Clean Goa, Green Goa

Recently, I saw a shocking picture of a beach piled and almost chocking with garbage and a question, are we paying Rs 14.76 cores, for this? A thousand dollar question!

We call waste pickers kacharawallas, but actually we the people who generate so much waste and garbage are the kacharawallas, who look around to see if anyone is watching, when we are doing the dumping job... so our conscience is telling us it’s a wrong thing. Well do we believe that sanitation around is a matter of high importance. Herald recently reported that a question to one of the labourers employed to do some cleaning on the beach was asked, why after they do their job, the beach is still so dirty. A good question! And the answer came in Hindi, what can we do? We clean the dirt, but still the people -- tourists -- throw paper plates, beer bottles and all sorts of things. Yes the big question is what can we do? India is said to be one among the dirtiest countries, and sorry to say Goa is very dirty with all the plastic, the dirt from buildings and flats flying around. Wish plastic could be banned. Garbage is found across a lot of beaches in the North and the South of Goa. The beach cleaning drive has been unsuccessful so far with the tourism department not obtaining its objectives of keeping the beaches garbage free are we cooperating? It is said a person might be an expert in any field of knowledge but without cleanliness and a conviction of keeping the surroundings clean, his life is a waste. 

Very often we hear people say we dream of a green city, a clean city, my dream city! Walt Disney said “people often ask me if I know the secret of success and if I could tell others how to make their dream come true, my answer is, you do it by working hard.” Laziness, indifference and selfishness, no civic sense has made our cities road sides and beaches unclean. If we in our homes and yards begin to work and act appropriately one will keep clean our beaches our roads and highways. ...before you leave take a minute to clean. If you drop it pick it up if you spill it wipe it. Remember if you have people copying your ideas refusing to use plastic bags, getting rid of your own garbage and not adding to the dirt around, if people start imitating your style that means you have arrived. All we need is passion and nothing can ever be achieved by mind if there is no heart to back it up.

I think we waste a lot of our time thinking about what will happen rather than collectively thinking what we can make happen, and are busy criticising and blaming others. It is so disheartening to see the beaches like Hollant one to mention, with so many broken bottles and glass pieces thrown around. Artists and poets take their inspiration to draw or write a poem from what they see and experience, a lovely sunset or some kindness shown to some fragile old person, baby or animal. 

I like to congratulate the Goa, Sarva Shiksha Abayan Block resource centre Murmugao, for the colorful Desk Calendar 2016 with posters done by students, with themes of cleanliness like “Cleanliness is next to Godliness, “Everyone must be his own scavenger”, “Grab your wand do some miracle”, “Before you leave take a minute to clean” and other inspiring quotes. I have drawn my inspiration from here and I say to you teach them young.