41 village panchayats in Maha's Thane declared tuberculosis-free
August 25, 2024 18:19
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A total of 41 village panchayats in Maharashtra's Thane district have been declared tuberculosis-free, officials said on Sunday.
Among these villages, 13 are from Shahapur taluka, 9 from Murbad, 7 from Kalyan, and 6 each from Bhiwandi and Ambernath.
They were declared TB-free under the Tuberculosis-Free Village Panchayat initiative. Speaking at a function to mark this achievement, district collector Ashok Shingare emphasised the district's ambitious goal of becoming tuberculosis-free by March 31, 2025.
"We made a strong start but only 10 per cent of the target has been achieved. We must maintain vigilance to prevent tuberculosis from returning to these villages," he stated.
Officials said villages that remain tuberculosis-free for one year will be awarded a bronze statue of Mahatma Gandhi, and villages that maintain this status for two consecutive years will receive a silver statue.
Villages that manage to keep TB at bay for three consecutive years will be honoured with a gold statue. -- PTI