Not
to be Pblished/Broadcast before 14th
July 2008
Even as the
ever-increasing explosion of
population, haphazard urbanization
and utmost pressure of tourist
influx, Himachal Pradesh is poised
to achieve the target of Nirmal
Himachal by 2010. Thanks to the
massive Total Sanitation Campaign
underway in all the districts of
Himachal Pradesh. So far 632 Gram
Panchayats have been declared as
Open Defecation Free.
Every year, toxic chemicals, some
capable of traveling thousands of
miles from their source and lasting
decades in the environment, are
released into the earth's
atmosphere. The unplanned
urbanization has added to the woes
to the environmental degradation.
Thus, conserving environment has
become of utmost importance for the
very existence of the humanity. More
over Himachal Pradesh has been
bestowed by nature with natural
beauty and pollution free
environment, thus it becomes the
duty of every individual to keep the
ambience neat and clean.
In an attempt to save the pristine
environment of the State in
particular and of the Himalayan
region in general, the State
Government has stepped in to
conserve the same until it becomes
too late. The State has set for
itself a target of "Nirmal Himachal"
by the year 2010. For this, the
Total Sanitation Campaign is being
implemented throughout the State.
This Rs. 10142.34 lakh scheme is
covering all the blocks of 12
districts of the State.
The State Government has adopted a
demand drive and people centric,
outcome based approach to mobilize
communities and generate awareness
for sanitation amongst people
individually and community as a
whole by involving all the
stakeholders. A total of 11,333
schools and 4,485 Aanganbaris would
be covered under the Total
Sanitation Scheme during the project
period. In addition, providing
sanitation facilities to all the
schools and Aanganbaris would be the
priority of the Government.
In order to instill the spirit of
competition amongst the Panchayats
and to motivate the Panchayati Raj
Institutions, a State Reward Scheme
has been instituted under the name "Maharishi
Balmiki Sampooran Swachhata
Puruskkar". These awards are being
given on four levels on the basis of
competition. One cleanest Gram
Panchayat would be awarded in each
Block with a prize amount of Rs one
lakh. Similarly, cleanest Gram
Panchayat would be awarded at
district level. One Gram Panchayat
would be awarded in district with
less than 300 Gram Panchayats and
two panchayats would be awarded in a
district having more than 300 Gram
Panchayats. These Panchayats would
be provided a cash prize of Rs 3
lakh each. At divisional level the
cleanest Gram Panchayat would be
awarded cash prize of Rs 5 lakh and
at the State level the cleanest Gram
Panchayat would be provided cash
prize of Rs 10 lakh.
The State had under the Non
Bio-degradable Waste (Control) Act,
1995 has issued a notification
banning use of polythene and proper
management of waste. Provision of
punishment upto imprisonment of one
month or/and fine upto Rs, 5,000
made in this Act. Apart form it,
traders and businessmen found using
polythene bags other than the
specified ones would be fined an
amount of Rs. 500 to Rs. 25,000.
The State Government would also
monitor the waste being thrown into
the rivers and educate the people
about the damage it causes to the
aquatic life and the hydroelectric
projects coming up in the basin.
Apart from it complete ban is being
imposed on the use of
non-biodegradable waste, which would
go a long way in protecting environ
of the State.
The year 2008 has been declared as
the international year of
Sanitation. Under this, awareness
campaign highlighting the importance
of international Year of Sanitation
and Sanitation Rallies would be
conducted at District level. In
addition to this Intensive
Advertisement Campaign would be
launched for achieving safe and
hygienic practices in sanitation.
Workshops would also be held on
solid waste management and its
scientific disposition.
