Collector D. Ronald Ross called upon the officials and public to make Narayankhed open defecation-free (ODF) constituency by December.
Participating in a programme by MEDVAN, a group of NGOs, held at Narayankhed on Thursday, Mr. Ronald said that the government would release 50 per cent of required funds for the construction of individual sanitary latrines (ISLs) if the entire village comes forward to take it up. He congratulated the representatives of MEDWAN and UNICEF for their initiative in this regard.
While expressing concern over use of toilets as store rooms by some villagers and by some others as a cattleshed, the District Collector said that additional funds would be released to Medak district as it was in the first place in implementing Swachh Bharath programme.
As many as 285 villages have become ODF so far in the district, the District Collector said.
Arrangements had been made for the supply of material and it would be supplied to villagers who come forward for the construction of toilets, the Collector added.
MLA M. Bhupal Reddy said that the construction of ISLs and their proper regular use by the family members would not only improve the health of the family, but also reduce the expenses on health and medical care.
MEDWAN president Manohar Rao, UNICEF representative Sudhakar, Mission Bhagiratha SE Vijaya Prakash, RWS SE Chakravarthi and others participated in the programme.
