A block-level consultation on rural sanitation and social accountability was held at Chhatrapur on Tuesday. Block Development Officer Bansidhar Khosla inaugurated it.
Among others, Additional Block Education Officer Nrushingha Charan Mishra, Child Development Project Officer Krishna Kumari Nanda, Assistant Engineer, Chatrapur Parshuram Sethy, Malay Kumar Nayar, Shasanka Sekhar Padhi, besides PRI members were present.
NGO Youth for Social Development (YSD) organised the meet with support from the block administration and the National Foundation of India (NFI). Ratneswar Sahu and Chandan K Sahu presented the information on rural sanitation situation in Ganjam and Chatrapur block in particular.
As per the Swachha Bharat Mission-Gramin information Chatrapur block has achieved nearly 52 per cent of coverage of IHHl and it has a long way to go to achieve 100 per cent by 2019, it was pointed out.
There is a need for joint action from the Government, CSOs, NGOs and citizen to construct 100 per cent IHHl and declare open defecation-free (ODF). Similarly, the schools, health centres, anganwadi centres and other Government offices require toilets, water supply and hand washing facilities. But we need to work to make the block ODF, clean and hygienic, the speakers remarked.
The officials and elected representatives should focus on construction part, said the local BDO in his address. Though all Sarapanchs are now having more power, so they should regularly monitor and review on Gaon Kalyan Samities, School Management Committees, Matru Manch, Janch Committees and ICDS, school and health sanitation programmes from time to time on the actual progress of sanitation, the speakers said.
The officials also told to focus on IEC and behavioural practices, besides paying attention on water supply.