SRINAGAR: In a significant achievement, Chief Secretary Dr Arun Kumar Mehta has officially designated all 6650 villages across 285 blocks of the Union Territory (UT) as ‘ODF+ Model’ category villages, marking them as areas free from open defecation and equipped with effective waste disposal mechanisms.
During a virtual tour of various Panchayats, Dr Arun Kumar Mehta engaged with members of the Panchayati Raj Institutions (PRIs) to gather feedback on the accomplishment.
The event, held in Srinagar on August 14, witnessed the presence of key figures including Commissioner Secretary of the Rural Development Department (RDD), the Secretary of RDD, Chairpersons of District Development Councils, Deputy Commissioners, Directors of Rural Development for Jammu and Kashmir, Rural Sanitation, as well as various PRI members and concerned department officials.
Dr Mehta lauded the Department and the Deputy Commissioners for reaching this remarkable milestone ahead of the 77th Independence Day. He emphasised that the achievement reflects the dedication and teamwork demonstrated by the UT. He expressed pride in the accomplishment, highlighting that the feat underlines the exceptional progress Jammu and Kashmir has made within a brief timeframe.
Reflecting on the journey, the Chief Secretary emphasised that maintaining proper sanitation is an ongoing process that requires continuous attention and momentum. He urged for discussions on sanitation during regular village meetings, such as Gram Sabhas, and convergence meetings held on a monthly or weekly basis. He also called upon PRIs to enforce cleanliness measures strictly within their areas, including penalizing littering.
Dr Mehta also directed authorities to formulate a plan to eradicate poverty in the region. Acknowledging the relatively low incidence of multidimensional poverty in the UT, he urged proactive measures to uplift around 2 lakh individuals or 40,000 families currently living below the poverty line. He urged Deputy Commissioners to identify and engage with these families, assessing their skills and aspirations for potential livelihood opportunities in the next four months, with the aim of eradicating poverty by 2024.
The Chief Secretary engaged in discussions with District Development Council Chairpersons from various regions, including Jammu, Srinagar, Bandipora, Kupwara, Udhampur, and Kathua. He sought their insights into the progress achieved in their respective areas and commended their collective efforts towards reaching this milestone.
Additionally, Dr Mehta virtually visited several Panchayats across the UT and interacted with PRI members to gain firsthand perspectives. He inspected various facilities such as segregation sheds, Plastic Waste Management units, compost/soak pits, and door-to-door waste collection practices implemented in these villages.
Commending the collaborative efforts of the Department, District administration, and local PRI members, Commissioner Secretary of RDD, Mandeep Kaur, attributed the success to their joint teamwork. She highlighted the transformation of waste into valuable resources through the vision of local members, contributing to the achievement.
Director of Rural Sanitation, Charandeep Singh, provided an overview of the accomplishment, stating that all 6650 villages in 285 blocks of the UT have met the criteria to be recognized as ‘ODF+ Model’ category villages, ranking the UT at the third position in the country for this achievement.
Public representatives expressed gratitude towards the LG Administration for their unwavering support, which played a pivotal role in realizing these results. They conveyed satisfaction with the assistance received and anticipated overall improvements in their respective areas in the days to come.
