Hygiene Is in Your Hands, Not the Government’s

Recently, I took my first-ever train journey to Delhi, an experience that opened my eyes to the state of public hygiene in India. While I was excited about traveling by train for the first time, what I saw during the journey was disappointing. The way people treat public property, especially cleanliness in trains and stations, raises a big question about our mentality as a society. From the moment I stepped into the train, I noticed something disturbing- passengers treating the train as if it were a dumping ground. The washrooms were in a terrible state, filled with gutkha, khaini, and other waste products. People spat on the floors and walls, leaving behind stains that no cleaner could easily remove. Food packets, plastic wrappers, and leftovers were thrown carelessly under seats or near the doors, as if it was someone else's job to pick them up.

Is It Only the Government's Responsibility?

Many people blame the government for poor cleanliness, but do they ever stop to think about their own actions? No matter how many workers the government employs, no system can maintain hygiene if people continue to litter, spit, and misuse public facilities. At the end of the day, the cleaners and workers are also human beings, not magicians who can make everything spotless in an instant.

Hygiene is not just about the government providing services; it is also about individual responsibility. If people keep making a mess without thinking about its consequences, how can we expect a clean and healthy environment?

Changing Our Mentality

The real issue is not the lack of cleanliness but the lack of awareness and discipline among people. Here are some steps we can take to change this:

1. Use Dustbins- Most public places, including trains and stations, have dustbins. Why not use them instead of throwing garbage around?

2. Stop Spitting in Public- Chewing gutkha or khaini and spitting on walls is a habit that ruins public property. If people can maintain cleanliness at home, why not in public places?

3. Respect Public Property- Just because something is government-owned doesn't mean it is free to misuse. The government maintains trains, buses, and stations for public use, not for destruction.

4. Teach and Practice Cleanliness- If we want change, we must start with ourselves and teach our families, especially children, the importance of keeping public places clean.

Final Thoughts

A country's cleanliness reflects the mindset of its people. If we want clean trains, streets, and public places, we need to change our own habits first. The government can provide infrastructure, but maintaining hygiene is in our hands. Instead of blaming authorities, let's take responsibility and make cleanliness a part of our daily lives. Hygiene is not just about rules; it is about respect for others, for public property, and for ourselves.