Dirtiest Cities In India: Dubious Distinction For Bengal
Linus tackles things head-on. He takes sides in his analysis and it fits excellently with our editorial policy. No 'maybe's' and 'allegedly' for him, only things in black and white.
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By Linus Garg
First publised on 2024-01-19 06:59:09
About the Author
Linus tackles things head-on. He takes sides in his analysis and it fits excellently with our editorial policy. No 'maybe's' and 'allegedly' for him, only things in black and white.
View all posts by this Author
Is it a coincidence that the 10 dirtiest cities in India, as disclosed in Swachh Sarvekshan 2023, with Howrah getting the dubious distinction of being the dirtiest in the country, are in West Bengal or does it point to something bigger? The other 9 cities are Kalyani, Madhyagram, Krishnanagar, Asansol, Rishra, Bidhannagar, Kanchrapara, Kolkata, and Bhatpara. The scores of all cities, except Kolkata and Bhatpara, are below 1000 which is a disgrace. With Kolkata becoming much cleaner in recent years and New Town (a smart city) setting an example in cleanliness, it is strange that other cities, including parts of Kolkata, have not moved up in the cleanliness index.
People in Bengal are generally clean. This is evident from the fact that homes in Bengal are always spic and span. But the same cannot be said for the civic sense of a large percentage of the population. Many people in the state are prone to throw garbage at unauthorized places, spit and urinate (lack of easily accessible and clean public toilets is the main reason) in public places and otherwise display a complete lack of community responsibility when it comes to cleanliness. Also, with footpaths completely occupied by hawkers, the amount of refuse they generate daily is a big problem. The hawkers show complete disdain in matters of keeping the surroundings clean. For instance, while all roadside eateries keep drums for throwing waste nearby, few of them protest if customers throw disposable cups and plates on the road.
Conservancy workers have a hard time collecting the mountain of refuse generated daily on the streets in cities and towns of Bengal. Streets in most parts of Kolkata, except areas where wholesale markets are located, are now regularly cleaned two times a day. But the same cannot be said for other towns. There is no accountability and the chalta hai attitude has meant that while the rest of India India gets cleaner, cities and towns in Bengal cannot keep pace. The people of Bengal have to collectively display better civic sense in matters of cleanliness if the state is to shed this dubious distinction.
picture courtesy: Ei Samay (caption ours)
