Published in Dwarka Express on 16.3.23

Garbage, the unmanageable..! Garbage intrinsically is not an issue as long as it is managed professionally, but the bone of contention is that Corporation, municipal or village Panchayats who are entrusted with the responsibility fail to lift the trash on daily basis. One is the EYE SORE seeing the trash and the stray animals or rag pickers skimming the same. The other is the health issues from stinking mixture of dry and wet waste. Plastic and hazardous waste obviously form a part of the trash piled. The officials fail to address the issues promptly on the one hand quoting insufficient manpower while blaming the people who are littering or show the CCTV footages to prove the same. Undoubtedly manpower shortage or lack of civic sense are concerns. A tax payer or a consumer has the right to question the officials on one hand while the officials blame the insufficient budget provision to manage the garbage. The fact is growing population, faster urbanisation and dependence on use and throw materials add fuel to fire.

Garbage burning is a punishable crime! Nevertheless, non-lifting of trash on daily basis result in accumulation or piling up of waste while the more serious concern is burning the same. Come the summer months, the garbage burning become the burning problem in almost all metros and urban areas. The environmentally conscious citizens resort to social media to ventilate their anguish. Almost 10 major fires are reported in cities like Bangalore. While some are extinguished by fire brigades, minor fire incidents remain unattended to. In many a time, residents attempt extinguishing themselves. As per Section 19(5) of the Air (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1981, there is a complete ban on burning of solid wastes dry leaves in open places within the jurisdiction of BBMP and other urban bodies like panchayats. The city is provided with sufficient landfill sites. The penalty for garbage burning is Rs 1,000-2,000 for the first time and Rs 5,000 for the second time. There are display boards everywhere, but the interesting part is burning happens right under the display board at times.

Burning is a health hazard! Garbage burning is a source of harmful carcinogens like dioxins, furans and black carbon. These pollutants deteriorate the quality of air and contribute significantly to air pollution and climate change besides affecting human health. It leads to breathing problems and aggravates respiratory diseases such as asthma and bronchitis. People’s health on the one hand and environmental concern on the other, the problem is a serious matter.

Swachh Bharat Mission: Swacch Bharat Abhiyan was a great initiative by the Government of India, with a aim to make the country garbage free. To accelerate the efforts to achieve universal sanitation coverage and to put the focus on sanitation, the Prime Minister of India had launched the Swachh Bharat Mission on 2nd October 2014. When the mission is completing a decade on 2nd Oct 23, we need to revisit the effectiveness of the same and assess the efficacy of the ongoing mission. There is no point in burning the garbage which is the easiest form of disposal. Whether callousness or deliberate attempt to burn the trash, both are unacceptable.

Published in Dwarka Express on 11.3.2023

Stray dog menace cannot be ignored as a stray incident. A recent incident of a preschooler being mauled to death by stray dogs in Hyderabad draws everyone’s attention to the status of the stray animals in India. Legally, there is enough of protection to animals in India and as per Section 3 of the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act, 1960, it is the duty of every person having care or charge of any animal to take all reasonable measures to ensure the wellbeing of such animals and to prevent infliction of unnecessary pain and suffering. This is applicable for all types of animals.

In any civilized society, we may find two kinds of animals, one is stray and the other is pet. Pet care is given more impetus than what they deserve, perhaps. Pet owners go to the extent of getting themselves recognized as pet parents. In fact, they spend more time and money than what they could afford even, treating the pets as their children. Of course, it’s not questionable as there are many emotional aspects attached to pet care.

We are more concerned with the stray animals. Feeding stray animals is not a sin but a generosity and we do understand. For animal activists, food, shelter and safety of the animals are matter of  animal right, which also cannot be disputed. However, what needs immediate attention is the harm and hardships caused by stray animals to an innocent person who become a victim of animal attacks, most of the time by stray animals. Animal care is as equally important as that of human safety. There cannot be any compromise on either of them. When animals behave or react aggressively, perhaps in their natural animal instinct or due to any occasional provocation, the repercussions are disastrous. Most of the attacks of stray animals on human beings happen due to the basic animal instinct. The Hyderabad child was killed because something must have induced them to perhaps a possible attack or threat. In most cases, it happens to be a defensive act with isolated cases of behavioural dysfunctions

As per 2019 census, total population of stray dog and stray cattle in the country was more than 2 crores. The next census is due in 2024. This is going to be much higher and incidents of attacks and loss of lives also are not going to stop. Animal welfare organisations while ensuring compassion to stray animals, also must ensure that children are safe from ferocious animals.  Timely anti rabies vaccination, adoption of stray dogs by pet owners, public shelters and charity homes, timely intervention by sanitary workers including sterilisation will address the problems to a larger extent