<span style="color: #222222;">Odisha government is gearing up to implement the Solid Waste Management Rules, 2016 within and outside the gram Panchayat areas including urban agglomeration across the State within the next one year.<br />'' <br />'' Joint Secretary of Panchayati Raj and Drinking Water department SC Das said that the rules will be first implemented in three model gram Panchayats each in 30 districts and later scaled up to cover the entire State.<br />'' <br />'' The Solid Waste Management rule initially was meant for municipality areas. But, as per the direction of National Green Tribunal (NGT) recently, rural areas will also have to follow the guidelines. The state government identified all 90 GPs where the rule will be implemented soon.<br />'' <br />'' The Government is also formulating a sanitation policy in which GPs will be major stakeholders. The new policy will mandate for compulsory compost pit in every household besides garbage cleaning and proper waste disposal.<br />'' <br />''<br />''Though the waste generated in rural areas is predominantly organic and biodegradable, it is becoming a major concern due to indiscriminate disposal.</span><br />