Sanitation in India leaves much to be desired. Open sewers and clogged drains are a way of life in cities. This helps mosquitoes to breed, leading to diseases like dengue and chikungunya.
People have no civic sense. They spit on roads. In many buildings, the walls are seen to be spattered with betel leaf stains. Urinating and defecating in public are common. Trash overflows onto the streets as people just leave their garbage on the roads. Stray dogs poop everywhere. This is the typical scenario in most Indian cities.
It is a shame that educated people too indulge in such behavior. Littering seems to be a national pastime. The need for cleanliness has to be inculcated at a young age. Parents should teach children to preserve their surroundings cleanly. Schools should conduct classes in civic sense. Fines should be strictly enforced.
Image Source : water.thinkaboutit.eu
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More public toilets should be built. The collection of garbage should be given to private agencies as in the West. Garbage bins should be kept at strategic points all over the city. The movement of animals like dogs and cattle on main roads should be restricted.
Local communities and NGOs should be actively involved in creating awareness for better sanitation. It was the poor sanitary conditions that led to the outbreak of the Great Plague in Europe, during the middle Ages.
In India, it is the lack of political will that stands in the way of cleaner roads and cities. We should learn from nations like Singapore and Japan how to keep our country spanking clean.
