The Guinness Book of World Records has conferred the certificate to Madhya Pradesh for the world record created on World Handwashing Day in Madhya Pradesh on October 15, 2014.
The certificate was received by ACS Panchayats and Rural Development Aruna Sharma and a team of Swachh Bharat Abhiyan, Madhya Pradesh on Friday. State Programme Officer State Water and Sanitation Mission, Madhya Pradesh Hemwati Burman was also present.
According to Guinness Book, 12,76,425 students created a new world record through simultaneous handwashing at programmes held by Panchayats and Rural Development Departments on World Handwashing Day at 13,196 different places in all 51 districts of the state. Earlier record was held jointly by Argentina, Peru and Mexico. In these 3 countries, 7,40,870 people had created this record by simultaneous handwashing at different places on October 14, 2011.
Madhya Pradesh has surpassed the joint record of 3 countries on October 15, 2014. After completion of verification formalities, Guinness Book of World Records registered new world record created by Madhya Pradesh. Certificate for this glorious record has now been sent to Madhya Pradesh.
For creating awareness about sanitation and hygiene, handwashing with soap was done at government primary and middle schools and anganwadis. For verification of Guinness Book of World Records, handwashing was video-graphed and recorded on mobile phones in 19,735 schools specially selected for this purpose. Sharma said that uncut videography was done at these schools and names of students participating in the event were presented to Guinness Book of World Records, which has recognized the new world record and sent a certificate about it.
Notably that large scale arrangements were made for the state-wide event aimed at educating sanitation to young generation and associating people with Swachchhata Abhiyan. The event was organised jointly by School Education, Panchayats and Rural Development and urban as well as rural bodies. State Water and Sanitation Mission and Wash Project of MP Tast under DFID of the British Government, Water Aid and various other voluntary organisations had extended active cooperation in the mega event.