Ishtiyaq Ahmad
Early Times Report
SRINAGAR, Nov 13: Jammu and Kashmir may have been declared 'open defecation free', but several components of Swachh Bharat Mission (SBM) scheme are yet to be implemented in the new union territory.
On October 2, 2018, Jammu and Kashmir was declared 'open defecation free' after constructing 15. 42 lakh toilets in Jammu, Kashmir and Ladakh since August 2015 under the SBM scheme.
However, authorities have failed to implement several components of centrally sponsored scheme, which could have generated desirable results on the ground.
Take instance, Galvanizing Organic Bio-Agro Resources Dhan (GOBAR-DHAN), which is component of SBM was launched in February 2018 to make the villages open defecation free and improve the lives of villagers by obtaining bio- gas from cattle dung, poultry droppings, crop residue, kitchen waste and other bio degradable waste.
"This component of Swachh Bharat Mission scheme is yet to be implemented in Jammu and Kashmir," an official in the Directorate of Rural Sanitation said.
"The government has now identified few sites for implementation of GOBAR-DHAN. However, the funds are yet to be released by the Centre's Ministry of Drinking Water and Sanitation to Jammu and Kashmir, which is the nodal agency for implementation of the scheme," the official said.
The official said that it could have helped in biodegradable waste resources and conversion of waste into resources.
Sources said a very large fraction of bio-waste gets disposed in unsafe ways - burning, unscientific dumping, discharging into water bodies.
While bio-resources such as animal dung cakes, crop residue and firewood are commonly burned as cooking fuel leading to indoor air pollution.
Similarly, another component of the scheme 'Dry Leaf Composting' still waits for implementation.
'Dry Leaf Composting' was launched to improve the lives of villagers by obtaining manures from the mixture of dry leaf, agriculture residue, cattle dung and other bio degradable waste.
It was launched last year with an aim of managing rural waste and converting dry leaves and agriculture waste into organic fertilizer. Sources said that authorities of scheme are making no efforts for its implementation.
"The organic fertilizer produced from the composting of dry leaves could have reduced the use of chemical fertilizers to grow vegetables in kitchen garden, farms and to make terrace garden," source said |
