Much to the contrary of Clean India Campaign launched by the PM, everything seems to be going much like before. People are shamelessly littering public places, throwing paper, fruit peels and other dirt missiles out of buses, cars and trucks. It must be a familiar sight for many to see your neighbour stealthily emptying their dustbin at the corner of the lane or street in the wee hours of the morning. And the happiness on their face after doing that is so immeasurable. Mission accomplished!!
Sweeping it under the rug?
The Clean India campaign has been interpreted mostly in the manner that defies logic. Apparently we are supposed to visit various localities, take a broom in our hand and start cleaning-up the city. Well, then what would all the staff recruited by the city municipal corporations do? They are sure to enjoy this and get paid with no work for them - this time publicly mandated. Many school kids, office staffs have been directed to compulsorily sweep dirty localities. Frankly, nothing has changed on the ground. In one case, one school kid that I know from a city in the western part of India contracted a lung infection because of this cleanliness drive.
Do I have an ego issue in donning a broom. No, that would be completely incorrectly interpreting this article. Its not that. We as citizens are definitely responsible for keeping our surrounding clean. However cleanliness like the current drive suggests is not doing taking-up someone else's job.
Cleanliness is in the mindset.
I have often wondered does it cost too much to keep our place clean. Yesterday, passing by a humble eatery I noticed how the plastic chairs, floor, the plastic water jug kept on the table were all unclean. A simple wipe of the cloth everyday would have been enough to keep them tidy. The curtain hiding kitchen was half pulled away. The walls were donning black oil & spice smudges and blotches. Would that cost a lot of money to keep the walls clean?
You go to even happening street in Bangalore like M.G. Road, Church Street etc. and it will be no wonder to find a unnoticed burst sewage pipe oozing out black smelly water spreading over the lane making it difficult for pedestrians to walk or watching so called educated, rich people throwing around waste unabashedly on the roads.
Despite all this filth around, you can see people standing and enjoying 'gol-gappas', 'chat' and other foody delights on roadside. I cannot imagine how people even feel like eating with all the litter and smell around. May be there is something wrong with me. I guess. I and people like me will be told the same thing in this country.
It's all in the mindset. Do we really love cleanliness?
Why go far? Personal hygiene is not of very high standards in this country. Barring few, others seem to enjoy remaining untidy. And when I say this, I am not even being critical! On a lighter note, it is interesting to note that between 2009 and 2014, the market size of deos jumped from Rs 500 crore to Rs 2,300 crore in India.
Years back in 2011, much before this campaign was launched I had mentioned this mindset in my blog ( read - Clean Homes, Dirty Streets).
The key to keep India clean is to change this mindset of the majority. That will take much more intense effort than the cosmetic acts, that at best are good photo-ops. Remember the age old adage - Charity (we can change this to Cleanliness) begins at home!
Will that happen? Are we serious? I am unsure. I reckon till then we have to keep-up with banana peels.
No comments:
Post a Comment