Do What U Can, Where U Are, With What U Have!

How often do we travel in a train? Our Journey is often filled with those chilled Bisleri water bottles, cold-drinks, a packet of wafers and the world famous Chai. Being a student who travels quite often in trains, and being a nature-lover, many times I had to sadly watch the passengers throw away wastes like plastic bottles, carry bags, wrappers, disposable cups and plates through the windows of the moving trains. You would have noticed for sure, how polluted the surroundings of railway lines are!

We eat, enjoy the journey and simply throw the leftovers outside. We feel relieved after throwing it out. Actually!  We people have become so habitual of throwing stuffs out of windows or below seats. Do we even think for a minute before doing such senseless acts? Are we even bothered about the severe impact of our actions on surroundings? Is this the kind of freedom we are enjoying under democracy? 

The same piece of plastic which we throw very smoothly through the window panes is often the cause of clogging and chocking resulting in big disasters like recent Mumbai and Chennai floods. The same piece of plastic is often seen eaten up by our so called Go-Mata Cow and several other animals. The same piece of plastic is the cause of worry for fertility of land and various diseases. The beautiful 1,15,000 Km railways track, one of the biggest in the world, is unfortunately getting surrounded by polythene bags.

We are deeply rooted by our bad habits. What is the use of taking that formal education if it doesn't push you to implement that knowledge in daily lives? What is the use of earning those grad and post-grad degrees if they are just on the pieces of papers!

Nature has already warned us and time has come to wake up. It is the time for us to Stand up, Act and Set an Example. Why can't I pledge to be the change? How about you taking an effort to take that plastic to the dustbin kept beneath the wash basin. How about you carrying a black polythene bag to collect the plastic waste of your own compartment and then dumping it properly. How about you setting up an example for the passengers sitting beside you. How about you being the agent of change?

Sounds good? I do it while travelling. One such incident…

I too have the same habit which all of us might have. Eating while travelling. I was travelling from Mumbai to Nagpur by sleeper class train. I was having a packet of chips in my hand which I shared with the adjacent person while debating over a lot of hot topics. Once the packet was finished, he slided down the window and took the packet from me to throw it outside. But I immediately refrained him from doing so. I took that effort and pain to get up from my seat (which most of us don't take) and walk to the dustbin kept beneath the basin and adjacent to washroom. And then I disposed it off properly into the dustbin. It's only us who make the coaches look dirty and afterwards blaming the Railways for not cleaning the coaches properly. It is always your actions which speak louder than words. I am not considering this as any heroic act but your one piece of small act could suddenly change the mindset of people around you. The caring and sensitive people would soon notice & replicate such ideas and Even if one out of 100 does it, your job is done! Small acts when multiplied by millions of people can transform the world.

It has been truly said that- Cleanliness is next to godliness. So real devotion lies not only in praying in temples but also in keeping the resources created by almighty neat and clean. So, Next time while travelling be conscious about your own actions and also encourage people around you to adopt healthy practices because "सफाई करने से ज्यादा महत्व गंदगी न करने मे है."