Rural Development Department today held awareness-cum-felicitation program at Sheikh-ul-Alam hall in Budgam.The function was presided over by the Secretary Rural Development and Panchayati Raj, Sheetal Nanda.District Development Commissioner Budgam Dr. Syed Sehrish Asgar, Director Rural Development Qazi Sarwar, Director Rural Sanitation J&K InduChib, ADDC Budgam Khurshid Ahmad Sanai, ACD Budgam and DPO Budgam graced the occasion.Speaking on the occasion, Secretary, Rural Development and Panchayat Raj deliberated on the importance of awareness dissemination about the cleanliness and hygiene for the healthy society.At the outset she deliberated on the need of inculcation of the values of civility among the people and implored among the audience the essence of participation as a mature community to keep the surrounding clean. While highlighting the primary responsibility of individuals and local communities of keeping their surroundings clean, she assured all help of the department in making the state the cleanest of the states by making the villages and towns clean.She also deliberated on the need of awareness programs on Swachhta and called for taking the cleanliness drives to the people as their own mission.The Secretary lauded the role of Rural Development Department Budgam for achieving remarkable improvement in the parameters of cleanliness and ensuring Budgam as Open Defecation Free district.
Speaking on the occasion, DDC, Dr Syed Sehrish Asgar emphasized on maintaining hygiene and urged people to use separate dustbins for both biodegradable and non-biodegradable waste to segregate the waste generated daily at home and work places.She stressed on the community participation in dissemination of mass awareness about hygiene, cleanliness and said that the proper waste management has been taking as a mission to ensure there is no environmental degradation anywhere in the district.Director Rural Development Kashmir, Syed Sarwar and Director, Rural Sanitation J&K InduChib also spoke on the occasion on the topics of waste management segregation, Swatch Bharat Mission and shared success stories of cleanliness.On the occasion, first three winners of painting competition held under nationwide campaign Swachhta HiSeva were awarded with certificates and mementos. Similarly, BDOs of the district were also complimented with awards for the endeavors on hygiene and cleanliness, including BDO Khag, Irfan Manzoor and BDO B KPora, Tabish Saleem.ACD Budgam Wasim Raja presented the welcome address on the occasion, while an overview of the achievements under SBM was presented by the DPO Budgam, Hilal Ahmad through PPT.