Focus on 100% source segregation, waste processing: Housing Affairs Min

Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs Secretary Durga Shanker Mishra asked the states on Thursday to focus on 100-per-cent source segregation and waste processing, according to a statement.

Mishra reviewed the progress of the Centre's schemes -- Swachh Bharat Mission (Urban), Atal Mission for Rejuvenation and Urban Transformation (AMRUT), Smart City Mission and Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (Urban) -- in Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand.

During an interaction with officials of the two states, the secretary emphasised that100-per-cent source segregation and waste processing should be the focus and home composting encouraged by the states, the statement stated.

He said sustainable models like the construction and demolition (C&D) waste should be installed.

"During the review, Himachal Pradesh was requested to ensure 100 per cent progress with regard to construction of toilets in all the ULBs (urban local bodies)," it said. "The state was also requested to make further efforts to ensure that all the ULBs are certified as ODF++," it stated.

In Himachal Pradesh, 13,003 new household water tap connections will be provided by March 2021 under the AMRUT, a move that is aimed at ensuring the universal coverage of water supply, according to the statement.

About Uttarakhand, the ministry said out of 56,347 new household water tap connections proposed to be provided through the AMRUT and convergence, 36,554 connections had already been provided by the state.

Out of identified 82,337 streetlights in seven cities,72,167 have been replaced with energy-efficient LED lights, it said, adding that credit rating had been completed in seven cities, out of which one had investible grade rating.