Launch of Pocket Book for Health and Safety Sanitation Workers during COVID-19 and MalAsur ‘Demon of Defeca’ Campaign

Shri Rajiv Ranjan Mishra (Director General, National Mission for Clean Ganga) and Dr Kajal (Director, Directorate of Local Bodies, DoUD, Govt of U.P.) today virtually launched the following campaigns in Uttar Pradesh and Ganga towns:

• Pocket Book for Sanitary Inspectors and Supervisors aimed to ensure health and safety of sanitation workers during COVID-19. Developed by CSE – Programme Support Unit under partnership with Department of Urban Development (Govt of Uttar Pradesh) and National Mission for Clean Ganga.
• MalAsur 'Demon of Defeca' campaign to build awareness on how improper Faecal Sludge Management impacts public health. A campaign developed by BBC Media Action.

Action points from the meeting included:

1. Training & sensitization drive across U.P. and Ganga Basin targeting health and safety of Sanitation Work during COVID-19.
2. Provide the pocket books (Hindi and English each) to Sanitary Inspectors across Uttar Pradesh and Ganga towns.
3. Raising awareness of impact of faecal sludge on river pollution through Malasur campaign in Ganga towns with piloting in Bijnor & Chunar.
4. Encourage major cities in Uttar Pradesh to take up MalAsur campaign.

Dr Suresh Kumar Rohilla, Sr Director CSE moderated the event and summarized CSE's Programme and Technical Support for Citywide Sanitation and Faecal Sludge and Septage Management at the Ganga Basin with focus on Uttar Pradesh. He reiterated CSE’s commitment to support the State during COVID-19 in-particular protecting Sanitation Workers which is a vulnerable community during this pandemic.

Keynotes were delivered by Shri Rajiv Ranjan Mishra and Dr Kajal who emphasized their commitment to support both the campaigns. Shri Rajiv Ranjan Mishra emphasized that such initiatives would be helpful in the Ganga Basin towns and would help the mission achieve its objectives. Dr Kajal highlighted the commitment of Department of Urban Development (Uttar Pradesh) in Citywide Sanitation and ensuring health and safety of the sanitation workers in the cities.

Ms Anisha Singh and Reethira Kumar from BBC Media Action and Shri Durgeswar Tripathi, Executive Officer Bijnor and Ms Pratibha Singh, Executive Officer, Chunar also joined the meeting as panellists. Rahul Mankotia, Programme Manager – Programme Support Unit – DoUD (U.P.) gave a short presentation on the need and use of the Pocket Book. This was followed by a presentation by Ms Anisha Singh of BBC Media Action on the MalAsur Campaign and how it would help achieve Social Behavioural Change among the citizens to help achieve effective Faecal Sludge and Septage Management.

The event was attended by more than 60 participants which included officials from National Mission for Clean Ganga (NMCG, State Mission for Clean Ganga (U.P.), Directorate of Local Bodies (Govt of Uttar Pradesh, City Officials and Development Partners in Uttar Pradesh.