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LATEST NEWS UPDATES | Investing in water, sanitation as important as in defence: Jairam by K Balchand

Investing in water, sanitation as important as in defence: Jairam by K Balchand

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published Published on Feb 22, 2012   modified Modified on Feb 22, 2012

Proposes inter-ministry contribution for prioritising the issues
 
Union Minister of Rural Development Jairam Ramesh has presented a plan to various Central ministries to contribute to the cause of drinking water and sanitation, saying that investment for a healthy population was as important as investing for defence.

Mr. Ramesh, who also holds the Drinking Water and Sanitation portfolio, on Tuesday had his proposals ratified at the National Drinking Water and Sanitation Council which comprises representatives of various ministries like agriculture, water resources, environment and forest, science and technology, human resources development and health and family welfare.

“You can invest in missiles, tanks and aircraft, but if we don't have clean drinking water and proper sanitation, the population is not going to be healthy.”

Highest priority

Intending to write to the Ministers holding these portfolios, Mr. Ramesh correlated how quality drinking water and sanitation were critical for a healthy nation.

He said that now is the time to accord highest priority to these sectors and project them as the agenda of the country.

“Utilise ASHAs”

Wondering why the two issues did not receive any attention under the National Rural Health Mission (NRHM), he underlined the need to utilise the services of Accredited Social Health Activists (ASHA) appointed by the Ministry of Health as motivators to sensitise people to hygiene and sanitation.

The proposal is to provide incentives to the 8-lakh-strong ASHAs across the country to spread the awareness as ultimately there was no distinction between hygiene and sanitation.

He added: “We are becoming a wealthy people not a healthy one,” — pressing for a change in attitude towards these two programmes for which he was expecting a 40 to 60 per cent budgetary hike in 2012-13.

Pointing out that water-borne diseases and contamination posed a host of risks like cholera, diarrhoea and even cancer, Mr. Ramesh said it was a mistake to segregate the Ministries of Health and Drinking Water and Sanitation. “Cleaner the water, safer the sanitation, healthier the population,” he asserted.

Testing water quality

The National Drinking Water and Sanitation Council proposed sharing of water quality testing laboratories for testing drinking water quality. The Central Ground Water Board (CGWB) has been requested to conduct heavy metals and pesticides testing in drinking water and share information with the States.

Mr. Ramesh also intends to write to the Environment and Forest Minister to consider increasing the rate of cess imposed on industries so as to act as a deterrent and to cover the treatment costs of polluted water.

The note pointed out that the cess collected for toxic and non-biodegradable wastes is only 30 paise per KL while treatment of this water (through RO) for drinking purposes will cost Rs. 50 to Rs. 60 per KL which is about 20,000 time costly.

The Hindu, 22 February, 2012, http://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-national/article2918388.ece


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