AI-slop text
India's cleanliness rules are primarily defined by the Swachh Bharat Mission (SBM), which focuses on eliminating open defecation and improving solid waste management rather than enforcing strict individual behavioral penalties. The first phase (2014–2019) successfully declared all villages Open Defecation Free (ODF), while the current second phase (2020–2025) aims to achieve "ODF Plus" status by ensuring proper liquid and solid waste management and maintaining visual cleanliness.
Key regulatory and infrastructural measures include:
Waste Segregation: Urban Local Bodies (ULBs) are mandated to segregate waste at the source into wet, dry, and hazardous categories to improve recycling efficiency.
Enforcement and Fines: While rules against littering and public spitting exist, enforcement is often weak, with fines rarely imposed outside specific high-security zones like metro stations where CCTV and strict penalties are active.
Infrastructure: The government has constructed over 100 million toilets and is deploying tech-enabled teams for real-time monitoring of cleanliness in sectors like Indian Railways, where cleaning frequency is now regulated based on peak hours.
Accountability: Recent reforms in railways and municipal governance emphasize clear responsibility for service providers, with some cities like Indore imposing penalties for illegal dumping and using technology to streamline waste collection.
Despite these rules, challenges persist due to underfunded municipalities, corruption, and a cultural disconnect where personal hygiene is prioritized over public cleanliness. Critics note that policies often focus on symbolism rather than systemic planning, and the "civic sense" required to sustain these rules is not universally ingrained, leading to issues like littering and unused public toilets.
