All steps have been taken to totally abolish open defecation in the rural areas and declare Salem as defecation-free district by the end of this year, said District Collector Rohini P. Bhajibhakare.
Clean India Mission is being implemented in the district and priority has been accorded for the construction of individual toilets in the households for the success of this programme. Official machinery is ready to provide the needed materials and other assistance for the construction of household toilets, the Collector said while holding discussion with the officials of the Rural Development and Panchayat Department here recently.
The officials involved in this project and the motivators should explain the harmful effects of open defecation and how it affected the surrounding environment to the rural people.
Only motivation to the people will enable the district in achieving the open defecation-free district status, she said and called upon the officials to leave no stone unturned to motivate the people for achieving the goal.
A total of 107 village panchayats in the district have already been declared as open defecation-free, with the construction of 1.35 lakh individual toilets in the households.
The Collector expressed the hope that with the added thrust from the official machinery and the cooperation from the local public will enable in achieving the open defecation free district by December 31 next.
Ms. Rohini on the occasion handed over the booklets brought out by the Clean India Mission, explaining the objectives of the programme, to the motivators.
Arul Jothi Arasan, project director, District Rural Development Agency (DRDA) and other officials participated in the meeting.
