Water and sanitation experts have stressed on the role of media as a tool to raise awareness on sanitation and public health and proper use of water sources.

Speaking at a press meet jointly organised by Nepal Water for Health (NEWAH) and Sancharika Samuha in the capital on Monday, Director of NEWAH Umesh Pandey said that lack of toilet facilities, management of rubbish produced from hospitals and industries, management of solid waste and conservation of water sources are some of the major challenges that Nepal would have to face in future if proper steps were not taken on time.

Lack of initiatives to address the sanitation problem has taken a high toll on public health in Nepal, he observed, adding that children have been the prime victims of diseases resulting out of poor sanitation.

Senior journalist Bahirav Risal stressed that along with high-sounding political agendas, the issue of sanitation and proper toilet facility should also be given focus. He said if political parties ban membership to a person having no toilets near his house, large number of people would change their unhygienic habits, Risal said jokingly. He added that 20 percent of the total budget disbursed for water-related activities should be allocated for sanitation programmes.

Journalists Sangeeta Rijal and Bharat Pokhrel presented an analysis of the trend in major eight daily newspapers with respect to space give to reports on water and sanitation related issues. Pokhrel said that majority of the water-related issues are attached with political agenda such as Melamchi Drinking Water Project. “They highlighted a small issue of Kathmandu while sensitive issues from districts have been ignored,” he notified.

Speaking at the same program, Nirmala Sharma of Sancharika Samuha announced awards of Rs 10,000, Rs 7,000 and Rs 5,000 cash for best news reports on water and sanitation issues between March 1, 2005 and April 30, 2006.

Sanitation has been a major cause of communicable diseases in Terai areas of Nepal. Over 17 million Nepalis do not have proper toilet facility, according to studies.

The Millennium Development Goals of the UN, of which Nepal is a signatory, aims to provide toilet facilities to 53 percent population by 2015 while the national policy has a target to expand toilet facility to all citizens by 2017. To meet these targets, Nepal has to build new toilets for 15,000 people every month.