Our Correspondent
Kohima | March 14
Altogether, 23 fully sanitized villages from Nagaland today conferred with the prestigious Nirmal Gram Puraskar (NGP) 2010 at the glittering award ceremony held here in the presence of minister for PHED Dr. Ngangshi K. Ao and State Planning Board deputy chairman Neiba Kronu.
The total cash amount received by 23 awardees stands at Rs. 17 lakh. The awardees carried citation, trophy and cash award ranging from Rs. 50,000 to R. 2 lakh depending on the size of population of the village. NGP is an incentive scheme for encouraging villages to take active role in making their village open defecation free.
Dr. Ngangshi and Kronu handed over the awards to the recipients. Upto the period 2010-11 a total of 73 village councils in Nagaland have been awarded the prestigious National Awards for fully sanitized villages. Out of which 50 have been given away the award and the remaining 23 presented with the award today. Further, the Government of India has finally approved 17 more villages eligible for receiving the NGP-2011. Congratulating the awardees, Dr. Ngangshi upon them to continue to put concerted effort towards proper maintenance of sanitation as it contribute towards the well being of the society and creates safe environment to live in He also appealed the women groups to continue to play a big role in the exercise of sanitation campaign.
The minister said India through its 12th plan is targeting to declare all villages as open defecation free by 2017. The Minister called upon the awardees not to take the award as an end from here but to take it as a challenge to move ahead and sustain the status. Also stating that lots of developmental activities is going on across the state, he called upon the people to extend their support and cooperation to the government for all round development of the state. He also called upon the people to come forward and work collectively to bring peace in the state.
PHE secretary Zhaleo Rio challenged each and every individual to continue to spread the gospel of sanitation so that all villages in Nagaland achieve fully sanitized villages one day. Complimenting the awardees, he called upon them not to stop from here but to work harder to sustain the status of the award and continue to keep the village clean and healthy. He stated that NGP (A clean & hygienic village award) was introduced by the Government of India. In Nagaland, Total Sanitation Campaign (TSC) was started in 2000. Implementation of TSC marked with actual earnest and zeal in Nagaland after Er. Kevisekho Kruse took over the affairs of WSSO as director.
Among the criteria for getting NGP award included; all households including schools and Angawadis centres must have toilets, complete elimination of open defecation, ensure solid waste management etc. “Keep up your good performance and sustain it,” said PHED chief engineer Er. Mhondamo Ovung while congratulating the winners and at the same time he wishes to see that their neighbouring villages follow their footstep.
Er. Kevisekho Kruse said the proposal for NGP award is routed from the respective districts while scrutiny is done at New Delhi and further screening get done through the inter state verification. Kruse told the gathering that through IEC, the WSSO is now reaching out the people at the grass root level realizing that community participation is a must in securing proper sanitation system. Towards this, 88 villages have been covered so far and another 158 villages to be covered by next year. One of the awardees assured the department that it will continue to sustain the status in order to have a clean and dignify village.
Thanking Government of India and PHED department for their missionary work, she also assured that they will act as ambassador in propagating a healthy and clean Nagaland. “Let us make sanitation as a people movement” said IEC consultant Vibou Seyie who compered the function.
Earlier, Renbeni Oduo, Naga Idol 2010 and Longjang women cultural troupe entertained the gathering with special number. Vote of thanks was proposed by PHED chief engineer Er. Mhondamo Ovung.
