The Goal - A Clean Environment

The goal should be an environment that is neat and tidy with no trash that is visible. The trash should be contained and ready for the next step of disposal and not an eyesore. There should be no bad odours. The place should smell nice or neutral. It should be hygienic with no risk for transmission of disease.Visible dirt and bad smells are the first alerts for the human mind to defend against infection.They are also emotionally disturbing. Once we eliminate these two aspects, the country would be much cleaner. We should also eliminate the invisible and hidden dirt that contaminates the air, ground and water.

The current situation in many parts of India is far from ideal. It is very common to see roadsides, open spaces and water bodies strewn with garbage of all kinds. Plastic waste flies around the countryside, dispersed by the wind.  People spit everywhere. Most places smell bad. Rotting garbage, urine, decomposing fecal matter and stagnant water, all contribute to this bad smell. Water and food borne diseases that cause vomiting and diarrhoea are common. This situation has to change.

The unclean environment costs the country in many ways. Illnesses result in lost productivity and increased medical costs. It turns away tourism and the potential revenue it generates.It discourages investment. It sullies the country's reputation which in turn costs it prestige and respect on the international stage. The poor sanitary reputation that India has around the world inhibits its ability to influence world affairs to its advantage. Smaller, less important countries turn around and say that if India is unable to keep its environment clean, it has to be a weak country and its opinions do not matter.

For things to change, society has to recognise the gravity of the problem. Solutions that work have to be identified and tried. Awareness among the population has to increase. All levels of government , social organisations and NGOs have to work together. People should change behaviour. A sense of pride and ownership in public spaces has to be developed and grown.

It can be done, but needs a concerted and sustained effort by many. The time line should be about 10 years. If we start now, by the year 2022 we should be able achieve our target of a clean environment in most parts of India including Tamil Nadu, that would be the envy of the world.