Poor sanitation claims 4.5 lakh deaths every year

Andhra Pradesh Speaker Kodela Sivaprasada Rao will be attending the Swachh Andhra Mission seminar on August 21 as part of Krishna Pushkaralu Sanitation Drive at Tummapalli Kala Kshetram,Vijayawada.

 

Access to sanitation facilities has an impact on the eligibility of human life and health and to actualize the set roads, the AP Speaker as its convener desired to review the progress district-wise in order to monitor on the IHHL’s Construction and its   usage. In this regard, the Speaker addressed a letter to ministers Mrunalini, Narayana,  Ayyanna Pathrudu and Ganta Srinivasa Rao with a copy to Principal Secretaries.

As on October 2, 2014, the number of households in the country without toilets are over 10.50 crore. Poor sanitation leads to 4,50,000 deaths per annum and  economic loss is about  Rs 2.46 trillions. Therefore, Swachh Bharat Mission  was launched on October 2, 2014 by Prime Minister Naendra Modi and Swachh Andhra Pradesh in AP by Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu with an aim for achieving total sanitation by covering all  households  with Individual Toilets  in the  country  by  2019.  Whereas, in AP the total households are 90 lakh  and Households without  Toilets as on April 1, 2016 is 57.20 Lakh (63.5%) and the  Physical Achievement  of construction of IHHLs during the Year 2015-16 is only  3.55 Lakh, this leaves a huge pendency. Similarly, Urban H.H without Toilets in AP  is  0.6 Million.Further, there is maintenance issue in APs 44324 Schools  where  functional toilets  are about  113816.

During the Speaker interaction with the Chief Minister on sanitation issue, they felt that a lot was needed for reaching the goals in IHHLs construction and its usage. It is felt that IHHLs construction in the villages and urban areas entails close monitoring in order to actualize the set goals. IEC is an extremely important component for successful implementation of SBM. As Swachh Andhra convener, the Speaker decided to review the sanitation progress district-wise  at district headquarters, by taking two districts in a month, in the presence of all the ministers of the district, in-charge Minister of the district, all MLAs, MLCs of the district, Principal Secretaries of Panchayat Raj & Rural development, Education, Municipal administration, SAC MD, District Collector, other Senior functionaries of the District from Revenue, RWS, Panchayat Raj, MPDOs, Municipal Commissioners, DEOs, CSR companies of the district and NGOs etc. The respective district Collectors will have to play key role in arranging the meeting in the district Head Quarters and ensuring the presence of the district functionaries, CSR company representatives, NGOs etc. Speaker’s office OSD  K Gurumurthy will act as liaison officer.

As a forerunner, the Speaker will be attending the Swachh Andhra Mission seminar on August 21 at 11 am onwards as part of Krishna Pushkaralu sanitation drive at Tummapalli Kala Kshetram,Vijayawada. (NSS)