STORY CREDITS
Writer: Vasudha Chatterjee
Photo: Mayur Bhatiya and Diptanka Sekhar De
The Indian Institute of Technology Gandhinagar (IITGN) hosted the ‘SafaiMitra Suraksha Shivir’ on September 25, 2024 at the Jibaben Patel Memorial Auditorium, IITGN. Dr Kinjal Shah, a gynaecologist from Ahmedabad, addressed sanitation workers and other housekeeping staff members employed in the IITGN campus, foregrounding some key measures required for their physical well being. The event was celebrated as part of the Ministry of Jal Shakti’s ‘Swachhata Hi Seva’ campaign, aimed to foster a culture of volunteerism and collective action.
Emphasising on the various physical and bio-medical hazards workers can often be exposed to, Dr Shah highlighted a variety of measures that can be adopted at a personal level to enhance their safety. “Something as simple as regularly washing your hands with soap and water can prevent you and your family from contracting a host of diseases” said Dr Shah. An important part of her lecture also focussed on menstrual hygiene, and its implications in the physical, emotional, and social well being of women. She urged the male workers to pay critical attention to their wives, mothers, daughters, and sisters, especially during this time of the month.
This year marks the 10th anniversary of the launch of the ‘Swachh Bharat Mission’ too. While the ‘Swachh Bharat Diwas’ (SBD) will be celebrated on October 2, 2024, educational institutions across the country are already commemorating it through a variety of programs and cleanliness initiatives. Apart from the ‘SafaiMitra Suraksha Shivir’ for instance, IITGN organised a plogging drive on September 21, 2024, where students, faculty and staff members came together to collect waste across the campus. Additionally, a health camp has been scheduled over the next few days, offering vital checks by specialised doctors for residents of the Palaj and Basan villages.