1,472 more cities declared ODF in 2017

Speed Post News Network

New Delhi : An additional 1,472 cities have been declared as ODF taking the total number to 1,977 in the year 2017. Altogether 42.72 lakh Individual Household Toilets (IHHL) and 2.43 lakh Community and Public Toilet seats (CT/PT) were constructed in 2017.

Eight states (AP, Gujarat, Maharashtra, Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh, Telangana, Haryana and Madhya Pradesh) and 3 UTs (Chandigarh, Andaman and Daman & Diu) have become ODF.  The Government of India had launched the “Swachh Bharat Mission” (Urban) on October 2, 2014, for 5-year period with the objective of achieving 100% open defecation free (ODF) status and putting in place systems to achieve 100% solid waste management in all 4041 Urban Local Bodies (ULBs) in the country. The estimated cost of implementation is Rs 62,009 including Government of India’s share of Rs 14,600 crore and State share of Rs 4,874 crore.

To enable people to easily locate public toilets and give feedback on the same, a major initiatives of mapping all public toilets in the country on Google Maps has been launched. As on date, 13,098 toilets in 35 cities (across 11 states) have been mapped, according to a PIB release.