Introduction
Swachh Bharat Mission: India, a land of rich heritage and diverse cultures, has long struggled with sanitation and waste management challenges. Public spaces, once littered with garbage and plagued by open defecation, have seen a remarkable transformation in recent years, thanks to the Swachh Bharat Mission (SBM). Launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on October 2, 2014, this ambitious mission sought to make India a cleaner, healthier, and more hygienic nation.
Swachh Bharat Mission
The Swachh Bharat Mission (SBM) is not merely a cleanliness drive but a socioeconomic revolution that has influenced public health, urban development, and behavioral change at an unprecedented scale. But what exactly has been its impact? Let’s delve into the details.
The Genesis of Swachh Bharat Mission
Before SBM, India faced a severe sanitation crisis, with over 600 million people practicing open defecation. Rural and urban areas alike struggled with waste management, overflowing landfills, and a lack of hygiene awareness. The government recognized that without proper sanitation, issues like waterborne diseases, environmental pollution, and public health hazards would continue to escalate.
The Swachh Bharat Mission was thus launched with two key objectives:
- Swachh Bharat Mission (Gramin)– Aimed at making rural India open-defecation free (ODF) by constructing toilets and promoting behavioral change.
- Swachh Bharat Mission (Urban)– Focused on waste management, improving sanitation infrastructure, and modernizing urban cleanliness efforts.
Impact of Swachh Bharat Mission on Cleanliness
- Elimination of Open Defecation
One of the biggest achievements of SBM has been the construction of over 100 million toilets, effectively eliminating open defecation in rural and urban areas. This has significantly reduced the spread of diseases like diarrhea, cholera, and typhoid, which were rampant due to poor sanitation.
- In 2019, India declared itself open-defecation free (ODF). While some challenges remain in maintaining this status, the change has been monumental.
- Behavioral change campaigns, such as ‘Darwaza Band’ (Close the Door), helped instill the habit of toilet usage.
- Improvement in Waste Management
Before SBM, waste segregation and disposal were poorly managed. The initiative has brought significant improvements:
- Door-to-door garbage collection has been implemented in many cities.
- Source segregation of dry and wet waste has been promoted.
- Establishment of waste-to-energy plants and composting units to reduce landfill burden.
Several cities, such as Indore, Mysuru, and Surat, have become model examples of efficient waste management.
- Boost to Public Sanitation Infrastructure
SBM has led to the development of modern public toilets, bio-toilets, and e-toilets, ensuring sanitation accessibility in crowded places like bus stations, railway stations, and marketplaces.
- Special emphasis was given to gender-sensitive sanitation, ensuring clean and safe public toilets for women.
- The promotion of “Loo Maps” through Google helped people locate nearby toilets.
- Awareness and Behavioral Change
The success of any cleanliness campaign depends not just on infrastructure but on people’s mindset. SBM has successfully embedded the importance of hygiene in daily life.
- School programs, advertisements, and celebrity endorsements have driven awareness about handwashing, personal hygiene, and sanitation habits.
- The participation of Bollywood actors, sportspersons, and influential figures added credibility to the movement.
- Reduction in Diseases and Health Improvement
According to reports from UNICEF and WHO, SBM has contributed to a drastic reduction in sanitation-related diseases:
- Cases of diarrhea and intestinal infections have decreased significantly.
- Improvement in child mortality rates, as poor sanitation was a leading cause of death in children under five.
- Lesser instances of vector-borne diseases like malaria and dengue, as waste management has improved.
- Economic and Tourism Benefits
Cleanliness directly impacts the economy and tourism industry:
- A clean India attracts more domestic and international tourists, boosting the economy.
- Cities that rank high in cleanliness indexes experience higher real estate values and better investments.
- Waste-to-energy plants have created jobs and new business opportunities.
Challenges in Implementing Swachh Bharat Mission
While SBM has been a game-changer, some challenges remain:
- Sustainability of Toilet Usage
Though millions of toilets have been built, their maintenance and continued usage remain a concern.
- Some rural households still lack water supply for sanitation.
- Behavioral change is an ongoing process that needs continued awareness campaigns.
- Waste Segregation Issues
Despite awareness, many citizens still do not segregate waste at source, leading to inefficiencies in waste management.
- Municipalities struggle to enforce waste segregation in some areas.
- Lack of infrastructure in smaller towns hinders waste processing efforts.
- Plastic Waste and Pollution
Although SBM focuses on cleanliness, plastic pollution remains a major problem.
- Single-use plastics need stricter regulations and alternatives.
- Recycling infrastructure needs further expansion.
- Urban Slums and Cleanliness
Sanitation facilities in densely populated slums remain inadequate.
- Many slums still suffer from poor drainage, lack of toilets, and inefficient waste disposal.
Swachh Bharat Mission 2.0: The Way Forward
Recognizing the need for continued efforts, the government launched Swachh Bharat Mission 2.0 in 2021 with a renewed focus on:
- Wastewater and Faecal Sludge Management – Ensuring proper disposal and treatment of waste.
- Plastic Waste Management – Phasing out single-use plastics and encouraging sustainable alternatives.
- Sustainability of ODF Status – Ensuring people continue using toilets and proper sanitation habits.
- Smart Waste Management Technologies – Use of AI, automation, and IoT in urban waste management.
Success Stories: Cities Leading the Way
- Indore – The Cleanest City
Indore has topped the Swachh Survekshan cleanliness rankings multiple times due to:
- 100% waste segregation.
- Efficient waste-to-compost and waste-to-energy plants.
- Community participation in maintaining cleanliness.
- Mysuru – The Pioneer of Cleanliness
Mysuru was one of the first cities to successfully implement door-to-door waste collection and maintain cleanliness in public spaces.
- Surat – The Smart Waste Management Hub
Surat’s technological advancements in waste management, including automated garbage collection and recycling plants, have made it a model city for others to follow.
A Cleaner India, A Brighter Future
The Swachh Bharat Mission has transformed India’s sanitation landscape, bringing about remarkable changes in hygiene, waste management, and public health. While challenges persist, the mission has set the foundation for a cleaner and healthier future. The key to sustaining this change lies in continued community participation, technological advancements, and government support.
The journey towards a Swachh Bharat (Clean India) is ongoing, but the progress made so far is undeniable. Every citizen’s participation is crucial—because cleanliness isn’t just the government’s responsibility; it’s a collective duty of the nation.
