Shaming the ‘open defecators’, Agra nagar nigam style
The target to make Agra open defecation free is September 2018 but we have kept our target as March 2018 and identified 29 such open defecation spots. VIJAY KUMAR, additional municipal commissioner
AGRA: In a raid of a sort, an Agra nagar nigam team on Tuesday caught a dozen people with their pants down – while they were defecating in the open – and shamed them by making them do sit-ups while catching their ears.
The ‘raid and shame’ act was played out in the outer area of Balkeshwar locality of the district. As per plan, the nagar nigam team got into action during the wee hours of Tuesday and reached the targeted area at 5 am. Panic spread amongst those defecating in the open and they rushed for ‘cover’ as the nagar nigam team, led by additional municipal commissioner Vijay Kumar, spread out in area. The team managed to catch a dozen ‘offenders’.
Such ‘raids’ were also conducted in Rajwada and Jaswant Ki Chatri areas.
“This is part of our campaign to raid the 29 open defecation spots in Agra. Today (Tuesday) a dozen of those defecating in the open were nabbed and taken to the spot where a public toilet exists. They were also shown how to use the toilet,” Kumar told HT.
The elders of the locality were called and apprised about the open defecation free campaign, he said and added that those nabbed were apologetic and vowed not to defecate in the open in future. “The idea was to shame them so that they desist from the unhygienic practice. They were allowed to go after being warned that they would be fined if caught again,” Kumar said.
“The target to make Agra open defecation free is September 2018 but we have kept our target date as March 2018 and identified 29 such open defecation spots. Beside this, we are apprising the residents about the ‘individual household toilet scheme’ in which financial assistance is provided to those not having toilets at home due to poverty,” he said.
He also said that mobile toilets would be placed in these areas later this month.