A remote village in Nawanshahr district has been declared a ‘waste-free village’. The village, Bharta Kalan in Aur block, has prepared compost from garbage that will be used for agriculture purposes.
After feedback on compost quality and benefits, the gram panchayat wants to sell it. The initiatives was undertaken under Swachh Bharat Mission Gramin (SBM-G) for effective management of solid and liquid waste.
Puneet Bhasin, executive engineer of water supply and sanitation department, said that villagers were concerned about the foul smell generated from garbage dump and then the gram panchayat (GP) consulted various organisations and got an idea to set up a village level solid waste management plant. To meet the funds required, the GP approached the district administration and funds could be availed under Swachh Bharat Mission (Gramin), MGNREGA and Finance Commission grants for waste management and taking up community mobilisation activities first for behaviour change.
Villagers were then sensitised on adopting waste segregation methods, following this, residents built a solid waste management plant, at Rs 8.05 lakh and a four-member committee was formed headed by sarpanch to look after the operations and maintenance of the plant. Waste collector Sukhbir Singh was paid Rs. 12,000 and he ensured cleanliness around the plant and periodically checked compost formation. Nearly 80% households are connected with the project.
Bhasin added that the first batch of compost would be ready by next week.
Deputy Commissioner Navjot Pal Singh Randhawa, while applauding the efforts of the panchayat and the department, said that they did an exemplary work to resolve the issue of solid waste. We are exploring the success rate of the project to implement in other villages too, he added.