JOIN USThese days, one is more likely to find a heap of garbage and a terrible stench than some greenery. With Bengaluru now being dubbed as ‘Garbage City’ instead of the lovely ‘Garden City’ that it was, there is an increasing need to raise awareness about littering and polluting the environment
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Whether it’s a plastic bag or bus ticket that is carelessly thrown on the ground, or the increasing amount of harmful gases that are let into the air, one needs to check the pollutants that are entering public spaces. On the matter, a few youngsters talk about what needs to be done in order to preserve the environment.
Pick it up...
Kamal Winniee, a student of Presidency College, says that until people become more aware, there won’t be any changes. “Once people start to take initiative and actively reduce polluting their surrounding, things can change. Right now, we take things for granted. What used to be the ‘Garden City’ has now gone on to be the ‘Garbage City’.
If a person litters, and they don’t have the awareness to pick it up, someone else can do it for them. It’s the duty of everyone to keep the city clean. The government could also have many hoardings in order to educate people. There should also be more dustbins around.”
Active participation
Punam Upadhyay, a student of Presidency College, says that there needs to be more civic facilities to encourage people to keep your city clean. “Most of the times, one can’t find a dustbin.
But it’s not just the responsibility of the government to provide better facilities, but also of the citizens to not litter. Even if there aren’t any dustbins, they can keep a plastic bag with them and throw the litter later into a dustbin.”
Precious space
Shadab Khan, a student of Xavier Institute of Management and Entrepreneurship, says that there need to be more laws for the protection of the environment.
“Although the government has established various Acts for the protection of the environment, the provincial and municipal authorities need to do a better job of implementing them. This matter needs to be given more importance and people who violate should not be let go of easily. Public spaces belong to every citizen and it’s our duty to keep these spaces clean.”
Stricter laws
Roshan Khan, a student of Xavier Institute of Management and Entrepreneurship, says that the government needs to play a bigger role in keeping the environment clean. “The government has to implement stricter laws so that people take this seriously. There is a bigger picture that one must have in mind when addressing environmental pollution. Along with keeping a check on garbage, one must also look at other issues like climate change and the increase in Green House Gases.”
Cleaner world
Sachin Singh, a student of Acharya Institute of Technology, says that littering and polluting show a lack of respect towards other people and the environment. “We are the ones who pollute so if we have more awareness, I think it can be stopped. Whether it’s using a dustbin or paper bags, people need to do their part in keeping the surrounding clean. Maybe competitions in every locality can be organised so that there is incentive for people to keep clean, at the same time they will gain more awareness.”