Notwithstanding 322 villages being declared outdoor defecation free (ODF) plus villages, throwing waste in open places still continues at some places, regretted the CEO of Dakshina Kannada Zilla Panchayat while directing village panchayats to launch a special campaign for “waste-free, sustainable and clean villages” in the district.
| Photo Credit: ANIL KUMAR SASTRY
The Dakshina Kannada Zilla Panchayat has directed gram panchayats in the district to undertake a special campaign to achieve “waste-free, sustainable and clean” villages as waste dumping and burning of plastic waste in open places were still visible at some places.
Though 322 villages in the district out of 354 were declared open defecation free (ODF)-plus villages, scientific waste disposal appears absent in some places with waste being thrown in open places, including drains, regretted ZP CEO Narwade Vinayak Karbari while issuing directions to GPs in this regard recently. While maintaining cleanliness was the responsibility of the community, Panchayats have the duty to create awareness about cleanliness and provide quality service, he reminded them.
Mr. Karbari noted that the Panchayats should ensure that all houses in their limits should have functional toilets even as public utilities, including educational institutions, panchayat buildings etc., should have functional toilets for men and women separately. The Panchayats should have made adequate arrangements for managing solid and liquid waste while ensuring no waste water and trash accumulate in open places.
He also told them to communicate to people about the village being declared ODF compliant through pictures and graffiti. Remaining villages should make earnest efforts to attain the status of ODF Plus, he said. The focus to attain sustainability should be on preventing stagnation of waste water and accumulation of waste in open places, he reminded.
Steps to be adopted
Mr. Karbari gave the following directions to the panchayats to achieve “waste-free, sustainable and clean” village status.
They include, setting sanitation advisory committees and cleanliness taskforces in motion; timely management of waste management units; forming ward-level task forces comprising panchayat members, officials, school development committee members, Asha workers etc., to ensure cleanliness; compulsory maintenance of cleanliness and hygiene in public buildings; awareness campaign visits by taskforce members; segregation of dry and wet wastes at source; strict action to prevent sale and use of single-use plastic and clean house self-declaration.
The panchayats, thereafter, should hold Grama Swachhata Sambhrama programmes to declare the village an open waste-free village, the CEO said.
Published – November 30, 2025 04:07 pm IST
