When 'Swacch Bharat' is not an 'Abhiyan', but a duty

When Prime Minister Narendra Modi put out the idea of 'building toilets before constructing temples' at a function in New Delhi more than a year ago, the suggestion led to few eyebrows being raised in both political and social circuits.

However, everyone kept quiet when recently a drain in the capital choked and overflowed, with stinky water meandering its way leaving a dirty trail right to the stairways of a mosque and a temple.

Though the incident pertains to a small neighbourhood inside the Turkman Gate area of Old Delhi, but a little bit of scratching on the surface results in the emergence of a rusted base.

The spot is merely four steps away from a government girls' school and two kilometers away from the Rajghat where Prime Minister Modi's 'Swachh Bharat Abhiyan' was officially launched from just six months ago and which now has a budget allocation of whopping Rs. 3,625 crores for fiscal year 2015-16.

When the civic problem was raised with the area MLA Asim Ahmed Khan, the residents were told to make a written complaint and submit in the relevant office for the possible action to be taken.

Realising that it would be too much of a red tape, which might consume lot of time when the immediate action is required to avoid diseases spread in the locality, the area's councilor, Seema Tahira, was contacted.

Initially a bit reluctant to avoid interfering in the MLA's domain, Tahira swung into action and not only got the drain repaired within a few hours, but personally oversaw the repair work in the sweltering afternoon.

Cleanliness and sanitation are not one party's pet projects and they should not be. No wonder, when Mr. Modi launched the multi-million cleanliness scheme, he rose above the party lines and nominated leaders across party lines to take up the broom.

Last year, Mr. Modi was invited to the Global Citizen Festival in New York's Central Park along with Jay-Z, Beyonce, Hugh Jackman and The Roots to promote awareness and means to fight poverty.

The organizers were specifically keen on the Indian Prime Minister addressing a 60,000 strong audience for his high-pitch pledge to cleanliness drive and expand sanitation in the country.

At times, one needs to rise above partisan politics and contribute to the projects for the larger interest and betterment of the people something which the female councilor did in a tiny but significant

corner of the country. (ANI)

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