PONDA: PWD Minister Sudin Dhavalikar has called for impetus on cleanliness drives under the Swatch Bharat Mission and has appealed not to release domestic kitchen, bathroom waste in gutters and avoid open defecation.
He was speaking at programme organised by Kavlem Panchayat to mark birth anniversaries of Mahatma Gandhi and Lal Bahadur Shastri.
Davlikar said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi had initiated Swatch Bharat Mission two years ago and that sanitation was the need of hour to protect the environment. He appealed not to release domestic kitchen, bathroom waste in gutters meant for storm water and also to avoid open defecation.
Citing Vacuum system sewage that was recently inaugurated at Durbhat, the first of its kind, he appealed the Undir and Ponda locals to cooperate in bringing STP in their respective areas, adding that only a few were opposing the sewage plant at proposed sites.
He also handed over keys of a tempo, donated by Mhadavrao Dhavlikar Trust to Kavlem panchayat sarpanch Rajesh Kavlekar.
Others on the dais included Ponda Block Development Officer Prasidh Naik, Bandora Zilla Panchayat Member Chitra Fadte, Durbhat Sarpanch Saroj Naik and panchayat members of Kavlem panchayat.
Kavlem Sarpanch said the panchayat and locals were committed to cooperate with the government in bringing the STP at Kavlem. Nine citizens, one from each of the nine wards of Kavlem, were also felicitated on the occasion for their contribution towards the society.
Around nine self-help groups, involved in cleaning garbage in the panchayat were also felicitated.
