Serving class population of Chandigarh

If a contrast is drawn to gauge the conditions of the serving class population that discharges services that make the city beautiful by working day and night. The conclusion shall be baffling. . Admittedly, without this class, the Chandigarh would come to a stand still. The need for the domestic servants, construction labor, drivers, vendors, cobblers, tailors, janitors, waiters, chefs, plumbers and electricians would undoubtedly  be acute if this population particularly from UP and Behar give the city  amiss. 

They live in hellish conditions is also admitted. Unhygienic conditions prevail where they live. The colonies, despite claims of the administrations lack health care, sanitation, poor water supply. For health care they depend on the quacks that operate in the area. They drink water that is not potable and the sanitation facilities are completely missing. Yet they do not complain. Above all, there is nothing that they protest.

They have come to stay put in Chandigarh in the hope of a livelihood which has not been available to them in their native villages. Even most towns in these areas do not have enough employment avenues for them. The land holdings by them have been diminishing. It is the male of the family who migrates to towns like Chandigarh, and works as laborer..

Though he has no assurance of a regular income yet he survives as his needs are just to fill his tummy. Gradually he gets into a profession or sets up a roadside vend and calls the family to join him that is necessary to augment its income. The girls and ladies work as maids, boys and men venture into various unskilled jobs or set up a road side vends. The life cycle goes on thus.

That this class is indispensable is not disputed by any one. They are drawn to political exploitation by the parties and treated as Vote Banks. Today the population of this serving classes has reached a proportion that it influences the outcome of Local and national elections. Out of ignorance they jump into the election process and in its wake hay by accepting booze and money from the candidates.

Political parties cry hoarse and promise all kinds of welfare plans which seldom fructify. The Administration too formulates rehabilitation plans for this class only to reclaim the prime areas they encroach to build their shanties. Once a scheme introduced, they leave every thing to attend to the surveys that the administration conducts to have a home of their dreams in Chandigarh.

The air at which time these surveys are conducted by administration officials is muddled with accusations and counter accusations of favoritism and they continue to suffer. More often than not, these surveys are sham surveys and the rehabilitation quarters are cornered by those who would never live there and become a source of income to them. The hapless migrant labour just watches his helplessness and runs from pillar to post to become eligible.

With time many of them have acquired skills that help them get good jobs, yet they live in there as they feel a sense of safety and social interaction among their own groups. They would not be accepted outside their groups. Despite some of them have done tremendously well and have been able make a place in politics, business and trades. of the city. Income of the family also gets multiplied and they save for their home too as they want their roots to remain intact.

To conclude, it needs to be pondered that if this class is so indispensable to the city, and without them the wheel of the city may slow down, how and how quickly we are able to rehabilitate them to guarantee them a respectable living. The administration has under the right to education provided them free education and it is heartening to note a few of the students of this class have shined in their vocations and studies.

Yet a lot more needs to be done to ameliorate their living conditions for a prosperous Chandigarh.

Satish Chandra Sharma.

Chairman Group Housing Cooperative Societies Welfare Council,

Chandigarh

Cell: 9888255128.