Jammu, Oct 02: On the occasion of Mahatma Gandhi’s 154th birth anniversary, also celebrated as Gandhi Jayanti and International Day of Non-Violence, Er Dil Bahadur Singh Jamwal and Er T.K. Sharma, State BJP Convener and Co-convener of Swachh Bharat Mission, spoke about the progress of the nationwide cleanliness campaign, Swachh Bharat Abhiyan, in the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir.
They participated in the cleanliness drive initiated in Ghrota and Agore in Mandal Amb Ghrota and Mathwar in Nagrota Assembly constituency, along with the local party functionaries and the general public, under the ongoing Swachhta Pakhwara “Swachhta Hi Sewa Hai.”
Er Dil Bahadur Singh stated that Swachh Bharat Abhiyan, launched on October 2, 2014, by the Prime Minister, aims to promote sanitation and hygiene and make India clean and open-defecation-free. “Over the years, the initiative has garnered widespread support and participation from citizens, NGOs, local authorities, and government agencies across the country. The region of Jammu and Kashmir has also been making significant strides towards achieving this goal,” he said.
Jammu and Kashmir has made substantial progress in achieving the Open Defecation Free (ODF) status, with over 6650 villages declared as such, Er Dil Bahadur said. He congratulated the people of the region on this achievement and urged the youth to pledge to devote two hours per week towards Swachhta, making it a Jan Abhiyaan and taking part in regular cleanliness drives in villages.
Through the construction of thousands of individual and community toilets, Swachh Bharat Abhiyan has significantly reduced open defecation in both urban and rural areas, he said. He also mentioned that numerous cleanliness drives and awareness campaigns have been organized across the union territory, leading to an improved sense of responsibility among the citizens to maintain cleanliness.
Er T.K. Sharma praised the commendable efforts of individuals, organizations, and local bodies and noted that these efforts have been recognized and rewarded, further motivating them to continue to contribute to the cleanliness drive. He added that the improved cleanliness and hygiene standards have positively impacted tourism in Jammu and Kashmir, attracting more visitors to explore the scenic beauty of the region.
