General Convention held in Ilam District

Federation of Drinking Water and Sanitation User’s, Nepal (FEDWASUN), Ilam district branch held its 2nd General Convention (GC) on 2nd September 2009. The GC was conducted with a total of 96 participants from 47 users’ groups including 36 females and 69 males. It was chaired by Mr. Krishna Prasad Subedi, the chairperson of FEDWASUN, Ilam district branch. The chief guest of the GC was Mr. Rajendra Aryal (National Chairperson) and Mr. Sudarsan Prasad Dhakal (CDO) was the special guest of the programme. Other main participants of the programme were Ms. Durga Chapagai (Vice-Chairperson, National Executive Committee), Ms. Parbati Subedi (National Secretarial Member) and Mr. Kulmani Devkota (National Executive Member). The GC was conducted in presence of stakeholders of Ilam district that includes Mr. Sudarshan Prasad Dhakal ( Chief District Officer, CDO), Mr. Rameswor Dangal ( Local Development Officer ,LDO), Mr. Dhurba Shrestha (Chairperson, FECOFUN), Mr. Homnath Acharya (Vice-Chairperson, NGO Federation of Nepal), Mr. Ganesh Baral (Chairperson, VDC Federation of Nepal) and others. The GC elected 11 executive members by its direct election process and nomination. The newly elected executive committee includes Mr. Ram Rana (Chairperson), Mr. Hemanta Niraula (Vice-Chairperson), Ms. Indira Ghimire (Secretary), Mr. Kamal Gadal (Joint Secretary), Ms. Kokila Dhakal (Treasurer), Mr. Arjun Bhattari (Member), Ms. Usha Khatiwada (Member), Mr. Madan Rai (Member), Ms. Kusam Ghimire (Member), Mr. Tek Bhahadur Rai (Member) and Ms. Tara Khanal (Member). Mr. Rajendra Aryal closed ceremony of the programme (GC) declaring the manifesto of Ilam District that stresses on following five statements: 1. Quality water and sanitation services must be established as fundamental rights in new constitution of Nepal. 2. The GC expressed condolence on the sad demise of many people in far-western and mid western region due to Cholera epidemic. 3. State must cancel the demand charge laid on water supply. 4. State must give ‘special consideration’ to sanitation promotion. 5. The GC demanded concerned authorities for new projects of quality water supply and sanitation service promotion stressing on the need of prioritizing the maintenance of the old projects as well.