Open defecation to end soon, says DC

Tribune News Service

Amritsar, August 11

Deputy Commissioner Kamaldeep Singh Sangha today said open defecation would be a thing of the past in the district by Diwali. He spoke at a meeting at Bachat Bhawan, attended by Mohammad Ishfaq, Director of Sewerage Board, Punjab.

Officials from several departments, including sewerage, panchayat, education, health sanik welfare and child safety, attended the meeting. The DC asked them to cooperate to make people aware of the Centre’s open defecation free project.

Mohammad Ishfaq said, “Open defecation can trigger an outbreak of diseases. Children may suffer low mental and physical growth. Polio, though eliminated from the country, can emerge again due to open defecation.”

He said the government had been providing Rs 15,000 to every household to construct toilet. “Amritsar district is lagging behind from other districts of the state in open defecation ranking. A large number of villagers still defecate in the open in the border belt,” he added.

The DC called on employees of different departments to work hard to educate the pubic. Special cadre would be deployed in villages to keep a check on the practice of open defecation. The administration would take help of ex-servicemen for this. They will encourage villagers to construct toilets, Sangha added.