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NCERT Solutions for Class 4th The World Around Us Chapter 1 Public places in our community — Discuss

Book page 5 Updated on2026-09-19

Q1.
Why do you think it is important to have places like parks, schools, hospitals and bus stops in your locality?
Answer

These places are important because each one gives the whole locality something that no single family can make at home.

PlaceWhy the locality needs it
ParkA safe place to run, play and sit. Elders come for a morning walk — Mallika's grandmother comes with her friends every day.
SchoolChildren learn to read, write and count, and they make friends there.
Hospital / health centreIt treats people when they fall ill, and gives babies their vaccines.
Bus stopPeople can catch a bus to school, to work or to the next town.

All of these are public places. That means anyone may use them — old or young, rich or poor.

Why it matters: Public places are used for playing, relaxing and meeting others. People also come together there to clean and decorate on special days. These shared experiences bring us closer and create beautiful memories.
Q2.
How would life be different if one or more of these places in your locality did not exist?
Answer

Life would become much harder, and far lonelier. Take away one place at a time and see what happens.

  • No park: children would have to play on the road, which is not safe. Mallika's grandmother would have nowhere to take her morning walk, and there would be less clean air to breathe.
  • No school: children would stay at home. They would not learn to read and write, and they would not meet their friends every day.
  • No hospital: a sick person would have to travel far for treatment. A small illness could turn into a big one on the way.
  • No bus stop: people would have to walk long distances. Many would reach school and work late, or not go at all.

The chapter shows exactly this. In Kanker, when the Chinar river overflowed, "reaching schools and hospitals became a major challenge" — until the community built a bridge.

Why it happens: We hardly notice a shared place while it is there. We feel how much we need it only when it is gone.
Q3.
What can you do to keep these places clean and safe?
Answer

I can look after a public place in small ways, every single day.

  1. Throw waste only in the dustbin. If there is no dustbin, carry the waste home.
  2. Do not pluck flowers or break branches in the park.
  3. Do not scribble on walls, benches or slides.
  4. Water the new saplings and put a guard around them so that animals do not eat them.
  5. Tell an elder at once if a street light, a tap or a bench is broken — that is just what Babita and Sameer did in the story.
  6. Join a cleanliness drive with friends, and wear gloves while picking up litter.
  7. Put leaves and food waste into a pit. They turn into manure and make the soil better.
  8. Walk on the footpath and cross the road only at the crossing, so that the place stays safe too.
Why it works: A public place has no single owner. It stays clean only if every person who uses it keeps it clean.
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