MOTIHARI: East Champaran district magistrate Raman Kumar on Saturday started his three-day 'padyatra' with other officials and members of self-help groups from Chandrahiya Gandhi ashram near Motihari.
The yatra was launched on the occasion of Mahatma Gandhi's Champaran Satyagrah centenary year.
The DM will cover about 100 km on foot within three days to interact with the villagers of seven blocks of the district. "We need to make people aware of the advantages of
sanitation and constructing toilets. We will also make the villagers aware about the problems associated with open defecation and this is the apt time to generate such awareness as we are celebrating the centenary of Gandhiji's Champaran Satyagrah," said the DM.
On Saturday, the first day of his 'padyatra' he visited many villages including Chandrahiya, Salempur, Rabidastola, Kawalpur, Jaysinghpur, Pulawaghat, Lohiyar Bankatawa and other villages. He stayed in a school at Karariya in the night where he organized a chaupal of villagers.
Wearing 'kurta payjama' and Gandhi cap, the DM convinced the villagers to construct toilets which will not only help to keep them healthy but also maintain good health of their family members. He also asked the villagers to make prohibition successful in their villages and oppose dowry and child marriage.
On Sunday, the DM visited Mankarariya, Tikuliya Kamal Pipra, Raytola, Lauriya Hardiya and other villages in Areraj and Sangrampur blocks and met the villagers and urged them to construct toilets.
Talking to TOI he said, "We have a target to construct 7.5 lakh toilets and around 85,000 toilets have been constructed till now. This movement has gained momentum from the last two months and we will fulfil our target in 2018 to make the district open defecation free. The administration is getting full support of the people and government employees."
