Look At The Paan Stains, Feel Ashamed

Around the talks of transforming India, spitting in public refuses to go away, says RITIKA PASSI.

THINK OF THE ENVIRONMENT, the ecosystem, global warming or pollution. But do we spare a thought on our habit of spitting? Yes, spitting. Spitting in public, an evil seemingly indigenous to India, deserves some consideration while we dwell over environmental concerns. Though many may say that spitting is the long-deceased face of India citing spotless floors of Delhi Metro Rail or clean lanes in posh Dwarka and Golf Links as a case in point, the underdeveloped areas of Delhi continue to receive bountiful doses of spittle. Plenty of exemplary specimens can easily be found in the maze of narrow streets of Krishna Nagar or in Chandni Chowk’s traffic jams with rickshaw-wallahs, auto-wallahs and roadside shop owners amply demostrating the act.

Indians have already been relegated as one of the worst people when it comes to touring other countries. Vice versa, India loses out on a fair chunk of foreign exchange as around four million foreign tourists are deterred from visiting India because of the die-hard habit. What’s more, the red-stained paan mixtures flying in perfect arcs before being spewed on the pavement only serve in defacing public areas. Such liberal spitting by us also raises pertinent questions on aspects of sanitation. India is already host to the largest number of Tuberculosis patients. Thus, spitting in public places, or anywhere for that matter, is not of any help when it comes to the drive for the elimination of TB.

The last time the government looked into the matter was December 12, 2006 when it started the campaign “Stop spitting at tourist sites”. The tourism ministry has since put aside Rs 50 million for it to increase civic sense among the burgeoning urban population. But the results are far from tangible. A more concrete and laudable example is Red FM’s “Dilli ke chamakte sitare” campaign started last year. It’s high time to give up the habit. It’s time to reprimand anyone we see doing it. The advent of the Commonwealth Games and the UN declaring 2008 as the Year of Sanitation, the time has come to uphold individual integrity. There’s more than one way to feel proud of being an Indian. Not spitting in public places is one of them.

Passi is a student of the Amity School of Communication.
E-mail: youthspeak@amity.edu