Master Plan on Sanitation and Hygiene-2011 officially unveiled
President Ram Baran Yadav on Thursday officially launched the Sanitation and Hygiene Master Plan-2011, which is aimed at providing sanitation programmes to every household by 2017. Nepal needs to provide a complete sanitation package including cleanliness of houses and their surrounding, offices, schools, toilets, and safe water supply to 53 percent households by 2015 to meet the Millennium Development Goal. However, only 43 per cent households are toilet users in the country at present. The master plan aims to make toilet accessible to 60 percent households in the fiscal year 2012/13, expand the hygiene programme to 80 per cent households by 2014/15 and 100 per cent by 2016/17.

“The plan will promote the utilisation of local resources to maintain hygiene and construct toilets at low costs,” reads a statement issued by the National Sanitation and Hygiene Committee (NSHC). To read full article, please click here.

Life-cycle costs of rainwater harvesting systems
Batchelor, C., Fonseca, C. and Smits, S., (2011)

Rainwater harvesting (RWH) is a centuries old technology that has the potential to play an increasingly important role in improving and sustaining water services delivery in many parts of the world. In the study reported here, the comparative utility and benefits of RWH are assessed from a life-cycle costs (LCC) perspective.

In the context of water services delivery, life-cycle costs relate to the expenditure that is needed to ensure that water supply systems deliver sustainable and equitable services, throughout its life-cycle, from planning to implementation, operation, maintenance and replacement. In addition, the study looks into historical trends and drivers of RWH adoption, and the life-cycle costs of RWH systems compared to life-cycle costs of other water supply systems. To read more, click here.

Young professional from BRAC in Nepal
A young professional from BRAC in Bangladesh, Md. Mahidul Islam, has arrived in Nepal to conduct a social research on WASH issues for nine months. During his stay he will be working together with Water, Sanitation and Hygiene-Resource Centre Network Nepal (WASH-RCNN), SNV Nepal and Environment and Public Health Organization (ENPHO). To read more, click here

‘Learning question’
Do you think decentralisation of WASH resource centres (e.g. Regional WASH Resource Centre in Surkhet) will contribute to better learning and sharing in the WASH sector of Nepal? Please click here to send in your feedback!

Implementation process of JSR Resolution is moving in a progressive way

For the first time in the country, the Sector Efficiency Improvement Unit (SEIU) under the Ministry of Physical Planning and Works (MoPPW) organised the Joint Sector Review (JSR) meeting in the country to provide a common platform for all concerned key stakeholders to discuss on existing condition of WASH sector and explore progressive ways to bring remarkable improvement in the sector through effective coordination, uniformity in planning and implementation of the programmes and policy monitoring and evaluation. Since its inception in May 2011, the JSR committee has been working to achieve the key targets identified in the seven-point resolution including sector co-ordination, financing, institutional framework and capacity building and monitoring and evaluation among others. As mentioned by the experts time and again, the biggest challenge in the WASH sector is the fragmented service delivery by the multiple implementing agencies working relatively independently that is hindering the progress towards achieving the sanitation targets for the country. However, in recent months, with the initiation of JSR component in WASH sector, the drinking water and sanitation activities including the enhancement and empowerment of local government bodies, strengthening the networks among the partner organizations and formulation of district level sanitation and hygiene plans are moving at needed pace with the support from the government, development partners, donor agencies and local government bodies.

Article by: Pragati Shahi, Reporter, The Kathmandu Post
E-mail: pragati.journo@gmail.com

Click here to read full article.

Send clear message to the masses to wash hands with soap urges Health Minister
NPeople should be made aware of the need to wash hands in order to avoid an epidemic outbreak in the country, Minister for Health and Population Rajendra Mahato said on Saturday. Speaking on the occasion of Global Handwashing Day, Mahato said the message that we should wash hands should be taken across to the masses. To read more, click here.