The state urban development department can learn a thing or two about implementing Swach Bharat Mission in urban slums from two B-school students in Jamshedpur.
XLRI Jamshedpur students Tirtha Chatterjee and Sambhit Dwivedi, in Beldih Gram, a slum on the outskirts of CH Area, one of the city's most tony addresses, have made a huge difference in the attitudes of the 3,000-odd slum-dwellers towards personal hygiene.
In just a fortnight, Tirtha and Sambhit, both 26 and business management students of 2014-16 batch, have taught over 300 families crammed in the two-acre area to wash hands properly and vigorously before cooking, eating and feeding children.
These days, the two students are a familiar sight in the slum, telling daily wagers, contract labourers, domestic staff, homemakers, children and the elderly to wash hands. More important, they have installed 100 low-cost hand-wash stations made by recycling abandoned pieces of wood, plastic buckets and taps bought from XLRI funds. From the same funds, they also bought Dettol soaps, which they kept inside mesh pouches that they attached to buckets. "This keeps the soap dry and suitable for multiple uses," Tirtha explained.
"Most of our children and youths were not aware of the significance of washing hands. XLRI students have now made us aware why its so important to clean hands before and after eating. It's been an eye-opener," said Biren Tiu (46), gram mukhiya of Beldih Gram area.
So, why did the duo from one of India's most elite institutions bother about a slum? "This slum is very near XLRI, so we were very affected by the sight of children living in filth. We thought, let's do whatever we can," Sambhit said.
"Clean hands was our starting point," he added. "To make the slum own the effort we started, we have constituted a youth committee comprising Beldih Gram residents who will teach others to wash hands properly, including dirt under nails, and rinse off the soap well."
Their change mantra? "You tell people to do things and you meet with resistance or disinterest. But, you tell people the logic behind what you want them to do, basically what's in it for them, they'll do it," Tirtha said.
"We explained to them how dirty hands and nails, when in touch with the mouth, can cause serious diseases that cause anxiety, grief and expenditure," Sambhit added. "Logic works."
But, the budding corporate honchos also learnt what doesn't work.
The urban slum residents are forced to defecate in the open on Subernarekha banks. The two toilets constructed a month ago by Jamshedpur Notified Area Committee (JNAC) lack water supply making them useless.
Contacted on Tuesday, JNAC special officer Deepak Sahay promised to make them functional within a week. JNAC, your countdown has begun.
