Our Correspondent
Kohima, July 19 (EMN): Under the Swacch Bharat Mission (SBM) four districts of Nagaland namely Mokokchung, Kiphire, Zunheboto and Longleng have been declared as Open Defecation Free (ODF) districts. This was announced in a programme organised by the PHED at Civil Secretariat conference hall on July 19 evening.
The four districts were awarded with a memento each presented by Joint Secretary (SBM-G), MDWS, Government of India, V Radha, who graced the programme as the guest of honour.
Congratulating the ODF districts and the department on their success, Radha was all praise on the outcome of the ODF in the State, as she said ODF is even more difficult in a hilly area because of the cost of materials, planning and organisation is totally different from the plain states in the country.
However, she reminded that anything good can’t be achieved easily, and said the results in the State are sustainable unlike other states, who are after numbers. She also acknowledged all the line departments and the WATSAN committee members and the district teams for their hardwork and dedication.
Complimenting the PHE department for the detail presentation on how the work had been carried out, Radha marvelled at the kind of commitment and involvement of the engineers in advocating behavioural change, how to work with women’s group and children, which according her are not seen in the rest of the country. This is very different, said Radha and appreciated the State for trying to do things in a meaningful manner.
Emphasising on the importance of women’s participation, she asserted that women have to be the central pillars of any programme for its success.
Sanitation, she asserted, is not just ODF but a complete way of life where there are solid waste, liquid waste etc which are ‘resources’ that can be recycled. She advised on the need to recycle, reuse and reduce the usage of wastes.
While exuding confidence on the PHE and its team for taking the programme to a totally different level, Radha asserted that Nagaland can become a model state for the whole country in some few years.
Chief Engineer, PHED, Er. Kevisekho Kruse said it’s a great achievement with four districts declared as ODF districts, whereby in 2013, the household toilet coverage was only 13%.
He also pointed out that Nagaland is generally very clean and have greater advantage than the mainland India in many ways in terms of sanitation because the usual practice of indiscriminate open defection is not generally known in Nagaland. He said 80% of the villagers are located in the hill areas where there is a natural drainage.
Highlighting in brief some of the works undertaken by the department to create awareness among the populace, Kruse however, said there is still a challenge of converting the insanitary toilets into sanitary toilets, imparting good sanitary practices and awareness campaigns to change the mindset in order reach out to the last corners of the State. He was hopeful that in few years time, all the districts in the State will achieve the ODF status.
Deputy Director General, MDWS, GoI, Hiyanya Boarh, and Government Ambassador of SBM, Supongmeren Jamir, also spoke in the programme. The programme was chaired by Secretary of PHED, Maongwati Aier.
