SWACHH BHARAT MISSION A SHOWPIECE

SWACHH BHARAT MISSION A SHOWPIECE

6-AUG-ENG 3

RAJIV NAYAN AGRAWAL

BHABHUA--------------------------Despite the government spending lakhs of crores of rupees on cleanliness under the Swachh Bharat Mission, the impact on the ground is virtually non-existent. Due to the absence of sanitation workers, heaps of garbage and foul-smelling air plague the area; passing along roads near residential neighborhoods and hamlets poses risks of disease and even raises fears of fatal suffocation.

Sanitation services in the block's Kharenda village have completely collapsed. In the absence of sanitation workers, garbage has been lying in village drains and on roads for months, with no one to clear it away.

Locals state that the sanitation workers appointed by the Panchayat have not reported for duty for several months. Consequently, piles of garbage have accumulated along the main road, in neighborhoods, and near the school. The stench has made it difficult for residents to step out of their homes.

Additionally, the practice of open defecation along roads near residential areas poses a persistent risk of disease.

Villagers report an infestation of mosquitoes and flies. Children and the elderly have started complaining of vomiting, diarrhea, and fever. During the monsoon season, the combination of waterlogging and rotting garbage has heightened the risk of diseases like Dengue and Malaria. Alok Kumar, the Sanitation Coordinator for Rampur, explained that cleaning operations in Wards 1 and 2 of Kharenda Panchayat have stalled due to the lack of sanitation workers; however, workers will be appointed soon to carry out the task.