Introduction:

Development of any society and improvement of quality of life of each people depends on several factors, which includes good hygiene practices and access to the proper sanitation facilities. But these issues did not receive due priority in developmental planning earlier. However, in the interest of sustainable development this could not be ignored for long. These became a priority agenda of the Government.

The most important indicator of the level of people’s awareness about the good hygiene practices is use of sanitary toilet at their homes. At the beginning of the last decade of the Twentieth century, only 9.4 % of the households had latrines in India and so far as West Bengal was concerned, only 12.31% of its households had latrines ,In this background the State Government has decided to setup a State Sanitation Cell as per cabinet decision taken on 12.10.95 at State Institute of Panchayats & Rural Development Department (SIPRD) for monitoring and coordinating the implementation of the Rural Sanitation programme at different levels. Besides arranging training programme for capacity development of stakeholders another important task is to develop communication materials for Panchayat functionaries, Teachers, NGOs etc. so far water quality surveillance programme is concerned, State Sanitation Cell is monitoring the functioning of 118 nos. water-testing laboratories throughout the state with support from PHED and Health Dep. Government of West Bengal. These laboratories are generally responsible for water quality surveillance in different blocks.

a) To help the state in planning and implementation of the total sanitation campaign and water quality surveillance programme for the rural areas ;
b) To conduct training programmes related to total sanitation and water quality surveillance programme and to help dissemination of technologies and awareness generation amongst the community ;
c) To promote community based construction and maintenance of sanitation and water supply facilities in rural areas with the help of panchayat bodies and non-government organization.
d) Development of IEC material and effective strategy in different districts.
e) To properly document activities related sanitation and water quality surveillance programme in this state.

Activities:

▪ Monitoring of Physical & Financial Progress in each district and provide necessary support as and when required by the district.
▪ Technical monitoring of the various components under total sanitation campaign
▪ HRD support to different districts as and when required
▪ Support to the districts for preparation and implementation of suitable IEC programmes/ materials
▪ Support to districts in maintenance of Online Monitoring System
▪ Support to districts to undertake post sanitation activities like maintenance of ODF Status and up gradation of Low Cost Individual Household Toilets
▪ Stress on use and maintenance of school toilet blocks.
▪ To provide suitable guidance to different districts for Solid & Liquid Waste Management

Composition of the Water and Sanitation Cell:

• State Coordinator
• HRD Coordinator
• Senior Engineer
• Senior Chemists
• Technical Officer
• Communication Officer
• Chemist
• Office assistant
• Computer Assistant

Publication

01. Technical guideline of School Toilet Blocks
02. Technical guidelines of Individual Household Toilets
03. Question & Answer Booklet
04. Technical guideline of Community Toilets
05. Booklet regarding guideline of Nirmal Gram Puruskar (NGP)
06. Booklet regarding guideline of IEC activities
07. Booklet for School Sanitation and Hygiene Education
08. Booklet for Rain Water Harvesting
09. Booklet for Solid & Liquid Waste Management(Community&House hold level)
10. Booklet for Arsenic & Iron removal filter.
11. Booklet for up gradation of Individual Household Toilets
12. Booklet regarding guideline of Solid & Liquid Waste Management
13. Booklet regarding training Module of Total Sanitation Campaign
14. Technical guidelines for construction of school toilet block with incinerator.

Nirmal Gram Puruskar (NGP)

Installation of toilets in household, Educational Institutional, is however, the means towards achieving the goal of insuring Open Defecation Free Status in the villages. With this end in view, Nirmal Gram Puruksar (NGP) was introduced by the Government of India as insensitive to PRIs for successful implementation of Total Sanitation Campaign. Still now 1041 Gram Panchayats and 37 Panchayat Samities have received the award in West Bengal.

A Nirmal West Bengal:

• The vision of Nirmal West Bengal is the dream of our State where every person has an aspiration and right to live in an environment, which is clean and healthy. It is an environment where the people imbibe and practice living in a clean environment as a way of life.
• It is with this inspiration that we seek to lay down a mission and operational plan to achieve our vision of Nirmal West Bengal!