Swatch Bharat initiative is changing life of Todapur slum dwellers

Prateek Chauhan

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, October 2

Todapur, a slum clusters in West Delhi, was a nightmare to live in as a piece of land here was illegally captured by parking mafia and had become a place for drug addicts creating a huge problem for children and women.

Taking it as a challenge, the slum dwellers with the help of the Delhi Police, corporate houses and an NGO got the land vacated and cleaned up.

Now, with the help of NGO SPYM and police the land has been turned into a playground for the children of the vicinity.

The Police Commissioner of Delhi, Amulya Patnaik, during the “Integrated Community Development”, a Swatch Bharat initiative, praised the effort of the slum dwellers and NGO and said by engaging the children of slums into the Swatch Bharat Mission of the Prime Minister we can save these children from drifting towards drug abuse and crime. And the mission will become successful and these children will get a chance to come into the main stream.”

“As in most of the cases first-time offenders from slum clusters, if given a chance and shown right path to life, can do wonders for the society. Such initiatives will be taken in other parts of slums in the city also so that the police are able to uproot the crime from grass-root level and change the perception of the police among people,” added Patnaik.

Sanjay Pradhan, a key person who was awarded for his work from Todapur slums, said, “This piece of land had become a haven for drug addicts and more over the place was used by people for open defection, which was a cause of concern for the children and old people of the slum. Initially nobody understood the impotence of keeping the place clean. But when the police, NGO and corporate people were roped in, the people of the slum got hope for their children.”

According to Special Commissioner of Police Sanjay Beniwal, “The Delhi Police for the first time is an active participant in this programme. The two main objectives of this programme are to spread awareness on issues related to juvenile crime and women safety.”

This is a one year project with Sonalika tractors as its corporate partner and ILNSH has also committed to support this programme, added the Special CP.

During this programme around 500 women were made aware regarding health and hygiene. Children of the age group of eight to 18 years will be taught livelihood skills and will be made aware of the ill effects of drug addiction.

Five girls from Gas Godown, Todapur, will be given professional training to become fitness trainers, said the DCP Vijay Kumar (West District).