Port Blair, Aug. 31: In pursuance to the directions of the Chief Secretary, A&N Administration, the Directorate of RD, PRIs and ULBs, A&N Administration under the guidance of Secretary (RD/Panchayat) and as part of the ongoing Kachra Mukth Panchayat Abhiyan, a cleanliness drive was conducted across the 70 Gram Panchayats in the Islands.

The Union Territory of Andaman and Nicobar Islands has made a significant stride towards a waste-free environment with the successful implementation of the ‘Kachra Mukt Panchayat Abhiyan’ across all 70 Gram Panchayats. This initiative, driven by the collective efforts of Panchayati Raj Institution (PRI) members and Government officials including BDOs, EOs, Panchayat Secretaries, VLWs/GSs, MTS, DRMs, Contract Staff and others line Departments, marks a crucial step towards sustainable waste management and the vision of zero waste islands.

As part of this ambitious campaign, each Gram Panchayat conducted special cleanliness drives within their respective jurisdictions. A major focus was placed on the segregation of dry waste, which was meticulously collected and sent to the nearest Solid Waste Management (SWM) Clusters for further processing.

A total of approximately 1650 kgs of segregated dry waste was collected during the campaign. This waste included various materials such as plastic, cardboard, multi-layered packaging (MLP), cloth, tetra pack, glass bottles, and more.

The Directorate of Rural Development, PRIs, and ULBs has been taking constant effort towards achieving the goal of zero waste across the Islands.    This campaign is a testament to the collective resolve to maintain cleanliness and promote sustainable waste management practices.

The Secretary (RD/Panchayat) extended his heartfelt thanks to all participants, volunteers and PRI members for their dedication and effort in making the ‘Kachra Mukt Panchayat Abhiyan’ a resounding success. He exhorted the general public, youths, students, civil society organizations to take part in the mammoth campaign and contribute towards a cleaner, greener, and waste-free Andaman and Nicobar Islands.