Bhubaneswar: The Housing & Urban Development (H&UD) Department, Government of Odisha, has launched a state-wide 15-day Information, Education, and Communication (IEC) campaign across all Urban Local Bodies (ULBs) running from 7th August to 21st August 2026.
This intensive campaign serves as an essential precursor to the prestigious National Conclave on GARIMA, scheduled to take place on 22nd August 2026 at the State Convention Centre, Lok Seva Bhavan, Bhubaneswar, to commemorate Garima Day. In alignment with the core vision of the Garima Scheme—launched to safeguard the dignity, health, and welfare of sanitation workers—the campaign titled “Aainagata Safai Surakhsita Safai” (Legal Cleaning, Safe Cleaning) aims to mobilize citizens, municipal authorities, and institutions to eliminate hazardous manual scavenging and enforce mechanized, legal septic tank and sewer cleaning practices across the state.
To ensure grassroots penetration, the state-wide campaign focuses on strict legal enforcement alongside mass public awareness. Under this initiative, ULBs are executing special enforcement drives to identify, seize, and fine illegal or unregistered cesspool vehicles while facilitating their formal registration.
Concurrently, citizens, hotels, hospitals, and private establishments are being educated to channel all sewer and septic tank cleaning requests exclusively through ULBs by calling the dedicated toll-free helpline number 14420 or by engaging ULB-registered Private Service Provider Organizations (PSSOs). The campaign prominently highlights the role of Emergency Response Sanitation Units (ERSU), mechanized cleaning equipment, and specialized Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) to ensure zero human exposure to hazardous sanitation conditions.
To support local execution, the H&UD Department has sanctioned dedicated IEC financial assistance to all the Local Urban Bodies for the purpose.
The 15-day roadmap encompasses a structured sequence of ward-level and state-level communication activities designed to engage every segment of society.
Following the launch on 7th August, Swachh Saathis and Ward Officers began door-to-door visits to distribute household wall stickers featuring the 14420 helpline, accompanied by recorded audio miking via waste collection vehicles. Prominent hoardings and wall paintings depicting safe cleaning protocols have been installed across major urban locations.
The drive also integrates sensitization meetings with PSSOs, video messages from the Minister and Principal Secretary of the H&UD Department, and Garima branding across all licensed cesspool vehicles. Broad public engagement is being driven through social media testimonials from Core Sanitation Workers (CSWs), local influencer endorsements, community radio broadcasts, youth awareness rallies terminating at schools, and ward-level community pledge drives.
As the campaign nears its conclusion, the focus shifts directly toward worker health and recognition. Comprehensive health check-up camps are being organized for all Core Sanitation Workers across every ULB, alongside scholarship distribution initiatives for their children. The campaign will conclude on 21st August with a campaign recap video release, a traditional Badakhana community feast, and formal felicitations for frontline sanitation workers and service providers.
This 15-day mass movement will culminate in the flagship National Conclave on GARIMA on 22nd August 2026 at Lok Seva Bhavan, Bhubaneswar, bringing together national policy experts, government dignitaries, municipal leaders, and core sanitation workers to share best practices, promote technological mechanization, and reinforce long-term social security for sanitation workers nationwide.
