Lucknow : Under the leadership of Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, Uttar Pradesh celebrated World Toilet Day on November 25 with a unique campaign titled ‘Paint My Toilet.’
As part of this campaign, walls of public and private toilets, along with their surrounding areas, were adorned with vibrant wall paintings and messages emphasizing cleanliness. The effort aims to not only beautify the surroundings but also spread awareness about hygiene and sanitation among the masses.
Additionally, Safai Mitras will be honored for their contributions as part of this campaign on November 30.
In line with the Indian government’s directives, a special campaign called ‘Swachh Shauchalay’ (Clean Toilets) was launched on World Toilet Day from Lucknow by Roopa Mishra, Joint Secretary. The campaign aims to make toilets in all urban local bodies clean, attractive, and convenient.
Ritu Suhas, Additional Director of the Swachh Bharat Mission (Urban), shared that the theme of the campaign, ‘Swachh Shauchalay – Hamari Zimmedari’ (Clean Toilets – Our Responsibility), is being promoted through various activities. The campaign will continue until December 25, focusing on improving the cleanliness, safety, and functionality of public toilets.
Under the ‘Swachh Shauchalay” campaign, public and community toilets in all urban local bodies will undergo repair, cleaning, and beautification. Activities will also include planting trees in vacant spaces around the toilets and displaying cleanliness messages through wall paintings. All toilets will be cleaned twice daily as part of the campaign.
Guidelines will be followed to ensure better maintenance of public and community toilets. Efforts will be made to create litter-free zones around these toilets and enhance the surrounding areas’ aesthetics. Special attention will be given to cleaning and beautifying toilets located at historical and public sites.
To address cleanliness and facility-related suggestions or complaints, the toll-free number 1533 will be prominently displayed on the exterior walls of all toilets. Instructions for septic tank cleaning and relevant contact numbers will also be provided outside the toilets. Furthermore, all toilets will be marked on Google Maps under the Google Toilet Locator, with the locator ID displayed on the toilet walls.
The campaign includes retrofitting and renovation of toilets within the respective urban bodies. After completing the beautification, repair, and maintenance work, urban bodies must document and report the “before and after” status of the toilets.
As part of the Swachh Shauchalay campaign, various Information, Education, and Communication (IEC) activities will be conducted to engage the public. These include ‘Toilet Talks’, beautification drives, and outreach programs at heritage sites to connect people through IEC initiatives. Awareness programs will be organized with the help of self-help groups, NGOs, community-based organizations (CBOs), corporate social responsibility (CSR) initiatives, the Swachh Vaatavaran Protsahan Samiti, and Swachh Sarathi Clubs.
Additionally, schools, colleges, and universities will ensure proper toilet facilities and cleanliness. The campaign’s activities will be promoted through social media platforms and newspapers for widespread awareness.
A dedicated Command Control Center (DCCC) at the Directorate level will monitor the daily cleaning and beautification of toilets. Officials and staff at the local body level will participate in online monitoring and showcase the work done on toilets, ensuring all standards are met.
Under the campaign, the Municipal Corporations/Municipal Councils/Nagar Panchayats doing excellent work should be honored by the department at the state level on the basis of various indicators. At the same time, excellent caretakers will also be honored at the body and state level their exceptional contributions.
The primary goal is to make toilets in bodies more beautiful and user-friendly, ensuring a clean and healthy environment for the public. These upgraded toilets will not only provide essential facilities but also become a key feature of the urban amenities provided by the local bodies.
