“Healthy citizens are the greatest asset any country can have.”  ― Winston Churchill

Well, they say the health is all our wealth and nothing else is actually more important. But how much are we really ensuring we live a healthy life ? Being healthy is just not a one moment process, it’s a continuous undertaking that ensures we are on track. A crucial dimension without which the feasibility looks bleak is sanitation that is enroute to this pursuit. Might seem a plain simple word but the implications of not adhering can be mind boggling. How simple it is to keep ourselves sanitized but are we really doing it ?

Sanitation follows the way charity does. Yes, it begins at home. Our mothers are probably the first beings who have always cared about the importance of sanitation – who of course have been a tutor to us as well. Few simple practices that they have taught have helped us keep diseases at bay. Sanitation is just not personal but societal. As much as we are responsible for our good, the same holds for our fellow beings as well. We might strive to keep ourselves and our houses neat and clean. But, have we ventured our surroundings and actually evaluated how good they are ?

We have progressed way ahead in terms of industrial revolution and advances in science and technology. The quality of life and life expectancy have definitely seen an surge. Advancements have increased our comforts and accessibility to basic necessities. However, the other side of the coin doesn’t reflect the same. We live in an era where we are fine with filthy surroundings that are only to be mocked at. We are okay with dirtying a public place when the same is not tolerated in our private places. Witnessing a large pool of dustbin contents right next in the neighborhood is one of the most common visual treats a foreigner gets to see.

Not to forget, it is the poorer masses who are not even aware how important it is to sanitize.  We still have larger parts of the country seeing the dearth of basic amenities – leave sanitation that only looks a distant dream. The villagers are hardly aware of the essentials of cleanliness who eventually fall prey to deadly diseases – only to go unnoticed. Public places are probably the most clean less places in the country for the sole reason that we as individuals hardly care [even though we are a part of the crew who use them] and the government still lacking efforts to cover these up. It is not uncommon to see government schools lacking even basic washroom facilities. The worse is the unhygienic conditions in villages where mothers deliver their kids. Our already scarce natural resources are further spoiled with effluents from the industries who probably do not find another source to dump their wastes. Few festivities result in immersion of masses of idols into our already polluted rivers.

It’s time to care for the society as much as we care for our own good. It is really encouraging to see the Modi Government taking appreciable efforts in this regard with the launching of the Rs 100 Crore Project [with Tata Consultancy Services] dedicated to provide basic toiletry facilities in schools. But, we still have a long way to go. The biggest weapon in our hand is education. An educated being would understand the importance of living in a sanitized world and help fellow mates in carrying out the same. A responsible one would even try to ensure his surroundings are clean/sanitized. We can even have Sanitation drives happening as a part of the Corporate Social Responsibility undertakings at the corporate levels, that would have far reaching impact.

Afterall, sanitation is also a necessity of life . It is ultimately in our hands how we envision our country. A little effort from our end would contribute immensely to the overall health of India. Finding out the actual problematic areas and resolving the inherent issues out would really make a huge difference. The nations health is in the health of its citizens now.  Lets not forget our responsibilities towards the society. Be diligent and lets make a better India !

P S – Can’t really express in words how elated I am to know this entry has won me a ticket to experience the life of a PGP student at the country’s prestigious – Indian Institute of Management, Ahmedabad ! 😀 😀