Waste not, so as to have less to clean up

If everyone in India rises to the Prime Minister’s challenge to usher in a spotlessly clean India in the next few years, the logistical implications will be mind-boggling. Hopefully, civic agencies all over the country are gearing up for such an eventuality well in advance, unlike their lackadaisical approach to the annual monsoon deluge precautions. For, even without India being primed to take up the broom revolution, garbage dumps and landfill sites do not take long to fill up and overflow. It is only to be expected, therefore, that if a billion-plus Indians sweep into action, there will be more trash and garbage in need of disposal than ever before. Apart from the sheer volume of equipment needed for such large-scale operations, is there even space enough for the hygienic disposal of the combined detritus of mass clean-up acts?

If garbage is not to become a competing industry for space, logically, the prevention of waste creation should be deemed the most urgent pre-emptive step. Apart from the absolutely essential waste, if indeed such a term is feasible, generated every day by the average Indian, the focus must then be on minimising superfluous rubbish. Hopefully, the government has already initiated research on how to move forward on the matter and a relevant ancillary campaign will be duly launched soon.