It is the sixth VDC in Bhaktapur to become ODF of the total 16. [break]
Chief District Officer Hem Nath Duwadi declared Nagarkot the ODF VDC amid a function on the day.
Just four months ago, 249 households, out of the total 825, did not have toilets and people defecated in the open that led to public health problems.
When Sunita Tamang, 21, who is also the chairperson of the Village Water and Sanitation, Hygiene Coordination Committee, tried to convince locals to construct toilets, they called her “Toilet Minister,” shared Tamang.
But the locals started participating actively to make their VDC open defecation free as soon as they learned that main water source in the area was being contaminated by exposure to harmful coliform bacteria.
“The cases of water born diseases are gradually decreasing with more locals using toilet,” said Rajeshwori Sharma Lamsal, of District Public Health Office.
Still 10 more VDCs in Bhaktapur are to be declared ODF by October 21, 2013 to coincide with the public opening of Fifth South Asian Conference on Sanitation (SACOSAN V).
The total population of the VDC is 4,429 according to the national census 2011. All 825 households have built toilet as per the “One house-one toilet” campaign, said VDC Secretary Krishna Prasad Guragain. Similarly, two public toilets were also built to make the ODF campaign successful, with more public toilets under construction, he added.
Fourteen-year-old Pramila Thing says she was always scared to defecate in the open at odd hours as she often heard the news in radio about the female being sexually abused while going to defecate in bushy places at night and in early morning. “Having toilet at home makes me feel safe,” says Thing.
The VDC office in coordination with other government and non-government organizations also provided economic and material support to 41 households to discourage open defecation.
The district level committee has been formed with the participation of District Development Committee (DDC), Drinking Water Supply and Sewerage Management Office, locals and NGOs. The committee has provided Rs 1200 incentives to 650 households who are extremely poor.
Other five VDCs such as Balkot, Katunje, Jhaukhel, Sudal and Duwakot have already been declared ODF zones.
Related story
Not enough toilets in prime minister’s own village
_20240311121839.jpg)
