Bhubaneswar Declared Open Defecation Free

Bhubaneswar, Dec 11: Odisha capital’ local civic body Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation (BMC) has claimed to be Open Defecation Free (ODF).

The claim was made at an event, part of the Swachh Bharat Mission activities, which was attended among others by Odia Language, Literature and Culture and Tourism Minister Ashok Chandra Panda, BMC Mayor Ananata Narayana Jena, MLA (Bhubaneswar North) Priyadarsi Mishara and Bhubaneswar (Central) Bijaya Kumar Mohanty, Deputy Mayor K. Shanti and Additional Commissioner Subham Saxena.

Chairman BMC Standing Committee on Public Health and Environment Biranchi Narayan Mahasupakar and other Councillors of BMC along with senior officials and community members were present.

According to Swachh Bharat Mission-Urban to fulfil the objective of 100% Open Defecation Free status in all Urban Local Bodies (ULBs), BMC has taken series of steps to provide access to clean and usable toilet facilities to its denizens.

The BMC constructed large numbers of toilets (approximately 1,600 plus toilet seats) in different category and all these are functional across the city, for effective use and operation and maintenance of these toilets ‘Ward Sanitation Committee’ has been engaged in different community toilets and for pubic toilet and hybrid toilets Sulabh International & Social Service Organisation has been engaged, constructed large number of IHHL (Individual House Hold Toilets), and either constructed or completed approximately 5,000 toilets in different housing projects.

The BMC also constructed Community Toilets of 164 seats under Project Samman and repaired or renovated the exiting 676 community toilet seats and now these are functional.

It constructed Public toilet of 154 seats under Project Samman and repaired or renovated the exiting 364 nos of public toilet seats and now these are functional.

BMC has constructed Hybrid toilet of 320 seats and now these are functional, the meeting was informed.