From First Drop to Clean Streets

As the monsoon approaches and the first rains arrive, cities across India begin preparations to address the seasonal risks associated with waterlogging, waste accumulation, and sanitation. Drains are cleaned, vulnerable locations are identified, and measures are undertaken to maintain cleanliness and public health. Under the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs-led Safai Apnao, Bimaari Bhagao 2025 (SABB) campaign, urban local bodies translated premonsoon preparedness into a coordinated cleanliness and public health effort. From 1 July to 31 July 2025, cities undertook drain cleaning, waste removal and hygiene promotion, while engaging communities through schools, neighbourhoods and other public spaces. At the heart of the campaign are the ‘6 Swachhata Mantras’: clean hands, homes, neighbourhoods, toilets, drains and public spaces. Together, these simple practices are becoming part of a larger city-wide effort to keep the monsoon safer and healthier. And across the country, that effort is taking many different forms. In Delhi, the campaign took the message to its streets and schools. 400 NCC girl cadets led a 3-km Pinkathon, a walkathon promoting monsoon hygiene and sanitation. The campaign saw significant on-the-ground action, including handwashing drives in 255 schools, while 206 cleaning drives covered backlanes and garbage vulnerable points (GVPs). Another 469 sanitation drives were conducted in community and public toilets (CTs and PTs). The Patna Municipal Corporation (PMC) introduced ‘Manhole Ambulances’ to enhance urban safety and sanitation through swift, on-site manhole repairs. Each ambulance carries prefabricated manhole covers, repair tools, and a dedicated response team for immediate action, especially during rains. PMC repurposed old, unused municipal vehicles into functional units. Six ambulances, one per municipal zone, are operational and linked to PMC’s central control room for realtime complaint resolution. The initiative enables citizen-centric grievance redressal and ensures faster responses to manholerelated complaints. In Navi Mumbai, a Swachhata rally was organised with the participation of over 600 students, parents, teachers, and citizens. Simultaneously, health awareness camps were held across 26 Urban Primary Health Centres, focusing on malaria and dengue prevention. Over two days, 52 health camps were conducted, reaching more than 22,690 citizens. In Telangana, the campaign reached nearly 13 lakh households. Around 14,210 km of drains were desilted, while 4,343 km of roadside bushes were cleared. Nearly 2.5 lakh houses were covered through anti-dengue and malaria awareness drives. Health camps also benefited over 8,500 frontline workers. Meanwhile, 140 composting pits were set up in schools, encouraging young citizens to turn waste into manure. In Chhattisgarh, the story begins with people themselves. In Pandariya, Self-Help Group members received sanitation training and were introduced to the Swachhata App. They then took part in a cleanliness drive. In Raipur, door-to-door outreach promoted hand hygiene and waste segregation, while Garbage Vulnerable Points (GVPs) were cleaned and beautified. As the monsoon approaches, the Northeast is getting ready not by waiting for the rains, but by preparing for them. Across Arunachal Pradesh, Nagaland, Assam, Sikkim and Tripura, the MoHUA-led SABB campaign is strengthening monsoon preparedness through collective cleanliness and disease prevention. In Nagaland, Urban local bodies (ULBs) across six towns led school awareness activities, drain cleaning, health camps and cleanup drives. These efforts engaged nearly 5,000 people through 60 cleanliness, 30 rainwater harvesting and 40 postmonsoon awareness drives. Across the hills of Sikkim, the campaign took aim at garbage-prone areas and the risks of water- and vectorborne diseases. Students, officials and Self-Help Groups (SHGs) came together around source segregation and better waste management. Around 4,000 people participated in 100 cleanliness and 100 post-monsoon drives, alongside awareness rallies and PET bottle shredding initiatives. In Assam, towns focused on drain cleaning, garbage removal, SafaiMitra health check-ups and waste segregation. Around 5,500 people joined 200 cleanliness and 40 rainwater harvesting activities, supported by 160 organisations and NGOs. In Tripura, ULBs strengthened waste collection, segregation and public toilet maintenance. Around 5,000 people participated in 150 cleanliness and 30 rainwater harvesting drives, alongside health camps, school rallies and sanitation initiatives. Across 47 urban notified towns in Arunachal Pradesh, efforts covered waste management, water quality and public toilet maintenance. Water treatment plants were inspected, while mass cleanliness drives targeted garbage-vulnerable points. These efforts demonstrate how cleanliness and disease prevention can be integrated into everyday community action. From Backlanes to Clean, Vibrant Neighbourhood Spaces A backlane refers to the space behind houses in a neighbourhood, generally characterised by limited pedestrian movement. Such areas can become vulnerable to waste accumulation and informal dumping. Recognising this, cities across Madhya Pradesh organised backlane cleaning drives with active public participation. The initiatives included the removal of encroachments and cleaning of drains to facilitate the smooth flow of rainwater during the monsoon. (Courtesy: PIB)