Punjab has made almost half of its total villages open defecation free

Amritsar, August 1 (Punjab Post Bureau) – Government of India is aiming to eradicate open defecation in the country by October 2019 and Punjab has picked up the pace to make the state Open Defecation Free (ODF) within the stipulated time. ODF is a component of the Swachh Bharat Abhiyan, which was launched by the Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi on 2nd October 2014. Punjab received the funds under Swachh Bharat Abhiyan in September, 2015.

        Director Sanitation Deptt,Punjab Mohd. Ishfaq informed that out of 12400 villages in the state, over 5200 had been made ODF and work is on the war footing to complete the job as per given schedule.

As of now, nine districts out of 22, including Mohali, Barnala, Ludhiana, Shaheed Bhagat Singh Nagar, Faridkot, Kapurthala, Jalandhar and Fatehgarh Sahib have been declared open defecation free.

Amritsar a tourist destination because of the Holy Shrine Sri Harmandir Sahib (Golden Temple) and other historical places related to the freedom struggle is also on the verge of making over 90 villages open defecation free in the district. The district has already distributed approximately Rs 1026.06 lakhs out of Rs.1832.42 lakhs received by it for constructing toilets in those houses which doesn’t had and their inhabitants had to go in open for defecation.

            “This is a good initiative of the government to provide financial aid to those households who are unable to construct toilets and are forced to go in open”, said Smt Sukhwinder Kaur of village Gharindi of Attari block in Amritsar. She said she and her family was going in open for defecation for the last over two decades but now she is feeling secure and satisfied to have a toilet in her home itself. Similar views were echoed by Jagdeep Singh of village Kamalpura in Ajnala block and Baljinder Singh of villageJalalpur Sheron of the district. Jagdeep, a mason himself and son of a labourer said his family has taken a sigh of relief after getting the toilet at their home after 24 years. He said in the present scenario it is not safe especially for women folk to go in the open for defecation.

Amritsar Deputy Commissioner Mr. Kamaldeep Singh Sangha has asked the department concerned to expedite the work of constructing toilets and get them completed within time.