EDMC gears up to free its wards of open defecation
We will be ask other agencies (DUSIB, Railways) to either construct the toilet complexes in the slums/ jhuggi clusters or provide us land to construct them
After the South MCD, the East Delhi Municipal Corporation (EDMC) has now begun its exercise against open defecation. The civic body on Thursday started the process to make all its 64 wards open defecation-free.
The agency has issued a public notice inviting feedback, suggestions or objections from residents of east Delhi.
“If anyone notices the menace of open defecation around their localities, they can send their objections and information regarding it in the headquarters till June 28 or can send mail at cehqedmc@gmail.com,” said an EDMC official.
The preliminary resolution has been taken after fulfilling all prescribed parameters under the Swachh Bharat Mission . “Any urban local body can declare its areas open defecation-free if it is successful in providing public conveniences at 75 % of its areas. Also, there should be provisions for toilet complexes within 0.5 km distance of commercial areas. We have fulfilled most of these requirements,” said Yogendra Singh Maan, EDMC spokesperson.
Regarding the provision for toilet complexes in areas that belong to other agencies such as Delhi Urban Shelter Improvement Board and Railways, but fall under the jurisdiction of the MCD, necessary arrangements are being made .
“We will be ask the agencies to either construct the toilet complexes in the slums/jhuggi clusters or provide us land to construct them,” said a senior EDMC official.
Once these issues are sorted, the EDMC will announce its final resolution to the state government, after which the process will be initiated to formally award the corporation open defecation-free status. Also, third party verification will be conducted before the final status is awarded.
However, several east Delhi residents said they are not convinced about the municipal corporation achieving the status easily, considering that 80% of the areas in EDMC included slums and unauthorised colonies.
“The number of people living in slums and unauthorised areas still defecate near nullah, railway lines and vacant lands. I don’t think they all can even access the public convenience,” said Namita Gupta, resident of Preet Vihar.
Last month, the South MCD had also declared 92 of its 104 wards open defecation-free, but many RWAs and citizens’ groups argued that the process is being completed only on paper even as the open defecation continues to occur openly all across Delhi.
“Though we didn’t receive any objection, we are yet to get the No Objection Certificate from DUSIB regarding construction of toilets in areas belonging to them,” said a senior official from the department of environment management services, South MCD.