BHOPAL: Early morning checks carried out in 155 villages that were certified as open defecation free (ODF) in Guna district of Madhya Pradesh have exposed widespread irregularities in the Swachh Bharat project of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
Inspection teams comprising village panchayat reps carried out surprise checks between 5 am and 7.30 am in the 155 villages and found that a large number of villagers were still defecating in the open.
"As many 2000 men, women and children were found defecating in the open in villages that were declared as ODF villages," the officiating chief executive officer (CEO) of the Guna district panchayat Niyaz Khan told New Sunday Express.
Khan, who is also the additional district magistrate (ADM) of Guna, has ordered that criminal cases be lodged against 250 officials who had recommended ODF certification for these villages.
These 250 persons include rozgar sayayaks, panchayat secretaries, village sarpanchs and block coordinators of Swachch Bharat, Khan said.
Orders are also being issued to terminate the services five block coordinators of Swachh Bharat Abhiyan in Guna, Aaron, Chachauda, Raghogarh and Bamauri blocks.
Show cause notices are being issued to the CEOs of five block panchayats. Further, action to terminate the services of 45 panchayat secretaries and rozgar sahayaks is also underway.
Process will soon be initiated against 45 village sarpanches who in collusion with rozgar sahayaks and panchayat secretaries recommended ODF tags for these villages without assessing the ground realities.
Also 10-man teams have been set up in each from district and block panchayat to conduct door-to-door surveys to figure out whether those defecating in the open are doing it of their volition or due to any irregularity in construction of Swachh Bharat toilets.
These teams will ensure that if toilets are locked, not constructed well or need repairs, the needful is done to address the problem. "Our teams will also educate and sensitize people to use toilets and not defecate in the open," said Khan.