Q1.
Look at Fig. 3.3a and Fig. 3.3b. Which playground would you like to play in, and why?
Answer
The playground in Fig. 3.3a — because it is clean, well-maintained and looks beautiful, while the one in Fig. 3.3b is polluted, dirty, unhygienic and full of flies and mosquitos.
The reason is not only that the clean one looks nicer. A dirty playground is a health risk, and the chapter explains why:
- Mosquitos breeding in standing water are vectors — they carry malaria and dengue.
- Houseflies sitting on waste and then on food carry the pathogens of typhoid, cholera and other food- and water-borne diseases.
- Dust and smoke in such places make breathing difficult and can bring on coughing or asthma.
That is why the book concludes: people living in such areas may fall sick more often.
Why it happens: keeping ourselves clean protects only us. Keeping the surroundings clean removes the place where the vector breeds — and that protects everybody who uses the ground. This is why the chapter puts “keep the environment clean” on the same footing as personal hygiene.