The Odisha government has mooted deploying ‘Swachh Saathis’, ground-level workers, who would act as agents to bring about collective behavioural changes at the household level regarding waste collection.
They would raise awareness on collection of segregated waste to ensure decentralising of wet waste and collection of dry waste.
Swachh Saathis, who will be nominated by women self-help groups of the locality, must not have educational qualification below Class XII. In the event of unavailability of suitable candidates, the SHG can make relaxation in the criterion.
Apart from demonstrating segregation of waste, the Swachh Saathis will also explain method of composting, preferably micro composting, in the locality.
Incentive suggested
The government has suggested that an incentive of ₹4,000 per month should be paid to Swachh Saathis for every 600 households.
“The incentive will be given directly to the women self-help group and not to the Swachh Saathis. The groups are, however, free to use one or more members for performing the assigned responsibilities,” said a senior officer.
The State government is now emphasising on collection of basic statistics on the map of urban local bodies with ward boundary, roads, parks, bulk waste generators, commercial areas and other land masses.
Besides, demographic details will be collected. It will help authorities quantify waste generation. “This will enable us to put a dynamic solid waste management system in place,” he said.
