Support of inter-faith leaders sought on issues of children in a meet by BMC and UNICEF

Senior Correspondent

NewsBits.in

BHOPAL: Mayor of Bhopal Malti Rai has sought support of inter-faith leaders to ensure that each child in Bhopal goes to school, child labour is reduced and eradicated, efforts are increased on sanitation, waste management and children and young people are saved from use of addictives like tobacco.

She was speaking to around 125 leaders in Bhopal representing different religions in a special meet organised on the theme of child rights and sanitation by Bhopal Municipal Corporation (BMC) and UNICEF office of Madhya Pradesh on Tuesday. 

She sought support from these leaders as people listen to them and therefore they can help ensuring rights of the children. The mayor said that the BMC has improved sanitation coverage. “We are not in the race to be first but want to create a change which matters to Bhopal and make our city more clean and better,” she said.

Speaking on the occasion, Anil Gulati, UNICEF, Madhya Pradesh spoke on child rights and role that the religious leaders can play in ensuring education and sanitation, ending violence. “You can be a strong advocate on the child rights,” he told the participating leaders. 

Gautam Mahatao, SBCC Expert, Technical Support Unit Department of Urban Administration and Development, spoke on the need to focus on sanitation, waste management and solid waste management.

M.P. Singh, Additional Commissioner, Bhopal Municipal Corporation, was present at the meet. Janhvi Dubey, Consultant with BMC coordinated the event. 

In addition to the Inter Faith meeting, meeting of representatives of Hawkers Corners and markets associations was held wherein around 70 representatives participated with focus on hygiene, saying no to plastic, use of sanitation facilities and hand-washing with soap.