Panvel to be open defecation free soon 7 KDMC staffers suspended for drinking on duty

BY AUGUST 15 696 private toilets have been built, Rs1.4-crore grants distributed to beneficiaries under the scheme

Panvel is all set to be 100% open defecation free city, said Panvel Municipal Council (PMC) officials.

With the rapidly rising population, the number of slums in Panvel too is on the rise. This has led to hygienic conditions all over.

A recent survey by PMC has revealed that the city that is fast developing into a modern city, has 4,300 residents who do not have toilets. Around 2,000 citizens are reported to be answering nature’s call in the open.

The PMC then began making efforts to make the city 100% open defecation free and is soon expected to achieve the goal. PMC officials said the plan is to achieve the goal by August 15 this year.

The Swachh Bharat Abhiyan is being implemented with renewed vigour in the city. So far, 696 private toilets have been constructed for the citizens. Rs1.4-crore grants have been distributed to the beneficiaries under the scheme.

Towers are taking over the chawls in the A grade municipal council area. With mega and international projects coming up in the region, the number of immigrants to the city is on the rise. Several daily wage workers who are flocking here do not have resources to purchase their homes or even stay in rented houses.

They end up constructing shanties wherever they get place.

In Panvel city, Laxmi Colony, Navnath Nagar, Valmiki Nagar, Maldhakka and Lokhandipada have large slum areas. While the PMC has provided in these areas, the drainage and toilet facilities are inadequate. Several shanties do not have toilets.

The PMC decided to resolve the issue. Along with the central government’s funds, the PMC gave Rs20,000 to individuals for construction of private toilets.

This has resulted in a large number of toilets being constructed in slum areas. Drainage lines too have been laid here. Grants have been deposited in the accounts of 696 beneficiaries so far.

PMC president Charusheela Gharat said, “The PMC has constructed the largest number of toilets in the state under Swachh Bharat Abhiyan scheme. The use of the toilets too has begun and the number of those sitting in the open is now negligible.”

She added, “The scheme has been effectively implemented in the city and its effect is showing.”

Seven officials from water supply department of Kalyan-Dombivli Municipal Corporation officials were found drinking while they were on duty on Friday.

Residents had recorded their drinking and eating while they had come to the housing society to solve their water problem. The video clip and photographs went viral on the social media and also reached their superiors.

They have been suspended under Maharashtra Municipal Corporation Act section 56 (2) until further notice.

Residents of Ganeshwadi housing society in Kalyan (East) had not been receiving water supply for the past few days. They complained to the KDMC about the problem.

“Two days after they registered the complaint, there was no sign of civic officials to look into the problem. The residents again approached the department and finally the civic employees came to fix the problem on Friday,” said Santosh Rane, 55, a resident from Ganeshwadi society.

The officials were on the building premises for a long time. Miffed with the slow pace of work, some of the residents went to see what the civic staff was doing.

What they saw shocked them. The KDMC staff was having a full-fledged party. They were drinking and eating instead of working. Residents said they could not wait till the work got over to observe Gatari. Gatari is unrestrained drinking and eating non-vegetarian food before Shravan, a period of fasting and avoiding alcohol and nonvegetarian food.

“When the officials were caught red-handed by the residents, they tried to leave the housing society. When the residents tried to stop them by closing the society gate, they kicked and punched them,” said Rane.

Deepak Patil, deputy municipal commissioner, said: “They were immediately suspended after their pictures went viral. We will soon spell out the measures on regulating and monitoring the behaviour of our employees.”