From The Hindu Archives, February 23, 1976: PM suggests cleanliness as part of study

Bombay, Feb. 22: The Prime Minister, Mrs. Indira Gandhi, to-day suggested that teaching of cleanliness be made part of educational curriculum, right from kindergarten.

Inaugurating the All-India best city contest here, Mrs. Gandhi said cleanliness, sanitation, and love for trees must be the form of major educational campaign. “It would have been more suitable if I had swept one of the Bombay streets instead of inaugurating the contest.” Clean cities led to clean thinking which was a must for any progress, she added.

Mrs. Gandhi said: “We got a bad reputation the world over for lack of cleanliness. Tourists told us that while understanding our socio-economic problems, they did not understand why we lived in dirt. We must take our own initiative and participate in the cleanliness campaign before hearing from foreign advisers on what we should do.”

Mrs. Gandhi congratulated Bombay even for moving at snail speed in cleanliness. Others did not move at all, she added. She said she was sure that Bombay would win the contest if the competition was held immediately.

She said apart from the problem of cleanliness, there were problems of air pollution. We must plant a lot of trees and see that the flora and fauna did not die out.

Mrs. Gandhi said rather than merely admonishing people for lack of cleanliness and giving incentives, they must be made to participate in the beautifying programmes.