If you're wondering about the title.. here's the inspiring thought behind it - why are we all (or most of us) proud of the cities we live in inspite of it and not because of it?
Let me explain...
I am currently in Mumbai, and though I reached at 2 in the nite day before yesterday, I have only just managed to step out of my hotel and really see Mumbai as it is now (am coming to the city after almost 2 yrs)... ok, so everyone knows about the incessant rain and the problems its been causing... but in the aftermath of the rain comes out the reality behind the city dwellers and the municipal corporation..
I am staying in Juhu, and I just went for a walk (the sun is out, yippee, one would think!) to the Juhu beach and was expecting to take a nice stroll down the beach, but what I found was a huge pile up of rubbish on every inch of the beach to as far as I could see! I know its due to the water washed out into the sea after the 3 days of rains.. but the amount of garbage which has piled up really stunned me.. what are we all doing to this earth?! to our homes and home towns?? why dont we ever stop to think twice before throwing wrappers, packets, food items (ok so they are bio-degradable, but they still stink before and after) and general rubbish on the streets?? why dont we consider this situation of blocked drains and flooding before we chuck the chocolate wrapper on the road, expecting someone to clean up after us?? ok, it's MCD's job to keep the city clean, but why cant we help them??
My question is why are we so apathetic about the cities we live in when these are the places we love and are proud about?! Ask anyone from Mumbai (who has managed to stay here for more than 6 months).. they would all say they love the place, the pace of the city (notwithstanding the 2hr long traffic jams when the pace is that of a snail's! ok, just kidding guys, dont pounce on me!).. they love the feel of the city, the freedom to do without bothering about someone watching, the vada paus and the night strolls on the beaches etc etc.. i dont know, people living in Mumbai would be able to describe this better.. but we all love our respective cities despite the unsanitary conditions, the dirt and filth and the electricity and water conditions.. ok, we cant do much about the electricity and water conditions except switch off the lights that we are not using and not take 1 hr long showers when we can clean up in just 5 mins.. but we can do a lot about the dirt and filth.. where do u think its coming from?? MCD is not creating it! We are! And we learn to live with these conditions, loving the city, accetping things the way it is.. in my opinion, its gross insensitivity and not the much-touted tolerant behaviour of us Indians.. we are insensitive to our surroundings, growing more and more immune as we live more and more self-centred lives, busy in our jobs, family, freinds etc etc.. we dont stop and thnk, am i contributing to this city in any way?? And this stands true for each one of us living in India, for every city big and small and for every person, educated or un-educated..
I know that some of you may think that this post is a lecture.. I know - I've been called 'Garbage woman' and made fun of when I have asked my friends to stop throwing wrappers etc on the streets and kept them with me till I find a garbage can (which is rare and far between)... this is a legacy from my school days when I learnt that we should do our little bit for the environment.. most of us think 'environment' is a jungle out there somewhere in Africa and is not our concern.. but envirnoment is where u live, the street where ur home is, the road which you take to get to office etc etc..
Why cant we wake up and say, ok, I wont use plastic bags when I dont need so many, I will throw the garbage in a can, even if it means holding it for 2 extra mins... why cant we say to ourselves -I'm going to try and make my home and city a better place instead of resigning ourselves and letting things go on as they are, making it worse sometimes and then blaming the Government for it all..
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8 comments:
great concerns and yes, you pointed it out rightly - its obviously our DUTY to keep the cities clean... apity that this does not happen in reality..
you spoke of mumbai's life - i have been there only for 3 months in total - in breaks though - and i have loved the city - the pace is absolutely stunning - the smell in the air - the crowd - absolutely everything and when it raons , it just rains n that is abs what i love of the city but then, aajkal i know how worse it would be :|
~enjoy whilst you are there~
Mumbai is great, I loved and hated it for as long as I lived there! I loved it for the way the city thinks and hated it for its dirt and filth! What you say is correct it's so easy to crib and so difficult to make s difference. But in a city like bombay where ther is one toilet to some 70-80 people its difficult to ask people to make a start. In a city bursting at it's seems I think the government really needs to wake up! The financial capital of the world does not have enough toilets!
Krish!
Welcome to bbay :-) give it time, u'l love it too!
but yes, the beach is always filthy. i dont think that was a special circumstance.
btw, who is MCD? i think u meant BMC, right?
but i love the way u talk abt the environment. if only more ppl would realise that, it'd be a much cleaner place.. this planet of ours..
its all one step at a time.... but more ppl need to take the initiative. one thing that irks me, however, is that if u put the same ppl in another country, they'l make sure not to litter... but in india, sab kucch chalta hai
Ya , so true ..but the 'environment' that we assume is in Africa is shrinking too ..
and I think people are indifferent because they don't of think public places as belonging to them. Like when travelling people would rather throw garbage OUT into the waiting greenery, street whatever than dirty their plush cars.
you can join : http://groups.yahoo.com/group/natureclubindia/
You will find those who thinks like you.
Cheers, Rohit
Hi everyone.. nice to see so many people agreeing with the post's concern and I do agree with all of you.. I have just come back from Mumbai this afternoon - to rain in Delhi, so its actually pretty nice.. and clean!! :-)
@prasoon
yup, have heard a lot of people say the like Mumbai for the same things u mentioned and I am sure the city is worth the praise it gets, but Indians have to realise that things are only going to get worse if we dont act!
@Krish
I know the infrastructure sucks and thats where the Govt needs to step in, but common citizens should also have more civic sense, and not just within the boundaries of their own houses..
@zoxcleb
Oops, that was a MCD/BMC mix up.. I totally agree that same people would not litter abroad (some of my indian colleagues in Paris have even admitted as much) but dont care about this in India.. for them the attitude back home is 'sagar mein ek aur boond se koi farak nahin padega'!
@y?
I fully agree that we only think of 'ours' as confined within the walls of our homes.. people sweep their house in the morning and throw the dirt out on the street.. work is satisfactory so long as their own house (or anything else) is clean.. hmmm.. wish we could change this attitude somehow..
@rohit malik
thanks for the link, but i think it would be more heartening if all of us thought the same way and joined the group too! what do u say! :-)
Yes! But we can only decide about ourselves. ; - )
And yes, i was talking with the richa of the above group i mentioned that people live in their small little world...my home, my needs, my desire, my family........So, many people need to expand this 'my' & include my city, my country, my planet....that will be great!
Only such open minded people can do something.
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