THOOTHUKUDI: All village panchayat presidents must ensure that every house in their limits has a toilet facility and that community toilets are maintained properly in order to eradicate open defecation, said District Collector Dr K Senthil Raj during a mass-contact programme at Pasuvanthanai on Wednesday. He also distributed welfare assistance worth Rs 2.32 lakh, including old age pension, widows pension and free land pattas, to 72 beneficiaries on the occasion.
"Open defecation is a matter of serious concern, especially for women, since it can cause anaemia, malaria and other contagious diseases. So, it is imperative that every household has a toilet facility. The district administration will extend to you all the assistance required to construct toilets," the collector said. He also inspected a new public toilet constructed at Pasuvanthanai bazaar. Kovilpatti RDO Mahalakshmi, Ottapidaram union chairman Ramesh and other officials accompanied the collector.