Governor Satya Pal Malik offered ‘Shramdaan’ for massive Plastic Waste Collection drives under the ‘Swachhta Hi Seva’ Campaign organised on the occasion of celebration of 150th Birth Anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi, Father of Nation. He along with his Advisors and senior officers flagged off plogging run led by Dr. Shahid Iqbal Choudhary, Deputy Commissioner Srinagar and Ms. Sheetal Nanda, Secretary Rural Development Department, for generating awareness about eradicating ‘Single Use Plastic’.Later he participated in a programme organised by the Department of Housing and Urban Development, Department of Rural Development and Panchayati Raj and District Administration Srinagar under the ‘Swachhta Hi Seva’ Campaign. The programme witnessed a huge participation by people including Panches and Sarpanches, Safai Karamcharis, employees of Srinagar Municipal Corporation which was held in an open area with minimal security, in the famous Botanical Garden in Srinagar.All the participants took a pledge for ensuring cleanliness and for ‘Shramdaan’ to collect plastic waste and create awareness regarding this among others.The employees of Srinagar Municipal Corporation including Safaikaramcharis were felicitated on the occasion. Willow baskets as an alternative to plastic were distributed among Panches and Sarpanches.Expressing gratitude to the Safai Karamcharis for their contribution towards ensuring cleanliness, Governor saluted them for their commitment towards keeping localities neat and clean. He made various announcements for the Safai Karamcharis, including provision of full Health and Life Insurance and making available houses along with all basic amenities to them at affordable prices.
Paying tributes to Mahatma Gandhi, Governor observed that our regular contribution towards ensuring cleanliness in our surroundings is the befitting tribute which can be paid to a visionary leader like Gandhiji for whom Cleanliness was next to Godliness. He said that with the launch of Swachh Bharat Mission on 2nd October, 2014 by our Prime Minister, people were sensitized about the significance of maintaining sanitation and hygiene at public places and at personal level and with the result that today we can proudly say that our country is ‘Open Defecation Free’. He complimented the officials engaged in making J&K and Ladakh ODF in a record time.Governor said that ‘Swachhta Hi Seva’ campaign being a Jan Andolan requires the support of all citizens to own the cause and make J&K and Ladakh free from single use plastic.Advisors to Governor, on the occasion paid tributes to Gandhiji and highlighted the achievements made by J&K and Ladakh towards ensuring sanitation and cleanliness. It was informed that various activities have been carried out so far in all the urban areas by the Urban Local Bodies and in rural areas under Swachhata Hi Seva campaign to create mass awareness on eradication of Single Use Plastic. These activities included Swachhata Pledges, Clean And Green D rives, Rallies, Swachhata Competitions, wall paintings etc.All the activities saw a huge participation by citizens, public representatives, students, government officials, NGOs, Corporators, traders, market associations etc. During the campaign 33 tons of plastic waste has been collected in the ULBs and 1140 kg in rural areas.Further it was informed that for effective use of plastic waste collected during the ‘Swachhata Hi Seva’ Campaign, the Department of Housing and Urban Development has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the PWD Department and another Memorandum of Understanding was signed between Rural Development Department and PWD for using plastic in construction of roads and in its macadimisation.Sh. Vijay Kumar, Sh. K.K. Sharma, Sh. Khurshid Ganai, Sh. K. Skandan- Advisors to Governor; Sh. B.V.R. Subrahmanyam, Chief Secretary; Sh. Umang Narula, Financial Commissioner to Governor; Shri Dheeraj Gupta, Principal Secretary, Housing & Urban Dev. Department; Ms. Sheetal Nanda, Secretary Rural Development Department; Shri Baseer Khan, Divisional Commissioner, Kashmir; Dr. Shahid Iqbal, Deputy Commissioner, Srinagar were among those present on the occasion.