Lack of Civic Sense: Carelessness Or A Conscious Choice?

Prachi Khandelwal

Happening Bazaar visited one of Noida’s most popular hangout locations outside Sector 18 Metro Station’s Gate No. 2 last evening. The place was crowded with students and office-goers relaxing with a cup of chai or coffee in a kulhad. Friends were chatting, colleagues unwinding after work, couples spending time together, and a guitarist enthralling all with live music. The atmosphere was so pleasant that we decided to spend a couple of hours there.

But soon the charm started fading, and by the end of the evening, the spot was in a mess. Kulhads, disposable cups and plates lay scattered all around in the sitting area, and soon an unpleasant smell also started emanating. It was time workers employed in the eatery stalls after a hard day’s work, put in a little more labour to clean the clutter before they retire for the night.  

Five years back, when the city’s anthem was launched with Kailash Kher singing, “UP ki Shaan Noida, Shehro ki Jaan Noida…”,  the Noida Authority aimed at evoking pride in the residents and encouraging them to keep the city clean. But while Noida continues to draw people from across the country because of better work opportunities and modern amenities, it has yet to foster a shared sense of “civic responsibility” to keep the surroundings clean.  

Maintaining hygiene and sanitation should be a shared responsibility, isn’t it? We spoke to visitors and shopkeepers to understand why civic sense is waning and this is what they said:

“It’s not that we don’t have dustbins. We have at least four, placed conveniently near the stall. People from all backgrounds come here to spend their evenings. Even then, many leave their cups on the stairs or around the sitting area. We clean the place every night before closing. During peak hours, it is not possible to clean,” said Pappu Kumar Shah, the owner of Pappu Tea Stall, one of the most popular stalls at the hangout spot.  Pappu has been selling tea on the spot for 21 years now.

We asked what his message would be for visitors, and he said, “If you are eating outside, you should have the basic decency to throw your own plates or cups in the dustbin. Every stall has one. Whenever I eat outside at any food stall, I feel uncomfortable if I don’t clean up after finishing. Everyone must take responsibility.”

“People are careless. They don’t consider it their responsibility. Not everything can be left to the government. Look at Indore — it is clean because citizens put in equal effort along with the municipal corporation,” said Himanshu Dwivedi, who’s employed in a corporate house of Noida.

Gaurav Agrawal, a software engineer working in Sector 130 and a regular visitor to the Sector 18 market, pointed out another concern. “When people see trash around, they assume it’s fine to add to it. If someone leaves a cup on the stairs, others follow. Within a few hours, the place becomes so dirty that we can’t even sit properly. It ruins the vibe,” he said.

Abha, a corporate employee from Sector 135 who was visiting Sector 18 for chai, summed it up: “The government cannot be blamed for everything. This is basic civic sense, and it’s in our hands. That’s how we keep ourselves and others healthy.”