{"id":22808,"date":"2026-08-15T08:20:57","date_gmt":"2026-08-15T02:35:57","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/eng.dragonmedia.com.np\/?p=22808"},"modified":"2026-08-15T08:20:57","modified_gmt":"2026-08-15T02:35:57","slug":"clean-streets-are-not-enough-let-us-build-a-responsible-society-too","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/eng.dragonmedia.com.np\/?p=22808","title":{"rendered":"Clean Streets Are Not Enough; Let Us Build a Responsible Society Too<\/strong>"},"content":{"rendered":"

# Bhakta Bahadur KC<\/strong><\/p>\n

This morning, I was walking along a road behind Siddhartha View in Ward No. 18 of Nepalgunj Sub-Metropolitan City. At one of the bends, thick kans grass had grown along the roadside. Because the vegetation obstructed visibility around the turn, I felt it could increase the risk of an accident. Rather than waiting for someone else to come and clear it, I decided to do what I could myself and began cutting the grass.<\/p>\n

As people passed along the road, several offered different suggestions. One said it would have been better to wear gumboots while cutting it. Another advised that the work would have been easier early in the morning while the grass was still wet with dew. Someone else suggested that it should be dug out completely from the roots.<\/p>\n

Each suggestion had its own value. But then one woman pointed farther down the road and asked me to cut the grass in front of her house as well.
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I asked her, \u201cHow far is your house? I can clean it. But first tell me, who built this road?\u201d<\/p>\n

She replied, \u201cThe Sub-Metropolitan City.\u201d<\/p>\n

I then asked, \u201cDoes the mayor walk along this road?\u201d<\/p>\n

She said, \u201cNo.\u201d<\/p>\n

That brief exchange made me think deeply.
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The government builds roads. Local authorities construct drainage systems. Streetlights, drinking water, schools, health facilities and other public infrastructure fall within the responsibility of the state. Citizens pay taxes and, in return, have every right to expect properly managed public services.<\/p>\n

But rights also come with responsibilities of our own.<\/p>\n

If a small patch of grass grows in front of our house, must we always wait for the municipality to remove it, or can we spare five minutes to clear it ourselves? If plastic blocks a drain, should we allow the water to accumulate until municipal workers arrive, or should whoever is able to remove it simply do so? When we see litter on the road, should we only blame others, or at the very least make sure that we ourselves do not add to it?<\/p>\n

These seemingly small questions shape the culture of a society.<\/p>\n

I am not suggesting that citizens should take over the responsibilities of local government. Road maintenance, regular sanitation, drainage management, public safety and the protection of infrastructure remain institutional responsibilities of local authorities. Citizens must demand proper services, question failures and hold elected representatives accountable.<\/p>\n

But citizens who demand accountability from government must also be willing to act responsibly themselves.<\/p>\n

In recent years, we seem to have developed a peculiar habit. When we see someone doing a job, many of us are ready to offer advice, but fewer are willing to lend a hand. Many people are quick to point out problems, while relatively few are prepared to become even a small part of the solution.<\/p>\n

Society is not something that someone else comes and builds for us. It is something we create together.<\/p>\n

A school cannot be improved by teachers alone; parents also have a role. A city cannot be kept clean by the mayor alone; every household and business has a responsibility. Roads cannot be made safe by traffic police alone; drivers and pedestrians must also act responsibly.<\/p>\n

This is also one of the strengths of democracy. In a democracy, citizens are not merely recipients of services; they are participants.<\/p>\n

We must pass this culture on to our children as well. Public property does not mean property that belongs to no one. It means property that belongs to all of us. Protecting roads, parks, schools, public resting places, drains and other shared spaces should therefore be regarded much like taking care of our own courtyard.<\/p>\n

The kans grass I cut today was not a major achievement. It may grow back again after some time. But what it reminded me of is important.<\/p>\n

Change does not always require a large campaign. Sometimes a culture of responsible citizenship can begin by cutting a patch of grass, removing a stone from the road, clearing waste from a drain, picking up a piece of plastic or helping another person.<\/p>\n

Let the municipality fulfil its responsibilities. Let elected representatives perform their duties. Let public employees do their jobs. But let us, as citizens, also remember our share of responsibility.<\/p>\n

It is necessary to ask what others have failed to do. But from time to time, we should also ask ourselves: \u201cWhat could I have done?\u201d<\/p>\n

That question can mark the beginning of a journey toward a more self-reliant, cooperative and responsible society.<\/p>\n

Let us move from being a society that merely gives advice to one that offers a helping hand. Let us be citizens who fulfil responsibilities as well as demand rights. Let us regard not only our homes, but also our neighbourhoods, roads and cities as part of our shared home.<\/p>\n

Then it will not be only a road that becomes cleaner. Our social attitudes and civic culture will become cleaner as well.<\/p>\n

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