Live
- Mushk Mahal turns den of anti-social elements
- Industrial progress began during BRS’ rule: KTR
- Bhatti credits Cong govts for giving big boost to MSMEs
- Act smart! Don’t bank only on agri, CM prods farmers
- TG govt sets aside Rs. 4k-cr for MSMEs
- Telangana DISCOMS submits ARR to TSERC. Proposes to generate more revenue through tariff hike
- Three Dead In Delhi Building Collapse Amid Heavy Rain
- District SP T. Srinivas Rao, IPS, Expresses Condolences on the Death of Woman Constable in Road Accident
- District Additional Collector Narsinga Rao Stresses Effective Implementation of Nasha Mukt Bharat Abhiyaan
- State Government Distributes Mahalakshmi Scheme Gas Cylinder Certificates under Abhaya Hastham
Toiling for a toilet
The government set February 28, 2018 as a target for the district administration to announce Visakhapatnam as an Open Defecation Free (ODF) district. The officials of various line departments, including Panchayat Raj. DWMA and ITDA, are feeling the heat as the administration is exerting pressure on  them to reach the target.
Visakhapatnam: The government set February 28, 2018 as a target for the district administration to announce Visakhapatnam as an Open Defecation Free (ODF) district. The officials of various line departments, including Panchayat Raj. DWMA and ITDA, are feeling the heat as the administration is exerting pressure on them to reach the target.
Though it is a good initiative, the people in the rural and agency areas are not coming forward to construct the individual toilets due lack of land and money. Meanwhile, the people, who are living in the thatched houses, are facing tough times during summer and rainy season.
Meanwhile, the process of sanctioning of funds for the construction of the toilets has become a major hurdle. The government is giving Rs 15,000 to construct individual toilet. Once the place was identified, the officials will geo tag the land.
The beneficiary has to construct the basement with his own money. Once the basement level was completed, the official will visit and again and take the picture and geo tag the basement. The picture of the basement will be uploaded on to the government website. Later, the sanctioning officer will examine and release the Rs 6,000 which would be credited into the account beneficiary.
In the next stage, after completion of the toilet, the field staff again geo tag the toilet and take the picture and will upload the same. After ground verification by the official, the rest of the money i.e; Rs 9,000 will be credited into the beneficiary’s account.
Meanwhile, the government is directing the officials not to promote single pits for the toilets and promote double pits to the toilets which is also again creating extra expenditure on the beneficiary.
According to Principal Secretary of Panchayat Raj Department KF Jawahar Reddy said that anomalies were witnessed in the announced ODF villages.
Meanwhile, Swachh Bharat Mission Managing Director Muralidhara Reddy expressed his dissent over officials for not geo tagging the individual toilets in the district properly.
By VKL Gayatri
