A Ministry in charge of the water sector was established, several bilateral and multilateral agreements signed for the implementation of numerous projects and programmes, and umbrella organizations such as ETS, HTS and the platform for State-Partner consultations created among other actions. 272. Legal instruments adopted with regard to the environment include:  Act n° 14/PR/98 defining the general principles of environmental protection;  Decree No. 630/PR/PM/MEERH/2010 regulating environmental impact assessments;  Decree No. 904/PR/MEHR/2009 on pollution and adverse environmental effects; and  Decree No. 378/PR/PM/PM/MAE/2014 on the promotion of environmental education in Chad and several United Nations framework conventions on environmental protection. 273. In addition, the Government has put in place the National Programme on Drinking Water Supply and Sanitation in Rural Areas (PNDAR). 274. The following are also worth mentioning:  the ban on plastic bags, the ban on open defecation (municipal decree No. 145 of 17/10/1996 currently in force in N'Djaména);  the construction of rainwater drainage structures in the cities of N'Djaména, Moundou, Sarh, Abéché and Koumra. 275. In 2000, according to the Water and Sanitation Master Plan, there were 3,000 manually- operated pumps (PMH) and 20 connections to the drinking water supply system. Thus, the population reached was estimated at 20.1%. Page 61 sur 87