Villages Get Cleanliness Mandate

Dakshina Kannada Zilla Panchayat has issued a directive for gram panchayats across the district to launch a special campaign aimed at achieving "waste-free, sustainable, and clean" villages. This initiative comes as a response to the continued presence of waste dumping and open plastic burning in certain areas. Despite 322 out of 354 villages being declared open defecation free (ODF)-plus, the critical issue of scientific waste disposal remains unaddressed in some parts, leading to waste accumulation in open spaces and drains.

To address these challenges, ZP CEO Narwade Vinayak Karbari emphasized that while community cleanliness is a shared responsibility, Panchayats are tasked with fostering awareness and delivering quality services. They must ensure all households have functional toilets, alongside adequate facilities in public buildings. Crucially, arrangements for managing both solid and liquid waste are to be made, preventing any backlog of wastewater or trash in public areas. Communicating ODF compliance through visual means like pictures and graffiti is also encouraged.

The directive outlines several key steps for panchayats, including establishing sanitation advisory committees and cleanliness taskforces. These groups will oversee waste management units, form ward-level task forces for cleanliness oversight, and conduct awareness visits. Actions to promote source segregation of waste, curb single-use plastic, and implement self-declarations for house cleanliness are also mandated. Finally, Grama Swachhata Sambhrama programs will be organized to formally declare villages as open waste-free.