What is happening here? Is it that suddenly such events are becoming more frequent or is it that the media is focusing on this type of news now? Either way, three such news items in three days is three too many.

The blame game is raging furiously – political parties running for mileage from this latest horror. The same way they did with the Uttarakhand tragedy. Asked about the solution, a new blame game starts – and as spectators we get so disgusted that we simply change the channel for something easier on our psyche.

Is the problem so big? Is the solution so difficult? Is there something that agencies, other than the government ones, can do to contribute?

The answers are No, No and Yes. No, the problem is not so big that a solution cannot be found. No, the solution is not so difficult that it cannot be implemented. Yes, there are some very simple things that individuals and private agencies can do to contribute. All it needs is a bit of a social conscience and a bit of cash.

What does it take to run a kitchen for a hundred children? The government gives 22 paise, per child, for breakfast, and 55 paise per child for lunch, to contractors in this program in Bihar. Obviously, this is not enough. Let us say Rs. 5 per child for breakfast, and Rs 20 for lunch. At Rs. 25 per child, per day, this comes to (Rs) 25 times 100 (children) times 22 (days) per month to feed 100 children on school days for a month – a grand sum of Rs 55,000. Add to this Rs. 15,000 for 2 or 3 people to do the cooking (a good enough remuneration for 2-4 hours of work a day). So, a sum of Rs. 70,000 a month for the 10 months that a school runs, is about Rs.7,00,000 per annum to ensure two nutritious meals for a 100 children. Or, if you look at it another way, about Rs. 7,000 spent on a child per annum!

Simplistic though this calculation might seem, the reality cannot be too far. Adding a one-time investment in the setting up of a kitchen, to this amount, still does not make it such a big sum of money!

We have several big conglomerates operating in India, declaring profits in crores. If each were to ‘adopt’ say, a thousand children in this manner, it could mean a great beginning! 10 such large organization would mean 10,000 children growing healthier, allowing their brains to develop at a better pace, which, in the long run would mean a higher base intelligence and better productivity once they reach adulthood.

The money is there – a few lakhs of their profits utilized to build the nation would be money well spent.

But, will they do it? Can they be compelled to do it? Can conditions be created that will encourage them to take such a step?

The answer to the last question is a resounding ‘Yes’. In the world of commerce, two things hold a lot of clout – money and prestige. The first one is a self runner – we do not need to create an environment for it to rule. But the second is a variable – it changes with the situation. While, money in itself can, and often is, equated with prestige, there is also something un-quantifiable and un-measurable that enhances prestige. That something is perception. How an individual or institution is perceived by the world is the ultimate check for prestige. And this is where an environment can be created so that these cash rich institutions feel compelled to step out of their comfort zones and undertake social work of this type.

What if, every rupee they spend on such activities gets them some concessions on tax? What if, there were awards for the best performer in such areas just like the Businessman of the Year award? What if, it was not just the number of rupees spent, but also the percentage of profit utilized that earned such awards? What if the media made a big deal out of these awards? Perception would change.

Each rupee spent, every percentage of profit diverted, would be earning reputation and prestige – that un-quantifiable something that made an organization stand out in a crowd. Philanthropy might not prod companies in this direction, but name and fame could!

And with corporate money being spent, the likelihood of such filthy conditions will be negligible! If a program like this were to become a showcase for an organization’s social responsibility and patriotism, quality would be automatically guaranteed!

And where the big ones led, the smaller ones could follow. Some of these government schools cater to less than 50 students! Smaller organizations could target such smaller numbers. Or, maybe even run a Dabbawala type service for them!

With a country as large as India, with a private sector as large as ours, all it would need is a few vying eagerly for such prestige to goad others into the fray. And there, at that point would start the micro solution that defeated the macro problem.....

It is time we stopped looking at the government for all solutions. There are steps that the haves can take to alleviate the lives of the have-nots. It is time that the haves remembered that these same have-nots build the houses we live in, grow the food we eat......