TN lags behind in Swachh Bharat Mission targets
Posted on: 19/Nov/2015 10:11:35 AM
According to the Swachh Bharat Mission (SBM), Tamil Nadu has not met targets when it comes to providing sanitary toilets. November 19 has been named Toilet Day by the Mission.
In a report that was recently published, Tamil Nadu was to construct 1,26,795 sanitary toilets for individual homes from the start of the mission in October 2014. However, it has only constructed 280 such toilets. The State has started work on 12,865 community toilets but has completed only 2,048. Out of the 500 public toilets to be built, work has not been completed on any at all.
An activist said, The data provided to the Centre by TN urban local bodies (are) generally unreliable. There is inconsistency. But the question is whether all these toilets would rid rural Tamil Nadu of open defecation. Because attitudes of people have hardly changed. As far as Chennai is concerned, rampant open defecation is in practice in north Chennai. There is need for community toilets in the locality because of the squatters and slum dwellers. But it has been a colossal failure for Chennai corporation, which has in the last five years built very few sanitary community toilets.
When asked, officials have claimed only a slight delay in the process. We have taken some time to survey and arrive at a good design and mobilise vendors. We are progressing well now and are on course (to hit our target). We have completed about 1,500 toilets now.
