KATHMANDU: Kavresthali Village Development Committee of Kathmandu was declared open defecation free zone today.
At a function organised to declare Kavresthali an ODF village, Constituent Assembly member Bhimsen Das Pradhan said, “ This initiation of making Kavresthali VDC ODF zone is a step towards the government’s plan of declaring the entire country an ODF zone by 2017.”
Pradhan also thanked the people of the VDC for their contribution in making it clean. The government has been working on a master plan of declaring the entire country an open defecation free zone by 2017.
Kavresthali is the 10th VDC of Kathmandu to be declared an ODF zone. Previously, Mahankal, Bhimdhunga, Manamaiju, Gongabu, Dhapasi, Kapan, Naya Bhanjyang, Balambu and Purano Naikap were declared ODF zones.
Meanwhile, the people of the VDC also made a collaborative commitment to maintain health and sanitation in and around their area. According to the Department of Water Supply and Sewerage, 16 municipalities, 1,430 village development committees and 15 districts have been declared open defecation free till June 21. The ODF declared districts are Kaski, Chitwan, Tanahun, Myagdi, Accham, Kalikot, Mustang, Pyuthan, Baglung, Parbat, Makawanpur, Bhaktapur, Panchthar, Dang and Dadeldhura.
According to the Solid Waste Management Technical Support Centre, the government plans to declare the Valley ODF zone by 2015. The valley comprises three districts with five municipalities and 114 village development committees. Kathmandu has 57 VDCs, Lalitpur has 41 and Bhaktapur has 16.
Fast facts
• Government plans to declare the entire country an ODF zone by 2017
• 1,430 village development committees and 15 districts have been declared open defecation free zones so far
• Kaski, Chitwan, Tanahun, Myagdi, Accham, Kalikot, Mustang, Pyuthan, Baglung, Parbat, Makawanpur, Bhaktapur, Panchthar, Dang and Dadeldhura are ODF zones
• In Kathmandu, Mahankal, Bhimdhunga, Manamaiju, Gongabu, Dhapasi, Kapan, Naya Bhanjyang, Balambu and Purano Naikap were earlier declared ODF zones.
