Nongsder village in EKH awarded ‘Open Defecation Free’ status

SHILLONG: Nongsder village under Pynursla C&RD Block in East Khasi Hills District was certified as an Open Defecation Free (ODF) village on May 22.
P.S. Tynsong, BDO of Pynursla Block, who was the chief guest on the occasion, announced the ODF status for the village.
He lauded the village for working with determination to achieve the feat with the support of the Village Water and Sanitation Committee (VWSC).
He also stated that the Nongsder village was a Model ODF Village and had a potential to become a model for the entire Block in terms of implementation of other projects also.
What is unique about the ODF status to Nongsder is the uniform sanitary practice of the village where each household has concrete toilets with twin pits. At every water outlet, there are soak pits instead of the usual drains. The low-cost but highly efficient technique is being practiced by each and every household in the village.
Mark W. Kharkongor, Monitoring and Evaluation Consultant State Sanitation Cell, PHE, Meghalaya, who is a pioneer facilitator of this practice, stressed on the fact that there is nothing that can be called a ‘waste’ anymore in today’s world as long as people make use of the same.
“It is with this approach that Nongsder has been victorious in their sanitary practices,” he said, adding that the Swachh Bharat Mission cannot be achieved without passion and compassion.
The programme was chaired by A. Marbaniang, Block Coordinator, CLTS Team, East Khasi Hills District.
Also present at the event were the OC and SDO of Pynursla Block, KJWA representatives and the HoD, staff and students of the Department of Social Work, St. Edmund’s College, Shillong.
The programme culminated with the handing over of the ODF certificate by the BDO to members of the Nongsder VWSC.