Swachh Bharat in reserve forests, tourist spots

Cleaning of 10 reserve forests and tourist spots to be taken up under Swachh Bharat Mission
The Centre plans to launch cleaning efforts in 10 reserve forests and 10 tourist spots across the country under the Swachh Bharat mission. Karnataka's Nagarhole National Park, Uttarakhand's Corbett National Park, Tadoba Andhari Tiger Reserve and the Flamingo Sanctuary in Maharashtra are among the chosen 10 reserves. Tirupati in Andhra Pradesh, Punjab's Golden Temple and Ajmer Sharif in Rajasthan are among the chosen tourist spots. The use of dustbins and plastic bags are expected to be disallowed in the selected sanctuaries. The programme may be extended to other tourist spots after successful completion of these pilot initiatives.

Public toilet complexes along Maharashtra highways
Nearly 400 public toilets are expected to come up along main roads and highways in Maharashtra, giving major fillip to the state's sanitation infrastructure. Rs 50 crore has been set aside by the Public Works Department for the project. These Jansuvidha Kendras are expected to be located at a distance of 100 kms from each other and will house canteens and telephone booths, in addition to toilets. 

Surat to be equipped with underground garbage bins
The Surat municipal corporation plans to transform the cityscape by replacing overflowing garbage bins with sleek underground bins within two years. Rs 20 crore is expected to be spent over the next two years to convert close to 1,150 dumpsters into smart underground bins. A pilot project to convert 50 dumpsters is currently underway under the Smart Cities mission. The city, fraught with garbage disposal issues, produces nearly 1,650 metric tonnes of solid waste in a day.

Solid waste from Ghazipur landfill to be used in building Delhi-Meerut Expressway
In a bid to curb pollution, the National Highways Authority of India plans to use solid waste from Delhi's Ghazipur landfill for constructing the Delhi-Meerut Expressway. The initiative is expected to substantially reduce the need for natural earth required for road construction and puts rotting waste to productive use. Dried municipal waste will be passed through different-sized sieves and used accordingly in the construction of roads and embankments.

Wardwise survey of household and public toilets commences in Bengaluru
One of the main reasons Bengaluru was placed 38th in the Swachh Bharat rankings was the lack of toilet facilities--both public and private. Looking to improve its cleanliness ratings, the city's corporation has initiated a ward-wise survey of toilets in both residences and public places which is expected to go on for a month. The survey is expected to provide much needed data on toilets which will help officials tailor programmes accordingly. A survey conducted by the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike in January revealed that over 37,000 families residing in city slums had no individual household latrines.

Lead image courtesy: Deccan Chronicle
This is a roundup of important sanitation related news published between June 18 and 24, 2016