Pudhari Oct 2, 2002

Inauguration of Toilet blocks built by Shelter Associates:
This is the first effort of its kind in the country where the media, local govt. and a civil society have come together to implement sanitation projects in a city. The Institute on Governance - a Canadian organization funded the projects while the design and implementation was carried out by Pune based NGO'ss-Shelter Associates and Baandhani by raising the awareness levels in both communities of Sangliwadi and Tasgaon Ves. A Forum was established by bringing together the local govt. headed by the municipal commissioner, members of the Media, elected members of the standing committee and representatives of a civil society. Credibility and quality were emphasized and in order to achieve this the usual time consuming tendering process was skipped and the work was awarded to a local NGO -Shivsadan who completed the construction work within 3 months. The total cost of the projects was about Rs.7,50,000.