India, July 26 -- By Dr. K. Javeed Nayeem, MD

Since the past few days, the civic authorities in our city seem to have started a very energetic drive to clear our footpaths from the various kinds of encroachments that we have been seeing across the length and breadth of the city, over many years now. This problem of encroached footpaths, that has been depriving citizens of their walking space, which should rightfully serve only this purpose, has become so widespread that tax-payers have begun to feel that it is a sin to pay taxes, only to live in misery, lifelong.

Now, we can find every kind of business thriving unchecked on the roadside. You can buy a cover for your mobile phone, get the battery of your watch changed, get your shoes pol...