Port Blair, June 23: The Directorate of RD, PRIs and ULBs, Andaman and Nicobar Administration under the flagship rural sanitation programme of Govt. of India – Swachh Bharat Mission (Grameen) Phase-II has embarked upon to build up assets for Grey Water Management for scientific management of liquid waste generated in rural areas of the Islands.
As part of the same, the Department has framed an activity-chart along with prescribed timelines for carrying out series of activities. A core group of assessment committees have been constituted comprising of field level officials viz. Panchayat Secretaries, Junior Engineer (PRIs), Village Level Workers, Gram RozgarSevak.
Considering the unique geography of the Islands, decentralized model of management of Grey water is envisaged. Three levels of interventions are planned to be executed – Individual soak pits at the household level; common soak pits for covering areas having public hydrants and overhead tanks and Community level soak pits at drainage end points, schools, aganwadis and Panchayat Bhawans. Different technical models of soak pits like magic pits, leach pits etc. shall be constructed as per local soil conditions. Altogether, more than 2000 additional assets are planned to be developed over the next two months.
The individual soak pits shall be constructed and funded under the MGNREGA scheme. The Common and Community Soak Pits shall be constructed under SBM(G) in convergence with MGNREGA. The entire executions shall be taken up by the MGNREGA wing of the Department.
For orientation of the field functionaries on the various technological models, a State Level Online Orientation programme was also conducted in collaboration with the Department of Drinking Water and Sanitation, Ministry of Jal Shakti, which was attended by more than 100 field functionaries.
The RD department is thriving to achieve ODF+ status and the public is urged to cooperate with the department in achieving the same.