Public places and citizens’ responsibility

One cannot emphasise enough about the importance of clean and green spaces. They not only add to the beauty and biodiversity of the area but can also be utilised as recreational spaces for citizens. The city of Islamabad is known for its well-maintained parks and fecund gardens. But a major problem faced in urban areas is the lack of cleanliness in outdoor public spaces.

The community park of Sector F-11 serves as a recreational gathering space where residents meet, greet and exercise. The park plays a significant role in improving the quality of life and developing a sense of community. It has all the basic facilities including walking and jogging tracks, lush green gardens, flowers, trees, and an area devoted for children with swings, see-saws, monkey bars, slides, and merry-go-rounds. Here, credit must be given to CDA officials who are responsible for its maintenance. The park is esthetically pleasing with beautiful landscape and grass. The row of eucalyptus trees along the perimeter of the facility adds to the beauty and grandeur of the park. Not many people know that park management is a complete science in itself and is based on well-tested methods of horticultural engineering. The most important factor in park management pertains to the safety and security of individuals, especially children. The CDA inspector checks the excessive wear and tear of the playground equipment installed or any other potential hazards, such as deterioration, and suggests the immediate removal of such hazards that could cause serious injuries or accidents.

While CDA is carrying out its job in an efficient manner, it is the responsibility of residents to keep the park clean. It has been witnessed that many families tend to leave trash and debris on the benches or the grass. CDA has installed trash cans at suitable locations across the park, but the so-called “educated people” do not bother to collect their trash and dispose them in these bins. Such acts are inadvertently picked up by children who then also contribute towards littering. On the one end, we like to keep ourselves, our families and our houses clean, but do not want the same for public places. Mosques are clean from inside but as soon as you step outside, you can see all sorts of trash and garbage scattered about. No Imam or teacher has ever lectured children on the importance of keeping public places clean. It does not end there. On the streets, drivers and commuters are often seen lowering their car windows to throw heaps of trash outside. The same people when travelling to foreign countries are mindful of this fact and refrain from littering. Why do they refuse to follow the law here? There are numerous examples of the indifferent attitude that citizens have towards keeping public spaces clean. And the underlying mindset behind this is that they believe that the government is responsible for cleaning the city. This is the absurd logic we tend to adopt when visiting public parks or travelling through public transport.

Even though the law imposes fines on those littering, this alone is not a practical solution. CDA cannot afford to have numerous inspectors and watchmen working around the clock for something that can easily be avoided. Educating citizens and urging them to take responsibility is the only worthy solution worth investing in. Communities must learn to 1) create less waste by using reusable bags; 2) start picking up small pieces of trash around their house; 3) involve neighbours to form small cleaning groups; and 4) prepare no-littering signs and paste them in public spaces to create awareness. The responsibility of changing the mindset lies on the shoulders of parents and teachers the most.

Published in The Express Tribune, January 27^th, 2022.

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