The first captivating feature of India when one travels from another country, say a developed country, is the traffic jams. When their eye sight gets used to the Indian traffic system, comes the next punching feature – the dirt and garbage along the Indian roads! Be it a foreigner or a NRI raised in India! Whereas as Indian residents, we have been living with the garbage around for years and most of us will not mind living this way for years henceforth. Not that we are happy about the dirty surroundings but just that we assume nothing can be done to this state of the country.
Let’s see where most of the garbage come from. That would show us the way out to get so much junk out of our nation.
- Most of the huge pile of garbage that can be seen over flowing out of the street trash bins are domestic wastes discarded by individual homes.
- Wastes seen at places other than trash bins are due to littering by people like you and me.
- Compound walls, walls of subways, over bridges, public buildings – it takes only a few days from the day of their construction to get soiled with the red stains and love messages. Who does it? The great spitters and romantic youths of the nation.
- Sewage wastes in some places leak from closed drainage system. Need not be mentioned, open drainage systems, when they get stagnated, accumulate a lot of filth to the environment.
These are just a few. Industrial wastes would form another chapter in India’s garbage book.
Besides complaining, whining and constantly comparing India to other nations, there is so much that can be done by everyone reading this post. A little self-effort will clean up India over the next few years, if not overnight. Check out!
- Domestic wastes: Of course we cannot store trash at our homes forever. But a little consideration at what we are throwing away and where they are being thrown shall prevent half the garbage piling at street corners. Here’s a tip: Why not re-cycle what you can?! Organic wastes such as vegetable peel-offs can be dumped in old buckets and cans to make manure for your own garden plants. Excess food remains can be offered to people in need. Also, you can make a practice to feed street dogs with the food that is unnecessarily thrown in dust bins. Make sure you discard your home wastes at places allocated for your area. Do not carelessly throw away in unused lands or nearby water bodies.
- Littering: When you travel, remember to carry a handy bag to collect things that you might use on the way such as chocolate wrappers, used cans and bottles, travel tickets, shopping bills etc. so that you can avoid throwing them at road sides. Carry it home if the waste is hygienic or find the nearest trash bin.
More to come in another post.
Meanwhile, check the AbMontuBolega campaign initiated by Stepsils. If there is anything you always wanted to shout, yell or at least cry about the cleanliness of the country, here’s where you do it. To participate in this campaign, check their website, Facebook page or Tweets. Spread this campaign using #AbMontuBolega.
Photo Courtesy: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.inDpendent.myindiacleanindia
This post is sponsored by Strepsils India through Indi Happy Hours hosted by Indiblogger.