Zhaleo seeks effective implementation of govt. programmes

Kohima: Advisor of Municipal Affairs and Urban Development, Zhaleo Rio, on Friday called upon the administrators of municipal bodies and town councils to give efforts for effective implementation of various government programmes.

He stated this at the coordination meeting-cum-training on city sanitation action plan (CSAP) and city solid waste action plan (CSWAP) plan implementation, strategies formulation and mobilisation of Swachh Bharat Mission (SBM) projects for 39 urban local bodies (ULB) at the directorate of Urban Development in Kohima.

Zhaleo was of the viewed that there are many things wanting with the increase in number of ULB in the state from 19 to 39. In this regard, he appealed to the administrators, especially from the bigger towns, to work out modalities for self-sustenance of the municipalities apart from getting grants from the government. He also briefly dwelled on the proposed ULB election, which subsequently led the state government to repeal the Nagaland Municipal Act stating that a new act would be written although the case is still ongoing at the Supreme Court.

He, however, stated that the municipal election would be held sooner or later by taking into confidence of the tribal organisations, civil societies including the administrators.

The introductory address was delivered by Elizabeth Ngully, additional secretary and mission director of Swachh Bharat Mission-Urban (SBM-U). She stated that SBM-U 2.0 was launched by the Prime Minister in October 2021 with the vision of achieving ‘Garbage free’ status for all cities.

She informed that the programme was aimed at segregation of waste, 100% door-to-door collection, 100% scientific management of all fraction of waste, all legacy dumpsites remediated and converted into green zones, all used water including fecal sludge are safely contained, transported, processed and disposed so that no untreated fecal sludge and sued water pollutes the ground or water bodies.

She shared that the vision and mission components included sustainable solid waste management, sustainable sanitation and treatment of used water, information, education and communication (IEC), capacity building (CB) which are expected to be achieved by the end of the mission tenure.

Ngully stated that SBM-U, SBM-U 2.0 has become more technical and complex in nature wherein all data// action have to be submitted online in the portal. She informed that it has been a year and a half since the launch of SBM –U 2.0 but the state have not been able to move forward due to non-submission of action plans and fund was released from the ministry till date.

As the ULBs are unable to submit the action plans, she has sought active participation and involvement of the administrators so as to submit the action plans to the ministry at the earliest.

Meanwhile, she shared some concerns on Swachh Survekshan, waste collection and segregation, plastic waste, composting, activities taken up in the 15th Finance Commission to be shared and reflected in the portal and datas submitted by the ULBs to be same for all missions.

She further pointed out challenges such as shortage of manpower in ULBs, non availability of dedicated office and machineries for ULBs, non-availability of land, which she said, was a major issue to take up projects.

A day-long technical session was focused on SWM and UWM methods and technologies and discussion for finalisation of DPR preparation.