Excelsior Correspondent
RAJOURI, June 29: District Rajouri has achieved 100% physical achievement in Swachh Bharat Mission – Grameen (SBM-G) with construction of 1.02 lakh toilets making the district Open Defecation Free (ODF) as all the families identified in the survey have been provided toilet unit. Physical verification has also been completed for declaring the district ODF.
A spokesman of the District Administration said under ‘Swachh Bharat Mission Garmin (SBM-G)’ a well targeted and convergent campaign involving rural communities and Government departments has been able to get the rural areas of the district – 376 villages in 19 blocks – declared Open Defecation Free. “Cross-verification of the ODF status in these villages is under progress,” he said.
In this remarkable achievement, Rajouri moved from 23% physical coverage in November 2017 to achievement of 100% coverage in last week of June 2018 with completion of nearly 1 lakh IHHL units in record time. 75% geo-tagging and uploading of photographs has also been completed.
In a campaign spearheaded by RDD, the ODF status was achieved after massive mobilization of rural communities and institutions like Anganwadi workers and helpers, ASHAs, Revenue officials, Cooperative Societies, PRIs, Education and Health institutions.
Meanwhile, DDC Dr. Shahid said people of Rajouri, the Government officials and representatives of other institutions have contributed towards this milestone. “The convergent participation of different stakeholders has led us to achieve the ODF status,” he acknowledged.
The District Administration has also initiated a project for providing water supply in more than 200 hamlets and making the toilets functional. Handpumps, harvesting tanks, percolation tanks, piped supply and other measures are being taken to augment SBM.