2008 to be observes as World Sanitation Year.

Panipat, Nov 1 (UNI) The Prince of Orange, Netherlands, Willem Alexander, who is also the Chairman of UN nited Nations Secretary General's Advisory Board on water and sanitation, today said that the year 2008 will be observed as World Sanitation Year.

The Prince was here to see the excellent work done by the Bilaspur village community in sanitation under the UN supervision.

The village had received Nirmal Gram Purskar (NGP) from the President last year.

In this village all householders have access to individual household latrines and no person, whether adult or child goes for defecation in the open.

According to villagers, incidences of diarrhoea and jaundice have drastically reduced in the village owing to better sanitation.

The Prince of Orange expressed happiness over the good work done by the village community.

In this district, a number of 18 villages got NGP last year.

This year district administration is planning to send 136 nominations for NGP.

Mrs. Meena Mandal, Minister of state presented memento and the DC Mohinder Kumar on behalf of village community offered a "pagari" and "Patka" (turban and stole) to the Prince of Orange on the occasion.

UNI