We are not ‘like that only’

It was like a breath of fresh air when Narendra Modi spoke about ‘Safai’ (cleanliness) in his first speech in Varanasi, after his party’s win in the general election. He spoke to residents of ‘Kashi’ and asked them to cooperate in the cleaning up of the holy city. Modi mentioned the fact that we Indians always talk about how clean a country like Singapore is. It is heartening to hear a major leader talk about such a basic issue as cleanliness, that we in India overlook and sweep under the carpet.Modi has clearly nailed it when at this early stage of his premiership, he has identified such a ground level reality and decided to give it the attention that it desperately needs in our country. After all, basic cleanliness and hygiene are going to lead to better health and higher standards of living for us and future generations.
Since Modi mentioned Singapore, the city I live in, I have begun to look around me to see what is it that the citizens of Singapore are doing that we in India cannot do. Yes, Singapore has strict laws. Signboards warn of hefty fines for littering. Food and drink is not allowed in the train stations, in trains, buses and taxis. Chewing gum is banned. There are CCTV cameras in several nooks and crannies. The stern signs and electronic monitoring are strong deterrents to potential litterbugs. Agreed, it is inconceivable for India to have such fines and such a level of scrutiny. But surely it is not just fear that puts off people from dirtying public places. Is it a heightened civic sense and sense of national pride?
In Singapore, the cleaning ‘aunty’ who cleans our condominium daily is respected for what she does. She wishes us ‘good afternoon’ and we acknowledge and respond similarly. Clad in protective clothing, using her well-equipped cleaning trolley, she cleans the entire building with dignity and pride. Our maid respectfully reminds me of the stuff I should be recycling. Should I fail to do so, I am sure she will tell me off! Condominium managements issue fines for throwing litter out of windows. The threat of this is off-putting in itself. Also, dog owners are responsible for picking up their pets’ waste off the roadside. In India, do we encounter such a scenario?
Living in Singapore, or for that matter any other country which is known for being clean, makes us NRIs adhere to the laws and norms there. Whether it is recycling, segregating rubbish or throwing litter in bins. Not just because there are strict laws but also because we do not want to be seen as spoiling a clean place. But what happens when we NRIs go to India for a holiday? Starting from the airport, we throw all our civic sense in the bin and join in dirtying the place, our own motherland. All the careful measures we take in our adoptive country are traded for callousness and apathy. Old habits die hard, perhaps. Yes, in Singapore, there are bins everywhere you look and that certainly helps. Yes, they are very rich and can afford to have fancy CCTVs in place. But surely, one does not have to be rich to be clean. Isn’t the biggest CCTV your conscience?
This is not the first time an attempt is being made to highlight cleanliness in India. About 30 years ago, Doordarshan used to show humourous short films, which were meant to inspire us to adopt clean habits. One showed a woman cleaning her own house to make it spotless and shiny while dumping all her garbage on the street outside until a passing pedestrian is swamped by all the garbage. Another film showed a family on a picnic who eat, drink and leave all the remnants of their merriment, behind in the park. It takes a child to notice it and ask them: “Have you left anything behind?” So many years later, we still need those films to remind us of what we are doing. Aamir Khan’s public interest film conveys the same message. These films were meant to educate us. To not just keep the interior of our homes impeccably clean as most of us do, even those living in cramped one-room dwellings do this. But to keep the exterior clean too. To keep public places as clean as our private homes. To be responsible and proud of our roads, bus stops, trains stations, parks, all the common areas we use, because they belong to all of us.
Just looking at the sheer magnitude of the clean-up task is daunting. But I believe it is very much possible. About 18 years ago, the mayor of Pune at the time, Vandana Chavan, started a cleanliness drive. Sadly, it lasted only for a month or two. But in this short time, Pune was cleaned, spruced and shopkeepers were made responsible for the fronts of their shops and the pavement around it. Paanwallahs were instructed to keep receptacles for their clients to spit in. People were made aware of avoiding littering. The streets of Pune were unrecognizable. It looked as if there was something missing in the landscape, almost like blankness in the canvas. Until one realized that it was the rubbish and litter that were missing. We had become so accustomed to the filth that we accepted it as part of life. Unfortunately, the enthusiasm fizzled out and soon, it was back to the business of dirtying.
Hopefully, Modi can inspire and lead our nation into a cleanliness drive that is long term and continuous. As he said, it is Mahatma Gandhi’s 150th anniversary in 5 years and what better gift from the nation to the Father of Nation, who was a firm advocate of cleanliness. However, keeping public places clean is not just the job of the government, the cleaners or some invisible person. It all starts with each individual in India and those who visit India, including us NRIs.
How hard is it to stop yourself from throwing that chocolate wrapper, that ATM receipt, that banana skin, that train ticket wherever you feel like, but, instead hold on to it until you see the next rubbish bin? We cannot afford to be reluctant and resistant to getting rid of the squalor in our lives, as it will one day catch up with us causing disease.
Let us not wait for another Danny Boyle to capitalize on our country’s weakness. We are not ‘like that only’!