Highlights
- Open defecation threat to safety of women, children: Vice president
- People defecating in open reduced to 30 crore from 60 crore in 2014
- 2.45 lakh villages, 1,300 cities, have been declared open defecation free
Gadag: Vice president M Venkaiah Naidu urged the people to work towards ending open defecation and join the “public movement” to achieve the goal of a ‘Clean India’ by October 2, 2019, the 150th birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi. Mahatma Gandhi had accorded highest priority to sanitation and cleanliness and had famously said sanitation was more important than political freedom, Vice President Naidu said.
He was addressing a gathering at inauguration of ‘Swachhata Hi Seva‘ (sanitation campaign) and ‘Shudda Kudiyuva Neerina Ghataka’ (clean drinking water) project at Konnur Village in this district in north Karnataka.
Vice President Naidu also pointed out that the bad habit of disposing of excreta anywhere was the cause of many of the diseases.
Referring to a UNICEF report, Vice President Naidu said that good sanitation could save Rs 50,000 per year per family and lack of it also contributed to physical and cognitive stunting in children.
Also Read: Swachh Survekshan 2017: Union Minister M Venkaiah Naidu Releases Cleanliness Books In 15 Languages
He pointed out that open defecation causes serious threat to the safety of women and children.
Vice president Naidu said the number of Indians defecating in the open in rural and urban areas was estimated to have reduced to 30 crore from about 60 crore in 2014.
He added that over 2.45 lakh villages, 1,300 cities, 200 districts and five states have been declared open defecation free (ODF).
All villages along the banks of river Ganga have been declared ODF, he said.
Regarding the Municipal Solid Waste Management (MSWM), he said over 50 per cent of urban wards have door-to-door collection of municipal solid waste and nearly 100 megawatt energy was being produced from waste in the country.
Karnataka Governor Vajubhai Vala, Union minister of state for drinking water and sanitation Ramesh Jigajinagi, Karnataka Minister for rural development and Panchayat Raj H K Patil and MP P C Gaddigoudar were present on the occasion.
Also Read: Waste Is Now Treated As Wealth, Thanks To Swachh Bharat Abhiyan: M Venkaiah Naidu
