Ten village panchayats in the district that have achieved the distinction of constructing individual toilets in almost all houses will be declared ‘open defecation-free’ (ODF) panchayats on October 2.
According to Collector N. Venkatachalam, Okkaraipatti and Ramakrishnapuram in Andipatti block, Azhagarnaickanpatti and Lakshmipuram in Periyakulam, Govindanagaram in Theni, Maniyampatti in Bodinaickanur, Poolanandapuram and Veppampatti in Chinnamanur union and Ramasamy Naickanpatti and Kokilapuram in Uthamapalayam would be declared as ODF panchayats on Gandhi Jayanthi.
Already, Lakshmipuram and Kokilapuram panchayats had achieved the distinction of having constructed individual toilets in all the houses.
Only 41 toilets are pending at Okkaraipatti and 17 at Azhagarnaickenpatti. Totally 350 individual toilets had to be constructed in eight panchayats to achieve the goal. The rest of the panchayats plan to expedite construction of toilets before October 2 to become ODF panchayats.
The district rural development agency (DRDA) was aiding in constructing the toilets. “Some of the houses in a few panchayats do not have adequate space for constructing individual toilets. So, possibility of constructing toilets in such houses is remote. The DRDA has constructed sanitary complexes near these houses and has advised the villagers to use them and avoid public defecation,” Mr. Venkatachalam said. Special construction teams had been constituted in the panchayats to expedite construction of toilets in the rest of the households and funds had been given for the same.
Non-governmental organisations, clubs, self-help groups, poverty eradication committees and local bodies had been roped in to motivate the villagers to construct toilets.
Construction materials such as bricks, hollow blocks and readymade compound wall slabs had been procured in bulk by the office of the Block Development Officer (BDO) to prevent delay in construction of toilets.
A revolving fund had been given to each panchayat to keep stock of construction materials to maintain supply.
The district administration had planned to construct 10,614 individual toilets under Swachh Bharat scheme and 9,123 toilets under Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee scheme, the Collector added.
