ICAR–Central Research Institute for Dryland Agriculture (ICAR-CRIDA), Hyderabad, organized a “Swachhata Samvad” programme at its adopted Model Village, Gaddamallaiah Guda, Yacharam Mandal, Ranga Reddy District, Telangana on 15th October 2026 under Special campaign 6.0. The objective of this programme is for creating awareness among villagers about the importance of cleanliness, personal hygiene, environmental sanitation and sustainable waste management practices.

Dr.V. Girijaveni, Senior Scientist (Soil Science) from ICAR-CRIDA coordinated the programme.Village farmers and village people actively participated in the programme. The programme aimed to encourage active participation of rural communities in maintaining clean and healthy surroundings and promoting behavioural changes towards improved sanitation practices.

During the interactive session, villagers were sensitized about household cleanliness, proper disposal of domestic waste, segregation of biodegradable and non-biodegradable waste, prevention of open dumping, and the importance of maintaining clean public spaces. Dr.V. Girijaveni also explained how kitchen waste can be converted to valuable organic manure.

Special emphasis was placed on reducing single-use plastics, adopting composting practices for biodegradable household waste, preventing water stagnation and maintaining hygienic surroundings to minimize the spread of diseases. The programme emphasized that cleanliness is a shared responsibility and that sustained community involvement is essential for developing clean, healthy and environmentally sustainable villages.

After awareness programme a cleanliness drive was organized at the Community Area to address waste management. The team focused on cleaning the area and promoting proper waste disposal practices to maintain a hygienic environment. The initiative reinforced ICAR-CRIDA's commitment to promoting rural sanitation, environmental awareness and community participation in its adopted Model Village.