Foreign delegates visit Nirmal Gram Bishangarh

Kurukshetra, Nov 17 (UNI) A 40-member delegation comprising mediapersons, Engineers and social activists from Afro-Asian countries today visited Bishangarh village of Kurukshetra district, which has bagged the Nirmal Gram Puraskar.

They took a round of the village and enquired from villagers about the Open Defecation-Free Programme.

One of the delegates, Farhan Hussein of Pakistan said that his country was also implementing this programme but the it would have to go a long way to match the success of the programme implemented in India.

The programme had been completed in 500 villages of Pakistan and was being undertaken in 1000 villages which would soon become free of open defecation, he added.

Another Pakistani member of the delegation, Aftab Jahoor, asked the woman Sarpanch of Bishangarh about the difficulties faced during the implementation of this programme.

The Sarpanch Sudesh Devi replied that there was initial resistance but once the awareness was developed among local residents they understood the programmes's true importance and the village become open defecation free.

The countries which the members of the delegation belonged included Africa, Pakistan and Nepal.

The delegation also comprised of the members from other states of the country.

UNI XC JN VN1857