logo
Watch: Foreigner cleans Himachal Waterfall—locals watch, internet reacts

Watch: Foreigner cleans Himachal Waterfall—locals watch, internet reacts

Time of India4 days ago
A short video from a waterfall in Himachal Pradesh's Kangra district is drawing attention online– this time, not for any viral dance or flashy travel vlog, but for something far simpler.
In the clip, a foreign tourist, wrapped in just a towel, is seen quietly picking up plastic waste left behind by others. The calm, wordless gesture has sparked a larger conversation– one that touches on our collective responsibility, how we treat natural spaces, and the behaviour of Indian tourists when visiting scenic spots.
Tourist takes initiative, leaves the internet divided
In the now-viral video, the tourist is seen calmly collecting wrappers and plastic from the ground.
While his actions were quiet, his words during the video were firm. 'Maybe if I have a free day, I will sit and tell people, 'Pick this up'. I have no problem telling people,' he says, as he continues gathering litter near the waterfall.
Watch the video here:
The clip was shared on the social media platform X by user Nikhil Saini. In his caption, Saini wrote, 'Shameful, a foreign tourist is more concerned about nature's beauty while local tourists keep shamelessly littering such stunning places.
by Taboola
by Taboola
Sponsored Links
Sponsored Links
Promoted Links
Promoted Links
You May Like
Great news for Filipinos!
Sunlife.com.ph
Read More
Undo
No govt or administration is to be blamed– it's the people who need to change if we ever want a clean country.'
Reactions pour in: 'It's not the government, it's us'
Saini's post quickly went viral, and the comments reflect both anger and introspection. One user wrote, 'I have said it many times. We need a generational shift in mindset. Teach your children that it is bad. I have seen people telling their kids to throw trash out of the car. Civic sense is zero amongst us.'
Another added, 'Hence proved again, it's not the Government's fault, but Indians are the problem of littering in India.'
A third said, 'Absolutely shameful. Until people change their mindset, no amount of rules or governance can keep our country clean.'
The general mood online was clear– the issue lies not in the lack of rules, but in the casual approach of many tourists towards basic cleanliness.
The bigger problem: Cleanliness at tourist hotspots
Incidents like these aren't new. From mountains to beaches, several popular destinations across India face the same issue: careless littering, lack of awareness, and a missing sense of responsibility among visitors.
Despite awareness campaigns, dustbins, and fines, the sight of plastic wrappers, bottles, and food waste remains common in many public spaces.
While local authorities often carry out regular clean-up drives, such efforts fall short when the problem originates at the level of public behaviour.
Clean spaces need conscious travellers
The video from Kangra brings the focus back to the role of individuals in keeping public spaces clean. As the tourist demonstrated, it doesn't take a huge campaign or government order to act responsibly– just basic awareness and intent.
His quiet gesture has become a talking point, not because it was extraordinary, but because it pointed to something so ordinary that should already be expected from all: not leaving behind a mess in nature.
The video continues to circulate online, prompting many to reflect– not just on the foreigner's actions, but on their own.
Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

UNESCO recognises Maratha Military landscapes as a world heritage site
UNESCO recognises Maratha Military landscapes as a world heritage site

India Today

time22 minutes ago

  • India Today

UNESCO recognises Maratha Military landscapes as a world heritage site

UNESCO World Heritage Committee inscribed the Maratha Military Landscapes twelve forts arching from the Sahyadri peaks to Konkan's sea bastions and the granite outpost of between the seventeenth and nineteenth centuries, they knit together hill-hugging ramparts, rain-harvesting reservoirs and coastal redoubts that powered Maratha resurgence against much larger empires. India's forty-fourth inscription is therefore not merely an architectural victory; it reminds us that strategic imagination can be as deserving of recognition as palatial splendour. advertisementBeyond the New Laureates The Maratha listing opens the door to a wider mosaic of sites equally poised for global recognition. In the Chambal ravines near Gwalior, the circular Chausath Yogini temple at Mitawali often hailed as a proto-Parliament design and the delicately carved Padawali fortress, dubbed a "mini Khajuraho," illustrate the fusion of tantric ritual, military defence and fine sculpture. Far north-east, Tripura's Unakoti hill bears seventh-century bas-reliefs so monumental they have been called an "Angkor in the clouds." Karnataka's megalithic Hire Benakal plateau preserves a prehistoric field of stone dolmens. Together they show how India's geography, from the Chambal badlands to the lush hills of Tripura, offers a time-capsule of civilisations waiting to be inscribed. Tapping India's Intangible Wealth UNESCO's brief extends beyond masonry. Its Intangible Cultural Heritage list already celebrates Indian practices from Vedic chanting to Yoga and Kolkata's Durga Puja carnival, but many living traditions remain offstage. The Nashik dhol war rhythms that still thunder across Raigad, the Koli sea songs mapping Konkan currents, or the oral ballads of Sahyadri hillmen each breathe life into the stones. Gond bana storytelling, Himachali pahari weaving and Khasi monolith rituals are further candidates for global acknowledgment, illustrating that India's heritage beats as much in drum-skins and looms as in brick and basalt. Lessons in Civic Stewardship from the West Western countries show how broad-based public engagement can turbo-charge preservation. In the United Kingdom, the National Trust's recent "Deep Time" citizen-science project enlisted more than 1,000 volunteers dubbed "Pastronauts"-to analyse LiDAR data across 512 km, discovering 12,802 previously unknown archaeological sites in just three months. Finland's Adopt a Monument scheme lets neighbourhood groups "adopt" historic structures; over 70 sites are already under volunteer care, their upkeep guided by museum professionals. Across the Atlantic, the U.S. National Park Service channels nearly 300,000 volunteers who donate more than 6.5 million hours each year through its Volunteers-in-Parks (VIP) programme, a contribution valued at over $185 million. These models prove that when citizens become custodians, heritage management gains both manpower and emotional investment. From Conservation to Celebration India already channels similar enthusiasm. INTACH's 230 chapters and thousands of school Heritage Clubs equip students to document neighbourhood shrines and step-wells. advertisementThe Aga Khan Trust's craft-centred renewal of Humayun's Tomb wove 200,000 artisan work-days into a single restoration campaign, reviving skills and livelihoods alongside stone. Corporate-community partnerships forged under the Adopt-a-Heritage/Monument Mitra banner have upgraded visitor facilities from Red Fort to the hidden gem of Chandragiri. What links these successes is a three-way handshake: public bodies set standards, private sponsors underwrite logistics, and citizen groups provide passion and vigilance. When trekkers sweep litter from Lohagad, when villagers stage a Koli Folk-Fest beside Suvarnadurg, or when architecture students create QR-coded trails around Unakoti, preservation shifts from being a duty to becoming a celebration. Small local grants-crowdfunded or CSR-backed often spark the most inventive outcomes: poetry recitals beneath Padawali's torana, drone-camera surveys of Hire Benakal, or travelling exhibitions that pair Chausath Yogini's iconography with contemporary art. Each micro-project multiplies public pride in ways that no centrally run campaign could script. A Call to Co-Stewardship The Maratha forts' UNESCO medal is a milestone; the greater triumph will be an ethos in which every Indian-archivist or influencer, mason or manager-owns a thread of the national tapestry. Imagine schoolchildren charting Raigad's rain-water tanks for a science fair, Koli fishermen guiding tourists through Suvarnadurg's tidal moat, or marathon runners raising conservation funds along the ramparts of Rajgad. In such moments heritage is not merely safeguarded; it is performed. Partnership, not prescription, will carry the day. Institutions can safeguard bylaws and lab protocols, but the songs, stories and entrepreneurial sparks that make a monument sing come from the ground up. By shifting focus from conservation alone to celebration-from guarding the past to animating it-India can ensure that its forts, temples, looms and legends remain both anchors of identity and springboards for collective inputs from Maitridevi Sisodia is a Deputy Collector posted in Ahmedabad, an award-winning author, and women's rights advocate. She is also passionate about rural development, youth empowerment and social equality. Her writings are widely published and acclaimed. She's a speaker at national and global forums. - EndsTune InMust Watch

Dilip Kumar and Raj Kapoor's ancestral homes to become museums; Two-year renovation underway
Dilip Kumar and Raj Kapoor's ancestral homes to become museums; Two-year renovation underway

Time of India

time25 minutes ago

  • Time of India

Dilip Kumar and Raj Kapoor's ancestral homes to become museums; Two-year renovation underway

(Picture Courtesy: Facebook) As part of preserving South Asia's cinematic heritage, the ancestral homes of Indian film legends Dilip Kumar and Raj Kapoor in Peshawar are now undergoing official reconstruction and renovation. As reported by PTI, the long-awaited project commenced on Monday (July 28), as confirmed by officials from Pakistan's Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province. These historic structures, located in the heart of Peshawar, are set to be transformed into museums that will pay tribute to the life and legacy of the two towering figures of Indian cinema. Preserving heritage, promoting tourism According to Dr Abdus Samad, Director of Archaeology, the initiative will span two years with an estimated budget of Rs 70 million. The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government has released funds for this ambitious restoration effort. This will include both structural and aesthetic upgrades. The Directorate of Archaeology and Museums is overseeing the project. It aims to return the residences to their original state. Dilip Kumar and Saira Banu's unmissable pictures The plan to convert the homes into dedicated museums is rooted in a vision to not only honor the personal histories of Dilip Kumar and Raj Kapoor but also to enhance tourism potential in the province. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like $30K Goes a Long Way in This Clementi Condo squarerooms Read More Undo Meanwhile, these were declared national heritage sites in 2014 by then-Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif. A cultural investment for the future Reportedly, the advisor for Tourism Zahid Khan Shinwari emphasized the broader vision behind the project, noting that with the support of the World Bank, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa aims to make its cultural landmarks central to its tourism economy. 'These projects will revolutionise the tourism sector in the province,' he said to PTI. 'Our aim is to make Khyber Pakhtunkhwa's beautiful cultural landmarks a focal point for tourists worldwide. ' The renovation of these heritage homes is expected to create jobs and revive interest in the shared cultural history of the Indian subcontinent, giving both locals and international visitors a chance to walk through the early and legendary chapters of cinema.

Brazil chooses one of its poorest regions for UN climate talks, here's why
Brazil chooses one of its poorest regions for UN climate talks, here's why

Time of India

timean hour ago

  • Time of India

Brazil chooses one of its poorest regions for UN climate talks, here's why

Source: Bloomber The upcoming United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP30) in November is set to be unlike any other. For the first time, world leaders, scientists, activists, and business executives will gather in Belem, Brazil, a city located on the edge of the Amazon rainforest and grappling with poverty and environmental challenges. Unlike past host cities such as Paris, Dubai, or Bali—known for their luxury and tourist appeal—Belem was deliberately chosen to highlight climate vulnerability, deforestation, and socioeconomic inequalities. Organisers hope the unique venue will focus global attention not just on emissions targets but also on creating climate solutions that benefit developing nations and frontline communities. Why Belem was chosen for the United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP30) COP30 President-Designate Andre Corrêa do Lago emphasised that choosing Belem is a symbolic decision. Brazil's President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva believes climate negotiations must confront real-world challenges head-on, rather than being discussed in insulated luxury settings. 'You are going to see a developing city, with infrastructure challenges and high poverty rates, set against one of the most biodiverse regions on Earth,' do Lago said. The Amazon rainforest, often referred to as the 'lungs of the planet,' is central to discussions on climate change mitigation and biodiversity preservation. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Libas Purple Days Sale Libas Undo By hosting COP30 in Belem, Brazil aims to directly link climate policies with poverty reduction and forest conservation. How Belem's location reflects the urgency and challenges of COP30 Location and infrastructure challenges – COP30 will be held in Belem, Brazil, which is already struggling with infrastructure and accommodation. The city's high hotel prices, lack of enough rooms, and the use of cruise ships to host delegates highlight how climate negotiations intersect with real-world social and economic issues. Key focus on climate action – COP30 is an important milestone for the Paris Agreement, where countries must update their climate action plans (NDCs) to cut greenhouse gas emissions. The event emphasises urgent global cooperation to limit warming to 1.5°C. Symbolism of Belem – Choosing Belem, a city near the Amazon rainforest and marked by poverty, symbolises the need to connect climate action with social justice, deforestation control, and sustainable development. COP30 pushes for $1.3 trillion climate finance to support vulnerable nations Another key priority is climate finance. The $1.3 trillion annual funding roadmap is under discussion to help vulnerable nations adapt to climate impacts and shift to clean energy as reported by Associated Press (AP). Developing countries argue that they contribute the least to global emissions yet suffer the most from floods, droughts, and rising sea levels. COP30 aims to strengthen commitments for equitable financial support, ensuring no country is left behind in the climate transition. Amazon protection and nature-based solutions take center stage at COP30 The Amazon rainforest, spanning multiple countries but largely within Brazil, is a critical carbon sink. Its deforestation, however, has reached alarming levels, at times turning parts of the Amazon into net carbon emitters. COP30 will prioritize: Halting illegal deforestation Restoring degraded ecosystems Incentivizing sustainable land use practices Strengthening indigenous land rights This focus aligns with the growing recognition that nature-based solutions are essential to achieving climate targets. Adding momentum, the United Nations' top court recently declared that access to a clean and healthy environment is a basic human right. This ruling strengthens arguments that states have a legal duty to reduce emissions and protect ecosystems. According to court President Yuji Iwasawa: 'Failure of a state to take appropriate action to protect the climate system may constitute an internationally wrongful act.' This legal shift could influence COP30 negotiations, pushing countries toward stronger and enforceable climate commitments. Vision for COP30 : A 'Summit of Solutions' Do Lago envisions COP30 as a turning point: 'We hope to be remembered as the COP of solutions, where people realized climate action creates opportunities and growth rather than sacrifice.' By holding the summit in Belem—where poverty, deforestation, and climate risk intersect—organizers aim to keep discussions grounded and outcomes impactful. The success of COP30 will depend not only on emissions pledges but also on innovative solutions, equitable financing, and a shared vision for a sustainable global future. Also Read | Rare flesh-eating bacteria kills 4 in Florida: Here's what you need to know about Vibrio vulnificus

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into a world of global content with local flavor? Download Daily8 app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store