The Department of Drinking Water & Sanitation successfully concluded one-day workshop on Solid and Liquid Waste Management, jointly organized by PWD(DWS) and Urban Development Dept, on 1st June, 2024 at Agartala. The conference was a resounding success, bringing together all the key stake holders including the 8 District Magistrates, 20 CEOs/Eos of different ULBs and 58 BDOs from across the state.

  In addition, renowned sanitation sector experts from various fields of waste management addressed the Workshop on critical issues of waste management and sanitation.

The event was graced by The Chief Secretary of Tripura Jitendra Kumar Sinha, as the Chief Guest, who highlighted the state's commitment to achieving the goals of the Swachh Bharat Mission. He further emphasized the importance of collective efforts in maintaining cleanliness and sanitation. The Chief Secretary's address set the tone for the day long discussions, underscoring the need for innovative solutions and community participation.

 Jitendra Srivastava, MDSBM-G and Joint Secretary, DDWS, MoJS, Government of India, participated in the Workshop, gave insights, and provided valuable context and guidance for state-level sanitation initiatives.

Brijesh Pandey, Secretary PWD (DWS Sanitation part) while addressing the Workshop emphasized on adoption of New Technologies and Methods in dealing with challenges in Sanitation coverage and rural waste management. He further stated that if we want Developed Tripura by 2047,we require to change our thinking to at par with developed societies.

 Abhishek Singh, Secretary, PWD(DWS) talked about rural urban convergence and listed achievements of the UD Department in managing urban waste. State’s brand ambassador for Swachh Bharat Mission,Padma Ms Dipa Karmakar while gracing the occasion, stated her commitment to the cause of sanitation and cleanliness in the state.

During the workshop, “Clean Office Green Office Campaign”, has been launched with the objective to transform Government offices into clean, green spaces that prioritize the well-being of employees, enhance citizen experience and set a positive example for the community. The campaign intends all government offices to participate on a self-evaluation criterion based on- take responsibility to keep your office desk and office chamber clean, transition from physical files to e-files, toilet usability and maintenance and  litter free environment and visually clean office premises.

The conference featured three insightful panel discussions namely on the topic of-1. Solid Waste Management; 2. Liquid Waste Management; 3.Health, Sanitation, and IEC highlighting the need of concerted effort required to achieve behavioural change among the communities.

The thought-provoking inputs and strategies suggested by expert speakers such as Mr. JVR Murty (IEC expert on sanitation), Mrs. Sandhya Haribal (Liquid Management expert at CDD India),gave some insightful perspective to all the participants.

The workshop also included interactive sessions and Q&A segments, allowing participants to engage directly with the panelists and share their experiences and challenges. The discussions were both enlightening and practical, offering actionable insights for improving waste management and sanitation practices.

The conference concluded with a collective resolve to continue working towards a Swachh and Swasth Tripura.

The departments look forward to the implementation of the ideas and strategies discussed, and we are confident that the collaborative efforts of all stakeholders will lead to significant improvements in sanitation and waste management in our state.