During my teens I was an ardent reader of now defunct, ‘The Illustrated Weekly of India’. Deeply entrenched in my memory is a cover story published in the magazine decades ago. Columnist and scholar Khushwant Singh, then editor of the weekly, wrote in his inimitable, no-holds-barred style as to how Indians were the dirtiest people in the world. I won’t dare make any such comment but …
Is in not a fact that despite a significant rise in the literacy rate, we continue to behave like the uneducated and the uncouth people? Regarding our personal hygiene we may be very particular about, but it is also true that most of us are least bothered about keeping our surrounding clean.
In close proximity to my house there is a small park, which I visit every day for my evening walk. Along the circular walking path there are benches for the people to sit and relax. All around the benches one can invariably find empty packets, bottles, disposable glasses, wrappers, paper-plates etc. Not that there are no dust bins in the park but the people who snick-snack in the garden often leave a trail of junk behind. It is quite common for the people to eat ground nuts and leave a mound of shells. They would have a banana or an orange, there are peels left behind as a tell tale sign. This phenomenon is not peculiar to my neighbourhood park only but is a common sight in all the public places. Even in the posh Sector 17 market; people enjoy their drink and eatables on the benches and coolly walk away leaving the trash behind. Why take the trouble of throwing the refuse in the dustbins when there is an easier option of abandoning the litter there itself? We take no time in converting ‘beauty spots’ into ‘eye sores’, as if we are not comfortable in neat surroundings.
What may be outrageous elsewhere is perfectly normal for us. Where as in the West, owners ensure that their dogs do not litter on the streets; here we make sure that the pets relieve themselves out of the home. The pet dogs have to be taken for a walk to piss and shit outside. The pet is trained not to litter the house but there is nothing wrong if the dog raises its leg in front of the neighbour’s house. We may be finicky about keeping our house clean but some of us display an appalling civic sense. I know of a couple who carries their garbage every day in a poly-bag while they go out for their morning walk and casually throw it on the roadside. How callous!
It is not unusual to see a hand coming out of a swanky car to throw a wrapper or a peel on the road. A gentle man getting down from his car to ease himself on the road side is a common sight. We do not mind spitting here, there and everywhere in the public. When Lalit Bhanot, then organizing secretary, Common Wealth Games made the infamous comment on Indian standards of hygiene, he was ridiculed by everyone. We were outraged. How dare he let the world know how dirty we are!
(Published in the Tribune on 3 June 2013 as MIDDLE)
Rma your article.. *** Not So Civic.. ****
Reflects concern n pain of many sensible people… Who dream to see clean n rubbish free areas exactly as they keep inside home..
Your mentioning of hay – wire habits of people is very true… Careeless n casual attitude pricks…
Couples example throwing knowingly garbage bit by bit shows mental set up to be treated medically..
Yes we make ***eye sore *** aesthetically maintained benches in parks n everywhere..
It’s great pleasure to take hand out from moving car to throw banana peels perhaps out of patriotic feeling… ***sara jha hamara.. ****
Pitiable.!!!!!!!!!
140 crores… Had they been tought in LKG.. About cleNliness… Imagine India free of trash free Nation..
Challan.. Punishment.. Making rules need more money n energy already overburdened issues in priority list.. As currption n poverty..
Let’s teach students through rhymes.. Cartoon films… Motivation.. As NSS Camps… Remember Mam Pamila Bedi.. In HMV. .. Clg. Jalandher… Whereever d Camp would be.. Ground would be having Queen Like Attitude..
Mother.. Teacher.. People like you.. Raising important issues..
Would make a change..
Be blessed.. 🌹
Di , kya kahun? I am speechless..
Your insightful detailed analysis astounds me .
Yes , it pains to see trash in every nook and corner of the country. Wish we are not callous about our surroundings.
Di, I vividly remember how we would go to villages with Bedi ma’am to spread the message of cleanliness. And I do remember cleaning village drains and ma’am too joining us enthusiastically . In the spirit of a true leader, she would lead from the front .
swachchta is so very important . The contrast becomes glaring when we visit the western world. Good habits ought to be inculcated in childhood itself.
It was again a pleasure, immense, to read your thought provoking write up.Every single word is true..lt is ironic that our fellow countrymen who live or go abroad,,praise the cleanliness maintained there so volubly,little realising that it is not ‘country’ but it’s people who are responsible for its cleanliness or lack of it !
I wish , with so much ‘advancement’,we
Indians get conscious about basic civic sense,too-getting out of lamentable habit of
sweeping our door step and piling it near our neighbour ‘s door or on the road.
And the less said about nauseating habit opf spitting, the better.
Thanks for the much needed message.
I cannot resist thanking you and Anjana for remembering me so fondly,even after so long, although quite undeservedly.
Thank you so much ma’am . How can we ever forget you ma’am ? You not only taught us economics but also inculcated values in us .
Forever grateful