Mokokchung, June 9 (MExN): Mokokchung district is on course to becoming the first ‘open defecation-free’ district in the state, thanks to the initiative of the District Level Vigilance and Monitoring Committee (DLVMC) under Swachh Bharat Mission (SBM). The DLVMC had last month during its meeting on May 12 resolved to make the district ‘open defecation-free’ by 2017.
In pursuit of this goal, DLVMC had a meeting on June 8 chaired by the Deputy Commissioner Sushil Kumar Patel IAS, wherein strategies for achieving and sustaining ‘open defecation-free’ were formalized.
Further, the DLVMC has also embarked on a district-wide campaign on ‘sensitisation on behavioural change towards open defecation-free’ under SBM to be held from June 9 through 11 in all the nine administrative blocks of the district involving stake holders. The sensitisation drive will be held on June 9 for all the towns and villages under Longchem, Tsurangkong and Mangkolemba blocks, on June 10 for Tuli, Changtongya and Chuchuyimlang blocks, and on June 11 for Kobulong, Ongpangkong (N) and Ongpangkong (S) blocks.
All the village councils chairmen and VDB secretaries, as well as two members each from GBs of each village, church, Watsü units, teachers, respective student bodies, all communitized committees and anganwadi workers have been detailed to attend the sensitization drive on the above said days. The role of the church is considered preeminent in sensitizing the masses on behavioural change towards achieving the open defecation-free tag.
To make Mokokchung district open defecation-free by 2017, the DLVMC aims to sensitize the masses on proper sanitary practices including sanitary toilets for each household with siphon, covered septic tank, soak pit, water bucket, mug and soap. In the villages, all the schools are expected to maintain separate toilets for boys and girls and all community halls, anganwadi centres and households are expected to maintain proper toilets. All public places in the villages are also expected to have urinal sheds and proper drainages. A set of livestock sanitation guidelines has also been prepared to compliment the open defecation-free campaign.
Further, in order to achieve ODF by 2017, the PHED will conduct a district-wide baseline survey to identify households without sanitary latrines and all such identified households will be provided with plastic squatting plates, CGI sheets, drainage pipes and other necessary items to maintain a proper toilet.
This was stated in a press release issued by SBM Mokokchung district.
