ITANAGAR, Sep 16: The Swachh Prerak Day under Swachh Mahotsav-2019 was celebrated by felicitating the best performers in the Swachh Darpan Competition, 2019, here on Monday.
The top three ranked districts in the competition were awarded during the felicitation function.
The West Kameng deputy commissioner ranked at the top in the state and second in the national level, and the Tirap DC stood second in the state and third in the national level. The Siang DC ranked third in the state and 7th in the national level.
The executive engineer of the Bomdila PHE&WS division was awarded for successful implementation of Swachh Darpan.
Besides them, 15 other field functionaries, including assistant engineers, junior engineers, district consultants, block coordinators and swachhagrahis from 12 blocks were awarded for their outstanding performance during the Swachh Darpan competition.
Attending the felicitation programme, PHE&WS Minister Wangki Lowang emphasized on the importance maintaining a high degree of sanitation practices, and
MLAs Techi Kaso and Tana Hali Tara spoke of the need to involve all the stakeholders, including the GBs, in the sanitary reform movement.
Kaso requested Lowang to ban the use of single-use plastic products in Arunachal and enhance the additional support for construction of individual household latrines (IHHL) to a minimum of Rs 50,000.
PHE&WS Secretary Rinchin Tashi sought cooperation from all for the state to achieve open defecation-free (ODF) status.
Informing that under the universal sanitation coverage, all the missed-out households would be provided with IHHLs, he lauded the field functionaries for completing four wall-paintings in every village and installing ODF boards within a month’s time in all the 5389 villages.
Swachh Bharat Mission (Gramin) Director Sentum Yomcha highlighted the activities carried out under SBM (G) to eliminate open defecation, and the importance of proper disposal and management of plastic waste. Yomcha also suggested that single-use plastic items be completely banned.
PHE&WS (W/Z) Chief Engineer Toko Jyoti spoke about launching a pilot project on solid and liquid waste management in 47 administrative centres.
He urged the government to “reconsider the fund for the ongoing ODF plus activities and universal sanitation coverage.”
The DCs spoke about the environmental pollution caused by plastic waste, and about safe disposal of sanitary napkins. They advocated focusing more on solid and liquid waste management.
PHE&WS Additional Secretary Ranphoa Ngowa highlighted the purpose of celebrating the Swachh Prerak Day.
Representatives from various NGOs, women self-help groups, GBs and delegates from various districts and government organizations attended the celebration.
A handbook titled Menstrual Hygiene Management was also released on the occasion.
