Dr Raja Muzaffar Bhat
Swacch Bharat Mission (SBM) is not at all focused for cleaning cities and towns only , but Government of India has earmarked huge funds for Rural India as well under this national flagship programme. Unfortunately these funds have only been utilized for construction of lavatory blocks in rural areas. Another important component of Swachh Bharat Mission (SBM-Grameen) is to undertake Solid Liquid Waste Management (SLWM), but not a single rupee has been utilized under this head in any part of Jammu & Kashmir since the inception of this programme more than 2 years back. There are clear guidelines under SBM Grameen for hiring services of technical agencies (NGOs, companies) who would work as consultants for state Government to prepare Detailed Project Reports (DPRs) for undertaking Solid Liquid Waste Management (SLWM) at State and district level. The Rural Development Department (RDD) in J&K has failed to appoint these Solid Waste Management (SWM) consultants with the result not a single work has been undertaken in any part of the state for treatment of solid and liquid waste in rural areas.
The Swachh Bharat Mission Grameen Guidelines (SBM-Grameen) impresses upon all the State Governments to appoint a consultant (individual or organisation) at state & district level . The consultants will guide the Government authorities on solid liquid waste management by preparing a blue print on waste management for each Gram Panchayat (GP). More than two years have elapsed since the Swachh Bharat Mission Grameen (SBM Grameen) was launched throughout India, but till date not a single organisation / consultant has been hired by J&K Govt.
Who can be these consultants :
The objective of SBM Grameen is to bring about improvement in the cleanliness, hygiene and the general quality of life in rural areas. Solid and Liquid Waste Management (SLWM) is one of the key components of the Swachh Bharat Mission. SBM guideline No: 5.10.5 says that every State is supposed to have at least one Solid Liquid Waste Management (SLWM) Consultant at the State level and one SLWM Consultant in each District to guide the preparation of the SLWM projects for each Gram Panchayat (GP).The consultants can be individuals or even organisations who have prior experience on solid waste management work. Guidelines further says that assistance of professional agencies/NGOs may be sought to prepare/ develop/test/implement such projects. The Project preparation, supervision and monitoring costs of Swachh Bharat Mission (Grameen) will be part of the project.
Solid Liquid Waste Management (SLWM) projects payable to such agencies may be made a part of the project cost itself. Maintenance costs for the first five years of operation may be made a part of the Project cost. SBM Grameen guidelines say that SLWM projects can be made financially viable by dovetailing funds from other programmes and sources of funding like MG-NREGA, MP-LAD, MLA, MLC (CDF) , Finance Commission funds, CSR contribution etc. Funding from programmes of other ministries and departments may also be converged for undertaking this work.
Funding for each Gram Panchayat :
Solid Liquid Waste Management (SLWM) is to be undertaken in project mode for each Gram Panchayat (GP) with financial assistance capped for a GP on number of household basis to enable all GPs to implement sustainable SLWM projects. The total assistance under SBM(Grameen) for SLWM projects are to be worked out on the basis of total number of households in each GP, subject to a maximum of Rs.7 lakh for a Gram Panchayat (GP) having up to 150 households, Rs.12 lakh up to 300 households, Rs.15 to 17 lakh up to 500 households and Rs.20 lakh for GPs having more than 500 households.
Funding for SLWM project under SBM(G) is provided by the Central and State Government in the ratio of 75:25. Any additional cost requirement is to be met with funds from the State/ GP, and from other sources like Finance Commission funding, CSR, Swachh Bharat Kosh and through the PPP model.
Activities under SLWM:
The States are to decide the technologies suitable to their areas. Technologies identified by the Committee on Technologies may also be considered for implementation. Collection, segregation and safe disposal of household garbage, decentralized systems like household composting and biogas plants are permitted. Activities related to maximum reuse of organic solid wastes as manure are to be adopted under SLWM. Such technologies may include vermi-composting or any other composting method, individual and community biogas plants.
Conclusion :
As I had mentioned in my previous write-ups that door to door collection of household waste (garbage) is not prerogative of people living in cities only as same type of activities can be undertaken in villages under Swatch Bharat Mission Grameen. To make that practically possible our Government has to come forward without waisting more time, Government must start this work in some selected districts and with the passage of time, the work can be expanded to all the 22 districts of J&K. But before the work would be initiated, Government must start the process of inviting applications from consultant agencies who will create a proper scientific work plan. On the basis of this plan ,Solid Liquid Waste Management (SLWM) programme can be kick-started which would become a movement in every nook and corner of Jammu & Kashmir.
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