Govt to raise funds for sanitation work

Kathmandu, January 2:

The government is celebrating International Year of Sanitation 2008, with an objective to create an environment for developing hygiene and sanitation.

“The government has decided to celebrate 2008 as the International Year of Sanitation. We will be mobilising our resources, expertise and all efforts to make the Millennium Development Goal a success through the year-long programme in the whole country,” said Hari Prasad Sharma, the director general at Department of Water Supply and Sewerage, while addressing the programme.

Sharma added that the government had not been able to allocate sufficient resources for water and sanitation sector though 13,000 children were being killed every year due to inadequate access to sanitation. Suman Sharma, joint-secretary at Ministry of Physical Planning and Works said 2008 would be celebrated as International Year of Sanitation to raise funds for sanitation.

“Throughout the year, we will focus on advocacy at the ground level and will take it as a beginning of the campaign rather than taking it as a target to do so in a single year,” he said.

Sunil Adhikari, the country representative of Water Aid Nepal, said a strong and timely action plan would be required for total sanitation.

Namaste Lal Shrestha, the sanitation officer of UNICEF, said the budget for International Year of Sanitation would be made more transparent in the future and cooperation among the local instituation and development originations will be enhanced for better result.