The Blame Game

When the streets are unclean the public blames the authorities. The government is criticised. The engineers, managers, supervisors etc. are all called to task as they should be. People are quick to point the finger at poor governance. Municipal workers are accused of incompetence and laziness.

On the other hand, the authorities blame the public. The people who litter, dump garbage in open spaces in the cover of darkness and in broad daylight, shamelessly spit, urinate and defecate in public places, are all blamed. The irresponsible people who refuse to use garbage bins even when they are available and those who use public toilets with no concern for others who have to use it after them are definitely poor citizens.

The sad truth is that in our country both are right in what they say and wrong in what they do. To maintain clean public spaces the authorities and the citizenry have to cooperate and work in unison. One cannot do it without the other. No amount of garbage bins and public toilets can keep the cities and towns clean unless people actually use them. People cannot be expected to to do their part if the proper amenities are not provided. No society can expect people to haul refuse around with them until they find a place to dispose of it. To urinate and defecate are human bodily functions. People cannot be expected to hold their bladders and bowels for indefinite periods. They will relieve themselves wherever they can. For all the talk of civilisation, humans are but animals after all.

So we have to deal with two problems here. One behavioural and the other one of governance. The two solutions have to converge. For us to create the critical mass of clean spaces for the tipping point to occur quickly, both problems have to be solved simultaneously. Proper governance will ensure adequate and convenient infrastructure and the manpower and funds to maintain them; the public has to use them with care and consideration.

We have to stop the blame going around and around like a vicious cycle and find solutions that will embrace both sides and lead to sustainable clean environments.

There are plenty of examples that it can be done. A visit to the UNESCO world heritage sites at Thanjavur, Gangaikondacholapuram and Darasuram gives one ample proof that clean public spaces can be maintained in Tamil Nadu and India if we want to. On a recent visit to Gangaikondacholapuram, we witnessed a woman carelessly tossing a banana skin on the ground and within seconds a member of the cleaning staff picked it up and tossed it into a garbage bin. Although changing the behaviour of the woman is important, what was refreshing to see was that there was the system to rectify the problem caused by the erring woman. On the other hand if all the visitors had thrown banana skins on the ground no number of cleaning staff would be adequate to keep the place clean. The fact that the place was clean is testimony to the behaviour of most people in that space who did not litter in this clean environment. The same cannot be said of the adjoining town of Jayamkondan which looks filthy. The goal should be to take the lessons of the pockets of excellence to the wider community.

So, without blaming each other we have to find solutions that will engender a collective sense of ownership and pride that will in turn ensure a clean environment for us all.