Port Blair, Dec 23: As a part of the 6th sday’s Swachhta Pakhwada programme, CIARI conducted a spot technology demonstration on solid waste disposal followed by cleanliness drive on December 21 in the vicinity of its Type II and III staff quarters. Dr. V.K. Pandey sensitized the gathered residents about the time taken by different solid wastes to degrade. While kitchen waste decompose within 3 months and enrich the soil, plastic bottles and sanitary napkins/diapers will take 450 years to decompose, glass 1000 years and e-waste never disintegrates. He also demonstrated how sewage channels get choked by solid wastes and the manner of their safe disposal at household level. Dr. R. K. Gautham who organized the day’s programme urged the participants not to throw the solid wastes in sewage drains which may harm the environment. Dr. A. Kundu, Director, CIARI during his speech emphasized the importance of maintaining the sewage channels clean so as to avoid the spread of diseases like dengue through mosquitoes which breed in stagnating waters. Later all the staff along with the residents cleaned the sewage channels and trimmed the bushes along their routes. All together, 100 staff and residents participated in the cleanliness drive coordinated by Er. S.L. Paik, Dr. R. Kiruba Sankar, Dr. A.K. Tripathi, Mr. Bommaya Samy, Mr. Syam Narayan, Mr. Nehru Ram, Mr. Ali Akbar and Mr. Vijay Rao. Dr. I. Jai Sankar, Co-Nodal Officer of swachhta pakhwada programme oversaw the arrangements and proposed vote of thanks.
