Rupesh Samant

Panaji, Aug 31: In a landmark development Goa government on Saturday, August 31, declared all its panchayat areas as Open Defecation Free (ODF).

State Panchayat Minister Mauvin Godinho said that all the 180-odd panchayats have been officially declared as Open Defecation Free from Saturday onwards.

He said that the State government has provided adequate toilets to the panchayats which includes installation of community toilets for the people to save them from defecating in the open.

Godinho said that the state government will install additional toilets wherever there is requirement. He stated that even toilets for the individuals would be provided by the State government.

Earlier during the month, chief minister Pramod Sawant had appealed all the panchayat bodies seeking their “active support” in ensuring that state becomes Open Defecation Free (ODF) by August 31.

In a letter written to all the panchayat bodies, Sawant had said that the State Government has taken sincere efforts towards achieving the status of “Open Defecation Free” for all the Village Panchayats under the Swachh Bharat Mission (Gramin) Scheme of the Union Ministry of Jal Shakti.

“As a first step towards achieving this status the work of installation of Community Toilets, wherever required, has been entrusted with the Goa Waste Management Corporation with a time line of August 31, 2019,” the chief minister had said.

Sawant had said that the Directorate of Panchayats had already received application for construction of Individual Toilets for Households without toilets under the State Scheme which is also being taken up simultaneously though the priority now is to complete the Community Toilets for the purpose of achieving “ODF” status.

“It will be a matter of pride for the State of Goa to achieve the ODF as Goa is one of the few States which yet to achieve ODF status. For achieving this feat, government solicit the active support and cooperation of your Village Panchayat,” he had added.