New Delhi, Nov 18, 2024, IANS

New Delhi, Nov 18 (IANS) The Ministry of Housing & Urban Affairs is expected to launch the Hamara Shauchalay: Hamara Samman campaign on the occasion of World Toilet Day, it said on Monday. World Toilet Day is celebrated annually on November 19 to raise global awareness and action to emphasise the importance of safe and accessible toilet facilities as part of UN-mandated Sustainable Development Goal 6: Ensuring water and sanitation for all by 2030. In India, the day will serve as a pivotal moment to reinforce efforts toward sustaining the nation’s Open Defecation Free (ODF) status. “This year, India is going to launch the campaign “Hamara Shauchalay: Hamara Samman”, which will commence on November 19 and culminate on Human Rights Day, December 10, linking sanitation with human rights and the universal need for dignity and privacy, especially for women and girls,” the Ministry said. As part of the campaign, the government has directed all States and Union Territories to conduct ground-level surveys to identify existing gaps and expedite the construction of Individual Household Latrines (IHHLs). In addition, village-level registration drives and camps are being organised to ensure that all eligible beneficiaries receive timely sanction orders for toilet construction. Launched in 2014, the Swachh Bharat Mission (SBM) has been a cornerstone of India’s efforts to improve sanitation and eliminate open defecation. While the SBM’s village mission led to the construction of over 11.73 crore household toilets, resulting in more than 5.57 lakh ODF Plus villages, in urban areas it facilitated the construction of 63.63 lakh household latrines and over 6.36 lakh community and public toilets. Globally, the theme this year is ‘Toilets - A Place for Peace’, and the day highlights the indispensable role of proper toilet facilities in maintaining public and environmental health by preventing the spread of deadly diseases such as cholera. “There is a desperate need for sanitation services with 3.5 billion people still living without safely managed sanitation and 419 million practising open defecation around the world,” the Ministry said.