Jharkhand to become ODF on Nov. 15, 2018

Speed Post News Network

Ranchi : Union Minister for Drinking Water and Sanitation Uma Bharati on November 4, 2018, said that with the present rate of sanitation coverage in the state, Jharkhand will become open defecation free (ODF) state on its upcoming foundation day November 15, 2018. She was speaking at Ganga Gram Swachchhata Sammelan at Rajmahal in Jharkhand. About ten thousand swachhagrahies, Ganga volunteers, youth organization members, students and people from all walks of the life, majority of them women, attended the sammelan.

Ganga Gram is a concept to transform banks on the village of River Ganga into ideal villages with emphasis on ODF, Solid and Liquid Waste Management (SLWM), Water Conservation, Ground Water Recharge, modern crematorium, tree plantation, organic and medicinal plant agriculture being the main components. After making all 4,465 Ganga Bank villages ODF, the Ministry of Drinking Water and Sanitation is working in this direction. Uma Bharati stressed on public participation as the key to make Ganga Bank villages ideal Ganga Grams. Praising the efforts of Sahibganj district in ghat beautification and other cleanliness initiatives, she told the gathering that in past one year, in Ganga Bank revenue land more than 7.5 lakh trees were planted.

Secretary, Ministry of Drinking Water and Sanitation Parameswaran Iyer highlighted the societal and financial gains of Swachh Bharat Mission (SBM). He said that in rural India in past four years, sanitation coverage has gone up from a lowly 39 per cent to over 95 percent. Citing reports from organisations such as UNICEF and WHO, he said that an average family in an ODF villages saves Rs 50,000 annually on its medical expenditure, and also that with such a growth SBM would have saved about 3 lakh lives by October 2019.

Anant Kumar Ojha, MLA from Rajmahal, and Secretary, Department of Drinking Water and Sanitation, Jharkhand, Aradhana Patnaik also spoke at the event.

The Union Minister also laid foundation of Maskalaiyya Crematorium and ghat, Municipal Waste Water Project at Rajmahal. She also felicitated outstanding Rani Mistries and inaugurated Ganga Gram Exhibition besides visiting newly constructed Kanhaiyyasthan ghat, according to a PIB release.