Ambala rural gets ODF tag

Nitish Sharma

Tribune News Service

Ambala, March 28

All 408 gram panchayats in the district have been declared open defecation-free (ODF).

Additional Deputy Commissioner RK Singh said: “All 408 gram panchayats have become ODF. A three-day inter-state inspection done last week has confirmed the same.”

“Now, the district has a bigger challenge in making the urban areas open defecation-free by June-end,” he said.

Deputy Commissioner Prabhjot Singh said: “The community-led sanitation programme has played an important role in making all gram panchayats ODF.” Those who had the resources constructed toilets while others were motivated to use the public toilets, he said, adding that they were now using toilets of government schools, anganwari centres, gurdwaras and temples.

“Earlier, the Education Department was a bit reluctant in allowing the use school toilets, but after holding a meeting with gram panchayats and the administration, the department allowed the use of their toilets,” he added.

The DC felt that Naraingarh and Barara towns would achieve their targets by May-end, while the city and cantonment would be ODF by June-end.

Satyender Duhnan, Commissioner, Ambala Municipal Corporation, said: “A division-level workshop on the issue will be organised on April 7 to sensitise all stakeholders. Meanwhile, we are developing infrastructure to meet the target.”

The teams that had worked in the rural areas would now assist the Municipal Corporation in achieving the target, he said.