Following is publishedin www.iamin.in an initiative of dna
http://www.iamin.in/en/thane/news/%E2%80%9Ci-am-happy-be-called-mad-person%E2%80%9D-37817
http://www.iamin.in/en/thane/news/%E2%80%9Ci-am-happy-be-called-mad-person%E2%80%9D-37817
“I am happy to be called a mad person”
Activist Satyajit Shah takes to bombarding civic authorities' email inbox to get the common man's problems solved
An
engineer by profession, Satyajit Shah has decided to put his camera to a
better use and bring about a change in the society. The 50-year-old
takes pictures of local places that display the negligence of local
corporators. Shah then emails the pictures to the concerned authorities
and even marks the Chief Minister of Maharashtra in each mail. His job
does not end with sending out emails, Shah pursues every matter until it
is resolved.
Shah does not usually miss errors that are ignored by people plying on the roads. Sometimes, he also walks into government offices to rectify the matter. The director of an Airoli-based company, Summit Engineering Technology Pvt Ltd., recalls his beginnings as a social activist, “I used to send a number of mails to the former Deputy Commissioner of Traffic Police, Vikram Deshmane, complaining about problems. He once called me to his office and told me that I should gather like-minded people and form a pressure group so as to push the government to work efficiently.”
In 2007, Shah’s mother died due to lung cancer and the episode triggered him to engage in social work. “I reside in Hyde Park on Ghodbunder Road, opposite which there were a number of chemical factories. After my mother’s death, I realised that the black particles in the smoke released from these factories cause lung cancer. I fought for at least three years to shut the factories down,” Shah says.
Apart from this, Shah has been clicking pictures of vehicles in the city that do not have a number on the license plate instead have names of the owners or are blank. On March 28, this year, he clicked a picture of a motorbike that had "Adil Khan" written on its number plate. Shah clicked a picture and sent it to the Deputy Commissioner of Traffic Police, SG Dabhade. The DCP has assured Shah that he will investigate the matter soon.
Earlier this year, on February 2, Shah published a book titled “Aajchi Satyageete”, a collection of poems inspired by various problems in the city. “I wanted to create awareness among Thane citizens, so I though that poems would be a good way to spread the message,” says Shah.
The book also includes a poem based on the problems faced by the police. “Working with authorities is not easy and I have been abused a number of times. They call me a mad person who fills their inbox with mails. But if the problems of the city are solved, then I am happy to be called a mad person,” Shah points out.
Shah does not usually miss errors that are ignored by people plying on the roads. Sometimes, he also walks into government offices to rectify the matter. The director of an Airoli-based company, Summit Engineering Technology Pvt Ltd., recalls his beginnings as a social activist, “I used to send a number of mails to the former Deputy Commissioner of Traffic Police, Vikram Deshmane, complaining about problems. He once called me to his office and told me that I should gather like-minded people and form a pressure group so as to push the government to work efficiently.”
In 2007, Shah’s mother died due to lung cancer and the episode triggered him to engage in social work. “I reside in Hyde Park on Ghodbunder Road, opposite which there were a number of chemical factories. After my mother’s death, I realised that the black particles in the smoke released from these factories cause lung cancer. I fought for at least three years to shut the factories down,” Shah says.
Apart from this, Shah has been clicking pictures of vehicles in the city that do not have a number on the license plate instead have names of the owners or are blank. On March 28, this year, he clicked a picture of a motorbike that had "Adil Khan" written on its number plate. Shah clicked a picture and sent it to the Deputy Commissioner of Traffic Police, SG Dabhade. The DCP has assured Shah that he will investigate the matter soon.
Satyajit clicked a picture of a number plate that has "Adil Khan" written on it at Thane Check Naka on March 28Courtesy: Satyajit Shah
Earlier this year, on February 2, Shah published a book titled “Aajchi Satyageete”, a collection of poems inspired by various problems in the city. “I wanted to create awareness among Thane citizens, so I though that poems would be a good way to spread the message,” says Shah.
Satyajit Shah's book was published in February this yearSneha Mejari/dna
The book also includes a poem based on the problems faced by the police. “Working with authorities is not easy and I have been abused a number of times. They call me a mad person who fills their inbox with mails. But if the problems of the city are solved, then I am happy to be called a mad person,” Shah points out.
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