The Aftermath of the BPO Blunder!!!!!!

i am not sure how many people are aware of the rape and murder case of the BPO employee in bangalore. this has been one of the most unfortunate incidents that can occur in this beautiful [read no longer beautiful] city of bangalore. now there has been hue and cry about the incident, which can be expected. but tell me someone, is there a real solution to this problem? there has been numerous mails on the incident and also mails from security etc. about how to solve the problem of safety of the female workers. after having read some of the do's and don'ts of what is going to happen/should be done etc. i came to a conclusion that these ideas come to a BUNCH OF FOOLS, who are no better than the monkeys in the zoo.

one such idea they have come up with: "if under unavoidable circumstances, a female passanger has to travel alone in the cab, then there should be an armed or unarmed [different versions] security guard who will travel with the female passanger".

now instead of one agressor, they want to have two possible agressor against the lone female employee. so if there are any chances for the female employee to make a run, the other person is added so that she cannot make any escape and succumb to her fate. HOW IRONIC. how can the organization/security think that the 3rd party male drivers are bad, but their own male security personnel are not never going to be the agressor? can they guarantee the same? now i am not favoring the drivers here, nor i am saying that all the people working here [especially from the lower socio-economic sections of the society] are all bad etc., but one will have to be proactive about their way of thinking and formulating policies. even the companies should not flout their responsibilites in terms of the security of their employees. the same employees that are the building blocks of the enormous empires they are trying to run, their main source of money generation etc. etc. if their spending some money can get back the sense of security in their employees then why not. they can think of it as the long term capital investment.

there have been so many suggestions from different groups, from organizations etc. but some of them were outright foolish and lacked any depth. a couple of them that i really liked were to eliminate the driving section of the cabs with steel mesh of pre-established strengh. but adding to it, this also requires that the wind shields, and window panes etc. are bullet proof. it will definitely add to the cost of the car, but it is nothing when compared to the life and good being of the employees. another one that i liked was that the employees should be armed with pepper sprays [and let me add one more: the stainer spray, the stains don't go off the body for more than 15 days no matter what and has a foul smell]. they had been instumental in saving a lot of lives in the past in the west. there will be many more ideas that might be there in all of you. why don't you people out there come out with ideas to make the world a lot more safer place to live in.

some of the ideas that were issued are mentioned here for your perusal and comments [ideas in bold are the ones that i liked and the italicized ones are not very practial. outright foolish ones are removed for the safety of the fellow beings that they do not take those actions by mistake]:

• When traveling alone in the cab make sure you pass on the vehicle registration number to our relative / friend with the estimated time of arrival at your destination. Make sure the driver also hears this conversation.

• Lady employees: Please insist on another male employee to be present in the cab during the night pick-up/drop. If you happen to be the first pick-up/last drop/lone traveler please do not board the cab. [I am not sure how are they going to make it to the job/home in this situation]

• Please do not board the cab if the identification display is not available.

• Avoid discussing your personal / immediate plans while in the cab. Keep mobiles charged and with sufficient balance to make emergency calls if required.

• Avoid being friendly with drivers or withdrawing cash from ATMs en route.

• Never permit unknown persons or drivers associates to ride in the same vehicle.

• In case the vehicle stops at a secluded / lonely spot and the driver makes an excuse of engine malfunction / no fuel, get down from the vehicle immediately and from a safe distance, observe his actions and call up the help desk or your Supervisor and inform.

Happy Birthday to me!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

hmmm... so the day came once again when i went into the thinking mode, whether to laugh or to cry... laugh because it is my b'day today; and cry because it is my b'day today. these seemingly paradoxical emotions might seem odd to one. but i had been thinking about it for days, and you know what, i got to the point when i realized that b'days are nothing but one more year gone by and now that i am one year older. but then there is always the classical outlook towards b'days, which tends to make it the joyous occasion.

now, since the classical view to b'days is more prevelant in the present day world we ought to go about with the same. loved ones, stangers etc. come and wish you "HAPPY BIRTHDAY" and you have to thank them for their seemingly sincere wishes. one thing good about it is that it gives yet another reason for rejoicing and partying, boozing etc.;

so coming back to my b'day once again. well i had a surprise call on the 18th night and this person comes to my place with no clue that its going to be my b'day in a couple of hours. somehow the person remembers it and arranges a really beautiful cake with a candle on it, and that too at the unGODLY hour of the night. well the beginning was really a beautiful one. i felt good about the start of my b'day. now the day is not all that good [how can it be when you have to spend the day in the office :-( ]. no worries, i said. there is always another day to rejoice. and the rejoicing will be specially great when it is someone elses' b'day and he/she is paying for the treat. laughing to myself, i settled back with the classical view of b'days once again thinking "rejoicing is the theme of BIRTHDAYS!!!!". :-)

THE FIRST POST

hmmmm... so atlast i started doing the very thing that i never wanted to do... i always used to think about it... "what kind of a lowlife goes about putting their thoughts on the web for the others to read..."... i will now have to rethink about that again... since i too am joining this community (rather i would name it as"WEBUNITY") of bloggers... ok.. ok.. before one of the fellow bloggers get pissed off on me...

now one may think, why, a person who never wanted to start one of his own, have i done it as well??? i am still asking the same question to myself... but one thing is evident, and it is that this stuff really gives you a place to say what you feel like saying!!! now i can say what ever i want to, because this is my place and my space... so guys don't stop me and don't say no to me... listen or be left out :-))

i will speak and i will speak and i will let my thoughts out in the open for the world to read and for all the people who care/or don't care for that matter... i will have an opportunity to let me anger vent out, my happiness shown, my sadness shared etc... i think this is what i needed for a long time rather than having to devour it all alone...

i guess i have found myself a new friend.