A society needs certain guiding principles and defined rules to attain common objectives, fulfil assigned goals and make progress. To a large extent, this aim of societal progressiveness has been shouldered upon by certain well-established and recognised customary acts and values, which never let anyone divert or act contrary to the collective vision of society.
Values are a product of social creation based on the desirability and productiveness of a particular trait, which distinguishes good from bad and desirable from undesirable. Values are established and followed upon only after their productivity and fruitfulness for a society. For example, honesty is better than dishonesty; one should avoid abusing others; care should be taken of one’s neighbourhood. Other such values have been established worldwide.
As far as the civic values are concerned, all citizens of a society are obligated to strictly adhere to and follow civic rules, which are meant for the collective well-being and welfare of cities and citizenry. Besides being a guide, civic values are also effective engines of civic control. The absence of which may end up in a state of chaos and social disorder. Civic values include being and behaving as a good and responsible citizen.
Keeping streets and neighbourhood clean; avoiding dumping and throwing garbage at the roadside or neighbourhood; not spitting or urinating openly in public; using pedestrian walkways; strictly adhering by traffic rules to avoid traffic congestion; saying no to road encroachments; abstaining from smoking when travelling, in-office or in public places. Beside all these values, collaborating with the government and the administration in managing civic affairs as well as keeping an eagle’s eye on suspicious and illegal activities are some of the more important and pro-citizenry acts.
These values have been given utmost importance in developed countries like the US, Germany and France, where people are compulsorily taught civic values to attain the aim of a civilised society. The violation of civic values is dealt with iron hands. Various fines and punishments are in place if one violates the values.
But sadly, our society presents a dismal and worrying picture of civic values and morality. Though civic senselessness and utter disregard is a norm these days, a recent incident in Karachi, where a woman violated traffic signal and then went on to threaten and abuse the person on-duty depicts a very dismal picture of the plight of values and rules in the place for social safety, order and peace.
No one bothers to act as per assigned civic obligations. Everyone behaves and deals with civic activities as per whim. There is no respect and reverence for one’s neighbourhoods. No neighbourhood is free from garbage dumps and mounds of garbage can be seen in all civic localities. Almost all roads, streets, offices, schools and hostels are painted with stains of pan, supari and gutka. Moreover, urinating on roadsides, beside walls or boundaries of offices and workplaces is a common trend in our society. Human excreta is often seen in the said areas; threatening not only human health but also causing a hygienic crisis condition.
There is no respect and reverence for one’s neighbourhoods. No neighbourhood is free from garbage dumps and mounds of garbage can be seen in all civic localities
However, the pedestrians/zebra crossing sites built to facilitate the common man have either been encroached upon by shopkeepers, push-carts and other influential agents or are rarely used by the people; not only violating civic laws but also risking their precious lives. Roads of almost all commercial sites in major cities or commercial hubs are being badly encroached upon by shop owners and pushcarts; providing very little space for traffic flow. It results in a routine traffic jam and obstructions; causing great miseries for citizen’s daily lives. This woe of traffic congestion is a common trend in the megacities of our country.
This rampant congestion in a big city like Karachi generates various types of crimes, which includes snatching of mobile phones and other valuable belongings from the commuters at the sites of traffic jam.
In addition to this, traffic rules and regulations are formulated in our country but seldom implemented in their truest sense. Most drivers are driving even heavy vehicles, without driving lessons and required basic skills. Drivers have yet to know and understand traffic laws. This apathetic attitude of ill-trained drivers results in heavy causalities due to horrific accidents. Owning to reckless driving, a large number of passengers lose their lives every year. Traffic congestion, on the other hand, is a daily norm causing great losses in the names of times, economy and even sometimes lives.
Random parking in busy streets, commercial centres and shopping malls is another traffic woe; obstructing not only the normal traffic flow but also causing great trouble for the management concerned. This is a particularly normal practice in the metropolis cities.
After it all, no far-sighted policy or plan has been formulated to deal with such serious issues. Policies formulated in the past have not been implemented in the true sense as yet. This apathetic attitude of those at the helm of affairs has led to the complete distortion of civic sense among the masses.
Now, what is needed is the government’s seriousness towards this issue. In this regard, strict laws are direly needed. Besides, strict punishments and fines should be introduced to deal with violators. A separate subject of civic values must be included in syllabi of colleges and universities. Last but not least, the media should play its due role by disseminating awareness regarding the sense and sensibility of civic values.
The writer is a freelancer