On further research, I became aware of other statistics – More than half the population defecates in the open, millions of girls drop out of school because they don’t have separate toilets. And the filth costs us billions because of the ill health it causes.
It’s not that Indians can’t be perfectly clean when they go abroad. Why then do we deface and disfigure our own home like this?
Thoughts like that came to the fore in some of the first campaigns that NDTV did – such as the Greenathon. But we always felt that a massive nationwide focus on cleanliness would be required to even scratch the surface of the problem.
That’s why I was delighted when Prime Minister Modi made Swachh India one of his top priorities and credit has to be given to him for making this a national issue.
The renewed focus on cleaning India helped spur the success of the first Banega Swachh India campaign that NDTV and Reckitt Benckiser did last year. This culminated in a 12-hour Cleanathon that saw more than 281 crores rupees being pledged to the cause.
Equally important was the awareness that was created – helped immensely by the fact that the one and only Amitabh Bachchan anchored the show along with me. His voice made a big impact along with that of other influential celebrities like Sachin Tendulkar, Priyanka Chopra and the cast of Taarak Mehta Ka Ooltah Chashmah.
This year we’ve set out to do a lot more. We’ve partnered with the Ministry of Urban Development which has been busy implementing the Swachh Bharat Mission on ground. The idea is to come up with effective solutions and a 6-point agenda plan for 2016.
Which brings me to the 12-Hour Cleanathon on Sunday, January 17, 2016. We aren’t asking people to donate money. Instead we want them to contribute something more precious – their time!
Think about it. There are a billion Indians. If even half of them would spend a couple of hours a year cleaning up their neighbourhood, nothing more would be required.
So do come forward on Sunday and pledge your time. Promise that you will set aside a few hours to clean up your city. Even better – grab some friends and do it on the 17th January, 2016 itself. Send us your pictures and we will feature them on the show.
One more thing, we will be trying to formulate a Swachh Agenda to help give policy makers and Chief Ministers some suggestions on what they could potentially do. So if you have any thoughts – do send them in as well here.
To pledge your time to make India clean click here.
For more information on the campaign log on www.ndtv.com/swachhindia
Vikram Chandra is Group CEO & Executive Director, NDTV Group
Disclaimer: The opinions expressed within this article are the personal opinions of the author. The facts and opinions appearing in the article do not reflect the views of NDTV and NDTV does not assume any responsibility or liability for the same.
InduSingh
January 17, 2016 at 5:09 am
To support Modiji’clean India mission we in our school have taken out a calender on the theme mission clean India. A copy of it was sent to PMO office also. We hope this small effort of ours will be appreciated.
Thankyou
Deepak
January 17, 2016 at 5:27 am
‘देना’, शब्द तो छीने जाने का अहसास दिलाती है।
तो अपनी स्वछता के लिए, अपनी सेहत के लिए।
देने की बात जाने कहाँ से आती है ?
दिया तो वो चाहता है, जो आपका होता है।
आपका देश तो आपको पूरी ज़िन्दगी देता है।
तो इसको साफ़ रखने मैं, जाने तू क्या खोता है ?
अंधकार कुछ नहीं, बस रौशनी की कमी है।
गंदगी कुछ नहीं, बस स्वच्छ विचार की कमी है।
फिर जाने क्यों, ये बाजुएँ यूँ थमी हैं ?
चल उठा पतवार अपनी नौका की, अब तेरी चलने की बारी है।
दूसरे पर उँगली करने से कुछ न होगा।
स्वच्छता की ये ज़िम्मे-दारी अब हमारी है।
आज मैं भी स्वच्छता के लिए प्रण लेता हूँ।
हिसाब नहीं होता कभी प्यार और श्रद्धा का।
कुछ घंटे क्यों, पूरा जीवन अर्पण करता हूँ।
स्वच्छ भारत अभियान
मेरा भारत, मेरा सम्मान ।
Anil Mattoo
January 17, 2016 at 5:35 am
disposal of garbage is a huge priblem. I see sweepers cleaning and collecting garabage only to burn it along with huge pike of plastic waste. Without caring for the environment. I see it being dine religiously in “dhaloos” . and if you protest u r abused. Why not to invole a heirarchy system to check on ine another starting from MP MLA DM so on si forth.
Sivaram
January 17, 2016 at 6:59 am
I will clean my house and also my school and office.But I will not do it in public places.The reason is each and every corporations,municipalities and panchayats have more than enough staff for cleaning purposes and they are getting salary without doing their duty.
Rajarao
January 17, 2016 at 9:05 am
NDTV is biased towards parties in power and therefore, it has removed my comment on aswachh RBI.
When other channels are talking about IAF man run down by son of a TMC politician not a word about it by NDTV not taking note that the killed person was IAF personnel.
But, it repeatedly shows YSR lawman arrested for slapping Air India staffer.
It shows the double standard of NDTV: “A stooge of party in power”.
Suhas
January 17, 2016 at 9:32 am
In Bangalore i see , the so called educated, Software industry, just throw the Garbage, where ever they find free space.. How are we to address, this?
we can clean for a day, but how can i prevent them from doing this?
Rajarao
January 17, 2016 at 11:29 am
In Hyderabad, educated people spit paan juice on the roads.
I was ashamed when a 60+ year old well-educated banker friend of mine spit on the road after eating Paan, especially as he visits USA for 6 months there and he never spits on the road in US.
I asked him what were you doing when in USA – whether eating Paan and spitting on road. He said “no”.
Then I said to him “what wrong our Indian Earth has done to spit on it and what greatness US Earth has to spare it from spitting”. He mildly said “what strong words you are using for my act”.
Dr.Cajetan Coelho
September 9, 2016 at 9:29 am
Achhe din aane waale hain – when we put extra effort to keep our country clean.
Rajeev Shrivastava
December 23, 2016 at 4:33 am
Cantonment board Meerut has already mapped locations of its public toilets on google on 04.12.16 during “Swacchta Pakhwara” observed by it between 01 December to 15 December 16.
Rajeev Shrivastava
December 23, 2016 at 4:35 am
An initiative during swachh Bharat abhiyan
Man Mohan Sharma
October 2, 2017 at 11:24 am
I would like Mr. Amitabh Bachan to appeal the people to clean their hearts as well as minds too. Have positive thinking and don’t pollute their minds with dirty thinking.
Thanks