ROURKELA: After having made significant progress in declaring itself open defecation free (ODF), Rourkela city seems to be going back on track. Residents from city slums are seen defecating in public spaces which have undone the exercise that was successful after a sustained drive.
Blame it on the complacency and laxity in monitoring by the Rourkela Municipal Corporation (RMC), the railway tracks seem to be the easy option of the slum dwellers early in the morning. Admitting the menace, RMC officials said the railway tracks that run for at least for 10 km stretch through the RMC limits from Bondamunda to Panposh with numerous small slums alongside has encouraged the bad habit among the dwellers.
Former president of Rourkela district Congress committee (RDCC) Biren Senapati said previous achievement against prevention of open defecation was remarkable, but now the situation is gradually taking an ugly turn for varied reasons. “Apart from railway tracks, open spaces near Panposh, Gangadharpali, Malgodam, MS Pali, Phatapipebasti, Uttambasti, Tilkanagar and other slums are also witnessing open defecation,” he said.
Last month a group of residents from Jena Basti of Koelnagar had demanded the RMC to set up a community toilet (CT) for them .RMC deputy commissioner Sudhanshu Bhoi said the number of CTs have increased further over the years, adding as per demand the RMC is creating more CTs and PTs. “After completion of around 6,777 IHHLs, more applications are getting accepted and work orders issued as a continuous fight against open defecation,” he said, adding monitoring would further be strengthened.