMANDS

As far as Mumbai citizens are concerned , they should ( through the Charter of Demand , mentioned above ) , send out to all Political Parties , the following message :


“ We will boycott any Political Party which does not commit itself in its Election Manifesto , to pass appropriate law in the Maharashtra State Assembly, to give LEGAL SANCTION / BACKING to DIGS “


Appropriately organized by Media , if we raise our voice, I think , Shri Devendra Fadnavis , may not want to wait for the next state election, to implement DIGS

He is clever enough to realize that ,

This is one initiative which must not be handed over to the Opposition

If some other Opposition Party seizes this opportunity in the next 15 days ( by launching DIGS ) , he will face “ Anti-Incumbency “ sentiment in 2019  !



Did you say :  Time for a NEW  YEAR  RESOLUTION  ?


Jan  2018


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