Swachh Bharat: Government mulling penalising those spreading dirt

NEW DELHI: The government is considering imposing penalties on those spreading dirt in urban areas as part of measures to make Swachh Bharat Mission a success, Union minister M Venkaiah Naidu said today.

He said the government is considering a three-point strategy for success of the cleanliness drive.

"There is a three-point strategy for this mission -- first, to create infrastructure; second, change the mindset; and third, at end of the day we need to consider imposing penalties in urban areas once the entire infrastructure is created," he said.

Speaking on the sidelines of a workshop on 'Scaling up Citizens' Participation to a Jan Andolan in Swachh Bharat Mission (Urban)', Naidu said, "Swachh Bharat Mission is now becoming a jan andolan (people's movement) but not fully. The change of mindset is fast taking place in the country. People are supporting the Prime Minister's initiative."

He said the government is working to find new ways and means to reach out to the people.

Representatives of Tata Institute of Social Sciences ( TISS) and several foreign countries participated in the workshop, Naidu said.

Swachh Bharat Mission is being implemented by the Urban Development and Drinking Water and Sanitation Ministry for urban and rural areas, respectively.

The mission aims at elimination of open defecation, eradication of manual scavenging, modern and scientific municipal solid waste management, effect behavioral change regarding healthy sanitation practices, generate awareness about sanitation and its linkage with public health.

Besides, this it also focuses on capacity augmentation for urban local bodies. The special attention is being given on constructing public and household toilets.