KATHMANDU: The Ministry of Physical Planning and Works, UN HABITAT Water for Asian Cities Programme in association with Guthi, is going to confer the ‘WATSAN’ (Water and Sanitation)media fellowship award 2009’ to eleven media persons.

A press release issued here today by the Guthi and the UN-HABITAT said that the aim of the award was to encourage the WATSAN journalists to initiate research-based reporting to help the public and policy makers.

The Ministry in the statement hoped that the initiative would be effective and efficient to help strengthening the effort in this sector.

“The award also aims to build and foster sustainable relation of the sector players with media,” it said.

“Water and sanitation is essential for healthy life and media person could help the WATSAN sector by creating awareness through its vast network and reach in different forms,” it said adding, “The journalists are making remarkable contribution in wider dissemination of WATSAN issues. That is why WATSAN news has been regular in media these days,” the statement said.

The WATSAN media fellowship award 2009 would be provided to five print journalists, two radio journalists, two photo journalists and two television journalists. The earlier three category would get Rs 5,000 each, while the latter would get Rs 15,000 each. They have also urged the journalists to submit the proposals for the fellowship along with at least three previous printed, broadcasted, telecasted works related to WATSAN to the Guthi.