PERAMBALUR: Lack of proper implementation can render even schemes conceived with the best of intentions worthless. A case is point is the 45-day 'Namma ooru superu' launched by District Rural Development Agency (DRDA) from August 15 at 121 panchayats in Perambalur district. Residents and activists alleged that the cleanliness scheme has been nothing more than an eye-wash. This, residents said, has also failed to deliver like the solid waste management programme.
According to sources, the campaign till October 2 was launched by DRDA, to keep the villages clean and also create awareness of waste management among villagers. Ensuring cleanliness at all government offices and public places, preventing use of banned plastics, sealing shops selling plastics, creating awareness among school and college students, making villages green and ensuring pure drinking water were objectives of the programme. The scheme was to be implemented by school education, higher education, family welfare, tourism, forest and food safety departments.
Villagers alleged that not much has been done to create awareness of harmful plastics or waste segregation or keeping the village clean in most of the panchayats like Sithali, Sengunam, Perali, Keezhapuliyur, Nochiyam, Ranjankudi, Puduvettakudi, Kurumbapalayam, Maruvathur, V Kalathur and Keezha Perambalur.
Speaking to TNIE, R Keerthi, an activist from Perambalur said, "Banned plastic bags are still used in several panchayats and no one monitors them. Garbage is being dumped in public places and there is no awareness of source segregation, be it among students or others. In most panchayats, drinking water tanks are not properly cleaned twice a month. This project lacks planning and sincere implementation. Sanitation workers and residents alone cannot be blamed for poor waste management. Workers are struggling due to lack of proper equipment. The authorities should begin creating awareness among public by putting up posters, banners and distributing handbills. People in some villages do not even know about such a scheme."
M Mohammed Farook, a resident of V Kalathur said, "Sufficient funds should have been given to panchayats to implement the project, which, we believe, has not been done. Our panchayat is one example. Garbage is being dumped in waterbodies and drainage canals, and sometimes set afire. No action has been taken so far to prevent all this."
When contacted, district coordinator of Swachh Bharat Raja Boopathy said, "Mass cleaning has been done at government offices and buildings. We created awareness among public about source segregation and single use plastic through self-help groups. We have also planted saplings under MGNREGS."