10 towns recognised as open defecation free
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, February 11 2018: The Ministry of Urban Development has recognised 10, out of a total 27 towns (urban local bodies) of the State, as open defecation free and the Quality Council of Indian is carrying out field verification to declare another 10 town as of the State as open defecation free.

According to information received by The Sangai Express from an official source, the authorities are planning to ensure that all the 27 urban local bodies of the State are open defecation free by March this year as a part of Central Government's Swachh Bharat Mission.

The source explained that 20 (out of the 27) urban local bodies of the State have declared themselves as open defecation free.

As a rule, after an urban local body declares itself open defecation free, the Ministry will task an independent or a third party body to check the authenticity of the declaration through a field verification.

As per the findings, whether the town is open defecation free or not is determined by the Quality Council of India, which is sent by the Ministry, the source stated adding that the Ministry will recognise the urban local body as open defecation free as per the determination of the Quality Council of India.

The source informed that five urban local bodies of the State had already been declared as open defecation some time back as per the field verification of the Council.

They are Moirang Municipal Council, Bishnupur, Kakching, Lilong (Imphal West) and Nambol.

The newly recognised urban local bodies are Kumbi, Yairipok, Jiribam, Ningthoukhong and Thoubal, the source added.

Speaking about the rules and regulations concerning the recognition of a town as open defecation free, the official stated that first and foremost, the schools or educational establishments in the town need to declared as having sanitary latrines.

Next, the self help groups in the town need to declare the presence of sanitary latrines in every household of the town and the town should be declared as open defecation free through the media/ local dailies.

The official said that objections will also be invited against the claim made in the media.

If no objection arrives, the urban local body will declare the town as open defecation free and the State Government will send a proposal to the Central Government.

After the proposal is sent, the Ministry of Urban Development will send a team of Quality Council of India, which will carry out necessary filed verification to ascertain the claims, the official added.

The recognition of an urban local body as open defecation free is valid for a period of six months.

As a result, the verification is conducted every six months.

20 urban local bodies have already declared themselves as open defecation free and as per the filed verification of the Quality Council of India, 10 of those towns have been recognised as open defecation free.

The official pointed out that the team of Quality Council of India is undertaking the field verification drive of the 10 other towns and added that steps are being taken up to declare the remaining 7 urban local bodies as open defecation free by the end of March.

Hygiene habits and living standards of the people living in the urban local bodies play a very important role in ensuring that it is declared an open defecation free town.

Failing to be recognised as free of open defecation can tarnish the image of the authority and as such the State Government is working tirelessly to ensure all 27 towns of the State are open defecation free by the stipulated time, the source added.

Under the Swachh Bharat Mission, sanitary latrines are to be made available in all the households of the 27 urban local bodies of the State.The official explained that households which need sanitary latrines are to collaborate with the common service centres and send in an on-line form.

The municipality will verify whether the household is applicable for free sanitary latrine construction.

If the household is economically backward, the necessary funds for the construction of a sanitary latrine will be provided to the beneficiary through direct benefit transfer, so that the household can build the latrine.

The Government will provide around Rs 12,000 to each beneficiary for the purpose of constructing the sanitary latrine, the official added.

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