Nepal to host fifth South Asian conference on sanitation

Seeking to promote hygiene and enhance quality of life for people in the region, over 250 delegates from eight countries in South Asia, including 70 from India, will participate in a conference on sanitation beginning here tomorrow.
President Ram Baran Yadav is scheduled to inaugurate the fifth South Asian conference on Sanitation (SACOSAN-V) in Bhaktapur district near Kathmandu. Senior officials from all eight South Asian nations will participate in the three-day meeting.
The conference will serve as a common platform for participating states to discuss issues and explore solutions to promote mutual understanding for achieving complete sanitation status, said a press release issued by Nepal's Ministry of Urban Development today.

The conference is expected to accelerate the momentum of sanitation in the region, which has poor sanitation record in the world.
At the end of the conference, the participating nations will announce Kathmandu Declaration in the presence of head of the government Khil Raj Regmi, as a way forward for sanitation promotion in the region.
The first regional sanitation meet was hosted by Bangladesh in 2003.

There will be more than 250 delegates from eight South Asian countries and 50 international experts will also attend the meet. After Nepal (100), India will have the largest number of delegates (70) led by a minister.

Nepal's sanitation coverage has increased from a mere six per cent in 1990 to 62 per cent in 2011, according to a study.
In Nepal, 1040 village development committees of a total of 4,000 have been declared as open defecation free regions. Twelve municipalities have also been declared as open defecation free municipalities in the country.
Tomorrow, Bhaktapur will be declared as the 10th open defecation free district of the country.