ODF tag for 73 ULBs yet to be verified by Mission

Uncertainty prevails over all the 73 urban bodies retaining their tag of being free of open defecation. The municipal department has issued a preliminary notification claiming the ODF tag for all urban local bodies, though inspections are yet to be carried out for certification.

Minister K.T. Rama Rao had set August 15 as the deadline for officials to the achieve ODF tag for all urban areas. Officials in a hurry to meet this target issued preliminary notifications on their own claiming the ODF tag for all ULBs and invited objections from stakeholders concerned within 15 days. After this, the municipal body should pass a resolution that the municipality has reached 100 per cent ODF. Based on this, the state municipal department should submit a report to Swachh Bharat Mission, New Delhi.

The mission will send third party officials for inspection to verify the ODF claims and submit a final report. Based on this, the Swachh Bharat Mission will finally certify an urban area as free of open defecation.

When the NDA government launched Swachh Bharat, the TS government launched two initiatives — Swachh Hyderabad and Swachh Telangana — to meet the objectives of the Centre’s scheme. The state government had set itself a target to achieve ODF tag in all cities and towns by October 2, 2016.

Only 15 municipalities like Siddipet and Sircilla represented by ministers T. Harish Rao and K.T. Rama Rao were successful in getting the ODF tag.

The deadline was extended to March 31, by which time 83,000 toilets were to be built in all municipalities. The deadline was subsequently extended till August 15.