LoU signed for Faecal Sludgeand Septage Management (FSM) and Plastic Waste Management(PWM)

Bhubaneswar : Housing and Urban Development (H&UD) the Panchayati Raj and Drinking Water (PR&DW), UNICEF and Centre for Policy Research (CPR) today signed a Letter of Understanding (LOU)for urban-rural convergence on Faecal Sludgeand Septage Management (FSM) and Plastic Waste Management(PWM).
The initiative aims to strengthen the efforts of both departments to ensure district-wide sanitation through urban-rural convergence for FSM and PWM services in seven districts in the first phase.
The initiative is being launched in Angul, Balasore, Dhenkanal, Ganjam, Khurda, Mayurbhanj and Sambalpur which will be scaled up to all districts in the State subsequently.
Minister PR&DW, H&UD, Pratap Jena said that the intervention is a step towards fulfilling Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik’s vision of building “Swachh Odisha and Sustha Odisha.
The Minister said that with this step, the rural population will also be able to avail of sanitation facilities located in the nearby urban areas.
The Gram Panchayats will now be tagged to Urban facilities like Faecal Sludge Treatment Plant (FSTPs) and Material Recovery Facilities (MRFs) for effective faecal sludge and plastic waste management.
The initiative will strengthen both Panchayatiraj Institutions (PRIs) and ULBs to ensure the prevention of river and groundwater pollution and environmental protection through a district-wide sanitation approach, the Minister said.
Terming the initiative as a unique feat, Chief Secretary S C Mohapatra said the convergence will help in providing better sanitation facilities to the rural population and result in optimum utilisation of urban infrastructures
The State Government has already operationalised 58 FSTPs and by March 2022, all the 114 ULBs will be covered with 118 functional plants, Mr Mahapatra.
Wealth Centres (WCs) have been established in each ULB comprising both Micro Compost Centres (MCCs) and Material Recovery Facilities (MRFs) for the management of Solid waste including Plastic waste. At present, 167 MRFs are functioning in the State through Mission Shakti SHGs, he added.

Principal Secretary, H&UD G. Mathi Vathanan, will further strengthen Odisha’sexemplary efforts in faecal sludge and plastic waste management.
This approach will greatly help in the promotion of public health by combating pollution of water bodies and land.
Principal Secretary, PR&DW A K Meena said the urban-rural convergence will not only help in achieving ODF sustainability but also in the effective management of faecal and plastic waste in the entire State.
Ms Yamini Aiyer, President, CPR and Ms Monika Nielsen, Chief Field Officer, UNICEF Odisha, said the partnership would strive to formalise urban-rural convergence on FSM and PWM besides aligning to the national (SwachhBharat Mission) and international agenda ( Sustainable Development Goal- 6) on improved sanitation for all and hoped that this model would emerge as a best practice for the entire country to learn and emulate.