Stinking attitudes
Today it is a common sight in Sri Lanka that we tend to see garbage everywhere. The situation is worst in the major cities of Sri Lanka. The government is at present struggling to find a proper mechanism for solid waste management in Sri Lanka. In the post-Meethottomulla disaster, the government along with the relevant authorities have introduced a system of classifying the domestic garbage into three categories such as perishable, non-perishable and recycling garbage and people are also provided with three categories of garbage bins. Although the government and authorities introduce novel garbage removal strategy to control the garbage menace, the attitude of people still remains unchanged.
Our Sri Lankans possess a strange and peculiar mentality and attitude that throwing or dumping the garbage on every place such as public places, business organisations, and sacred places like a mosque, a temple and church even on either side of pavements. I am used to walking along the Panchikkawatte Road every morning to my school where I experience unbearable pungent odour and various environmental hazards from the garbage thrown and scattered on the pavement. This is an ugly sight especially in the commercial capital of Sri Lanka. Despite the government introducing innovative mechanism and strategy in the garbage disposal system it will be futile unless the people change the so-called insular and selfish attitude.
We Sri Lankans should learn the virtues of self-discipline in the garbage disposal and protecting the environment for others. It is a unique attitude which we should learn from other countries like Singapore where people are fined and given jail sentence for polluting the environment. Of course, even in Sri Lanka to a certain extent penalty system is imposed for violating the environmental laws and throwing garbage in public places but this does not work out to a greater extent because our Sri Lankans are lacking empathy over the inconveniences faced by their fellow men. It makes us think that even highly educated people wearing ties coming in their cars throwing the garbage stealthily in the places where they are not supposed to do so.
To my knowledge, this is a serious issue which should be addressed in national level because this selfish attitude is very dangerous for a country like Sri Lanka conspicuously the literacy rate is nearly 96.5. Hence, let us all try being true Sri Lankans and honestly being loyal to the country and get rid of our selfish attitude by adopting broad mindedness and empathy towards our fellow citizens.
M Jalaldeen Isfan
Potkerny
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