Pipe Dreams

The war of words about two basic domestic needs of Mysureans seems to lead nowhere. Paradoxically, it is between the local BJP honchos and not the JD(S) or the Congress. It seems like an internecine war of Mughals — between MLAs of BJP and BJP MP. Strange in a democracy. A house thus divided cannot stand.

Is the delegation of power to implement the project either by the Centre or the State flawed? If so, it must be corrected at the administrative level by the respective Governments.

If the piped gas project is financed by the Central Government and the implementing authority is the State Government and the State Government faults or fails as in this case in Mysuru, the Centre should take away the project from the State Government and hand it over to the Central PWD (if there is Constitutional provision). If there is no such provision, amend the Constitution to end this kind of impediments from the local MLAs which may happen in any city in our country — remember the State subject, Central subject and the concurrent subjects under the Constitution?

According to reports, the JUSCO project to provide piped water got stalled because of the same silly reason and the contractor, disgusted, left midway leaving the MCC high and dry to repair all the damaged roads. What kind of people’s representatives we have at the local level? Service before self or self before service to tax-payer? A course-correction in our administration is urgently needed.

Centenarian

Recently one Allaranda M. Kuttappa died aged 104 in city. Star of Mysore took the obituary on front page as deservedly too. If a fluke century by a cricketer can adorn the front page, why not of a person who hit 104 and then kicks the proverbial bucket?

Like the clichéd question all journalists ask in such cases, I too asked his daughter who was with him when his ‘breath became air,’ “Madam what do you think is the secret of his longevity? Another 16 years he would have completed the life-span of a human being given in our vedas, 120 years.”

She giggles over cell phone. “He lived a good life in an European tea plantation at Ooty. Moustached, trimmed beard, hat, boot, a motorbike and good bungalow. Good life. After retirement, he settled in Mysuru. Had even tattoos for those days on both his hands of Hindu divinities. Ate well, non-vegetarian, drank modestly, smoked cigarettes like chimney, worked in his six acres of farm land at Martikyathanahalli, off Gaddige Road.”

Yes, I remember I too had two acres land there close to the main Gaddige Road. I had seen him going to or returning from the farm in front of my land on a two-wheeler, quite old.

MLA late H.S. Shankaralinge Gowda (then Corporator) introduced him as my Jaatwala — a Kodava. We had a brief chat. He said his daughter was in Dubai and he was managing her farm etc.

He and his wife lived in their own house in Bannimantap, 2nd parallel road to Nelson Mandela Road with wonderful neighbours. He never went to hospital as in-patient. Rarely fell sick except in his late 80s or 90s. But smoked stealthily after a sumptuous non-veg meal.

He was physically active till about four years ago. A voracious reader of Star of Mysore and Deccan Herald — cover to cover without glasses. His father, grandfather too lived long. Genetics sir genetics!!

Man of very few words. Good husband, good father and a good neighbour. No wonder his neighbours brought so much of flowers early in the morning that his daughter had to request them not to bring any more flowers. They also sent vegetarian biryani for the mourners and offered any help needed.

This was the man who was nobody’s hero, but lived on his own terms and died in total peace. His wife died a few years ago. But there was his daughter by his side when he followed his wife. RIP Kuttappa.

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