Since October 2, 2014, a national concern and consciousness have been generated through the Swachhata Abhiyan Mission. The mission aims to endorse cleanliness practices among Indians and demands earnest contributions from every citizen to make India clean. In later years, Prime Minister Narendra Modi applauded the contributions of children as vigilant soldiers of this mission.
The campaign has been successful in terms of generating the idea of cleanliness among Indians. In the discourse of the Swachhta Mission, it is indispensable to talk about the cleanest village in India, which is a trailblazer in providing how a cleanliness approach is maintained and practiced. Even before the conception of the Swachhata mission and the Open Defecation Free program, this village, located in Northeast India, has a surmounting legacy of cleanliness.
Mawlynnong is a small village situated in the East Khasi Hills of Meghalaya, and it is the cleanest village in India and Asia. It has received several awards and recognitions. The village received its first “clean tag” from Discover India Magazine in 2003 and was popularized by BBC in 2005. This recognition has fostered eco-tourism and developed the economy based on it.
The village has a population of 414 people belonging to scheduled tribes. They do not have sanitation workers because it is an ancestral responsibility of each resident of the village to keep his house and vicinity clean.
The residents of the village have confirmed that it has been a practice since the time of their forefathers to live clean and tidy. Here, the practice involves giving children the responsibility to keep the area around the house clean. If they fail to do that, they are not allowed food on that particular day. They also reuse and recycle plastic and renewable items. The biodegradable waste is buried and used as manure, while non-renewable materials are taken outside of the village.
The role of literacy cannot be avoided in this endeavor. According to the 2011 census, the total literacy rate is 93.71%, and the female literacy rate is 94.35%. Children are educated and trained from primary schools about the conduct of cleanliness. The village is open defecation-free, and each household has its own toilets.
Last year, the village was awarded the Silver Award as the “Best Eco-Tourism Destination” in India and the tourism industry. In the perennial efforts for cleanliness, other state governments should learn and research on these attributes and virtues. The people of Mawlynnong are demonstrating an exemplary example not just for the country, but for the world. Bestowing awards is necessary, but further endeavors are required in the emancipation of practices and temperament toward cleanliness among Indians.