Let Mahatma’s ideals inspire us to take forward total cleanliness drive M B Rajesh (Minister for Local Self Government and Excise, Kerala)

/ September 30, 2023

“Sanitation is more important than independence”, Mahatma Gandhi famously said. It is obvious that cleanliness and sanitation for all was at the core of his vision of an Independent India.

As Kerala is pressing ahead with a path-breaking project to turn the entire state totally clean, green and healthy, what comes first to one’s mind is this inspiring thought of the Father of the Nation.

The three-phase ‘Malinya Muktham Nava Keralam’ campaign, launched in March this year with clear-cut goals and deadlines, is the principal vehicle of this scientific, inclusive and sustainable movement, now in its second phase.

This project is not merely about collection, processing and repurposing of household and industrial garbage. These are, of course, important targets that need to be met within the specific time-frame of a year. In its profound sense, however, the whole project is an upfront and holistic movement aimed at building a healthy society that cherishes sustainable goals and cleanliness and sanitation for all, as dreamt by the Mahatma. This is especially significant at a time when the tell-tale signs of climate change and adverse fallout of ecological degradation are becoming increasingly evident. 

Kerala Solid Waste Management Project (KSWMP), an integral component of this campaign, has meticulously drawn up an action plan for Urban Local Bodies for taking the movement forward in a time-bound and result-oriented manner.  The response from people to the programme has been overwhelming. 

Besides building a reliable and sustainable waste management infrastructure covering all local bodies, the second phase of the campaign will also see the completion of a few remaining targets from the previous phase.

Starting from the Gandhi Jayanti day, the campaign will shift to a crucial stage, with a new scale and speed. In a sharp departure from the past practice of limiting the cleanliness drive to a single day or a week, it has been made an extended and continuing programme involving the entire society.

A key feature of the campaign is its emphasis on collaboration and collective action, which again is a Gandhian approach. It has brought together all government departments, local communities, Local Self-Government Institutions (LSGIs), students, women outfits, residence associations, sanitation workers and civil society organisations.

The coming days are packed with hectic activities rallying over 3 million people. Already, thousands from all walks of life have volunteered to be part of this historic movement.

A wide range of activities like removal of garbage piled up in public spaces, cleaning water bodies, making community composting facilities environment friendly, convening of special grama sabhas (village assemblies), creating sanitary and medical waste management facilities in urban areas and turning the Haritha Karma Sena a unique brand will be taken up on a war footing.  

On this occasion, it is necessary to clarify on some misgivings voiced by certain quarters about the proposed Scientific Landfills (SLFs) in parts of the state. The apprehensions on this count are totally misplaced. To start with, an SLF, as a meticulously engineered facility that provides for a systematic and environmentally responsible method of disposing inert waste, is fundamentally different from a waste dumpsite. Also, the proposed SLFs will be given final clearance only after assuring that they fully comply with the best international models and after a thorough scientific examination to ensure that they do not pose any adverse ecological and social consequence.

This massive movement will succeed only with the participation of all sections of the society. Since a waste-free and clean Kerala is the dream of each and every Keralite, the ongoing effort of all government departments should be supported wholeheartedly by individuals and organisations.While keeping one’s home and the neighbourhoods clean, a strong vigil should be maintained against those who dump the waste around our vicinities. All violations that go against the spirit of the campaign should be reported to the authorities for action.

Let us all pledge to strive for a better, cleaner Kerala for the present and future generations.