Six village panchayats in Annavasal panchayat union will be declared open-defecation free on August 15 following a work taken up by the District Rural Development Agency and M.S. Swaminathan Research Foundation.
The village panchayats to be declared as open-defecation free areas are Thalinji, Kadhavampatti, Mukkanamalaipatti, Poongudi, Perumanadu and Thudaiyur. As many as 1,354 households have been covered under the programme during the last two years, said M. Santhoshkumar, DRDA. Addressing a meeting of rural sanitation motivators of Annavasal panchayat union at a meeting held on Tuesday, he said that this was the second phase of achievement under a special programme aimed at elimination of open defecation to improve health and hygiene through individual toilets and behavioural change communication. In the earlier phase, Mannavelampatti, Punginipatti and Sithannavasal panchayats had been covered. The entire union, comprising 43 village panchayats, would be declared as open defecation free in course of time.