Dhami flags off 15 waste management vehicles in Khatima, including seven EVs from Nestle India

The electric waste collection vehicles have been provided under CSR support for seven areas in Udham Singh Nagar.

Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami on Friday flagged off 15 vehicles for solid and liquid waste management in Khatima, including seven electric waste collection vehicles provided by Nestle India under its corporate social responsibility (CSR) initiative.

Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami flags off vehicles for solid and liquid waste management in Khatima.

The seven electric vehicles have been allocated to Dharampur, Chhatarpur, Bindukhera (Fauji Matkota), Kiratpur, Bagwala, Danpur and Nagla Tarai, with one vehicle designated for each area. Britannia also provided health and nutrition-related materials on the occasion.

The initiative comes as the state government seeks to strengthen waste collection and disposal systems in rural and urban areas and increase the involvement of private companies in local environmental and sanitation efforts.

Focus on waste collection and local participation

Dhami said the state government was working to strengthen sanitation systems in both rural and urban areas while also focusing on environmental protection. He said modern resources, public participation and support from the corporate sector could contribute to more effective management of solid and liquid waste.

The chief minister also highlighted the self-sustaining model being developed at the gram panchayat level. He said the approach could help make sanitation systems more effective and improve the organisation of waste collection and disposal across the state.

Chief Development Officer Divesh Sasni said an action plan for solid and liquid waste management had been prepared for all 373 gram panchayats in Udham Singh Nagar district through 71 clusters.

According to Sasni, memoranda of understanding have also been signed with urban local bodies for regular collection and disposal of waste in rural areas adjoining municipal limits and at major local markets.

District has 231-vehicle waste management fleet

The district has prepared a fleet of 231 vehicles for waste management, according to the district administration. The fleet includes 134 e-rickshaws and 75 tractor-trolleys made available under the Swachh Bharat Mission (Gramin), along with vehicles provided through CSR initiatives and other schemes. Compactors are also being operated by the district panchayat in different development blocks as part of the waste management system.

The latest addition of seven electric collection vehicles through CSR support is expected to add to the collection capacity in the seven identified areas.