MOHAMMAD ASIF BHAT

In the contemporary world, among the main international discourses, environment pollution is on the top serial. Mostly, developed countries are busy in mobilizing around this issue and simultaneously are in search of solutions and strategies.
It is not an exaggeration to state that developed countries have a major share in polluting the environment across the world. Unwillingly, the impact of this process is collectively shared by all countries, irrespective of any development. It is not that second world countries do not pollute environment; indeed they do, but their effect of pollution is mostly indoor.
In the cities and towns, people are somehow aware about the matter; they carry out the rubbish and waste material from their houses to the s dustbins, which is then further mobilized to dumping sites by municipal workers.
Since the administration is providing facility and people are using it, the process is tangible in the cities and towns.
Now moving towards the another side of population; the villagers, no facility is provided by the administration yet for curbing the pollution as the people, here, are unaware of pollution. The output of overall waste material in villages is comparably same to the towns. We have to rethink that villagers too are busy in polluting the environment. It is not an odd to say, village people have more garbage than city people, due to lifestyle based on farming.
Soil pollution is at its peak in the villages. Neither there is any administrative facility nor are people socialized about the issue yet. The river banks, ponds, streams, springs and meadows are being befouled and are being used as dumping sites. The above mentioned, which are considered as the natural beauty of villages, once, are now direct targets of pollution. The culture of public washrooms has vanished and the unique natural beauty of villages is vulnerable. Springs are sulked and stopped to pour the thirst of needy.
What to do?
Until the administration provides facilities to curb the burning issue of pollution, the only way is to socialize the people, we need to make them aware and understand about it. It is not incumbent that, only in so called municipal areas, the administration has the obligation to wipe out the garbage from the area. It must take the steps to curb the pollution in its whole territory regardless of cities and villages.
Environmental awareness is needed among the people. Media, schools, religion, ethics morality can play a role to communicate with people and also socialize them about the cause, effects and solutions of the pollution.
People should know the strategies, how to live day to day life with eco-friendly measures.
Use of dustbin is the vital need of an hour, and a habit needed to be implemented by everyone even for the small toffee and gum covers. Such should be strong our will, we should not let garbage on streets or in path while traveling. Kids, old men, formers and students should be taught the protection of environment rather polluting it. New initiatives should be taken; policies and plans should be framed for the protection of the environment. The use of dustbin should be on any cast, or, if not found on the spot than make any befitting thing possible to alternate its function. It should be ensured that these dustbins should be emptied at proper dumping sites, where there would be no any other side effects to the environment.
—The author can be reached at: [email protected].

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