Nagaland launches rural drinking water & sanitation awareness week

Principal Correspondent
Kohima, March 16

[dropcap]A[/dropcap] secretary of Public Health Engineering Department has reminded citizens of Nagaland that water remains the core source of sustainable development with poverty reduction, economic growth, environmental health and hygiene depending on water as the resource.
Launching the National Rural Drinking Water &Sanitation Awareness for the state under PHED in Kohima town on Monday, Secretary of the department, Anenla S Longchari, said “a drop of water is flexible, powerful and it is on demand.She said the campaign will culminate on March 22, which coincide World Water Day. She said the occasion intends to offer a global reminder of how critical fresh water is for life as well as how limited our supplies are.
She said this year’s theme of “World Water Day” is about how water links to all areas that is important as well as to consider and create the future we need.
Chief Engineer PHED Nagaland, Kevisekho Kruse in his keynote address said the campaign will focus on safe drinking water from health point of view. Expressing that safe water is that water which is physically acceptable (clean and clear), chemically safe with the presence of chemicals within desirable limits and biologically safe with no disease causing germs, he said “we need adequate water in quantity and quality”. He said that the campaign will also touch on water related diseases.
Maintaining that in Nagaland, the most common contamination encountered is excess Iron and Nitrates, Kruse stressed on the need to have hygienic water handling practices and judicious use of water and water conservation. He said that focus would also be made on hygienic water handling practices and judicious use of water and water conservation, he said special emphasis will also be given on rain water harvesting. Once every household own rain water harvesting then a lot of water problem will be solved, he maintained.
Kruse said the campaign will also focus on the role of WATSAN committee for effective operation and maintenance of water supply system and also encourage more household water connection.
Stressing on the importance of healthy sanitary practices, he informed that 62% of rural households have individual households toilets in the state while 38% still under open defecation. He maintained that owning toilet at home ensure convenience and comfort, privacy and safety, avoidance of sexual harassment and assault for women and girls, less embarrassment with visitors and dignity and social status.
The campaign will also focus on the problem of garbage and the need for effective management of waste through the 3Rs- Reduce, Reuse and Recycle, he said.
The campaign will also highlight the importance of toilets in schools and Angawadi centres and also create more awareness on the prestigious National Award for clean villages- Nirmal Gram Puraskar (NGP).
This award is for the villages which are totally open defecation free (where all households have their own toilets, all public places/institutions, schools and Angawadi centrers have toilets) and clean with the village surrounding free from any garbage accumulation.
“Nagaland has a total of 90 villages already awarded with NGP and many more qualified for receiving the award,” said Kruse. He said sanitation is vital for human health. Sanitation generates economic benefits, contributes to dignity and social status and helps environment.