Chasing Utopian Dreams

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Inspired by a news report in Hindustan Times, Mumbai.

Recently Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) started “Clean Mumbai” campaign. As part of the campaign, anyone caught littering in public places was fined with Rs 200. If the person didn’t want to pay, one had to ‘clean up’ in person. A report is published in HT, and I am startled at the statistics. If you take care to notice, the numbers tell their own story. 

“In a single day, 130 people were caught ‘in the act’, out of which 56 people paid penalty of total Rs 11,500.”  

Cleanliness in public places 

Numerous articles have been written how NRIs start littering once they reach their own home land. Hanging out dirty linen is not a phrase, but literally true in India. I remember when one of my uncles who lives in Texas wrote in his travelogue, how awful he felt when a passenger spitted on the railway platform in Bihar. We all accept that we Indians may one day create world class companies but developing the world class habits and attitude towards cleanliness and hygiene in public spaces remains more tough a task. But are public alone to be blamed?  

Hobson's choice 

“Where will we spit in absence of spit-tons?” a Mumbaiker asks. At present, Mumbai has 8000 dustbins against a requirement of 36000 bins. For the population of 25 million (2.5 crore), if the extended Mumbai has 8 thousand dustbins, it means there is one dust bin for 3125 persons. Public still have a Hobson’s choice – to use dustbins where there are not any. 

So hard pressed to pay a penalty? 

Two hundred bucks may be a paltry sum for many. But 74 out of 130 people (57% of junta) chose to clean up the area, instead of paying the fine. Look at the photograph here. The gentleman chose to clean his spit on the road with his own handkerchief. We can imagine that he would have moved on, keeping his dirty handkerchief again in his pocket; either because he couldn’t afford to lose it, or because in absence of a litter bin, there was a clear danger of being fined again.  

How was the man feeling when he did that? There are only two possibilities: either he couldn’t afford to pay the fine, or he chose not to. Both these possibilities are question mark on us, as a society. The person looks literate, and with his shoes, bag and watch, he seems to be in some regular employment. It doesn’t seem true, though I wish it would, that he couldn’t afford to pay the fine.  

A failed generation?  

The fact that a young man is ready to face humiliation in presence of public and cameras is a question mark on our collective pride. Long ago, Swami Vivekanand raised the spirits of Indians when he said “You are the sons of kings”. All freedom fighters tried to instill the national pride in Indians. And we always say, we are proud to be Indians. But after seeing this picture, I am not sure I am so confident about that.  

Of late, India is becoming the land of false pride. The criminal politicians, corrupt bureaucrats, profit minded businessmen, corrupt policemen, differential treatment based on caste and religion; it has been a great fall. We are happy that the railways are making profits, and also happy that railways have not changed – they still accept bribe and call it ‘tip’. We read about the news where a Maharaja complained that he was not treated well in his own Meherangarh Fort in Ajmer, which he rented out for Arun-Liz wedding. The disturbing number of girl fetus killings in prosperous part of Punjab, the killings of young inter-caste couples among educated families, the tantrums of Harvard returned politicians, all prove it beyond slightest doubt that the great Indian pride is a foregone thing, well mummified in the History books.  

It can happen only in India 

There is still a chance. Today is not too late. The message that comes out is that people, who have been enjoying the public property to litter carelessly, will not be able to do so for long. And to expect that the world is ‘fair enough’ to install the dustbins first and then enforce the law of hygiene remains a utopian dream. It is high time Samaritans change themselves, instead of complaining and expecting the municipal corporation or government to change. And a piece of advice – if you are caught up – please pay the fine and don’t see bravery in getting photographed while doing as stupid a thing as the person in the picture is doing.  

[Kumar Rahul, Saturday, March 24, 2007, 3.05 PM]