Civic sense, responsibility can give city a clean look

To improve cleanliness a sufficient number of dust bins have to be installed, besides major and secondary dump points be earmarked at different places in the city. People throw their garbage in plastic bags on roads or on vacant plots as there is no such provision in Raj Guru Nagar, on Ferozepur Road and Ludhiana 141012. It is often scattered by stray dogs in streets. Ludhiana has slipped to 140th rank in Swachh Sarvekshan 2017 due to such lackadaisical attitude of the authorities concerned.

Daler Singh Saini, a resident

Shoulder responsibility to keep city clean

It seems city residents have totally failed to understand the fact that negligence of cleanliness not only determines our fate, but also keeps us away from next to Godliness. The industrial city has slipped to the 140th rank in Swachh Sarvekshan 2017 report based on the survey of the 434 out of the 500 cities. The report is complied on the basis of municipal documentation, independent observations as well as citizen feedback and Swachhhta App among others. We believe that to keep the city neat and clean is the sole responsibility of the government. Moreover, the problem has aggravated in the city with migration of the people from the nearby areas, urbanisation and lack of punitive action by government agencies against erring citizens, who don’t keep their surroundings clean. Heaps of garbage dot the city. Economic development and cleanliness go hand in hand. Due to lack of awareness, people spit, urinate and throw garbage anywhere in the city. Be it parks, pavements, hotels, hospitals, work places, railway station, bus stand or temples, no one thinks twice before urinating or spitting. One of the main culprits is city’s typical not in my back yard (NIMBY) mindset. The people usually are in a habit to keep their homes clean and throwing waste outside. We all should take it as our responsibility to keep our surroundings clean.

Ravi Chander Garg, a resident

We are messy by nature, lethargic by habit

I am not at all surprised about results. The 140 rank could be 150 next year if we don’t pull up our socks. We need dedicated leaders not rulers to improve our cleanliness in the city. Cleanliness is responsibility of everyone, but the civic body is responsible for delivering on many fronts. Our counsellors are supposed to lead by example. They should personally check things on the ground, but most are ‘Badde Admi’. They hold durbars and listen to problems, but do not solve any. Our government servants are masters. They draw salary and are not accountable to anyone. Just look around. Each vacant plot or even road sides have piles of trash. If I may ask where is the Swachh Bharat Abhiyan tax going?

Major (retd) Gurdeep Samra

Maintain cleanliness, others will follow suit

Cleanliness is a personal issue, but ends up in public. Before we expect our city to be neat, clean and health worthy, we should assess our role in it. If we as a person take care of the cleanliness the public, too, will take care of it. How awakened and responsible we are while disposing of used water bottles, wrappers and poly bags etc.? If these are discarded in dust bins meant for the purpose, then major part of keeping the city clean is complete. Municipal safaikaramcharis just take away the lighter stuff and never try to remove dirt, which pollutes the air. Advertising on walls must be prohibited as it defaces the whole city. Public toilets should be at reasonable distance so that people can answer nature’s call instead of easing themselves in the open. In slum areas or unauthorised colonies on the city’s outskirts the migrant labour does not desist from defecating in the open. Such practice should be banned. Use of gutka, paan and chewing tobacco should not be allowed in public places. People spit it wherever they find place. More and more trees should be planted. Dust bins must be provided at reasonable points and littering should be made a punitive offence. Throwing garbage at unauthorised places should be banned. Certain venues must be designated for the purpose from where garbage can be lifted at frequent intervals instead of keeping it dumped for days altogether. Roads can be washed at night every week if not daily. The Municipal Corporation should recall vehicles fitted with water sprinklers, which used to wash roads a few decades ago.

SK Mittal, Khanna

Keep rly station, bus stand clean

The areas most prone to dirtiness are bus stand and railway station. These places are visited by every person, including local and international travellers, besides the rich and poor. The disgusting view of the two public places portrays the city in a bad light. Further, foul smell and dumps of garbage give the two places an ugly look. The people are frequently seen urinating in the open. Mothers make their children pee near rail tracks and near bus stand walls. The smell is awful. The authorities concerned must maintain cleanliness at public places in the city. Dust bins have been installed but hardly anyone uses them. Fine should be imposed on those, who keep their areas unclean. Residents must do their bit to keep the city clean. Together we can bring a change.

Gursimar Kaur Middha, a resident

Segregate garbage at house level

It is a pity that Ludhiana stands at the 140th place in the list of clean cities. One should feel the pinch. Both the corporation and residents should strive to improve the score if not top in the future ratings. The Municipal Corporation should prepare effective guidelines and residents should obey. Whosoever falters must be punished. One such initiative has been taken by the Health Department, whose officials have challaned a few people for burning garbage. Dr Vipal Malhotra has given his personal mobile No. 9780011515 to report any incidence of garbage burning in the city. Surely, residents should act as watchmen. It will be better if some App or a small number like 1912 is issued for the purpose. Long numbers are not easy to recall when need arises. The people should be made aware of such guidelines by giving warnings in local papers and taking any punitive action. Residents throw garden waste on roads or on vacant plots. The corporation sweepers say it is not their duty to lift such waste. At times residents pay extra for getting such waste disposed of. Even then it is collected and burnt at some isolated place. Guidelines to dispose of house-hold garden waste should be clear. Some residents do not pay for lifting of garbage from their door steps. Instead they throw waste in plastic bags here and there. Many people throw grains as advised by astrologers on banks or bridges of channels. All such violations should be checked. The house-hold garbage should be segregated at the generation point. It can be easily separated into green compostable matter (vegetable, fruit waste etc), besides plastic and other recyclable matter (paper, glass, plastic bottles, packing etc). The saleable material in second type of waste can be scavenged and the rest be disposed of in the corporation dump. Two separate dumps should be provided by the civic body for the garbage. The green matter can be turned into compost by windrow method in two months and sold to farmers and city residents at a nominal cost. The corporation sweepers should also segregate the garbage collected from roads and dump it accordingly. Making of compost will decrease the requirement of dumping space as a major portion will be recycled back.

Dr Bikkar Singh Sidhu, a resident

Educate public, students on cleanliness

The matter that our smart city has slipped to the 140th rank in the Swachh Sarvekshan 2017 concerns all citizens, local Municipal Corporation and other departments. All-out efforts must be made to improve upon this situation. The public in general must be educated to keep the city clean and tidy. This knowledge need also be passed on to students in schools and colleges through series of lectures and audio-visual shows. They will be excellent ambassadors for the programme. There is also an issue of collection of garbage from the residential areas. All households in different localities can be provided three different coloured garbage bins: one for bio-degradable garbage, second for recycle waste and the third for rest of the garbage. Segregation of garbage should be done at the household itself. The bio-degradable waste can be converted into manure and used in kitchen gardening or for agriculture purpose. Punjab Agricultural University can be approached for methodology to prepare manure from garbage. The corporation can also learn from the experience of its counterpart in Mumbai for the scientific disposal of garbage. Ban on burning of bio-degradable refuse, including dried leaves, along with imposition of fine on the defaulter is a welcome step. It must be followed strictly. Burning of plastic bags in the open spreads cancer among the population.

Dr G Dev, a resident

Let’s be aware and give our best

The Swacch Sarvekshan 2017 has ranked Ludhiana at the 140th spot in terms of cleanliness, which shows we have long way to go before we come on the top. Even Chandigarh, the city beautiful, could not make it to the top 10 in the survey. We really need to work untiredly to improve the state of cleanliness in our city. Every city, roads, transport and stations belongs to us. Actually, this country belongs to us and it is our home. Then, why are we making it so dirty? If you are blaming the government then you are completely wrong. It is not only government’s fault, but ours too. Some necessary steps are to be taken by the government. Dustbins should be kept at all public places, including bus stations, railway stations, gardens and theatres. Bins should be installed at a proper distance on roads. Rules should be made and action should be taken if someone violates these. Daily cleaning of public places is necessary. Proper public toilets are to be constructed and maintained regularly. Some more initiatives can be taken by us. While traveling, don’t throw any wrapper, paper or dry waste on road. Keep paper bags with yourself to store wet waste and dispose these in dustbin only. Avoid spitting on roads as it can spread viral disease. Avoid chewing pan-masala, gutka and tobacco. Don’t use plastic bags. Follow government rules and regulations. If someone is breaking the rule then make him/her aware of it. Spread awareness to keep the city clean. Most of us are in love with foreign countries just because of their cleanliness. I am sure that by just following these simple steps one can make a big difference. Civic sense has to be inculcated in the people after all they are a role model for their children. Dirtiness is the biggest hazard. It can also lead to an ebola epidemic.

Mandeep Kaur, a resident