Feel great to know that the Vision of Mahatma Gandhi is kept alive through the launch of the Swachh Bharat Abhiyan, a mission to clean India’s cities and villages by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on October 2, 2014. The aim of this mission is to Clean India by October 2, 2019 on 150th birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi. It is India's biggest ever cleanliness drive.
The father of the nation, Mahatma Gandhi had once said “Sanitation is more important than Independence”. He knew the bad and unclean situation of India. He had two visions in his life one was "Quit India" and the other was "Clean India". People of India during that time opted for the first one and Clean India failed as there was no participation from the people. Feel proud that the current Prime Minister took up this initiative and is fulfilling the 2nd Vision of Mahatma Gandhi. Prime Minister Sri Narendra Modi gave the mantra of ‘Na gandagi karenge, Na karne denge' (neither litter, nor let others litter).
Environmental sanitation and lack of cleanliness is a major public health issue in India. Goal of Swachh Bharat Abhiyan or Mission is to make the country with full of sanitation facilities by providing public toilets and community toilets in the urban areas. Over the 5 years, the government plans to construct 12 crore toilets across India.
We have seen a lot of people from different walks of life like government officials, jawans, Bollywood actors, sportspersons, industrialists, spiritual leaders etc. coming forward and joining this mass movement of cleanliness. As an NRI we also need to be part of this movement and do our part. Whenever we go to India during Vacation we need to keep our surrounding clean. Swacch Bharat Abhiyaan is a pledge we need to take.
Here is how can we do our part and help in this mission
* Teach Children about Cleanliness and Sanitation.
* Don’t litter around, throw the waste in dustbins.
* Avoid usage of Plastic covers or plastic disposables. Carry a bag with you when you go for shopping, teach the people around you the same.
* Try to keep your surroundings clean.
* Try to initiate or organise cleanliness drives in your colonies.
* Plant trees around your house.
The city of Mysuru in Karnataka was named the cleanest city in India after the launch of Modi’s Swachh Bharat Abhiyan. Let’s pick up the broom to clean the dirt and make Swachh Bharat Abhiyan a mass movement across the nation. By 2019 we need to make India the cleanest country.