Sakleshpur, Alur declared open defecation-free taluks

These are the first taluks in the district to secure this status

Sakleshpur and Alur – two taluks of Hassan district, have been declared ‘open defecation-free’. These are the first taluks of the district to secure this status.

A. Manju, Minister for Sericulture and Animal Husbandry and in-charge of Hassan district, made this announcement at a programme in Sakleshpur on Sunday.

The Minister congratulated the officers of both the taluks for being the first in the district to secure this status. The officers have worked hard to spread awareness among the rural public and build toilets wherever necessary. “The efforts of Panchayat Development Officers, Taluk Panchayat officers and gram panchayats are laudable,” he said.

Hassan and Belur taluks would soon be declared open defecation-free. The district administration had resolved to declare the entire district open defecation-free by October 2, Mahatma Gandhi’s birth anniversary, Mr. Manju said.

Construction of toilets

R. Venkatesh Kumar, Chief Executive Officer, Hassan Zilla Panchayat, said nearly 71,000 toilets had been constructed in the district in 2016-17.

With this, the district stood first among 30 others in the State implementing the scheme.