5 GPs gear up for solid waste management

The PDOs in five gram panchayats decided to gear up for solid waste management at a consultation meeting organised by Jana Shikshana Trust at Nava Chethana Training Centre in Mudipu.

The officers of Balepuni, Naringana, Kurnadu, Manjanady and Konaje gram panchayats took the decision.

The PDOs decided to clear the black spots in their respectively panchayats and initiate measure to prevent dumping of waste haphazardly. The schools, colleges and anganwadi centres in the five panchayats also decided to create awareness on the ill-effects of plastic and collect declaration forms from households on sanitation and cleanliness.

‘Long way to go’

Sheena Shetty, director of Jana Shikshana Trust and Cleanliness Ambassador for Dakshina Kannada district, said that in spite of the district being declared open defecation-free, Dakshina Kannada lags in managing garbage. “Karnataka Panchayat Raj Act empowers PDOs to act against those who dump garbage, but we have a long way to go. Solid waste is a resource is managed properly and scientifically,” said Shetty.

“The Vandse Gram Panchayat has started solid waste resource management by segregating waste into 60 categories. Each waste is a resource and gram panchayats can generate income if waste is treated scientifically,” he explained.

Sunil, Balepuni PDO, said, “The gram panchayat has already resolved to convert waste into a resource on the model of Vandse. The panchayat has been granted Rs 12 lakh under the Mukhyamantri Grama Vikasa Yojane and 10-acre land for the purpose. MSW students have already created awareness on waste management among residents. There is a need to change the mindset of the people.”

‘Cooperation needed’

Savitha, Konaje PDO, said that in spite of the efforts of the gram panchayat, the cooperation from the residents is negligible when it comes to waste management. Plastic waste is collected at anganwadi centres, she added.

Kurnadu PDO Keshava said, “In spite of creating awareness among the general public, the waste is not being segregated at source. The gram panchayat spends nearly Rs 3 lakh for the disposal of the solid waste.”

Virupaksha from the KSRP unit at Assaigoli said, “We have declared our KSRP premises at Assaigoli as free from plastic. All the waste generated on our premises is disposed off by the unit itself. If we get a waste management unit from the gram panchayat, then the KSRP is ready to maintain it.”

Responsibility

M H Malar, head teacher of the Tippu Sulthan High School at Kotepura, and K M K Manjanady, head teacher of the Sayyed Madani High School at Halekote, said, “All of us should become cleanliness ambassadors and act responsibly.”

Inaugurating the programme, Jamaluddin, a Class 8 students of the Tippu Sulthan High School, explained the ill-effects of plastic and the success of schoolchildren crusading against the ill-effects of plastic.

Dr P Dayananda Pai and P Satish Pai Government First Grade College, Car Street, NSS Coordinator Naveen Konaje and Mudipu First Grade College Principal Giridhar were present.