Guinness World Record in Littering? Olympic Day Run leaves behind Olympian Litter

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Today was the Olympic Day Run on Vizag Beach Road. Here is what happened:

1. Thousands of posters were stuck indiscriminately on the beach road walls weeks earlier. An illegal and uncivil act. Question is who will pay for removing the posters?

The Visakhapatnam District Olympic Association wanted to achieve a Guinness World Record.

They certainly broke the World Record in Littering. 




Come children - let us litter together!

The litter had already entered the drains that lead to the sea

I understand that thousands of children participated. Which brings me to the following questions:

1. What type of homes did these kids come from? 
Do they come from homes that have not taught them basic civic sense? Messy parents messy  children? Did they not know that all litter must go in the bins provided? Incidentally GVMC Keep Vizag Clean bins was everywhere but they were almost empty!

2. What type of schools did they come from?
If the parents have failed we would expect the schools to teach the kids some basic cleanliness and respect for their city. This was obviously lacking. So the schools also failed. No point sending them to break records if they have not learnt basic civic sense!

3. What were the organisers doing?
Should we not have expected the organisers to make an announcement asking all participants not to litter the road? Should not have someone minister or celebrity actor taken the mike and say "We all love our city and want to keep it clean, please throw all used plastic water sachets only in the dust bins". Here was a fantastic opportunity to inculcate responsible citizenship among the young. The opportunity was squandered!

Good examples are available
When Sri Prakash School organised the Cyclothon on Vizag beach on 21 March 2012, hundreds of children participated. They were reminded that good citizens do not make their city filthy by littering. Each child disposed of all the litter neatly in garbage bins. All that was required was one simple announcement at the beginning of the event. See this photo of that event and try finding any litter.
Entire area was as clean after the event as it was before the event - that is good organising!
 Guilty. Guilty! Guilty!
The organisers are guilty of complete neglect and if I had a say in the administration of the city I would levy a hefty fine on them for a) sticking posters on public walls and b) causing reckless littering  of our beach road and c) endangering little children

Think of it, my money and yours collected as municipal taxes is used to pay the cleaners who will be deployed in large numbers to clean up after the carnage. Why should my tax money go towards cleaning up someone else's mess? You caused the mess you clean it at your cost! And endangering children due to bad planning - it is inexcusable.

Comments

Anonymous said…
You are right.GVMC is careless.and failed in it's responsibility towards citizens
6:07 am
Unknown said…
I feel that the littering is mostly done by the elders who were showing themselves in the photographs and became role models for the children to throw the water packets on the roads. Left to them the children are better behaving.

ramagopal
6:30 am
T.N.Rao said…
Very true Mr. Sohan. Unfortunately our CM has participated in this rally it seems. They have not planned anything for after the rally. Also there should be some fine in thousands for each poster pasted on a political leaders' name and the sponsor of the poster or cut out should be taxed by IT, GVMS and RTO for doing so. This poster business has became a great neusence and they place them on every 100 feet some times wasting crores of rupees. FOR WHAT? Non of these leaders have done anything for the mankind for a beeter living.
7:44 am
Anonymous said…
We only imitate other countries style of living but we do not want to learn from them their self discipline and patriotism.Even from childhood in foreign countries I saw self discipline.They do not through anything on the roads or public places.They do not urinate where ever they like. They empty their urine bladder only in their home toilets, or if it is on their way to any where, they seek for a rest rooms!Though the Government pays for constructing toilets in their houses still in villages they use the road for their Nature calls.Even if we sleep in a vehicle we get the foul smell at the entry and at the end of the village. Thus we boast about our country.As long as the rulers stop worrying about their earnings the country do not develop.
12:02 pm
MANDA JANAKIRAM said…
I again agree with you one thousand times. The event bought more plastic bags into the city. Civic sense is NIL when it comes to organise an event where the chief guest is a politician because all the followers of these politicians are mostly illiterate followers and their known kith and kin.
Now just imagine the filth gathered around railway tracks of this country which is in some crore tonnes spread allover the country. Who will take the responsibility to clean this filth across India.
12:38 pm
suri said…
It is disgusting to see our vizag littered this way this is also a record where you can make one to break one.


2:51 pm
krishna said…
Were there any garbage bins provided? I did not see any in the pictures.
9:47 pm
Anil Kumar Karanam said…
Guinness World Record Panel need to consider also the organizers way of concluding the event before awarding it. Inspite of collecting entry fees based on the ages and genders to conduct the event, I couldn't find any volunteer from the organizing committee to conduct the event in a disciplined manner. There was no proper awareness about the run among the students.
9:56 pm
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