3.52 lakh in 17 days: UP tops in making toilets

LUCKNOW : The UP government bagged the number one all India rank in construction of toilets. The state government built over 3.52 lakh units in 17 days in a special country-wide drive from September 15 till October 2, according to chief secretary Rajive Kumar.

The drive was part of the Centre’s cleanliness campaign. UP was followed by Rajasthan, which constructed 2,54,953 toilets, and Karnataka, which got 2,41,708 toilets built.

As many as 18, 24,549 toilets were constructed all over the country during this special campaign. He said Shanpur nagar panchayat in Bijnor was declared ODF by the Centre on September 4. “A request has been made to the Centre to declare 12 other nagar panchayats and city corporations of the state as ODF,” he said. These civic bodies are Bijnor, Najibabad, Syohara, Dhampur, Kirathpur, Zalalabad, Nagina, Swamibag of Agra district, Amroha civic body in Amroha, Thana Bhawan and Zalalabad in Shamli district.

Kumar has instructed officials to expedite work so that 653 urban local bodies of the state could be declared open- defecation free by

18, 24,549 TOILETS WERE CONSTRUCTED ALL OVER THE COUNTRY DURING THE SPECIAL CAMPAIGN

May 2019. Instructions have also been issued to raise the amount given for construction of personal toilets from Rs 8,000 to Rs 20,000 under urban local bodies, the statement said.