Vijaywada, May 5, 2013: Union Minister for Rural Development Jairam Ramesh today said that 4,000 towns from different parts of the country are to be brought under the ambitious 'PURA' (Provision of Urban Amenities in Rural Areas) project.
Addressing a meeting after inaugurating a 'PURA' project along with Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Kiran Kumar Reddy, Ramesh said that small towns in the country are still treated as major panchayats and they need basic amenities like roads, drinking water, sewerage treatment, street lighting.

Kannaur, Kerala, May 3, 2013: An intensive pre-monsoon sanitation programme has been launched in the district.
According to District Medical Officer R. Ramesh, in the past four months, 67 Hepatitis A and 37 dengue cases have been reported from various parts of the district.
If unchecked, the situation might worsen with the onset of the monsoon.

Kochi, Apr 24, 2013: The bio-chemical toilets installed on the public-sector boats in   Ernakulam last month is yet to be opened for public.
Sources  with the Kerala State Water Transport Department (KSWTD) attributed this to the failure on the part of the department to get water connection.
“We have been asking the department to provide water connection so that passengers can avail themselves of the facility. The other day, a few passengers had protested against the issue.

Pathanamthitta, Kerala, Apr 8, 2013: The Additional District Magistrate H. Salimraj has directed the Keltron as well as the Eram Scientific Solutions Limited that had installed e-toilets in different parts of the district to ensure trouble-free functioning of all the 27 e-toilets in the district in the next one week itself.
The ADM, leading a team comprising Babu George, former District Panchayat president; P. N. Madhusoodhanan, Sanitation Mission district co-ordinator; Prasanth R.

Thiruvananthapuram, Apr 7, 2013:   A ‘five-cent’ toilet solution aimed at saving 40 per cent of the world’s population, mostly in the developing countries, has been in the works for some time now.
A commercially viable option should come up over the next two three years, according to Doulaye Kone, senior programme officer, at Seattle-based Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation.
Treating Waste
Kone heads the water, sanitation and hygiene programme (global development), at the foundation.

Thiruvananthapuram, Apr 7, 2013: The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation (BMGF) has committed to continue supporting sanitation projects in India and make the facility 'affordable and accessible' for people.
'We are keen on extending support to ESS (Eram Scientific Solutions) to address the issue of sanitation in India.

Kerala, Mar 27, 2013: The budget of Alappuzha Municipality for 2013-14, presented by vice-chairman B. Ansari on Tuesday failed to address the region’s pressing drinking water problem.
However, it provided some succour to fishermen who are facing various challenges. Mr.

Chennai, Kochi, Jan 28, 2013: The Kerala State Women’s Development Corporation (KSWDC) will set up electronic toilets for women in 23 locations in the capital city. ‘ She-toilets’ is a first-of-its-kind in the country, a press release said.

Thiruvanthapuram, Jan 22, 2013:  At long last, the State capital is ready for Nirmal status, by which it will join the list of districts that have been declared free of open defecation, a major challenge to State efforts to combat contagious diseases.
The work to get rid of a practice, which pointed accusing fingers at even the popular concept that the State was much ahead of others when it came to public hygiene, had begun more than a year ago with efforts to ensure latrines for all families and adequate numbers of public latrines.
The works in the capital distr

Thiruvanthapuram, Dec. 11, 2012: Kerala Chief Minister Oommen Chandy on Monday launched e-toilets that are customised to function automatically in extreme cold weather.

Tailored to meet sub-zero climatic conditions of Jammu and Kashmir, two e-toilets will be installed at Affarwat and Gulmarg on experimental basis. Besides, a sewage treatment plant will be set up at Dal Lake in Srinagar to address waste dumped by houseboats. Both the projects are being implemented for the J&K Tourism department.