Letters: A clean break

This refers to the report "PM's 'Swachh Bharat' dream: Some wield broom, some fume" (October 1). Just building toilets is not enough, one also needs running water and the will to keep the toilets clean after use. This is true of toilets in five-star hotels also - toilets in the lobby stink. Even in temples, toilets are not kept clean and are a rare commodity. A vendor running a food stall single-handedly serves food and collects money. Can we expect that he will wash his hands at regular intervals? The answer is no. Even in small restaurants, to cut costs, the same waiter serves food and picks up the utensils after the customer has finished eating.

There is a long way to go before the Swachh Bharat dream can become a reality. Unless people change their habits, it will only remain a dream. People celebrate festivals on roads but do they bother to clean the roads after the celebrations are over? Even in housing societies, people throw garbage into the compound from their balconies and windows. And what about people who smoke in public places - they dirty the road with cigarette ash and stubs? Therefore, we first need to educate people to make the Swachh Bharat campaign a success.

Deendayal M Lulla Mumbai

Letters can be mailed, faxed or e-mailed to:
The Editor, Business Standard
Nehru House, 4 Bahadur Shah Zafar Marg
New Delhi 110 002
Fax: (011) 23720201
E-mail: letters@bsmail.in
All letters must have a postal address and telephone number