PEEK-ing the way to better citizenry

The country has reached a new stage of development as the entire machinery of the state -- from healthcare and law enforcement to sanitation -- has been deployed to cater to the wellbeing and protection of its citizens.  

This has been made possible by the passing of the PEEK [Public Enhancement Engineering Karmasuchi] law in the Chapasthan parliament recently.

Under the law, CCTV cameras and microphones have been placed in all public and private spaces.

People of the country have already been helped by PEEK.

"Last week, I was telling my husband that I have had enough of his temper tantrums, which he embarks upon whenever I tell him that his gambling habit is getting in the way of us putting food on the table," said Anika (nowhere near her real name).

"Within 15 mins, I heard a knock on the door and opened it to find a police officer with a mattress and pillow standing there. He now stays with us to keep me safe from my husband's tantrums and to see that he doesn't gamble anymore. Yes, it is an extra mouth to feed, but you can't put a price on mental peace. It would be perfect if they did not spend the entire night playing cards."

Shimul Akram, who works as an office clerk, said the PEEK law has helped his wife Aziza deal with her anxiety.

"My wife has been very worried about the unsafe tap water and has long been badmouthing the administration, as well as organising locally to protest the government's inefficacy in bringing PISLA [Public Interest Supply of Liquids Authority] to task," Shimul said. "Four or five days after the CCTV cameras and microphones were installed in our home, a man visited us and told us he was a psychiatrist who came to help my wife with her obvious mental problems.

"He has her on a heavy dose of anti-depressants and visits twice a day to make sure she is taking them regularly," Shimul said. "Such dedication to her well-being is literally and figuratively touching."

The PEEK law has its limits, of course, as any law in a democratic country should. It prevents the state from looking into conversations in the virtual space, because those are truly private.