A step towards waste management

Tribune News Service

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Jalandhar, September 15

To mark 75 years of Independence under the ‘Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav’ campaign, the Department of Water supply and Sanitation launched a ‘Satyagrah Se Swachhagrah Rath Yatra’ from Jang-e- Azaadi Memorial in Kartarpur to Khatkar Kalan Memorial.

The Rath Yatra was launched by Surinder Chaudhary, MLA Kartarpur from Jang-e- Azaadi in the presence of Parneet Shergill, Additional Secretary-cum-Mission Director Swachh Bharat Mission (rural), Karanjit Singh, joint director, Swachh Bharat Mission (rural), Jaspreet Singh, Additional DC (Development), Kuldeep Singh Saini, Chief Engineer (North), RK Sharma, State Coordinator, Swachh Bharat Mission (rural) and NP Singh, Superintending Engineer (Jalandhar).

Surinder Chaudhary emphasised that gram panchayats should be motivated to the take up development projects such as efficient management of solid and liquid waste in their villages. Further, he said he was happy that the rath yatra had been launched from the place that has a historical significance and will spread awareness among the rural communities.

Kuldeep Singh Saini, Chief Engineer, talked about the Azaadi ka Amrit Mahotsav campaign and various activities to be conducted under this programme. He said during the Swachh Bharat Mission (rural), Jalandhar district was among the frontrunner districts to be declared as Open Defecation Free (ODF) and were now focusing on ODF Plus. He also appealed that the awareness should be promoted through all social media platforms.

Shergill said the Rath Yatra launched today is a part of the 100-day campaign launched by the Ministry of Jal Shakti, the Government of India, and it will cover approximately 80-100 villages mainly from three districts such as Jalandhar, Kapurthala and Nawanshahr. The aim of the rath yatra is to generate awareness among the villagers about the various components and Swachh Bharat Mission (rural) Phase 2 and apprised that its main feature is convergence with various central and state-sponsored schemes.

She also insisted that gram panchayat will be guided about the 15th Finance Commission grants and its optimal utilisation by taking solid and liquid waste management projects in their villages. Executive Engineers Nitin Kalia, Harinder Singh, Sukhpinder Singh and Gurpreet Singh from Jalandhar and Kapurthala along with Sarbjit Singh, SDE Sanitation, Gagandeep Walia, SDE Sanitation Jalandhar, Charanpreet Singh, JE Sanitation, and Rohit, JE Sanitation, were also present in the event.