Citizen like us...

Travelling is something which would turn me on all the time and of course, a few exceptional things have ruined my mood also.  Here is an incident...

It was about 7.00 in the morning; I boarded my bus early that day keeping our city's traffic during peak hours so and could be on time for my meeting. It was a pleasant morning the bus which I took was not very crowded and happy with comfortable seating. I started my usual routine to observe the shops, people and what not! The bus stopped at a bus stand and commuters were busy getting in the bus. The seat beside me now was occupied by a lady of mid-forties. She was munching something and fished out into her bag for money to get her tickets. And finally, she got her tickets managing her munchies on one hand. I smirked and turned to the window.

Indulged in my own thoughts, suddenly the woman beside me called to take my hands off the windows and the next moment I got totally freaked out by what she did. She just threw her waste outside the road. Ridiculous! She was grinning and her eyes were beaming as if she had accomplished something big. It's her next turn, now this is a banana peel. She was so courteous and asked me to throw it away outside on the road (I still don't know why she asked me to do it). I flatly told her NO; and asked to keep it till she got down. Her face changed and here goes the weasel, she threw it outside all by herself just to make me angry. WOW. Of course, I was red and I wanted to slap her. All I did was stare and keep my mouth shut to control my outburst and not to spoil my mood the whole day.

This incident is always pricking me. I was outrageous and ashamed of me and also my fellow humans. I am coming across a similar situation almost every day. I have gone to this extreme once I asked this girl not to throw her empty cool drink bottle on the road, she was adamant saying it was her right and she could not keep it in her bag and so on. I tried a lot to convince her but she persisted. Finally, I took the bottle from her and I dropped it in my bag. The comical part is that she did not want me to have it in my bag also. All she wanted to throw away somewhere right down on the road. Finally, I managed a grim face and said no to her. I did not care about what she felt. I was partly happy about what I did. She is a young girl who should be in her school. But she is not ready to do a small thing which is of course her responsibility.

And THIS thing, not just restricted with eateries, even a small piece of chocolate covers, old tickets, chips packets, papers etc. We throw it anywhere, everywhere. Most annoying part is, I have observed few of our fellow citizens, pretend like you have thrown your stuff involuntarily on the roads, autos, buses any empty place under the sun but certainly not on the dustbins!! Whoa!

This is something which worries me all the time. I could observe this habit irrespective of age and education. I do not understand it at all!!  We do not just bother who is on the road and what is happening around us. All we want is, to dispose your waste then and there. And there are few good citizens here, who are not willing to use a dustbin, but ready to give us big lecture about what a government should do and all that.

To put it this way, this scene is something which every one of us go through every day. How many of us really care about it? We are ready to protest against many crimes and other sensitive issues. But why we just fail to do our own responsibility?  Yes, Government has to take actions and emanate few steps to curtail such behaviours to keep our city clean. But at the same time, it is our moral duty too.

Well, You'd ask me what a passengers could do all about it? A simple step could make a big difference. It costs nothing!

• Do not throw away your waste outside in public places.
• Please try to use the dustbins
• If you cannot spot any, try to carry it on your bag or separate cover and you can throw it away once you come to the dustbin.
• Please do not eat or drink inside the bus or train unless you have a necessity
• If you’re travelling long distances, try to have a trash bag, where u can collect all waste and keep it separately and when you get down, you can of course find a dustbin and trash it.

ALL YOU NEED IS BIT PATIENCE AND RESPONSIBILITY WITHIN.   

With this, I'd like to request all who are reading my post or anyone hearing by word of mouth. I request only one thing, please SPREAD THIS MESSAGE TO ALL. HELP YOURSELF TO KEEP OUR CITY CLEAN

P.S. My friend Deepak, suggested an idea - that a dustbin can be installed inside a bus or train. It is a very good idea indeed, but we should also keep in mind, that you still have "unused public dustbins" and few good citizens who are only willing to resort to our old method of "throwing out anywhere". Good to impart such facilities, but it is also in the hands of the public to change their attitude.

My Independence Day pledge this time, I will stick to all I have mentioned (as I am doing already) I'll spread the message and continue to do my service of collecting such items from noble citizens too! ;)

Jai Hind!!