Ernakulam and Wayanad districts have won the Union Ministry of Jal Shakti’s awards for excellence in implementing various components of the Swachh Bharat Mission (Gramin).
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The two districts are among the 20 selected from 718 districts across the country for their work in waste management and sanitation. Proper implementation of components such as individual and community toilets, solid and liquid waste management, information dissemination, utilisation of funds, and reporting were the parameters for selection.
Though the first phase of Swachh Bharat Mission (Gramin) was completed in 2019, all districts were declared open-defecation free in 2016 itself. Then, it became one of the first States to focus attention on waste management.
The second phase of the mission aims at collection of non-biodegradable waste from every house and recycling it. This started getting implemented in the State in the first phase itself. Haritha Karma Sena units have been formed in over 90% of grama panchayats in Ernakulam and Wayanad districts for collection of waste and work on material collection centres and resource recovery centres completed.
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Together under the Centrally-sponsored Swachh Bharat Mission and the State’s Haritha Kerala Mission, more than 900 material collection centres and 152 resource recovery centres have started functioning in various local self-government institutions. This had helped in bagging the honours, a statement from the Suchitwa Mission said.
The Union Minister for Jal Shakti will present the award at an online function organised by the Drinking Water and Sanitation Department on the occasion of World Toilet Day on Thursday.