DW BUREAU / Chandigarh

Haryana Chief Secretary TVSN Prasad has said that the State Government has decided to implement Swachhata Green Leaf Rating System in the State on a voluntary basis to sensitize the hospitality facilities to follow practices promoting "Safely Managed Sanitation" and encourage them to adopt a star-rating system.

Prasad disclosed this after presiding over the first meeting on Swachhata Green Leaf Rating in Hospitality facilities, here today.

He said that the system would help the operators of the hospitality facilities develop adequate infrastructure, adopt good practices and support awareness generation on sanitation and cleanliness as part of responsible tourism. Swachhata Green Leaf Rating System has been designed to ensure the attainment of Open Defecation Free (ODF) Plus status in rural and urban areas while simultaneously building a positive image and branding for hospitality entities as promoters of sanitation and hygiene. The target group includes all categories of public and private tourist facilities such as Hotels, home stays, dharamshalas, lodges, camps including portable toilet facilities or trekking groups. He said that a Task Force would be constituted for the creation of way side amenities and way side waste disposal to ensure cleanliness and hygiene in public and private tourist facilities for the public especially tourists.

He stated that a campaign should be launched in the mission mode for the cleanliness of public toilets in Dhabas and Petrol pumps located on the Highways and added that one Dhaba and one Petrol pump in each district should be taken on pilot basis for this purpose.

He emphasized that the youth should be imparted training as Swachhata Green Leaf worker through Sh Vishwakarma Skill University. He further said that a workshop of all stakeholders would be organized soon to sensitize them on the concept and process and also to take feedback from them.
(editor@dailyworld.in)