A Good Samaritan has been handing out face masks and camouflage caps as protection against the sun and dust
Regardless of all the honking, a constant flow of traffic dust and the scorching weather, our community helpers, the Mumbai's Traffic Police (MTP), manage the traffic without any complaints. Now a 46-year-old electronic supervisor with the Navy has become their community helper by giving them a face mask and a camouflage cap.
While the MTP usually has to face unruly motorists arguing with them on several issues, Ganesh Pardeshi's attitude was quite different towards them. He has been distributing these caps and face masks to the city police.
The heat wave has already claimed three lives in the city, but the MTP is still bound to fulfil its duties regardless of the scorching heat or the long working hours. Five years ago, when Pardeshi was passing through Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus, he saw three old police personnel including a woman manning the traffic. He felt bad about their condition and hence, the next day he got caps and masks and handed it over to them. "They were overwhelmed with this little gesture. I too felt extremely satisfied from within. I realised there would be several like them around the city. That was the day I decided to start this initiative."
"I take it as a responsibility upon myself to do my bit for the people who do so much for us. Little things like stopping someone from littering or spitting around us can make our city a better place to live in. Turning a blind eye has never helped anyone. Whether it is someone getting eve-teased or someone boarding the handicapped compartment in locals, if I spot something wrong, I make it a point to get it addressed." Pardeshi adds.
A traffic constable at Dadar to whom Pardeshi gave a mask said, "people seldom think of us as humans manning traffic for them. I have a headache every day when I go back home, but now, hopefully, with this cap and this mask it will be better."
According to Pardeshi, he must have distributed masks and caps to at least 2,000 traffic personnel till now. When asked how he arranges for these caps and masks, he says, "I either take it from the stock at my office, or I have friends from whom I purchase the others." When asked how much he has spent on these so far, Pardeshi laughed and said, "I haven't ever kept a count of it. I keep a few in my bag, and when these are over, I purchase more."
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