Excelsior Correspondent
SRINAGAR, Feb 11: Chief Secretary, Dr Arun Kumar Mehta today reiterated his direction to all the Deputy Commissioners to achieve ‘ODF Plus Model’ status for all their villages by the 15th of August this year.
Dr Mehta made these remarks while inaugurating the Divisional Level Capacity Building Programme on Management of all Components of SBM(G)- Phase-II for officers of the Rural Development Department (RDD) attended by the Deputy Commissioners of Kashmir Division.
The inaugural ceremony was also attended by Commissioner Secretary, RDD; Secretary in RDD; Director, Rural Sanitation and many other concerned officers.
Speaking on the occasion, the Chief Secretary stressed upon all participants to put in dedicated efforts to ensure that the open defecation free behaviour is sustained in all the Gram Panchayats, besides safe solid and liquid waste management facilities in these villages.
Dr Mehta also called for proper disposal of legacy waste and improving visual cleanliness in the rural areas. He also maintained that happiness of common masses is connected with cleanliness so every one has to contribute in terms of sanitation and cleanliness of their surroundings.
He urged the officers to work in coordination with each other evolving a simple methodology without complicating the action plan to achieve the target. He observed that the task of cleanliness is basic and understood by all. He emphasised on conducting the cleanliness activities in a dedicated manner with clear objective to remove all the dirt around us. He remarked that this task is easy if everyone considers it as basic necessity; just as food, shelter, water, electricity and clothes.
Emphasising on active involvement of people and PRI members in such activities the Chief Secretary asked officers to motivate and convince the rural population by sensitizing them about the significance of the cleanliness. He emphasized that it is vital for sustenance of good health and prosperity of the people. He directed all to make it a mission and make a resolve that we have to make our rural areas clean and hygienic by this year’s Independence Day without any fail.
The Commissioner Secretary, RDD, Mandeep Kaur in her address revealed that the progress of UT from last few years is although good but much has to be achieved yet. She made out that around 4400 of our villages are in the aspiring category of becoming ODF+ villages.
She set out that the model is lying with us and the process is underway to make whole of the UT as ODF+ within the given timeframe. She made out that much of the work like door to door collection of waste and clearing of legacy waste has been started in all of our villages.
The Director Rural Sanitation, Charandeep Singh made out that the mission is the outcome of the priority nation gives to sanitation of villages. He revealed that more than 140 villages have already been declared ODF+ in the UT. He said that this capacity building would enhance our ability to perform the task in an efficient manner.
Pertinent to mention here that all the Deputy Commissioners and concerned officers of the RDD present in the training program like ACDs and BDOs committed to put in their best efforts for achieving ‘ODF Plus Model’ villages by the deadline of 15th of August this year as directed by the Chief Secretary.
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