New DP for PUNE

The new development plan for Pune (old PMC area) is about to be approved and released for suggestions and objections from citizens. Although it is not released as yet, from news paper releases lot of things are being discussed.

It is projected as sustainable development plan. What is sustainable about it and where it will lead us to still remains to be seen. From the news paper reports we can see that the plan aims at development of business for particular section of businessmen and society.  Grant the additional floor space to all interested parties is the theme of this plan. Granting of additional FSI is at some places illogical and at other places indiscriminate in nature. Such additional FSI and resultant higher occupancy will add to crowding on roads and put further strain on the roads thus leading to slowing down of traffic and resultant pollution. How can we call this development plan to be sustainable?

The affordable housing development will get higher FSI. Who will monitor the construction and final occupancy whether the houses are actually occupied by the section of society it is meant for? In north-eastern part of Pune we can see the houses that are built for lower income group under urban land Ceiling Act scheme are actually occupied by cream of cream of the society. Fate of affordable housing, if not implemented and regulated properly, will not be any different.

There is scheme to grant additional FSI for rental housing. PMC is to control and monitor to whom these houses will be allotted. They are basically small houses meant for urban poor and low income group. I sincerely hope that enough such houses will get built and will be allotted to ‘right’ people without asking for any favours.

There is a scheme for additional FSI for hostels built in 500 meters periphery of educational institute if you have tie up with the institute. What happens if such tie up or agreement is terminated after certain period and the building is then sold as apartments or converted to hotel? Also, there are many charitable trusts running hostels in Pune. E.g. Vidyarthi Sahayyak Samiti, Lahoti Vidyarthi Bhavan, Prof. J. P. Trivedi memorial Trust Hostel, Firodiya Hostel, Baramati Hostel, Sharada Niketan, hostel for daughters of ex-servicemen, etc. Students staying in such hostel are not from any specific institute but from some specific community or background or place. Why these hostels are deprived of benefit of additional FSI?

There is a scheme for granting additional FSI to hospitals. Hospitals attract lot of traffic and crowding in the vicinity of relatives and visitors. They put immense load on the roads around the place and also add to crowding. e.g. areas around – Sasoon Hospital, Ruby Hall, Apollo Hospital, Poona Hospital, Deenanath Hospital, Sahyadri Hospital, etc. are always crowded and clogged of traffic. Granting additional FSI of 4 will only add to this crowding and at points will also delay emergency vehicles reaching the hospitals in time. We need to prevent such clogging of roads by some means if additional FSI is to be granted. We have to formulate new set of guidelines for ground coverage and minimum size of plot for such hospitals to avoid crowding and congestion in the surrounding vicinity. We must ensure that there is enough space to accommodate all the relatives, visitors, parking of vehicles of all the doctors, employees, and visitors and also the support services like medicine shops, canteens, ATM, etc. within the premises of the hospital.

There are plenty of suggestions (उपसूचना) which have been suggested by elected representatives with or without help of professionals and /or property related businessmen. While some of the suggestions are really innovative, worth considering and incorporating into final DP, many others are very much oriented to get some personal benefit or political mileage. I hope the general body will wisely pick up and incorporate only those which are benefitting larger part of city and majority citizen.

आमच्याही काही उपसूचना.

१.      रस्त्यावर होणाऱ्या पार्किंग बाबत – रस्त्यावर होणाऱ्या अनिर्बंध पार्किंगला वेसन घालायची असेल व जास्तीत जास्त नागरिकांनी सार्वजनिक वाहतूक व्यवस्थेचा वापर करण्यासाठी त्यांना उद्युक्त करायचे असेल तर रस्त्यावरील सर्वप्रकारच्या वाहनांच्या पार्किंगसाठी शुल्क लावून त्याचे संपूर्ण व्यवस्थापन पीएमपीएमएल कडे सोपवावे.

सदर शुल्काची आकारणी पुढील प्रमाणे असावी – पहिला अर्धा तास मोफत. अर्धा ते एक तास कालावधीसाठी दुचाकी १ रु. चारचाकी ५ रु. त्यानंतरच्या २ तासांपर्यंत संपूर्ण कालावधीसाठी दुचाकी ५ रु. चारचाकी २० रु. प्रती तास. तदनंतरच्या ४ तासांपर्यंत संपूर्ण कालावधीसाठी दुचाकी १५ रु. चारचाकी ५० रु. प्रती तास. त्यानंतरच्या ४ तासांपर्यंत प्रत्येक तासासाठी दुचाकी ३० रु. चारचाकी १०० रु. आठ तासांसाठी दैनिक पास – दुचाकी १०० रु. चारचाकी ३०० रु. बस, मालवाहू वाहने, स्टेन्ड व्यतिरिक्त उभ्या असलेल्या रिक्षा, यांना सुद्धा पार्किंग शुल्क असावे. असे करण्याने पार्किंग आपापल्या जागेमध्ये करण्याचे प्रमाण वाढेल व रस्त्यावरील पार्किंग कमी होईल. तसेच पीएमपीएमएलला त्यांची सेवा सुधारण्यासाठी पुरेसा निधी उपलब्ध होईल. सुरुवातीच्या काळात सदर पार्किंग शुल्क माणसे नेमून जमा करता येतील व ही पद्धत रुळल्यावर ठिकठिकाणी पार्किंग मीटर लावून ही पद्धत राबवता येईल.

२.      विजेचा वापर कमी करण्यासाठी जास्तीत जास्त इमारती कमी उंचीच्या बनविल्यास त्यामध्ये उद्वाहकाची आवश्यकता भासणार नाही व विजेची चांगलीच बचत होईल. त्यासाठी १२ मीटरपेक्षा कमी उंचीच्या व उद्वाह्काची सोय नसलेल्या रहिवाशी इमारतींना मालमत्ता करांमध्ये तसेच विकसन शुल्कामध्ये सूट मिळावी.

३.      नव्याने विकसित होणाऱ्या भागात अंतर्गत रस्त्यांची रुंदी पुढील प्रकारे असावी.

·         प्रभागातील प्रत्येक प्लॉटचे क्षेत्रफळ २५० चौ. मीटर पेक्षा कमी असल्यास ७५ मीटर लांबी पर्यंत ९ मीटर, ७५ ते १५० मी. पर्यंत १५ मीटर, १५० ते ३०० मी. पर्यंत १८ मीटर, ३०० मीटर पेक्षा जास्त २४ मीटर.

·         प्रभागातील प्रत्येक प्लॉटचे क्षेत्रफळ २५० चौ. मीटर पेक्षा जास्त पण १००० चौ. मीटर पेक्षा कमी असल्यास ७५ मीटर लांबी पर्यंत १५ मीटर, ७५ ते १५० मी. पर्यंत १८ मीटर, १५० ते ३०० मी. पर्यंत २४ मीटर, ३०० मीटर पेक्षा जास्त ३० मीटर.

·         प्रभागातील प्रत्येक प्लॉटचे क्षेत्रफळ १००० चौ. मीटर पेक्षा जास्त असल्यास ७५ मीटर लांबी पर्यंत १५ मीटर, ७५ ते १५० मी. पर्यंत २४ मीटर, १५० ते ३०० मी. पर्यंत ३० मीटर, ३०० मीटर पेक्षा जास्त ३६ मीटर.

·         कोणताही अंतर्गत रस्ता ९ मीटरपेक्षा कमी रुंदीचा नसावा. १५ व १८ मीटर रुंद रस्त्याच्या दोन्ही बाजूस कमीतकमी ३ मी. रुंदीचा फुटपाथ असावा. २४ मी. रुंदीच्या रस्त्यावर दोन्ही बाजूस कमीतकमी ४.५ मी. रुंदीचा फुटपाथ असावा. तसेच ३० मी. किंवा त्याहून जास्त रुंदीच्या रस्त्यांचे दोहो बाजूस कमीत कमी ६ मी. रुंदीचा फुटपाथ असावा.

४.      १५ मीटरपेक्षा कमी रुंद रस्त्यांचे लगतच्या प्लॉटवर टीडीआरचा वापर करता येवू नये.

५.      नव्याने तयार झालेला टीडीआर त्या जागेपासून २ कि.मी. परिघात वापरला जावा. अथवा विरळ वस्ती विभागाचे (सेक्टर II ते VI) ४ ते ६ प्रभाग करून तयार झालेला टीडीआर त्याच प्रभागात वापरला जावा.

६.      प्रीमियम चटई क्षेत्र हा नियम न होता फक्त अपवादात्मक परिस्थितीच असे चटई क्षेत्र दिले जावे.

संपूर्ण आराखडा हाती आल्यावर त्याचा अभ्यास करून आणखी लिहीनच. आज एव्हढेच पुरे...

Response to Mah tech education perspective plan

Directorate of technical Education Maharashtra state has prepared a perspective plan for technical Education in Maharashtra ( visit  http://fileserver.mkcl.org/approvedinstitues/OasisModules_Files/Files/69.pdf?did=186 )

Responses were invited on this perspective plan. Here is my response:

Vision 2020

It is essential to see that the technical education in Maharashtra is developed to respond to societal needs and aspirations.

Expansion

As on date ratio of admissions for engineering, pharmacy and management education to higher education is adequate but not regionally well balanced.

For Architecture ratio is still not very adequate and also is regionally imbalanced.

Demand pattern does not reflect Architecture related jobs. Growth of Architecture related jobs have direct relation to social well being and economic accomplishment of society in general.   This is different from engineering as the job growth in engineering is mainly dependent on industrial growth and promotion.

District wise augmentation

Data as shown regarding Architecture admissions is incorrect. In 2011-12, with few exceptions, all the seats at undergraduate courses in Architecture all over Maharahstra were full. (e.g. Your data shows 60 intake for Aurangabad district and 0 admitted. Reality for 2011-12 was intake was 80 and all seats were filled) Please correct the data. Please contact Maharashtra Association of Schools of Architecture for correct data.

Issues and recommendations in expansion

Community college is good idea. However, they should be expressly linked with premier institutions to get good standing and value. e.g. COEP running couple of community colleges in rural areas makes more sense than a private engineering college with little or no standing running the same.

At the same time we must encourage cross discipline education where credits could be transferred across discipline. A science student should be encouraged to acquire some credits from engineering or performing arts or management or architecture and vice versa. Such education will surely add value to overall education system.

All the old colleges with good standing should be actively supported and encouraged to become autonomous. Particularly government and government aided colleges should be immediately made autonomous. Actually, educational standards in old, reputed institutes are declining because of clubbing them with new institutions under the same university and faculty. All colleges say more than 20 years old, should be allowed to set their own curriculum and scheme of examinations that is only supervised by the university without active intervention.

Equity/ inclusiveness.

In Architecture education, particularly in government and government aided colleges gender ratio is much different than other disciplines like engineering, etc. Often there are more than 70% girls and less than 30% boys. May be in other professional streams – medicine, accountancy and law the situation is not very different. This has definite reflection in profession as the percentage of girls actually pursuing profession is very low. As such, availability of trained personnel in profession is declining and shortage of availability is already visible.  It must be reviewed and decided whether 30% reservation for girls is necessary for such courses.

Affordability is another very important reason for low enrollment. In reality, technical education is out of reach financially for many who wish to take it up and have right aptitude to do so.  Reserving certain number of seats in all institutions for deserving candidates who pay same amount fees as in government institutions is essential to overcome this problem. Whether this is to be done with cross subsidy within institute or through scholarships extended to such students by the government needs to be decided.

As a parallel exercise, in certain rural areas and small towns, where private institutions are reluctant to establish an institution for higher learning, government should take initiative and establish such institutes. Existing renowned government and government aided institutions may be asked to take up this task. However, it is also essential to control and see that the students admitted to such institutes are from its defined catchment area only so that seats are not filled up by students from urban areas.

Government and all its arms like local bodies, etc. should get its entire consultancy and research requirements fulfilled through academic institutions. This can a) save taxpayers’ money b) Keep the institutions updated of happenings in the field and eventually these institutions will be capable of offering such consultancy to private sector and generate good amount of endowment to support its own research and also subsidize education of needy and deserving students.

Excellence.

 Student: faculty ratio is marred by many factors such as recruitment rules, reservations, etc.  US/UK Universities mentioned in the report do not have any policy for reservations in jobs by virtue of caste/ religion/ language, etc. Educational and teaching merit is the only criteria. Many teaching positions are vacant as colleges are not able to get teachers of required reservation category and also of good academic standing. Often, academic merit criteria is diluted or overlooked to fill up a position that is reserved and undeserving candidates are recruited in such position. This compromises the education quality also.

Similarly, being good teacher and being knowledgeable person and two different things. A knowledgeable person with Ph.D. and number of papers to his credit may not be very good teacher. On the other hand a person with very basic qualification can also be an excellent teacher. Having aptitude to teach and ability to generate interest in students to learn does not have direct relationship with academic accomplishments of a person. This is a difficult area to deal with but the consensus could be evolved and system of identifying good and academically sound teachers could be devised. Good teacher, not very highly qualified can be recruited and encouraged to upgrade his academic qualification during his tenure.

The system today is very much examination oriented and therefore classroom based. This has its roots in school education. School education has adapted this method due to shortage of higher education opportunities of good quality; leading to extreme competition.

We must change the orientation from exam to knowledge. For this the established system of evaluation need complete review and overhaul. Once the importance is given to actual knowledge and capability of application of acquired knowledge rather than passing examination, the focus will automatically move from classroom based to practical.

To help teachers upgrade themselves and keep them updated, their teaching load needs to be reduced a little and they must also be free of many non teaching and administrative tasks that they are expected to do. (e.g. assisting and managing tasks like census, elections, other clerical duties and preparing of non academic reports, etc.) In reality, many teachers get very little time to read, carry out research and upgrade themselves. Keeping teachers busy with learning and research only is the requirement of the day.

Improving quality

I fully agree with most of the recommendations for improving quality. How to bring these recommendations into reality remains challenge.

For improving faculty, establishment of academic staff colleges is necessity. Rather than calling them academic staff colleges they should be called and function as resource centers.  They should be independent centers for each discipline as each discipline has its own specific requirements not shared with other disciplines. Such resource centers will help teachers upgrade their skills and knowledge through Short term courses, Ph. D. programs, research programs, etc. These centers should also serve as publication houses that can help teachers publish their research, thoughts and books. Further, these centers should also help universities and institution in preparing curriculums, design evaluation systems, etc. It should also create repository of knowledge and learning resources for teachers. National Institute of Advanced Studies in Architecture, Pune, (NIASA) established by the Council of Architecture is one of the good efforts in this direction.

Infrastructure development needs fresh thought. Normally, grants are available for establishing infrastructure but no grants are available for maintenance and up gradation. While sanctioning the grants for infrastructure there should be three distinct components – one time grant for establishing infrastructure, annual maintenance grant paid every year, upgradation grant paid after few years.

When one moves from terminal/ annual and university based exams to continuous college based evaluation, the responsibility of teacher and college increases. Many teachers and colleges are reluctant to assume this responsibility. Teachers at times do not have courage to tell non-performing students of their failure to meet the criteria of evaluation. Teachers therefore try to pass the buck to the university and the external examiners. Occasionally, they are also pressurized by the higher ups to pass un-deserving students for sake of displaying better overall performance of the institutes and also for financial compulsions. How many colleges and teachers are ready to accept autonomy in this area remains to be seen. In absence of transparent system there also exists possibility of victimization due to inter-personal relationships.

Research

Facilities to pursue Ph.D. should be widely available to everyone, particularly to teachers. In professional education, in lieu of Ph. D. the teachers should be encouraged to practice since every assignment in practice is a mini research opportunity in itself and such assignment brings in rich practical knowledge. Further, it also brings in a possibility to involve students who can learn as well as earn. However, teacher must document the entire assignment for benefit of others. Government and industry also must create opportunities for basic as well as applied research and provide sponsorships for the same.

Similarly, the resource institutions should themselves undertake research in technical education field and use certain colleges as testing beds for the research in technical education as well as education technology.

Residential campuses where teachers and students live on the same campus as the institute always provides better environment for research. Good examples are IITs, IISERs and IIMs. Such kind of residential campuses should be highly encouraged.

Monitoring and evaluation of framework

Certain confusions must be cleared. For example, accreditation of engineering education is globally covered under ‘Washington Accord’ but Architecture education is not covered under this accord. Accreditation of Architecture education is covered globally under ‘Canberra Accord’. This must be understood and architecture colleges should therefore be provided with independent program for accreditation that is complies with the ‘Canberra Accord’.  Most of the developed nations are already signatories of Canberra Accord and by virtue of being commonwealth country India is included under Commonwealth association of Architects (CAA) that is signatory for the Canberra Accord. The accreditation criteria for architecture courses should be based ion CAA program.

Globally, since ages, Architecture education is not clubbed with the engineering/ technical education but is recognized as independent faculty that is highly inter-disciplinary in nature. It’s high time we recognize this and grant independent faculty status to Architecture education.

Engineering education in India

Recently, I had been interacting with a few of my young Engineer friends, mostly from Civil and Mechanical background.

It was a learning experience to know - how much they know about their own vocation and industry. Further discussion lead to status of learning at colleges.

The whole discussion made me think about the engineering education system that we have been following since last many decades. I am not very sure but this also may be British legacy.

Last time I had suggested something was 7-8 years ago at the meeting of Faculty of Engineering at Pune University. I had suggested them to introduce credit system that will enable a candidate to get additional degree after graduation (BE) if he/she studies and acquired required credit points. e.g. BE (Mech) can get BE(Ele) if he just studies and acquires prescribed credits in the field. Everyone at the meeting liked the idea but the whole proposal of Credit system appears to be shelved till date.

I have come to believe that we need a fresh, outsider's look at the complete system of Technical Education, i.e. ITIs, Polytechnics and Colleges. (I do not dare to touch IITs as they represent altogether different league.) I am not competent enough to review (AICTE can appoint a committee) but I can surely throw in a few ideas that can be further tested by experts in the field.

I am trying to put my thoughts together and soon I will place them for your opinions and review here.

Metro Again: My latest Experience in Delhi

My latest metro experience

I was in Delhi last week. Staying at Gurgaon, I had opportunity to use metro services more than 6 times during my stay. I mainly travelled on ‘Yellow’ line and also on ‘Blue’ and ‘Violet’ lines during peak as well as non-peak hours. My experience was not very good.

Delhi metro trains are usually running behind schedule by at least 3 upto 15 minutes. Reasons for running late are strange.

I found the doors of trains work on their own.

At some busy stations they many a times refuse to open for more than 2 minutes.

At some stations they get closed without warning in just 12-13 seconds.

At other not so busy stations they refuse to get closed and remain open for as long as 3 minutes.

Some times to make the doors open the train has to again start and move a few meters to stop again and try opening of door again.

Obviously this behavior is scary and also delays the movement of train.

Near Gurgaon between two stations – Guru Dronacharya (This is name of the station and not person) and Arjangarh stations there is a hump in the elevated line. Train gets slowed down and reaches the top of the hump. Once it reaches there the power supply to the train apparently gets cut-off. Half the number of lights in train go off and motors get quiet (means put off). Train starts rolling down the slope by gravity, like a roller coaster and after half a minute supply resumes, lights are back, motors start humming and after a while train again peaks up speed.

This I observed every time (6 times) I passed that stretch. I was told by co passengers that sometimes supply does not resume and train stops for a while, after it loses momentum. This is surely scary situation.

The train compartments are not as large and wide as Mumbai local compartments and get full very soon. At Rajiv Chowk station there are guards posted near each door who push the people in to pack the train like can of sardines.

Something is surely wrong.

Airport express line is ready for months but is not getting permission to operate. It is not considered safe. I heard – it is same as other lines in terms of safety but it will be operated by Relience and not by DMRC. Reliance does not have charismatic figure as its head, like DMRC has, to push the authorities to give them permission to operate.

Seeing all this make me worried about what we have in store.

Attempt to amend Architect's Act

I hope you all are aware of that Ministry of Human Resources Development has tabled a bill in the Rajya Sabha to amend the Architects' Act 1972. http://164.100.24.167/newcommittee/press_release/bill/Committee%20on%20HRD/archtct.pdf

this is the link for you to read the text.

Also read the Objections from Council at http://www.constructionguru.in/documents/kanvinde/doc/264

Reading the text and talking to people it appears that the sole purpose of this bill is to get powers to the government to remove as per its whims and fancies elected representatives on the council.

I have come to know that this amendment is with an aim to remove Ar. Vijay Sohoni from the post of President, on behest of some unhappy members of architects' fraternity and elements in MHRD.

Like all human beings, Vijay Sohoni is not immortal. Some day, if not now, he will be replaced by someone else. May be if MHRD conducts elections, which it is supposed to conduct, he may even choose not to contest. Who knows? So to achive a short term personal goal of some babu from MHRD, the amendment will permanently compromise the autonomy of council. Council will loose its democratic nature and MHRD will dictate terms to Council irrespective of whether it is in the interest of profession of Architecture or not.

I am sure the same people who are against today's council and who are instigating MHRD babus against the council, if get to power in Council tomorrow, will repent.

I have learnt from the office of Council that it has requested to MHRD to conduct elections 3 years ago. The ministry has also appointed returning officer twice in the past. But the officer for reason not known has not conducted elections. (Can we call it lapse in Duty?)

Now if this amendment comes through Council will be puppet in the hands of Babus of MHRD. Council will have no role to perform other than follow the dictats of MHRD all the time. Council will surely become another AICTE.

We all need to resist this amendment and support council to remain autonomous and democratic.

Bahot Khush Hoge tum.. by Shirish Kembhavi

Shirish has written this nice piece and has kidly agreed to place it on Blog.

Please read..

आज खुश तो बहोत होगे तुम! ( दिवार मधील अमिताभच्या तोंडचा देवळातला फेमस डायलॉग. समोर साक्षात "भगवान महेश"! )
आमचाही आवेश तोच फक्त आशय वेगळा आणि भाषा आपली माय मराठी.
आज खुश तो बहुत होगे तुम ! अखेर तो "डीप्या" एकदाचा वरच्या वर्गात ढकलला गेला आणि वर्ग शिक्षकाचा जीव भांड्यात पडला. गेल्या वर्षभर त्याने फारच छळल होता. खरतर असा वांड विद्यार्थी एखाद्या वर्गाशिक्ष्काच्या नशिबी येणे हे वाइटच. मुळात हा "डीप्या" इथवर पोहोचलास कसा हेच खरं कोड होतं. बहुदा आठवी पर्यंत सगळेच पास असा नियम झाल्यामुळे हे घडले असावे. तसे पहिल्या सत्रात हा "डीप्या" फारसा कोणाच्या नजरेत आला नाही किंबहुना तशी सोयच केली होती पण दुसऱ्या सत्रात कोणीतरी खिडक्यांना पारदर्शक काचा लावल्या आणि हे महाशय एकदम झोतात आले. त्यात external परीक्षकांनी तर त्याला सगळ्या विषयात नापासच केलं. गणित, भूगोल, शास्त्रच काय सामान्य ज्ञानातही हे बालक त्यांच्या प्रश्नांना उत्तरं देऊ शकत नव्हतं.
खरं तर वर्ग शिक्षकांचा परीक्षे वर मुळी विश्वासच नव्हतं. परीक्षा घेणे म्हणजे वेळ वाया घालवणे असे त्यांचे स्पष्ट मत होते त्यातून परत पुढच्या वर्गात गेल्यावर तिथले शिक्षक परीक्षा घेणारच असताना आपण का परीक्षा घ्यायची हा त्यांचा साधा सवाल.
वर्ग शिक्षकांची फारच पंचाइत झालेली. एक तर हे चिरंजीव एका नामांकित असामीचे अपत्य ( planned का चुकून झालेलं कोणास ठावूक) .
त्यातून त्याला पुढे ढकलण्यासाठी येत असलेले दडपण. तरी बरं इथे फक्त इंटर्नल मार्किंग वर निकाल होत असल्या मुळे काहीतरी करता येणा शक्य होतं. इतर शिक्षकांनी पण त्याला चांगला हातभार लावला. बऱ्याच शिक्षकांनी पेपर न तपासताच त्याला वरच्या वर्गात ढकलण्याचे मुळी ठरवलेच होते नव्हे तसे त्यांना त्यांच्या धन्याचे आदेशच होते ( धन्याचे + आदेश = धनादेश ?) . काही शिक्षकांनी तर त्याला सर्व विषयात नापास केलं तरी त्याला वरच्या वर्गात ढकलण्याची शिफारस केली.( नाही तरी हा ATKT चाच जमाना आहे ) .
काहींनी तर कमालच केली ते म्हणाले की ह्या वर्षाचाही अभ्यास पुढच्या वर्षी च्या वर्ग शिक्षकांनी करून घ्यावा पण "डीप्याला" पुढच्या वर्गात धाडावा !काही विरोधी मतं असलेल्या शिक्षकांनी दिलेले गुण मोजायचेच नाहीत असेही वर्गशिक्षकांनी ठरवून टाकले.
अशा पद्धतीने हा "डीप्या" एकदाचा वरच्या वर्गात ढकलला गेला आणि वर्ग शिक्षकांचा जीव भांड्यात पडला . आता तो जाणो आणि पुढच्या वर्गाचे शिक्षक. काय घालायचा तो गोंधळ घालू दे. आता "डीप्या" पुढच्या वर्गात जाईल तिथले वर्ग शिक्षक किती कडक असतील कोणास ठावूक. ते पण ह्याला अशाच प्रकारे पास करून पुढच्या वर्गात ढकळणार का काय हे ही कळेलच.
पण मुळात हा असा अर्ध शिक्षित "डीप्या" जेव्हा कामाला लागेल तेव्हा तो काय राडा करेल ह्याचा विचार कोण करणार? उद्या हे व्रात्य कार्टजेव्हा समाजात धूडघूस घालेल तेव्हा त्याला कुठल्या शिक्षकांनी कसा काय पास केलं हे तपासलं तर काय होईल ? पण त्याचा विचार कोण करणार? आणि कशाला?
तेव्हा "आज खुश तो बहुत होगे तुम !" तुमची जबाबदारी संपली !
आता एकच इच्छा आहे निदान पुढच्या वर्गात तरी ह्या "डीप्या" ला कडक वर्गशिक्षक भेटावेत जे त्याच्या दोन कानाखाली आवाज काढून त्याच्या कडून नीट अभ्यास करून घेतील त्याची खरीखुरी परीक्षा घेतील आणि मगच त्याला पास करतील . अहो वर्गशिक्षका कडून हीच तर अपेक्षा असते . शेवटी वर्गशिक्षक आणि पोस्टमन ह्यांच्यात काहीतरी फरक असायला हवा की नको !

शिरीष केंभावी

Munnabhai on Metro..by Shirish Kembhavi

Shirish has written a beautiful dialouge between Muunabhai and Circuit. Very interesting to read. Shirish has kindly permitted me to post this here. Thanks to Shirish.

Please read..

भाई : ए सर्किट अरे आपुन अब मिनिस्टर हो गयेला है तो अपनेको अपने शहर के वास्ते कुछ करना मंगता है.
सर्किट: हां भाई सही है .
मुन्ना भाई : ए सर्किट आपुन के दिमाग मी एक आईडिया आयेल्ला है. साला आपुन अपने शहर मे मेट्रो बनायेगा.
सर्किट: भाई मेट्रो कायको?
मुन्ना भाई : अरे आपुन परसो दिल्ली गया था तो मेट्रो मे मस्त घुमा. साला मजा आ गया. साला सब बडे शहरो मे मेट्रो है. तो अपने शहर मे भी होनेको मांगता है. वैसे भी अपुनके शहर का पब्लिक वो खटारा बस मे घुमती है.
सर्किट: भाई फिर एक दो चार सौ बस मंगा लेते है ना? सस्ते मे काम हो जायेगा .
मुन्ना भाई : अबे सर्किट तू एकदम मामू है रे. अभी बस का जमाना गया. मुन्ना भाई देगा तो मेट्रो देगा. पब्लिक भी क्या याद करेगी . और उससे बोलेतो अपने शहर की बहुत शान बढेगी!
सर्किट: हा भाई ये बात भी सही है. पर भाई ये मेट्रो बनायेंगे कहा?
मुन्ना भाई : तू एक काम कर. अपुन के शहर का नक्षा लेके आ.( सर्किट नकाशा आणतो).
मुन्ना भाई : अब मैं आंख बंद करके एक जगे उंगली रखता हुं. तू भी वैसा ही कर.
सर्किट : हं रखा भाई.
मुन्ना भाई : अब देख इधर से इधर मेट्रो बनानेका.
सर्किट : भाई लेकीन इधर से उधर जायेगा कौन?
मुन्ना भाई : कौन बोलेतो अबे मेट्रो जायेगी!
सर्किट: पार भाई, लोग इधर से उधर नही जाते है.
मुन्ना भाई: अरे सर्किट एक बार मेट्रो तो जाने दे फिर लोग भी जायेंगे. अछछा एक बात बोल वो दिल्ली का मेट्रो कोन बनाया?
सर्किट: कोई दिल्ली का बाबू है भाई. उठा के लाऊ क्या?
मुन्ना भाई : अबे उठा मत साले. तू उसको फोन लागा. उसको बोल अपुन के शहर मे मेट्रो बनानेका है. फटाफट काम शुरू करो.
( काही काळा नंतर).
सर्किट : भाई ये देखो.
मुन्ना भाई : ए सर्किट तू ये किताब लेके क्या कर राहा है? क्या स्कूल वूल जॉईन किया क्या ?
सर्किट: नही भाई ये किताब वो दिल्ली का बाबू भेजा है. बोलता है मेट्रो कैसे बनानेका सब इसमे दिया है.
मुन्ना भाई : अरे तेरी तो. उसको मेट्रो बनाने को बोला किताब लिखने को नही.
सर्किट : हा भाई और इसका दो करोड मांगता है.
मुन्ना भाई: क्या बोलता है ! ए सर्किट वो अपुन को मामू तो नही ना बनारेल्ला ? तू पढा क्या उसमे क्या लिखा है ?
सर्किट: कुछ समजता नही भाई . पर दिल्ली का बाबू ने बनाया तो सहीही होगा भाई.
मुन्ना भाई : अच्छा तो उसको पुछ काम कब शुरू करेगा?
सर्किट: पुछा भाई. वोह बोलता है बहुत खर्चा आयेगा. कर्जा भी लेना पडेगा.
मुन्ना भाई : तो ठीक है कर्जा लेलेंगे.
सर्किट : भाई कर्जा देनगा कौन ? और उसको लौटायेगा कौन?
मुन्ना भाई: अरे कर्जा देने वाले बहुत मामू मिलेंगे रे. तू चिंता मत कर. और लौटाने के लिये अपनी पब्लिक है ना रे!
सर्किट: पर भाई अपुनको फिर पब्लिक के साथ बात करना मांगता है.
मुन्ना भाई: येडा हो गया है क्या? अरे पब्लिक ने वोटे दे के अपुन को जीतायेला है. अभी अपुन सोचेगा बोलेतो पब्लिक ही सोच राहा है ना! तू चिंता मत कर.
(काही दिवसां नंतर)
सर्किट: भाई एक लफडा हो गया है. कुछ लोगो के हाथ वोह किताब लग गयी है. वो बोलते है उसमे बहुत लोचा है.
मुन्ना भाई: साला ये कुछ लोगो की आदतही होती है मचमच करने की. उनको क्या समझता है? साला खाली पिली वक्त बरबाद करते ! तू एक काम कर. उन लोगो की एक मीटिंग बुला. और वो जो बोलते वोह लिख ले.
सर्किट : और फिर?
मुन्ना भाई: फिर क्या ? अपने को जो करना है वोहीच अपुन करेंगे.
सर्किट: फिर भाई वोह मीटिंग कायको?
मुन्ना भाई: अरे सर्किट. सबका बात सुननेका और खुदको जो करने का है वोइच करनेका इसको डेमोक्रेसी बोलते डेमोक्रेसी ! समझा क्या?
सर्किट: कुछ कुछ समझ मे आ राहा है भाई!
मुन्ना भाई: अब सुन. तू आगे की तय्यारी कर.
सर्किट: आगे की बोले तो. मुन्ना भाई: अरे भूमिपूजन की रे. अपने को १२ तारीख को भूमी पूजन करने का है. सब टी वी वाले, अखबार वाले सब को खबर कर. साला अपुनके शहर के लिये कितना बडा दिन होगा वो !
(१३ तारखेला सर्किट मुन्ना भाईच्या घरी)
मुन्ना भाई : अरे आ सर्किट आ. देख साला पेपर मे क्या मस्त फोटो आयेला है. देख तू भी किधर किधर दिखरहेल्ला है. टी वी पे तो कल रात से ही चालू है. सब अपुन की तारीफ करेल्ले है !
सर्किट : भाई भूमी पूजा तो हो गया अब आगे क्या करना है? पुब्लिक पुछ रही है मेट्रो का काम कब शुरू होगा?
मुन्ना भाई : अरे ये पब्लिक भी ना बहोत घाई करती है. अभी अपुन ने भूमी पूजा किया है तो एक ना एक दिन मेट्रो भी शुरू हो जायेगा ! उनको बोल चिंता नही करनेका. तू उसको छोड मेरे दिमाग मे नया आयडिया आया है.
सर्किट : कौनसा भाई?
मुन्ना भाई : अरे परसो अपुन कश्मीर गये थे उधर साला आजू बाजू के पहाडो पर क्या मस्त बर्फ गीरेल्ला था. कितना सुंदर दिखता था! साला आपुन के शहर के आसपास भी कितने पहाड है पर किसी के उप्पर बरफ नही. वैसा होगा तो अपुनके शहर की कितनी शान बढेगी ! अपुन साला वो करेगा. सब पहाड पे बरफ का बंदोबस्त करवायेगा .
सर्किट : पर भाई अपने यहा के गर्मी से बरफ पिघल नही जायेगा ?
मुन्ना भाई : अबे सर्किट तू तो मामू का मामू ही रहेगा. अबे सब पहाडी पे बरफ रहेगा तो इधर भी थंडी पड जायेगी ना ? फिर कैसे बरफ पिघलेगा?
सर्किट : सॉलिड भाई क्या आईडिया निकाला है !
मुन्नाभाई : तू एक काम कर वो दिल्ली वाले बाबू को बोल अपुन को पहाडी पे बर्फ चाहिये. वो कैसा करने का उसका एक किताब बनाके भेज दे. पिछली बार क्या मस्त किताब बना के दिया था उसने.....................!

शिरीष केंभावी