KARACHI: Are we a health-conscious nation? Unfortunately, the answer to the question, to a large extent, is no.

As long as there is mankind on planet earth, the question will never become irrelevant. In these trying times when a pandemic has turned everything upside down all across the globe altering the meaning of a ‘normal’ life, its importance cannot be emphasised more vociferously.

As soon as the lethality of the coronavirus disease became news to all and sundry, governments in the entire world started to take measures to halt its spread. In Pakistan, the Sindh government took the lead by introducing lockdown timings in the bigger cities of the province. These were all necessary steps, and to be honest, those who were not in denial of the ailment did comply with directives.

But there was, and still is, a vast majority that did not take the issue seriously. This happens everywhere. What’s unpleasantly unique here, in the Sindh capital, is the general sense of hygiene of the people. Who doesn’t know that a good number of citizens have this tendency of public spitting, dirtying roads and streets shamelessly? Those who eat paan or gutka turn walls and roads into spittoons but in general, too, there will hardly be any street, alleyway or road in the city where pedestrians don’t spit.

It wouldn’t be unwise for the government to impose a small fine on public spitting

This is reprehensible.

It is only for the medical fraternity to talk about the link between spitting in public and health hazards. Obviously, since the globule of saliva does carry germs, it is more than likely that it’s not a desirable practice health-wise to spit on the ground without giving a hoot about who’s around or watching. What is, arguably, more disgusting and dangerous is the unclean atmosphere that such a practice creates. It is common knowledge that an unclean environment acts as the first stage in the spreading of any disease. Also, it shows how little we think about the aesthetic component of life — cleanliness and greenery.

Since we are now living in a pandemic-hit age, it wouldn’t be unwise for Pakistan’s federal and provincial governments to impose a small fine on public spitting. One knows that in our country where streets zigzag like clumsily stitched pieces of fabric and population is increasing exponentially, it will be hard to devise a mechanism for it. That said, isn’t that what governments are supposed to be doing? Finding ways to make society worth living!

If that sounds like a plausible idea, then the task of making public toilets will become easier.

Published in Dawn, March 21st, 2021