Kathmandu, May 23:

Development Centre Nepal (DC Nepal), a local NGO, has completed the construction of 13 ecologically sanitary (eco-san) toilets in semi-urban areas of the Kathmandu Valley.

The organisation said it constructed the toilets with the support of Small Environment Activities Grant Programme of the Toyota Foundation, Japan. The programme is aimed at providing people with better sanitation services and use human wastes in income-generating activities.

Executive director of DC-Nepal Yadav Ojha said the organisation constructed three such toilets in Gokarneshwor, two in Mulpani of Kathmandu district, while six toilets in Badikhel and two in Bungamati of Lalitpur district.

Eco-San toilets use two separate outlets for urine and excreta. The excreta, kept free from water, digests in nearly six months to become a high quality bio-fertiliser. The urine is used as fertiliser after dilution.

Ojha said the organization plans to expand the program to other areas as well after evaluating the success and efficient use of the toilets.

DC-Nepal has also been involved in mobilising and capacity building of local youths, women and student groups for environment conservation and keeping the local rivers free from pollution, Ojha said.