There's something egalitarian about corruption. It is brazenly followed at every level. The irony is that the corruption at the lowest echelons ends up hurting the lower strata of society.
The LPG delivery boy expects his hands to be greased with a little something every time he comes to give the cylinder.
Else, he will make a late delivery the next time. He charges anything between Rs 30 and Rs 70. Now, the pourakarmikas too expect you to push a couple of notes into their pocket or simply refuse to collect garbage from your doorstep.
The authorities say that they're 'unaware' of such malpractices and assert that they would take strict action against those who indulge in these activities.
But this, they say, would be possible only if people bring it to their notice.
A senior official with Indane gas company points out that the delivery charges are included in the bill and asking for more money is unpardonable. "The distributors get their commission which includes delivery charges. People can now book online or even through their cellphones and keep a track of the number of cylinders they've got over the last months. They can easily book a complaint online. This will be investigated and if found guilty, legal action can be initiated against the concerned person," says the official.
People say that they normally voluntarily tip the boy who delivers an LPG cylinder or the one who collects garbage more out of empathy for them. But now, it looks like this has become a rule and the delivery boys and garbage collectors expect a tip.
Natarajan, a retired railway officer, informs that he has been tipping the LPG delivery boy for the last 25 years. "You tend to sympathise with them when you see them carrying the cylinder to your house and sometimes even fixing it for you. That's why I used to tip them Rs 15 or Rs 30 once in a while. But now they insist on a tip every time and I feel that I have taken something unnecessary upon myself," feels Natarajan.
Radha, an accountant, feels that corruption has become an accepted way of life.
"One among my main household expenses is tipping the LPG cylinder delivery boy and the garbage collector. The delivery of my LPG cylinder the next time depends on how well I tip him this time. I think there must be some system in place to monitor this unaccounted flow of money," she says. Sujatha, a homemaker, says, "The anxiety of not getting the cylinder on time is the main reason why people tip these deliver boys."
The scene is no different with the pourakarmikas as well who expect people to grease their hands before they clear the garbage.
The BBMP officials feign ignorance when asked about pourakarmikas asking for extra money to clear the garbage. "We weren't aware of this. We will have to question the contractors in this regard. The pourakarmikas are hired by the contractors. We will look into it," says a senior official.
However, Roshini Thomas, a housewife, points out, "The problem of bribing the garbage collector is more among independent house owners who are at their mercy. I pay him nothing less than Rs 30 a day which amounts to Rs 900 a month of unaccounted money," she concludes.
The LPG delivery boy expects his hands to be greased with a little something every time he comes to give the cylinder.
Else, he will make a late delivery the next time. He charges anything between Rs 30 and Rs 70. Now, the pourakarmikas too expect you to push a couple of notes into their pocket or simply refuse to collect garbage from your doorstep.
The authorities say that they're 'unaware' of such malpractices and assert that they would take strict action against those who indulge in these activities.
But this, they say, would be possible only if people bring it to their notice.
A senior official with Indane gas company points out that the delivery charges are included in the bill and asking for more money is unpardonable. "The distributors get their commission which includes delivery charges. People can now book online or even through their cellphones and keep a track of the number of cylinders they've got over the last months. They can easily book a complaint online. This will be investigated and if found guilty, legal action can be initiated against the concerned person," says the official.
People say that they normally voluntarily tip the boy who delivers an LPG cylinder or the one who collects garbage more out of empathy for them. But now, it looks like this has become a rule and the delivery boys and garbage collectors expect a tip.
Natarajan, a retired railway officer, informs that he has been tipping the LPG delivery boy for the last 25 years. "You tend to sympathise with them when you see them carrying the cylinder to your house and sometimes even fixing it for you. That's why I used to tip them Rs 15 or Rs 30 once in a while. But now they insist on a tip every time and I feel that I have taken something unnecessary upon myself," feels Natarajan.
Radha, an accountant, feels that corruption has become an accepted way of life.
"One among my main household expenses is tipping the LPG cylinder delivery boy and the garbage collector. The delivery of my LPG cylinder the next time depends on how well I tip him this time. I think there must be some system in place to monitor this unaccounted flow of money," she says. Sujatha, a homemaker, says, "The anxiety of not getting the cylinder on time is the main reason why people tip these deliver boys."
The scene is no different with the pourakarmikas as well who expect people to grease their hands before they clear the garbage.
The BBMP officials feign ignorance when asked about pourakarmikas asking for extra money to clear the garbage. "We weren't aware of this. We will have to question the contractors in this regard. The pourakarmikas are hired by the contractors. We will look into it," says a senior official.
However, Roshini Thomas, a housewife, points out, "The problem of bribing the garbage collector is more among independent house owners who are at their mercy. I pay him nothing less than Rs 30 a day which amounts to Rs 900 a month of unaccounted money," she concludes.