All societies generate waste. Waste is not unique to any nation. The amount of waste generated of course varies according to the culture, population and population density. However, how this waste is disposed of does vary quite widely. Improper disposal leads to accumulation of waste in public spaces leading to squalor and disease. It destroys waterways and pristine landscapes. It makes urban spaces ugly and unsightly; it causes stench and nausea, and worse. It sullies a nations reputation.
In India we have a garbage problem. Our cities are a mess. Our villages are no better. Our rivers and lakes stink. Visitors to our country hold their noses in disgust and we hang our heads in shame. Why is it so? Why should it be so?
Is it because we generate more garbage than other countries? Actually urban Indians at 600 gms per person per day produce less garbage than the average American at 2 kg per person per day according to a recent news report. Is it population density the cause? There are cities in the world that compare with our cities like Mumbai, Chennai and Kolkata in population density, but are not as dirty. New York City is a fairly densely populated city but is reasonably clean. Is it economics? True, most Western industrialized cities are richer and have more financial resources to take care of their waste. But we cannot cry poor forever. Look at poor countries in our neighbourhood who have a better record in urban sanitation. Sri Lanka, a small country in our part of the world, with a political system that is no better than ours, is doing a better job in maintaing clean public spaces.
When we speak of solutions, we often speak of the efficiency, efficacy and sustainability of waste disposal systems. We do need efficient collection systems with source segregation being one of the most important changes. We do not speak much about the transport or transfer of garbage. We worry about the actual disposition of the garbage. Landfills and the space needed for them and the need for waste processing plants are always in the news. But these are universal issues and are not unique to India. Source segregation is a relatively new phenomenon even in the industrialized "developed" West. Even there, except for the Scandinavian countries it is not practised well. Most studies show that segregation and recycling only account for a small proportion of the total waste disposal. Source segregation is a very important activity and we are in no way belittling it. It would definitely lead to better waste management. Our point is that the cause of our unclean public spaces is not the lack of proper waste disposal systems alone. In many countries public spaces became clean long before these waste disposal systems were even thought about.
It all boils down to attitude and culture. We do not have a culture that appreciates the beauty of clean public spaces. This lack of appreciation for beauty in the public space manifests as poor civic sense among our citizenry and poor civic governance from our administrators.
The housewife or maid who throws household waste out the window onto the street or the householder or business owner who dumps his garbage on the roadside lack this appreciation of beauty. Men who urinate on public walls and spit everywhere have no sense of the beauty of clean public spaces. The sanitary worker or garbage collector who spills garbage as he collects them, leaving the street still dirty after it has been "cleaned" has no sense of aesthetics. Administrations that provide open lorries as opposed to covered dump trucks to transport garbage across cities are doing the same. The system of open garbage collection points or transfer points to transfer garbage from local tricycles etc. to larger vehicles is unnecessary and again shows a lack appreciation for cleanliness. If the garbage has to be thus transferred, it has to be done in such a way that it is invisible. That is how most other countries do it. It should not be collected in public spaces creating greater piles of garbage before being hauled away. This is how it is done in many Indian cities. It not only increases the work, it is also a messy way of doing things. The process of waste collection need not be messy. It has to be done in the cleanest way possible.
We also do not see the ugliness that unwanted posters on public walls create. Political leaders should stop their followers from defacing walls around the city with political posters. It is a simple directive, but one that most politicians in India do not have the courage to make.
It is wrong to argue that Indians do not have a sense of beauty. We do. We have the most exquisitely beautiful dance, music and other art forms. We make beautiful movies. Our country is endowed with natural beauty. We have beautiful architecture both ancient and modern. We have beautiful people and beautiful literature. What we lack is the ability to appreciate the beauty in our public spaces and the ability to create that beauty. It is indeed an Indian weakness. We, the descendants of one the most ancient and accomplished cultures in the world, have lost the ability to create and maintain beautiful public spaces. We have lost the ability to see beauty in cleanliness. We have become a messy culture that we have to acknowledge and improve. We have to start seeing the beauty in our beaches, lakes, rivers, forests, mountains, cities, towns, villages, roadsides, parks and public buildings. We have to clean them, stop dirtying them, maintain them and create beauty where there is none. We have to cherish our public spaces and take ownership of them. We have to be proud. We owe it to our children and their descendants. We owe it ourselves.
Sunday, 3 February 2013
Saturday, 19 January 2013
Governance and Cleanliness of Public Spaces in India
For public spaces to be clean, we need good civic governance. The lack of adequate waste collection and disposal systems, absence of public toilet facilities and ineffectual sewerage systems all show how badly India is governed from a civic point of view.
We have to be cautious when we criticize Indian governance, because it is wrong to say India has poor governance overall. On the contrary, in some ways India is governed well. It is not easy to govern a country the size of India with its complex and multitude of problems. In many ways the people who govern our country are doing a fairly reasonable job under difficult conditions and should be congratulated. The deficiency in governance however, is quite clear when it comes to civic governance.
The large population and its density, illiteracy, poverty, communal strife and religious sensitivities all make India a difficult place to govern. Yet civilized populations should be easier to govern and India boasts one of the oldest civilizations anywhere and quite complex and advanced cultures. It is difficult to come up with simple answers to explain the deficiencies in civic government in India. Let us explore possible reasons.
1. Population
It is true India is a very populous country. It also has a high population density in its urban centres. The large population indeed places a heavy burden on the infrastructure of crowded cities. Large populations need efficient, adequate sewerage systems and effective garbage collection and disposal systems. It is also a challenge to keep up with the rapidly growing population of cities. For the infrastructure and systems to grow and sustain we need effective and exceptional governance. Unfortunately in this aspect the governance is sadly lacking in most parts of India.
2. Lack of citizen cooperation
No country can be governed well without the cooperation of the population. The Indian Freedom Movement taught us that a nation cannot be governed if the population chose not to cooperate at all. This is more evident in a democratic society such as India. In modern India we see a sad lack of civic pride amongst the general masses when it comes to cleanliness of public places.
3. Apathy and lack of motivation.
Although it is wrong to say that all Indian administrators have a lackadaisical attitude towards cleanliness in the communities they serve, it is safe to say that the vast majority of administrators do.They either do not appreciate the importance of this vital element of a society or they are incapable of implementing their duties. In other words, they are simply incompetent.
4. Corruption
Corruption, especially of the petty kind is endemic in India. It is an ugly fact of modern India. Corruption exists all over the world and is not unique to India. What is unique about Indian corruption is that the corrupt are also very incompetent. It is said that Chinese government officials will take bribes, divert government funds but still get the job done. In India our officials will take the money but will not accomplish the task. The recent revelation about the vast sums of money spent on cleaning the Ganga and Yamuna over a thirty year period without any tangible benefit to society is a case in point.
5. Lack of vision
Governments need vision. Many nations have been blessed with visionary leaders in government who set their nations on a certain course of betterment over long periods of time. Good political leaders define how their countries should develop, envision the end result and set in motion a series of actions that will propel their nations towards the desired goal. Gandhi had a vision for a free India and it was achieved. Nehru had a vision for modern India and although some of us may not agree with all that he envisioned, you have to credit the man with a clear and credible vision for the nation. Lee Kuan Yew had a vision for a modern Singapore that included a clean country. Unfortunately, contemporary India seems to lack leaders with vision when it comes to urban development. They have clear visions when it comes to developing the economy which is important. However when it comes to civic governance that drive is sorely inadequate. The only exception, like him or not, seems to be Narendra Modi in Gujarat where the streets are certainly getting cleaner compared to the rest of India.
6. Poverty
For much of its existence as an independent, modern country India has been viewed as a poor country. However this is changing fast. As the economy grows rapidly, as surely it will after the current global slow down is over, the various levels of government will have ever increasing spending ability. Sure we have a lot of poor people and will do so for a considerable time in the future, but we are not a poor country. Our governments have to spend money to improve civic infrastructure.
We hope the civic governance of this country will improve over the next few years and coupled with a better sense of civic pride in the general population, Indian cities, towns and villages will become great places to live in and visit.
We have to be cautious when we criticize Indian governance, because it is wrong to say India has poor governance overall. On the contrary, in some ways India is governed well. It is not easy to govern a country the size of India with its complex and multitude of problems. In many ways the people who govern our country are doing a fairly reasonable job under difficult conditions and should be congratulated. The deficiency in governance however, is quite clear when it comes to civic governance.
The large population and its density, illiteracy, poverty, communal strife and religious sensitivities all make India a difficult place to govern. Yet civilized populations should be easier to govern and India boasts one of the oldest civilizations anywhere and quite complex and advanced cultures. It is difficult to come up with simple answers to explain the deficiencies in civic government in India. Let us explore possible reasons.
1. Population
It is true India is a very populous country. It also has a high population density in its urban centres. The large population indeed places a heavy burden on the infrastructure of crowded cities. Large populations need efficient, adequate sewerage systems and effective garbage collection and disposal systems. It is also a challenge to keep up with the rapidly growing population of cities. For the infrastructure and systems to grow and sustain we need effective and exceptional governance. Unfortunately in this aspect the governance is sadly lacking in most parts of India.
2. Lack of citizen cooperation
No country can be governed well without the cooperation of the population. The Indian Freedom Movement taught us that a nation cannot be governed if the population chose not to cooperate at all. This is more evident in a democratic society such as India. In modern India we see a sad lack of civic pride amongst the general masses when it comes to cleanliness of public places.
3. Apathy and lack of motivation.
Although it is wrong to say that all Indian administrators have a lackadaisical attitude towards cleanliness in the communities they serve, it is safe to say that the vast majority of administrators do.They either do not appreciate the importance of this vital element of a society or they are incapable of implementing their duties. In other words, they are simply incompetent.
4. Corruption
Corruption, especially of the petty kind is endemic in India. It is an ugly fact of modern India. Corruption exists all over the world and is not unique to India. What is unique about Indian corruption is that the corrupt are also very incompetent. It is said that Chinese government officials will take bribes, divert government funds but still get the job done. In India our officials will take the money but will not accomplish the task. The recent revelation about the vast sums of money spent on cleaning the Ganga and Yamuna over a thirty year period without any tangible benefit to society is a case in point.
5. Lack of vision
Governments need vision. Many nations have been blessed with visionary leaders in government who set their nations on a certain course of betterment over long periods of time. Good political leaders define how their countries should develop, envision the end result and set in motion a series of actions that will propel their nations towards the desired goal. Gandhi had a vision for a free India and it was achieved. Nehru had a vision for modern India and although some of us may not agree with all that he envisioned, you have to credit the man with a clear and credible vision for the nation. Lee Kuan Yew had a vision for a modern Singapore that included a clean country. Unfortunately, contemporary India seems to lack leaders with vision when it comes to urban development. They have clear visions when it comes to developing the economy which is important. However when it comes to civic governance that drive is sorely inadequate. The only exception, like him or not, seems to be Narendra Modi in Gujarat where the streets are certainly getting cleaner compared to the rest of India.
6. Poverty
For much of its existence as an independent, modern country India has been viewed as a poor country. However this is changing fast. As the economy grows rapidly, as surely it will after the current global slow down is over, the various levels of government will have ever increasing spending ability. Sure we have a lot of poor people and will do so for a considerable time in the future, but we are not a poor country. Our governments have to spend money to improve civic infrastructure.
We hope the civic governance of this country will improve over the next few years and coupled with a better sense of civic pride in the general population, Indian cities, towns and villages will become great places to live in and visit.
Saturday, 29 December 2012
Civic Sense in India and Cleanliness of Public Spaces
When people talk about cleanliness of public spaces in India, civic sense or the lack of it is often quoted as one of the prime reasons for the squalor that we see all around us. Is it true that we Indians lack civic sense? If so what are the possible reasons for it? Do they apply to us all or certain groups amongst us? These are questions we need to explore as we try to find solutions to the mess we find ourselves in.
Civic sense is defined variously as the sense of community, individuals feel towards the communities they live in or a complex phenomenon encompassing an individual's perception of, attitude and feelings towards his or her community. It is wrong to say that Indians lack civic sense. After all the Indian population carried out the most revolutionary and largest manifestation of civic action in history during the mass movement for India's independence from colonial rule sixty-five years ago. The periodic Indian elections have shown that our people are quite capable of exercising their civic responsibilities when the need arises. Most recently we have seen it on the streets of New Delhi during the protests against the gang rape atrocity.
However, it is safe to say that we Indians seem to lack civic sense when it comes to cleanliness of our public spaces. If this is indeed true, why is it so? How are we different from other populations around the world that seem to have a better record when it comes to this crucial aspect of community? The answers are not simple, but need to be explored.
1. Selfishness and self-centredness
Not all Indians are self centred, but some certainly are. There is an ingrained tendency in us to put ourselves first over everyone else. There is nothing wrong in that, as it is after all a strategy for survival in a country with scarce resources. If we are to survive, we have to look after ourselves and ours first and not care about others. This attitude is most easily externalized when it comes to the upkeep of public spaces. We teach our children to succeed by thinking about themselves and themselves alone. It works well to compete for plum educational opportunities and jobs but does instill a sense of disdain for the rest of the population. This naturally manifests as a profound disregard for the space that others inhabit. It is easy to ignore the public space. The tendency is to get ahead individually at any cost. The cost of course is to the rest of society. As the economy improves and the nation's wealth increases this attitude might change. The need for such extreme selfishness might dissipate.
2.The public space as alien space
Although Indians are a very patriotic people and most would stand up for their country when the time comes, there is a curious lack of concern when it comes to public spaces. There is a tendency to treat the public space as alien and forbidding. It may have to do with the fragmentation of Indian society along community, caste, religious and linguistic lines. People want their off spring to be "pure" and not get contaminated by other folk. The modern Indian citizen will certainly dispute this, but a close examination of Indian society suggests that this is indeed true. By keeping the public space a scary and unwelcoming place, we discouraged our children from interacting with others whom we distrusted, feared or looked down upon. So we made it an unsafe and unclean place. Our children especially the female kind were discouraged to linger outside their homes. If the space outside the home was unsafe and unclean the traditional Indian secretly liked it. However this is surely going to change and is in fact changing fast. As more and more people, especially women venture outside their traditional enclaves in pursuit of wider educational and employment opportunities the classrooms and workplaces of our country are becoming less forbidding places. They will eventually foster a sense of wider community among our people and hopefully more civic sense.
3. Colonial influence
India was under European colonial rule wholly or in parts for roughly three centuries or more. Even before that, the rulers of many parts of India were alien conquerors. This might have affected the Indian psyche vis a vis its civic sense in more than one way.
a) Denigration by the rulers
Conquerors generally control a subjugated population by several means. Exercising brute force has always been the primary method. However other subtle methods have certainly contributed. One such method is to break the self-esteem of the population by destroying its belief in its values and traditions. By systemically devaluing a society repeatedly they portray themselves as the superior society. Macaulay's famous but erroneous assertion that the whole literature of India would barely fill a shelf is an example of this. Perceived deficiencies in the subjugated nation were highlighted and publicized. One such assertion was that the Indian was unclean. In time the Indian himself came to believe that he was unclean and unable to maintain the cleanliness of public spaces.This is particularly true of the generation that were born in the pre independence period. Everything that was clean and nice was from England and India was dirty. This is something the British instilled in the Indian mind and has persisted post independence.
b) Defiance to colonial rule
In conquered lands the public space belongs to the ruling power and not to the population as opposed to democracies or other forms of indigenous rule where there is a greater sense of ownership of the public space. In the years leading up to independence desecration of the public space may have been used as a tool to defy colonial British rule. However people like Mahatma Gandhi did bemoan the lack of civic sense in our people during the Indian Freedom Struggle.
That being said, we cannot blame our colonial past for every ill besetting our nation. It is time we moved on. It is time to show the world what we can be.
4. Poverty
Profound disparity does exist in our country when it comes to economic means. We do have a segment of the population that is extremely poor by any measure. It is difficult to preach cleanliness to people when they live in squalor because they cannot afford better. They live in the many slums that dot every city and town in our country.When their daily existence is a struggle and an eternal battle for survival, how could we expect them to be conscious of the cleanliness of their surroundings? We cannot wait for the trickle down from a burgeoning economy to take care of them. We need innovative and visionary programs to help them. Every society needs a social net. We have to build a robust one for the poor in India so that they do not languish in ever expanding and ever more congested slums.
5. Illiteracy and ignorance
Lack of proper education continues to haunt the development of India. Although India possesses some the most educated people and brightest minds in the world, it also has its areas of darkness. It has many people who are not aware of the benefits of a clean environment and do not make the connection between disease and squalor. As literacy spreads, and the population gets educated, hopefully this will resolve itself. More and more people will realize the benefits of clean environments and fewer and fewer will stick to the old ways. They will be the vanguard of a revolution that will sweep India quite literally and figuratively. The teachers of this country have an all important role to play in this regard.
6. Religion
We have great religions in India. All the major religions of the world have found a home in this vast, ancient and beautiful land. They all preach good things. They all hold cleanliness as a sacred virtue. Go visit the inside premises of a place of worship in India, be it a mandir, temple, mosque, dharga, gurdwara, church or other godly space and see how clean they are. Hinduism venerates Mother Earth and worships her as a goddess. Then how come this cleanliness does not spread outside the places of worship? Perhaps it has something to do with the asceticism that lingers in the Indian psyche. Indian spirituality has always venerated the renunciation of luxury and poor unkempt men who have given up their worldly life and embraced an existence of want, are venerated as sadhus. Is it possible that the Indian psyche considers the cleanliness of public spaces a luxury and therefore renounces it? Perhaps we feel guilty to want clean public spaces when we see so many of our countrymen languish in squalor due to dire poverty. However this has not stopped many from wanting the best for themselves and theirs in private, including spotlessly clean homes. We have to use the power that religion holds over our people to do good. One such good would be to emphasize the cleanliness preached by all religions and extend it into the public space. The religious leaders, priests and other religious minded people have a great responsibility in fostering civic sense in our people.
These may not be the correct reasons for the deficiencies in civic sense in India. There may be others we do not know about. Whatever the reasons might be, the time has come to ponder and find solutions. We have to galvanize our people to action. We have to foster a culture of civic pride. Let us unite and build an India that is clean and bright. Let us be a beacon to all mankind.
Civic sense is defined variously as the sense of community, individuals feel towards the communities they live in or a complex phenomenon encompassing an individual's perception of, attitude and feelings towards his or her community. It is wrong to say that Indians lack civic sense. After all the Indian population carried out the most revolutionary and largest manifestation of civic action in history during the mass movement for India's independence from colonial rule sixty-five years ago. The periodic Indian elections have shown that our people are quite capable of exercising their civic responsibilities when the need arises. Most recently we have seen it on the streets of New Delhi during the protests against the gang rape atrocity.
However, it is safe to say that we Indians seem to lack civic sense when it comes to cleanliness of our public spaces. If this is indeed true, why is it so? How are we different from other populations around the world that seem to have a better record when it comes to this crucial aspect of community? The answers are not simple, but need to be explored.
1. Selfishness and self-centredness
Not all Indians are self centred, but some certainly are. There is an ingrained tendency in us to put ourselves first over everyone else. There is nothing wrong in that, as it is after all a strategy for survival in a country with scarce resources. If we are to survive, we have to look after ourselves and ours first and not care about others. This attitude is most easily externalized when it comes to the upkeep of public spaces. We teach our children to succeed by thinking about themselves and themselves alone. It works well to compete for plum educational opportunities and jobs but does instill a sense of disdain for the rest of the population. This naturally manifests as a profound disregard for the space that others inhabit. It is easy to ignore the public space. The tendency is to get ahead individually at any cost. The cost of course is to the rest of society. As the economy improves and the nation's wealth increases this attitude might change. The need for such extreme selfishness might dissipate.
2.The public space as alien space
Although Indians are a very patriotic people and most would stand up for their country when the time comes, there is a curious lack of concern when it comes to public spaces. There is a tendency to treat the public space as alien and forbidding. It may have to do with the fragmentation of Indian society along community, caste, religious and linguistic lines. People want their off spring to be "pure" and not get contaminated by other folk. The modern Indian citizen will certainly dispute this, but a close examination of Indian society suggests that this is indeed true. By keeping the public space a scary and unwelcoming place, we discouraged our children from interacting with others whom we distrusted, feared or looked down upon. So we made it an unsafe and unclean place. Our children especially the female kind were discouraged to linger outside their homes. If the space outside the home was unsafe and unclean the traditional Indian secretly liked it. However this is surely going to change and is in fact changing fast. As more and more people, especially women venture outside their traditional enclaves in pursuit of wider educational and employment opportunities the classrooms and workplaces of our country are becoming less forbidding places. They will eventually foster a sense of wider community among our people and hopefully more civic sense.
3. Colonial influence
India was under European colonial rule wholly or in parts for roughly three centuries or more. Even before that, the rulers of many parts of India were alien conquerors. This might have affected the Indian psyche vis a vis its civic sense in more than one way.
a) Denigration by the rulers
Conquerors generally control a subjugated population by several means. Exercising brute force has always been the primary method. However other subtle methods have certainly contributed. One such method is to break the self-esteem of the population by destroying its belief in its values and traditions. By systemically devaluing a society repeatedly they portray themselves as the superior society. Macaulay's famous but erroneous assertion that the whole literature of India would barely fill a shelf is an example of this. Perceived deficiencies in the subjugated nation were highlighted and publicized. One such assertion was that the Indian was unclean. In time the Indian himself came to believe that he was unclean and unable to maintain the cleanliness of public spaces.This is particularly true of the generation that were born in the pre independence period. Everything that was clean and nice was from England and India was dirty. This is something the British instilled in the Indian mind and has persisted post independence.
b) Defiance to colonial rule
In conquered lands the public space belongs to the ruling power and not to the population as opposed to democracies or other forms of indigenous rule where there is a greater sense of ownership of the public space. In the years leading up to independence desecration of the public space may have been used as a tool to defy colonial British rule. However people like Mahatma Gandhi did bemoan the lack of civic sense in our people during the Indian Freedom Struggle.
That being said, we cannot blame our colonial past for every ill besetting our nation. It is time we moved on. It is time to show the world what we can be.
4. Poverty
Profound disparity does exist in our country when it comes to economic means. We do have a segment of the population that is extremely poor by any measure. It is difficult to preach cleanliness to people when they live in squalor because they cannot afford better. They live in the many slums that dot every city and town in our country.When their daily existence is a struggle and an eternal battle for survival, how could we expect them to be conscious of the cleanliness of their surroundings? We cannot wait for the trickle down from a burgeoning economy to take care of them. We need innovative and visionary programs to help them. Every society needs a social net. We have to build a robust one for the poor in India so that they do not languish in ever expanding and ever more congested slums.
5. Illiteracy and ignorance
Lack of proper education continues to haunt the development of India. Although India possesses some the most educated people and brightest minds in the world, it also has its areas of darkness. It has many people who are not aware of the benefits of a clean environment and do not make the connection between disease and squalor. As literacy spreads, and the population gets educated, hopefully this will resolve itself. More and more people will realize the benefits of clean environments and fewer and fewer will stick to the old ways. They will be the vanguard of a revolution that will sweep India quite literally and figuratively. The teachers of this country have an all important role to play in this regard.
6. Religion
We have great religions in India. All the major religions of the world have found a home in this vast, ancient and beautiful land. They all preach good things. They all hold cleanliness as a sacred virtue. Go visit the inside premises of a place of worship in India, be it a mandir, temple, mosque, dharga, gurdwara, church or other godly space and see how clean they are. Hinduism venerates Mother Earth and worships her as a goddess. Then how come this cleanliness does not spread outside the places of worship? Perhaps it has something to do with the asceticism that lingers in the Indian psyche. Indian spirituality has always venerated the renunciation of luxury and poor unkempt men who have given up their worldly life and embraced an existence of want, are venerated as sadhus. Is it possible that the Indian psyche considers the cleanliness of public spaces a luxury and therefore renounces it? Perhaps we feel guilty to want clean public spaces when we see so many of our countrymen languish in squalor due to dire poverty. However this has not stopped many from wanting the best for themselves and theirs in private, including spotlessly clean homes. We have to use the power that religion holds over our people to do good. One such good would be to emphasize the cleanliness preached by all religions and extend it into the public space. The religious leaders, priests and other religious minded people have a great responsibility in fostering civic sense in our people.
These may not be the correct reasons for the deficiencies in civic sense in India. There may be others we do not know about. Whatever the reasons might be, the time has come to ponder and find solutions. We have to galvanize our people to action. We have to foster a culture of civic pride. Let us unite and build an India that is clean and bright. Let us be a beacon to all mankind.
Friday, 14 December 2012
The Causes of Unclean Public Spaces
When our public spaces spaces are unclean, many socio-political factors are at play. It is important to take stock of these, if we are to find viable solutions. Some are citizen related and others are related to governance. Yet others are related to socio-economic development of the country in general.
1. Lack of Civic Sense and Pride
When the citizenry fails to adopt clean behaviours, it is difficult for any government to maintain clean spaces. Littering, spitting, urinating and defecating in public spaces are human behaviours that are difficult to police unless the vast majority of people change their attitudes towards these practices. Penalties and other deterrences work only when a few people err, not when a large segment society continues to defy the rules. For this the general public has to espouse a sense of ownership of these spaces and take pride in keeping them clean. Indians are a very proud people and take great pride in their country's achievements. The different states and regions also have their individual pride. It is somewhat perplexing that this pride does not apply to cleanliness of the public commons. One possibility is that society does not value cleanliness. However most Indian people value the cleanliness of their personal space and have no problem keeping their homes clean. The lack of pride is confined to the public space. We will explore the possible reasons for this in another article.
2. Lack of Governance
Poor governance at every level is endemic in India. Unclean public spaces are a sure sign of a poorly governed jurisdiction. Sixty five years after independence, we Indians appear unable to govern ourselves. Indian governance has been an empty promise - we have a lot of talent, we talk big but achieve little on the ground. How difficult is it to put the infrastructure in place to facilitate clean human behaviour? This is not rocket science. Many countries around the world have done it and are doing it. There is a profound absence of a culture of excellence in government service. The authorities and administrators should have the passion and drive to make their villages, towns and cities better. If you say this to the average Indian Babu, he would think you are mad. That attitude has to change. Elected office and government jobs are not for personal gain alone, but for the public good too. These folks at the present time, seem to lack patriotism, which is very sad. Corruption, the curse of our nation also wreaks havoc in this regard.
3. Poverty
Although India is no longer a poor country and its GDP is growing steadily, it has many poor people. The stark poverty is both urban and rural. When people are dirt poor it is difficult to preach cleanliness to them. It is simply not their priority. Theirs is a struggle for survival. Many people live in slums that are no better than huge garbage dumps and eke out a living as ragpickers. That said many societies around the world are poor but are not unclean. Although there are many reasons why poverty and squalor can go together, it is not always true that poverty-stricken places are necessarily unclean. Even in our own country there are villages that are poor but clean. For example Mawlynnong in Meghalaya a village in the economically depressed North East of India, is often called the cleanest village in Asia. But money does matter as the progress shown in the cities of Gujarat for instance demonstrate. By that measure the economically more progressive states should be cleaner. But Tamil Nadu one of the faster developing states, does lag behind in cleanliness despite rapid economic progress.
4. Illiteracy
Lack of education is definitely a barrier to better maintenance of public places. If people are uneducated, they fail to make the connection between uncleanliness, poor hygiene, sanitation and disease. Our education system has to inculcate a sense of public responsibility in our kids. The culture has to change. They should learn to take ownership of their country. Teachers have a huge responsibility here. We need motivated and passionate teachers. Kerala is one of the more literate states and is also one of the cleanest. So there certainly is an association. Again by this measure also Tamil Nadu should be cleaner than it is.
These are entrenched problems that need to be overcome to achieve our goal of clean public spaces in India. The country is progressing economically and literacy levels are rising. The poverty and illiteracy should eventually decrease. But for civic pride and good governance to take hold, economic progress alone may not be enough. We need a sea change in attitude.
1. Lack of Civic Sense and Pride
When the citizenry fails to adopt clean behaviours, it is difficult for any government to maintain clean spaces. Littering, spitting, urinating and defecating in public spaces are human behaviours that are difficult to police unless the vast majority of people change their attitudes towards these practices. Penalties and other deterrences work only when a few people err, not when a large segment society continues to defy the rules. For this the general public has to espouse a sense of ownership of these spaces and take pride in keeping them clean. Indians are a very proud people and take great pride in their country's achievements. The different states and regions also have their individual pride. It is somewhat perplexing that this pride does not apply to cleanliness of the public commons. One possibility is that society does not value cleanliness. However most Indian people value the cleanliness of their personal space and have no problem keeping their homes clean. The lack of pride is confined to the public space. We will explore the possible reasons for this in another article.
2. Lack of Governance
Poor governance at every level is endemic in India. Unclean public spaces are a sure sign of a poorly governed jurisdiction. Sixty five years after independence, we Indians appear unable to govern ourselves. Indian governance has been an empty promise - we have a lot of talent, we talk big but achieve little on the ground. How difficult is it to put the infrastructure in place to facilitate clean human behaviour? This is not rocket science. Many countries around the world have done it and are doing it. There is a profound absence of a culture of excellence in government service. The authorities and administrators should have the passion and drive to make their villages, towns and cities better. If you say this to the average Indian Babu, he would think you are mad. That attitude has to change. Elected office and government jobs are not for personal gain alone, but for the public good too. These folks at the present time, seem to lack patriotism, which is very sad. Corruption, the curse of our nation also wreaks havoc in this regard.
3. Poverty
Although India is no longer a poor country and its GDP is growing steadily, it has many poor people. The stark poverty is both urban and rural. When people are dirt poor it is difficult to preach cleanliness to them. It is simply not their priority. Theirs is a struggle for survival. Many people live in slums that are no better than huge garbage dumps and eke out a living as ragpickers. That said many societies around the world are poor but are not unclean. Although there are many reasons why poverty and squalor can go together, it is not always true that poverty-stricken places are necessarily unclean. Even in our own country there are villages that are poor but clean. For example Mawlynnong in Meghalaya a village in the economically depressed North East of India, is often called the cleanest village in Asia. But money does matter as the progress shown in the cities of Gujarat for instance demonstrate. By that measure the economically more progressive states should be cleaner. But Tamil Nadu one of the faster developing states, does lag behind in cleanliness despite rapid economic progress.
4. Illiteracy
Lack of education is definitely a barrier to better maintenance of public places. If people are uneducated, they fail to make the connection between uncleanliness, poor hygiene, sanitation and disease. Our education system has to inculcate a sense of public responsibility in our kids. The culture has to change. They should learn to take ownership of their country. Teachers have a huge responsibility here. We need motivated and passionate teachers. Kerala is one of the more literate states and is also one of the cleanest. So there certainly is an association. Again by this measure also Tamil Nadu should be cleaner than it is.
These are entrenched problems that need to be overcome to achieve our goal of clean public spaces in India. The country is progressing economically and literacy levels are rising. The poverty and illiteracy should eventually decrease. But for civic pride and good governance to take hold, economic progress alone may not be enough. We need a sea change in attitude.
Saturday, 1 December 2012
The Sources of Uncleanliness
In Tamil Nadu and India most public spaces are sadly in an unclean state. For an advanced and ancient civilization, it is indeed a perplexing problem. Sixty five years after independence, India still struggles to keep its public spaces clean. Any responsible society should pause and reflect why it is so and find solutions. To find solutions we have to clearly identify the problems. As part of this we have to define the sources of dirt.
1. Littering
Although people litter in any society, it can be safely said India truly leads in this behaviour. Littering is a personal behaviour that can only be eliminated if individuals take responsibility. It is difficult to police and penalize when it is so widespread. The majority has to modify their behaviour. Punitive measures can take care of the minority who would not change. An all out effort should be taken to modify the behaviour of the masses. Education, spreading awareness and fostering of civic pride are essential. Behaviour is difficult to modify in the adult. Efforts should be made to win over children and young adults. Local governments and other agencies or private entities that manage public spaces should provide the infrastructure such as bins and maintain and service them regularly.
2.Dumping
Dumping is the act of transporting ones waste to another site and depositing it in that space. Dumping of some sort takes place in most societies often surreptitiously and is an illegal activity. What is different in India is that it is done quite openly in plain daylight. What is worse is that it is often practiced by local government bodies. This has to stop. If a local government bodies does it, the levels of governments above them should intervene. The authorities at every level must be more responsible. It is an activity that is easily prevented by adequate legislation and enforcement. Stiff penalties should be imposed. Again proper infrastructure and systems to facilitate proper disposal are important.
3. Spitting
This is a uniquely Indian phenomenon. Spitting in public spaces is a curse of our country. Again aggressive behaviour modification campaigns are needed followed by penalties. In jurisdictions like Mumbai, penalties are in effect and efforts are made to enforce them but are largely unsuccessful due lack of behaviour modification of the masses.
4.Public Urination
Urinating in public is accepted behaviour for men in India. It is not so in most parts of the world. Many people who habitually urinate in public spaces would be surprised, if told that what they do is wrong. After all they have been doing it all their lives. This has to change. Mass education and change in community attitudes is needed. By the same token the authorities have to provide clean, convenient toilet facilities and maintain and service them regularly. After that, the ones who do not comply can be persecuted.
5. Open Defecation
It is an open secret that many people in the state and country continue to defecate in the open. Although a shameful fact to many, it is a real problem and has to be dealt with. Again mass education and behaviour modification is needed. Many programs initiated by various levels of government are available and should be utilized properly.
6. Discharge of sewage into common water bodies
This is criminal, but nevertheless exists. This is the rich man's open defecation. People who live in swanky apartment buildings blissfully ignore the fact that the excreta flushed down their toilets ends up in a local river or lake untreated. Their social consciousness is limited to just holding their noses tight when passing these polluted water bodies. Buildings and new housing should not be allowed to be built until the builders have shown proof how they are going to handle the sewage.
If the above problems are addressed, our public spaces will be second to none in the world. It is a challenging task, but can be done. It has to be done. We owe it to our country. We owe it to ourselves, our children and theirs.
1. Littering
Although people litter in any society, it can be safely said India truly leads in this behaviour. Littering is a personal behaviour that can only be eliminated if individuals take responsibility. It is difficult to police and penalize when it is so widespread. The majority has to modify their behaviour. Punitive measures can take care of the minority who would not change. An all out effort should be taken to modify the behaviour of the masses. Education, spreading awareness and fostering of civic pride are essential. Behaviour is difficult to modify in the adult. Efforts should be made to win over children and young adults. Local governments and other agencies or private entities that manage public spaces should provide the infrastructure such as bins and maintain and service them regularly.
2.Dumping
Dumping is the act of transporting ones waste to another site and depositing it in that space. Dumping of some sort takes place in most societies often surreptitiously and is an illegal activity. What is different in India is that it is done quite openly in plain daylight. What is worse is that it is often practiced by local government bodies. This has to stop. If a local government bodies does it, the levels of governments above them should intervene. The authorities at every level must be more responsible. It is an activity that is easily prevented by adequate legislation and enforcement. Stiff penalties should be imposed. Again proper infrastructure and systems to facilitate proper disposal are important.
3. Spitting
This is a uniquely Indian phenomenon. Spitting in public spaces is a curse of our country. Again aggressive behaviour modification campaigns are needed followed by penalties. In jurisdictions like Mumbai, penalties are in effect and efforts are made to enforce them but are largely unsuccessful due lack of behaviour modification of the masses.
4.Public Urination
Urinating in public is accepted behaviour for men in India. It is not so in most parts of the world. Many people who habitually urinate in public spaces would be surprised, if told that what they do is wrong. After all they have been doing it all their lives. This has to change. Mass education and change in community attitudes is needed. By the same token the authorities have to provide clean, convenient toilet facilities and maintain and service them regularly. After that, the ones who do not comply can be persecuted.
5. Open Defecation
It is an open secret that many people in the state and country continue to defecate in the open. Although a shameful fact to many, it is a real problem and has to be dealt with. Again mass education and behaviour modification is needed. Many programs initiated by various levels of government are available and should be utilized properly.
6. Discharge of sewage into common water bodies
This is criminal, but nevertheless exists. This is the rich man's open defecation. People who live in swanky apartment buildings blissfully ignore the fact that the excreta flushed down their toilets ends up in a local river or lake untreated. Their social consciousness is limited to just holding their noses tight when passing these polluted water bodies. Buildings and new housing should not be allowed to be built until the builders have shown proof how they are going to handle the sewage.
If the above problems are addressed, our public spaces will be second to none in the world. It is a challenging task, but can be done. It has to be done. We owe it to our country. We owe it to ourselves, our children and theirs.
Tuesday, 13 November 2012
Individual to the State - The Continuum of Responsibility
If we want to get our country clean, the responsibility should encompass all levels of society from the individual to the government.
1. The individual
We cannot achieve our goals without the cooperation of the individual citizen. Individuals have to be convinced of the importance of a clean environment and believe that it can be achieved. The first people to change often find it very difficult. It can be frustrating and disappointing to see that others do not adhere to behavioural changes that the individual had embraced. This can lead to disillusionment and reversal of the positive individual behavioural change. We often hear people say "what is the point in me putting garbage in the bin, when ten others around me throw garbage wherever they please". Moreover human beings want to conform and blend-in with the wider society. They do not want to be different and be the odd person out. They might want to avoid ridicule. So if the majority urinates against the public wall, the individual might find it difficult to be the one who uses the toilet. On the other hand individual thought and action has quite often changed the course of history. The founding of great religions, political movements and institutions can be traced back to a single individual or small group of people. So the individual, once convinced, has to persist and strive to be a catalyst for change.
2. The family
Next, change has to occur at the level of the smaller units of the community. The family being the next level after an individual, change is crucial at this level. Close family members are the ones over whom most people have the greatest influence. Influencing children about positive behaviour is what all families do. Keeping the environment clean should be one of those positive behaviours that parents have to cultivate in their children. Homes have to be at the forefront of this revolution. If home composting, recycling, source segregation of waste etc. are to take hold, all members of a household have to do their part.
3. Communities
The next level would be neighbourhoods, streets and apartment buildings. Resident organisations play a critical part here. They can change community attitudes and behaviour by the herd mentality that is so inimical to individual change. Here the herd mentality can used to advantage. If most people adhere to a certain change in behaviour others will follow. Moreover there is power in numbers. Resident groups can set up collective mechanisms, as we have seen in communal composting of waste in certain apartment buildings in cities like Bangalore.
4. Institutions
By institutions we mean places where people go to study, work and shop. Schools, colleges and universities are obvious targets. Schools have always been agents of change. It is easy to change young minds. Workplaces like offices and factories are also places where behavioural change can be easily enforced. Malls and markets have to implement clean practises. It is good for business and will ultimately enhance their revenues.
5. Corporations
We see many many corporations setting up manufacturing units employing hundreds of workers. These corporations should strive to empower their employees to indulge in behaviour that will keep the environment clean. They should also be good corporate citizens and help keep the external environments clean. Companies should adopt public spaces in the vicinity of their operations. The Pepsico-Exnora collaboration in Pammal is a case in point. Local governments can give tax breaks to corporations that step up to keep public spaces clean. As private sector entities, you can expect them to be more efficient than the public sector. Too often we note big corporations hiding in their clean compounds behind high walls and fences and letting the outside remain an eyesore. These multinationals cannot get away with such behaviour in many other countries.
7. Government
The various levels of government are indeed the ultimate arbiters of societal change. They have the power and wherewithal to bring about sweeping change through positive and negative reinforcement of mass behaviour. Through legislation, policing and awareness campaigns they have the greatest power to bring about change. They are responsible for the infrastructure and maintenance. We have seen successive governments in Kerala emphasize cleanliness as a goal and the results are easy to see. However governments alone cannot achieve the desired goals without the cooperation of the citizenry. Nationwide campaigns like the Nirmal Bharat Abhiyan are welcome but need public participation to be successful.
So if all these levels of society work together and cooperate, it will be just a matter of time before the country becomes clean and remains clean.
1. The individual
We cannot achieve our goals without the cooperation of the individual citizen. Individuals have to be convinced of the importance of a clean environment and believe that it can be achieved. The first people to change often find it very difficult. It can be frustrating and disappointing to see that others do not adhere to behavioural changes that the individual had embraced. This can lead to disillusionment and reversal of the positive individual behavioural change. We often hear people say "what is the point in me putting garbage in the bin, when ten others around me throw garbage wherever they please". Moreover human beings want to conform and blend-in with the wider society. They do not want to be different and be the odd person out. They might want to avoid ridicule. So if the majority urinates against the public wall, the individual might find it difficult to be the one who uses the toilet. On the other hand individual thought and action has quite often changed the course of history. The founding of great religions, political movements and institutions can be traced back to a single individual or small group of people. So the individual, once convinced, has to persist and strive to be a catalyst for change.
2. The family
Next, change has to occur at the level of the smaller units of the community. The family being the next level after an individual, change is crucial at this level. Close family members are the ones over whom most people have the greatest influence. Influencing children about positive behaviour is what all families do. Keeping the environment clean should be one of those positive behaviours that parents have to cultivate in their children. Homes have to be at the forefront of this revolution. If home composting, recycling, source segregation of waste etc. are to take hold, all members of a household have to do their part.
3. Communities
The next level would be neighbourhoods, streets and apartment buildings. Resident organisations play a critical part here. They can change community attitudes and behaviour by the herd mentality that is so inimical to individual change. Here the herd mentality can used to advantage. If most people adhere to a certain change in behaviour others will follow. Moreover there is power in numbers. Resident groups can set up collective mechanisms, as we have seen in communal composting of waste in certain apartment buildings in cities like Bangalore.
4. Institutions
By institutions we mean places where people go to study, work and shop. Schools, colleges and universities are obvious targets. Schools have always been agents of change. It is easy to change young minds. Workplaces like offices and factories are also places where behavioural change can be easily enforced. Malls and markets have to implement clean practises. It is good for business and will ultimately enhance their revenues.
5. Corporations
We see many many corporations setting up manufacturing units employing hundreds of workers. These corporations should strive to empower their employees to indulge in behaviour that will keep the environment clean. They should also be good corporate citizens and help keep the external environments clean. Companies should adopt public spaces in the vicinity of their operations. The Pepsico-Exnora collaboration in Pammal is a case in point. Local governments can give tax breaks to corporations that step up to keep public spaces clean. As private sector entities, you can expect them to be more efficient than the public sector. Too often we note big corporations hiding in their clean compounds behind high walls and fences and letting the outside remain an eyesore. These multinationals cannot get away with such behaviour in many other countries.
7. Government
The various levels of government are indeed the ultimate arbiters of societal change. They have the power and wherewithal to bring about sweeping change through positive and negative reinforcement of mass behaviour. Through legislation, policing and awareness campaigns they have the greatest power to bring about change. They are responsible for the infrastructure and maintenance. We have seen successive governments in Kerala emphasize cleanliness as a goal and the results are easy to see. However governments alone cannot achieve the desired goals without the cooperation of the citizenry. Nationwide campaigns like the Nirmal Bharat Abhiyan are welcome but need public participation to be successful.
So if all these levels of society work together and cooperate, it will be just a matter of time before the country becomes clean and remains clean.
Friday, 9 November 2012
The Costs of Unclean Public Spaces
An unclean environment costs us in many ways. From increased medical costs to lost productivity to loss of prestige and investment, we all lose when our land is unclean.
1. Health
Poor hygiene causes many diseases. From diarrhoeal illness to vector borne diseases and parasites, there are many diseases that can be easily prevented by keeping the environment clean.Illness leads to an unhealthy population and can have individual and collective losses. Severe infections can lead to premature death . Diseases cause severe economic loss to the community. Poor families lose income when wage earners cannot work due to illness. They spend valuable rupees on medical treatment. If they lose money this way they will have less to save and spend. When wage earners die they cause severe economic hardship to surviving dependents.This leads to an overall loss of capital to the community. Productivity is lost.The economy of the country suffers as a result. Economic progress is stilted.
2. Investment
External investors can be turned off by unclean environments. New industries, especially those related to food and pharmaceuticals, may be reticent to invest in areas deemed unhygienic. The community loses valuable infusion of capital.The creations of new jobs is affected. The economy of the country suffers.
3. Tourism
Our governments spend crores of rupees on campaigns like Incredible India and Enchanting Tamil Nadu. They do this with the intention of attracting foreign tourists. Tourism done well, can generate tremendous income to the country and the communities involved. If the country is unclean the crores spent on advertising campaigns is wasted, as tourists generally get turned off by unsanitary environments. This is partly due to fear of disease and revulsion of visible dirt and bad odours.
4. Prestige
India has a lot of soft power to project abroad. Our film industry; culture; classical dance forms; music; literature; spirituality;our prowess in information technology and knowledge based industries; the varied beauty of our land from the Himalayas to Kanyakumari; all contribute to a positive image abroad. This image is sullied by the unclean state of our streets. This costs us on the international stage. In world forums our image is important for our diplomats to advance our interests. If the world thinks that we are incapable of keeping our public spaces clean, it will not take us seriously in matters that are more serious.
So it is important to keep our streets and public spaces clean to advance the country's development and progress. It is not a cosmetic, frivolous pursuit. A clean country has tangible real benefit for all segments of society.
1. Health
Poor hygiene causes many diseases. From diarrhoeal illness to vector borne diseases and parasites, there are many diseases that can be easily prevented by keeping the environment clean.Illness leads to an unhealthy population and can have individual and collective losses. Severe infections can lead to premature death . Diseases cause severe economic loss to the community. Poor families lose income when wage earners cannot work due to illness. They spend valuable rupees on medical treatment. If they lose money this way they will have less to save and spend. When wage earners die they cause severe economic hardship to surviving dependents.This leads to an overall loss of capital to the community. Productivity is lost.The economy of the country suffers as a result. Economic progress is stilted.
2. Investment
External investors can be turned off by unclean environments. New industries, especially those related to food and pharmaceuticals, may be reticent to invest in areas deemed unhygienic. The community loses valuable infusion of capital.The creations of new jobs is affected. The economy of the country suffers.
3. Tourism
Our governments spend crores of rupees on campaigns like Incredible India and Enchanting Tamil Nadu. They do this with the intention of attracting foreign tourists. Tourism done well, can generate tremendous income to the country and the communities involved. If the country is unclean the crores spent on advertising campaigns is wasted, as tourists generally get turned off by unsanitary environments. This is partly due to fear of disease and revulsion of visible dirt and bad odours.
4. Prestige
India has a lot of soft power to project abroad. Our film industry; culture; classical dance forms; music; literature; spirituality;our prowess in information technology and knowledge based industries; the varied beauty of our land from the Himalayas to Kanyakumari; all contribute to a positive image abroad. This image is sullied by the unclean state of our streets. This costs us on the international stage. In world forums our image is important for our diplomats to advance our interests. If the world thinks that we are incapable of keeping our public spaces clean, it will not take us seriously in matters that are more serious.
So it is important to keep our streets and public spaces clean to advance the country's development and progress. It is not a cosmetic, frivolous pursuit. A clean country has tangible real benefit for all segments of society.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)