A viral video that shows soiled diapers hanging on a tree outside a house, purportedly filmed in Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh, has sparked a wider conversation about civic sense in India. The video was shared on Instagram by Shweta Kataria, an influencer advocating a more sustainable lifestyle among her followers.
‘Diaper tree’ in Varanasi
The video opens with a shot of a double-storey house that has a large tree growing outside. The off-screen narrator explains that a family with a young child lives in the house. The camera then pans to show used diapers hanging by the dozen from the tree’s branches.
The narrator explains that the family, instead of disposing of the diapers properly, threw them on the tree. The video also showed a family member dumping garbage at a vacant plot outside their house.
The video then cut to Kataria who urged parents to use reusable cloth diapers instead of disposable ones, highlighting their negative impact on the environment. The influencer also pointed out that cloth diapers are more cost-effective and better for babies’ skin.
Video sparks outrage
{{/usCountry}}The video then cut to Kataria who urged parents to use reusable cloth diapers instead of disposable ones, highlighting their negative impact on the environment. The influencer also pointed out that cloth diapers are more cost-effective and better for babies’ skin.
Video sparks outrage
{{/usCountry}}The video of diapers hanging on the tree sparked outrage on Instagram.
“Shizz, civic sense gone deep in the gutter,” read one comment under the video.
“I think you should stick to civic sense, if they were wise or resourceful they wouldn't have created a diaper tree,” another said.
(Also read: Foreigner’s ‘Indian etiquette’ post on Reddit triggers civic sense discussion: ‘How do folks deal with this?')
“This shouldn’t be normal. Used diapers hanging on trees and trash thrown outside the house… Then suddenly it becomes the government’s responsibility,” a person opined.
“This really sucks! I cloth diapered my twins till 3 years and the only thing I regret is that I didn't do this for my elder one. And still can’t understand why people hesitate to explore this way,” a viewer added.