NEW DELHI: Single-window health camps to ensure better quality of life to Safai Mitras (sanitation workers) and their family members is one of the key elements of this year’s ‘Swachhata Hi Seva’ (SHS) campaign starting September 17. To honour ‘everyday heroes’ and to recognise their efforts, the Centre has asked district authorities across states and union territories (UTs) to set up ‘preventive health checkups’ camps during the two-week long drive.
All workers either a direct employee, contracted, or outsourced by local bodies to carry out key ‘swachhata’ functions such as road sweeping, door to door collection of waste from households, mechanical de-silting of sewers and septic tanks will be benefited from the initiative, said officials.
Besides Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) kits, protective gears to safeguard the sanitation workers from occupational hazards will be provided to them.
While briefing at the curtain raiser event of the campaign, Union Minister for housing and urban affairs, Manohar Lal said that in the camps, the sanitation workers would be helped in enrolling various social welfare schemes being run by the Government.
“Because our Swachhta Sipahi (Sanitation warrior) are involved in a work that affects their wellbeing, health camps will be organised to carry out checkups. If any treatment is required; that will be made sure. How can their economic status and lifestyle be improved? How can they benefit from various government schemes? This will also be ensured,” said the minister.
The theme of this year’s campaign is ‘Swabhav Swachhata Sanskaar Swachhata (4S) 2024’. As part of the initiative, the Centre has also planned to clean and transform about two lakh ‘dirty and difficult’ garbage spots or sites such as tourist places, water bodies and public areas.
To guarantee round the year access to healthcare services and facilities to Safai Mitras and dependants, the authorities have been asked to organise sessions to sensitize doctors and other medical professionals about the roles and challenges faced by the sanitation workers. The aim is to foster better understanding and support for the workers’ health needs, officials added.
“Safai Mitras and their families should be encouraged to participate in Swachh Bharat Cultural Fests and ‘Waste to Art’ installation to be organised during the campaign. Local artists may also be involved with them for these programmes. This will provide them with a platform to share their talents and help integration with local communities. Camps will be set up at places such as cantonment areas, railway stations, educational institutes, petrol pumps or airports,” said officials.
Storytelling sessions featuring stories of sanitation workers about their experiences and the importance of their work in maintaining cleanliness are also proposed as part of the cultural activities.