SHILLONG: Meghalaya is aiming to achieve an open defecation free (ODF) state through safe sanitation and hygienic practices in all households, institutions and at the community level on a sustainable basis by 2017.
According to Principal Secretary in charge PHE department, PW Ingty, the State is highly committed towards achieving ODF.
Ingty also inaugurated a two-day consultative workshop aimed at achieving Nirmal Meghalaya here on Monday. The workshop which was attended by key officials and field functionaries involved sharing experiences and chalking out plans for implementation of Nirmal Bharat Abhiyan (NBA) in the State.
To achieve the set goal the State Government has finalised a robust strategy with a focus on appropriate institutional arrangements at different levels, communication strategies, robust monitoring systems besides incentives and disincentives.
“We are hopeful of improving our performance with these various robust strategies,” Ingty said.
Informing that although there has been considerable progress in the State in the last three years as far as proper sanitation is concerned Ingty said that the achievements vary from district to district.
“There is some way to go before the State becomes ODF,” he said adding that it is important all the districts accelerate their performance so that the objective of achieving an ODF rural Meghalaya is realized soon.
Ingty added that community led participatory approaches have been initiated to trigger behavioral changes among the communities leading to creation of ODF villages across the State.
“This has resulted in many of the villages attaining ODF status and improving the quality of infrastructure like household and institutional toilets in the villages,” the Principal Secretary said.
While only 11 villages received Nirmal Gram Puraskar (NGP) in 2008 more than 365 villages bagged the honour in 2010-2011.
The State grabbed 588 NGPs in 2012.
More than 1300 villages applied for NGP for 2010-2011, the Principal Secretary informed stating that more than 1300 villages have been cleared by the inter-district verification this year (2013-2014).