The Shipping Ministry has taken initiatives for sustainable, environment friendly, long-term development of ports during the ‘Swachhta Pakhwada’ scheme.
For the first time ever, the 12 Major Ports under the Ministry of Shipping have been ranked on sanitation parameters, based on the efforts undertaken by them to counter waste-generating sources with respect to port operation, office area, township area and the response to incoming ships. The assessment methodology included official interviews, direct observations by the designated team from Quality Council of India and stakeholder’s interaction. The exercise was undertaken during the ‘Swachhta Pakhwada’ observed from 16-31 March, 2017. Quality Council of India (QCI) was tasked to assess the Swachhata activities undertaken by all the ports. While Haldia and Vizag ports bagged the first and second ranks respectively, almost all ports have achieved the benchmark for cleanliness or are well above it.
The ‘Swachhta Pakhwada’ was a major sanitation and cleanliness campaign launched by the Minister of Shipping, Nitin Gadakari, on 16th March, at the Shipping House in Mumbai, and observed by all the 12 major ports, five PSEs and seven attached organisations of the Ministry of Shipping. This was a culmination of one year of activities undertaken to promote the vision ‘Swachh Bharat Abhiyan’ launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on 2nd October 2014.
‘Swachhta Pakhwada’ not only emphasised cleanliness and sanitation, but also brought the focus on the setting up of ‘Green Ports’ for sustainable, environment friendly, long term development of ports.
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