Around 450 million people, which is half the world’s population defecating in the open are in India, a top government official said today, but exuded confidence that the country will be free from this problem as Swachh Bharat Mission is becoming a “people’s movement”.
“About 450 million people practice open defection in India, this is half of the world’s population which are defecating in open. “We have long way to go and behavioural change is the way forward. With progress of the mission (SBM) so far, I am optimistic that the country will become open defection free,” Centre’s Drinking Water and Sanitation Secretary Parameswaran Iyer said.