Akshay Kumar-starrer movie ‘Toilet: Ek Prem Katha’, will be screened for the village sarpanches of Haryana in an effort to sensitise them about cleanliness and encourage them to work towards a ‘Swachh Bharat’.
The Manohar lal Khattar Government in Haryana has decided to organise a special screening of the movie in all districts of the State for village sarpanches.
The movie, which released on August 11, highlights the issue of open defecation in rural India and focuses on importance of better sanitation facilities in the country. The satirical comedy also stars Bhumi Pednekar and reflects the message of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Swachh Bharat Abhiyan.
Haryana Development and Panchayats Minister, OP Dhankar on Wednesday issued directions to all the District Development and Panchayat Officers (DDPOs) to arrange special show of ‘Toilet: Ek Prem Katha’ in their respective districts.
The movie, which has received a mixed response from critics, is based on a true life incident where a bride leaves her husband because the latter does not have a toilet at his residence.
“A communiqué has been sent to all deputy commissioners, additional deputy commissions and DDPOs in the state to organize a show of the movie with an aim to sustain ODF status in rural Haryana,” said RK Mehta, State project coordinator, Swachh Bharat Mission-Gramin (SBMG), Haryana while talking to The Pioneer.
In June, the BJP led Haryana Government had announced that all rural areas including 6205 gram panchayats in the state has become open defecation free (ODF) and subsequently, an ODF plus campaign has been launched for sustaining the ODF status through effective solid and liquid waste disposal management.
Mehta said that the DDPO of the district concerned will be nodal officer for organizing the special screening and the event would be organised as “Awakening Samaroh” at all the district headquarters.
The communiqué sent to officials concerned in various districts on Wednesday stated, “The move titled Toilet-Ek Prem Katha” released recently, is basically spreading awareness and importance of use of toilet, which can be helpful in providing more information and stimulus to the public representatives of PRIs in the State and maintaining the ODF status in rural Haryana. Therefore, it has been decided that all sarpanches and ODF champions (people working towards maintaining sanitation) will be invited for viewing the film, as per their convenience.”
A screening of the movie will be organised in the PVR/Cinema hall by booking of entire hall exclusively for sarpanches and other champions of SBM-G of your district. The DC, SSP, ADC, SDM and other senior officers of the district concerned should also be invited for the said “Awakening Samaroh”, the letter said.
Notably, Haryana is ranked first in the country in terms of access to and usage of toilets, with 99 per cent of households in rural areas covered and usage of 100 per cent.
Among the open defecation-free states, Haryana occupies the top rank, followed by Himachal Pradesh, Kerala and Sikkim, as per a survey report of Swachh Bharat Mission.