Baramulla, June 04: Director of Rural Sanitation Jammu & Kashmir, Charandeep Singh on Sunday said that sustainability of behavioral change is the prerequisite for achieving ODF+ status, the declaration of which is said to be made on August 15 this year as India will be celebrating 75 years of independence in line with the ambitious Azadi Ka Amrit Mohatsav.
Singh said this while taking stock of the implementation status of Swachh Bharat Mission- Grameen (SBM-G). He visited several Blocks and Panchayats of the Baramulla district of north Kashmir. During his day-long visit, the Director interacted with PRI members, and several delegations comprising of senior citizens and youth and apprised them about various aspects of SBM-G.
From Village Palhalan, Block Pattan, the Director began his tour with a rousing reception by ACD, ACP, DPO, other officers/officials of RDD Baramulla and the public; where he visited to a land patch identified for construction of the Plastic Waste Management Unit located at Saidpow Maidan, Palhalan, Solid Waste Management (SWM) Shed at Palhalan-A and CSC on the national highway in the village.
The Director also interacted with the locals of the area about the Swachhata model for Solid and Liquid Waste Management in rural area. In Singhpora Block, he visited CSC at Hanjiwera Payeen and SWM shed at Village Singhpora.
Later, the Director interacted with the general public at Town Hall, Tangmarg, and discussed how open defecation-free behaviors are sustained; visited CSCs constructed at Jamia Masjid- Chandilora and Wahipora. He took a firsthand appraisal of Vermi Compost Pits at Druroo and SWM Shed constructed at Shrai.
Singh visited the village Takiya Batpora, Block of Kunzer and inspected GWM Community Soak Pit and SWM Shed in the area. He visited CSC Waripora, SWM Shed Chichilora villages of block Lalpora.
Assistant Commissioner Panchayat Baramulla Gulzar Ahmad Khan briefed the director about the pace and position of all SBM Verticals besides presenting a brief sketch of activities and measures that are being carried out to achieve complete Sanitation of our rural areas.
After taking the holistic review of all works, Charandeep Singh emphasized upon the officers to work in tandem with prominent stakeholders of the society so that all the underlined objectives as envisaged in SBM-II are realized.