“SWACCH BHARAT MISSION” failed: UN Expert’s Report

By – Ali Akmal

The special rapporteur of UN termed Swachh Bharat Abhiyan as a flop. According to United Nations Special Rapporteur (UNSR), a latest preliminary report which was released on Friday dismissed Modi’s ambitious program “SWACCH BHARAT ABHIYAAN”.

Léo Heller, Special Rapporteur said that “Everywhere I went, I saw the logo of the Clean India Mission — Gandhi’s glasses “now is a critical time to replace the lens of those glasses with the human rights lens”. According to him, Central Government did not take care of human rights principles in this campaign.

The main reason behind implementing “Swacch Bharat Abhiyan” was to remove manual scavenging from India as it’s banned like in other countries. UN report says the practice of manual scavenging is the violation of human rights.

“Eliminating open defecation is not only about building latrines, but requires adequate methods for behavior change, and sufficient water supply is a pre-requisite for the sustainable and safe use of adequate, low-cost latrines.”

Swachh Bharat Abhiyan was started by Prime Minister Modi in 2014 which is a variant of the UPA’s Cleanliness Program (1986-1999) and the Total Sanitation Campaign (1999). Name of Total Sanitation Campaign was changed in 2012 to Nirmal Bharat Abhiyan.

UNSR report targeting Modi over “Swachh Bharat Abhiyan”. The report clearly highlighting the issue of manual scavenging, it also mentions that government is only looking after toilet’s and not concerned about drinking water which is the most common problem in India.

Bala Balaraman on the social network said, “The projects such as clean drinking water, toilets and cleaning ideas are to be lauded. Narendra Modi cannot implement these projects with a corrupt MP’s, ministers and officials, In addition, low caste and minority community members are attacked by Hindu goons, First, Modi must clean the House of parliament, to clean the city.

However, the Central government dismissed the report and said: “The expert’s report is full of mistakes and prejudices.”