JUHU - The beach that never was

Zohar has grown up in the slums of Mumbai. He is 57, grey haired, colloquially calls his daily bread, roasted corn as ‘bhutta’. A place like the Juhu beach, which is a trip for many, is oddly his workstation. Twenty years of his life have gone into this unnoticeable vocation, and yet he is a content man. He keeps a small bin next to his thela, and tells all his buyers to throw the corn once eaten, into it. When asked how this small bin will aid in cleaning an already filthy beach, he replies, ‘Mem Sahib, hum apne farz se katrate nahin’. While he does his little bit, contrastingly people litter the Juhu beach by every human bustle thinkable.

Sadly, it has become a place where only an eye level search for skyline view is gratifying. The moment you look down, you can’t hide the aversion that starts sinking in. There is more to care than just the peripheral facts. Sea-water quality of beaches is generally expected to be comparable to the quality of the near-shore sea water. However, studies reveal that the quality of sea-water sampled 5 kms off the Juhu coast has deteriorated significantly.  (Journal IAEM. Vol.30).

 Putting up dustbins at short distances is the easiest way to begin the contingency plan. It is not only the tourist activity which is at fault in harming the aquatic life but also the recent oil spills that have occurred. In April 2012 a whale was washed ashore, thanks to the servicing of ships not far from the coast. Varied initiatives have been taken but it takes more than just words to stand by the self-proclaimed quotes.

 Years of my life have taught me one thing, no urges can change our attitude, and it’s always a self-inflicted change that can toss situations. I shall close this piece by saying, ‘Juhu in Sanskrit means ‘flame’ and flames take time to mature. If neither loved nor cared, the fire shall be wild. Stir your souls.’