Tamil Nadu   

Pilot project to promote safe use of water for drinking purposes

PHOTO: N. BASHKARAN

Discussing strategy: Mary Pat Clason, consultant, London School of Hygiene Education and Tropical Medicine, interacting with women on the level of safe drinking water and ways to improve it at Samandhamalai, near Krishnagiri, on Wednesday. —

Krishnagiri: UNICEF and UNILEVER have launched a community-based water quality monitoring and testing programme in Krishnagiri district aimed at improving the level of safe drinking water and hygiene awareness among school children.

The objective is to demonstrate that schools with the help of local community, non-governmental organisations and Government can become self-sufficient with respect to the ongoing upkeep and costs thereby ensuring long-term sustainability, said Mary Pat Clason, consultant, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine and UNICEF.

She visited Samandhamalai near here and interacted with village volunteers on the level of safe drinking water. She stressed on the importance of water and sanitation and exhorted self-help group members to create awareness among the locals on the safe use of water for drinking purposes. Modules on protected drinking water, sanitation and personal hygiene developed by UNICEF would be distributed to villagers.

The pilot project is part of a strategy to reduce the prevalence of water-borne diseases especially diarrhoea which is the major killer of children worldwide in the age group of (0 to 5 years), Ms. Clason added.

According to UNICEF consultant, P. Ganesamoorthi about 117 water purifier kits would be installed in primary and middle schools and 118 kits in anganwadis in Krishnagiri block in the next month.

The project would create huge level of awareness among the locals on safe drinking water and personal hygiene. Student committees formed under School Sanitation and Hygiene Education (SSHE) in Krishnagiri district will be entrusted with filling of water, monitoring and maintenance of the kits.

Children will educate their parents on the importance of the safe drinking water. A baseline survey would be conducted on the prevalence of water-borne diseases in all panchayats in Krishnagiri block shortly, he added.

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