Authorities are yet to take any initiative to roll out a centrally sponsored scheme, aimed at ensuring cleanliness and generating energy from organic waste.
One of the important components of Swachh Bharat Mission,the scheme, GOBAR (galvanizing organic bio-agro resources) -DHAN also aims atcreating new livelihood opportunities and enhancing income for farmers andcattle herders.
“Not a single awareness or training programme has been sofar held under this program. Authorities in other states are working on thisscheme tirelessly,” said an official.
On 24 September last year, the Governor Satya Pal Malikdeclared the J&K open defecation free (ODF). All the 22 districts, 4,171gram panchayats and 7,565 villages are self-declared ODF as per Swachh BharatMission guidelines. The Gobardhan is an important element of ODF.
The official informed that in Jammu, authorities have heldmeetings with villagers, panches and sarpacnhes and other relevant people. “Lotof initiatives are going on there but not a single activity in Kashmir,” headded.
Panchayats and village communities play key role to leveragethe animal and organic waste that goes into water bodies, dumping sites andlandfills. Under the scheme, the focus is on managing and converting cattledung and solid waste in farms to compost, biogas and bio-CNG.
“With appropriate policies and practices, the schemes can bescaled up into opportunities for growth, leading to increased incomes,long-term livelihoods and, of course, more clean villages. The schemeinitiative is intended to be a concrete step in this direction,” said anexpert.
“ODF was never a challenge in Kashmir as people at large areusing lavatories. The real challenge is to implement Gobardhan scheme. It willhelp in making villages clean and source of income to farmers,” said theexpert.