Sanitation awareness campaign from today
Swachh Bharat Mission from October 2
By : DC Correspondent
Update: 2014-09-25 04:21 GMT
Nellore: As a prelude to the Government of India’s proposed Swachh Bharat Mission being launched on October 2, state water and sanitation mission is all set to conduct National Sanitation Awareness Campaign from September 25 to October 23 in all parts of the state including Nellore district.According to census 2011, the rural sanitation coverage is only 30.7 per cent in rural areas and the percentage is 33.7 per cent in Andhra Pradesh.
It indicates that 66.2 per cent of the rural people do not have access to sanitation facilities which is adversely affecting the health of the rural populace through diseases such as diarrhoea, acute respiratory infection, malaria, schistosomiasis and trachoma among others.Referring to the situation in rural areas, Nellore district collector N. Srikant has underlined the need to create awareness among the people through various modes of information, education and communication (IEC).
He called upon the municipal commissioners and senior officers of panchayat raj, Zilla Parisad and District Water Management Agency to take the message to rural masses in an effective manner.Addressing them during a review on the campaign here on Wednesday, he told them to focus the campaign on keeping the villages clean, safe sanitation methods, washing the hands with soap, safe disposal of child faeces and safe handling and storage of drinking water.
He directed them to take up the campaign with missionary zeal and follow the daily activities chalked out in the National Sanitation Campaign till October 23. Speaking on the occasion, Nellore mayor Abdul Azeez has called upon the non-governmental organisations to join the campaign.Additional joint collector R.S. Rajkumar, Zilla Parishad cheif executive officer Jitendra, DWMA Project Director Gowthami, irrigation SE G. Rami Reddy and chairpersons, Ms D. Sarada and Ms Vijayalakshmi of Venkatagiri and Sullur-peta municipalities were present in the programme.