We compare cleanliness between Indian and Western cities. Most Indian cities are brimming with shit and plastic waste, while Western ones are generally cleaner. London once overflowed with feces and a polluted Thames River, as noted by Charles Dickens.
In contrast, ancient Indian civilizations like the Indus Valley had organized drainage and toilets.
When did this switch occur?
Early 1800s – London
London was a growing industrial city with over a million people. Waste was thrown from windows into streets, and the Thames served as an open sewer. Cholera epidemics in the 1830s and 1850s killed tens of thousands, showing the need for change.
1858 – the Great Stink: Heat intensified the stench from the Thames River so badly that Parliament acted. They built a new sewer system in the 1860s and 1870s, separating waste from drinking water. Similar reforms spread across Europe, with laws requiring better water supply and waste removal. By the early 1900s, these changes had cut disease rates and made cities cleaner.
2600 to 1900 BCE – Bharat
Cities like Harappa and Mohenjo-Daro had underground drains and household toilets connected to sewers. People planned streets to handle wastewater. Later, the Cholas, from the 9th to 13th centuries, built canals and reservoirs for irrigation and clean water. Daily habits, such as eating on banana leaves that cows consumed, kept waste natural and minimal.
Gradual Divergence from the 19th Century
The British improved sanitation in their own areas but ignored most Indian neighborhoods. British priorities focused on European enclaves, such as “Civil Lines” in present-day Delhi NCR, which highlighted the residences of foreigners and wealthy Indians—the “civilized” ones.
Funds were low, and local needs were overlooked. Cholera and other diseases spread, but sanitation coverage remained poor—by 1947, less than 1 percent of people had proper facilities. Open defecation became common, and cities grew without matching infrastructure. Epidemics like cholera were widespread due to poor infrastructure and funding shortages.
After 1947, Bharat’s population exploded, and cities expanded rapidly. Plastic arrived in the 1950s and became widespread by the 1980s, replacing items like banana leaves and “Thonnai” bowls. Now, plastic litters streets, blocks drains, and harms animals like cows.
By the early 1900s, Western cities, having reformed earlier, handled their growth with established systems. They reduced epidemics through infrastructure like reservoirs and waste treatment.
We are unable to “reform” or change our practices of littering “items” that animals could later eat. Today, Bharat generates about 9.5 kg of plastic per person annually.
Bharat can build on ancient strengths by expanding programs like Swachh Bharat, which has already added millions of toilets since 2014. We should provide farmers, vendors, and industries with plastic alternatives to revive eco-friendly traditions. Milk packets can be made without plastic. It’s possible.
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