World Environment Day-2015 celebrated in Berhampur

Berhampur, June 5: World environment day has been celebrated by more than 160 children and youth from 40 slums at Ganjam Kala Parishad in Berhampur. This year the theme of world environment day is “Seven Billion Dreams. One Planet. Consume with Care”. Living within planetary boundaries is the most promising strategy for ensuring a healthy future. In this occasion senior officials and Corporators from BeMC and BDA joined and shared their views in this occasion.

The living environment in slums in the city has become the most dangerous environment for the children slums due to unhygienic and unhealthy living condition due to poor sanitation. Among the major problems open air defection due to unavailability of HH and community toilets, open drainage resulted unhealthy condition, poor garbage collection and management resulted in child morbidity and mortality which is unseen but prevalent silently in slums in the city. More than 33% people living in 163 slums in the city have facing the similar situation. Lack of space and poor housing condition and other basic necessities again loaded with issues of unhealthy living space. Lack of tress, no greenery and frequent disaster due to climate change has resulted the living condition worsen day by day of the urban poor.

The local authorities including BeMC and BDA has failed to manage the cities sanitation including solid waste management and unsuccessful to provide basic facilities (water, sanitation, road, electricity, housing, public transport and public space) to the urban poor. On the other hand poor city planning and space management, no people and children participation, poor local governance has resulted low level of development of Berhampur city.

The children are the worst and most sufferers of the poor living environment in slums in the city this ultimately has narrowed down the physical and mental growth of children in slums and created an unsafe and unhealthy environment. Similarly the young people are also sufferer of the poor living environment. Children’s Federation submitted memorandum to the officials and elected representation demanding better living condition including;

 

• Four hours of uninterrupted clean and safe water supply to all slums
• Provision of community toilet, garbage bin, closed drainage, regular cleaning and maintenance of slum sanitation
• Provision of housing facilities to all slums dwellers in the city with basic facilities
• Provision of electricity, street lighting, all weather roads and public transport facility to all slums
• Provision of public space, children’s park with greenery to all slums and areas in the city with unpolluted and safe air and soil
• Ensure children, youth people’s participation in neighbourhood and city planning and local governance, they also demand that their voice should be counted in all decision making.

 

Children and youth from 27 child clubs from 40 slums participated in this occasion and performed cultural show to create awareness on better living environment and keep Berhampur city clean and green. Noted hear that the Youth for Social Development (YSD) a local non- government organization working with children and youth on issues related to local governance and public service delivery, has facilitated children’s federation to improve the living condition of young children living in urban poverty. Children’s federation has been actively engaged with the local and state government to improve their living condition and make Berhampur a child friendly city, since January 2013.

 

Sri Sangram Sekhar Panda, Slum Improvement Officer, Berhampur Municipal Corporation, Corporator Smt. Madhumita Majhi, Senior Journalist Sib Kumar Das, The Hindu joined and shared their view points in this occasion. From child federation Kumari Smruti Sahoo, Smaraki Nayak, Sunil Sethy and from Youth clubs Phakir Das, Bidyutprava Das and Bala Das presented their opinions about the slum environment and submitted memorandum to BMC officials and Corporator.