Wednesday, 08 June 2022 | PNS | Dehradun
Urban Development minister Prem Chand Agrawal held a video conference to review the status of various schemes of the department on Tuesday. Seeking information about various aspects of sanitation and drinking water in the 27 cities on the Char Dham Yatra route, 15 towns on the banks of the Ganga river and all urban local bodies he also issued necessary directions on these aspects.
Regarding the garbage heaps at Kedarnath mentioned by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in his Mann Ki Baat programme, the minister sought information from the executive officer (EO) concerned on this issue. Directing the officer to ensure proper cleanliness around Kedarnath, Agrawal directed him to make a video and send it to senior officials. Seeking information about sanitation from the EOs of Badrinath, Gangotri and Yamunotri, the minister found the situation satisfactory. The minister appreciated the Chamoli municipality EO for stopping use of polythene and cleaning of drains in view of the impending monsoon. Similarly, the minister talked to the officials concerned regarding the sanitation and toilet facilities in Rudraprayag, Pauri, Badkot, Srinagar, Roorkee, Haridwar, Rishikesh, Dehradun, Landhaura, Manglaur, Imlikheda, Selaqui, Mussoorie, Vikasnagar, Jhabreda, Herbertpur and Doiwala along with other local bodies. He also expressed dissatisfaction at sanitation not being facilitated during the night in the Piran Kaliyar municipality area. He directed all the local bodies to ensure proper sanitation especially near religious sites. Cleaning should be undertaken in three shifts in all the places. The task of lifting garbage should be undertaken at night so that the city is found clean the next day. On a stern note, the minister said that the officials concerned of the local body will be responsible in case of the spread of disease like dengue despite spraying. He further stressed that the cleaning of drains should be completed before the onset of the monsoon. Stating that June is the appropriate for destroying mosquito larvae for prevention of dengue, he directed that teams be sent from home to home for destroying the mosquito larvae. For events like marriages and birthday parties after which the local body has to clean up, a minimum charge should also be taken in order to increase the revenue, added the minister. Additional chief secretary Anand Bardhan, secretary in-charge Vinod Kumar Suman, director Lalit Mohan Rayal and officials concerned of the local bodies were among those who attended the meeting.
