Gangtok, 9th August: National level ‘Gandagi Mukt Bharat (GMB)’ campaign that aims to provide access to safe sanitation, sustenance of ODF (Open Defecation Free) status and promotion of ODF plus activities was launched on 8th August 2020 during the inauguration of Rashtriya Swachhata Kendra (RSK) at Gandhi Darshan, Rajghat in New Delhi by Hon’ble Prime Minister of India, Shri Narendra Modi.
The RSK has been set up as an experience Centre with maximum citizen’s engagement to impart information, awareness, and education around Swachhata in a hi-tech edutainment format with a balanced mix of digital and outdoor exhibits.
The weeklong GMB campaign will be covering various activities such as collection and segregation of single use plastics, painting, cleaning of public structures through shramdan, IEC on SBM, ODF, plantation drives, online painting competition, essay competition, cleanliness and sanitization drives of PHCs that will be culminating by the declaration of ODF Plus village on Independence Day 2020.
Sikkim too joined the campaign with all the Gram Panchayats starting the respective activities from the 8th August 2020 with the collection and segregation of single use plastics, cleanliness drives of the public structures, etc.
After the completion of the online inaugural program on DD News by Hon’ble PM on the 8th of August, Hon’ble Chief Minister, Shri Prem Singh Tamang, appealed all citizens to participate in the Gandagi Mukt Bharat campaign, impart knowledge and carry out various activities, towards better health and hygiene by maintaining proper social distancing and use of masks.
He also requested the Panchayats and public to participate in the following week long initiatives as proposed by the Department of Drinking water and Sanitation, Ministry of Jal Shakti, Government of India and to promote positive behavioral change on sanitation and hygiene:-
August 8th, 2020: e-ratri chaupal with Sarpanchs by the District Collectors.
August 9th, 2020: Campaign led by village Panchayats to collect and segregate single use plastic.
August 10th, 2020: Shramdan in villages by cleaning public buildings.
August 11th, 2020: All India wall painting day of SBM messages in villages.
August 12th, 2020: Shramdan in villages including a plantation.
August 13th, 2020: Online painting competition (class VI to VIII), Essay competition (class IX to XII) on the theme of ‘Gandagi Mukt Mera Gaon’.
August 14th, 2020: Cleanliness and sanitation drives in PHCs
August 15th, 2020: ODF plus declarations of villages in Gram Sabha.
Hon’ble Minister for Rural Development Department, Shri Sonam Lama, has also requested all the Panchayats and public to follow social distancing and basic standard health guidelines in avoiding the prevailing COVID 19 situation and emphasizing on virtual platform wherever possible.
