RAWALPINDI, Nov 15: District Nazim Raja Tariq Kiani has said the district government will extend its full cooperation to the Unicef-sponsored programme of water and sanitation under which latrines are to be established in rural areas.

He was speaking at a workshop held at his office here on Wednesday to introduce local government officials to the programme.

The workshop was attended by Rawalpindi Tehsil Nazim Hamid Nawaz, Murree Tehsil Nazim Khurshid Abbas, Gujar Khan Nazim Naeem Sultan Kiani, Kahuta Nazim Hameed Mirza, Taxila Nazim Siddiq Khan, Tehsil Municipal Officer Col (Rtd) Najmul Hassan Malik, Unicef Consultant Zafar Ali Shah and other officials.

Mr Kiani said the programme aimed at improving the state of sanitation in rural areas.

Director General Local Government Col (Rtd) Mohammad Shehbaz said the programme would be implemented with the cooperation of Tehsil Nazims. He said latrines would be constructed in villages to ensure the health of small children.

The workshop was informed that on the recommendation of Tehsil Nazims, community latrines will be built in remote villages.

Under this programme, people will be persuaded to build cheap latrines in their homes.

The programme also envisages construction of cheap latrines at girls’ schools in the villages.

Just 29 per cent of Punjab villages currently have latrines for girls.