Kaski on its way to becoming model district

POKHARA, Nov 9: Within few months, Kaski is likely to be the country´s first district to be free of Open Defecation.



“Following the 15th District Council´s commitment, we are working to make Kaski free of open defecation,” Bimal Gyawali, planning chief of District Development Committee (DDC) said. “Accordingly, we are working to spread awareness at all the houses, schools and organizations to construct bathroom,” Gyawali said. [break]



According to Gyawali, almost 60 percent of the work is completed. The remaining work will be completed within the end of the current Nepali calendar.



The project is technically and financially supported by DDC, Regional Monitoring and Supervision Office, all the VDCs, sub metropolitan, metropolitan of Kaski, and UNICEF-Nepal.



“A toilet in every house is a prerequisite to be free from open defecation,” Ishwari Sharma, engineer at Regional Monitoring and Supervision Office, Department of Drinking water and Sewerage said. “We can declare Kaski free from open defecation only after all the houses in its vicinity have toilets,” Sharma said.



According to Sharma, of the 43 VDCs, 15 VDCs have become free of defecation while other eight have almost reached the goal. The remaining 20 VDCs, sub metropolitan and metropolitan will have no open defecation by Chaitra, this year.



For the project to complete, a budget of around 50 million is estimated. Of the sum, around 25 million will be spent while constructing toilets at houses and the remaining for organizations and public toilets.



“We´ve constructed 4,000 toilets in the 15 VDCs that are free from open defecation. Another 3,700 latrines are being made at other eight. On the remaining VDCs 7500 toilets will be made,” Sharma said.



Compared to other districts, Kaski is well off in drinking water and cleanliness. Compared to 81 per cent availability of drinking water in Nepal, Kaski has 86 per cent. Likewise, although only 46 per cent of people have access to latrines in other districts, those at Kaski have 78 per cent.



Around 10,000 children below five die annually due to diarrhoea and dysentery.



After the United Nations declared 1981 as a decade of access to clean drinking water and cleanliness, Nepal too enlisted it in its priority list. A study of 1990 showed that around 6 percent of Nepalese had toilets at their homes itself. Surveys conducted in 1996, 2001, 2005 and 2010 shows that access to toilets have increased by 15, 25, 39 and 46 per cent.

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