The Hindu 20.11.2013
Rallies taken out to mark World Toilet Day
People should use toilets and not defecate in the open, is the message the Coimbatore Corporation sent out on Tuesday on the occasion of World Toilet Day. The Corporation school students took out a rally, which the Mayor, S.M. Velusamy, flagged off at the North Coimbatore school on Tuesday. A release said that open defecation led to the spread of typhoid, cholera, diarrhoea and infections. Growth of children was affected because of open defecation.
To improve hygiene, the city’s residents would do well to use toilets. The Corporation managed 251 public convenience facilities in the five zones, the release added.
Deputy Commissioner S. Sivarasu, Assistant Commissioner Amalraj and other officials were present at the inauguration.
Special Correspondent from Udhagamandalam adds:
Rallies and meetings were also organised here by civic bodies and non governmental organisations to mark the day. A rally was taken out under the aegis of the local municipality here. Underscoring the need to raise the standard of sanitation by promoting the use of toilets officials, workers and councillors participated.
Among them were the Chairman, Udhagamandalam Municipal Council, K. Sathyabama and Municipal Engineer B. Ramoorthy.
At a meeting organised in Coonoor by the Rural Development Organization (RDO), the Chairman of the organisation N.K. Perumal pointed out that over 72 per cent of the population of The Nilgiris which now stood at about 7.35 lakh have no access to sanitation/toilet facilities.
He emphasised the need to address the problem without delay and prevent diseases from getting out of hand. In order to check health problems and pollution of rivers, streams and wells, the RDO has drawn up a plan of action to help people put up one lakh household toilets.
Since many of the schools are also ill-equipped vis a vis public conveniences the students especially girls are subjected to a great deal of inconvenience. It results in absenteeism and also forces students to drop out. Hence, there is a plan to construct 2,500 toilets in schools.
Adverting to an ambitious Open Defecation Free scheme, he said that in course of time five lakh people and one lakh schoolchildren would benefit.
Staff Reporter from Tirupur adds:
Commemorating the World Toilet Day, the Tirupur Corporation and Udumalpet Municipality administrations conducted rallies and awareness campaigns in its respective jurisdictions on Tuesday.
Udumalpet municipal chairperson K.G.S. Shobana said that the campaign was aimed at promoting clean toilets as well as educate the people on how open-air defecation could upset hygienic environment. “We also carried out cleaning of toilets in the public spaces and told the people the importance of proper sanitation,” she added.
The students, members of non-governmental organisations, elected representatives of civic bodies and officials took part in the rallies held in Tirupur city and Udumalpet.
The Tirupur Corporation officials pasted stickers in public toilets carrying messages to create awareness among the people of keeping the facility neat.
