Progressive Research – An International Journal Society for Scientific Development Volume 13 (3) : 271-272, (2018) in Agriculture and Technology Print ISSN : 0973-6417, Online ISSN : 2454-6003 Meerut (U.P.) INDIA

SAN I TA TION AND CLEAN LI NESS IN IN DIA : A SO CIO LOG I CAL STUDY Kusum Nair De part ment of So ci ol ogy, D.B.S. Col lege, Kanpur E-mail : [email protected]

There are many casualties of not having sanitation and adjudged the cleanest city in the country, according to the proper cleanliness. People suffer from various diseases survey released. such as diarrhea, malnutrition, dengue, malaria and many Swachh Survekshan–a survey conducted to rank more. It also suffers children’s development. The major cities on various sanitation and cleanliness parameters – reason behind this is the carelessness and laziness of was launched in 2016. It was conducted among 73 top people themselves. The people themselves create the cities of India. problem of dirt and unhealthy environment. It was followed by Swachh Survekshan 2017 that People think of their own only and do not think of covered 434 cities. The third round of Swachh others. People do not mind to throw garbage in open Survekshan was conducted, covering all 4041 statutory areas which may negatively affect the environment. towns in India (2). People have to start to make their area clean and stay healthy. People should make a proper area for sanitation Sanitation coverage in rural India so that public health will not suffer. Mass awareness Sanitation coverage in rural India has increased programmes are already initiated by different institutions, substantially from 39 percent in 2014 to 76 percent in organisations and government bodies to save human January 2018, the Economic Survey 2017-18 has said. race. With the launch of the Sqachh Bharat Mission (Gramin) on October 2, 2014, the sanitation coverage in rural India The Swachh Bharat Abhiyaan, a pet project of PM increased substantially. The number of persons Narendra Modi, was launched in 2014 to clean up the defecating in the open in rural areas, which were 55 crores country’s streets and roads, and improve sanitation and in October 2014, has declined to 25 crores by January public health. 2018. Sanitation coverage in Urban India Also, 296 districts and 307,349 villages all over India A public survey on the Swachh Bharat campaign, have been declared Open Defecation Free (ODF) so far. conducted by the Urban Development ministry of Eight states and two Union Territories, which include Karnataka, claims that the cleanliness initiative by the Sikkim, Himachal Pradesh, Kerala, Haryana, government has been successful. Urban Development Uttarakhand, Chhattisgarh, Arunachal Pradesh, Gujarat, Minister Venkiah Naidu released feedback statistics from Daman and Diu and Chandigarh have been declared the survey (1). ODF completely. Over 83% of the participants reported that their The surveys conducted by the National Sample areas are much cleaner as compared to last year. “18 lakh Survey Office (NSSO) and Quality Council of India (QCI) sample survey reveals cities becoming much cleaner in on usage of toilets by the individuals who have access to the last one year. Field inspection of 17,500 locations toilets reported more than 90 percent of individuals using confirm Swachh Bharat is making a difference on ground,” toilets in 2016 and 2017. Mr. Naidu told reporters in Bengaluru. Among other The survey satisfactorily notes that there has been findings of the survey, 82% of people reported substantial reduction in the number of persons defecating improvement in sanitation infrastructure and services like in open in rural areas which has had positive health and increased availability of litter bins and door-to-door economic impact in ODF areas. collection of solid waste. 75% residential areas in the cities and towns surveyed were found to be substantially In a report, The Financial and Economic Impact of clean. SBM in India’, UNICEF estimated that a household in an ODF village in rural India saves Rs 50,000 every year(3). Housing and Urban Affairs Minister Hardeep Singh Puri released Swachh Survekshan 2018, the Modi Sanitation coverage in rural India, under the Swachh government’s cleanliness and sanitation survey report. Bharat Mission, the “largest behaviour change While Jharkhand emerged as the best-performing state in programme” in the world, has now risen to 85 per cent, the terms of cleanliness, Indore in Madhya Pradesh was Ministry of Drinking Water and Sanitation said today. A 272 Kusum Nair statement issued by the ministry said that through CONCLUSION mobilisation of rural communities, 7.4 crore toilets were built across rural India, and as an outcome, over 3.8 lakh Sanitation and cleanliness is a basic problem and one of villages and 391 districts were declared Open Defection the important social issues of our country. People should Free (ODF). clean their areas and take care of personal hygiene to stay healthy and away from any diseases. People should clean This is significant because under the Swachh Bharat the areas of keeping food; clean their area of staying to Mission (Grameen), sanitation coverage has increased to promote cleanliness. People should maintain adequate more than double than at the time of launch of the sewage disposal system so that the public health is not put Mission, it said. “Under the Swachh Bharat Mission, the at risk. If you don’t find it to be a real issue yet then let’s talk largest behaviour change programme in the world, the economically, Sanitation in a society/country is very close rural sanitation coverage of India has now risen to 85 per related to the standards of living, level of hygiene, or you cent. This success has been achieved due to the can say public health. It also is related to the extent of difference in approach adopted by the Swachh Bharat diseases prevailing in the society, and hence on the Mission in comparison to previous sanitation programmes whole, it affects the productivity of the country. One of the in the country,” the statement added. The ministry said reasons for the slow progress is that policy makers, as that a recent survey conducted by an independent well as the general public, have not fully understood the verification agency across 90,000 households in over importance of the improved sanitation solutions. There is 6,000 villages has found the usage of toilets in rural India substantial growing economic cost for the installation of to be at 93.4 per cent (4). improved methods of sanitation which can be covered easily if the general public is aware of the important of The solution is in the hands of the people itself. sanitation and cleanliness at a societal level. 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Received : June-2018 Revised : June-2018 Accepted : July-2018