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Maongwati Aier and other during World Toilet Day in Kohima on November 19.[/caption]
Dimapur, Nov. 19 (EMN): Along with the rest of the world, Nagaland today celebrated World Toilet day with the theme “When Nature Calls” at PHED directorate office with commissioner-secretary for PHED, Maongwati Aier gracing the occasion at the programme as the main speaker.
Aier in his message said that ‘Clean India Movement’ was launched in 2014 and said that it is the ‘world’s largest sanitation and behavioural change programme’ which aims to eliminate open defecation in India by 2nd Oct. 2019 which is the 150th birth centenary of Mahatma Gandhi.
Saying that the Swacch Bharat Mission (SBM) is game changer, Aier said that in the year 2014, India’s rural sanitation coverage was only 39% but by Nov. 2018, the coverage is about 93%. He also said that because of good sanitation practices, it has helped in addressing malnutrition issues and reduce diarrheal deaths in the country, he said.
He said that so far, 85 million toilets have been built by households in India; 4,50,000 villages out of 6 lakh villages are now ODF (open defecation free) and out of 699 districts 460 districts are ODF in India; 4,50,000 grassroot motivators/ Swachhagrahis are stationed in the villages.
He also highlighted the six pillars of SBM’s success as, leadership at the highest level, behavioural change at the heart of the mission, time bound goal i.e. ODF by 2nd Oct 2019, focus on quality and to sustain sanitation gains, monitoring outcomes and sanitation as everyone’s business.
Phek district observes World Toilet Day
Along with the rest of the country, Phek district observed the World Toilet Day on Monday on the theme ‘when nature calls’ at government high school, Losami. The programme was sponsored by the WSSO (water and sanitation support organisation), PHED, Nagaland. The main speaker, Virhelie Kruneilie, Sanitation and
Hygiene Consultant PHED, Phek, while dwelling on the theme, laid emphasis on the importance, its impact and usage of toilet. He also highlighted on the Sustainable Development Goal-6 (SDG-6) i.e. to ensure the availability and sustainable management of sanitation and water for all by 2030. Kruneilie also highlighted to the students on the sustainability of Open Defecation Free (ODF) and urged them to be an ambassador in spreading the message, the DIPR updated.
