News & Announcement
BAC Passingdang transforms Dzongu Block into a near 100% solid waste-free region under SBM-G
DZONGU, 10/09/2026: In a remarkable leap toward environmental sustainability and community-led governance, the Block Administrative Centre (BAC) Passingdang, Dzongu, Rural Development Department, Government of Sikkim, has successfully transformed Dzongu Block into a near 100% solid waste-free region under the Swachh Bharat Mission-Gramin (SBM-G).
While visual cleanliness initiatives have existed since the inception of SBM-G, the region historically faced severe operational hurdles, including a lack of dedicated collection mechanisms, segregation protocols, storage facilities, transportation logistics, and financial constraints. These systemic challenges left villages burdened with uncollected waste stretching from accessible roadsides to remote, rugged terrain, sheer cliffs and requiring up to five hours of grueling foot travel just to reach.
The turning point arrived with the establishment of the region's first-ever Plastic Waste Management Unit (PWMU) under the SBM-G on the premises of BAC Dzongu. Serving all 7 Gram Panchayat Units (GPUs) and over 1,900 households across the block, this vital facility has successfully cleaned every nook and corner of Dzongu, clearing approximately 95% of legacy waste accumulated over decades in local jhoras, dense forests, and treacherous landscapes.
Although the PWMU was principally designed to handle plastic waste, BAC Dzongu adopted a bold, comprehensive approach to tackle all forms of solid waste to fulfil the vision of a truly clean block. Through a massive collaborative effort involving the line departments such as RDD, Forest Department, Panchayati Raj institutions and GREF and enthusiastic community volunteers who offered both physical labor and financial support, mixed wastes collected from remote sources were brought to the PWMU for meticulous manual segregation into recyclables and non-treatables.
A substantial portion of the collected waste comprises textiles and old clothing, footwear, sanitary napkins, diapers, bio-medical waste, paints, electronic waste, cement bags, broken glass and bottles, and other non-treatable or difficult-to-treat wastes. Such waste constitutes a significant proportion of the total waste generated and, if left uncollected in the villages, would undermine the objectives of the Swachh Bharat Mission-Gramin. Consequently, due to the absence of a dedicated Material Recovery Facility (MRF) linked to the block, these segregated non-treatable wastes are transported to the designated landfill at Martam, Gangtok District.
Today marks a significant milestone as a large number of like-minded individuals voluntarily came forward to segregate the huge heap of waste collected over the last three months and dispatch the non-treatable waste to the landfills. This dedicated team included BDO Dzongu; the Panchayat President, Vice-President, members, and GPK functionaries of the Passingdang Saffo GPU; staff of the Forest Department, Dzongu (KNP & T) led by RO Tenzing Lepcha and Ongay Lepcha; BPM, SRLM, Dzongu; and staff of BAC.
Highlighting this monumental achievement, Block Development Officer Dr. Mahendra Tamang noted that handling decades of accumulated legacy waste was an exhaustive, extremely challenging, and unprecedented endeavour. Yet, it has successfully established a robust benchmark proving that sheer intention and pure hearts can conquer seemingly impossible odds. With the massive backlog cleared, incoming household waste is now proactively managed through strict, mandatory four-way segregation practices, active waste reduction habits, reuse protocols, restrictions on the use of Single-Use Plastics (SUP), and timely deposition at local collection sheds constructed by the Gram Panchayats. Alongside these efforts, Dzongu Block has achieved of becoming a 100% dumping-free and burning-free Block, with a strong commitment to preventing the dumping and burning of waste in jhoras, forests and cliff sides.
The landmark "Clean and Sacred Dzongu" mission was spearheaded by BAC Dzongu and its 7 GPUs under the visionary leadership and guidance of the Honourable Area MLA cum Minister, Shri Pintso Namgyal Lepcha. The administration extends its profound gratitude to all line departments, community members, and stakeholders whose dedication, voluntary participation, and deep sense of individual responsibility have turned a daunting ecological challenge into a historic success.
This model initiative stands as a glowing testament to the fact that community-driven action and administrative resolve can successfully preserve the pristine ecology of Sikkim's sacred landscapes, leaving a lasting inspiration that nothing is truly impossible when undertaken as a genuine act of community service.
While visual cleanliness initiatives have existed since the inception of SBM-G, the region historically faced severe operational hurdles, including a lack of dedicated collection mechanisms, segregation protocols, storage facilities, transportation logistics, and financial constraints. These systemic challenges left villages burdened with uncollected waste stretching from accessible roadsides to remote, rugged terrain, sheer cliffs and requiring up to five hours of grueling foot travel just to reach.
The turning point arrived with the establishment of the region's first-ever Plastic Waste Management Unit (PWMU) under the SBM-G on the premises of BAC Dzongu. Serving all 7 Gram Panchayat Units (GPUs) and over 1,900 households across the block, this vital facility has successfully cleaned every nook and corner of Dzongu, clearing approximately 95% of legacy waste accumulated over decades in local jhoras, dense forests, and treacherous landscapes.
Although the PWMU was principally designed to handle plastic waste, BAC Dzongu adopted a bold, comprehensive approach to tackle all forms of solid waste to fulfil the vision of a truly clean block. Through a massive collaborative effort involving the line departments such as RDD, Forest Department, Panchayati Raj institutions and GREF and enthusiastic community volunteers who offered both physical labor and financial support, mixed wastes collected from remote sources were brought to the PWMU for meticulous manual segregation into recyclables and non-treatables.
A substantial portion of the collected waste comprises textiles and old clothing, footwear, sanitary napkins, diapers, bio-medical waste, paints, electronic waste, cement bags, broken glass and bottles, and other non-treatable or difficult-to-treat wastes. Such waste constitutes a significant proportion of the total waste generated and, if left uncollected in the villages, would undermine the objectives of the Swachh Bharat Mission-Gramin. Consequently, due to the absence of a dedicated Material Recovery Facility (MRF) linked to the block, these segregated non-treatable wastes are transported to the designated landfill at Martam, Gangtok District.
Today marks a significant milestone as a large number of like-minded individuals voluntarily came forward to segregate the huge heap of waste collected over the last three months and dispatch the non-treatable waste to the landfills. This dedicated team included BDO Dzongu; the Panchayat President, Vice-President, members, and GPK functionaries of the Passingdang Saffo GPU; staff of the Forest Department, Dzongu (KNP & T) led by RO Tenzing Lepcha and Ongay Lepcha; BPM, SRLM, Dzongu; and staff of BAC.
Highlighting this monumental achievement, Block Development Officer Dr. Mahendra Tamang noted that handling decades of accumulated legacy waste was an exhaustive, extremely challenging, and unprecedented endeavour. Yet, it has successfully established a robust benchmark proving that sheer intention and pure hearts can conquer seemingly impossible odds. With the massive backlog cleared, incoming household waste is now proactively managed through strict, mandatory four-way segregation practices, active waste reduction habits, reuse protocols, restrictions on the use of Single-Use Plastics (SUP), and timely deposition at local collection sheds constructed by the Gram Panchayats. Alongside these efforts, Dzongu Block has achieved of becoming a 100% dumping-free and burning-free Block, with a strong commitment to preventing the dumping and burning of waste in jhoras, forests and cliff sides.
The landmark "Clean and Sacred Dzongu" mission was spearheaded by BAC Dzongu and its 7 GPUs under the visionary leadership and guidance of the Honourable Area MLA cum Minister, Shri Pintso Namgyal Lepcha. The administration extends its profound gratitude to all line departments, community members, and stakeholders whose dedication, voluntary participation, and deep sense of individual responsibility have turned a daunting ecological challenge into a historic success.
This model initiative stands as a glowing testament to the fact that community-driven action and administrative resolve can successfully preserve the pristine ecology of Sikkim's sacred landscapes, leaving a lasting inspiration that nothing is truly impossible when undertaken as a genuine act of community service.
