Bhubaneswar, Feb 3: A Learning Workshop on Faecal Sludge and Septage Management (FSSM) at the Odisha Urban Academy was organised Tuesday by the Housing & Urban Development Department, Government of Odisha.

The H&UD Department organised the workshop in collaboration with TSU-FSSM (EY) and Dasra. The workshop brought together senior officials, sector experts, and key knowledge partners to consolidate and advance Odisha’s pioneering initiatives in urban sanitation.

With an aim to establish a state-of-the-art pyrolysis unit at the Basuaghai Faecal Sludge Treatment Plant (FSTP), a tripartite Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed during the event in the presence of Usha Padhee, Additional Chief Secretary, H&UD Department, among the Water Corporation of Odisha (WATCO), the Administrative Staff College of India (ASCI), and TIDE Technocrats Ltd.

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The initiative marks a significant step towards advanced biosolids treatment, resource recovery, and promotion of circular economy practices in the sanitation sector.

The workshop also featured a structured stakeholder consultation, aimed at eliciting actionable recommendations to further strengthen Odisha’s FSSM framework and ensure its long-term operational and financial sustainability, in alignment with the State’s vision of Vikshit Odisha.

Padhee appreciated the collective efforts of the Odisha Government and its partners, describing Odisha’s FSSM programme as “a bright star in the urban development domain,” receiving recognition at both national and international levels. She also acknowledged the decade-long partnership with the Gates Foundation for its continued support in strengthening Odisha’s sanitation initiatives.

Binaya Kumar Dash, Additional Secretary, H&UD Department and Mission Director, Swachh Bharat Mission (Urban), stated that the learning workshop marks an important milestone in enhancing the future-readiness, scalability, and sustainability of Odisha’s FSSM ecosystem.