Every year the northern part of our country, India faces severe temperatures during the first few and last two months of the year. Every year we perform the ritual of unpacking our woollens, putting them out in the sun and the repacking them safely with naphthalene balls kept inside the suitcases. But have we ever stopped for a moment and thought there is fraction of our society who doesn’t follow this ritual? Thinking of who they are? They are the weaker sections of our society who have absolutely nothing to pack or re-pack.
When we all sit in our cosy rooms with heaters and blowers on, there are people are on the streets trying to cover themselves with rags they could manage to beg, borrow or steal during the day. The other day when I was visiting the local market area of my city, I came across labourers who were busy working on one side of the road. These labourers probably belonged to the municipal corporation of my city. What shocked me, was that these humans were working inside a pit, knee deep in wet mud and with no or minimal woollens on their body. I stood there and thought what if one of them dies during the process or falls critically ill? Are they even insured? Who is going to feed their family if today they stop working or fall ill?
Let us take another example, we all have domestic helpers in our houses who work for us and help us lead a comfortable life. Let us ask ourselves how many of us actually help them so that they can finish their work early and stay inside their homes, protected from the cold. Most of us do not even like to wash our hands using the icy cold water stored in the overhead tanks of our homes. But how many of us have invested in kitchen geysers? Or how many of us think about that maid or helper who would spend hours washing the utensils we have left for them in the sink? Can we not consciously try to use lesser utensils during winters?
Is being poor or financially weak such a huge drawback in our country? Our nation has always been known as a social welfare state. So where has that state gone? Why does the cold wave bite the poor the most brutally and fatally? Blaming everything on the state machinery is any easy task, but doing something to bring a change is definitely a hard and tedious task.
Winters in north India are extreme just like the summer season experienced by this part of the nation. The weaker sections of our society is the worst hit by both the seasons – be it the rickshaw wallah carrying people from one part of the city to another, the domestic helpers in our homes, the beggars living on the streets or others. It is time that our society and the people living in the society wake up to bring a change. We all need to ensure that we do our part before we go to bed each day.
We can help the underprivileged by following some simple ways:
- Release our domestic helps a little earlier, help them out with work if you are free.
- Make sure the guards sitting outside our homes or offices a properly clad. We can definitely buy them a woollen as a gift or lend them one of ours only if that is properly washed and doesn’t have any holes.
- Don’t discard your woollens climb in your car or vehicle and randomly give them over to the poor on the streets. You will definitely feel happier and much more satisfied.
- In winter when a beggar comes begging to you for alms, look for a nearby small cafe or tea shop. Walk to the shop and buy them some tea and food. A fuller stomach will definitely help them brave the cold.
- Don’t hesitate in shelling out a few extra coins from your pocket which can ensure that the rickshaw puller or other people offering you their services can enjoy a cup of warm tea.
- Never throw away fresh food, make small packets and give them away to the needy leaving near or around your locality.
