A few days back I had to go to Lonavala for some official work with one of my colleagues. We had hired a Tata Innova car which was too big for just three of us (me, my colleague and the driver).We started our journey early morning. We took Western Express way (going towards Pune).
My colleague narrated an incident which occurred in his building a few days ago. He stays in a multi-storied building and there is this enclosed type of lift in his building. There was a problem with the lift that day and a young girl was trapped inside the lift. After some 15-20 minutes, the problem was resolved and the girl was rescued. She was scared and she vomited after coming out of the lift. Her father made a scene. He had gathered some neighbours and a few other residents of adjoining wings of the building and all of them started beating the security man who was on duty then. Now there was no fault of that poor security fellow. But he was made scapegoat and had to suffer the rage and beating of the angry crowd. I felt pity and sympathy for the poor fellow. How justified is such behaviour of a crowd?
Though it was very hot outside, the car being Air Conditioned, our journey was pleasent.We reached a Food Joint after travelling for about two hours. I had had my breakfast before leaving but my colleague and the driver wanted to have their breakfasts so we stopped at this food joint and entered the restaurant. I didn't want to eat anything but I just read the rates of food items available there. Idli-Sambhar which we get for Rs.20/- in a decent restaurant here in Mumbai was charged for Rs.35/- there in that restaurant and the Vada-Paav which we get for Rs.5-6 was available for Rs. 15 /- there. All other items were also heavily priced. I wondered if the quality there was beyond ordinary but after my colleague tasted the food, we concluded that it was ok and not very very good. I thought why then these guys were charging premium charges for their food items? Just because their joint was on a High-way, far from the main city and there were not many other restaurants in the vicinity, should they charge so high for ordinary food items of normal quality? Is it fair to take undue advantage of something in such a manner? Is it ethically correct? Even if one is doing business, should money or profit be the only criteria of the business? Just taking the example of Idli-Sambhar in that restaurant, if the owner of the place had kept the price of this food item Rs.25/- (Rs. 5/- more than the normal rate), it would be justified. But was the price of a single plate Idli-Sambhar at Rs. 35/- is too high.
We come across many such other scenarios in our lives. If there is some problem in a specific area, then the Auto-Rickshaw or Taxi drivers would charge higher amount for going to that area. If there is shortage of water, then natural resource and basic element necessary for life - water will be sold by some people at a high price.
I kept thinking about these points and my destination - Lonavala came. But my thoughts on the points above still kept running through my mind.
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Interesting observation. This is a fast world and people want instant money. They do not think that if they charge less, next time customer is more likely to come, spread good word about him and thus bring more business. But they want to make quick bucks, and ignore human values in times of crisis and charge more. At the same time, when put in similar condition they cry foul. but that's human nature these days.
ReplyDeletebtw, thanks for your visit to www.mitixa.com. Since I am in USA, I do not have immediate access to your books here but when I will, i will definitely put something from it on site.
I must say though, you write very well in english. thinking how wonderful your gujarati will be.
hmm... i guess everything follows demand-supply rule.. and also depends on consumption.. in mumbai people consuming 5-6 rs wada pav wud be in thousands... but in remote areas it wud be less... he too has to make a living out of it...
ReplyDeletei guess everyone lives through the same fundas... when IT sector was in boom, didn't we too demand exhorbitant salaries ?? MBAs are working for 1/3rd of salaries which they demanded 2yrs ago!!
So these things are part and parcel... Its upto an individual to decide, his conscience when he demands how much of it is justifiable ?? [:)]
Yes dear it happens.
ReplyDeleteAs pointed by you, there are many instance where i have found that govt officials always expect some bribe before doing anything.
eg. Suppose there is any paper work that govt provides(Rationcard,Electricity,etc), it may take on Rs,25 for that, but to get that work done from them we have to shell out Rs.2000.
Govt. takes Rs.200, if vehicles are parked near stations, however they charge nothing for those peple making thousands of rupees by stating business stalls on roadside and making the roads congested.
We have seen that Shiv-Sena taking strict actions against Teachers by beating then up who behaved improperly with girls, i suggest that there must be some committee(BMC, u cant trust) be built to have same rules for all.
One more thing i want to share with u.
IN my locality in Andheri, there is a road junction where u cant have any shops or stalls. Also there is a police chowki there. But u will be wondered to see that that are many stalls(permanent)
built adjacent to police station and also they are registered now :)
So, these people make lakhs of rupees by such ways, and we educated people just pay taxes and suffer.
I dont think i have a capability to buy even that stall area as it may cost more than 20 lacks if they sell.
This was the case about the small shop, now u can wonder how about people taking up huge spaces for Chinese shops/stalls !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
- Sunilkumar Maurya