Defecating in open on Capital City streets to invite `50 fine

BHUBANESWAR: Defecating in the open in the Capital city will invite a fine of `50. A decision to this effect was taken by the Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation (BMC) on Saturday.The BMC sources informed on Saturday that it will soon launch an awareness-cum-behaviour change communication drive across the city and targets to make 13 Wards open defecation free (ODF) in the first phase.A meeting in this regard was held under the chairmanship of Additional Municipal Commissioner Subham Saxena and attended by Deputy Commissioner, Sanitation, Lalatendu Sahu, Zonal Deputy Commissioners Binay Kumar Dash, Subhranshu Mishra and Diptirani Sahu, officials of the State Government, Swachh Bhubaneswar Abhiyan Cell and Communication Cell, among others.

It was decided at the meeting that BMC will construct community toilets within 500 metres of the slums in the city where some families do not have land for setting-up individual household toilets. Public toilets will also be constructed within 1 km distance of each commercial area across the city. The denizens here can also use the toilets inside all fuel pumps in the city.

“About 55 self-help group (SHG) federations will ensure construction and use of sanitary individual household toilets. They will also persuade the SHGs to submit the ODF declaration,” a BMC official said. Moreover, to curb open defecation during events and exhibitions in the city, five mobile toilets will be procured soon, the official added.

While 470 schools under BMC’s jurisdiction will ensure construction of sanitary toilets on their premises and submit ODF declaration, all Resident Welfare Associations will also be given the charge of ensuring ODF and submitting ODF declaration for non slum areas.

BMC officials said the ward officers and sanitary inspectors will identify insanitary toilets in non slum areas. “It was also suggested to form surveillance committees in all the slums here for monitoring and making the area open defecation free. The surveillance committees will likely have children as its members to make the entire process smoother and effective,” a BMC official said.