Clean India
Piles of rubbish and trash are a common sight on the roads in India. Heritage places that attract millions of pilgrims and tourists are open garbage dumps. The stench is not only highly revolting but also a big public health hazard. Littering is common, accepted, not unexpected and unpunished. Sewage is largely untreated, millions with no access to a proper toilet use the open spaces and there is very limited public awareness about the dangers of all this. Decades of unchecked use of plastic bags has meant that billions of bags litter the country and are often embedded in soil. Stray animals eat untreated trash, poor children scavenge through it and communities are settled around them. There is no garbage processing to speak of. The neglect of this basic necessity of life by individuals, community leaders and government is simply appalling. Cleaning India is a mammoth task and needs widespread public participation which may have to be enforced by education, mass information and severe penalties. Garbage collection and treatment is the first infrastructure need in India. Cleaning up urban areas, access roads and villages is a mammoth task that needs to be undertaken without delay. Cleaning up is not a state responsibility alone and every individual needs to clean up around himself. Children need civic lessons more than English language lessons.
Cleaning India and gaining clean habits is the first responsibility of every Indian. India needs to clean up and stay clean.
LokMantra intends to present comprehensive sustainable solutions and models that can make and keep India clean with the participation of ordinary citizens, municipal, state and national governments. Participation of private and non-profit sector is essential as is task of educating people on the necessity of cleaning.
