Srinagar, Feb 16: The Directorate of Rural Sanitation, Jammu and Kashmir on Thursday organized a virtual “Sarpanch Samvaad” through the participation of community members, PRIs and all other stakeholders. The event was aimed to promote the importance of maintaining clean and hygienic environments in rural areas and to encourage community members and stakeholders to take an active role in achieving this goal.
The Samvaad was attended by Sarpanches from Anantnag, Ganderbal, Budgam, Pulwama, and Shopian districts, as well as the Block Development Officers of the respective Panchayats.
The Samvaad began with a video on Open Defecation Free (ODF) Plus activities and was followed by a detailed presentation on various components of SBM-G Phase II.
Director Rural Sanitation J&K, Charandeep Singh interacted with the Sarpanchs during the event. He held a detailed discussion with the Sarpanches on various aspects of the Swachh Bharat Mission-Grameen. This included Solid Waste Management, Grey Water Management, Black Water Management, Installation of Bio Gas Plants, Capacity Building of various stakeholders, and maintaining cleanliness in the Blocks, Panchayats, and villages.
He stressed the importance of understanding the relevance of the scheme and everyone’s role in its successful implementation. He emphasized the need for teamwork with the PRIs in maintaining the cleanliness of the villages.
Advocate Farooq Ahmed Ganai, Sarpanch Panchayat Shadiwara, Block Hillar, District Anantnag emphasized sanitation drives with community participation, compost pits, soak pits and plastic waste management in his panchayat. Manzoor Ahmed Thoker, Sarpanch Panchayat Sugan Block Chitragam, District Shopian discussed the efforts being done by his panchayat to remove legacy waste.
Sajad Ahmed Bhat, Sarpanch Panchayat Ramnagri-A, Block Ramnagri, District Shopian discussed the door-to-door collection and removal of legacy waste and appreciated the efforts being done by the Directorate of Rural Sanitation, J&K.
Some of the sarpanches elaborated on the various initiatives taken by them towards cleanliness in their villages like “Give Plastic Take Reward” “Safai Sathi”, Community Contribution and by imposing bye-laws for user charges and also suggested inter-district and inter-panchayat visits for better understanding and cross learning.
The Director Rural Sanitation further provided a detailed briefing on Swachh Survekshan Grameen-2023 and also appreciated the good-performing districts.
