Before I start with this post, I would like to thank our
Government for the “ स्वच्छ भारत अभियान (Swach Bharat Abhiyan) - The Clean India Mission campaign that
highlights the need to protect our heritage and to curb the problem of waste.
With the world facing recession and unemployment, civil wars and migration, this issue has taken a backseat. The new Government of India has understood that lack of cleanliness is a existing problem and if measures are not taken it can snow ball into disasters in
the future.
I am not going into deep discussion on the faults of the Government;
rather I will concentrate on the Why’s.
I started observing my surrounding while traveling and
working to understand the depth of this problem. The common kinds of waste that
are found on the streets are:
- Chocolate wrappers/tickets/ready-to-eat packages: Our minds are tuned in such a way that our hands automatically throw the wrapper without realizing our location.
- People defecating/urinating/spitting: Spitting is such a common problem that it feels like everyone is suffering from Tuberculosis -TB. Some are addicted to the point that with every step they take, they spit. If you are a regular train traveler in India then people defecating/urinating/spitting is a common occurrence to the extent that our minds do not even register it.
- Fruit skins: Fruits are good for health so are fruit skins for us and the environment. Do you know orange skin wards off mosquitoes and banana peels unclog sewage?
- Leftovers: This is the most common waste. Since it smells and attracts insects, the best way of disposing is throwing on the streets, right?
- Leaves: Depends on the weather. Currently it is winter so I see the roads filled with dead leaves and stems.
- Pamphlets: They are the cheapest way to advertise and most expensive loss of paper.
Now let’s focus on the scene of the crime:
- Railway Station
- Restaurant/street vendors
- Public places, monuments, gardens, and zoos
- Pilgrim/tourist places
The reasons of the crime:
- Emergency
- No dustbins in the vicinity
- No toilets in the nearby area, existing toilets stink or are the breeding homes of the world’s most popular diseases
- Apathy to ones surrounding atmosphere
- False beliefs:My Nation is NOT my home, so as long as my home is clean why bother?
- Old bad habit of littering
Poster made by a school child on cleanliness |
We see pets taken for strolls and the animals conducting their business on the pavements or public gardens. Those with no access to toilets conduct their morning routines on rail tracks or footpaths. Is the Government to be blamed for all our actions? We can buy expensive TVs, mobiles, vehicles irrespective of our status but we are unable to contribute for building toilets in our locality.
Pilgrim/tourist places are most
common places where people come in groups and litter in tons. Government is
responsible for not placing dustbin at equal intervals based on the number of
tourist every year. We are responsible for not keeping waste bags to collect the
waste and dispose it off once we find the dustbins.
Children and teachers cleaning their own school playground during cleanliness week |
We hope through these endeavors the future generation learns the importance of waste management and do not allow history to be repeated. It is important for us to be educated and rational, but it is equally important for all of us to be clean people.“CACR had organised many events for creating awareness and educating parents and children on cleanliness and waste management from 13th to 19th November through skits and other innovative programs. Children also contributed by writing open letters to the Additional Municipal Commissioner, City and Education (read here) for making the city clean”
We can come up with a number of solutions but the most
important is to consider littering and spitting as an offence. We need to fine
people as well as charge them with community service to make them understand
the bitter realities.
It’s easy to compare our country with other countries and
blame the Government for inefficiencies. The irony of the situation is that
while traveling to foreign countries we are epitome of model citizens, but within
our own country we are repeated offenders of our environment.
The Government has already executed the first step of their
strategy, i.e. Creating Awareness.
Advertisements and influential people from all walks of life are contributing to
spread the message of “Cleanliness is next to Godliness”.
The next step is ours . Remember : Prevention
is better than Cure.
Lets do our duty and the Government will follow.
--by JZ, a volunteer with Citizens Association for Child Rights a education non profit startup working to improve quality of health and education in municipal schools of Mumbai
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