Technologically challenged

 All of you who travel across India may have noticed the signboards citing numerous restrictions and defining certain fees, at all tourist spots controlled by the GOI or State Govts., or their agencies. The specific focus always is on charging a fee for these new-fangled technologies that emerge from time to time.

There was a time when there was a fee for carrying a camera (Rs.10/-) into one of those places. Then came the fee for a hand-cam (Rs. 50/-).  When the DSLRs were born, the camera fee shot up to Rs. 30/-, and they politely asked you not to take videos !!

With the passing years, as the mobile phone camera-cum-videorecorder became ubiquitous, these signboards vanished. Some places still do charge a nominal fee, but that’s it.

Nevertheless, while emerging disruptive technologies forced the world to discard old paradigms, they did not affect our sedate Govt. Babus, comfortably ensconced in their air-conditioned offices.

The Lamahatta Eco Park is a vast area atop a hill, full of pine trees and other flora, with an artificial pond at the top - visited only by the doomed or intrepid tourists. 

At the  gate, there was a new one : “Drones not allowed” !!! That’s it – no fees or fines, simply “not allowed” !!

Obviously, the Babu who ordered this, was sitting with a bleeding butt on the cutting edge of technology looking backwards with binoculars, and, one may deduce, blissfully unaware of the capabilities of this new class of devices !! 

 I had to laugh for quite a while.

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Pic : A drone in use at Rishyap by fellow tourists trying to go over the clouds to see the Kanchenjunga.