Jammu, September 27th, 2018: Chief Secretary, Dr. Arun Kumar Mehta today acknowledged the Sarpanchs of 15 nominated panchayats of J&K for their exceptional contributions to the ‘Swachh Survekshan Grameen 2023’ project.
Each year, as part of Swachh Bharat Grameen, a nationwide effort to clean up rural regions, Swachh Survekshan Grameen evaluates the progress of individual villages based on a number of criteria. Out of 209 panchayats nominated by districts, these were chosen after a thorough evaluation procedure using criteria established by the Government of India.
Dr. Mehta, in honouring these PRI members, emphasised the need to ensure the long-term viability of assets developed under the Open Defecation Free Plus (ODF+) Model. This fundamental feature guarantees that the gains in sanitation and hygiene will be preserved throughout time via the effective use of these resources.
The Chief Secretary also emphasised the need of properly managing garbage and maximising the effectiveness of landfills. Instead of adding more landfills, we’ll use a cluster strategy to consolidate existing ones. He stressed the need of fixing the smell at these areas for the sake of the local residents. Stakeholders, he said, should make these areas more attractive.
The Chief Secretary called attention to the exemplary standards maintained in several rural communities. He advocated for the spread of these methods across Jammu and Kashmir in the hopes of making the state’s rural areas more presentable. He implied that other communities may learn from the success of these villages if they were given the same resources as the Panchayats.
Also, the Chief Secretary strongly suggested we look at new approaches to recycling plastics. These recycled plastics have many potential second lives, such as in the manufacturing of gasoline, roadways, and wall panels. This method not only helps cut down on trash, but it also creates new avenues for recycling.
In his closing remarks, the Chief Secretary praised the work of the Directorate of Rural Sanitation in bringing about this improvement in such a short amount of time. In light of the success of campaigns like Swachh Survekshan Grameen 2023, he saw a significant shift in public behaviour towards cleanliness and hygiene over the last year.
Sarpanchs who had been nominated for awards spoke about the efforts they had made to make their panchayats exemplary examples of cleanliness and hygiene. As they explained the challenges they had to overcome to earn this honour, their commitment and resolve shone through.
At the occasion, the extraordinary journey of these Sarpanchs to turn their panchayats into Model Panchayats was highlighted, illuminating the difficulties they overcame and stressing the need of long-term commitment to improvement.
The Sarpanchs’ hard work and the Jammu and Kashmir government’s determination to making the state’s rural regions cleaner and more sustainable were celebrated at a special event.
All of the Sarpanchs from the designated panchayats as well as their respective DCs attended the meeting, which was sponsored by the Directorate of Rural Sanitation under the Department of Rural Development.
