Shillong, Aug 13 (IANS) Under the Swachh Bharat Mission-Grameen (SBM-G), Meghalaya, four village heads and their spouses would participate in the Independence Day Ceremony at the historic Red Fort in Delhi, as Special Guests on August 15, officials said on Wednesday.

According to officials, the village heads have been chosen for their exemplary efforts in promoting cleanliness, sanitation, and sustainable water and waste management, particularly in leading their villages to achieve ODF (Open Defecation Free) plus status under SBM-G, and in implementing the Jal Jeevan Mission (JJM) to provide safe drinking water to every household.

Representing East Khasi Hills, Leverius Dkhar, Chairman of the Village Water and Sanitation Committee from Laitmynsaw, Mylliem Block, East Khasi Hills district said: “The JJM has greatly improved our water supply as we now receive water every morning and evening. As VWSC, we ensure water reaches every household, pipelines function smoothly, and taps have no blockages.”

Dkhar, who earlier visited Delhi in 2022 for the JJM project, added, “This recognition is the result of hard work by our community, the PHE Department, and the government. I feel proud, and the experience will help us work better and harder in the future.”

Laitmynsaw has also received Mylliem Block’s cleanliness award under SBM-G. From Lumshken, Khliehriat Block, East Jaintia Hills, Krin Dkhar expressed his gratitude and excitement for being selected as Special Guests in the Independence Day Ceremony at the national capital.

“This is my first time going to Delhi, and I am thankful to the department for this opportunity. Earlier, we had to fetch water from the nearby forest, but after the JJM scheme, every household has a water connection. The children no longer carry water from the jungle, and we now have clean water from natural forest sources for daily use,” Krin Dkhar shared.

He added that the success of the project was due to the close cooperation between the local headman and the community. Cacino Marak, village head of Aminda Rangsagre village, West Garo Hills, is also representing the state as a Special Guest in the Independence Day Ceremony.

“We ensured toilets for every household, improved community toilets, worked on JJM, and set up a plastic waste management unit,” she shared.

Meanwhile, Open Defecation Free (ODF) Plus Model Village status, introduced in 2019 under SBM-G, goes beyond basic ODF achievement by requiring sustained sanitation measures along with solid and liquid waste management.

It demands 100 per cent coverage, periodic audits, and certification, promoting composting, greywater recycling, and clean community spaces.

Aminda Rangsagre earned its ODF Plus Model Village recognition in 2022, one of only five villages in the Garo Hills to achieve the milestone.

The village implemented biogas plants, composting units, and community cleanliness drives, supported by active local committees. These efforts reduced disease incidence, improved tourism potential, and integrated waste into craft-based livelihoods, officials said.

–IANS

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