A Lesson in Civic Sense at a Metro Station

Rajkumari Sharma Tankha

It was around 10.30 am yesterday when I reached the Botanic Garden Metro station, Sector 37, Noida. I was on my way to my mom’s home in Delhi to participate in a family puja. As I alighted the steps and entered the check-in area, I noticed a long queue at one of the ticket vending machines. Among them were three women, African nationals—smartly dressed and chatting while having burgers and coke.

And then one of them casually dropped the Styrofoam coke glass on the floor, right where she was standing. I was aghast. Frankly, never before had I seen any foreigner throwing garbage like that! And Delhi-NCR is full of people from different countries.

Taking a Stand for Cleanliness

“Hey, you can’t do this. You can’t throw it here,” I told her.
“What?” she asked.
“We have garbage bins here. Please pick it up and put it in the bin,” I said.

At first, she ignored me. Angry as I was, I managed to control my temper. I repeated my request politely. “I will,” she responded.

I stood there. Five minutes passed—no action. I continued waiting. She looked back and repeated, “I’ll pick it up.”
“Okay, I am waiting,” I replied.

Another five minutes passed. She still didn’t move. The three women began talking among themselves. I waited, though inwardly I felt uneasy. What if they confronted me? They were tall and well-built, and I was alone. But the presence of people and security guards reassured me.

A Small Victory for Civic Responsibility

Then, finally, the unexpected happened. She bent down, picked up the glass, and walked towards the garbage bin.

I smiled, thanked her, and moved towards the entry gate.

Can We Really Blame Foreigners?

But why narrate this incident? Is it to show myself as a good citizen? No—not at all (though I do consider myself one).

This is to highlight how public spaces are sometimes treated—even by foreigners. But can we entirely blame them?

Not really.

Because what do they see around them every day?

People throwing banana peels and chips packets out of moving cars—often luxury ones. Children dropping wrappers on pavements without being corrected. Men urinating openly on roadsides.

A Disturbing Reality in Our Own Backyard

Some years ago, while working with a newspaper, I saw a middle-aged woman relieving herself on Barakhamba Road—right in the heart of Delhi. It was around 7.30 pm. Shocked, I questioned her.

“It’s an emergency. Aap kya karenge aise mein?” she replied.

Disgusted, I walked away.

Public Spaces Turned into Dumping Grounds

The green belt along Deen Dayal Upadhyay Marg at ITO—where offices of major political parties are located—is often filled with garbage.

Nearby, school children gather daily around hawkers selling food. After eating, many casually throw waste on pavements and green belts. Despite the presence of parents, school staff, and even garbage bins, no one seems to intervene.

I have often tried to stop students from littering—and they do listen. But I cannot be there all the time.

The Need to Respect Public Spaces

So, the Botanic Garden incident is a reminder to all of us: respect public spaces and keep them clean.

Call out those who treat roads, parks, and public areas as dumping grounds. Because if we don’t change our habits, we cannot expect others—tourists or foreign residents—to behave differently.

Cleanliness Begins With Us

If we do not value our own country, why would anyone else?