Change
is a thing obviously everyone needed and hence to beat boredom or to be
frustrated, a change in environment or activity is must at least. For a
Chennaitie or whoever lives in a coastal town/city, the first thing comes to
mind of escaping could be the beaches, if there isn’t malls, restaurants and
events happening around. A place just to relax, breathe in fresh air or sit
ideal watching the waves and things happening around, in random, is an entertainment
unplanned.
Last
week I went to Elliot’s Beach and in the usual way spent something sitting
inside the car parked in front of the promenade. Though it’s good to see new faces and people
from various walks, there are certain things keep disturbing. The average fee
collected for cars to park at Elliot’s beach is 5 ₹ and 10 ₹ for vans, but what
they insist was 20 ₹, that too without producing a ticket. My dad, who is a
regular walker at Elliot’s beach, had come across the board, that mention the
exact ticket price which is only five, many times, but what they insist is
against the regulation of corporation.
The
other day when we parked the car, the person in charge demanded 10 ₹ by placing
a ticket valued for just 5 ₹... No matter where the partial amount goes, but
how dare they bring it into force without any hesitance or thing to prove their
price is fair. I think the amount they collect differs from person to person,
and anyone dare to deceive could easily implement their task. Among them I find
few genuine people like the one who (understanding - with the number plate -
that we are from the local) gave us excuse from paying even the fair amount.
If the parking
system was like this, the mobile vendors who do business along the promenade
have touched the worst state of ever. Already the beauty of Elliot’s beach has
lost its charm to the occupation of number of shops/eateries spread all over
the sandy beach. Though I am not dared to explore the eateries to put my health
at risk, I always go with the bordering items like peas and peanuts. But this
time I was quite surprise to note when I bough peanuts (plain nuts), it was
very less than usual and priced doubled i.e. from 10 to 20 ₹. But what really
bothered me much was what I heard from my dad who came back the vendor...
He has
been insisting 150 ₹ from a foreigner to get slices of spicy mango! ...expressed
provoke and anger. Even a whole mango doesn’t cost more than 10 ₹ and however rich
in class they doesn’t going to extend more than 50 ₹, but in which way a few
slices spread with spice become special for him to insist such amount. Whoever
let it be, fairness is oneness and just being fair and came far away from isn’t we have to be cruel or
scare them to never turn back. Let us be smart and generous to consumers
whichever country and skin tone they bore.
I don’t
understand why there’s so price difference between local/national resident and
international visitors. Not only tourist places, but I guess at every
level/layer foreigners have to pay more than the amount Indian pays. Let’s keep
away the economic boon perhaps involved it in, but what comes with food and
restaurants? Why do we need to make big holes in their pockets just because
they are foreigners? Food is an essential of life and there shouldn’t be
partiality/discrimination at least with the price tag at eateries. I don’t know
does it happen with every other country in the world or we Indians alone insist
this pattern. But I wish we become a moral example to be fair enough at least
with eateries. When we say globalization, I wonder why there’s still
differentiation.
9 comments:
Unfortunately, price-gouging takes place all over the world. I think it's even worse when natural beauty is ruined by vendors who don't care about the wonderful world around them.
i am sorry for the people who are taking advantage by overpricing and even intimidating people into paying their excess prices.
Jeevan,
Looting innocent people and those who don't speak the local language (especially, those from a foreign country), like you point out existed even back in the day, even in smaller cities like Tiruchi. I remember trying to help a non-Tamil speaking guy once, at the Burma Bazaar and almost getting my skull cracked with a hammer - I kid you not.
That said, there is no substitute for truth.
Sathyameva jayathae! (Truth alone conquers)
One cannot simply stand by and not intervene when atrocities like these take place.
Peace :)
I paid 30 rupees for masala pori/kadalai in besant nagar beach, when I pay 20 rupees for the same at anna nagar tower. Near my home, the price is sometimes even lesser. But I don't want to negotiate with small-time traders, especially the ones selling healthy snacks like this. So I give what they asked. Of course, if someone asks me to give 150 rupees for mango slices, I'll go elsewhere!!
Destination Infinity
Very unfortunate
Hi Jeevan!! Sad that people take advantage like this. It's always upsetting. I hope you're having a great 2015 thus far!!
Very sad to see people do not take care of the environment where they do the business. The problem is that in such places people are ready to pay wherever the vendor demands.
This is a perennial problem all over in our country.I consider it a form of corruption too.
Obrigado pela visita e o carinho em meu blog, volte sempre, beijos do BRASIL! xoxo
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