Kulsum Mustafa
Draft listing guidelines for the Proposed Urban Sanitation Policy for the most populated state of India - Uttar Pradesh, was released on 15th October, 2009 in Lucknow. Jointly prepared by Regional Centre for Urban and Environmental Studies (RCUES), Lucknow and UNICEF it addresses the sanitation issues of the state's urban population. The final draft was prepared after much debate and deliberation at a one-day culmination workshop, inaugurated by Prof (Dr) Dinesh Sharma, Mayor, Lucknow.
Dr Sharma highlighted the importance of state sanitation policy in the context of growing urban population and existing problems of urban environment. The participants of the workshop included People's Representatives, Executive Officers and Members of the Task Force.
"The implementation of such scheme will require mass awareness and participation, besides coordination and enforcement of legislative provisions for ensuring sanitation, proper management of solid waste, drainage and drinking water availability," said Dr Sharma. He stressed upon the need for converting such document in vernacular language for effective dissemination of information and citizens' awareness.
"Simple and practical guidelines of the sanitation policy need to be widely accepted by the public. Special importance must be given to of promoting effective sanitation in smaller towns and cities of the state", said Guest of Honor for the workshop, Ch. Jitendra Nath Singh, Mayor, Allahabad.
Prof. Nishith Rai, Director, RCUES, Lucknow welcomed the participants and special invitees to the workshop. He highlighted the need for preparing city sanitation plans based on city sanitation profile. He also reported that Govt. of India had been showing keen interest in this context and 50 ULBs have been taken up for preparation of city sanitation plans. He said the government is taking up 423 class I cities for preparing the city sanitation profiles.
Amit Mehrotra, Water Envirement and Sanitation specialist, UNICEF while highlighting the role of UNICEF said it aims at providing overall development to the children of the state, especially through school sanitation programme on which UNICEF is working with the state government.
Dr. Richa Varmani, Joint Director, RCUES made a detailed presentation on the Draft Guidelines for the Proposed Urban Sanitation Policy for the State of Uttar Pradesh. Dr. U.B.Singh, Joint Director, RCUES presented the vote of thanks.
Kulsum Mustafa
(The author is a senior journalist and Secretary-General of Media Nest)
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