In Shimla, govt claims versus reality

Bhanu P Lohumi in Shimla

If you ever pass by the Secretariat in the state capital, its impressive construction will catch your attention. It is the premier office of the Himachal Pradesh Government in which policies and programmes are framed, approved and finally issued for implementation. 

However, heaps of garbage at many places, including Flowerdale, near the Secretariat will also tell a different story of failure of a state which was the first to be declared open defecation free (ODF) in the country in 2016 and also the pioneer in implementing the ban on polythene in 2003. 

Declared the 14th cleanest city in 2014, Shimla dropped to 27th rank in 2016 and further slid to 47th position in the Swachch Bharat Survey 2017 of 434 cities. Kullu was ranked 259. Most towns in Himachal fell way short of the criteria of open defecation free, solid waste management, education and capacity building (45 per cent), field inspection (25 per cent) and citizens’ feedback (35 per cent). 

“Of 4,500 applicants for individual household toilet, funds were allotted to about 2,000 after verification (Rs 5,300 per toilet). None applied for community toilets as availability of land and maintenance acted as deterrent. Seven applications were received for public toilets (Rs 9,600 per toilet),” says BS Thakur, Project Officer (Urban Development). 

With regard to solid waste management, the door-to-door collection of garbage and its segregation have been made compulsory and sensor-based dustbins have been introduced in Dharamshala and Sundernagar, he adds.

“As many as 1,000 state-of the-art sanitary complexes have been constructed at a cost of Rs 2 lakh per complex. In 1,100 villages, kitchen water is being separated. Vermicompost plants are being set up as 80 per cent of the rural waste is bio-degradable, says Bhupinder Attri, Joint Director (Rural Development)

Rag-pickers are being roped in by panchayats for the collection of 10 per cent of the recycled waste and 1,400 plants have been approved for the solid waste management for villages on city outskirts. We are in the process of signing a memorandum with the municipal bodies for the treatment of garbage, he says, adding the construction of separate toilets for boys and girls in all government schools and colleges has been a success with almost cent per cent coverage. 

Though it all sounds good on record, the ground reality speaks otherwise. Officials admit, though not openly, that there are gaps, hampering the success in the ‘Clean India’ mission.