Dimapur, Mokokchung observe World Toilet Day

[caption id="attachment_283395" align="aligncenter" width="565"] Workers of the department of Public Health Engineering, pictured here, observed World Toilet Day in Dimapur during which sanitation officials discussed various aspects of sanitation.[/caption] Dimapur, Nov. 19 (EMN): The department of Public Health Engineering observed World Toilet Day with a programme in Dimapur during which sanitation officials called for attention to the condition of people who do not have proper sanitation facilities. World Toilet Day is a United Nations international event that is conducted on November 19 to promote action to tackle global sanitation issues. World Toilet Day was established by the World Toilet Organisation in 2001. The annual international observance hopes to create awareness about open defecation and good sanitary practices. The event for Dimapur district was observed at old Showuba in the Kuhuboto subdivision today “drawing attention to those people being left behind without sanitation,” updates stated. The event also highlighted the consequences of inaction on the social, economic and environmental aspects of the society. Sanitation and hygiene consultant for the PHED in Dimapur, Imojungla Longkumer spoke about the significance of World Toilet Day. She spoke about the Sustainable Development Goal’s six targets to eliminate open defecation and ensure access to sustainable sanitation services by 2030, with special reference to women, girls and other vulnerable sections. Speaking based on the theme, subdivision officer of Kuhuboto R Imtisowa offered to construct toilets for the two aged persons from the host village, with material support by the department in collaboration with the community, updates stated. Earlier in the day, a cleanliness drive by the community was carried out to mark the day’s event. Our Correspondent World Toilet Day was observed in the office of the Public Health Engineering department (PHE) on Tuesday in Mokokchung. The executive engineer of the PHED for Mokokchung district N Yanger Pongen addressed the event. He said that a time when states in India were trying to achieve the status of open defecation-free (ODF), the rural areas in the state of Nagaland had already been given the status in 2018. The credit goes to all the villages for their cooperation and support to contribute to the achievement of the ODF status. ‘In mainland rural India, many people cannot effort to construct a toilet because many of them are daily wage earners and investment in a toilet approximately costs six months of their income,’ Pongen said. In such a situation, he said, the government of India launched the Swachh Bharat Mission to eradicate the practice of open defecation in India. With the achievement of the ODF status also come bigger responsibility and challenges for the department, Pongen said further. These challenges include maintaining the current status and working toward achieving cleanliness in the villages. The aspect of cleanliness has now been incorporated in the department’s mission, the official said. In this regard, he appealed to the village councils, stakeholders and the departmental workers to cooperate and resolve issues with a ‘commitment to achieve it as they have embarked on the mission for the good of the people.’ Tsungrusungla Jamir, sanitation and hygiene consultant of the PHED spoke at the event too. She said toilets are not ‘just toilet’ but ‘life-savers, dignity-protector and opportunity-maker.’ “No see, no smell and no touch” should be the three principles of constructing a toilet, she said. Jamir said that more four lakh people have lost their lives to diseases related to improper sanitary practices besides lack of toilets. More than two lakh children under the age of five have died caused by disease such as cholera, typhoid, and dysentery etc. World Toilet Day provides the opportunity to understand the value of the humble toilet and to spread awareness about the importance of sanitation and to ensure safe and clean toilet for all, she said. Leaders of villages and rural agencies spoke of success stories from the sanitation programme. They credited the PHED’s field workers for working with the populations at the grassroots; educating and guiding them technically and imparting practical approach toward attaining the status of ODF.