Mahatma Gandhi had rightly said, “Sanitation is more important than Independence”. He was aware of the pathetic situation of Indian rural people at that time and he dreamt of a clean India where he emphasised on cleanliness and sanitation as an integral part of living. Unfortunately, we have completed 67 years of independence and we have only about 30% of the rural households with access to toilets.
President Pranab Mukherjee in his address to Parliament in June 2014, said, “For ensuring hygiene, waste management and sanitation across the nation a “Swachh Bharat Mission” will be launched. This will be our tribute to Mahatma Gandhi on his 150th birth anniversary to be celebrated in the year 2019”.
The Narendra Modi Government will soon launch the “Swachh Bharat” movement to solve the sanitation problem in India, to solve the problem of waste management and make India a clean country, ensuring hygiene all across the country. Emphasising “Clean India” on August 15, 2014 in his Independence day speech, the Prime Minister said that this movement is associated with the economic activity of the country. This mission for creating a clean India will be launched on October 2, 2014, the birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi with the target of completing the mission in 2019, the 150th birth anniversary of the father of the nation. The basic objective behind Swachh Bharat Mission is to create sanitation facilities for all and eliminate completely the unhealthy practice of responding to the nature’s call in the open. It aims to provide every rural family with a toilet by 2019.
First cleanliness drive starts on September 25
According to a statement by the PMO, all offices up to panchayat level will participate in a cleanliness drive that shall be carried out from September 25 till Diwali on October 23. As a part of the awareness campaign, the Delhi Government plans to cover more than 8 lakh ration card holders by sending sms to their mobile numbers.
What is Modi’s opinion?
Modi has directly linked the Clean India movement with the economic activity of the nation. This mission, according to him, can contribute to GDP growth, provide a source of employment and reduce health costs, thereby connecting to an economic activity. Cleanliness is no doubt connected to the tourism and global interests of the country as a whole. India is already a known hub in the world tourist map. It is high time now that India’s top 50 tourist destinations display high class levels of hygiene and cleanliness so as to change the nation’s global perception.
Clean India can bring in more tourists, thereby increasing the revenue. He has appealed to the people to devote 100 hours every year to cleanliness. Not only the sanitation programme, Modi also laid emphasis on solid waste management and waste water management. Nitin Gadkari, Union Minister of Rural Development, Drinking Water & Sanitation, said that solid and liquid waste management activities using scientifically proved advanced techniques will be launched in each gram panchayat. Narendra Modi has also directed that separate toilets for boys and girls should be provided in every school in the country by August 15, 2015.
Objectives of Swachh Bharat Abhiyan
The details of the Swachh Bharat Abhiyan is under development presently. But the following principles will be included:
- Construction of individual, cluster and community toilets.
- To eliminate or reduce open defecation. Open defecation is one of the main causes of deaths of thousands of children each year.
- Not only latrine construction, the Swachh Bharat Mission will also make an initiative of establishing an accountable mechanism of monitoring latrine use.
- Public awareness will also be provided about the drawbacks of open defecation and promotion of latrine use.
- Proper, dedicated ground staff will be recruited to bring about behavioural change and promotion of latrine use.
- For proper sanitation use, the mission will aim at changing people’s attitudes, mindsets and behaviours.
- To keep villages clean.
- Solid and liquid waste management through gram panchayats.
- To lay water pipelines in all villages, ensuring water supply to all households by 2019.
Let’s make Swachh Bharat Abhiyan a success
The PM has rightly asserted that Swachh Bharat Abhiyan should be a combined effort of both the Government as well as the people. We hope that the Swachh Bharat Mission does not become another Nirmal Bharat Abhiyan started by the previous Government in 1999 with the same mission but was not a success.
Swachh Bharat Abhiyan should not be a mere re-branding exercise. There is no doubt about the fact that change begins at home. Every citizen of the country should be clean and have hygiene and think of progress rather than waiting for the Government to make this plan successful. Let us also hope that we can change the minds of the people and focus on the real issues and not just constructing toilets. Let us all pledge to make this mission a success…
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