Port Blair, Aug 25: As part of the capacity building initiatives under Rashtriya Gram Swaraj Abhiyan (RGSA), the State Panchayat Resource Centre (SPRC), Directorate of RD, PRIs & ULBs, Marine Hill, Port Blair is conducting a two day’s virtual orientation programme on Solid & Liquid Waste Management on 25^th & 26^th August, 2022 for the Pradhans and Sanitary Supervisors of all the Gram Panchayats across the Islands.

The programme was inaugurated by Shri Radhey Shyam Meena, DANICS, Director (RD/Panchayat). In his inaugural address, Shri Meena exhorted all the Pradhans to keep the villages clean. He also expressed that the Gram Panchayats must focus on the areas alongside the roads as well as the tourist sites and must ensure that wastes are not openly dumped lying unattended. He also stressed on clearing the drains and its surrounding areas so that stagnation of water are avoided.

Shri Mohammed Yunus M, State Nodal Officer (RGSA & SBM) in his presentation expressed that, it is very resounding achievement that Andaman & Nicobar Islands is the first State/UT to achieve the title of Open Defecation Free Plus (ODF +) across the country. He urged that efforts must be made to sustain the ODF Plus status. He also informed that third party verification as part of the Janbhagidari initiative of the UT Administration is also being parallely undertaken by the Self Help Groups (SHGs). Further, he said that any innovative or good works carried in the Gram Panchayats should be documented and must be shared with the state team. He informed that the Gram Panchayats working towards a Cleaner and Greener village can also be rewarded under the National Panchayat Awards by Ministry of Panchayati Raj, Govt. of India.

Thereafter, technical sessiond were conducted by the Domain Expert (Health & sanitation) and Consultant (SBM) in which they gave a detailed presentation on the Solid and Liquid Waste Management practices highlighting the different types of waste, ways by which it can be treated, impacts of the waste on health, importance of hygiene, shared case studies from different parts of the country to make the Pradhans aware that such type of initiatives can be taken in our islands. They were also apprised and requested to make sure that the villagers must follow the simple mantra of Reduce, Reuse and Recycle so that we can reduce the turnover of plastics to a lesser level. The banned SUPs items as per the amended Plastic Waste Management Rules, 2022 were also discussed and PRIs were requested to promote alternative products against these banned items as much as possible in their Gram Panchayats. Further, PRIs were requested to create mass awareness, Jan Andolan among the Villagers, General Public, Schools, Anganwadi Centres, Commercial Institutions about the importance of Solid & Liquid Waste Management.