By: Dr Archana Gogte, Pune
I had my clinic on Ferguson college road, a prime location in Pune, but unfortunately there was a wine shop and one Bar in the same building. They would give wine bottles and glass to their custmers, who would sit in the staircase, drink the wine and dirty the staicase. In such a situation, naturally we would not feel safe to work in the late hours in our clinic. But there was nothing we could do in the matter. We were frustrated.
Therefore, there was no way left for me but to shift my clinic. So I shifted my clinic from that place in 2009. This old clinic was lying useless for me. For this wine and bar problem no tenant was willing to take my that clinic on rent. I decided to sell the same but for this very reason nobody was willing to buy it. So last year (2019) I started a lab there.
But for the lab work also the same problem was there. It was not safe to work there due to that wine shop and the Bar. I thought to use the legal mechanism to solve my problem. I went to the police but they said that they can’t do anything in the matter and that it’s the PMC’s (Pune Municipal Corporation) work to solve your problem. I went to the PMC and they said it’s the (Housing) Society problem. The Society couldn’t do much in the minace.
I got the place cleaned many times with my own expenses but of no use. It was a day to day problem.
Being very much frustrated, one day in December 2019 I wrote a letter to the PMO (Prime Minister Office), addressing to the PM Modi and narrating my problem.
Today I got a call from the police station that they have called the wine shop owner and the Bar owner to the police station. I said, “but I did not give any complaint to you or anywhere else”.
The police said, “It’s an order from the PMO office in Delhi to investigate into the matter and, if it is needed, to cancel the licence of the wine shop and the bar”.
In fact, I had completely forgotten about my letter written to the PMO. Oh, my God! What a man ruling India! He cares about the problems of little men like me too. It was beyond belief for me because I know very well about the 70 years long history of deaf and dumb rulers sitting in Delhi.
I still can’t get over this experience. Hats off to our PM for sorting the issues of citizens like me. During this time of pandemic I did not expect any government office to do any work – forget looking into ordinary citizens’ problems and solving them promptly!
I feel happy today that ‘My Vote’ did not go waste and that there is hope for my country and for it’s good hard working citizens.