The policy makers in the government should revisit their plans to install the ‘Wall of Shame’ as a part of taming those citizens who have been showing reluctance towards adopting good habits for ensuring cleanliness in the region.
Chances are there that the aforesaid initiative although projected as a step towards tackling the growing problem of litter and untidiness could boomerang as whosoever will be caught violating the cleanliness protocol is likely to be exposed by displaying his or her image in public, which in turn will cause reaction from the aforesaid entity leading to ugly outcomes, which is something the government needs to avoid.
If the residents living in the jurisdiction of Jammu Municipal Corporation are not behaving despite campaigns and other efforts, the civic body should have intensified its endeavours rather than coming up with a harsh solution of public shaming.
Imposing fines, police complaints and other remedies should be explored but screening publicly individuals peeing at public places or other unwanted acts on the so-called Wall of Shame shows that the people at helm in the municipality have failed in sensitizing the citizens towards adopting cleanliness.
It would have been a much better move, if the JMC would have gone for ‘wall of fame’ projecting those people for acting as a role model and cleanliness ambassadors of Jammu region because no one has the right to shame the people if they somehow have to pee in the public as there are inadequate number of public convenience shelters and places to dispose-off waste.
There is no doubt in the fact that there are certain people in the society in Jammu region who seldom care for keeping the surroundings clean but shaming them in public is not the right thing rather other mechanisms should have been tried and tested for educating one and all towards adopting the principle that ‘cleanliness is equal godliness’.
Showing restlessness and threatening the public in the matter shows inadequacy and ineptness of the people sitting at helm as there are plenty of other ways and means by which the people could be swayed towards adopting habits ensuring cleanliness and sanitation at public places. It would have been much better if the helmsmen running the affairs of JMC should have consulted and roped in experts having knowledge to tackle public mindset instead of taking a step which seems to be suggested by a layman.
The point is that sustainable cleanliness can only come from education, empathy and proper civic planning, and not by humiliating those citizens who indulge in littering on account of lack of awareness.
