Apsara Authority continues push to install toilets for villagers living in the Angkor area

THE Apsara National Authorit y insta lled 29 toi lets at t he homes of v i l lagers in Run Ta Ek commune last month, bringing t he tota l prov ided to Angkor area residents to 1,110 since 2018.

In a Facebook post, it said t here is much more work to be done to make sure a ll residents i n the area have toi lets.

It noted t hat the Angkor Water Cleaning and Water Management Development Project a llows residents to pay 60 per cent of t he cost to insta ll a toilet, wit h t he aut horit y covering t he remaining 40 per cent.

“This contribution is helpf ul for residents of t he Angkor resort area to have sanitar y toilets and avoid open defecations i n order to reduce diseases. It a lso encourages loca l cit izens to live clea n and it pushes them to ta ke more action to protect t he Angkor resort,” it noted.

Apsara National Authorit y spokesman Long Kosal said on Monday that many toilets are insta lled daily in t he area to help residents who are not able to build them for t heir use.

He said a lack of toi lets st i l l ex ists, so t he Apsara National Authorit y would continue to encourage loca ls to ta ke advantage of the programme.

“It is a necessary job for us, so we will continue to build more in order to make sure that citizens can live comfortably. They are one part of the heritage. A lack of toilets is still a challenge, even though some local people have begun taking better care of themselves and their environments,” he said.

Ruon Sithy, who lives in Run Ta Ek commune and received funds from the Apsara National Authorit y to build a toilet, said on Monday that he appreciated the programme.

“My village still lacks toilets because people do not have much ability to build them on their own. When the Apsara National Authority went to help them, they looked really happy. Before we defecated in the forest, but now we can’t do it anymore,” he said.