Water and Environment Sanitation Network India

	Citizen's Corner

Press Releases

(WES-Net invites contributions to this section from all)

Will open defecation end by 2012?
[Date: 26/07/07 Source: India Togather]
The short answer appears to be no. Some 4,959 villages have bagged the Nirmal Gram Puraskar (clean village prize) so far, for having flush toilets in every household and school. But there is a flip side of this otherwise incredible script. Sudhirendar Sharma probes the reality.

New Data Shows the Impact of Environmental Factors on Health
[Date: 13/07/07 Source: WHO]
The World Health Organization (WHO) has released the first ever country-by-country analysis of the impact environmental factors have on health. The data show huge inequalities but also demonstrate that in every country, people's health could be improved by reducing environmental risks including pollution, hazards in the work environment, UV radiation, noise, agricultural risks, climate and ecosystem change.

Desalination for Safe Water Supply: WHO Draft Guideline Available for Comment
[Date: 11/07/07 Source: WHO]
WHO invites comments on the draft guideline on “Desalination for Safe Water Supply”, which gives an overview of desalination technologies, addresses chemical and microbial aspects of desalinated water, and in addition, offers specific guidance relating to monitoring, surveillance, regulation, and Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA). Comments should be sent to: gdwqdesal@who.int by 31 October 2007.

Toilet Beauty Contest
[Date: 11/07/07 Source: M.Subburaman, SCOPE]
On the 14thof July 2007, the village of Kameshwaram (Nagapattinam District – Tamil Nadu) will witness a very unique Beauty Contest. The stars of the day will not be good looking young people but toilets – EcoSan toilets. It is to reward the pioneering users of EcoSan toilets that are most ideally suited for Tsunami hit sandy coastal area. The contest is organized by FIN France & SCOPE.

‘Clean drive’ reaches a significant milestone
[Date: 10/07/07 Source: J.Geetha, Gramalaya]
Damodharan Eda Street of the Tiruchi city in Tamil Nadu was declared the 100th open defecation-free zone as part of a joint initiative of the Corporation and voluntary organisations — Gramalaya, Wateraid and Alaigal Women’s Federation. The initiative, started in 2003-04, has covered 100 habitations in various parts of the city. Open defecation has been eradicated in these areas by handing over public toilets to women self-help groups for maintenance. The public toilets have been renovated wherever necessary by the Corporation.

In search for water solutions that can be pioneered by young people
[Date: 06/07/07 Source: Going to School]
Going to School, a non-profit dedicated to creating media (radio, books, films) that encourages underprivileged children to go to school, is looking for ideas based on which children can become entrepreneurs under their new project titled “BE! an Entrepreneur”. Towards this end, Going to School invites ideas/stories from members, especially related to water, for preparing books, films and radio programmes using which the underprivileged children can change their lives by becoming an Entrepreneur.

"Indian Rivers Have to be Saved from MNCs"
[Date: 02/07/07 Source: OneWorld South Asia]
India’s water man and Magsaysay Award winner Rajinder Singh is busy rallying people on the banks of river Yamuna, that flows through Agra - the city of the Taj Mahal, to stand up for their water rights by protecting river Yamuna from pollution and “from being handed over” to the MNCs.