Shillong, February 1: Meghalaya Chief Minister, Conrad K Sangma, on Thursday launched and handed over Waste Collection e-vehicles to different blocks of East Jaintia Hills, Eastern West Khasi Hills, East Khasi Hills and West Jaintia Hills during a function held at Lumdaitkhla village, Bhoirymbong in Ri Bhoi district.
Total 207 e-vehicles were handed over to different blocks of Khasi and Jaintia Hills districts. A similar programme will be held for the Garo Hills region officials stated.
The programme was attended by Deputy Chief Minister, Sniawbhalang Dhar, Health Minister, Ampareen Lyngdoh, PHE Minister, Marcuise N Marak, Umroi MLA, Damanbait Lamare, MDC Umroi Rangkynsai Kharbuki and senior officials from PHE and Shillong Municipal Board.
In his address, Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma said that the target of Swach Bharat Mission (Grameen), a national flagship programme of Government of India, was to make all villages as ODF Plus villages.
“Today the State in a matter of nine months has touched 84.33 % from just 10 % in ODF Plus. This is because of the dedication and commitment of the government and the department to work in a saturation mode to achieve the target of becoming one of the top ten states,” he said.
He also said that the distribution of the e-Vehicles to different communities is a step forward ensuring that the government works with the participation of the communities. “Once we work together with the communities with a sense of purpose and passion a visible difference can be made,” he added.
The Chief Minister also announced that commencing this quarter a day will assigned when the government and the society will come together to clean towns and villages. “Starting from this financial year, every quarterly, in every district, block and village, the government and every citizen will come together to renew our commitment of keeping our towns and cities clean,” he said.
He further added that cleanliness has always been an integral part of tribal and Indian culture and added, “somewhere along the way we have not been able to continue with this culture and tradition and it is about time that we renew and recommit ourselves to this tradition of our forefathers.” He also emphasized on the need to instill hygiene in the youth and the importance of keeping our surroundings clean.
In his speech, Minister, Marcuise M Marak said that the launch and handing over of the Waste e-Vehicle represents a pivotal step of the government in the commitment of realizing the vison of a clean and hygienic Meghalaya. He informed that the predicted plan for 2024-2025 includes achieving 100 % ODF Plus, installing 1,10,240 individual household latrines with 1553 allocated for the PMAY beneficiaries, establishing 570 Community Sanitary Complex Units and implementing 18 units of Fecal Sludge Management with additional implementation of Govardhan units and Plastic Waste Management units to be set up across the state.