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PM Narendra Modi In ‘Mann Ki Baat’ Lauds IAS Officer Who Cleaned Toilets
From introducing hi-tech twin pit toilets to lauding officers who demonstrated how to clean a toilet themselves, PM Modi’s latest Mann Ki Baat focused on the Swachh Bharat Abhiyan
Highlights
- More than 1 lakh public toilets have been built across the country
- Officials demonstrated how used pits of twin toilets may be reused
- Waste is extremely important for compost or fertilizer
It’s been two years since the Swachh Bharat Abhiyan was launched, and since then, more than four states and 511 cities have been declared open defecation free. More than 1 lakh public toilets have been built across the country so far. In the latest episode of Mann Ki Baat, Prime Minister Narendra Modi appreciated the collective efforts of the citizens, government, organisations and institutions towards building a Swachh India. He said, “Everyone is taking steps in one way or another towards Swachh Bharat Abhiyan in a conscious manner. The government is continuously taking efforts towards it.”
Notably, he mentioned an incident in Hyderabad a few weeks ago, where toilet pits of six houses were cleaned by officials.
Officials, themselves demonstrated how used pits of twin toilets may be reused. They also showed how these new tech savvy toilets are user-friendly and easy to use. It takes five years for the pit to get filled with the waste, after which it is transferred to another pit. In 12 months’ time, the waste is completely decomposed, which is very safe to handle, he said.
Apart from the technical benefits of using a twin pit toilet, the real relevance of this incident lies in the involvement of IAS officers in cleaning the toilets.
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Manual scavenging is still prevalent in a large part of the country, and the cleaning of toilets is still seen by many as a caste based job. The Swachh India Mission is not just about cleaning the country but also about challenging a deep-rooted mindset.
When a senior IAS officer himself cleans a toilet pit, it is bound to attract the attention of the nation, PM Narendra Modi said.
He further said that cleaning twin pit toilets must be given the same treatment as general cleaning thereby eliminating the psychological barriers attached to toilet cleaning.
“It (twin pit toilet) also yields important fertilizers like NPK (Nitrogen, Phosphorous and Potassium). It is highly beneficial for agricultural usage”, said the PM.
Describing the waste as ‘Kala Sona’, the PM said, It (waste) is extremely important for compost or fertilizer. We can see how waste is converted into wealth and this has been proved.
Also Read: Civic Bodies Not Involved With Swachh Bharat Mission, Finds Citizens Survey