Cleanliness
‘Cleanliness is next to godliness’ is the famous saying. It is an accepted fact that dirt is a breeding ground for all diseases. Cleanliness does not mean keeping our bodies neat and clean but also keeping all around us clean.
Accumulation of waste and garbage in public places results in purification and pollutes the breathing air and the .atmosphere. This pollution breads other infectious diseases which quickly affect the children and old people. Young ones also fall a prey to the infection which affects any one in their household.
It has been found out by scientists that many of the diseases are carried by germs which breed around our houses and from unprotected public water places.
Especially the common well or pond which supplies the drinking water to the village or town nearby should be kept clean; Cattle should not be tied nearby and dirty water should not be permitted to stagnate near that well or pond because this dirty water easily flows back into the well or pond and pollutes the water. When this water is used for drinking, diseases like cholera, dengue fever or jaundice afflict the people.
The waste and garbage should be removed now and then from public streets and places and dumped in far off pits or fields. Streets should be kept neat and clean. No one shall spit or use the pathways as toilets. There may be a Corporation in the town to look after cleanness. We must also assist them in keeping our town clean.
So also we must keep our bodies clean. We all know that waste matter from our bodies escape through the pores of our skin. These pores get choked if we do not wash regularly. We should also use a good toilet soap for bathing.
Clothes become dirty quickly. We should wash them regularly. Even with a few clothes one can look clean. More often it is laziness and not poverty that keeps people a dirty.
Before every journey, the carriages are cleaned. People who travel by the rain make the whole train dirty. If we keep the carriages clean, travel will be a pleasure.
Keeping public places clean is a co-operative affair. If we are clean in our habits, we can set an example to others. So in matters of cleanliness there is no use in grumbling what others do not do What we do is more Important. Children should be taught to learn cleanliness at very early age.
