Raipur, Oct 1 As the Swachh Bharat Mission (SBM) completes its 10th anniversary on October 2, the transformation in people's lives in Chhattisgarh steered by the 'Swachhata Didis', is stealing the spotlight among many other success stories of the 'Clean India Mission'.
On October 2, 2014, Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched the cleanliness drive, envisioning a nationwide movement to create a clean and hygienic India.
To mark the decade of ground-breaking initiative, a medical camp was organised in Chhattisgarh on Tuesday, which saw the participation of students and locals including the Swachhata Didis. All of them shared happiness over the drastic changes in their lives, brought by this campaign.
The event showcased the efforts of Swachhata Didis, women responsible for maintaining community cleanliness and spreading awareness about sanitation.
Krishna Aggarwal, one of the Swachhata Didis, spoke to IANS about people's changing preferences for a cleaner society.
"Now, people use dustbins, separating their waste into dry and wet categories. PM Modi, by personally participating in the campaign, inspired the public to keep their surroundings clean," she said.
Urvashi Vaishnav, another Swachhta Didi, emphasised the shift in behaviour towards cleanliness and sanitation, particularly the end of open defecation.
"Earlier, the lack of toilets forced people, especially women, to relieve themselves on the streets. Now, with toilets available in homes, this issue has been resolved, making our roads and villages cleaner," she added.
Another Swachchta Didi Uttara Todar told IANS, "Every household is now more serious about waste management, and PM Modi has been a driving force in taking this campaign to new heights," she stated.
Doctors participating in the medical camp also lauded the mission's success in reducing the spread of communicable diseases.
Dr Rupali Raut said that a significant drop was recorded in infections like dengue, malaria, and chikungunya due to improved hygiene and government initiatives like distributing mosquito repellents.
"The mobile medical units launched by the Chhattisgarh government have also been providing vital in-home services," she said.
Dr Akanksha Singh echoed these sentiments, adding that diseases like diarrhoea and skin infections have declined considerably since the Swachh Bharat Mission's launch.
"There has been a marked reduction in hygiene-related illnesses," she noted.
Students have also spotlighted the positive impact of the campaign on their lives.
Dhanashree Shahu said, "Students are falling sick less frequently, which means more of us attend school regularly."
Bharatiya Sona said, "Earlier, dirty toilets and menstrual taboos made it difficult for girls to attend school. Now, with clean toilets and access to sanitary pads, more girls are attending school, and overall hygiene has improved."
Pinky Geakwad said, "Earlier, there was a lot of dirt and stagnant water, which led to mosquito breeding and more illnesses. Now, this has stopped to a large extent, and diseases are spreading less."
Notably, the Swachh Bharat Mission has had a lasting impact on communities, not just in Chhattisgarh but across the country, improving the indexes of public health, hygiene and sanitation in the last decade.
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