ITANAGAR, Oct 3 - Tawang district in Arunachal Pradesh has been adjudged as the cleanest district in the North East on the basis of the reports of Swachh Survekshan Gramin (SSG)-2018.
The SSG-2018 was carried out by a third party independent agency engaged by Ministry of Drinking Water & Sanitation, Govt of India from August 1 to 31 last across the country in 698 districts.
The evaluation process was based on three parameters � direct observation of sanitation in public places (30 per cent), citizen feedback (35 per cent) and service level progress on sanitation as per Swachh Bharat Mission (Gramin), IMIS (35 per cent).
Union Drinking Water & Sanitation Minister Uma Bharti gave away the award to the State in a function on the occasion of Gandhi Jayanti at New Delhi on Tuesday. Mission Director, SBM (G), PHE & Water Supply department, SentumYomcha received the coveted award on behalf of Govt of Arunachal Pradesh.
The State had earlier achieved Open Defecation Free (ODF) status on December 31, 2017. The Swachh Survekshan Gramin (SSG)-2018 in the State was launched by Chief Minister Pema Khandu on July 25, 2018 followed by district level launch by respective Deputy Commissioners.
The State Govt had supported the objectives of SBM (G) in the State by funding exclusively for reconstruction of defunct & conversion of insanitary toilets to sanitary toilets. The State Govt earlier provided additional incentives of Rs 8,000 per individual household latrine (IHHL) which had boosted the rural masses to adopt IHHL at the enhanced cost of Rs 20,000 per IHHL.
During the current year, the State Govt has allocated Rs 30 crore in the budget for reconstruction of defunct toilets and to address the solid liquid waste in the rural administrative centres on pilot basis.
The fortnight-long Swachhata Hi Seva-2018 was launched on September 15 in the entire State and finally culminated on October 2.
�Deputy Commissioner, Tawang and the team of SBM (G) deserves special appreciation in making their district the first ODF district during September 2017 in the State and making it to the cleanest district a year after, in the entire NE region,� a happy Khandu said while extending his congratulations to the district. He called upon other districts to take cue from the achievement and commit to keep their districts clean and hygienic.
