IMPROVED ACCESS TO SAFE WATER, SANITATION AND HYGIENE IN SELECTED VILLAGES OF GUWRIBIDANUR TALUK OF KARNATAKA, BLOCK OF COIMBATORE DISTRICT TAMIL NADU

PROJECT BACKGROUND 

The sustainable Development Goals aim to provide Clean Water and sanitation for all. Access to safe water, sanitation and hygiene conditions is essential to protect human health during infectious disease outbreaks especially in the times of ongoing Covid-19 pandemic. WASH programme encourages personal hygiene practices and brings behavioural changes by creating awareness in the community about the risk of open defecation and water contamination.  Keeping in mind the above and considering the project location situation, demand driven WASH related activities plan to be worked out in a participatory approach. The project will be implemented in 11 villages of Bevinahalli Grama Panchayath of Gowribidanur taluk, Chikballapur District in Karnataka and 10 Villages of 2 Gram Panchayath (Erumporai & Illupa Natham) in Karamadai Block, Mettupalayam Taluk, Coimbatore District of Tamil Nadu. This project is a synthesis of Integrated and WASH service delivery programs with focus on improving sustained access to safe drinking water, improved sanitation and hygiene behaviors in schools, health facilities and communities. The project support to reduce incidence of water-related diseases affecting women and children in rural communities and schools by improving access to safe sustainable water and improved sanitation and hygiene.

OBJECTIVE OF THE PROGRAMME:

• Increase access to sustainable, safe water and environmental sanitation for poor and vulnerable communities.
• To promote hygienic environment through prevention of open defecation and reduce the incidence of water borne diseases.
• Increase sustainability by promoting integrated water resources management at the local level with the focus on maintaining quantity and quality of drinking water.
• To bring awareness amongst rural people on the need for sanitation awareness and Health education.
• To achieve total sanitation in the entire selected rural environment by encouraging proper waste disposal and management at the village and community level
• Improve the status of health and nutrition among school going children and community.

MAJOR INTERVENTIONS:

Following four broad areas of interventions are proposed which will be helpful in changing the present situation and improving life quality of people in the project areas in sustainable manner.

• Drinking Water – Source Sustainability and system infrastructure development
• Sanitation – Infrastructure development, composting and behavioural change
• Health and Hygiene – Awareness and Nutritional security
• Capacity building and institutional building – Behavioural change and village level institution strengthening.