February 22, 2025

Humans are their own biggest enemies. The lead picture with this article shows a bridge in Kerala after the flood waters receded. Just see the things that were thrown from the bridge in the stream below, as if it was a large open drain. Things like plastic and plastic water bottles should not be thrown in drains leave alone a canal or a stream of water. They are non-biodegradable and clog the drains, leading to overflow of dirty water. Here we see that supposedly educated people had thrown all kinds of discarded items in the canal.

The fact is that most ordinary citizens have little or no concern for the environment. Yet, when faced with Nature’s fury, like in the torrential rains in Kerala and the subsequent floods, they are vociferous in blaming the administration for not taking measures to prevent floods. The administration can construct drains to ensure that water flows out. But if plastic and other assorted waste is dumped indiscriminately and regularly in these drains, the administration is rendered helpless. People do not have the civility to dump waste in designated bins.

Things are changing though, but very slowly. Children are now being seen as the medium to bring about this change. They are being taught in schools to dispose of waste properly, prevent water wastage and follow traffic and other civic rules. They in turn are impressing upon their parents and relatives to do likewise. But when a parent rushes his child to cross the road from a place other than the zebra crossing or scolds him if he or she does not throw a bottle out of a running car, the child can be too afraid to disobey. Hence, parents have to change themselves simultaneously. It is not enough to teach the children only. Schools must have periodic, and compulsory, classes for parents too.