Meghalaya’s Clean Village Champions Invited as Special Guests for Independence Day

Shillong: Four village heads from Meghalaya, celebrated for transforming their communities through improved sanitation, water access, and waste management, will be honoured as Special Guests at the Independence Day celebrations at the Red Fort in New Delhi on August 15. They will attend the ceremony with their spouses.

The Ministry of Jal Shakti selected them for their leadership under the Swachh Bharat Mission-Grameen (SBM-G) and Jal Jeevan Mission (JJM), which enabled their villages to attain Open Defecation Free (ODF) Plus status and universal access to safe drinking water. Their work has included setting up sustainable waste disposal systems, promoting hygiene, and mobilising communities to maintain clean public spaces.

From East Khasi Hills, Leverius Dkhar, Chairman of the Village Water and Sanitation Committee in Laitmynsaw, said JJM has changed daily life. “We now get water every morning and evening, and ensure pipelines function smoothly with no blockages,” he said. Laitmynsaw has also earned the Mylliem Block cleanliness award under SBM-G.

In East Jaintia Hills, Lumshken village head Krin Dkhar recalled how residents once fetched water from the forest. “Today, every home has a tap connection. Children no longer carry water from the jungle,” he said, calling the Delhi trip his first and a proud moment for his village.

Representing West Garo Hills, Cacino Marak of Aminda Rangsagre village highlighted efforts that earned ODF Plus Model status in 2022 — building household and community toilets, implementing JJM, and launching a plastic waste management unit.

Introduced in 2019, ODF Plus Model status requires sustained sanitation practices, solid and liquid waste management, and initiatives like composting, greywater recycling, and clean community areas. In Aminda Rangsagre, these measures, along with biogas plants and cleanliness drives, have reduced disease, supported tourism, and generated livelihoods from recycled materials.

Officials said the recognition of these leaders reflects Meghalaya’s growing reputation for community-led rural development and serves as an inspiration for villages nationwide.