Prize money distributed among Nirmal Gram Puraskar awardees GUWAHATI, Dec 22 – Fourteen gaon panchayats of the State won the Nirmal Gram Puraskar for the year 2008. Septi Nakul, Mandakata and Chandrapur gaon panchayats of Kamrup district, Siddheswar and Borjelenga panchayats of Cachar district, Baghchung Charaibahi and Bebejiya Gaon panchayats of Jorhat district, Balajan Tiniali and Kalipukhuri VCDC of Kokrajhar district, Boruabamungaon gaon panchayat of Golaghat district, Bashbari gaon panchayat of Hailakandi district, Nischinpur gaon panchaat of Dhubri district, Baruahola gaon panchayat of Tinsukia district and Borbhogia gaon panchayat of Morigaon district were honoured with the Nirmal Gram Puraskar for achieving total sanitation status in 2008, a press release of the PHED said.
Though the President Pratibha Devi Sing Patil gave away the citations and mementos of NGP to the prize winning GPs in an august ceremony on October 20, 2008 held at Karmabir Nabin Chandra Bordoloi indoor stadium, Sarusajai, Guwahati, the actual distribution of award money took place on November 30, 2009. The Communication and Capacity Development Unit of State Water and Sanitation Mission under the Public Health Engineering Department of Assam arranged the award money distribution ceremony at PHED Training Institute, Betkuchi, Guwahati.
The cheques were distributed by Rihon Doimari, Minister of Public Health Engineering Department, Govt of Assam in the presence of Abhijit Dutta, the secretary to the Govt of Assam, PHED SU Laskar, the chief engineer of PHED, and Nareswar Kakati, the recently retired secretary of PHED. A team consisting of six members from each NGP winning GP along with the district heads of PHED participated in the ceremony. The cheques were handed over to the GP presidents of NGP winning GPs.
Ten GPs were awarded with Rs 4,00,000/- each and four GPs with Rs 5,00,000/- each on the basis of population (more than 10,000) within the GP. A large number of PHED officials, officials of Communication and Capacity Development Unit of PHED and zonal coordinators were present in the function.
Employees of Rangia PHE division enthralled the gathering with cultural programmes like group songs, street play etc based on the theme of sanitation and hygiene. The function was anchored by Milanjit Bhattacharjya, assistant, engineer, PHE and Rubee Das, IEC consultant CCDU. Earlier, SU Laskar, the chief engineer delivered the welcome address and the purpose of the meeting was explained by Nazibuddin Ahmed, executive engineer-cum-state coordinator (sanitation) of CCDU. Nareswar Kakoti, the recently retired secretary, PHED also exhorted the award winning GPs to play a pivotal role in the implementation of TSC in the State, the release added.
After the distribution of cheques, the minister addressed the NGP winning teams and made a fervent appeal to extend their all round cooperation to attain the total status of sanitation for the state by 2012. Abhijit Dutta, the secretary, PHED, requested the NGP-winning GPs to maintain their present status and to work for sustainability of the total sanitation status. He also explained the guidelines on how to use the prize money for further improvement in sanitation and preventive health care of the awardee GPs. Further, he urged on the necessity for conscious participation of people from all strata in this noble endeavour. The president of Septi Nakul gaon panchayat Subhadra Kakoti offered thanks on the behalf of all recipients. The ceremony ended with vote of thanks from the PHE department and an appeal was made to all to work for the goal of achieving sanitation for all by 2012.
