Our Correspondent
Mokokchung, August 11 (EMN): A school children rally and competitions on painting, extempore speech, exhibition and recycled products were organised to mark the observance of ‘Freedom from Open Defecation Week’ in Mopungchuket village under Mokokchung district today.
The programme was organised by the PHED Mokokchung under Swachh Bharat Mission (Gramin) in partnership with the Village Education Committee, Mopungchuket.
About 200 school children in the village along with youth leaders, church workers and village council members assembled at the village Morung premises and rallied towards the village community hall. Pastor of Mopungchuket Baptist Church, Rev. Jongpong Jamir pronounced an invocation and flagged off the rally.
Painting competition conducted for primary school students, while the extempore speech competition was held for high school students. Exhibition cum competition of recycled products was opened for all. Top three winners as well as all the participants in all the competitions were awarded cash prizes.
Speaking on the importance of “Freedom from open defecation,” Er. Masachuba Ozukum, SDO (PHED), Mokokchung, stated that open defecation free movement was launched last year under Swachh Bharat Mission as a flagship programme by the Government of India. Stating He said the department, being the nodal agency, has been conducting awareness campaigns. He added that the initiatives taken by the department should be complemented by the active participation of the mass public to achieve the goals of Swachh Bharat.
He encouraged the villagers to promulgate the principle of “5Rs” – Reduce, Reuse, Recycle, Renew and Repair. The Engineer also encouraged the villagers to cultivate hygienic hand washing practices and installation of proper sanitary latrines.
While congratulating the villagers for being declared “open defecation free,” he also challenged the people of Mopungchuket to set bigger goals to become a “sanitation model village.”
Executive Engineer of PHED, Mokokchung, Er. Yanger Pongen, underscored the role of students in developing hygiene and sanitation and added that each student should be an ambassador of cleanliness and Swachh Bharat.
Saying that SBM was an “inclusive movement,” he encouraged each individual to get involved in the movement. While applauding Mopungchuket for its cleanliness, he also encouraged the village to focus on the principle of 5Rs.
As part of the celebration, the Executive Engineer also handed over 20 trash bins to the village.
Earlier, the village council chairman of Mopungchuket, Aosadang Lemtur delivered the welcome address and thanked the PHED for organising the event in the village and appealed for more of such events in the village.
The “Freedom from Open Defecation Week” is being celebrated across the country under the directive of the Ministry of Drinking Water & Sanitation, Government of India, from August 9-15 as part of Swachh Bharat Mission (Gramin).
