Participation of religious leaders sought in sanitation campaign

With hygiene and sanitation practices deeply associated with cultural values,the Rural Development Ministry has sought the participation of religious leaders across faiths in its Total Sanitation Campaign. The aim is to mobilise the rural community to make villages defecation-free.

In a letter to religious leaders,including Imam Bukhari of Jama Masjid and Kanchi Sankaracharya Jayendra Saraswati,Rural Development Minister Raghuvansh Prasad Singh has pointed out that five out of 10 top killer diseases of children aged between one and four in rural areas are related to water and sanitation. It is estimated that 260 crore people,including 100 crore children worldwide and half the population in India,live without basic sanitation facility,he has said.

Religious leaders can play a vital role in creating awareness among people not only on the use of sanitation facilities but also on good personal hygiene practices. Singh has suggested that religious leaders to impress upon the villagers to use toilets. Religious leaders could also encourage people to ensure safe disposal of child faeces,maintaining personal hygiene,proper disposal of solid and liquid waste and prevent pollution of water bodies.

Religious leaders included in the campaign are Mohtamin Darul Uloom Deoband,Puri Shankaracharya,Swami Ramdev,Sri Sri Ravi Shankar,Murari Bapu.