Save Mumbai

It takes only seven minutes to understand the Civic Sense of Mumbai. Roughly a month after the floods I was standing at the Vikhroli station waiting for a sluggish Central railway train. In an interval of seven minutes, 11 people came and brazenly spit on the tracks. We are all witnesses to this. Everyday while travelling by train, bus or a rickshaw, we are spectators to the disrespect shown to our city.

After the floods, there was constant talk about doing something to make this city better. We wanted to give up the chalta hain attitude by demanding accountability from the government and ourselves. But three months later I see no commitment on part of the citizens to keep up to their promise. We chastise the Government for dealing with the floods unprofessionally, but if you give this matter serious thought, we probably don’t deserve an efficient Government if we aren’t efficient citizens.

To make our city cleaner, many citizens insist that we need to enforce stricter laws like a higher fine or time in the slammer. But I personally doubt whether this will change the mindset of those who make it dirty. The city will be cleaner only if each and every one of us steps up and personally contributes towards this goal

You and I have to take actions to make our city better. The next time you see someone spit, ask him/her not to. The next time a lady in the first class compartment of your train tries to throw an orange peel out of the window, take the peel from her and tell her you will throw it in the dustbin. The next time you break traffic rules, don’t pay the havaldar a bribe.

I wonder how much of a difference a single article can make, whether this modest piece will serve its purpose or not. But ask yourself; you too want to live in a better city. Then stand up, raise your voice and take action. There maybe a government in power, but it ultimately falls on us to take care of ourselves.