Press Release

Dogra Degree College was consigned under Unnat Bharat Abhiyaan (UBA), to carry out a household survey on GHG emission and solid-liquid waste in its adopted Villages Palli and Tondah. Mr Balwant Singh, UBA coordinator, Dogra Degree College, under IIT Jammu was given the responsibility to conduct this survey. A team of 25 students from the college were chosen for the same. The survey team of DDC was given full support by the Village Sarpanch, Mr. Randhir Sharma who shared the information of the total houses to be surveyed and deputed an assistant for carrying out the task smoothly. The IIT Jammu UBA team supervised and gave backhand support by coordinating with the government officials involved in the preparation of the Model Climate Action Plan in Palli Gram Panchayat. As the drafting of this climate action plan required authentic data relating to GHG emissions and waste generation, the central team shared two formats namely i) Household-level survey on solid-liquid waste and ii) GHG emission survey to collect data through door-to-door survey of the household of Palli Gram Panchayat. The data was then collected by the selected team of students on a primary and secondary level which included a Village level reconnaissance survey, households survey and Participatory Rural Appraisal. The motive is to identify issues and potential from this data which would enhance agricultural productivity, eco-friendly sustainable technology and local resources, creating the employment opportunity and empowering of social fencing.

As scheduled, a team of officers visited Palli Gram Panchayat on 3rd June 2022 to hold preliminary discussions with the officials of UT of Jammu and Kashmir to achieve the goal of Net Zero emissions and realize the vision of the Gram Urja Swaraj at the Panchayat level in the country. The honorable Prime Minister on his visit to Palli Panchayat on the occasion of National Panchayati Raj Day 2022 had committed a resolution to achieve the goal of first carbon neutrality in Palli Gram Panchayat with Ministry of Panchayati Raj.

The Principal of Dogra Degree College, Ms Bela Thakur addressed and appreciated the efforts of the whole team on the final day with the UBA coordinator, Mr. Balwant Singh, Dogra Degree College, who worked with full enthusiasm and zeal under the harsh weather of 45°- 47° temperature. A work of 5 hours on a daily basis by each student was devoted to carrying out this survey. Around 450 households were surveyed and data was collected from the 6th of June, 2022 to the 10th of June, 2022. The collected data will be later verified, segregated and submitted to the IIT Jammu, the regional coordinating institute (RCI) of UBA for Jammu province and Ladakh UT. With this survey data, a GPDP (Gram Panchayat Development Plan) for Palli Panchayat will be prepared by the district administration to make the Palli Panchayat a Carbon Neutral Panchayat.