The concept of Community Led Total Sanitation (CLTS), whereby communities build latrines on self-help basis has been introduced in Takht Bhai Tehsil, Mardan, for the first time in Pakistan by NWFP local government and rural development department with support of Unicef.
This was informed in a review meeting held here to assess the implementation of the Unicef-supported Water, Environment and Sanitation (WES) programme in NWFP and Fata initiated in 2004.
The meeting was told that under the WES programme, water and sanitation facilities have been provided in over 500 schools in four districts of NWFP and two agencies of Fata while over 700 teachers have been trained in hygiene education.
Other main activities undertaken with Unicef support include preparation of provincial paper on drinking water and sanitation policies, establishment of water, environment sanitation network (WES net) and establishment of water quality monitoring laboratories in Hangu and Mardan.
Rehmat Ghazi, secretary local council board, local government and rural development department chaired the meeting. Those attended the meeting include Aslam Khan, chief engineer public health engineering, works and services department; Siraj Ahmad, director local government, Fata; Jamal-ud-Din, additional director, department of schools and literacy; Mohammad Rehman Khattak, tehsil municipal officer Thall; Thowai Zai, chief (WES), Unicef; Unicef WES officers Dr Tameez Ahmad; Dr Murtaza Malik and senior officers of relevant government agencies and representatives of implementing partners and NGOs including IRSP, BEST and HRDS.
The participants held detailed deliberations about the future directions of the Unicef assisted WES programme.
The meeting expressed satisfaction over the progress of the programme but stressed that there was an urgent need to extend the programme to the whole of tribal area and rest of the province.
It was also suggested that the water quality testing laboratories should be set up at TMA level in other districts and the existing laboratories should be upgraded.
Establishment of a water and sanitation management information system and launching of a provincial level project on arsenic testing and mitigation was also recommended.-PR
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