Chennai: Swachh Bharat initiative, spearheaded by Narendra Modi government, has led to a dip in ground water contamination, said a study conducted by UNICEF.
The study further stated that it could be attributed to the improvement in hygiene and sanitation practices. The findings said said, supportive systems such as regular monitoring and behaviour change messaging, which have all been critical aspects of the Swachh Bharat Mission (Grameen), also helped reduce ground water contamination.
Union Minister for Jal Shakti Shri Gajendra Singh Shekhawat, in an official press release, said that Swachhata affects all aspects of the environment â be it groundwater, surface water, soil or air â as well as health and well-being of the communities in ODF regions.
Under the ‘Environmental impact of the Swachh Bharat Mission on Water, Soil, and Food’ by UNICEF, groundwater samples were collected and studied from ODF and non-ODF villages of Odisha, Bihar and West Bengal.
Praising the Swachh Bharat Mission for bringing a reduction in ground water contamination, he said, the WHO 2018 study had estimated that the Swachh Bharat Mission will save over three lakh lives by the time India is Open Defacation Free. Releasing two independent third-party studies conducted on the Swachh Bharat Mission (Grameen), the Minister said, the Mission will continue to positively impact peopleâs lives for a long time to come.