Commissioner Secretary, Rural Development and Panchayati Raj, (RD&PR) department, Mandeep Kour today visited Baltal and inspected the waste management facilities and sanitation works going there for declaring it as a Zero Landfill zone.The Commissioner Secretary was accompanied by Deputy Commissioner Ganderbal, Shymbir, ACD Ganderbal, ACP Ganderbal, Camp Director Baltal, BDC Kangan and officers from Rural Development Department during the visit.
During the visit, the Commissioner Secretary visited Swahaa’s Organic Waste Management facility at Baltal and took stock of its functioning and procedure used to treat the collected waste to turn it into organic fertilizers. She also inspected the compost beds used to dry up the organic fertilizers.
The Commissioner Secretary directed the officers to chalk out the plan for doing convergence with agriculture department for making this organic fertilizer available to local farmers.Appreciating the good work already done to keep the yatra camps and track clean, Kaur directed ACD to keep a close watch to ensure cleanliness and sanitation in all camps and along the track so that Yatra Base Camp Baltal and track must be totally free from any waste.
The Commissioner Secretary also inspected the Waste Management Facility at Domail wherein she interacted with the local youth involved in the Swahaa’s project, and asked their choice for making waste management as their business for earning their livelihood.
She said that we are doing our job on war-footing basis and very soon we will be ready to declare BaltalYatra route as a zero landfill zone.On the occasion, the DC briefed her that some sanitation exercises have already been carried out earlier along the Yatra track while RDD and Swahaa (NGO) are also carrying out the collection, segregation, and Baling and managing the waste in an eco-friendly way.
The Commissioner Secretary was also informed that 2 shredders installed in the facility have been used to its fullest potential in the Yatra to treat the waste and have the capacity of 2.4 tons per day.