Department of Drinking Water & Sanitation (DDWS), Union Ministry of Jal Shakti organized an orientation workshop on Swachh Bharat Mission- Grameen (SBM-G) Phase 2.

Vini Mahajan, Union Secretary, Department of Drinking Water & Sanitation (DDWS) chaired the workshop. Nicola Osbert, Chief of Water and Sanitation Hygiene (WASH), UNICEF; Arun Varika, Special Secretary DDWS; Mandeep Kaur, Commissioner Secretary, Rural Development Department (RDD) & Panchayati Raj J&K, was the Guest of Honour.

The workshop was attended by State Secretaries, Mission Directors, Officers incharge of Rural Sanitation from various States and UTs., Karanjit Singh Director DDWS and Er. Aamir Ali, Officer on Special Duty (OSD) RD&PR J&K also participated in the workshop.

During the workshop, there were short films and presentations on Liquid Waste Management, Biodegradable waste Management, Gobardhan scheme, Plastic waste Management etc.

Commissioner Secretary RDD, Mandeep Kaur was appreciated for the initiative taken by the RDD&PR for ensuring sanitation along the Shri Amarnath Yatra Route and ensuring zero land-fill of the waste generated.

 The Department undertook the herculean task of converting the bio-degradable garbage into compost and non-biodegradable material along the Yatra route by compressing to ‘Bales’ and shifting to Base camps, where it was segregated and recycled. The unemployed youth of the area were also involved in this process.

Vini Mahajan, Secretary DDWS laid emphasis on Fecal Sludge Treatment, Grey Water & Black Water Treatment, Organic Waste Management and Non-biodegradable Waste Management, in the Villages, by involving the Panchayati Raj Institutions, Gram Sabhas, Community, Women Self Help Groups and youth.

Nicola Osbert informed that UNICEF would partner with DDWS for capacity building activities of all stakeholders in all States and UTs.

Arun Varika Special Secretary DDWS said that manuals and toolkits have been developed by the Department for grass-root functionaries and emphasized that all such villages that have already been declared as Open Defecation Free (ODF) should ensure to sustain their ODF status and focus on visual cleanliness under the SBM-Grameen Phase II scheme.