Cleanliness is Godliness

First it was the turn of foreigners visiting Rajasthan to be educated about culturally inappropriate behaviour. Now the government of the northern Indian state has banned street habits often considered typically Indian. Graffiti and spitting and urinating in public have been outlawed across the state - although critics of the new law say more urinals should be built first.

Read more here.

My 2c (2 anna? 2 paisa? 2 Rupee?) worth: Like other Gandhi-isms, truisms and aphorisms like 'Cleanliness is Godliness' have become meaningless cliches in today's India - mere words that people may bandy about in middle school but as a country, India is a dirty sloppy messy country. I agree that it can be a big challenge to 'teach' cleanliness to 1 billion Indians now.. but the filth is disgusting and uncomprehensible to Westerners visiting India. Like my Westerner boss said to me during a recent visit to India, 'Poverty doesn't mean they cannot put trash in trash bins - it is no excuse for being sloppy'... Thank God he didn't see that people do more than throw trash on the roads..know of a place near my grandparents' place in Mumbai where they have built 20 public loos.. but the kids (even adults maybe!) from the zopadpatti nearby all defecate on the roads despite the facilities made available..

So..in that context, it is a good initiative taken by the government of Rajastan, which sees its fare share of Western tourists. We should aim to be cleaner for our own good..not for tourists only.. but if tourism is the means to the end, so be it. However, I do fervently hope they can implement these rules... the best of plans of men and mice go awry and especially in India - because having these rules has no meaning unless there is some measure of accountability with regard to its implementation. Ofcourse, what does one do...start arresting people for littering? One surely does not need a police state! Maybe fining is an option for this is a minor infraction - not a murder or rape or even burglary? But then how does one ensure the perpetrators do not get away with paying a small bribe! How does one enforce this over millions of people... How does one then make sure people, educated and uneducated, rich and poor, follow this new rule... all of India is not quite Bihar..but still ..

Questions ...Questions... No answers... any interesting comments from readers here on how to make sure this can be implemented successfully...or even the broader question of how to we get India to be a cleaner nicer easier place for all of us.. Indians & tourists.