Corporation emphasises on feacal management, this World Toilet Day

THE need of the hour is feacal management this World Toilet Day according to the city Corporation and community organisations. This was dis-cussed during the day's celebrations on Sunday. "Ignorance of proper disposal of faces leads to significant public health and environmental consequences with the whole community potentially being exposed to untreated hu-man waste. A proper feacal management system should be followed from latrine pits to septic tanks, to transport vehicles, to faecal treatment plants and to decantation plants"said Rajesh and Santhosh from the Indian Institute of Human Settlements. A short documentary film named `Kakka Man' made by the Tamil Nadu Ur-ban Sanitation Support Programme was released on the occasion of Toilet Day to educate the public on feacal sludge management.

Corporation commissioner N Ravichandran flagged off two LED video vans in the morning and went around the city to screen the film at many locations. Members from Gramalaya and the Indian Institute of Human Settlements led the celebrations at the Corporation office. The Commissioner, who presided over the event, praised the efforts of Self-Help Groups under Sanitation-Health-Education and Women's Action for Village Empowerment (WAVE). There are at least 450 community toilets which have been maintained by Self-Help groups in the city. The event was an occasion to hand over almost 50 awards which were distributed to volunteers for cleanliness. One of the awardees S Kamalam Bharath, a transgender from Sangiliyandapuram in Tiruchy said, "We have been residing in our slum for over six years. My husband and I run a small hotel and a grocery shop since we got married. Then, we thought of creating a toilet which we could maintain ourselves by our own expenditure. Now, it has been set for the use of at least a 100 per day" said Kamalam.

Deputy Commissioner A Mayilvahanan, the chief guest, appreciated the interests of self-help groups in the maintenance of community toilets. He mentioned, "Main-tabling a community toilet is a responsibility which deserves respect from citizens but the public urination remains a menace. It's high time public realise the importance of a toilet system."

Visual medium to enhance awareness A short documentary film, 'Kakka Man' made by the Tamil Nadu Urban Sanitation Support Programme was released on World Toilet Day to educate the public on feacal sludge management
source: S epaper.newindianexpress. com//c/23857389