Incinerators in 70 schools soon to dispose of sanitary napkins

Incinerator units for disposing sanitary napkins will be set up in 70 high schools in Dakshina Kannada district during the year. Last year, it was installed in 20 schools, ZP CEO Sreevidya said. 

Speaking at the water and sanitation committee meeting here on Friday, she said education department should decide on schools which has more number of female students to install incinerator units immediately. 

Post-matric girls hostels run by social welfare department and department of backward classes should ensure hostels have incinerator facility. 

70 Units

Stating that the government has sanctioned 70 solid waste management units to the district this year, Zilla Panchayat Deputy Secretary Umesh said all gram panchayats in the district have been asked to earmark land for setting up of solid waste management units. Within next two years, all gram panchayats should have mechanism for scientific disposal of garbage. 

To which, Zilla Panchayat president Asha Thimmappa Gowda and Vice president Sathish Kumpala said gram panchayats that do not have land for construction of solid waste management units should be clubbed with neighbouring gram panchayats to construct the unit. 

The decision on clubbing of gram panchayats for constructing solid waste management units should be taken soon after the election to the post of gram panchayat President and Vice Presidents are complete. 

“The officials should convene a meeting of the Gram Panchayat  presidents and vice presidents where the unit will come up to finalise it.” 

The work on STP at Golthamajalu and Balthila are in progress and will be completed within a month. About 30 per cent of the work on STP at Kurnadu has been complete. 

It should be completed within two months, ZP President said. Deputy Secretary said in 2014-15, a proposal on construction of solid waste management/STP units in 21 gram panchayats have been submitted to the State government, of which action plan of 17 have been complete. Under the scheme, the work on units in Munnur and Manchi have commenced. 

The work on units at Venoor, Naravi, Aivarnadu have been entrusted to Nirmithi Kendra. As Vittal Gram panchayat has been upgraded, the porposal on solid waste management unit at Vittal has been dropped. Segregation at sourceZilla Panchayat president directed district coordinator Manjula to ensure that waste is segregated at the source before dumping at the dumpyard. There is a need to create awareness on the same in schools and colleges. 

There is a need to give stress on pipe compost units at the households in the villages. 

The schools and hostels should be asked to give stress on vermi compost units. The gram panchayats should chalk out plans to collect plastics from households and commercial buildings. 

Stakeholders meeting

To which the ZO CEO said stakeholders meeting will be convened to discuss on the scientific disposal of garbage in the district.  Manjula said under Nirmal Bharath Abhiyan, work on construction of toilets in 180 schools out  of 201 schools have been complete.  Executive engineer Jayaprakash said that a proposal has been submitted to the engineering division taking up the work on drinking water projects in 180 schools/anganwadi centres. 

MLA Task force

The Zilla Panchayat president and Vice President said that under MLA Task Force Rs 5.60 crore was released by the State government to take up emergency work related to drinking water during peak summer last year. 

However, they alleged that the works taken up was of no beneficial to the residents. 

Work on deepening and flushing of borewells, extension of pipelines have not been taken up. Instead, borewells have been sunk without providing proper connections to supply water. There is a need to look into the issue seriously.