Be for broom

If charity begins at home, then doesn't cleanliness begin on street? Before wondering about the answer, let us take you back a few months when football World Cup fever was on. Then, Japanese football fans who travelled to Brazil won hearts—both online and offline—when they cleaned up their own mess after the match ended. And they did so even when their team was on the losing side. If we dig a bit deeper, the reason why they were able to carry out these civic responsibilities so effectively—in a foreign country notwithstanding — has something to do with their education. Turns out it's a common practice in Japan to conduct cleanliness drive not only within the perimeters of school but also outdoor. Given the sudden but much-appreciated attention given to public sanitation in our city thanks to the national cleanliness drive helmed by NaMo, i was glad to recently witness young students of St. Mary cleaning up the vicinity of a public area in Vashi. Moreover, the enthusiasm shown by the kids made the sight celebratory. Something we'd love to note more of in the coming days.

Clap of shame

Television indeed affects the social behaviour of aam janta. I say so because of an ongoing TV campaign by the government, which implies that shaming those who litter by applauding them in public might work in the country's favour. After all, cleanliness hasn't really been India's—let alone, an overcrowded city like Mumbai's—forte. However, a recent episode inside a local train on the Central Railway caught our attention along with fellow commuters'. A gentleman, who was travelling with his family, crushed an empty water bottle before slipping it though the window of the running train. On noting this, three college students who were standing on the aisle started 'applauding' him by clapping together in sync. Not a word was exchanged between any of the involved parties. It was as if time stood still for a while, allowing the clapping noise take over. This left the passenger embarrassed while his wife and kids took time to gauge what was going on. The whole incident lasted less than a minute but it was something that made one individual aware of his error while educating others of the dangers of repeating what he did. Not bad. Not bad at all.