Other States - Himachal Pradesh   

Himachal sanitation drive gaining pace

SHIMLA: Due to the persistent efforts of the ongoing total sanitation campaign in Himachal Pradesh, the target of defecation-free and a ‘Nirmal Himachal’ appear attainable, claimed an official spokesman here on Sunday. So far 632 gram panchayats have been declared as ‘open defecation free’ in the State, he said.

The campaign is being run in all blocks of 12 districts of the State with a budget of Rs.10142.34 lakh.

The State government has adopted a demand drive and people-centric, outcome based approach to mobilize communities and generate awareness for sanitation amongst people individually and community as a whole by involving all the stakeholders.

A total of 11,333 schools and 4,485 anganwaris would be covered under the Total Sanitation Scheme during the project period. In addition, providing sanitation facilities to all the schools and anganwaris would be the priority of the government.

In order to instil the spirit of competition amongst the panchayats and to motivate the panchayati raj institutions, a State Reward Scheme has been instituted under the name "Maharishi Balmiki Sampooran Swachhata Puruskkar".

These awards are being given on four levels on the basis of competition. The cleanest gram panchayat would be awarded in Rs.1 lakh at Block level, Rs.3 lakh each at the district level, Rs.5 lakh and the State level and Rs.10 lakh, informed the spokesman.

The State had under the Non Bio-degradable Waste (Control) Act, 1995 issued a notification banning use of polythene and proper management of waste. Under this, a punishment of imprisonment up to one month and fine up to Rs.5,000 would be imposed on the violators. The State government is also monitoring the waste being thrown into the rivers and educating the people about the damage it causes to the aquatic life and the hydroelectric projects coming up in the basin.

Printer friendly page  
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Stories in this Section

Himachal sanitation drive gaining pace

Copyright © 2008, The Hindu. Republication or redissemination of the contents of this screen are expressly prohibited without the written consent of The Hindu