Ker to be first ‘ODF’ state with 1.9 lakh new toilets by Nov

Thiruvananthapuram, Aug 21 (PTI) Kerala is gearing up tobe declared as the first ‘open defecation-free’, among themost populous states in the country with the completion of1.90 lakh toilets in its 941 village panchayats by thisNovember. The toilets are being constructed across the state,including in individual houses, located at criticallychallenged and hilly terrains, as part of the sanitationprogramme by the state government. Suchitwa Mission, the state nodal agency for sanitation,is implementing the plan which has a total outlay of Rs 308crore. K Vasuki, Executive Director, Suchitwa Mission, said itwas a tough and challenging task to implement the opendefecation-free (ODF) programme in a state like Kerala, whichis one of the most populous ones in the country havingdifferent geographical terrain ranging from hillocks tocoastal regions. "Though it was a challenging task, we are committed andconfident that the state would achieve the new milestone bythis November," Vasuki told PTI. "Our target is to construct nearly 1.90 lakh (toilets)across the 941 gram panchayats in the state. Of this,construction of 35 per cent of toilets has already beencompleted and work of nearly 70,000 is progressing," she said. "Nearly 50 gram panchayats have already self-declared as’OFD civic bodies’," she said. Stating that the mission was getting full support fromthe CPIM-led LDF government in the state, she said thegovernment took strong decision to complete variousinitiatives under the programme on a war-footing. "Orders were issued that there should not be any financialrestrictions for the project," she said, adding, ChiefMinister Pinarayi Vijayan was monitoring the scheme’s progressevery week. The OFD programme in the state got a boost after Vijayanmet Prime Minister Narendra Modi, immediately after assumingoffice in May last. "First the state government will declare Kerala as opendefecation-free on November 1. Later, a central team willvisit the state and endorse the declaration after makingmandatory inspections in this regard," she said. (MORE) PTIJRK LGK BNRCJTRK