The grass-root level participation and mechanism in using self-help groups in Visakhapatnam achieving open-defecation-free (ODF) status is the impression of representatives of Himachal Pradesh and Chhattisgarh.
In Visakhapatnam achieving ODF status, there is less of administration and more of pubic participation at grass-root level, says Director of Urban Development of Himachal Pradesh D K Gupta.
“It has made remarkable strides emerging third cleanest city rank in the country in the Swachh Bharat rankings and some of the experiences may be replicated in our State in our own style and imagination,” he says.
“The greatest part is the ward-level committees keeping a vigil and shooing away the persons openly defecating sometime using harsh words,” Dr Gupta told The Hindu recalling his interaction in the wards of Visakhapatnam.
This is an experience we must take back and initiate in our own State with public participation, he says.
Dr. Gupta led a six-member team from Himachal Pradesh on a tour to Visakhapatnam.
He attributes the success to the hard work done by Water and Urban Sanitation for the Urban Poor Advisory which did identification and ground-mapping of ODF spots and and carrying out publicity through the ward level surveillance committees and educating people.
The ward committees were instruments to change the mindset of people continuously working hard was a refreshing experience, Dr Gupta says. Commissioner M Hari Narayanan monitoring at zone-level to would take it further ahead, he hoped.
In Himachal Pradesh, there were several ODF panchayats and in cities the situation was manageable.
”But we are in the process of carrying out a survey and achieve milestones in the ULBs,” Dr Gupta says.
Even in Shimla during the tourist peak season, the situation is bad and with people camping in the open with lack of accommodation, he says. Under the Swachh Bharat Mission, 16 of the 54 ULBs got ODF status and it got Central funds of ₹ 13 crore and State Government contributed 10 % more.
Joint Director of Urban Administration, Durg in Chhattisgarh, P B Kashi says in spite of the active participation of self-help groups the State has not developed a mechanism to use them continuously in the campaign against open defecation.
