Strive to complete toilets by March 31

Tirupati: District Collector PS Pradyumna has said that to declare the district Open Defecation Free (ODF), 80,000 more individual toilets have to be built which has to be completed by this month end and every hour will be crucial from now onwards to reach the target. He has reviewed the progress of ODF and NREGA (National Rural Employment Guarantee ACT) works at Varadaiahpalem on Monday.

Collector said that two lakh toilets were built in the district so far in the name ‘Self-respect of women’ and the pending targets have to be fulfilled without delay. Ration Dealers have to take responsibility and educate all households that toilet is necessary to protect the self-respect of women.

Pradyumna said that for those living in huts, community toilets have to be built and efforts were on to allocate houses to them. The government has been collecting data of huts in the district. He pointed out that 2,898 more toilets have yet to be built in Varadaiahpalem mandal and sarpanches have to take the responsibility in ensuring that all these are built in time.

“If any village fails to complete ODF target, that panchayat will not get funds and District Panchayat Officer Prasada Rao should coordinate in this regard”, he maintained.

Similarly, in Satyavedu mandal, five panchayats could not complete ODF targets and 1,012 toilets have to be completed there. Collector called Sri City General Manager Subrahmanyam Reddy and asked him to send labour for 15 days to complete pending works for which he responded positively.