Every time I visit my hometown in the countryside, I am appalled at the amount of pollution I see. Colorful food packaging, plastic bags and batteries litter everywhere. I cannot help thinking how much damage this is doing to the countryside and to the entire country.

I am afraid to say that this sorry state of affairs is the rule rather than the exception, and preventive and remedial actions are urgently needed.

Pollution is an eyesore to say the least, which ruins the otherwise pristine countryside that some of us still remember. This is not just a cosmetic degradation, the countryside is sick with pollution. Unless restored back to health, the disease will spread through society.