A Short Note on the Failure of the Clean India Mission

The Clean India Mission campaign was started in 2014 as a people’s movement to end open defecation; reports showed that in 10 Indian households, less than four had toilets. So, the state governments started the programme under the Ministry of Drinking Water and Sanitation and the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs. 

Since the Swachh Bharat Abhiyan, cleanliness and better health have been highly promoted. Famous personalities from the world of films, politics and sports have advocated and campaigned for the mission advocating for a cleaner India. 

Failure of Swachh Bharat Abhiyan

The Clean India Mission or Swachh Bharat Abhiyan was a flagship programme of the Indian government aimed at freeing the country from open defecation by 2019. The programme was launched on the birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi. But various journalists and critics stated that the programme’s framework was flawed. Hence the mission was unable to achieve its objective in its truest sense. 

Several factors were ignored by the Swachh Bharat Abhiyan, which could have otherwise been considered: 

• The Swachh Bharat Mission does not address the need to rework the underground sewage system. Manual scavenging was and still is one of the worst problems that need to be tackled. Many labourers have died in utility holes while cleaning them. The mission has failed to tackle this issue that has taken several lives. 

• Lack of punitive measures regarding where and how one should urinate, defecate and dispose of garbage

• Manual scavenging, which is highly prevalent in India, was not completely eradicated and workers were not rehabilitated. 

• The mission’s only focus was to build toilets, but toilet usage is still low and unsatisfactory in several areas. 

• In a survey that was led by a national agency, it was found that open defecation remained extremely high in rural areas of Bihar, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Odisha and Uttar Pradesh.  

• In India, toilets are not considered a necessary component of buildings or public architecture. In its original design, the Delhi Metro did not contain bathrooms at all of its stations until the Delhi High Court hearing. 

• The Swachh Bharat Mission was not concerned about the caste stigma attached to waste management. Those who work in the garbage disposal industry are mainly from a lower or backward caste. Any concrete achievement of Clean India could be achieved only if the stigma associated with sanitary labour, location and waste is eliminated by caste-neutralising these professions.

In other words, India must build on successes while correcting the shortcomings to achieve proper cleanliness and hygiene. 

Elementary Laws of Cleanliness 

For better health and well-being of children, including learning and overall development, a combination of proper water and sanitation facilities, correct behavioural practices and education is vital. 

When schools offer proper and clean washrooms and access to clean water and handwashing facilities, it will prevent infectious diseases. 

Here are some basic elementary laws of cleanliness:

• Separate washrooms need to be provided to boys and girls, with suitable menstrual hygiene management facilities, private changing areas, sufficient water for washing clothes, and disposable menstrual waste facilities. 

• Handwashing facilities that are large enough allow groups of 10-12 students to wash their hands simultaneously. The handwashing station should be clean, simple,  and sustainable and rely on minimum water. 

• There should be a regular supply of clean drinking water for children. In addition, safe water must be available for cleaning and cooking. Drinking water should be handled and stored safely at schools. 

• To ensure that the intended outcomes are accomplished and that the monetary investment made in building this system is not wasted, all water sanitation and handwashing facilities must be clean, functioning, and well-maintained. 

• Every child’s daily routine must include water, sanitation, hygienic behaviour and communication activities. Women teachers must teach girls how to manage their menstrual hygiene. 

Conclusion 

Even with the Swachh Bharat Abhiyan launch, India has a long way to go to provide basic hygiene to every district and hamlet across the country. Various issues are still not tackled in the mission – for example, manual scavenging. The manual scavenging problem is not new in India; it is caste-based and hazardous to human life, yet many labourers have to risk their lives and jump into that maintenance hole for a minimum wage. 

The mission can construct public washrooms in states, cities, and villages. If you compare it with previous data, the open defecation has come down, but still, we have miles to go to have a clean India.