OCTOBER 2 WORLD EVENTS

INTERNATIONAL DAY OF NON-VIOLENCE: CELEBRATING MAHATMA GANDHI'S LEGACY ON 2nd OCTOBER

[Article Keywords: International Day of Non-Violence, Mahatma Gandhi, Legacy, Peace, Harmony, Gandhi's Philosophy, Ahimsa, UNGA]

International Day of Non-Violence: Introduction

The International Day Of Non-Violence has been annually celebrated globally on 2nd October since 2007 when this day was designated by the UNGA in honour of Mahatma Gandhi's Birth Anniversary and his principle of Non-Violence (Ahimsa) as a tool of social and political change that promotes peace and harmony worldwide. 

Historical Background: The United Nations' Recognition

On 15 June 2007, the United Nations General Assembly officially recognized October 2nd as the International Day of Non-Violence. This recognition underscores the global significance of Mahatma Gandhi's principles of peaceful protest and civil disobedience in resolving conflicts, promoting tolerance, and establishing a more just and peaceful world.

CARANDIRU MASSACRE: BRAZIL JAIL INMATES KILLING

[Article Related Keywords: Carandiru massacre, mass killing, prison riot, human rights violation, Brazil, São Paulo]

Event Description:

The Carandiru Massacre was a brutal mass killing of innocent jail inmates by the Military Police Forces in the Prison Centre of Carandiru Penitentiary, Sao Paulo, Brazil. The prisoners were outcrying for poor conditions, ill-treatment, overcrowding and corruption prevailing in the jail at that time. On the 2nd of October in 1992, their protest was at a peak as they were united among themselves and wanted their demand to be fulfilled. The Prison authorities called the Military Police to overcome the protesting prisoners but the Military Police outburst the Jail and shot more than 100 prisoners. The Carandiru Massacre became a subject of debate over human rights violations around the world.

WOODROW WILSON'S STROKE: EDITH THE FIRST LADY WHO RUNS US PRESIDENT OFFICE

[Article Related Keywords: Edith Wilson, First Lady, Woodrow Wilson, stroke, presidency, government, history, US, America, USA]

Event Description:

On 2nd October 1919, U.S. President Woodrow Wilson suffered a serious stroke, when two years of his presidency tenure was left. The left side of his body was paralysed rendering him unfit to rejoin the president's office. Wilson's wife, Edith Bolling Galt Wilson took charge of his husband and ran the country effectively and smoothly in difficult times of US history.

US B-1 BOMBER PROGRAM & 100 MX MISSILES: US WINDOW OF VULNERABILITY

[Article Related Keywords: Ronald Reagan, B-1 bomber, MX missile, Cold War, nuclear arms race, military modernization,

Soviet Union, deterrence, Gulf War, Iraq War, War on Terror]

Event Description:

On October 2, 1981, US President Ronald Wilson Reagan announced two important military plans. First, the production of 100 B-1B bombers and Second the deployment of 100 MX missiles. The B-1 bomber program did not get the approval of its predecessor  US President James Earl Carter, a Democrat and humanitarian. The B-1B bomber program was completed in 1988, and the first MX missiles were deployed in 1986. The motive behind both decisions was to improve the US Defence on one hand and to counterbalance the USSR in the era of the Cold War.

THE SWACHH BHARAT MISSION: SWACHHATA HI SEVA

Introduction:

The Swachh Bharat Mission (SBM)  is a nationwide campaign initiated by the Government of India on the birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi, Father of the Nation,  on October 2, 2014. The Swachh Bharat Mission is also known as the Swachh Bharat Abhiyan or Clean India Mission to make India Open Defecation-Free. Swachh Bharat Mission is one of the most ambitious cleanliness missions ever launched in the world. It aims to construct over 100 million toilets across India and to make the country Open Defecation Free by 2024. 

Swachh Bharat Mission: Objectives

The preliminary objectives of the Swachh Bharat Mission are to Eliminate Open Defecation, Improve Solid Waste Management in India, and Create Open Defecation Free in rural India. The secondary objective of the Swachh Bharat Mission is to draw public attention towards sanitation and inculcate hygiene and sanitation as a Social Habit across the nation.

Swachh Bharat Mission Targets:

The following targets were set for the Mission, to be achieved by 2nd October 2019 on the eve of the 150th Birth Anniversary of  Mahatma Gandhi:

1. Construction of 66.42 Lakh Individual Household Toilets.

2. Construction of 2.52 lakh Community Toilet seats.

3. Construction of 2.56 lakh Public Toilet Seats.

4. 100% door-to-door collection and Scientific Management of Municipal Solid Waste.

Swachh Bharat Mission Components:

The Swachh Bharat Mission has two components which are as follows:

1. Swachh Bharat Mission Rural (Grameen): dedicated to the sanitation of the rural sector of India, which functions under the Department of Drinking Water and Sanitation, Ministry of Jal Shakti, Government of India. It aims to make all villages in India Open Defecation Free by 2024. 

2. Swachh Bharat Mission Urban: dedicated to the sanitation of the urban sector of India, which functions under the Division of Swachh Bharat Mission, Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs, Government of India. It aims to make all cities and towns in India Open Defecation Free by 2023.

Swachh Bharat Mission Stakeholders:

The Swachh Bharat Mission is a community-based mission. It relies on the participation of all stakeholders, including government agencies, civil society organizations, and the private sector. The mission has been successful in raising awareness about the importance of sanitation and hygiene, and in mobilizing communities to take action.

Swachh Bharat Mission Key Features:

The Swachh Bharat Mission has the following Key Features:

1. Demand-driven: 

The Swachh Bharat Mission is a demand-driven mission, meaning that it is implemented based on the needs of the community.

2. Community-led: 

The Swachh Bharat Mission is community-led, meaning that the community is involved in all aspects of the mission, from planning to implementation to monitoring.

3. Sustainable: 

The Swachh Bharat Mission is designed to be sustainable, meaning that it aims to create long-term solutions to the problem of open defecation and poor sanitation.

Swachh Bharat Mission Achievements:

The SBM has made significant progress since its launch on 2nd October 2014. More than 110 million toilets have been constructed across India, and over 600,000 villages have been declared ODF.

The Swachh Bharat Mission has also had a positive impact on public health. The incidence of diarrhoea among children under the age of five has decreased by 23% since the launch of the mission.

Swachh Bharat Mission Challenges:

Despite the progress that has been made, there are still many challenges that need to be addressed. Open defecation is still a problem in many rural and suburban parts of India, and solid waste management remains a major challenge in urban areas.

Conclusion:

The Swachh Bharat Mission is a flagship program of the Government of India which has made significant progress since its launch in 2014, but there are still many challenges that need to be addressed.

The Swachh Bharat Mission is a landmark step towards achieving the Sustainable Development Goals, particularly the Sustainable Development Goals-6 (SDG-6), which mandate clean water and sanitation for all. The Swachh Bharat Mission is also important for improving public health by reducing the spread of communicable diseases caused by open defecation and unhygienic practices, reducing poverty through new job creation and respecting dignity in the lives of women in India.

 

SWACHHATA HI SEVA 2023: A GARBAGE-FREE INDIA INDIA CAMPIGAN

The Swachhata Hi Seva (SHS) campaign is being celebrated from September 15 to October 2, 2023, under the joint aegis of the Department of Drinking Water and Sanitation (DDWS) and the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs (MoHUA). The theme of SHS-2023 is "Garbage Free India" with a focus on visual cleanliness and the welfare of SafaiMitras.

The campaign aims to generate a jan andolan (people's movement) through community participation, provide impetus to the implementation of the Swachh Bharat Mission (SBM), disseminate the importance of a sampoorna swachh village (completely clean village), reinforce the concept of sanitation as everyone's business, and serve as a prelude to the Swachh Bharat Diwas (Clean India Day) on October 2.

The focus of the swachhata drives will be on high-footfall public places like bus stands, railway stations, cantonment boards, beaches, tourist places, zoos, national parks & sanctuaries, historical monuments, heritage sites, river fronts, ghats, drains, and nallahs in both rural & urban areas of State/ UT.

Some of the key activities planned for the campaign include:

1. Virtual launch by Hon'ble Minister of Jal Shakti and Hon'ble Minister of Housing & Urban Affairs

2. Virtual interaction (Samwaad) with a few selected DM/DCs, Municipal Commissioners

3. Removal of garbage from all important places

4. Repair, painting, cleaning, and branding of all sanitation assets like litter bins, public toilets, dhalaos, waste transport vehicles, MRFs, etc. in the area

5. Assistance in drives to clean riverbanks and removal of waste (including plastic) from water bodies, especially in Ganga Grams and Ganga Towns

6. Cleaning of zoos, national parks, wildlife sanctuaries, etc. under MoEFCC along with regulation of plastic materials into protected areas to prevent littering

7. Cleanliness drives of tourist spots, ASI protected monuments, along with IEC initiatives to discourage usage of single-use plastic items, saturating dry and wet waste bins in line with the Hara Geela Sookha Neela campaign, etc.

8. Cleanliness drives in Cantonment Board areas along with IEC campaigns encouraging alternatives to Single Use Plastic (SUP)

9. Cleanliness drives and awareness activities may be taken up in schools with children understanding the importance of waste segregation at source, the journey of waste, waste to wealth, and alternatives to SUP. Where possible Sanitation Clubs may be formed at schools/colleges

10. Under the campaign of 'Har Patri Saaf Sutri' cleaning of all assets under Railways including railway tracks, railway stations, colonies, hospitals, etc.

11. Conducting special programs, and cultural events promoting the sanitation journey of the country

The Swachhata Hi Seva 2023 campaign is a unique opportunity for all Indians to come together and work towards a cleaner and healthier India. By participating in the campaign, we can make a real difference in our communities and help to create a Garbage Free India.

[Article Keywords: Swachhata Hi Seva 2023, Garbage Free India, Shramdaan, Jan Andolan, Sampoorna Swachh Village, Sanitation for Everyone, Swachh Bharat Diwas, Visual Cleanliness, Welfare of SafaiMitras, High Footfall Public Places, Bus Stands, Railway Stations, Cantonment Boards, Beaches, Tourist Places, Zoos, National Parks & Sanctuaries, Historical Monuments, Heritage Sites, River Fronts, Ghats, Drains and Nallahs, Rural & Urban Areas, State/ UT, Virtual Launch, Virtual Interaction, Sanitation Assets, Litter Bins, Public Toilets, Dhalaos, Waste Transport Vehicles, MRFs, Riverbanks, Water Bodies, Ganga Grams, Ganga Towns, Protected Areas, Littering, Tourist Spots, ASI Protected Monuments, IEC Initiatives, Single Use Plastic Items, Hara Geela Sookha Neela, Cantonment Board Areas, Schools, Children, Waste Segregation at Source, Journey of Waste, Waste to Wealth, Alternatives to SUP, Sanitation Clubs, Har Patri Saaf Sutri, Railways, Railway Tracks, Railway Stations, Colonies, Hospitals, Cultural Events, Sanitation Journey of the Country.]

LAL BAHADUR SHASTRI BIRTH ANNIVERSARY: 

[Article Keywords: Lal Bahadur Shastri, Early Life, Education, Political Journey, Indian Independence Movement, 

Non-Cooperation Movement (1921), Dandi March (1930), Quit India Movement (1942), Prime Ministership, Indo-Pakistani War 1965, slogan, Jai Jawan, Jai Kisan, Historical Background, Leadership, Man of Peace, Legacy, Birth Anniversary, Celebration]

Introduction:

Lal Bahadur Shastri, a name etched in India's history as a symbol of simplicity and integrity, is remembered and celebrated on his birth anniversary.

Early Life and Education:

Lal Bahadur Shastri was born on October 2, 1904, in Mughalsarai, India. Despite facing financial constraints during his childhood, he displayed a keen interest in education. His dedication led him to complete his education, earning degrees in philosophy and law. 

Surname and Title Name:

Lal Bahadur Shastri's real name was Lal Bahadur Srivastava but he had dropped his Surname to reject the caste system and his childhood nickname was "Nanhey". After graduating from the Banaras Hindu University in Varanasi in 1925, he was awarded the title of "Shastri". The word Shastri refers to a scholar or a person who is well-versed in the scriptures.

Political Journey:

Shastri's journey into politics began with his active involvement in the Indian independence movement. He had participated in the Non-Coopertion Movement (1921), Dandi March (1930)  and Quit India Movement (1942). He was arrested several times by the British authorities. His dedication and commitment to the cause earned him respect among fellow freedom fighters.

Leadership During Turbulent Times:

Lal Bahadur Shastri held the positions of Railway Minister, Transport and Communications Minister, Commerce and Industry Minister, and Home Minister in his political career and became India's second Prime Minister of India in 1964, succeeding Jawaharlal Nehru after his death. His tenure as Prime Minister was marked by various challenges, including the Indo-Pakistani War of 1965 and food shortages, unemployment and poverty. He was instrumental in promoting the Green Revolution, the White Revolution and the establishment of the National Dairy Development Board in his tenure.

Slogan: "Jai Jawan, Jai Kisan"

One of Shastri's most memorable contributions was coining the slogan "Jai Jawan, Jai Kisan," which means "Hail the Soldier, Hail the Farmer." This slogan not only boosted the morale of soldiers of the armed forces but also highlighted the importance of agriculture in India's progress.

Historical Background:

Lal Bahadur Shastri's leadership was crucial during a period of significant political and social change in India. He faced challenges both domestically and internationally, and his calm and composed demeanour earned him the nickname "Man of Peace." He died in Tashkent, Uzbekistan, on January 11, 1966, at the age of 61. Lal Bahadur Shastri was awarded the Bharat Ratna, India's highest civilian award, in 1966 posthumously.