We as a society are indifferent to littering. The abject casualness with which we throw our rubbish around coupled with nasty habits such as spitting etc is embarassing. Calls for cultivating basic sanitation etiquette falls on deaf ears each time. It is high time that there must be action against such individuals to send the message that littering with impunity will not be accepted.
The Gauhati High Court (Itanagar Bench) has directed the Itanagar Municipal Corporation to impose fines against those who throw garbage on roads and create or aggravate solid waste pollution in the city under Solid Waste Management Rules, 2016. This is indeed a welcome decision which to a large extent might act as a deterrent in our fight against garbage menace.
Itanagar which is struggling to reach its Smart City image must bring in stringent measures to control wily individuals. From bus terminal to railway station to public spaces, citizens must be held responsible for unbecoming behaviour. Strewing trash, spitting, sticking unauthorised bills, defacing property, open defecation etc must be penalized. Fast food corners are one of the biggest source of single use plastics (SUPs) in the state and it is imperative to hold them accountable. Penalty must be imposed on vendors who do not take necessary steps such as separate dustbins for dry waste and wet waste as well as the use of permissible plastic bags.
Garbage management will need collaborative effort from all corners. While imposing penalty will restrain people from littering with impunity, the Itanagar Municipal Corporation must also step up on all fronts by providing sufficient garbage bins, daily garbage clearance etc.