Reality belies P''kula ODF tag claim

Rajinder Nagarkoti

Tribune News Service

Panchkula, January 19

While the Haryana Government has declared Panchkula as open defecation-free (ODF), but it seems that the ODF tag is only on papers.

It can be gauged from the fact that on daily basis, various teams of the Municipal Corporation issue challans to violators who defecate in open. Sources said the MC has issued around 120 challans of Rs 500 each to those defecating in open. The problem of open defection is rampant in Gandhi Colony in Panchkula, Kalka, Pinjore, etc. Rajesh Jogpal, MC Commissioner, said: “We have formed 21 teams. Members regularly visit colonies where open defecation is rampant during the morning hours and make people aware about the side effects of defecating in the open.”

He said they would soon put up 11 mobile toilets in the colonies where people are demanding more such toilets. Besides, they will get donations of more than 20 toilets, which will be put up in other areas, he added. An MC official said they tried to convince people to go and use mobile toilets instead of defecating in open. But in various colonies, including Gandhi Colony, where people are residing on the opposite side of where mobile toilet was put up, they continue to defecate in open.

He said people preferred to defecate in open instead of walking around 100 metres for using the mobile toilet. “The MC issues challans to such violators, but it is a challenging task to change human behaviour,” he said.

In such colonies, the MC is trying to put up mobile toilets in all corners, says the official.