Community Sanitary Complex inaugurated near Asanang

TURA: To celebrate the universal event of ‘World Toilet Day’ a Community Sanitary Complex was inaugurated at Asanang village of Rongram Development Block by West Garo Hills Deputy Commissioner Ram Singh on Monday.
The construction of the roadside sanitation complex, which comprises of four units, has been made using plastic waste bottles in its construction.
Dwelling on the ‘Cleanliness’ theme, the DC recalled that it was Mahatma Gandhi’s dream to see India free from foreign domination and also to make it a clean and developed country.
“That is why November 19 is being observed as World Toilet Day across the country,” said Singh.
The Community Sanitary Complex near Asanang was inaugurated for the people of the area in order to check and stop open defecation. He also mentioned that the complex is made out of waste plastic bottles which have been collected during various cleaning drive organised earlier.
He reiterated that there is no meaning of cleanliness drive if people cannot reduce, reuse and recycle plastic waste and that’s how the idea of setting up of a public toilet made out of plastic bottles came up. He also said that the idea of using plastic bottles can also be used in making low cost houses and requested the public to bring about ideas on how to reuse and make use of waste plastic bottles as plastic bottles can be seen lying around every nook and corner, in the streams and waterways polluting the environment.
“Since plastic is not bio-degradable it will be lying around for hundreds of years. During this world toilet day everybody should take a pledge to ensure that we use toilet at all times and to motivate others in respect of cleanliness and personal hygiene and to pass on the message to others so people will follow suit,” the DC said. He also informed about the incentives under Swaach Bharat Mission under which any innovative ideas under health, hygiene, sanitation etc which is brought to the notice of the authorities will be inspected and rewarded suitably.
The Block Development Officer, Rongram C& RD Block, S. C Momin also gave a talk on the importance of personal hygiene as it relates to communicable diseases and other related problems. She requested the people to use toilets and avoid open defecation for maintaining cleanliness in the village and country as a whole.
Later, the deputy commissioner led the gathering that included villagers, in taking a pledge to avoid open defecation while motivating family members, neighbours and others to do the same. After the program a rally was taken out from the venue to Rongram Bazaar led by the deputy commissioner and other district officials including District Swachh Bharat (Gramin) member secretary and PHE executive engineer Saljrang D Sangma, among others.
Meanwhile, the Department of PHE under Swachh Bharat Mission (Gramin) South Garo Hills District also joined the World Toilet Day celebration for the first time with a special event at Baghmara Government Secondary School Playground.
Siju-Rongara MLA Rakkam A Sangma, who inaugurated the event, urged the people work together in making the society free from open defecation.
Others who spoke at the programme were South Garo Hills District DC, H B Marak, A.D.Sangma E.E (PHE) and Member Secretary DWSM and others.
The day-long programme includes a series of cultural programme, narration of success stories by Swachhagrahi’s of all the four blocks of the District, Swachhata Champions Awards and the distribution of gifts for various artists participated in the programme are also been done during the programme.