THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Now, one need not worry about witnessing open defecations in the capital anymore. In a break-through move on Wednesday, Thiruvananthapuram was declared an open defecation-free district. The formal announcement was made by Power and Devaswom Minister Kadakampally Surendran at a function held at the Collectorate. In his speech, the minister recollected the tragic death of Siluvamma, a resident of Pulluvila who was mauled by a pack of dogs when she visited the beach in the night to relieve herself. “Lack of toilet facilities force people like Siluvamma to go to the beach. Though the state is far ahead of the nation in many aspects such as electricity, it is indeed a shortcoming that we still have over 14,000 toilet-less homes in the district,” said Surendran.
The rural areas in Parassala, Perukadavila, Athiyanoor, Nemom, Vellanad, Nedumangad, Vamanapuram, Kilimanoor, Chirayinkeezhu, Varkala and Pothencode achieved the target of constructing 14,211 toilets which consists of 11 block panchayats and 73 gram panchayats.
State to tread along the same path
The state will be declared an open defecation-free state on November 1. The urban areas will be declared open defecation-free by March next year. This include the challenge of building toilets in coastal, high range and swampy areas which are not favourable to construct toilets. The amount fixed by the government to build toilets in coastal and high range area won’t be sufficient (Rs 15,400 per toilet) to build toilets in these areas. The government fund is supplemented by Corporate Social Responsibility funds. In Thiruvananthapuram, Adani Foundation which is the CSR arm of Adani Group, that is building the major seaport project at Vizhinjam, is the main sponsor. It has funded Rs 20 lakh for this project. Most of the funds have been allotted for construction of toilets in Anchuthengu. District panchayat president V K Madhu presided over the function. District Collector S Venkitesapathy presented the report. However, none of the MLAS and MPs in the district who were invited for the function turned up for the event.