Workshop suggests guidelines to meet target
Ujjain: Indian GDP is expected to grow by 6.4 per cent as a result of making several districts of the country open defecation free (ODF). This was stated by Birendra Shankar of Feedback Federation of India, at a day-long workshop of 300 nodal officials at the Mela office on Sunday. The deadline to make the district open defecation free (ODF) has been set to February 17.
Zila panchayat CEO, Ruchika Chouhan, called on officials to work at the ground level to make gram panchayats ODF. She stated that it was not just enough to build toilets but that it was even more important to bring about a change in attitudes and hence spread awareness.
Further, directives were imparted at the workshop to buildtoilets at the distance of10 meters from water bodies. The PHED was instructed to make drypitsnear toilets. It called on each PHE engineer adopt a village andmake it ODF.
Similarly, the School Education Department, was instructed to spread awareness amongst children to keep surroundings clean. Children should be encouraged to adhere to the seven aspects of cleanliness i.e. pure drinking water, discharge of drains, open defecation free, and should also be taught the six stages of hand wash.
Woman and Child Development departments were asked to spreadthe message of ODF on Mandal Diwas. The workshop suggested that all anganwadi workers must have toilets.
It also stated that the agriculture department should play a significant role by preparing a systematic waste management policy and the Health department should make people aware of diseases caused by open defecation.
Beneficiaries should be informed that they would get benefits of government policies only when they construct toilets in their houses. Under the Clean India Campaign. An incentive of Rs 12,000 is given to the beneficiary on the construction of toilets.
