The Swach Bharat Mission initiative to install dustbins across the rural pockets of Jammu Kashmir has yet again exposed the adminstrative failure to reap the benefits of scheme. Across the places, the plethora of litter around the installed dustbins and dozens of stray dogs guarding the spots is playing a real danger to the lives of people.
The only thing under the scheme so far has been done was procurement of dustbins and installing them at designated locations under the select blocks. This involves a huge money and it is believed the procurement was prioritized following the nexus between the contractors and officials.
The ground situation even backs the claims as why sustainable measures are missing to ensure the success of scheme. Nowhere the dustbins are emptied by the concerned departments and it has not only began to impact the health of people but poses severe triggers for the outbreak of cholera, Dengue and other diseases.
At the same time it is potentially causing environment issues to the water bodies and blocking roadside drainage system. Swach Bharat Abhiyan is a massive and impressive scheme for rural sanitation but in Jammu Kashmir it lacks will and proper coordination among the officials and concerned departments. Rural department which is its implementing agency needs to be answerable to the public.
It can’t afford to take huge exchequer on one side and at the same time exonerate it’s responsibility for its successful implementation. This has also exposed the claims of Union Government which keeps claiming that post Article 370 abrogation things have changed for good . But it seems still a distant dream and GoI must hold the local officials responsible for this disaster.
