Lifestyle /
Cleaning Up India’s Act: Is Modi’s India Getting Cleaner?
Garbage-strewn colonies. Tobacco-stained walls. An overflowing sewage system.
Visit just about any major Indian city today and you’re more than likely to catch a glimpse of these unsavoury sights. It’s a far cry from the India that Prime Minister Narendra Modi intended when he set an ambitious goal a year ago. In October 2014, Modi launched the Clean India Campaign — a $40 billion project aiming to make public places “filth-free” by 2019.
The initiative strongly focuses on India’s waste management system, especially since more than half of the country’s population reportedly does not have a toilet at home. As a result, hundreds of millions of people are left with little choice but to defecate in plain sight — by open drains or dry pit latrines. These human waste sites are subsequently cleaned manually by 1.2 million people — some of the country’s poorest and lowest in the caste system.
The federal government’s target is to ensure that every impoverished household and school is equipped with more hygienic facilities. The central and state governments have pledged $20 billion solely toward the construction of toilets, and eight million toilets have already been built.
A man bathes in one of India's many garbage-strewn locales. Millions of the country's lowest caste members often work in these conditions, manually cleaning the latrine pits that plague the nation.
Photo Credit: Associated Press
Although some people heralded the initiative as an important step in raising public awareness about the sanitation crisis, critics say that the campaign has already failed on many fronts and that more work needs to be done on the ground.
“We need municipal reforms, we need greater accountability in municipality, and that is where the solution is,” says Vimlendu Jha to Channel NewsAsia. Jha is the executive director of the non-profit Swechha.
Moreover, the campaign has dealt with its fair share of setbacks. Poor sanitation is believed to have contributed to the worst dengue outbreak that India has seen in years. The nation’s capital, Delhi, reported an estimated 6,000 people affected by the mosquito-borne virus.
In addition to scrubbing India’s infrastructure clean from the residual tobacco stains and litter, the bigger challenge is tackling the cleanliness issue at the systemic level — changing people’s attitudes around pollution and fostering a sense of civic pride.
“The solution is not when we create ads around [Clean India],” says Jha. “That will create a buzz, but real cleaning will happen when people who are supposed to be cleaning it, that is the government, that is actually the municipality, actually gear into action.”
With but four years remaining in the project’s timeline, there’s still much work to do — not only in cleaning the streets of India but also in changing its image as one of the world’s dirtiest nations.
To learn more about the Clean India Campaign, visit www.cleanindia.org.
Main Image Photo Credit: European Pressphoto Agency
Abbas Somji
Author
Abbas Somji is a broadcast journalist and producer, and has worked for media outlets across the country, including the CBC and Omni Television. A Toronto native with a background in delivering the hard news, he enjoys covering stories on pop culture & entertainment. Twitter: @abbassomji
COMMENTS
YOU MAY ALSO LIKE
-
How To Host The Perfect South Asian Holiday Dinner
-
ANOKHI's Holiday Gift Guide For Thoughtful Desi Presents For The Home & Beyond
-
Not Into Flu Shots? Try These Centuries-Old Desi Home Remedies Instead!
-
Diwali Gift Guide: Barbie® Diwali Doll & 8 More Unique South Asian Gift Ideas
-
From Turkey To Tadka: Desi-Inspired Thanksgiving Recipes
-
Mommy's Time-Out: How To Reclaim Your Zen After The Back-to-School Scramble
-
Khichdi Cups & 5 South Asian School Lunch Recipes For Busy Desi Parents
-
6 Complaints Desi Grandparents Have About Keeping Pets & How You Can Counter Them
-
Raksha Bandhan Gift Guide: Celebrate The Festival With A Modern Twist!
-
Summer Elixirs: Healthy South Asian Cooling Drink Recipes To Beat The Heat
-
Stay Cool: Build a Summer Garden Oasis At Home With Tulsi & Shade
-
Celebrating International Yoga Day: Find Your Balance Through Chakra Meditation
-
Spice Up Your Summer BBQ With These 5 Mouthwatering South Asian Recipes
-
South Asian Heritage Month: Journey Through Time With 8 Iconic South Asian Travel Destinations
-
How To Add Ancient South Asian Spiritual Cleansing Rituals To Modern Spring Cleaning Techniques
-
Toronto's Living Luxe Design Show Sets a New Standard for Luxury Exhibitions
-
Savouring South Asian Style: Elevate Your Home Decor with Cultural Flair
-
6 Ways To Create Fun Quality Time With Your Kids & Parents That Both Will Love!
-
Celebrating South Asian Literature: Must-Read Books by Female Authors
-
Flavourful Festivities: Traditional Holi Recipes To Spice Up Your Table
-
The Living Luxe Design Show Presented By JennAir Announces Powerhouse Program Of Speakers
-
7 Ways Yoga Will Save Your Mental Health
-
Ask Dr. Monica Vermani: How Can I Convince My Friend That Her Threatening Boyfriend Is The Problem, Not Me?
-
10 Tips To Manage & Survive Long-Distance Relationships
-
Ask Dr. Monica Vermani: I'm Afraid My Childhood Bully Will Be Back In My Life, What Do I Do?
-
Ask Dr. Monica Vermani: How Do I Create "Me Time" In My Demanding Life?
-
Hot Spot Alert: Mishree Cocktails & Cuisine Exhilarates With South Asian X Middle Eastern Cuisine
-
BioAro Founder Dr. Anmol Kapoor Wants You To Be The CEO Of Your Health
-
Savour the Holidays With This Paneer Pakora Recipe By KFI Sauces!
-
Here's How To Craft And Achieve Meaningful New Year's Resolutions
-
Snack It Up This Holiday Season with Indian-Inspired Potato Wedges by KFI Sauces
-
Butter Chicken Nachos Recipe By KFI Sauces Is Perfect For Your Holiday Spread
-
Ask Dr. Monica Vermani: How Do I Tell My Friend She's Taking My Emotional Support For Granted?
-
Anjali Pathak of Patak's Shares Her Favourite Recipes For The Holiday Season
-
Ask Dr. Monica Vermani: Why Does Our Family Get Togethers Always End With A Fight?
-
Ask Dr. Monica Vermani: How Do I Tell My Sis-In-Law To Stop Intruding In My Daughter's Wedding Plans?
-
Event Alert: The Auric Living Conference Brings Holistic Healing To Toronto
-
Ask Dr. Monica Vermani: I'm On The Outs With My Friend Because I Supported Her Breakup What Do I Do?
-
Event Alert: The Desai Foundation Rings In 10th Anniversary of "Diwali On The Hudson" Gala
-
South Asians & Arthritis: Busting Myths And Sharing Facts About This Disease In Our Community
-
Ask Dr. Monica Vermani: How Do I Convince My Kids That My Granddaughter's Best Friend Is A Bully?
-
Make Your Brunch Brilliant With This French Buckwheat Crepes & Dosas Recipe!
-
Ask Dr. Monica Vermani: How Do I Tell My Sis-In-Law That Her Messy Dog Is Not Welcome At My House?
-
You Just Need A Hot Pot To Make This Amazing Masala Style Vegan Tomato Soup
-
Ask Dr. Monica Vermani: How Do I Tell My Friend To Stop Interrupting Me?
-
Ask Dr. Monica Vermani: How Do I Trust My Husband After He Cheated On Me?
-
Check Out This Insane Recipe For Mini Masala Idli
-
Ask Dr. Monica Vermani: How Do I Tell My Brother That His Cottage Rules Ruins All The Fun?
-
Ask Dr. Monica Vermani: What Do I Do When My Fiancé Shares His Dog With His Ex?
-
Ask Dr. Monica Vermani: How Do I Convince My Partner That Our Six-Year-Old Is To Young For Sleepovers?
-
Ask Dr. Monica Vermani: How Do I Deal With My Friend Who Always Wants To Start A Fight?
-
Here's Why Paris Calls Tharshan Selvarajah The Best Baguette Baker In The City
