BHUBANESWAR: In a bid to transform Bhubaneswar Town Centre District to an open defecation-free area under the Smart City Mission, the Bhubaneswar Smart City Limited (BSCL) has set up groups such as Nigrani Committees (surveillance squads) and Vanar Senas (children’s teams) in the slums.
These groups have been engaged to spread awareness on health hazards of open defecation and educate people on use of community and hybrid toilets.
Feedback Foundation, engaged by BSCL, has taken up all 24 slums in Bhubaneswar Town Centre District (BTCD) area to achieve the open defecation target. The 24 slums are spread over four Wards - 30, 34, 41 and 53. Till now, Kathagola Basti and Kalinga Basti under Ward 53 have been declared open defecation-free.
On Wednesday, Feedback Foundation along with officials of BSCL conducted a cleanliness drive in Birsa Munda slum under Ward 30 in Sahid Nagar.
Next week, a drive will be carried out near railway station area to alert slum dwellers on the risk of defecating on the tracks.