Sanitation is key for avoiding water borne diseases in rural areas

A Rural Sanitary Mart was opened recently at Veppanapalli in Krishnagiri Taluk of Tamil Nadu. This is part of the Nirmal Gram Puraskar or the "Clean Village Campaign" of the district.

Highlights of this nationwide campaign are:

• The Indian Government gives an award ranging from Rs. 50,000 to Rs. 500,000 to panchayats that achieve 100% sanitation.
• Subsidy: There is a government subsidy available for people below the poverty line.
• Many states are following a community led approach with the help of Self Help Groups (SHGs).
• A model rural sanitation park was established by the District Rural Development Agency, Tuticorin district of Tamil Nadu. 22 models of village toilets are on display with prices ranging from Rs. 150 to Rs. 850.
• Haryana: Over 158,000 individual household toilets, 2,267 school toilets, 318 women sanitation complexes, 1,042 anganwari (childcare center) toilets and 60 rural sanitary marts had been constructed by end 2006.
• Karnataka has signed an MoU (Memorandum of Understanding) with the Department of Posts to use the village postmen to spread the message of sanitation.
• Innovative ways to promote rural sanitation are being adopted by some villages in the Dindigul district of Tamil Nadu.

Benefits:

• Water borne diseases such as cholera, gastro-enteritis, dysentery, typhoid, worm infection, jaundice and diarrhoea will be prevented.
• It could help curb the spread of infections like chikungunya and dengue as well.

RTI (Right to Information) has the potential to transform rural India

Sidhakahna Jot Keshav village in Bahraich district of Uttar Pradesh is one such example. Five inspired residents of the village filed RTI applications and questioned the district administration about the conditions of the village roads and drains. They also raised questions as to why there were no allotments under the 'Indira Awaas Yojna'.

The administration immediately acted and the construction of the roads and drains began in the village. Since then, 32 villagers have been allotted the houses under the 'Indira Awaas Yojna' and the administration has displayed a list on the village wall, containing the names of the villagers eligible for the allotments under the scheme.

Under the RTI (Right to Information) Act, any citizen can request the following from any Government department or undertaking:

• inspect works, documents, records.
• take notes, extracts or certified copies of documents or records.
• obtain information in form of printouts, or in any other electronic mode.
  

How to request information:

• Apply in writing or by email in English or Hindi or in the official language of the area, to the Public Information Officer (PIO), giving the details of the information required. Here is a sample RTI application.
• You don't have to give the reason for seeking the information.
• Application fee is Rs. 10. In addition, you have to pay about Rs. 2 per page for making copies. People below the poverty line are exempt from the fees.
• In Bihar you can file an RTI application by making a phone call.
  
• There are many Non Governmental Organizations (NGOs) that help citizens in filing RTI applications. Please inquire in your area.

Telemedicine brings better healthcare to rural India

With the help of a trained ophthalmic technician, a patient from Aravind Eye Hospital’s vision centre, Ambasamudram consults with an ophthalmologist doctor in Theni in Tamil Nadu.

Benefits of telemedicine:

• Reduces the cost for rural patients who have to travel long distances to the town where the doctor is located and also stay there, alongwith their family members, for the duration of the consultation.
• Provides access to specialists.
• Health coverage for remote and difficult to reach areas.

Examples of other hospitals providing telemedicine services are:

• Narayana Hrudalaya, Bangalore: Narayana Hrudalaya Telemedicine Network runs through 26 locations in India and abroad, offering video consultation round-the-clock, primarily for heart patients from remote areas. Using ordinary telephone lines, a large number of ‘family physicians’ are networked with Narayana Hrudalaya for early diagnosis of heart attacks.
• Apollo Hospitals Group has a very large telemedicine network including remote locations such as Aizawl, Mizoram.
• Amrita Institute of Medical Sciences, Kochi has a unique mobile unit which is as well equipped as a small hospital.

To expand the telemedicine network, the Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) has signed Memorandum of Understanding with the following hospitals:

• Manipal Hospital, Bangalore.
• Sir Ganga Ram Hospital, New Delhi.
• Madras Diabetic Research Foundation, Chennai.
• Dr Venkatrao Dawle Medical Foundation, Ambajogai (Maharashtra).