<p>India has been soaking in festival fervour, leaving in its trail not only spiritual and cultural reinforcement but also considerable consumption, waste, and pollution of the earth, water, and air – depending on the nature of the celebrations. The Chhath Puja in the North has again drawn attention to the polluted state of the Yamuna and other rivers, just as the post-Diwali debate on the National Capital Region's air quality subsides.</p>.<p>In contrast, for two weeks culminating on October 2, the country was reminded of a different kind of service --to the land it inhabits and to itself – through the Swachhata Hi Seva (SHS) campaign. The Swachh Bharat Mission (SBM), which set out to achieve a clean India beginning with freedom from open defecation, has relied on mass mobilisation as its core strategy. But the ninth edition of SHS stood out for its reach and scale – a strong statement of nationwide ownership of cleanliness. Over 187 million people volunteered to clean nearly 2.2 million corners of filth and public places. Last year, citizens helped revive around 800,000 heavily littered spots. </p>.<p>There is now an urgency to sustain this momentum. As SBM 2.0 enters its final year, the push towards garbage-free cities must accelerate. Key parameters such as solid waste management, remediation of legacy dumpsites, plastic eradication, and the establishment of large-scale waste processing plants need fast-tracking. Progress in both urban and rural areas has been steady, but garbage has not disappeared – except in patches. The menace of plastic persists despite the 2021 ban on single-use plastics. </p>.<p>Take Gurugram and parts of NCR, which have plunged into an image crisis because of visible waste. State and local bodies have intensified action recently, but effective mitigation remains elusive. The towering trash mountain at Bandhwari is a stark reminder of failure in municipal waste management. Such festering sites need special attention and technological and financial support. The symbolic launch of SHS from Bhalswa landfill in Delhi should serve as a war cry for sustained transformation -- not a token gesture. The focus on preventing re-accumulation must continue well beyond the campaign. </p>.<p>Government policy and action are in place, with unprecedented funding for sanitation since 2014. Of India's 5,000 cities, about 1,000 have achieved a reasonable grip on garbage management, with a few showing outstanding results. Out of 1.6 lakh tonnes of solid waste generated daily, 81% is officially processed. Over half of the country's massive dumpsites are now under remediation. </p>.<p>Places of pilgrimage – traditionally sanitation challenges – have now become new beacons. At the last Maha Kumbh in Prayagraj, the world's largest human gathering, technology and meticulous planning ensured remarkable cleanliness. The Amarnath Yatra this year, with 400,000 devotees trekking to the holy cave, achieved a zero-landfill, zero-waste benchmark through scientific waste management and plastic-free practices. The Meenakshi temple in Madurai was among the first under SBM to make its premises visibly cleaner by recycling floral and other offerings. During the festive season, SHS seeks to extend this spirit through clean and green community action. </p>.<p>The Swachh Shehar Jodi under SBM Urban is another innovative step. The country's 72 cleanest cities, identified under Swachh Survekshan, will mentor 200 low-performing cities in sanitation and waste management -- a partnership whose results will be closely watched. </p>.<p>Yet, regardless of policy and infrastructure, cleanliness ultimately depends on civic participation. The construction of 120 million household toilets means little unless they are used. Waste processing facilities cannot deliver results unless citizens segregate their waste at source into organic and inorganic components. Waste bins appear in larger numbers in public places as part of Swachh Bharat mobilisation, but old habits of careless disposal are creeping back. Increasingly, cities are considering taxing residents for unsegregated waste or imposing fines for public littering. Behavioural compliance may soon become the new order. </p>.<p>Everyday consciousness about the environment and ownership of public spaces remains critical. In its initial years, Swachh Bharat Mission – India’s best-known public campaign – burnt brightly as a movement of behaviour change. That flame needs reigniting. Its first vindication came within five years of launch, when states declared themselves Open-Defecation Free (ODF) in 2019. The next milestone must be a nationwide lineup of clean, healthy villages and towns -- cared for with the same attention families give their homes during festival season. </p>.<p><em>(The writer is former Director General of the Swachh Bharat Mission)</em></p><p> <em>(Disclaimer: The views expressed above are the author's own. They do not necessarily reflect the views of DH.)</em></p>
<p>India has been soaking in festival fervour, leaving in its trail not only spiritual and cultural reinforcement but also considerable consumption, waste, and pollution of the earth, water, and air – depending on the nature of the celebrations. The Chhath Puja in the North has again drawn attention to the polluted state of the Yamuna and other rivers, just as the post-Diwali debate on the National Capital Region's air quality subsides.</p>.<p>In contrast, for two weeks culminating on October 2, the country was reminded of a different kind of service --to the land it inhabits and to itself – through the Swachhata Hi Seva (SHS) campaign. The Swachh Bharat Mission (SBM), which set out to achieve a clean India beginning with freedom from open defecation, has relied on mass mobilisation as its core strategy. But the ninth edition of SHS stood out for its reach and scale – a strong statement of nationwide ownership of cleanliness. Over 187 million people volunteered to clean nearly 2.2 million corners of filth and public places. Last year, citizens helped revive around 800,000 heavily littered spots. </p>.<p>There is now an urgency to sustain this momentum. As SBM 2.0 enters its final year, the push towards garbage-free cities must accelerate. Key parameters such as solid waste management, remediation of legacy dumpsites, plastic eradication, and the establishment of large-scale waste processing plants need fast-tracking. Progress in both urban and rural areas has been steady, but garbage has not disappeared – except in patches. The menace of plastic persists despite the 2021 ban on single-use plastics. </p>.<p>Take Gurugram and parts of NCR, which have plunged into an image crisis because of visible waste. State and local bodies have intensified action recently, but effective mitigation remains elusive. The towering trash mountain at Bandhwari is a stark reminder of failure in municipal waste management. Such festering sites need special attention and technological and financial support. The symbolic launch of SHS from Bhalswa landfill in Delhi should serve as a war cry for sustained transformation -- not a token gesture. The focus on preventing re-accumulation must continue well beyond the campaign. </p>.<p>Government policy and action are in place, with unprecedented funding for sanitation since 2014. Of India's 5,000 cities, about 1,000 have achieved a reasonable grip on garbage management, with a few showing outstanding results. Out of 1.6 lakh tonnes of solid waste generated daily, 81% is officially processed. Over half of the country's massive dumpsites are now under remediation. </p>.<p>Places of pilgrimage – traditionally sanitation challenges – have now become new beacons. At the last Maha Kumbh in Prayagraj, the world's largest human gathering, technology and meticulous planning ensured remarkable cleanliness. The Amarnath Yatra this year, with 400,000 devotees trekking to the holy cave, achieved a zero-landfill, zero-waste benchmark through scientific waste management and plastic-free practices. The Meenakshi temple in Madurai was among the first under SBM to make its premises visibly cleaner by recycling floral and other offerings. During the festive season, SHS seeks to extend this spirit through clean and green community action. </p>.<p>The Swachh Shehar Jodi under SBM Urban is another innovative step. The country's 72 cleanest cities, identified under Swachh Survekshan, will mentor 200 low-performing cities in sanitation and waste management -- a partnership whose results will be closely watched. </p>.<p>Yet, regardless of policy and infrastructure, cleanliness ultimately depends on civic participation. The construction of 120 million household toilets means little unless they are used. Waste processing facilities cannot deliver results unless citizens segregate their waste at source into organic and inorganic components. Waste bins appear in larger numbers in public places as part of Swachh Bharat mobilisation, but old habits of careless disposal are creeping back. Increasingly, cities are considering taxing residents for unsegregated waste or imposing fines for public littering. Behavioural compliance may soon become the new order. </p>.<p>Everyday consciousness about the environment and ownership of public spaces remains critical. In its initial years, Swachh Bharat Mission – India’s best-known public campaign – burnt brightly as a movement of behaviour change. That flame needs reigniting. Its first vindication came within five years of launch, when states declared themselves Open-Defecation Free (ODF) in 2019. The next milestone must be a nationwide lineup of clean, healthy villages and towns -- cared for with the same attention families give their homes during festival season. </p>.<p><em>(The writer is former Director General of the Swachh Bharat Mission)</em></p><p> <em>(Disclaimer: The views expressed above are the author's own. They do not necessarily reflect the views of DH.)</em></p>
