Swachh city: Amritsar gets open defecation free ++ status

Tribune News Service

Amritsar, January 15

Amritsar got open defecation free ++ status (ODF plus plus) from the Union Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs (MoHUA) under the Swachh Bharat Abhiyan. The central team had visited the city to check infrastructure. Mayor Karmajit Singh Rintu appreciated the efforts of the sanitation wing of the Municipal Corporation and cooperation of the city residents.

“It is a very positive response by the government. The city got open defecation free ++ status. This will help the city to improve its ranking in the upcoming Sanitation Survey in 2021. We are taking several steps to get first position in the Swachhta Survey 2021.”

Komal Mittal, Commissioner, Amritsar Municipal Corporation, said, “After an inspection by the Quality Council of India, an agency of the Central Government, Amritsar city got the ODF Plus Plus status. It is an honour for the entire city. Tireless efforts made by the sanitation wing and operations and maintenance wing of the MC enabled to achieve this.”

Health officials of the MC stated that the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs had certified the city as open defecation gree in 2019 under the Swachh Bharat Mission.

The MC built community toilets in slums and public toilets in several markets in the city. As per the guidelines of the Swachh Bharat Abhiyan, the MC has to construct public toilets after a gap of every 500 metres. A large number of toilet booths were installed on the roadsides and markets.