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Young World
Want to be an active citizen?
AYESHA MATTHAN
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We must work towards being responsible citizens. Here’s how you can do better.
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Photo: K. Murali Kumar
Better citizenship: Creating awareness.
Do you know what’s the different between a good and a bad citizen? Who is an active citizen? Students of class VIII of Bethany High School are engrossed in a Children’s Movement for Civic Awareness (CMCA) session that happens once every week for 45 minutes.
It’s different at a CMCA session – the teacher’s voice does not drone on putting you to sleep. Sheela Ladha, who volunteers at CMCA opens a neat chart. The kids lean forward to peer at it. It’s a colourful sketch of a young boy walking by a leaking tap – he is a ‘bad citizen’.
Next, she unfurls another boy who notices the tap, tries to close it, but in vain. He walks on without seeing to the matter – he is just a ‘good citizen’ – someone who has made an attempt but does not call attention to the matter. Now, Sheela opens out the drawing of the active citizen – he is sweating, and leaves only when he successfully closes the tap – by calling higher authority (Call 1916 for water leakages) or he could have found a wire to tie it around the tap and prevent it from leaking. Makes sense, doesn’t it?
Otherwise, try to jog your memory and recall this story or get your hands on it. It is called “The Hero of Haarlem”, from Holland written by Dutch writer Hans Brinker. The English translation tells you of a brave and sensitive boy who while going on an errand, hears water trickling.
Young hero
When he goes to investigate, he sees a stream flowing and if he leaves it like that, the hole will get larger and the dam will burst! It’s getting dark, there is no one and he puts his finger in the dyke and stays there all night to prevent a flood. Doesn’t it really make you admire this thoughtful, caring citizen who wanted to save his village from being flooded? Imagine, just one act saved hundreds! Now, surely all of you can be a hero or heroine in your small little way that will result in a noble deed which will benefit a large community of people.
Then, Sheela talks about plastic bags – think about the fact if you just keep two bags always when you shop, or remind your parents to do the same how many plastic bags you will not use and throw! Also, you could tell your friends and neighbours, and in turn they will tell their friends and neighbours.
Sheela does a simple Mathematics calculation – 20 (neighbours and friends) into 4 family members each becomes 80 people! Sheela declares, “Now that’s the movement we’re talking about!” Priya Krishnamurthy, another CMCA volunteer springs onstage and calls everyone to play a small game. She talks of a school-boy with a half-full water-bottle who goes home and lets his servant empty it out in the drain.
Playtime
The class roars: “Chee!Chee!” Then, she talks of another school-boy, who after school empties water from the bottle onto the plants in the garden.” “Wah!Wah!”, the class echoes.
The CMCA volunteers also talk about how expensive your packaged water is compared to corporation water – if one litre of Bisleri costs you Rs. 12, then one kilo litre of corporation water costs just Rs. 6. Telling you of how harmful painted Ganeshas or Durgas can be to the water-bodies you immerse them in, they urge you to buy those lovely, earthy clay idols which are safe.
They also ask the children what water pollution, scarcity and rain-water harvesting and encroachment of lakes are, displaying a sketch of those affected by it the most – the poor who have to stand in long queues, for a long time at odd hours. If you want to be a part of these fun, interactive CMCA sessions and programmes and win the “Cleanest Classroom award” or see your school-bus driver win the “Best Driver award” and involve your classmates and school, call 25538584 or 25537260. Email cmcaexpressions@yahoo.co.in and visit www.cmcaindia.org
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