Watch: Foreign resident clears month-old garbage, questions India's attitude
The video, which quickly went viral, has raised questions about why local residents ignored the garbage for so long, allowing a visitor to be the one to clean it up.
What the video shows
Shared on Instagram by @4cleanindia, the video begins with the man standing next to a heap of trash reportedly lying outside a house for more than a month. Pointing towards it, he says, 'It's outside my house, it's not my problem, right? So, it took around 15 seconds to get this done.
One bag of garbage. And it's been there for a month. Let's go next time.'
He then collects the waste into a bag and carries it away. The caption adds, 'As long as it's outside my house, it's not my problem! This is the attitude of most people in India, and once this changes, changes will happen. Stop pointing fingers and talking about who is to blame, but take action, and you will see the difference.'
Social media reactions
The video has crossed 1million views and generated mixed responses.
Several praised the initiative, with one user commenting, 'This is what we need, less talk and more action.' Another wrote, 'It's embarrassing that someone from another country had to step in to do this.'
Others, however, pointed to deeper issues. A comment read, 'Cleaning is not the solution; the real problem is waste management and public awareness.' Another added, 'We cannot expect individuals to solve the waste problem without civic bodies doing their job.'
The larger issue
While the act itself lasted only seconds, it has sparked discussions about the country's waste management system and individual responsibility. As one user put it, 'Both citizens and authorities must work together, otherwise nothing will change.'
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Hindustan Times
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