Municipal Administration and Urban Development Minister P. Narayana on Thursday said all the 110 ULBs in Andhra Pradesh will be declared Open Defecation-Free (ODF) on October 2 by the State government as part of Swacha Andhra and Swachh Bharat mission.
So far, only Vijayawada and Tadipatri municipality areas in the State have been given ODF status by the Quality Control of India (QCI), commissioned by Union Government. QCI secretary Rahul Pratap Singh gave away the ODF declaration certificate to Municipal Commissioner G. Veerapandian and Mayor K. Sreedhar here.
Speaking on the occasion Mr. Narayana said Andhra Pradesh will be the first State to be declared ODF on October 2. He said that QCI was yet to survey many municipalities and that will be done in the coming months.
Mr. Narayana said that government was working towards making State free from dumping yards, and energy plants which will be set up by December 31 will process majority of the garbage from towns and cities.
Mr. Veerapandian said that 1,515 new toilets for individuals were built, apart from restoring 1,005 public and school toilets in the city as part of the project.
Mr. Pratap Singh said that ODF status was only the beginning and the respective local bodies had to maintain same situation of sanitation for a year, after which it would be declared Open defacation-free.
MLA B. Umamaheswara Rao and others were present.
Process to get ODF status: (for info graphic)
First, the local body should ensure sufficient toilets are provided for households and at public places
Conduct awareness campaigns.
Local body should get declaration from students of various schools promising that they and their family members do not defecate or urinate in the open.
Heads of the schools, SHG leaders should declare their schools and area ODF respectively.
Ward members should declare their ward ODF.
Municipal Commissioner and Mayor should declare city ODF.
QCI comes into picture and verifies documents.
QCI visits different locations, including transport stations, water bodies in the city.
If satisfied, QCI declares the city ODF
