Port Blair, Feb 23: The Department of RD, PRIs and ULBs, Andaman and Nicobar Administration in its continuous efforts towards enhancing sanitation and hygiene in rural areas as part of the revamped Swachh Bharat Mission (Grameen) Phase-II launched by the Ministry of Jal Shakti, Govt. of India has successfully cleared legacy waste in Old Dumping Grounds in Shorepoint, Chouldari and Netaji Nagar which has been lying untreated for decades. These erstwhile dumping grounds was a cause of concern to the general public considering the huge piling up of mixed garbage, its toiling by stray cattles and the nuisance in the form of odour and smoke polluting the environment.

More than 15000 Kgs of Dry waste in the form of Plastic, glass and metals were segregated and collected from these Dumping grounds with the sincere efforts put-in by the Sanitary workers and officials of the concerned Gram Panchayats. The collected waste was then shifted to the nearby Solid Waste Management (SWM) Centre for further processing and recycling through CPCB approved recyclers.

Considering the unique topography and limited geographical area in the Islands, the Department is envisaging to clear off all the erstwhile situated old-dumping grounds and treat the day to day waste generated in rural areas in the newly set-up 26 Solid Waste Management Centres in the Islands. The recyclable Plastic, cardboard and MLP waste shall be bailed using the Bailing machine and transported to mainland for recycling. The non-recyclable plastic shall be shredded into granules and used in road construction. This would ensure a continuous cycle forming from the collection, segregation, management and transportation of waste to recyclers.

The Secretary (RD/Panchayat) exhorts all the rural households to segregate the waste at source and make it culture for the well-being of all and to achieve Zero Waste Islands.