GUWHATI: World Environment Day was observed here on Sunday with people taking part in awareness campaigns for a better environment. Green campaigners and experts stressed on key ideas to overcome open defecation, air pollution and deforestation.
With Lakwa block in Sivasagar district declared as the first block in the NE region (barring Sikkim) as open defecation free (ODF) and Assam achieving a sanitation coverage of 54% in 2015-16, four districts have been targeted for ODF this year. But challenges such as geographical terrain, cultural norms and low financial resources pose as barriers for a 100% sanitation coverage in Assam.
"Every year, floods create a big problem. Riverine islands and hilly terrain increase the cost of materials and their transportation," said Pratul Kumar Choudhury, state coordinator of Swachh Bharat Mission (Gramin), Assam.
In addition, there is a funding gap for close to 10 lakh families in the state for sanitation coverage as around 3.80 lakh families have grown after the last Base Line Survey (BSL) carried out a few years ago.
Under SBM, out of the target of 613974 for construction of individual household latrines (IHHL), the achievement has been 465545 in the state.
One of the key ideas suggested by health experts and social observers for better propagation of ODF among the rural populace was to infuse awareness towards a social and cultural change in the attitude towards open defecation.
"Cultural aspects need to be counted when it comes to sanitation. Open defecation has been continuing for decades. The need for behavioural change is important and awareness is a key point towards addressing the issue," said SimantaKalita, Assam programme coordinator of the Centre for Environment Education.
Drop in air quality, on the other hand, has rendered children in few districts of Assam victims of acute respiratory infections (ARI).
The Annual Health Survey (2012-2013) report stated that districts like Nagaon, Tinsukia, Jorhat, Golaghat and Dibrugarh have 47, 44, 41, 36 and 34% of children percentages respectively of its children suffering from ARI.
Both indoor and outdoor pollution are on the rise.
ARI is an infection that obstructs normal breathing. It starts as a viral infection in the nose, windpipes or lungs. ARI is the prime reason of illness and death among children in third world countries.
Sharad Gokhale, professor of environmental engineering in the department of civil engineering at IIT-G, said pollution is on the rise in the last few years.
