GANGTOK, 06 Nov: The Mountain Institute India with the funding support from Arghyam, Bangalore, organized “Training workshop on Safe Drinking Water and Sanitation” on 4 November in Ankuchen village in Linkey Tareythang GPU, East Sikkim.
The village is one of the remote areas which is lagging behind in terms of sanitation, water supply and general awareness on water related and health related issues in the state. About 50 local people of Bering, Ankuchen and Kerabari wards participated in the training workshop consisting of farmers, women, and members of women Self Help Groups, Farmers Clubs, Panchayat and a local NGO.
The training workshop commenced with Program Manager, TMI-India, Dr. Ghanashyam Sharma, highlighting on the day’s objectives such as current issues related to drinking water and sanitation in Sikkim and Linkey Tareythang GPU in particular and water quality issues in relation with community health and sanitation.
He stressed on the conservation of trees and vegetation which in turn are crucial for the conservation of water resources. Embarking on the drinking water issues in the village he necessitated the formation of water governing body or institution for the redressal of the same and for the maintenance of safe water supply to all the households with the support from the concerned government department.
It was revealed during the interaction with the participants that 6 natural springs, which were the immediate sources of drinking water to around 50 households, is now completely disappeared after the construction of a new road in the village, also damaging the water pipelines of the area which led to serious water shortage in Ankuchen, Dangrang, Loshak and Kerabari villages. About 60 households in these villages are presently drawing water from a spring that is about 3 kms away and which is also affected by the road construction. On the meeting the participants discussed the water crises in greater detail and decided to request the concerned department through BDO Rhenock. An application was prepared with signatures of all the villagers to the Block Development Officer, Rural Management and Development Department, Government of Sikkim, for immediate intervention in this issue. Haphazard road construction under PMGSY is a serious issue in almost all the districts in the state which TMI India has identified as one of the major causes of drying up and disappearance of springs, ultimately affecting the supply of safe drinking water to the rural households. It was also revealed by the participants during the discussion that the climate change manifesting in form of erratic rainfall and weather events have affected the spring water sources, foodgrain and cash-crop production in the area.
The Resource Person for the training, Compounder, PHSC (Primary Health Care Center) of Linkey Tareythang GPU, AR Subba, in his address expressed gratitude to TMI-India for providing opportunity to highlight the local and state-level issues related to drinking water and sanitation. He acknowledged on the spread of water-borne diseases such as jaundice, typhoid, dysentery, Hepatitis, viral fever etc., the problems of food contamination and unclean sanitary habits and stressed on the consumption of boiled, filtered drinking water to the participants. He also expressed concern over the increasing cases of alcoholic deaths, hypertension and diabetes in the GPU. He appealed the participants to consult the local PHSC in case of health concerns and made aware about the precautions to be taken against any diseases, and importance of timely heath checkups of women and children and acknowledged on the availability of facilities and medicines for locals and conceiving women, respectively.
The village is one of the remote areas which is lagging behind in terms of sanitation, water supply and general awareness on water related and health related issues in the state. About 50 local people of Bering, Ankuchen and Kerabari wards participated in the training workshop consisting of farmers, women, and members of women Self Help Groups, Farmers Clubs, Panchayat and a local NGO.
The training workshop commenced with Program Manager, TMI-India, Dr. Ghanashyam Sharma, highlighting on the day’s objectives such as current issues related to drinking water and sanitation in Sikkim and Linkey Tareythang GPU in particular and water quality issues in relation with community health and sanitation.
He stressed on the conservation of trees and vegetation which in turn are crucial for the conservation of water resources. Embarking on the drinking water issues in the village he necessitated the formation of water governing body or institution for the redressal of the same and for the maintenance of safe water supply to all the households with the support from the concerned government department.
It was revealed during the interaction with the participants that 6 natural springs, which were the immediate sources of drinking water to around 50 households, is now completely disappeared after the construction of a new road in the village, also damaging the water pipelines of the area which led to serious water shortage in Ankuchen, Dangrang, Loshak and Kerabari villages. About 60 households in these villages are presently drawing water from a spring that is about 3 kms away and which is also affected by the road construction. On the meeting the participants discussed the water crises in greater detail and decided to request the concerned department through BDO Rhenock. An application was prepared with signatures of all the villagers to the Block Development Officer, Rural Management and Development Department, Government of Sikkim, for immediate intervention in this issue. Haphazard road construction under PMGSY is a serious issue in almost all the districts in the state which TMI India has identified as one of the major causes of drying up and disappearance of springs, ultimately affecting the supply of safe drinking water to the rural households. It was also revealed by the participants during the discussion that the climate change manifesting in form of erratic rainfall and weather events have affected the spring water sources, foodgrain and cash-crop production in the area.
The Resource Person for the training, Compounder, PHSC (Primary Health Care Center) of Linkey Tareythang GPU, AR Subba, in his address expressed gratitude to TMI-India for providing opportunity to highlight the local and state-level issues related to drinking water and sanitation. He acknowledged on the spread of water-borne diseases such as jaundice, typhoid, dysentery, Hepatitis, viral fever etc., the problems of food contamination and unclean sanitary habits and stressed on the consumption of boiled, filtered drinking water to the participants. He also expressed concern over the increasing cases of alcoholic deaths, hypertension and diabetes in the GPU. He appealed the participants to consult the local PHSC in case of health concerns and made aware about the precautions to be taken against any diseases, and importance of timely heath checkups of women and children and acknowledged on the availability of facilities and medicines for locals and conceiving women, respectively.
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