Odd-even day restrictions a result of unsustainable urban practices, says Shri M.Venkaiah Naidu
Odd-even day
restrictions a result of unsustainable urban practices, says Shri M.Venkaiah
Naidu
Government has
confidence in urban bodies and States and gave them freedom of urban planning,
says Minister
Shri Naidu asks
why only a set of States in the forefront of sanitation campaign ; asks Mayors
to work with people
Ms.Sunita
Narain says Swachh Bharat Mission is a good initiative with holistic approach
to sanitation
“Imposition of ‘Odd-even day’ restrictions on vehicles in Delhi is a
consequence of unsustainable urban development practices followed over the
years and all stakeholders need to draw lessons from it” said Minister of Urban
Development Shri M.Venkaiah Naidu here today. He was addressing Mayors,
Chairpersons, Municipal Commissioners and officials from 62 cities and towns
from 22 States at the National Workshop on Sanitation organized by the Ministry
of Urban Development. The two day workshop will discuss strategies and
technologies for making cities Open Defecation Free besides ensuring safe
treatment and disposal of fecal matter, largely being released into environment
untreated.
Shri Venkaiah Naidu noted that haphazard urban expansion over the years led to
distortions like lack of equity in access to urban spaces, severe
infrastructure deficit, poor quality of life and unsustainable urban
development. He said that these deficiencies are being addressed to under new
schemes launched by the Government.
Asserting that unclean environment and open defecation impinge on basic human
rights, Shri Naidu urged the elected chiefs of urban local bodies to work with
people for behavioral changes and increased use of toilets. He said “Mayors and
Municipal Chairpersons should not think of next election. They should aim at
being remembered for the good work done by them. People are rational and are
willing to be led in right direction and they don’t mind paying for assured
quality services”.
Welcoming the initiative of 18 States who came forward to make 400 cities Open
Defecation Free by the end of 2016, Shri Naidu asked why only a set of States
are in the forefront in this regard. He noted that 9 of these States accounted
for 71% of the 400 cities while with Andhra Pradesh and Punjab they accounted
for 88.50% of the identified cities to be make ODF. He noted that Gujarat has
volunteered to make 79 cities ODF followed by Madhya Pradesh (68), Maharashtra
(60), Rajasthan (33), Chattisgarh (32), Haryana(7) and Jharkhand (4). In Andhra
Pradesh, 66 cities will be made ODF and 5 in Punjab.
In Telangana, 14 cities and towns have been identified for making ODF followed
by 8 in West Bengal, 7 each in Bihar and Tamil Nadu, 3 each in Uttar Pradesh
and Uttarakhand, 2 in Puducherry besides Shimla and New Delhi Municipal
Council.
Shri Naidu said development and nation building shall be the common goal and
there is no place for politics when it comes to development.
Shri Naidu said that in line with the spirit of Team India approach for nation
building suggested by Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi, the Ministry of Urban
Development has given full freedom to urban local bodies and States in
formulation, appraisal and approval of projects unlike in the past when every
project was appraised and approved in Delhi. Subjectivity and discretion in
allocation of funds to States has been replaced by objective criteria, he said.
Shri Rajiv Gauba, Secretary (Urban Development) said: “In
countries poorer than India, open defecation is not seen at the scale as in
India. This raises the question as to whether the problem is more economical or
with the mindsets. Locally appropriate solutions need to be adopted to address
the problem. Urban development approaches in the past were fragmented while
they are more integrated under new schemes launched by the Government since
last year”.
Ms.Sunita Narain, Director of Delhi based Centre for Science and
Environment(CSE) speaking on urban sanitation scenario said that Swachh Bharat
Mission launched by the Government is a welcome initiative as it is based on a
holistic approach to sanitation. She said that seeking to address the issue of
treatment of liquid and solid waste is a positive feature of this mission. She
expressed concern that about 80% of water leaves homes as sewage. Ms. Narain
stressed on the need to address the issue of sanitation by addressing the
‘Water-Toilet-Waste-Pollution nexus’.
Referring to a survey conducted in 71 cities, Ms.Narain expressed concern that
there were no proper answers to the questions of ‘Where does water come from
and where does the sewage go?’ and stressed that these were the issues to be
addressed.
AAR
April 7,2016
***********
Shri
Venkaiah Naidu receives cross country walker Shri Balwant Singh Grewal in Delhi
80 year old Grewal walks from Kanyakumari to Delhi in support of the blind
80 year old Grewal walks from Kanyakumari to Delhi in support of the blind
Minister
of Urban Development Shri M.Venkaiah Naidu today received the 80 year old Shri
Balwant Singh Grewal (Bobby) at the India Gate in the national capital on the
conclusion of the latter’s walk from Kanyakumari in Tamil Nadu to Delhi in
support of the blind. The Minister felicitated Shri Grewal on his marathon
accomplishment.
Shri Naidu said that to undertake such a mission in support of a noble cause is inspiring and commendable and would inspire many to come forward for ‘eye donation’ for the benefit of visually impaired. He said that the Government has been taking several measures for the benefit of differently abled to make them realise their inherent potential.
Shri Grewal, an NRI heading India Association started the 3,000 km walk on October 26 last year to create awareness about corneal blindness and raise funds for an organization ‘Saksham’ working for the cause of the blind and for Prime Minister’s National Relief Fund for assisting visually imapaired.
Speaking on the occasion, Shri Grewal said his walk has generated substantial awareness about blindness and at a Gurudwara in Nagpur, about 200 women came forward to donate their eyes.
Shri Naidu said that to undertake such a mission in support of a noble cause is inspiring and commendable and would inspire many to come forward for ‘eye donation’ for the benefit of visually impaired. He said that the Government has been taking several measures for the benefit of differently abled to make them realise their inherent potential.
Shri Grewal, an NRI heading India Association started the 3,000 km walk on October 26 last year to create awareness about corneal blindness and raise funds for an organization ‘Saksham’ working for the cause of the blind and for Prime Minister’s National Relief Fund for assisting visually imapaired.
Speaking on the occasion, Shri Grewal said his walk has generated substantial awareness about blindness and at a Gurudwara in Nagpur, about 200 women came forward to donate their eyes.
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