In order to orient the Panchayats who have assumed office since November 2022 on the various Centrally Sponsored Schemes as well as Mission Mode Programmes of the state Government under implementation by various departments in the district, a day-long program was held at Dentam BAC, organized by the District Administration in coordination with RDD for all Zilla and Gram Panchayat members of Dentam Block.
The program, chaired by District Collector Gyalshing, had the participation of ADC/Dev, SDM (Dentam), Addl. Director(AH&VS), JD Horticulture, JD(Education), BDO(Dentam), DPO(Disaster Management), MEO(Gyalshing Nagar Panchayat), ADO Agriculture, DPM(Health), and NGOs of Dentam Block.
This program will also be conducted by district Heads of Offices in the remaining four blocks through a calendar drawn for the next three weeks.
The primary objective of the orientation program was to make the elected PRIs aware of all ongoing schemes, projects, and programs of the government which could be further passed on to the public during Gram Sabhas and otherwise, and altogether equip the stakeholders to participate in the planning process proactively.
The officers representing various departments made detailed presentations and briefed the PRIs on sector-wise schemes. DC Gyalshing, through a PowerPoint presentation, oriented them on Zero Waste and Swachh Bharat Mission, which is a priority flagship program of the Centre as well as the state. She informed that for hill states like Sikkim, which have challenging topography and are landlocked, decentralised waste management systems are the only workable option, with due emphasis required on source segregation, waste reduction through the 5 Rs, and giving up the NIMBY (Not In My Backyard) syndrome.
She further said that BACs must all have an RRC (Resource Recovery Centre), and everybody’s waste eventually getting dumped at Shipchu is not a sustainable practice. She requested the PRIs to give utmost priority to sanitation and waste management since they are the requisites of a civilised society.
Earlier in the day, the DC along with Panchayats took part in the Kalash Yatra dedicated to ‘Shreemadh Devi Bhagwad Mahapuran Gyan Mahayagya’ and offered prayers at Maa Jalapa Devi Mandir. She also inspected the preparation and management of the nine-day-long Mahapuran.
Thereafter, the team paid a visit to Aashirwad Children’s Home for Girls at Begha and inspected the maintenance and management of the institute. She personally checked the sanitation & hygiene facilities, water supply, Kitchen and Dining spaces, playrooms, and dormitories and directed the in-charge to resolve the basic issues immediately. She also had a brief interaction with the children and enquired about their nourishments. DC directed the DCPO to visit the institute on a frequent basis and submit the inspection report.
The DC, accompanied by DPO, Disaster Management, also visited Gyaten Karmatar GPU below Jhakridunga with the concerned Panchayats for identifying sites to set up footbridges as per demands received from the public.
Inputs: IPR
