Tarun Karthick
Port Blair, 01 September 2024
In a significant push towards a cleaner and greener Andaman and Nicobar Islands, a large-scale cleanliness drive was carried out across all 70 Gram Panchayats as part of the ‘Kachra Mukt Panchayat Abhiyan’. The initiative, guided by the Directorate of Rural Development, PRIs, and ULBs under the direction of the Chief Secretary of the A&N Administration, marked a crucial step in the Union Territory’s mission to achieve sustainable waste management.
The ambitious campaign was orchestrated under the leadership of the Secretary (RD/Panchayat), with active participation from members of the Panchayati Raj Institutions (PRIs) and government officials, including Block Development Officers (BDOs), Executive Officers (EOs), Panchayat Secretaries, Village Level Workers (VLWs), General Secretaries (GSs), Multi-Tasking Staff (MTS), Daily Rated Mazdoors (DRMs), contract staff, and various other line departments. This collective effort is a testament to the commitment of the A&N Administration towards transforming the Islands into zero-waste zones.
During the campaign, each Gram Panchayat organized targeted cleanliness drives within their respective jurisdictions. A major focus of these drives was the segregation of dry waste, which was systematically collected and transported to the nearest Solid Waste Management (SWM) Clusters for further processing. The campaign saw the collection of approximately 1,650 kilograms of segregated dry waste, including materials such as plastic, cardboard, multi-layered packaging (MLP), cloth, tetra packs, and glass bottles.
The success of this initiative underscores the persistent efforts of the Directorate of Rural Development, PRIs, and ULBs in working towards the goal of zero waste across the Islands. The Secretary (RD/Panchayat) expressed his heartfelt gratitude to all participants, volunteers, and PRI members for their dedication in making the ‘Kachra Mukt Panchayat Abhiyan’ a resounding success. He also urged the general public, particularly the youth, students, and civil society organizations, to join this monumental campaign and contribute towards a cleaner, greener, and waste-free Andaman and Nicobar Islands.