Swachh Bharat Mission-Gramin activities reviewed

Baramulla, Nov 6: The Director General (DG) Rural Sanitation, Anoo Malhotra today conducted an extensive visit to Baramulla district to review the ongoing Swachh Bharat Mission-Gramin (SBM-G) activities.

During her visit, she chaired a comprehensive review meeting at Dak Bungalow Baramulla.

The meeting was attended by Deputy Director Rural Sanitation Kashmir, Mantasha Binti Rashid; District Panchayat Officer Baramulla; Assistant Commissioner Panchayat Baramulla; BDOs; engineers from the Rural Development Department and other field staff, where progress and challenges in SBM-G implementation were discussed.

The DG, accompanied by DD Rural Sanitation, Kashmir and DPO Baramulla, inspected the transformation of a legacy waste site near the FCI store in Kanispora, now a vibrant roadside park. She praised the initiative and directed officials to explore outsourcing options for the park’s upkeep, ensuring long-term sustainability.

In Model Panchayat Kanispora, the DG inspected the Pink Toilet facilities and the availability of door-to-door waste collection vehicles. She emphasized the importance of deploying these vehicles effectively for consistent waste collection, urging officials to focus on household-level waste management.

Malhotra also interacted with sanitation workers and drivers, reviewed their work and gathered insights to improve operations. She sought detailed information from each block and panchayat about door-to-door waste collection and user charges and directed officials to prioritize these aspects for enhanced cleanliness and cost recovery.

Further, DG visited the Plastic Waste Management Unit (PWMU) in Rohama, Hadipora, where she instructed officials to expedite the completion of the unit’s pending work. During her interaction with locals at the Common Facility Centre (CFC) in Hadipora, she listened to community concerns regarding sanitation and assured them of necessary support and improvements.

At Palhalan, the DG reviewed the progress of another Plastic Waste Management Unit, directing district officers to ensure its functionality at the earliest. She also visited a plastic recovery facility at Pattan Township where community members requested greater support for recycling initiatives. She responded by encouraging a convergence approach, aiming to streamline plastic recycling efforts with the department’s goals under SBM-G.

Concluding her visit, the DG instructed officials to ensure the functionality and sustainability of SBM-G assets across Baramulla district, reaffirming the government’s commitment to achieving a cleaner and greener rural J&K.

The meeting was attended by Deputy Director Rural Sanitation Kashmir, Mantasha Binti Rashid; Assistant Commissioner Panchayat Baramulla; District Panchayat Officer Baramulla; BDOs; engineers from the Rural Development Department and other field staff, where progress and challenges in SBM-G implementation were discussed.