Vaman Acharya, Chairman of the Karnataka State Pollution Control Board (KSPCB), has urged the government to focus on sanitation and cleanliness in villages.
At present, the policy-makers were focusing on beautification of urban areas and scientific waste management practices. As a major chunk of the country’s population still lived in villages, it was essential to draw up plans for beautification of villages and adopt modern waste management methods there, he said at a programme held at Santekadur village on Saturday, when ‘Parisara Mitra’ and ‘Dhanvantari’ awards for 2014-15 were presented to schools that had adopted environment-friendly practices.
The open defecation was still prevailing in many villages, leading to spread of many infectious diseases. The government should create awareness among rural people on the need to maintain cleanliness in the vicinity. He also urged the government to provide special grants to gram panchayats for scientific waste management.
Deputy Commissioner V.P. Ikkeri, in his address, said the tier-two and tier-three cities were also facing serious problems owing to lack of scientific disposal of garbage. More than 100 tonnes of garbage is generated in Shivamogga, daily.
The perspective towards disposal of garbage should change. The garbage should also be seen as a source of energy.
The urban local bodies should adopt technologies to convert garbage into manure and produce fuel from it, he said.
The programme was organised by KSPCB and Parisara Adhayayna Kendra.
B. Ramu, Chief Executive Officer of the Shivamogga Zilla Panchayat, and Vijayakumar, member secretary of the KSPCB, were present.
The ‘Parisara Mitra’ award was presented to Government Higher Primary School, Samagodu; Government Higher Primary School, Honnesara; Government High School, Arakere; Government Higher Primary School, Yadehalli; Shantaveri Gopala Gowda High School, Saidur; Government Lower Primary School, New Malali-Hadlubailu; Government Higher Primary School, Holekatte; Kuvempu Government Model School, Tirthahalli, and Government Higher Primary School, Kannangi.
It is essential to draw up plans for beautifying villages: KSPCB Chairman
‘Urban local bodies should adopt technology to convert garbage into manure’
