Cleaning in India today
Over the decade cleaning industry had to create a market for professional cleaning by educating the end user on the need for adopting cleaning technology for maintaining standards and sustainability. In the present scenario, with the cleaning campaign rage across the country, the awareness factor for cleaning surrounding is much pronounced.
“There is definitely an impact and I am hopeful there will be a positive change and it will bring more awareness. This will make our work easier with people readily accepting newer ways of cleaning. But, I would also like to say that education is very important for Swachh Bharat Abhiyan to become a success,” explains Anjana.
The campaign is significant as there are huge investments and funding being pumped in to achieve the goal of a clean India. While, there is no direct link to the cleaning industry, “it is up to people like us in the cleaning Industry to dip in to this reserve to implement the vision of the honourable PM in an organised manner,” says Archana.
On a positive note, Aditi feels that the campaign, which has taken on the entire nation right from the common man to the politician, with the symbolic broom will move up to the next level. “The matter will not be taken lightly anymore, but now will be enforced vigorously. Cleaning industry will benefit, as now the demand for professional cleaning products would increase and this would in turn help further employment of women in the rural areas and villages.”
Definitely the campaign has helped in pushing cleanliness per se a notch higher on people’s priority list. “However, we need to ensure that it doesn’t end up becoming a photo activity but actually helps create an ownership mind-set,” warns Kaanti. Now that a healthy attitude towards cleanliness is getting promoted, “we as a part of the cleaning industry should capitalize on this perspective change”.
The campaign definitely created an awareness and feel for cleanliness but has it actually promoted the concept of professional cleaning? As Kaanti rightly points out that the campaign is just evolving to become a photo feature in the media with people posing with the broom.
Well, what is professional with the broom? What is sustainable? What is cleaning at all in this whole campaign? “In my opinion, we should contribute to the campaign by bringing new ways of cleaning and making people aware of it,” says Anjana.
“In fact, we can contribute directly as we are the source where cleaning related products are concerned. They will be procuring from us,” says Aditi.
Agreed that cleaning products have to be sourced from the cleaning industry and there has to be a major contribution towards creating awareness of these products, but has the industry got the kind of products to suit this campaign?
“The foremost point of contribution would be product development. There is tremendous scope for innovation in chemistry. We need to educate the masses to help them judge product quality. Besides, a clean environment should not be a privilege enjoyed by few as it is a basic necessity of everybody. We need to promote a socially inclusive model wherein even people at the bottom of the pyramid have access to basic cleaning needs. The ultimate goal should be to help recreate the clean India image and we as a part of the cleaning industry have a major role to play in it,” emphasises Kaanti.
Over and above, “I strongly feel, that Clean India Journal along with senior members of the cleaning industry, should form an action plan in different areas and present it to the PMO for implementation,” says Archana.
