With the country's toilet coverage reaching close to completion, people from across the country today celebrated the World Toilet Day with mass awareness and mobilization activities. The focus was on usage of toilets, which is closely linked to the Prime Minister’s call for a Swachh Bharat by October 2019.In a tweet on this occasion, the Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi reiterated the country’s commitment towards enhancing cleanliness and sanitation facilities. He said, “We in India take pride at the remarkable speed with which sanitation cover has increased in the last four years.”The Swachh Bharat World Toilet Day Contest organized by the Ministry of Drinking Water and Sanitation culminated today with massive community activities across States and districts. School children, health workers and Anganwadi workers and common people came out in large numbers on World Toilet Day to reaffirm their commitment to keep their villages open defecation free. Men, women and children took Swachhta oaths; school children marched through villages and performed plays spreading the message of Swachhta; videos and other demonstrations were shown on the use of twin pit technology; mass hand washing drives were taken up and Swachhta champions were awarded and recognized.
In a special event, CEO NITI Aayog, Shri. Amitabh Kant and Secretary, Ministry of Drinking Water and Sanitation, Shri. Parameswaran Iyer emptied a toilet pit and then participated in " Toilet Parliament " organized in village Vajidpur in Firozabad district of Uttar Pradesh. The Toilet Parliament resolved that the community would sustain its ODF status, convert all single pit toilets to twin pits, promote composting, eliminate plastic usage and use organic fertilizers in the district.Shri. Amitabh Kanth underscored the importance of manure coming out from twin pit toilets. He said this manure multiplies the productivity of farm land ten times. Shri. Parameswaran Iyer congratulated the village and the district for achieving ODF status. He said the six resolutions demonstrate the commitment of the village to sustain the ODF outcomes. Swachhagrahis, Swachhata Champions, Members of the Nigrani Samiti were felicitated on the occasion for making the district ODF.The Districts and States who have taken the best set of initiatives during the World Toilet Day will be awarded by the MDWS at national level.