The necessity of a cleaner India has become a national priority. The message has been spread to every corner of this great country. Everyone has heard it. The awareness campaign by the government has been successful beyond the wildest dreams of many who have yearned for a clean India for a while now.
Now is the time to cash in on the awareness this massive campaign has generated and convert it into tangible and sustainable benefits. Hopefully the increased awareness will lead to better civic consciousness. We have to utilize the better civic consciousness to facilitate better waste disposal. The time to build effective waste disposal systems has come. An essential link in the chain of infrastructure that is needed to keep our public spaces clean is the bin.
The bin is the essential starting point in the waste disposal chain. Variously called the dust bin, garbage bin, trash bin or can it is a receptacle for people to drop their litter. An effective trash bin is not just a simple fixture; for it to be useful it has serve its purpose effectively. An effective garbage bin needs good planning and forethought.
1. Usage: No bin is useful if it is not used. For a bin to be effective people have to use it. For that we need good civic sense. Although civic sense has been lacking in India for long time things might be changing for the better.
2. Design: Too often we see ugly dust bins in our country. Just because they contain refuse, litter bins need not be ugly. They should be designed to be aesthetically pleasing, to blend in with the surroundings and yet easily visible and clear in their purpose. They should be designed in such a way that they are easily emptied and cleaned. They should be durable.
3. Safety: A unique phenomenon in India is the theft of bins especially for scrap metal. The ubiquitous oil drum used in many countries for this purpose does not work in India as it is sure to be stolen, often by organized gangs. The bin has to be firmly anchored to the ground. The material used to construct the bin has to have low value. This does pose unique challenges.
4. Regular emptying: An overflowing bin is as useful as no bin at all. It is unsightly and counterproductive. There has to be a system to clean and empty the bins regularly. The frequency should be determined by both the rate at which the bin gets filled as well as the rate at which the garbage decays. If extensively used it should be emptied multiple times in a day. Even if used infrequently it should still be emptied at least once day a day in warm country like India before any biodegradable waste starts rotting.
5. Cleanliness: Just because a bin contains garbage does not mean it should be dirty. It should look clean from the outside. It should add character and beauty to the surroundings. It should be cleaned properly on a regular basis. Liners or bags might help in keeping the inside surface clean.
6.Adequacy: There should be enough bins for a certain area. The number and spacing should be determined by the number of people using the area, the type and amount of garbage generated and the habits of the people frequenting the area.
7.Maintenence: All things break down with regular use. Bins are no exception. They should be properly maintained with repair and replacement as needed.
8.Segregation: Segregation of waste at source makes it much easier to dispose of in the appropriate way. It adds value to the waste making it easier to process and recycle.Now in a country where the habit of using the bin is not common, it might be a challenge to make people segregate waste, but every effort should be made to educate people.
9. Responsibility: There has to be a system for regular servicing and maintenance of garbage bins. People in charge have to be accountable. The workers should be responsible. The local government body has to be responsible or a corporate entity should do it with stringent oversight.
If we can place, service and maintain an adequate number of bins at optimal spacing in all our public spaces, people would use them more regularly. This will lead to a cleaner India. Jai Hind.
Sunday 14 December 2014
Sunday 13 April 2014
Nurturing Civic Sense in India For a Cleaner Environment
The lack of civic sense in India is often lamented. The lack of civic sense leads to garbage strewn streets and visible ugliness in the Indian landscape both in the urban and rural settings. Concerned Indians look at their fellow citizens with frustration and helplessness. Foreigners who appreciate the positive aspects of Indian culture, react to this sheer lack of civic sense with surprise and despair. Others look at India with scorn and disdain. The vast majority of of our fellow Indians seem quite indifferent. The possible reasons for this perplexing lack of concern for the cleanliness of public spaces are many and have been explored by us in a previous posting.
Many behaviours contribute to unclean public spaces. Littering, dumping, spitting, public urination, open defecation and improper disposal of sewage water contribute to this ugliness. Some of these problems are more difficult to solve than others. They are all rooted in deep cultural attitudes and practices. These attitudes and mindsets have to change to alter public behaviour in order to create clean public spaces and maintain them.
There is no one way to achieve civic consciousness among the Indian public, because our country is so big and diverse. Many strategies need to be thought about. Not all will work in all settings.
1. Laws and Punishment:
For any civilized society a set of rules and laws are needed to codify acceptable behaviour. A land without laws is no better than the jungle and we are not animals. Thousands of years of human civilization have come about because people started observing certain societal norms. Eventually these unwritten codes became formalized as a set of laws by which every member of society abides by and non subscribers are forced to comply with by punitive measures. As societies evolve, so do the laws. The formulation of these laws is ostensibly to promote the common good. If clean public spaces are a common good, then a set of rules and laws have to be in place to achieve them. People who defy these rules should be warned and punished. From fines to incarceration, there are incremental punitive measures available to any society.
Punishment for civic misbehaviour leading to uncleanliness has been rarely seen in India. The rules are there but the authorities have always been lax in enforcing them. Part of the reason for this is that these rules do not reflect the expectations of society in general. In many ways India is a law abiding country and laws do work here. When it comes to major crimes such as murder, rape and robbery, our police forces are second to none in their prosecutorial zeal and our judiciary is quite capable of meting out fair justice. However when it comes to civic behaviour there is no commitment in enforcing the law nor in handing out adequate punishment.
Laws cannot work if the majority of people do not abide by it. In large countries such as India, the vast and varied population cannot be policed unless the majority cooperate. Smaller countries do achieve this as they are easier to police. A case in point is the small city state of Singapore. A stringent set of laws, strictly enforced have managed to create a beautiful, clean and modern city out of the mess that the British left behind at the time of independence.
Nevertheless laws are needed and they have to be enforced in India to shape civic behaviour. At the outset it would be difficult to make people comply, but as more and more people become compliant the policing will become progressively easier and cheaper. There has to be commitment from the government at the national, regional, state, district, state, town and village panchayat level to achieve this.
2. Awareness and Education:
One reason for the indifference people feel towards their surroundings is a lack of awareness. Some people just do not understand the ill effects of unclean public spaces. Once aware they might be more receptive to change. They are also oblivious to the existence of cleaner places elsewhere. But in the information age any Indian anywhere has to be aware of other places in the world unless they are living under a rock somewhere. Movies, television, the internet and the print media all have images of public spaces in other countries that people cannot fail to notice.
Clean up campaigns contribute to increased awareness. So do innovative campaigns via a variety of media. To change the adult mind the message has to be persistent and sustained. The media in India have a great responsibility in this regard. Journalists from both the traditional as well as social media should utilize their talents and resources to spread the message. It is part of their social responsibility. The government should be the prime driver but sadly in India governance has been a let down in this regard over many decades. Non governmental organizations and corporate entities should take this up. Celebrities should be involved. A cleaner India benefits all sectors of society.
Education is more in-depth and will bring more sustainable change in people's mind sets. It is a longterm effort and has to started early in life and continued for years. The target of course should be young children starting at a very early age. Schools should make it a part of the curriculum. The government should mandate it. Teachers should teach civic values with enthusiasm. Religious institutions should concentrate on inculcating a sense civic responsibility in children rather than propagating hatred towards other communities that share this great country.
3. Pride and Patriotism:
Genuine change in a society society will come about only when people believe in it. People have to embrace it and practise it on a daily basis. They have to value it. Only then can the change be sustainable and permanent.
Indians are a proud people. We take immense pride in our culture. We shamelessly flaunt our ancient civilization and its timeless wisdom. We strut and swagger when we think about our classical art forms, our literature, our many philosophies and traditions. We look at other cultures with scorn and derision. The same sense of pride has to be instilled in our population when it comes to the cleanliness and beauty of public spaces. Civic pride should be encouraged and valued.
We are also a very patriotic people. We get goosebumps when patriotic songs are sung. We support our armed forces. We cherish our national symbols. We actively participate in politics and the democratic process. Patriotism is alive and well in our country. This love for the country has to be translated in to a zeal to do deeds for the betterment of the country. Keeping the country clean is a very patriotic act and this feeling has to be cultivated and encouraged.
By combining these different approaches, government bodies and other organizations can bring about the change in people's attitudes and behaviour that will lead to sustainable change. Our people are neither stupid nor lazy. With proper guidance they will change and acquire better civic sense. The day is not far off.
Many behaviours contribute to unclean public spaces. Littering, dumping, spitting, public urination, open defecation and improper disposal of sewage water contribute to this ugliness. Some of these problems are more difficult to solve than others. They are all rooted in deep cultural attitudes and practices. These attitudes and mindsets have to change to alter public behaviour in order to create clean public spaces and maintain them.
There is no one way to achieve civic consciousness among the Indian public, because our country is so big and diverse. Many strategies need to be thought about. Not all will work in all settings.
1. Laws and Punishment:
For any civilized society a set of rules and laws are needed to codify acceptable behaviour. A land without laws is no better than the jungle and we are not animals. Thousands of years of human civilization have come about because people started observing certain societal norms. Eventually these unwritten codes became formalized as a set of laws by which every member of society abides by and non subscribers are forced to comply with by punitive measures. As societies evolve, so do the laws. The formulation of these laws is ostensibly to promote the common good. If clean public spaces are a common good, then a set of rules and laws have to be in place to achieve them. People who defy these rules should be warned and punished. From fines to incarceration, there are incremental punitive measures available to any society.
Punishment for civic misbehaviour leading to uncleanliness has been rarely seen in India. The rules are there but the authorities have always been lax in enforcing them. Part of the reason for this is that these rules do not reflect the expectations of society in general. In many ways India is a law abiding country and laws do work here. When it comes to major crimes such as murder, rape and robbery, our police forces are second to none in their prosecutorial zeal and our judiciary is quite capable of meting out fair justice. However when it comes to civic behaviour there is no commitment in enforcing the law nor in handing out adequate punishment.
Laws cannot work if the majority of people do not abide by it. In large countries such as India, the vast and varied population cannot be policed unless the majority cooperate. Smaller countries do achieve this as they are easier to police. A case in point is the small city state of Singapore. A stringent set of laws, strictly enforced have managed to create a beautiful, clean and modern city out of the mess that the British left behind at the time of independence.
Nevertheless laws are needed and they have to be enforced in India to shape civic behaviour. At the outset it would be difficult to make people comply, but as more and more people become compliant the policing will become progressively easier and cheaper. There has to be commitment from the government at the national, regional, state, district, state, town and village panchayat level to achieve this.
2. Awareness and Education:
One reason for the indifference people feel towards their surroundings is a lack of awareness. Some people just do not understand the ill effects of unclean public spaces. Once aware they might be more receptive to change. They are also oblivious to the existence of cleaner places elsewhere. But in the information age any Indian anywhere has to be aware of other places in the world unless they are living under a rock somewhere. Movies, television, the internet and the print media all have images of public spaces in other countries that people cannot fail to notice.
Clean up campaigns contribute to increased awareness. So do innovative campaigns via a variety of media. To change the adult mind the message has to be persistent and sustained. The media in India have a great responsibility in this regard. Journalists from both the traditional as well as social media should utilize their talents and resources to spread the message. It is part of their social responsibility. The government should be the prime driver but sadly in India governance has been a let down in this regard over many decades. Non governmental organizations and corporate entities should take this up. Celebrities should be involved. A cleaner India benefits all sectors of society.
Education is more in-depth and will bring more sustainable change in people's mind sets. It is a longterm effort and has to started early in life and continued for years. The target of course should be young children starting at a very early age. Schools should make it a part of the curriculum. The government should mandate it. Teachers should teach civic values with enthusiasm. Religious institutions should concentrate on inculcating a sense civic responsibility in children rather than propagating hatred towards other communities that share this great country.
3. Pride and Patriotism:
Genuine change in a society society will come about only when people believe in it. People have to embrace it and practise it on a daily basis. They have to value it. Only then can the change be sustainable and permanent.
Indians are a proud people. We take immense pride in our culture. We shamelessly flaunt our ancient civilization and its timeless wisdom. We strut and swagger when we think about our classical art forms, our literature, our many philosophies and traditions. We look at other cultures with scorn and derision. The same sense of pride has to be instilled in our population when it comes to the cleanliness and beauty of public spaces. Civic pride should be encouraged and valued.
We are also a very patriotic people. We get goosebumps when patriotic songs are sung. We support our armed forces. We cherish our national symbols. We actively participate in politics and the democratic process. Patriotism is alive and well in our country. This love for the country has to be translated in to a zeal to do deeds for the betterment of the country. Keeping the country clean is a very patriotic act and this feeling has to be cultivated and encouraged.
By combining these different approaches, government bodies and other organizations can bring about the change in people's attitudes and behaviour that will lead to sustainable change. Our people are neither stupid nor lazy. With proper guidance they will change and acquire better civic sense. The day is not far off.
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