Nandigram upazila achieves 100 pc sanitation

Local administration recently declared Nandigram as the first upazila in the district having hundred percent sanitation coverage.

According to a base line survey, around 47 percent people in the upazila didn't use hygienic toilets before October last year.

But with the successful execution of a special project during the three months (October to December) through vigorous motivations, cent percent sanitation coverage was achieved, sources said.

Sheikh Rafiqul Islam, upazila nirbahi officer (UNO) of Nandigram, said

more than nine thousand sanitary latrines were installed in five unions of the upazila at a cost of Tk 2.80 lakh.

Earlier about one lakh people of the area including women used to defecate in open space due to lack of primary health care knowledge, he added.

Hazera Khatun, a beggar, and her husband Ahmed Ali, a peddler, have installed a low-cost sanitary latrine at their own initiative. They built their latrine before making their living room.

Khaleda Begum, a housewife of a day labourer at Vatgram village, made a sanitary latrine for the welfare of her two children.

Replying to a question she said, " I was told that sanitary latrine will help protect my children from waterborne diseases."

Khaleda made the latrine form her savings.

A meeting marking the attainment of hundred percent sanitation coverage was held in the upazila on April 26.

It was attended by Dr Ziaul Haque Molla MP, UNO Sheikh Rafiqul Islam, Chairman of Nandigram Pourasava Kamrul Islam Jewel and five chairmen of five unions.

The local administration said almost 35 thousand households are using hygienic toilets now.