First opinions
Still searching far and wide for a place I can call home for the next 10 months. There's a shortage of decent apartments in this city, especially ones that are both easy to access and in relatively safe neighborhoods.
Getting used to life in Patna , Bihar for that matter, isn't that difficult for someone who's already acclimatized to life in India. Though the stories of chaos in the streets aren't exactly true, it can be said with confidence that much work needs to be put into this state to bring it to par with the rest of India in terms of general urban life.
There isn't one operational traffic light in this city of 1.8 million, every major chouraha (intersection) is manned by a traffic policeman who directs hordes of commuters who have absolutely no respect for the policeman's authority (he does have very little). Roads are routinely blocked for unbelievably large political convoys replete with flashing lights and blaring sirens. One would think the state politicians spend more time driving with flashing lights then enacting legislation.
The major roads are built decently enough, but lesser ways seem to be perpetually in disrepair or under construction, neither of which allows for an easy commute.
There are multiple gowshalas (dairies) within the city. The cows are sustained on a healthy diet of organic trash from the vegetable and fruit markets, domestic refuse and drain water. The very best for Patna's milk lovers. Of course, the areas surrounding these gowshalas also sustain the local energy traders. What do they trade? Barrels of crude? Electricity? Natural Gas? No. Cow dung cakes. Of course, these provide fuel to thousands of fires in the city- an essential energy source. But to have Patna's sidewalks covered in drying dung- that's something that can be worked on.
Paan. You can hate it or love it, but if you reside in Patna, or for that matter any city across this paan chewing (and spitting) belt of India you can't avoid it. I have yet to walk into a building here that doesn't have red streaks in various corners. Coming from a waste management perspective- it raises the question- how do you get people to stop spitting everywhere!? This, of course is a problem in other places in India as well- both paan and gutka are popular in India, but the rate of consumption (eye-balling it) seems much higher here, then say in Indore, MP.
Let's get to the point now, the reason I'm here- garbage. There's a lot of it here- about 700 metric tonnes a day. Unfortunately about 30% (or less- you can never believe bureaucrats) of that is picked up the same day. The amount that does get picked up is unceremoniously dumped on the outskirts of the city. Processing? What processing?
But more stuff on garbage later, I have to go find a place to live now.
Getting used to life in Patna , Bihar for that matter, isn't that difficult for someone who's already acclimatized to life in India. Though the stories of chaos in the streets aren't exactly true, it can be said with confidence that much work needs to be put into this state to bring it to par with the rest of India in terms of general urban life.
There isn't one operational traffic light in this city of 1.8 million, every major chouraha (intersection) is manned by a traffic policeman who directs hordes of commuters who have absolutely no respect for the policeman's authority (he does have very little). Roads are routinely blocked for unbelievably large political convoys replete with flashing lights and blaring sirens. One would think the state politicians spend more time driving with flashing lights then enacting legislation.
The major roads are built decently enough, but lesser ways seem to be perpetually in disrepair or under construction, neither of which allows for an easy commute.
There are multiple gowshalas (dairies) within the city. The cows are sustained on a healthy diet of organic trash from the vegetable and fruit markets, domestic refuse and drain water. The very best for Patna's milk lovers. Of course, the areas surrounding these gowshalas also sustain the local energy traders. What do they trade? Barrels of crude? Electricity? Natural Gas? No. Cow dung cakes. Of course, these provide fuel to thousands of fires in the city- an essential energy source. But to have Patna's sidewalks covered in drying dung- that's something that can be worked on.
Paan. You can hate it or love it, but if you reside in Patna, or for that matter any city across this paan chewing (and spitting) belt of India you can't avoid it. I have yet to walk into a building here that doesn't have red streaks in various corners. Coming from a waste management perspective- it raises the question- how do you get people to stop spitting everywhere!? This, of course is a problem in other places in India as well- both paan and gutka are popular in India, but the rate of consumption (eye-balling it) seems much higher here, then say in Indore, MP.
Let's get to the point now, the reason I'm here- garbage. There's a lot of it here- about 700 metric tonnes a day. Unfortunately about 30% (or less- you can never believe bureaucrats) of that is picked up the same day. The amount that does get picked up is unceremoniously dumped on the outskirts of the city. Processing? What processing?
But more stuff on garbage later, I have to go find a place to live now.
posted by Behzad J. Larry at
4:40 PM
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