Awareness programme on open defecation free held

SHILLONG: One of the main objectives of Swachh Bharat Abhiyan is to make the country Open Defecation Free (ODF) or reduce OD to the maximum extent.
The effective implementation of the Open Defecation Free campaign is the need of the hour in Shillong as a survey of the 100 Dorbar Shnongs in 2012-13 showed up to 30% of households still does not have proper toilet facilities and they either have direct discharge to the rivers and streams or practice OD in open areas.
To reduce Open Defecation, the Urban Affairs Department organised a series of Awareness training programmes on Tuesday on the theme “Towards Open Defecation Free State”.
Over 300 participants participated in the 4 events conducted at different locations of the city.
ODF Campaign was organised in Mawbah at four locations with resource persons apprising people of the problems associated with Open Defecation. Educative hand-out materials were distributed to the participants and to adjoining households.
At Goraline Harijan Colony in Laitumkhrah, about 80 participants attended the awareness training programme.
An interactive session was facilitated by Mark West from the State Sanitation Cell. A plan of action was adopted by the Executive Members of the locality in which the community toilet would be renovated and to enhance the water supply programme.