Keeping It Green Again

I´m out early tomorrow as a volunteer mountain-cleaner.

As previously blogged, every few months The Environmental Office asks for volunteers to help clean up the village. Usually there are loads of Tibetans and Westerners, but just a small handful of Indians who give up the best part of the day to collect the ever-increasing rubbish off the streets and hillsides. This is probably in complete opposite proportions to those who continue to litter.

When returning from my last puja down the Rekong Pass to Manali, a traffic snarl-up meant the last 40kms took about 5 hour to complete. I got out of the 4x4 shared taxi regularly to stretch my legs.

On one of meanders, i am walking up close to a rather sparkly red family car. An 8 or 9 year old boy opens the tinted black back-seat window and hurls out a 1 litre empty coke bottle. I go, pick it up and return it to the boy. I tell him calmly that Himachal Pradesh is my home. It is beautiful and should be kept clean. In fairness, he looks guilty, but does not say a word.

As i begin to walk to walk away, the boy´s father picks up the bottle and throws it down the mountainside. I must have a complete look of horror of my face, for the boy´s father gives me a large smile, an ambiguous Indian head-shake and a large shrug in return.

Do you wonder why i am sometimes filled with complete despair for humainity?

It´s going to be horrid, dirty and smelly, but i love The Ganj and it deserves to be kept as pristine as possible. It´s definitely looking a bit scruffy again and needs some extra tender loving care.