EDITORIAL

With the onset of monsoon, the air quality in Kathmandu Valley has improved because of the flushing of the pollutants in the air by the rain [see article below], but on the other hand the incidents of diarrheal diseases has increased. Hospitals in Kathmandu Valley are already packed with diarrhea patients and cases of cholera have also been reported in the Valley. With natural disasters such as floods and landslides also increasing, the need to prevent and control water-borne diseases has become critical. The promotion of safe water through the use of point of use water treatment options, as well as effective sanitation and hand washing is the best way to prevent diarrheal diseases. This requires effective public awareness and behavioural change campaigns and efficient supply of POU water treatment options. ENPHO, together with various partners, has been involved in promoting safe water as well as effective sanitation and hand washing through various campaigns. ENPHO is committed to intensify its campaigns in the up-coming months and urges all other partners to join hands to fight water-borne diseases this monsoon.

Influence of Vehicular Number in Air Quality of Kathmandu Valley

Rapid urbanization, poor transport management and brick kilns are deteriorating air quality in Kathmandu Valley, where population has more than doubled between 1995-96 and 2003-2004. According to an inventory of air pollution sources in Kathmandu Valley done by Ministry of Environment, Science and Technology (MoEST) in 2006 vehicular emissions are responsible for 38% of the total PM10 emitted in Kathmandu Valley, compared to 18% from agricultural sectors and 11% from brick kilns. As the number of vehicles in the Valley is increasing by about 17 % per year, it is likely that the air quality will continue to get worse unless urgent action is taken.

An analysis of 2006-07 data of ambient air quality monitoring that is being done by ENPHO for MOEST, clearly shows the influence of vehicles in air quality. The daily mean PM10 level in Putalisadak, which is a major commercial centre with high vehicular density, is highest among the three urban centers of the Valley on non-holidays (Figure 1). It is here, maximum daily mean reduction of 47μg/m3, is observed in holidays with respect to non-holidays. Similarly, for Patan and Thamel, the daily mean reduction is 25μg/m3 and 21μg/m3 respectively. Reduction in Patan is a bit less than Putalisadak even though it is also a road side station. This may be because the traffic around this station mainly consists of heavy vehicles and public buses which also ply on non-holidays, while the traffic in Putalisadak consists mainly of lighter vehicles and motorcycles which are mainly used by office goers.

PM10 level during the current fuel shortage (before and after 24th January, 2008 onwards)

Recently, right after the agitation in the valley on the pretext of sudden increase in petroleum price, the availability of diesel and petrol were very limited. As a consequence, vehicular density in the street decreased significantly for a couple of weeks. The air quality data shows a decline in the mean 24 hr PM10 concentration in three urban areas during fuel shortage period than before fuel shortage period (Figure 2). The percentage reduction in PM10 level during fuel shortage period is 26 %, 10 % and 20 % in Putalisadak, Patan and Thamel respectively.

Conclusively, there seems a positive correlation between vehicular number and ambient air quality. Practical implication of this analysis is meant to show that Kathmandu valley’s air quality is influenced by the vehicular number running in the street. The increasing trend of vehicle number in the valley adds woes to traffic and air quality management, which is already, perplexed by narrow roads, insufficient and unplanned road terminals. Prohibiting the intrusion of low grade vehicles of higher emission, targeting higher Euro level standards, and strict emission check of the running vehicles are some of the incumbent action. Though to make these interventions effective holistic city planning, especially decentralizing the current rampant industrial and economic growth in the fragile valley ecosystem by altering the centre of commerce in some other more favorable location has become exigent.

- Ashish Singh

ENPHO

:: ENPHO NEWS ::

RESEARCH ON WAPIC

With support from Water Aid Nepal, ENPHO has started research on an integrated system of Water Pasteurization through Improved Cooking Stove (WAPIC). In this system, an aluminum coil, fixed in a mud-brick type improved cooking stove is used as a water pasteurizing unit so that users can enjoy safe water as well as a smoke-free environment. It is designed to address the two biggest health risks facing Nepalese children: water borne diseases and acute respiratory infections. A WAPIC unit has been constructed at ENPHO and experiments are being conducted on the design of the coil, placement of the coil, flow rate and water temperature to assess the microbial inactivation rate. Initially, a coil that had been placed in the combustion chamber could not withstand the heat. So at the moment, bacteriological test are being conducted at different temperature ranges while passing the water through a coil that has been placed inside the chimney. After analyzing the results of the bacteriological test, future action will focus on design optimization and field testing. ENPHO is also working with some experts from Bangladesh on this project.

COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMME IN DHULIKHEL

ENPHO has been conducting community development programs in Dhulikhel since May 2008 in coordination and collaboration with the Urban and Environmental Improvement Project (UEIP) of Dhulikhel Municipality. The programme mainly consists of capacity building, public health awareness, and implementation of community based water and sanitation activities. ENPHO has established its field office in Dhulikhel for effective coordination with local stakeholders and initiated community consultations. ENPHO has completed baseline household survey, focus group discussions, ward level problem analysis meetings, and need assessment of small community facilities and income generating activities to poor and disadvantaged communities. Similarly, draft design estimates of public schools toilets have also been completed.

MONSOON WASHING OUT PARTICULATE MATTER (PM10) IN KATHMANDU VALLEY

ENPHO is regularly monitoring ambient air quality of Kathmandu Valley through six monitoring stations for Ministry of Environment, Science and Technology. The results show that with the advent of monsoon season, the pollution level in Kathmandu’s air has decreased significantly. Rain is regarded as a natural flush for cleaning the particulate matter and gaseous pollutants from the atmosphere. Average daily concentration of particulate matter less than 10 micron (PM10) during the pre-monsoon season (March, April & May) was 140 µg/m3 in Thamel and 350 µg/m3 in Putalisadak thus violating the national standards of 120 µg/m3. However average PM10 data of June from the current monsoon season shows that Thamel and Putalisadak’s PM10 level decreasing to 76 and 129 µg/m3.

PROMOTION OF POINT OF USE WATER TREATMENT

With the advent of the monsoon season and increase in incidents of water borne diseases, ENPHO has stepped up its campaign for promoting point of use water treatment options such as boiling chlorination, solar water disinfection and filtration.

1. A wide variety of IEC and promotional materials such as posters, brochures, flexes, pamphlets, danglers, stickers, health and hygiene bag kit, caps, monthly planner have been produced. These materials are being distributed through various municipalities and partner organizations.
2. Several capacity building training and orientation programme to local authorities, journalists, health professionals and project partner on POU promotion have been scheduled from 27 -30 July 2008 at Bharatpur municipality. Ms. Padmaja Pradhan and Mr. Ram Bilas Pant are the resource persons for these programmes.
3. Ms. Biju Dangol, Project Officer, gave a presentation on POU drinking water treatment options on 25 July 2008 at the Reproductive Health Coordination Committee Meeting organized by District Public Health Office, Lalitpur. There were about 50 participants in this programme.
4. ENPHO signed an agreement with Solutions Consultant Pvt. Ltd. to conduct POU baseline consumers’ survey for recognizing knowledge, practice and use of POU options at household level. The survey will be conducted at 1000 households from Kathmandu Valley, Hetauda, Bharatpur, Butwal, Nepalgunj and Biratnagar. In this context, orientation was organized to surveyors on objectives, methods and techniques of this survey at 17-18 July 2008.
5. Mr. Bipin Dangol gave an interview to Gorkha FM 93.00 MHz on current water quality scenario of Kathmandu valley and POU options. He emphasized on importance of POU promotion for ensuring safe drinking water at household level especially during current cholera epidemic. He briefed on simple POU technologies such as boiling, filtration, SODIS and chlorination and current ongoing POU promotional activities in Nepal.
6. PIYUSH chlorine solution, along with other POU water treatment options, is being promoted through various media, such as radio, hoarding boards, as well as community campaigns.
7. In order to educate street vendors and their customers on the need for safe water and point of use water treatment, PIYUSH treated water is being supplied through several vendors and these vendors are also selling PIYUSH.
8. ENPHO is working with Kathmandu Upatyaka Khanepani Limited (KUKL), the water supply operator of Kathmandu Valley to launch an educational campaign on water quality and POU water treatment.
9. ENPHO is working with NGO Forum for Urban Water and Sanitation and other organizations to conduct community based Free Residual Chlorine (FRC) monitoring in Kathmandu.

PROMOTION OF POU OPTIONS & HAND WASHING PRACTICES FOR DISASTER PREPAREDNESS

ENPHO has signed an agreement with UNICEF Nepal for promotion of POU water treatment options and hand washing practices for disaster preparedness in six Terai districts and installation of POU water treatment systems in 188 schools of four districts. The first component of the programme is to designed to strengthen the capacity of district level stakeholders and volunteers for reducing incidence of water borne diseases during natural disasters such as floods and landslides. The second component of this programme is designed to provide technical support to Water Supply & Sanitation Divisional Offices at Panchattar, Parsa, Dang and Kapilvastu districts for installation and monitoring of POU technologies at 188 schools. Mr. Makhan Maharjan and Dr. Binod Mani Dahal of ENPHO are in the field visiting six districts (Saptari, Mahottari, Sarlahi, Rautahat, Nawalparasi and Rupandehi) to organize coordination meeting and capacity building training to commence the field activities.

WATER AND SANITATION EDUCATION PROGRAMME IN SCHOOLS OF HETAUDA

ENPHO and Clean Energy Nepal (CEN) together with Hetauda Municipality organized a one-day Capacity Enhancement Training to Executive members of 11 Nature clubs of public schools from 30 June-2 July, 2008. The main objective of the training was to impart in depth knowledge and skills required for effective management of school based Nature Clubs. Similarly, an interaction programme was organized on 6 July, 2008 at Hetauda Municipality office to discuss on effective management and mobilization of Nature Clubs with school principals and guide teachers. The training and discussion programmes were facilitated by Ms. Shriju Pradhan, Mr. Manjeet Dhakal and Mr. Gopal Joshi in coordination with Environment Improvement Coordination Committee (EICC) of Hetauda Municipality Office.

Shriju Pradhan also led a team from Hetauda Municipality to a visit to Bharatpur to observe School Led Total Sanitation (SLTS) campaign in Bharatpur. The team visited Rastriya Primary School and had discussions with Mr. Madan Malla, coordinator of the Chitwan Model District Campaign.

PARTICIPATION/PRESENTATIONS

• Bhushan Tuladhar, Executive Director, participated on first National Drinking Water Quality (NDWQ) Steering Committee meeting held on 3 July, 2008 at DWSS. The previous National Arsenic Steering Committee was officially dissolved and NDWQ Steering Committee was formed to act as main coordinating body for water quality related issues in Nepal. During the meeting, Mr. Tuladhar shared ENPHO’s current water quality related programmes and key issues for improving water quality in Nepal.
• ENPHO participated in an exhibition organized during the 3rd National HIV/AIDS Conference held on 5 July 2008. On the occasion, IEC materials on POU options for safe drinking water including PIYUSH (0.5% chlorine solution) were displayed.
• On 4th July, Bhushan Tuladhar made a presentation on Guidelines for Effective Solid Waste Management to representatives from 20 municipalities. Similarly, on 13 July, Bhushan Tuladhar, made a presentation on National Solid Waste Management Guidelines at a workshop organized by the Solid Waste Management and Resource Mobilization Centre.
• Rajesh Adhikary, Bipin Dangol and Biju Dangol from ENPHO gave presentations on POU options and need of POU promotion for Cholera Prevention during an orientation programme on Cholera Prevention organized by the Lalitipur Sub Metropolitan City (LSMC), Public Health Section on 27 July. Urban Environment Management Society (UEMS) gave presentations on technique of well chlorination at community level and method of tank chlorination for household use. Altogether there were 208 Tole Health Promoters (THP) from 22 wards of municipality. The main objective of this programme was to inform participants about current status of cholera cases within the municipality, promotion of POU options to prevent spread of cholera and method of well chlorination to supply safe water at community level. District Public Health Office, Lalitpur briefed on current cases of cholera and precautions to be taken to prevent cholera epidemic. Several IEC and promotional materials on POU options were distributed to the participants.
• Mr. Rajesh Adhikari, promotional manager made presentation on safe water including POU options and environmental sanitation to 100 local people of Alapot VDC. The programme was organized by Om Nursing College and Alapot VDC on 26 July 2008.

INTERACTION PROGRAMS @ ENPHO

• On 18 July, ENPHO together with Clean Energy Nepal and Green Youth Network organized an interaction program on ‘Global Dimming’. Speaking at the program, Ms. Bidya Banmali Pradhan from ICIMOD briefed about the global dimming phenomenon and stressed that Nepal should accelerate global negotiations in order to adapt to high risks of aerosols deposition resulting into global dimming. Furthermore, she stressed that the increased level of aerosols in the atmosphere due to bigger neighboring economies has become a critical problem.
• On 21 July Mr. Madan Malla from Department of Water Supply and Sewerage/UNICEF made a presentation on School Led Total Sanitation Campaign in Chitwan. The presentation highlighted the successes and challenges faced by the people striving to make Chitwan a model district in terms of Sanitation. The aim is to declare Chitwan as an open defecation free district by 2009.
• On 25 July, Mr. Indra Gurung made a presentation on "Bioenergy & Nanotechnology". He explained that each cell in our body is stimulated by the resonating interaction of the rhythmical flow of electric current. The fast pace of the people of today with their stressful environments, overwork and sleep deficiency, causes this bioelectric current to lose balance. During this session he made some interesting demonstrations related to Nanotechnology. Nanotechnology involves the manipulation of structures that deal with the creation and use of materials or devices at the level of molecules and atoms. Nanotechnology is the science of fabricating things smaller than 100 nanometres (a nanometre is one-billionth of a metre).
• On 25 July, Mr. Praveen Mahadevan, Regional Coordinator of an international group called College Ecology made a presentation on Youth & Climate Change. This was followed by discussions and planning of future activities in this sector.

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:: LOCAL NEWS ::

DIARRHOEA & CHOLERA SPREAD IN THE VALLEY

Hospitals in Kathmandu have been witnessing higher number of diarrhoea patients with the start of rainy season this year. The number of diarrhoea patients has increased in Sukraraj Tropical and Infectious Disease Hospital, Teku compared to the previous year. “All the 100 beds in the hospital have been occupied by diarrhoea patients,” said Dr. Devi Prasad Bhusal. He told that most of the patients visiting the hospital were detected with cholera germs. “Most of the patients visiting the hospital are from Kathmandu and Lalitpur,” he said. Stating that unsafe water, rotten food and unhygienic meat causes diarrhoea, the doctors urged to drink water only after boiling and filtering during the rainy season.

Similarly, according to Rastriya Samachar Samiti the Lalitpur District Public Health Office has reported that the number of cholera and diarhoea patients is increasing in Lalitpur Sub-Metropolitan City and its surrounding villages. According to the Senior Public Health Officer Rishi Prasad Lamichane, 62 cases of cholera were reported in the Patan Hospital and other healthcare institutions in the district in the month of Asar [June 15-July 15, 2008].”
Source: Rajdhani, 21 July& Gorkhapatra 18 July

MILLIONS OF RUPEES SPENT BUT GARBAGE STILL LITTER KATHMANDU STREETS

The government spends Rs. 350 million annually for managing garbage of the Kathmandu Valley. In addition the private sector waste collectors also spend millions of rupees for collecting garbage. Kathmandu Metropolitan City that collects 350 ton of garbage daily has allocated Rs.250 million in the fiscal year and Lalitpur Sub-metropolitan City that collects 70 ton of garbage daily has allocated Rs. 15 million for managing garbage. Similarly, Bhaktapur municipality that collects 30 ton of garbage daily has allocated 28.5 million for managing garbage. Madhyapur Thimi municipality has allocated Rs. 4.4 million and Kirtipur municipality Rs. 2 million for garbage management. Madhyapur Thimi municipality collects 16 ton and Kirtipur municipality collects 12 ton garbage daily. Though the municipalities are spending millions of rupees in garbage management, garbage is piling on the streets of Kathmandu for the past few days after obstruction in the Sisdole Landfill Site of Nuwakot. Source: Annapurna Post, 9 July

ELECTRIC CYCLES HIGH ON DEMAND

While the country has been reeling under fuel crisis and consequent traffic jam, Valley folks have found a way out of these woes. An increasing number of people are opting for electric cycles, creating a huge demand for such cycles. Talking to The Himalayan Times today, Prabin Thapa, manager of Absolute International Pvt Ltd, the sole distributor of electric cycles in Nepal, said the demand for electric cycles had increased significantly in the past few months. He said that very few people would buy such cycles three years back, but presently, over 80 people purchase electric cycles in different sizes and models every month. “The demand is almost double the supply,” he said, adding, “We have not been able to put on sale enough electric cycles due to the ongoing protests in Tibet.” According to Thapa, electric cycles are imported from China’s Shanghai by Saleway Himalaya International and are distributed by Absolute International Pvt Ltd solely in Nepal. Electric cycles are smaller in size and go at a speed of 30 kilometres an hour. They need to be charged for almost six hours which consumes only 0.6 unit of electricity, costing a nominal Rs 6, he noted. Expressing the attraction of customers towards such bikes, he said, “People are looking for some modification so that they appear like other scooters.” The government, however, is yet to decide whether electric cycles should bear a number plate and the rider needs license. Khagendra Pokharel, director-general of the Department of Transport Management, said, “After the experts explore its features and categorize it, we will provide registration number to cycles and licenses to riders.” Over 400 people have been using electric cycles in the Kathmandu
Source: The Himalayan Times, 6 July

NEPAL: GOVERNMENT PREPARES FOR POSSIBLE DIARRHOEA EPIDEMIC

Health workers at Nepal's Epidemiology and Disease Control Division (EDCD) in the Department of Health Services (DHS), are making preparations to control a diarrhoea out break, which occurs during the annual monsoon season between July and September in rural areas. "We have our teams ready in the district, regional and central levels where all the medical stocks and staff have been already propositioned," Sagar Dahal, chief of natural disaster management of the EDCD told IRIN in Kathmandu, the capital. In addition, it has placed more than 50 emergency health kits, provided by the UN World Health Organization (WHO), in strategic locations such as Nepalganj along the border with India, Biratnagar in the east, as well as Kathmandu. "In case of emergency [if the epidemic is out of control], we have our kits ready to immediately run health camps in the affected areas," said Dahal.

Meanwhile, Rapid Response Teams (RRT) have been formed at the central, regional and district level. Health workers, who were provided training in emergency response, are now active and on standby in more than 30 districts in case of any outbreak, added EDCD officials. A 12-hour hotline has also been established at the EDCD to provide emergency response if the health offices at the district level are unable to cope. If the situation deteriorates, the hotline will be a 24-hour service, Dahal added.

High-risk regions
His office has just finished mapping diarrhoea-risk areas to assess which districts were most vulnerable by comparing the epidemic prevalence over the past three years. It found that 26 out of total 75 districts - most in the far west and mid-western regions - were considered high risk. These districts had recorded three diarrhoea epidemics over the same three-year period. An additional 34 districts were categorised as medium-risk areas while the remaining 15 districts were considered low risk. But already this year there have been reports of people dying from diarrhoea in the far west and mid-west regions of the Himalayan nation. Although only 13 dead were recorded in hospitals over the past 23 weeks, the death rate could be much higher as access to health services in the most remote areas is very limited, local health workers warned.

Over 7,500 cases in six months
In 2007, there were about 33,746 reported cases of diarrhoea, with 250 deaths, the EDCD reported. However, it believes the numbers could be significantly higher as these figures were provided only through 28 sentinel sites - the hospitals strategically located near the epidemic-risk areas. In the first six months of 2008, the EDCD reported 7,532 cases of diarrhoea, but these were only cumulative figures, with the actual number expected to be higher. Most cases at the community level remain under-reported, say health workers. Although diarrhoea is prevalent throughout the year due to poor hygiene practices, unsafe drinking water and poor sanitation, the situation is particularly bad during the annual monsoon period when floods and landslides damage water systems and contaminate drinking water.
Source: IRIN News, 22 July

DIARRHOEA SPREAD IN MADHUMALLA

Over five dozen locals have fallen sick due to diarrhoea that spread in Shanti Tole of Madhumalla-5 for the past few days. A local Santosh Gautam told that 12 among the 60 diarrhoea affected are kids.
He told that the District Public Health Office Morang has not sent a team of health workers to treat the diarrhoea patients. The diarrhoea patients are undergoing treatment in Urlabari of Morang and Damak of Jhapa.
Source: Gorkhapatra, 9 July

LACK OF PUBLIC TOILET AND THEIR MISMANAGEMENT

Sarita Dangol of Kirtipur who went inside a public toilet at Ratna Park in a hurry found it uneasy to use the toilet when she did not find a latch to lock the door. But, she did not have any alternative. She was forced to use the foul smelling dark toilet without water, light and latch. Not only Sarita, most of the people using the public toilets are facing similar problems. An elderly of Dillibazzar no longer visits the market, as she has to go toilet frequently due to her health problem. She said, “I have to go to toilet frequently. So, I stay at home as it is hard to find a public toilet in the City.” Many people drink little water due to toilet problem. Many women hesitate to use public toilets in the city due to foul smell and insecurity. Shanta Sharma of Basundhara told that she feels insecure though there is arrangement of separate chambers for gents and ladies. She says, “Neither is there enough light nor good ventilation and door. So we feel insecure in there.” City lacks public toilet and existing toilets lack good management. One has to pay certain fee for using such toilet but it differs from place to place. One has to pay Rs. 2 to Rs. 5 for using public toilet in the Kathmandu Valley. Public toilet operators blamed that negligence of toilet users lead to the bad condition of public toilets.

There are 34 public toilets in Kathmandu including 16 toilets run by Kathmandu Metropolitan City (KMC). Others are privately run toilets. KMC is running toilets in Ratnapark and Jamal. Town Service Centre is also operating toilets with bathroom, saloon and grocery store in the land provided by the KMC. The Centre pays Rs. 50,000 annually to the KMC. There is no public toilet in crowded places like Tinkune, Babarmahal, Maitighar, Anamnagar, Maitidevi and Putalisadak. Officials of the KMC admit that there aren’t enough toilets according to population density. Town Service Centre has presented a proposal to Department of Roads to construct centres at six locations including Babarmahal, Koteshwor and Narayan Gopal Chowk. KMC stated that mobile toilets is suitable than Town Service Centres in the places with more population density. KMC has proposed a plan to construct mobile toilets in public private partnership.
Source: Annapurna Post, 23 July

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:: GLOBAL NEWS ::

NEW PLASTICS COATING TECHNOLOGY WINS MAJOR AWARD

The development of a new, ‘eco-sustainable’ coating technology for plastics has won CSIRO and its project partner, Dulux Powder Coatings, one of Australia’s leading environmental awards – the Banksia Eco-Innovation Award. Presented at the Banksia Awards 2008 presentation dinner in Melbourne on Friday, the award recognises the new ‘dry’ coating’s ability to save energy and almost eliminate harmful emissions and solid wastes produced as a result of the automotive industry’s historical reliance on ‘wet’ spray-painting technologies.
Source: CSIRO Newsflash, 22 July

USING BIOSTATISTICS TO DETECT DISEASE OUTBREAKS

An internationally recognised authority in biostatistics, Harvard University Professor Louise Ryan, is working with CSIRO researchers to help improve the way statistics are used to detect disease outbreaks in Australia. A recipient of the Australia-Harvard Fellowship, Professor Ryan – the Chair of the Department of Biostatistics at the Harvard School of Public Health – arrived in Australia in June to work on a project developing statistical methods that could distinguish cases of the annual flu from reactions to a pollution event or food poisoning.
Source: CSIRO Newsflash, 15 July

A DOLLAR MORE FOR CLIMATE CHANGE ADAPTATION, A DOLLAR LESS FOR HEALTH

The decision by the Group of Eight (G8) countries to divert money from their Overseas Development Assistance (ODA) funds to help poor countries adapt to climate change has been slammed. The eight industrialised countries have also come under fire for failing to fix short- and medium-term targets to cut dangerous greenhouse gas emissions, which scientists say are warming up the planet. "This [diversion of ODA funds] is terrible news - every ODA dollar diverted towards climate adaptation would mean a dollar less for health and education [programmes] in developing countries," Antonio Hill, senior policy advisor at Oxfam, the UK-based development agency, told IRIN. The G8 countries met this week in Hokkaido, Japan, where they pledged US$6 billion as part of their ODA to new Climate Investment Funds (CIFs), which is to comprise two funds: one to help provide clean technology, the other to build adaptive capacity in poor countries. Both funds will be managed by the World Bank. The Group of Five, representing the emerging economies of China, India, Brazil, Mexico and South Africa, which met outside the G8 forum in Japan, called for "new" and "innovative financial mechanisms" to mobilise "additional" money without diverting ODA and other multilateral resources to alleviate poverty.

Oxfam said the money pledged to the CIFs was a "drop in the bucket", and pointed out that Ethiopia's immediate climate adaptation needs alone would cost $800 million. The development agency also highlighted the funding imbalance between the G8-backed CIFs and the United Nations adaptation fund. The CIFs had drawn the disapproval of civil society ahead of the Hokkaido meeting, as money under both its funds will be provided in the form of loans, which non-governmental organisations (NGOs) such as Oxfam say is a violation of the Polluter Pays Principle (PPP). PPP is widely acknowledged as a general principle of international environmental law and is one of the fundamental principles of the European community's environmental policy.
Source: IRIN News, 9 July

KITCHEN A HAVEN FOR GERMS: STUDY

If you want to eat dinner from a clean surface, you might try your bathroom.

A study released Wednesday found that kitchen sinks have more germs than bathroom sinks. The study also found that three-quarters of kitchen cloths and sponges are heavily contaminated with harmful bacteria, meaning proper cleanup can be difficult. The study was sponsored by the makers of the cleaning product Lysol, but the company did not design the study. Samples were taken by independent environmental scientists in 20 homes with children in each of seven regions, including the U.K., the U.S., Germany, Africa, Saudi Arabia, Malaysia and India.
Source: The Associated Press, 25 June

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::UPCOMING EVENTS ::

The Executive Board of the Environment and Public Health Organization (ENPHO) has decided to organize its 17^th Annual General Meeting (AGM) on 30 August 2008 (14 Bhadra 2065), Saturday. The Board would like to invite all members (general and executive) to this meeting to be organized at ENPHO Hall at 11:00 AM.

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Edited by: Bhushan Tuladhar & Rabin Bastola

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