Want to be an active citizen?
The Hindu : between a good and a bad citizen? Who is an active citizen? Students of class VIII of Bethany High School are engrossed in a Children’s Movement for Civic Awareness (CMCA) session that happens once every week for 45 minutes.
It’s different at a CMCA session – the teacher’s voice does not drone on putting you to sleep. Sheela Ladha, who volunteers at CMCA opens a neat chart. The kids lean forward to peer at it. It’s a colourful sketch of a young boy walking by a leaking tap – he is a ‘bad citizen’.
Next, she unfurls another boy who notices the tap, tries to close it, but in vain. He walks on without seeing to the matter – he is just a ‘good citizen’ – someone who has made an attempt but does not call attention to the matter. Now, Sheela opens out the drawing of the active citizen – he is sweating, and leaves only when he successfully closes the tap – by calling higher authority (Call 1916 for water leakages) or he could have found a wire to tie it around the tap and prevent it from leaking. Makes sense, doesn’t it?
Otherwise, try to jog your memory and recall this story or get your hands on it. It is called “The Hero of Haarlem”, from Holland written by Dutch writer Hans Brinker. The English translation tells you of a brave and sensitive boy who while going on an errand, hears water trickling.
Young hero
When he goes to investigate, he sees a stream flowing and if he leaves it like that, the hole will get larger and the dam will burst! It’s getting dark, there is no one and he puts his finger in the dyke and stays there all night to prevent a flood. Doesn’t it really make you admire this thoughtful, caring citizen who wanted to save his village from being flooded? Imagine, just one act saved hundreds!…More
