If only everyone knew that they might have to travel all the way back to pick up after themselves. Even if it takes 80 kms and over one hour.
Last Friday, two youngsters were forced to return to Madikari in Kodagu district to pick up empty pizza cardboard boxes they had tossed mindlessly out of the car's window. Watchful locals and active social media is all it took to ensure that those who littered had to return to pick up the pizza packets.
Last week, as a part of a cleanliness drive, general secretary of Kodagu Tourism Association along with other members of the Kadagadalu gram panchayat, cleaned up the area, which was littered by thoughtless vehicles passing by.
It was during one of his daily commutes to and from work that he noticed empty pizza packets lying on the side of the road in the afternoon. At the time, he admits to being as angry as anyone can be at spotting litter right after cleaning up. Luckily, the bill found in the empty packets had the contact details of the 'culprit'. Needless to say, a call followed and while the duo on the phone apologised but refused to come back. After which, a call by the local police inspector followed but to no success.
Once the phone number was shared on social media, many calls and dressing downs later, the duo returned and took back the trash. "We were worried that they would once again throw the garbage up ahead, so we wrote their phone numbers on the packet, as a warning," said Madetira Thimmaiah to a publication.
Ifs and buts...
But what about the fuel wastage that took place in total 160 kms of travel, so went one of the social media reactions. But what about the civic sense instilled and the preventive tool that the incident will stand as for future? In what might appear to be a pointless exercise for those littering, it's actually a powerful tool of warning the rest. Awareness campaigns when coupled with social ridicule can.
Littering on the road might not invite FIRs or arrests, but it should. It might not seem like a crime, but it is. Litter pollution is actually a malaise in the country. Apart from the direct cost of litter pollution, they cause immeasurable harm to the environment. In the US, the laws for littering impose different fines in different states, ranging anywhere between $100 to $500 for first conviction, with possibility of litter clean up and even community service.
