Opinion | Civic Sense The Change We Keep Waiting for Begins With Us

We complain about poor civic facilities while simultaneously neglecting the ones already available.

Good governance and responsible citizenship must complement each other. One cannot succeed without the other.

No government can place an official beside every citizen to ensure that garbage is disposed of properly or traffic rules are obeyed.

The future of Kashmir will not be determined solely by highways, flyovers or smart-city projects. It will equally depend upon whether citizens choose discipline over convenience, responsibility over indifference and collective welfare over individual comfort.

There is a saying in Kashmir that “a garden flourishes only when every gardener does his part.” The Valley, blessed with majestic mountains, sparkling streams and centuries of cultural heritage, is often called Paradise on Earth. Yet, there are moments when one wonders whether we are doing enough to preserve this paradise. The answer, unfortunately, is not always comforting.Every morning, municipal workers sweep our roads before most of us are awake. By afternoon, many of those very roads are littered with plastic bottles, food wrappers and disposable cups. Traffic policemen regulate busy intersections, yet some motorists continue to violate signals and park wherever they find convenience. Newly built parks, public toilets and bus shelters often begin to deteriorate within months not because they were poorly constructed, but because they were poorly treated. These are not failures of infrastructure alone. They are failures of civic sense.

Civic sense is a phrase we frequently hear but seldom pause to understand. It is not confined to keeping streets clean or following traffic rules. At its core, civic sense is about recognising that we are part of a larger community and that our actions affect everyone around us. It is the discipline to do what is right even when nobody is watching. It is respecting public spaces as much as we respect our own homes.Perhaps one of the greatest ironies in Kashmir today is that while we passionately speak about preserving our natural beauty, we often become contributors to its gradual decline.Take Dal Lake, for instance. It is not merely a tourist attraction; it is an identity of Kashmir. For generations, poets have celebrated its calm waters, painters have immortalised its reflections, and visitors from across the globe have marvelled at its beauty. Yet, every year, enormous quantities of waste find their way into the lake. Similar concerns surround Wular Lake, the Jhelum River and numerous streams flowing through villages and towns. Governments spend crores on restoration projects, cleaning drives and conservation programmes. These initiatives are necessary, but they can never succeed unless ordinary citizens become active participants rather than passive spectators.One discarded plastic bottle may appear insignificant. Thousands discarded every day become an environmental disaster.

The same pattern repeats itself across the Valley. Roads are widened at enormous public expense, only to be narrowed again by illegal parking and encroachments. Footpaths meant for pedestrians become occupied by vendors or vehicles, forcing schoolchildren and elderly citizens to walk amidst moving traffic. Public parks meant for recreation often become dumping grounds after weekends and holidays. We complain about poor civic facilities while simultaneously neglecting the ones already available.This contradiction deserves honest reflection.Blaming the government has become almost instinctive. Certainly, civic authorities must improve waste management, drainage systems, road maintenance and law enforcement. Municipal bodies need better equipment. Rural areas require more efficient sanitation services. Illegal encroachments must be dealt with firmly. Yet, governance has its limits. No government can place an official beside every citizen to ensure that garbage is disposed of properly or traffic rules are obeyed.Good governance and responsible citizenship must complement each other. One cannot succeed without the other.

Traffic discipline is another area demanding urgent attention. Anyone travelling through Srinagar, Baramulla, Sopore, Handwara or other growing towns can observe familiar scenes—vehicles parked haphazardly, unnecessary honking, lane violations and impatient overtaking. Traffic congestion is often blamed entirely on increasing vehicle numbers. While that is certainly one factor, poor road behaviour contributes equally to the problem.A few seconds saved by violating traffic rules can cost someone else’s life.Driving responsibly is not simply compliance with law; it is respect for human life. The same principle applies to pedestrians who ignore designated crossings or suddenly enter busy roads. Civic responsibility belongs equally to motorists and pedestrians alike.Perhaps what worries many observers is not merely the existence of these problems but the growing tendency to normalise them. When littering becomes routine, illegal parking becomes acceptable and damaging public property becomes insignificant, society begins to lower its own standards.This is where education assumes tremendous importance.

Civic values are first learnt at home. A child who sees parents respecting public property, obeying traffic rules and keeping surroundings clean naturally adopts similar habits.Kashmir’s cultural traditions already provide a strong moral foundation for civic responsibility. Our society has historically valued hospitality, mutual respect and community cooperation. Villages once came together to maintain common pathways, irrigation channels and public spaces. Neighbours considered community welfare their shared obligation rather than somebody else’s responsibility.These traditions should not disappear amidst rapid urbanisation and changing lifestyles.Religious institutions can also play a constructive role. Every major faith emphasises cleanliness, honesty and consideration for others. Friday sermons, community meetings and local awareness programmes can reinforce these universal values. Civic sense should never be viewed merely as a legal obligation; it is fundamentally a moral responsibility.

The media, too, has an important contribution to make. Newspapers, radio stations and digital platforms often highlight civic failures—and rightly so. But equal attention should be given to positive examples. Communities that successfully organise cleanliness drives, young volunteers protecting forests, students planting trees or citizens maintaining public parks deserve recognition. Positive stories inspire imitation.One encouraging trend visible across Kashmir is the increasing involvement of young people in environmental initiatives. Volunteer groups regularly organise cleanliness campaigns around tourist destinations, lakes and public spaces. Students participate enthusiastically in plantation drives and awareness programmes.These efforts demonstrate that the desire for change already exists.What remains is to transform isolated campaigns into everyday habits.Technology also offers new opportunities. Mobile applications allow citizens to report damaged roads, blocked drains, overflowing garbage bins or illegal encroachments directly to authorities. Social media, often criticised for spreading negativity, can instead become a platform for promoting civic awareness and community participation.However, technology alone cannot replace character.

Ultimately, civic sense is measured through simple everyday decisions. Do we throw waste into a dustbin or onto the roadside? Do we patiently wait at a traffic signal or attempt to jump the queue? Do we protect public property or treat it carelessly because it belongs to “the government”? These small decisions, repeated millions of times, define the quality of public life.There is a tendency to believe that meaningful change must begin with large government schemes or ambitious policies. In reality, societies transform through countless ordinary acts performed consistently by ordinary people.Singapore did not become one of the cleanest cities in the world merely because of strict laws. Japan is admired not because of sophisticated infrastructure alone but because civic discipline has become part of everyday culture. People voluntarily clean public spaces, respect queues and protect common property because these behaviours have become social norms.

The future of Kashmir will not be determined solely by highways, flyovers or smart-city projects. It will equally depend upon whether citizens choose discipline over convenience, responsibility over indifference and collective welfare over individual comfort.

This policy editorial is published under the Eco Mission initiative of the Centre for Public Interest (CPI), an independent and non-partisan public policy think tank dedicated to advancing societal well-being through research, advocacy, education, and community engagement.

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