The Hindu 21.07.2016
City to be declared open defecation free on Oct. 2
All houses in the city will have toilets and new public
toilets will come up in 34 locations by October 2 when the city will be
declared open-defecation free, Mayor Harinath has said.
He
told presspersons here on Wednesday that as per a survey carried out in
May 2015, there were 339 houses in the city which did not have toilets.
Grants were being given to these residents to construct toilets under
the Swachh Bharath Mission. While around 10 wards would be declared
open-defecation free on August 15, the whole city would be declared so
on October 2, he said. Mr. Harinath asked people, who did not have
toilets for their houses, to approach the Mangaluru City Corporation for
grants by August 13. He said they were yet to decide on the penal
action to be taken against those seen defecating in the open after
October 2.
Chairman of Standing Committee on Health,
Kavita Sanil, said that corporation had identified places such as the
City Central Market, Pumpwell Junction, Morgan’s Gate, Urwa Stores,
Kadri Junction and 29 other locations where new toilets would be
constructed. These toilets would be built and operated by private
agencies and it would be in addition to the 21 existing ones. Those
operating the existing pubic toilets had been directed to maintain them
in a proper manner, she said.
Mr. Harinath said that
Urban Development Minister R. Roshan Baig would lay the foundation stone
for construction of a dining hall for the Town Hall on Sunday.
Mr.
Baig would also launch the first phase of building market complexes in
Alake and Kavoor. The Minister would inaugurate the work on improving
Kavoor Junction.
He would inaugurate the new night shelter in Bunder area, which had been built at a cost of Rs. 99.8 lakh, Mr. Harinath said.
