To send across the message of cleanliness among the masses, the Punjab Government has roped in renowned comedians and actors Jaswinder Bhalla and Binnu Dhillon as brand ambassadors of its ‘Mission Swachchh and Swasth Punjab’.
The two actors, known for their witty and comical acts both on stage and in cinema, would help the State Government to promote its message of sanitation to the people by appearing in advertisements, and on special events.
Their commitment towards the social cause of making Punjab clean and healthy is appreciable, said the state Water Supply and Sanitation Minister Tript Rajinder Singh Bajwa.
Bajwa also announced to start a week-long massive awareness campaign under the ‘Freedom from Open Defecation’ programme from August 9, with the target of making the rural Punjab open defecation free by the end of this year.
“Rural areas of nine districts — Fatehgarh Sahib, ludhiana, Moga, SAS Nagar, Jalandhar, Kapurthala, Barnala, Faridkot and SBS Nagar — have been self-declared as Open Defecation Free by Gram Panchayats and respective Deputy Commissioners,” he said.
Bajwa said that in all, 52 blocks and 5,953 villages have been declared ODF till date. 1.98 lakh households have constructed latrines of their choice and construction of 1.21 lakh latrines are under construction.
The approach followed by the Department has been to motivate beneficiaries to construct bath-cum-latrines for more effective use, he said adding that the beneficiaries have contributed Rs 5,000 to Rs 15,000 over and above the Government grant out of their own resources which is a sign of high level of ownership.
The Minister said that in the week-long celebrations under the ‘Freedom from Open Defecation’ programme, the Punjab government would carry out awareness programmes across the state against ill-effects of open defecation.