J&K to launch 15-day cleanliness, plantation drive on Aug 1

New Delhi, July 29: Jammu and Kashmir will launch a 15-day cleanliness and plantation drive on August 1.

Chief Secretary Atal Dulloo Monday held a meeting to chalk out an extensive programme for the celebration of the 15-day ‘Swachhta Pakhwada’ that would start on August 1 and culminate on Independence Day across Jammu and Kashmir.

During the meeting, the chief secretary enjoined the divisional and district administrations to encourage the participation of all in this people-centric two-week programme.

He stressed showing exemplary coordination in conducting of different activities that are part of ‘Swachhta Pakhwada’.

Dulloo directed for creation of an exclusive portal for uploading all these activities to be carried out by respective departments and Deputy Commissioners (DCs) with tangible outcomes to be assessed at its culmination.

He advised the concerned divisional administrations to evaluate the action plans of their districts and extend suggestions and assistance to them to make these better or to organise these plans in a more befitting manner.

The chief secretary stressed eliminating the chances of duplication of activities on the part of departments and DCs.

He heard from the respective Administrative Secretaries and DCs about the calendar of activities they have scheduled for these 15 days from August 1.

Dulloo asked them to make a dedicated Nodal Officer for each activity planned along with devising the specific strategy to implement it smoothly on the ground.

He underscored the need to take these swachhta and plantation drives to every nook and corner of J&K.

The chief secretary asked to make the ‘Ek Ped Shahidon Ke Naam’ programme a huge success.

He called upon the Forest Department to ensure the availability of plantation materials in each district for holding these activities comfortably there.

About the activities to be carried out in both urban and rural areas, it was given out by the concerned officers that massive plantation and cleanliness drives would be undertaken by different departments and in each district.

The Housing and Urban Development Department (H&UDD) and Rural Development Department (RDD) are going to be the nodal departments to implement the programs in urban and rural areas besides the Forest Department will provide the plantation material from their nurseries.

The Forest Department, as revealed in the meeting, would organise 600 events as part of ‘Ek Ped Shahidon Ke Naam’ across the districts.

It would also carry out the cleanliness of Forests, Wildlife areas and the public spaces under their possession.

The DCs divulged a plethora of activities to be organised in their districts for all these 15 days.

They said that in coordination with concerned departments, they were going to hold plantation drives across their districts with a focus on ‘Ek Ped Shahidon Ke Naam’ and ‘Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam’ campaigns.

They also informed the meeting about the IEC activities for creating awareness among the masses about the advantages of personal or community hygiene.

It was further revealed that cleanliness drives would be carried out at waste hotshots like bus stands, sports fields, and markets.

It was said that specific drives would be carried out to ensure cleanliness of educational institutions, government office campuses, religious places, tourist destinations, water bodies, or other public properties in consultation with NGOs and civil society members.

Moreover, the meeting was apprised that besides carrying out sustained IEC activities, Swachhta pledges would be undertaken by the participants at each location of the event.

It was informed that debates, discussions, quizzes, painting competitions, and sporting activities by students would be held to commemorate this week in our educational institutions.

As part of creating awareness about the hazards of ‘single-use plastic’, the RDD is implementing the ‘Plastic Lao Thela Le Jao’ campaign in different districts where people can deposit their plastic waste for proper disposal and take back a biodegradable bag for use at home.

Besides the Administrative Secretaries, the meeting was attended by the Divisional Commissioner, Kashmir and Jammu; DCs; concerned Heads of Departments (HoDs); Principals of Government Medical Colleges besides senior officers from the other departments.

The outstation officers participated in the meeting through video conferencing.