Till recently, Annigeri Primary Health Centre was avoided by the public because its ground was filled with wastes, as people living nearby used it for open defecation. All it took was one IAS probationer to notice it and take a decision to change the whole place. The thought turned into action, and in just two weeks’ time, the centre was spick and span and its ground clear and clean. Wastes and weeds were removed from the ground while the building got a fresh coat of paint. And the results are remarkable and the transformation noticeable. No wonder people sat up and took notice and appreciated the young IAS probationer’s efforts.
In an exclusive interview to Indian Masterminds, IAS Probationer Madhav Gitte shared about his clean-up initiative that has made the people of Annigeri happy and has earned him praises from across the country.
PHC CLEAN-UP INITIATIVE
Mr. Madhav Gitte could never have thought that a small initiative from his side in his first place of posting would be noticed by people of the entire country and get him appreciation. He is currently posted as IAS Probationer in Anningeri taluk of Dharwad district in the state of Karnataka.
The Public Health Centre in the taluka had started looking like an abandoned building with its ground full of wastes and weeds. People used to avoid visiting the centre because of the unhygienic conditions. However, Mr. Gitte changed the whole scenario by simply taking matters into his hands and getting things done.
He started his PHC clean-up initiative in the second week of November. “I got the charge of Municipal Council, and on the very second day of my duty, I came across the PHC ground which had become a ground for open defecation, resulting in the area also becoming a breeding ground for pigs and mosquitoes.”
CLEANED IN TWO WEEKS
The entire clean-up process took just two weeks. “In the first week of our initiative, all officials and workers of the Municipal Council cut the trees, grasses, and removed the wastes that were present there. In the second week, we levelled the ground with red soil.”
According to the officer, the Council provided manpower and machineries like JCB for the PHC ground initiative. After the trees were felled, 65 tractors of red soil were brought to level the ground. A private firm, KRN Company, which builds road in Dharwad district, donated funds for the exercise as part of its CSR initiative.
USE OF THE EMPTY GROUND
Until recently, people used this ground for open defecation. However, after the ground was fully cleaned, kids started playing there. “We plan to plant trees in the vacant space so that the atmosphere is clean and green for the patients who visit the health centre.”
The officer further informed that the Municipal Council has arranged ten temporary mobile toilets in the ground for the local residents. However, soon, they are going to construct six community toilets for the people residing there. “The community here do not have any toilets, so they prefer open defecation. However, we are trying to make people aware about the diseases caused by open defecation and are building six community toilets for them. Hopefully, we will see a big change in the coming future,” said the officer.
