Baripada: Even as World Toilet Day will be observed November 19, the district administration has laid stress on accelerating the sanitation drive across Mayurbhanj. It has decided to build 3 lakh toilets in the district by December 31. Such an ambitious move comes amid the Central government’s emphasis on sanitation under the Swachh Bharat Mission.
Reports said the hilly and tribal-dominated district has remained backward in all sectors while people are unable to draw benefits from a plethora of welfare programmes and schemes for lack of awareness.
Briefing media persons at his office Saturday, Collector Vineet Bhardwaj said a survey has found that 5.11 lakh people do not have toilets and only 2.5 lakh families are using toilets in the district. Now, an awareness drive is being taken up to make the remaining families aware of the scheme for a healthy living.
The present pace of constructing 1,000 toilets a day has been revised to 2,000 toilets per day. Those who have been using toilets will be encouraged to advise others to use them and they will be rewarded as an incentive.
On the World Toilet Day, a human chain will be formed to raise awareness across the district. Common people, intellectuals, members of SHGs, clubs, students and officials from block to the district level will be involved in the awareness drive.
Over one lakh students in various residential schools are using toilets, but when they go to their villages during the holidays, they defecate in the open.
Now, another step has been taken. The students before going to their villages will write letters to their parents for provision of toilets. As a result, their parents will be conscious of the need for toilets. Of 404 panchayats in the district, toilets have been built in only 65 panchayats, it was learnt.
PNN