"Swachhata Hi Seva Abhiyan" becomes a mass movement in rural areas: Chief Minister

"Swachhata Hi Seva Abhiyan" becomes a mass movement in rural areas: Chief Minister

Bhopal : Chief Minister Dr. Mohan Yadav said that the Swachh Bharat Mission has given birth to the world's largest mass movement for cleanliness. One of the key successes of this mission has been raising awareness among rural communities about cleanliness. Madhya Pradesh has achieved several distinct milestones in rural sanitation. The state has constructed over 7 million toilets and has been declared completely open defecation-free (ODF). In the second phase of the mission, efforts are being made to maintain the ODF status in each village while also ensuring proper solid and liquid waste management.

Chief Minister Dr. Yadav mentioned that the "Swachhata Hi Seva" Pakhwada was launched on September 17 to commemorate the 155th birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi and the 10th anniversary of the Swachh Bharat Mission. The campaign, aimed at reaching every citizen with the message of cleanliness through government and community efforts, will culminate with a celebration on Gandhi Jayanti, October 2.

Public participation raises awareness

To ensure public participation in the Swachhata Hi Seva campaign, several public representatives, government officials, employees, and ordinary citizens came together. Governor Mangubhai Patel inaugurated the "Swachhata Saathi Wash on Wheels" service from Chhindi village in the Chhindwara district. Panchayat and Rural Development Minister Prahlad Patel participated in the Swachhata Samvad program in Rewa, inspiring people to achieve the goal of a clean and healthy India. All ministers, MPs, and MLAs across the state took part in various activities in their regions, spreading the message of complete cleanliness.

Swachhata oath and cleanliness meetings

Through activities like the Swachhata oath, cleanliness meetings (Swachhata Chaupal), cleanliness rallies, labor contributions for cleanliness, Swachhata Samvad, competitions, sports leagues, the "One Tree in Mother’s Name" initiative, and door-to-door awareness campaigns, over 4 million people actively participated in the cleanliness drive.

Identification of targeted cleanliness units

As part of the campaign, areas with piles of garbage were identified and transformed into clean sites. A total of 19,742 cleanliness-targeted units were converted into clean sites with the participation of 1.27 million people, leading to the safe disposal of 10,681 tons of open waste. So far, over 333 tons of plastic waste has been collected and safely disposed of through public participation. Over 400 villages have been declared ODF Plus model villages by managing solid and liquid waste effectively.

Recognition of sanitation workers' contributions

A special aspect of the campaign was recognizing the contributions of sanitation workers and cleaners. A total of 1,549 sanitation worker safety camps were organized for their health and respect, where 42,466 sanitation workers underwent health check-ups, and 24,655 workers were provided safety equipment and PPE kits.

776 villages along the Narmada River declared ODF Plus model

In 884 villages along the banks of the Narmada River, cleanliness drives are being conducted at the river ghats, and efforts are being made to make surrounding areas plastic-free by collecting single-use plastic waste. A total of 776 villages along the Narmada River and all 117 villages of tourism significance have been declared ODF Plus model villages.

The path ahead

Special Gram Sabhas (village assemblies) will be held in all villages on October 2 to inform the villagers about the achievements of the Swachhata fortnight. The inauguration of sanitation infrastructure and the launch of garbage collection vehicles will also take place on that day.