GWMC on a mission to achieve ODF tag

Hanamkonda: Greater Warangal Municipal Corporation (GWMC) has embarked upon an ambitious programme of achieving ‘Open defecation free’ city status by the next Telangana State Formation Day on June 2, 2017 The corporation adopting a multi-pronged approach has planned the construction of public toilets, promoting individual sanitary latrines (ISLs) construction, educating the targeted groups involving NGOs and slum level federations (SLMs) and conducting surveys to identify the households that lack latrines.

“We have taken up the issue very seriously. Following the directions by Municipal Administration and Urban Development Minister K Taraka Rama Rao the GWMC is going on a mission mode to achieve ODF status by June 2 next year” the Corporation Mayor N Narender told The Hans India.

Efforts are being made to ensure 100 percent ISLs in the city, besides public toilets at important locations and community toilets in slum areas, to meet the needs of the growing population in the city. The city needs at least 60 public toilets as per the census of 2011.
There are 36 toilets including five e-toilets available in the city for the people. Construction of 14 public toilets is at different stages, community toilets are proposed at four colonies and the corporation is planning to construct 16 more public toilets, Narender explained.

According to 2011 census 33, 000 families in the city lack ISLs. They would be provided latrines and another 22, 000 insanitary latrines would be converted to ISLs by connecting them to drains. So far 4,470 latrines are built, 7,200 latrines are under construction and 17,000 latrines are sanctioned.

At select public toilets separate entrance for women is also ensured. Since there is a variation in the 2011 census and the current status on ISLs, recently a survey was conducted to identify the number of households that require individual sanitary latrines. Nearly 1.62 lack households in the city are covered in the city and the data collected is being computerised to ascertain households that need ILSs, he noted.

In order of modern technology, about 72 masons are trained with the help Administrative Staff College of India (ASCI) which is offering technical know-how. Adding to this, NGOs like Abhyudaya Seva Samithi led by Mandala Parashuramulu is also conducting awareness programmes on the importance of latrines under the title ‘Naku Marugudoddi Kavali’.

The Samithi, Municipal Commissioner Shruti Ojha, Mayor Narender and his deputy Khaja Sirajuddin, Municipal Health Officer B Raja Reddy have been visiting the slums and colonies educating the citizens to build sanitary latrines at their homes.

Under a pilot project, in 27 and 30 divisions of the city, environment friendly bio-toilets are being constructed at select households in association with Lok Satta Udyama Samstha. It is planned to construct 110 bio-toilets, informed the Municipal Health Officer Raja Reddy.The managements of 40 petrol stations in the city are asked to provide toilet facility for consumers, he added.