Tamil Nadu - Nagapattinam   

“Role for NGOs in creation of sanitation awareness”

NAGAPATTINAM: Voluntary organisations should play a crucial role in moulding mindsets towards sanitation and solid waste management, said Collector C. Munianathan at the Triple Ecosan Toilet festival at Kameshwaram village in Nagapattinam.

According to him, over 60 per cent of the houses in coastal areas practise open defecation causing environmental contamination. He lauded the efforts of FIN Trust, a France-based NGO working in Kameshwaram for organising a toilet beauty contest to highlight the importance of toilets ensuring a healthy and hygienic living.

Ecosan technology as a toilet model prevented pollution, conserved water and converted urine and human waste as an ideal farming manure.

The Collector also opened the compost chamber in an ecosan toilet in the tsunami fisherman colony in Kameshwaram. G. Kanakasundaram, Panchayat President, said that Kameshwaram had the highest number of 350 ecosan toilets.

Shyama Ramani Director FIN Trust, said that 77 families participated in the toilet beauty contest. Eighteen masons of nearby Achakarai village, who had constructed ecosan toilets in many parts of the country but had no toilets in their houses, were given Rs.10,000 each for the construction of ecosan toilets in their homes. The best among the toilets were given prizes.

A scientific study under the auspices of the United Nations University to create a database to find out the impact of Ecosan toilet on health and hygiene and environment will be undertaken by FIN Trust, said V. Ganapathy,advisor, FIN Trust.

R. Subramanian, Panchayat Union Councillor, A. Thanikachalam- Lead Bank Manager, Indian Overseas Bank, and Shanthi Mathikumar- Vice President, Kameshwaram Panchayat spoke. S.Paranjothi proposed a vote of thanks. N. Dandayudhapani won the mason’s contest and Anjammal and Nagavalli won the toilet beauty contest, a release said.

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