Tag: Mission Paani

Mission Swachhta Aur Paani: Celebrating India’s female sanitation workers

KV Prasad Jun 13, 2022, 06:35 AM IST (Published)

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Mission Swachhta Aur Paani’s Women at Work initiative celebrates India’s female sanitation workers, the unsung heroes who play a vital role in maintaining our nation’s cleanliness and health.

Their stories of strength, empowerment and commitment shine a light on their crucial role in society. Adding a musical tribute, multiple Grammy award winner Ricky Kej crafted a new Swachhta anthem amplifying the message of proper sanitation and honoring these dedicated workers.

Health, education, economy and the planet, all take a hit without proper sanitation. In 2014, Prime Minister Narendra Modi initiated the world’s biggest sanitation campaign ensuring access to clean facilities for everyone. Joining this monumental effort, Harpic and Network18 launched Mission Paani in 2019 with a clear goal to better water use and sanitation all over India.

Aligned with the Swachh Bharat Mission and the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals, the campaign is dedicated to inculcate toilet appropriate behavior and fostering actions that ensured inclusivity and leaving no one behind.

In 2023, Mission Swachhta Aur Paani Season 3 unveiled a curriculum designed by Sesame Street based on the sanitation, hygiene, education framework.

The historic moment unfolded as the curriculum was presented to the honorable President of India Droupadi Murmu. The initiative has achieved remarkable reach in Odisha impacting over 1.6 million students across 17,450 schools and enhancing the scales of 21,900 teachers in 10 districts.

The curriculum aims to drive behavioural change and cultivate toilet appropriate behavior in young children. Thereby instilling in them the importance of sanitation for good health.

For more, watch the accompanying video

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KV Prasad Journo follow politics, process in Parliament and US Congress. Former Congressional APSA-Fulbright Fellow

Mission Swachhta Aur Paani | India’s initiative to ensure clean water and a sustainable sanitation

KV Prasad Jun 13, 2022, 06:35 AM IST (Published)

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Mission Swachhta Aur Paani is a nationwide campaign by News18 Network and Harpic for sustainable sanitation and clean water. This campaign is striving to mobilise the country towards a better sanitation and make it a Jan Andolan.

On the occasion of World Health Day, Mission Swachhta Aur Paani is moving into its third season. This season is going to be about how good sanitation practices especially clean toilets can lead to a healthier India.

The message that will be sent out to every Indian this time is ‘Healthy Hum Jab Saaf Rakhe Toilet Har Dam’.

On the occasion of World Health Day, Mission Swachhta Aur Paani is bringing the country together for a dialogue on sanitation empowerment.

Mission Swachhta Aur Paani is bringing the country together to encourage the adoption of good sanitation practices for a healthier tomorrow. From the snowy mountains to the deep peninsula, from the forests in the northeast to the rugged west, Mission Swachhta Aur Paani is cherished as a guide, a reminder, an advocate, a reformer, and an upholder of the global sustainable development goals.

Now in 2023, News18 Network and Harpic are renewing the focus on sanitation literacy with the aim of creating awareness of the importance of maintaining good hygiene and sanitation with the motto of ‘Healthy Hum Jab Saaf Rakhe Toilet Har Dam’.

Also Read | Mission Swachhta aur Paani: A Jan Andolan for sanitation security

Health, education, economic growth, environment continue to be critically impacted by the lack of sustainable sanitation.

Starting in 2014, after Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s clarion call for Swachh Bharat, India embarked on what is the biggest sanitation drive in the world. To achieve universal coverage, in an earnest conviction for the National Abhiyan, in 2019, Harpic and Network18 launched Mission Paani in India. And soon created a global splash at World Water Week 2019 in Stockholm.

People from all walks of life took the sacred Jal Pratigya or Water Oath led by the Vice President of India, M Venkaiah Naidu.

On World Toilet Day 2021, Mission Paani created history. It unveiled the first of its kind Sanitation Pledge and Preamble at the Rashtriya Swachhata Kendra starting a high-impact conversation around sanitation security, behavioural change, immediate and effective policies and empowerment of sanitation workers.

In 2022, the campaign entered into a third year with a renewed focus on sanitation, cleanliness and a push for clean and hygienic toilets.

The campaign initiated a dialogue on sanitation empowerment with government leaders, sanitation warriors and celebrities, policy experts and citizens making an appeal for a right to dignity.

The big moment came, when the President of India, Draupadi Murmu complemented Mission Swachhta Aur Paani for championing a national cause to make sanitation a nationwide campaign.

For more details, watch the accompanying video

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Network 18 Mission Swachhta aur Paani Telethon: Dia Mirza shares 5 tips for sustainable living

KV Prasad Jun 13, 2022, 06:35 AM IST (Published)

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Carrying your own bottle and doing away with single-use plastic bottles was one of the five tips that actress and green activist Dia Mirza suggested for sustainable living. Speaking at the Network18 and Harpic’s Mission Swachhta aur Paani Telethon on the occasion of World Toilet Day, November 19, the actress said that one big contribution that each individual can make to the environment is to manage waste better at home.

“By managing our waste better, we can reduce toxicity entering waterways and polluting air, soil and water,” she said.

The actor suggested people use energy-efficient appliances as a measure for sustainable living. She urged people to substitute CFL bulbs with energy-efficient LED ones.

ALSO READ: Network 18 Mission Swachhta aur Paani Telethon: Akshay Kumar bats for teaching students about cleanliness and hygiene

Practising a mostly plant-based diet will also help make a significant shift to sustainable living, she said.

“Ask for help when you need it, don’t think it’s only your responsibility”: Dia Mirza’s (@deespeak) advice to new moms

She also lists out 5 doable behavioral changes for #SustainableLiving #MissionSwachhtaAurPaani | @shibangiSR #DiaMirza pic.twitter.com/3eHOo8Cgpm

— News18 (@CNNnews18) November 19, 2022

Earlier, Mirza said individual health was connected to the health of the environment and that our actions have an impact on not just our health but also on others.

“Our actions have far and wide-reaching consequences and how we choose to live each day will not just have an impact on our own health but also on the health of many others,” she said.

ALSO READ:  Network 18 Mission Swachhta aur Paani Telethon: Parineeti Chopra calls herself a citizen in progress

Wishing all viewers a “Happy World Toilet Day”, India’s UN Goodwill Ambassador said the country had made significant strides in cleanliness and sanitation.

Talking about her journey from the tip of the Ganga to where it meets the sea, Mirza said she travelled across five states and was mesmerised by the pristine beauty of the river and its surroundings.

To protect the Ganga, which is the second most polluted river in the world, it was necessary to do away with single-use plastic bottles, she added.

ALSO READ: Work on sanitation never stops, says NITI Aayog CEO Parameswaran Iyer

A grand 8-hour telethon under Mission Swachhta aur Paani is being held on World Toilet Day, November 19, to mobilise India for better sanitation. Mission Swachhta aur Paani, a Network 18 and Harpic initiative advocates equality for all genders, abilities, castes and classes and strongly believes that clean toilets are a shared responsibility.

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KV Prasad Journo follow politics, process in Parliament and US Congress. Former Congressional APSA-Fulbright Fellow

Network 18 Mission Swachhta aur Paani Telethon: Akshay Kumar bats for teaching students about cleanliness and hygiene

KV Prasad Jun 13, 2022, 06:35 AM IST (Published)

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Students need to be practically taught about cleanliness and hygiene advocated, Bollywood star and Campaign Ambassador, Akshay Kumar at Network18 and Harpic’s Mission Swachhta aur Paani Telethon on the occasion of World Toilet Day, November 18.

Talking with hosts Anand Narasimhan and Shereen Bhan during the grand eight-hour telethon, Akshay Kumar said that lessons about hygiene and cleanliness should be taught in homes as well as schools.

“I don’t understand why people don’t focus on cleanliness and hygiene,” he said.

ALSO READ: Work on sanitation never stops, says NITI Aayog CEO Parameswaran Iyer

“Why can it not be taught in schools to stay hygienic and clean? Students need to be taught practically,” Kumar added. The actor said, “Toilet etiquette classes should be mandatory in schools across the nation. Students should learn about topics like sanitation, hygiene and water conversation,” Akshay Kumar added.

Akshay Kumar, Campaign Ambassador, highlights education and behavioural shift in use of toilets, at the GRAND #MissionSwachhtaAurPaani Telethon, a @harpic_india & @cnnnews18 initiative. pic.twitter.com/HBMnZbk7aq

— News18 (@CNNnews18) November 19, 2022

Speaking at length about the importance of cleanliness and hygiene at the telethon, Akshay Kumar took the example of Lothal. Lothal was one of the most southern settlements of the ancient Indus Valley civilisation and despite being built over 4,500 years ago had functioning sewage, drainage and toilets.

ALSO READ:  Network 18 Mission Swachhta aur Paani Telethon: Parineeti Chopra calls herself a citizen in progress

Khiladi Kumar also spoke to sanitation workers employed at the Statue of Unity, Kevadia in Gujarat. Inviting them to attend Mission Swachhata aur Paani Telethon, the actor thanked them for their services and asked them about how visitors can improve their sanitation habits while using public toilets at the tourist site. The workers said that despite the importance of the site, some visitors still don’t care to maintain hygiene at the community toilets. “Some visitors do not use dustbins, while others litter with food items and water bottles, among other things,” said a worker.

A grand 8-hour telethon under Mission Swachhta aur Paani is being held on World Toilet Day, November 19, to mobilise India for better sanitation. Mission Swachhta aur Paani, a Network 18 and Harpic initiative advocates equality for all genders, abilities, castes and classes and strongly believes that clean toilets are a shared responsibility.

ALSO READ: Meet teacher turned sanitation warrior Prof Jyoti Lamba who built 10,000 toilets in Gujarat

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Thursday’s filing dispelled some doubts, though Musk still has work to do. He and his advisers will spend the coming days vetting potential investors for the equity portion of his offer, according to people familiar with the matter

KV Prasad Journo follow politics, process in Parliament and US Congress. Former Congressional APSA-Fulbright Fellow

Work on sanitation never stops, says NITI Aayog CEO Parameswaran Iyer

KV Prasad Jun 13, 2022, 06:35 AM IST (Published)

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NITI Aayog’s recently-appointed CEO, Parameswaran Iyer spoke about the broadening scope of the sanitation and cleanliness campaign in the country at the Network 18 and Harpic’s Mission Swachhta aur Paani Telethon on the occasion of World Toilet Day on Saturday. Elaborating on the work done by the government in the first phase of the Swachh Bharat Mission (SBM), and the areas of focus in the second phase of SBM, he said, “More work is to be done, the work on sanitation never stops.”

Joining the telethon virtually, Iyer highlighted the success achieved under SBM-I and the road ahead while interacting with Shereen Bhan, Anand Narasimhan and Mission Swachhta aur Paani brand ambassador Akshay Kumar.

“The work on sanitation never stops; tremendous accomplishments have been made so far,” says NITI Aayog CEO, Parameswaran Iyer

Campaign Ambassador @akshaykumar congratulates Mr. Iyer for being appointed as the new CEO @ShereenBhan @AnchorAnandN | #MissionSwachhtaAurPaani #toil pic.twitter.com/2cjvekGXKf

— News18 (@CNNnews18) November 19, 2022

“The nation succeeded in a Jan Andolan, people took to the cause. That was Swachh Bharat Mission-I and now the second phase began in 2019-20. The cause of sanitation has broadened to solid waste management and liquid waste management in both urban and rural. But, clearly, more work to be done, the work on sanitation never stops,” said Iyer.

ALSO READ:  Network 18 Mission Swachhta aur Paani Telethon: Parineeti Chopra calls herself a citizen in progress

Iyer, who has spearheaded the execution of India’s flagship Swachh Bharat Mission, said that the biggest inspiration for the mission was Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who, in his speech at the Red Fort on August 15, 2014, spoke about the indignity for women and girls who have to go out and defecate in the open and then he made a commitment and delivered on it.

The NITI Aayog CEO added that the initiative was further taken forward with all the state governments and there has been tremendous accomplishment so far.

Iyer, who took charge of NITI Aayog in July this year, said the think-tank works closely with the Department of Drinking Water and Sanitation and with the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs on taking the overall message of swachhta forward. He drew attention to the government’s focus on putting the policy into action.

Akshay Kumar revealed that Iyer was the one who first introduced him to the Swachh Bharat Mission and made him an integral part of the campaign.

ALSO READ: Meet teacher turned sanitation warrior Prof Jyoti Lamba who built 10,000 toilets in Gujarat

A grand 8-hour telethon under Mission Swachhta aur Paani is being held on World Toilet Day, November 19, to mobilise India for better sanitation. Mission Swachhta aur Paani, a Network 18 and Harpic initiative advocates equality for all genders, abilities, castes and classes and strongly believes that clean toilets are a shared responsibility.

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Thursday’s filing dispelled some doubts, though Musk still has work to do. He and his advisers will spend the coming days vetting potential investors for the equity portion of his offer, according to people familiar with the matter

KV Prasad Journo follow politics, process in Parliament and US Congress. Former Congressional APSA-Fulbright Fellow

Mission Swachhta aur Paani: Amitabh Kant says no one has done work on sanitation at a scale like India

KV Prasad Jun 13, 2022, 06:35 AM IST (Published)

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The massive scale and size on which India is working on sanitation, cleanliness and water, no one has done earlier, said Amitabh Kant, the G20 Sherpa and former CEO of NITI Aayog, at Network18 & Harpic’s Mission Swachhta aur Paani telethon. The most critical initiative taken by the government in the last seven to eight years is the Swachhta Mission, he said.

“Sanitation impacts a vast range of areas. It impacts the health, nutrition, education and livelihoods of people and women in many ways. Therefore, providing close to 10.1 crore toilets across India is like providing every citizen of Germany a toilet…The scale on which India is working on sanitation, no one has done it,” Kant said.

Watch @amitabhk87 highlight the importance of change beginning from oneself and beyond to mobilise India for better sanitation, at the GRAND #MissionSwachhtaAurPaani Telethon, a @harpic_india & @cnnnews18 initiative. pic.twitter.com/0D3w5Ke6a7

— News18 (@CNNnews18) November 19, 2022

Around 25 million Indians have been provided access to tap water in recent years, he said, adding that sanitation really helps the environment. It impacts life and society.

ALSO READ: Meet teacher turned sanitation warrior Prof Jyoti Lamba who built 10,000 toilets in Gujarat

The former CEO of the government think tank NITI Aayog also said the Swachhta Mission had brought a behavioural change in the people about using the hard infrastructure.

One of the biggest breakthroughs achieved by India was the use of new technology in making toilets under the Swacchta Mission. The new tech requires less usage of water in toilets.

Kant was speaking at the grand 8-hour telethon under Mission Swachhta aur Paani being organised on World Toilet Day, November 19, by Network18 and Harpic. The Harpic Network18 Mission Paani campaign has been expanded to include Swachhta as well. The campaign is being done to advocate equality for all genders, abilities, castes and classes. It believes that giving access to clean toilets is a shared responsibility.

ALSO READ:  Network 18 Mission Swachhta aur Paani Telethon: Parineeti Chopra calls herself a citizen in progress

Despite the government’s efforts to make progress on sanitation, lack of adequate access to water has been one of the key barriers for several Indian homes to maintain cleanliness and hygiene of their toilets.

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Meet teacher turned sanitation warrior Prof Jyoti Lamba who built 10,000 toilets in Gujarat

KV Prasad Jun 13, 2022, 06:35 AM IST (Published)

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Highlighting the importance of grassroots-level work to improve sanitation access and infrastructure in the country, Gujarat’s Professor Jyoti Lamba spoke about her journey at the Mission Swachhta Aur Paani telethon of Network18 and Harpic on the occasion of World Toilet Day, on Saturday. Prof Lamba spoke about what inspired and motivated her to build over 10,000 toilets in her home state.

Prof Lamba said that while there was the built-up of sanitation infrastructure like toilets before, it was in 2014 after the launch of the Swachh Bharat Mission (Gramin) by Prime Minister Narendra Modi building more toilets became easier. The sanitation crusader revealed that she was first inspired to create more toilets when faculty members from Gujarat Vidyapith were visiting a village and had trouble with the lack of sanitation infrastructure.

Motivated by Gandhian ideals of providing each individual with their basic sanitation needs, she was moved by the difficulty faced by women in villages and started taking care of their basic sanitation and hygiene needs.

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“Seeing women wait for nightfall just so that they can take care of their body needs moved me, and that is what allowed me to take this work forward. In villages for women when there is no separate toilet and specifically the pregnant women and new mothers suffer more,” she said.

Dr Jyoti Lamba, Professor, highlights the importance of change beginning from oneself and beyond to mobilise India for better sanitation, at the GRAND #MissionSwachhtaAurPaani Telethon, a @harpic_india & @cnnnews18 initiative. pic.twitter.com/RWiSb4qjtf

— News18 (@CNNnews18) November 19, 2022

Lamba, who is a professor at Ahmedabad University, also added that while building the infrastructure can be done easily, changing people’s behaviour and mindset is a much harder task that requires the help of families and communities in unity. This work brought her much joy and satisfaction, Prof Lamba added.

ALSO READ: Mission Swachhta aur Paani: Amitabh Kant says no one has done work on sanitation at a scale like India

Mission Swachhta Aur Paani is a sanitation campaign by Network18 and Hapric that advocates equality for all genders, abilities, castes and classes and strongly believes that clean toilets are a shared responsibility and that everyone should have access to the same. With women often being disproportionately affected by a lack of proper sanitation and hygiene, it is especially important to ensure that all women should have the right to equal access to washrooms and clean toilets.

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KV Prasad Journo follow politics, process in Parliament and US Congress. Former Congressional APSA-Fulbright Fellow

Network 18 Mission Swachhta aur Paani Telethon: Parineeti Chopra calls herself a citizen in progress

KV Prasad Jun 13, 2022, 06:35 AM IST (Published)

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Actress Parineeti Chopra called herself a citizen in progress while speaking about access to clean water and safe sanitation for all at the Mission Swachhta Aur Paani grand eight-hour-long telethon of Network18 and Harpic on the occasion of World Toilet Day, on Saturday. Talking to hosts Anand Narasimhan and Shereen Bhan, Parineeti said that she wouldn’t like to be defined by just one single aspect of her life. “I am a citizen in progress,” said the actress as she joined the telethon.

Talking about the importance of sanitation, Parineeti said that she has experienced many issues as a woman when it comes to sanitation in the country. “I have struggled to see cleanliness and usage of water in our country,” she said. The actress added that there has been a lot of improvement in public infrastructure over the last decade or so, but citizens need to pull their weight in terms of hygiene and sanitation.

“We have one life to live and there is so much to do. We shouldn’t be defined just by our work, just by our social media, just by our films”: Parineeti Chopra (@ParineetiChopra) at #MissionSwachhtaAurPaani telethon @harpic_india

Live updates: https://t.co/OgmYPUwINK pic.twitter.com/x5yV6oEg0F

— News18.com (@news18dotcom) November 19, 2022

Parineeti also added that men need to take on the onus for clean sanitation and it needs to be a shared responsibility. She also cautioned against the overuse of water, which results in wet bathrooms that can be breeding grounds for pathogens.

ALSO READ: Mission Swachhta aur Paani: Amitabh Kant says no one has done work on sanitation at a scale like India

“I feel that more responsibility should be given to the men out there. Because women are a little bit more responsible. We know what the next woman will go through, so we are a bit conscious. But, I think over usage of water and wet bathrooms are the worst things. They are breeding grounds for diseases. Swachhta and Paani should be more used in these bathrooms. I see the number one problem is the overflow of water,” she added.

Also taking the stage, Ravi Bhatnagar, Director of External Affairs and Partnership, South Asia, Reckitt, added that the change begins with people and with mass movements helping people stick with changes in their behaviour in terms of sanitation and hygiene practices. Saurabh Jain, Regional Marketing Director, Hygiene, South Asia, Reckitt, also commended India’s progress in terms of improving sanitation behaviour, but he called for participation from everyone to contribute to taking sanitation drives forward.

ALSO READ: Meet teacher turned sanitation warrior Prof Jyoti Lamba who built 10,000 toilets in Gujarat

Mission Swachhta Aur Paani is a sanitation campaign by Network18 and Hapric that advocates equality for all genders, abilities, castes and classes and strongly believes that clean toilets are a shared responsibility and that everyone should have access to the same.

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3 Mins Read

Thursday’s filing dispelled some doubts, though Musk still has work to do. He and his advisers will spend the coming days vetting potential investors for the equity portion of his offer, according to people familiar with the matter

KV Prasad Journo follow politics, process in Parliament and US Congress. Former Congressional APSA-Fulbright Fellow

Mission Paani: Israel in Bundelkhand – a water revolution in the making

KV Prasad Jun 13, 2022, 06:35 AM IST (Published)

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For years now, Bundelkhand has faced a severe water scarcity. And the situation is only getting worse. All 13 districts in Bundelkhand are water-stressed. Because of this farmers are forced to leave their fields and migrate to other places in search of jobs.

The difference between old generation farming and new generation farming is that output was constantly declining. That saw the economic condition of farmer families deteriorating.

Traditional farming is water-intensive. Farmers would suffer if rains failed during the sowing season, as the crops would not germinate. And if the crops did not germinate, the farmers would have to replant the crops. Again, during harvest time, if the rain were either too much or too little, the crops would be destroyed.

Unprecedented weather conditions saw farmers’ expenditure levels rising.

Clearly, farmers could make no profit unless they moved to modern farming.

This forced them to look around. They got in touch with Netafim, an Israeli company. The company’s drip-irrigation system helped farmers raise crops even in adverse conditions. The system used the force of water to keep consistent flow in all the drippers at all times. All plants received equal doses of water and fertilizer, resulting in generation of equal yield by all the plants. This ensured maximum profit for the farmers.

Israel is a global leader in irrigation of arid land. To put to use their learnings, the Uttar Pradesh government partnered with Israel. Netafim’s technology holds the potential to transform Bundelkhand into a water-secure place all year round. With this technology, farmers can hope to add more crops to their crop cycles and earn more.

For the entire show, watch the accompanying video of Mission Paani.

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Thursday’s filing dispelled some doubts, though Musk still has work to do. He and his advisers will spend the coming days vetting potential investors for the equity portion of his offer, according to people familiar with the matter

KV Prasad Journo follow politics, process in Parliament and US Congress. Former Congressional APSA-Fulbright Fellow