Coming down on elected representatives of local bodies who have not built toilets and use open areas for defecation, zilla panchayat Chief Executive Officer Sundresh Babu has given the authorities till the end of October to ensure that toilets are constructed.
“Post this deadline, any elected representative found not having an individual toilet, will find his or her name submitted to the government for action,” he said.
Through a press release, Mr. Babu stated that several gram panchayat and taluk panchayat members still did not have individual toilets and prefer open defecation. He said that it was not right on part of the elected representatives, who were supposed to be role models for others in the area of sanitation, to still use open areas instead of getting toilets constructed.
Giving the same deadline to anganwadi, Asha and midday meal workers, Mr. Babu warned of suspending their honorarium, if they failed to meet the deadline. “Forget your honorarium if you don’t get the toilet constructed by the end of October,” he warned.
He said that the government was making every effort it could to implement the Swachh Bharat campaign to make India open-defecation free. He added that the same target was set by the ZP to make the district open-defecation free by ensuring every house has an individual toilet.
Mr. Babu said that people, mainly elected representatives, must cooperate in implementing the scheme effectively.
Incentives offered
Stating that constructing a toilet is akin to protecting the dignity of a person and also helps prevent the spread of diseases, Mr. Babu said that the government was offering Rs. 12,000 as an incentive to people of the general category and Rs. 15,000 to BPL and SC/STs for getting toilets constructed. He said that the funds would be directly deposited into their bank accounts and added that even the anganwadi and Asha workers would get their incentives if they encourage people to get toilets constructed.
