Mardan ( from khurshidwahab ) Water and sanitation services company Mardan (WSSCM), Abdul Wali khan University Mardan (AWKUM) and WaterAid jointly organized various events to observed World Toilet Day in which people from different walks of life participated. An awareness seminar, awareness walk and painting competition were held in which students, faculty members of environmental sciences department, Pakhtunkhwa college of Arts and WSSCM staff participated.
The main objective of these event was to raise public awareness about safe sanitation systems such as wastewater treatment, storm water management, hand washing and solid waste management.
Engineer Nasir WASH officer Water Aid Pakistan deliver his speech on aims and objectives of the seminar, Professor Dr. Dilawar Farhan Shams, chairman environmental sciences department (AWKUM) on sanitation and domestic waste water treatment, Associate Professor Dr. Shams Ali Baig (AWKUM) deliver on issue of WASH operations, maintenance and sustainability in Pakistan, Ihsanullah WASH Officer UNICEF on role of community led total sanitation (CLTS) in the improvement of health ,hygiene and environment in rural areas of Mardan, Muhammad Ishaq Deputy Manager WSSCM on provision of water and sanitation services in urban Mardan, Dr. Cheng from UST Beijing delivered his speech on Non sewered sanitation system application and development.
The speakers said that 3.6 billion people are living with poor-quality toilets and without access to safely managed sanitation which ruins their health and pollutes their environment. The day reminds people of taking action to tackle the global sanitation crisis and achieve Sustainable Development Goal 6, clean water and sanitation for all by 2030.
Dr. Dilawar Farhan shams has said in a statement that three lac and fifteen thousand children died every year due to poor sanitation. Thirty Eight workers die every hour from a disease caused by lack of sanitation. He added,
Speakers said due to poor sanitation practices, human waste contaminates water resources by getting into rivers, lakes, and soil. 79 million people in Pakistan lack of decent sanitation and about 92pc of the wastewater is untreated and goes directly to water bodies.
Engineer Nasir WASH Engineer from Water Aid has said that water aid is international NGO working in 28 countries including Pakistan, with the vision that everyone – everywhere has access to safe drinking water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH).
Dr Shams Ali Baig has said, in 1951, Pakistan had five thousand cubic meters water available for every citizen, while in 2016 while in 2016, one thousand cubic meters of water is available for every citizen.
Water reservoirs are rapidly depleting but we are still not taking serious steps to prevent water wastage which is a matter of concern.
Muhammad Ishaq Deputy Manager WSSCM said that WSSCM is collecting/ disposing 80% of the daily generated municipal solid waste and collecting garbage from 68% of the households daily basis in 39 NC’s of Mardan city, while safe drinking water is provided to five thousands households in urban Mardan. Around 65 kilometers of drains is cleaned per month. He added.
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