Sikkim declared India’s first ODF Plus Model State

In a proud moment, Sikkim has become the first state in the country to be declared an ODF (Open Defecation Free) Plus Model State by the Ministry of Jal Shakti, Department of Drinking Water and Sanitation.

D Anandan, Secretary, Rural Development Department, Sikkim told Northeast Live that single pits or septic tanks are now being retro-fitted with an additional pit to have proper management of faecal waste. In twin pits, one of the pits is used at a time and another is used once the first pit gets full by blocking one side. After 6 months to 1 year, the faeces in the full soak pit get converted to manure.

Talking about solid waste management, he said that biodegradable waste like kitchen waste is being managed by using it as fodder, spreading it in fields, and composting at the household and community level in cluster or peri urban areas.

He informed that 893 household composite pits and 322 community compost pits have been constructed in Sikkim so far.

Stating the management of liquid waste, Anandan said that there are two types of liquid waste: grey water waste from the kitchen and faecal sludge waste. In order to maintain the gray water waste, 5898 soak pits were constructed by MGNREGA, and 289 community soak pits were constructed.

The construction of individual household latrine (IHHL), retrofitting of single pits and septic tanks, and desludging of old septic tanks mechanically have maintained the faecal sludge, he said.

He also said that the reason behind this achievement was the awareness workshops conducted at the district level in the past and also the cooperation of the people of Sikkim.

The Swachh Bharat Mission Phase I was started on October 2, 2014, by Prime Minister Narendra Modi to maintain the cleanliness of India and manage solid and liquid waste.

The aim of the SBM was to ensure a no-defecation state, and Sikkim was declared the first state to have declared an open-defecation-free state in 2016.

With the success of SBM Phase I, the central ministry called for SBM Phase II on March 4, 2020, aiming not only to sustain the ODF status of Phase I but also to manage solid and liquid waste, bring about visual cleanliness, and transform all SBM villages from ODF to ODF Plus.

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