Gujarat, October 2: On the occasion of the 150th birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi, Prime Minister Narendra Modi will kickstart countrywide celebrations on Wednesday. PM Modi will declare the country open defecation-free at the Sabarmati Ashram in Gujarat in the evening.

PM Modi launched the 'Swachh Bharat' campaign in 2014, and today he will declare the country open defecation-free (ODF) in the presence of over 20,000 village heads", a BJP leader was quoted as saying by news agency PTI.

However, there is another report that has come to the fore, an environment think tank on Tuesday questioned the Centre's move, saying people may be slipping back to their old habit of open defecation. Gandhi Jayanti 2019 Speeches Video And Audio: Remembering 5 Addresses by Mahatma Gandhi on God, Non-Violence And Hindu-Muslim Unity to Observe His 150th Birth Anniversary.

According to the PTI report, the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) questioned this feat which the government claims that India has built 100 million toilets in about 0.6 million villages, and another 6.3 million in its cities.

CSE Director General Sunita Narain as quoted in the report said, "Till barely five years ago, India was home to 60 per cent of the world's people who defecated in the open. If the nation now achieves ODF status, it means a huge leap forward not only for it but for the world as a whole. It will make the world a long way in its sustainable development goal of universal coverage of toilets and safe disposal of excreta."

Reportedly, Modi, who is on a one-day visit to the state, will land around 5.45 pm in the evening where he will meet and interact with BJP workers. He will also be releasing a book titled My Life featuring the pictorial chronology of Gandhi's life and his quotes.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Oct 02, 2019 07:57 AM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).