AURANGABAD: As part of the Swachh Bharat Urban programme, all cities in the state, including Aurangabad, are required to ensure proper functioning of their public and community toilets to qualify as
open defecation
free (ODF) city.
Based on whether the cities have only toilets or they have both toilets as well as sewage treatment plants within 20km radius, cities will get the ODF+ or the ODF++ tag.
Speaking to TOI, deputy secretary at the state government’s urban development department, Sudhakar Bobade said that the cities had declared details about the number of applications filed for individual household latrine (IHHL) and the number of IHHLs constructed on the Swachh Bharat Mission portal. “The cities are expected to bridge the gap between the number of applications filed and the toilets constructed by June 30,” said Bobade.
He further said that the urban local bodies (ULBs) had to ensure that the community and public toilets in the city were in good shape. First, the ULBs should ensure that the existing toilets are repaired and have light, water and are properly cleaned. The cities applying for ODF+ should have atleast 10% and those applying for ODF++ should have atleast 25% toilets with additional facilities like exhaust fan, vending machines and other amenities.
“There will be a three phase inspection for ODF+ and ODF++ in which the municipal commissioner will have to make a self-declaration about the status of public and community toilets. After this, the divisional coordinator of Swachh Bharat will inspect and finally a third party inspection by Delhi based QCI will be conducted,” said Bobade. He said that Aurangabad would have to meet ODF++ requirements before October 2 i.e. the 150th birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi.
Vijaya Ghadge, who is overseeing the ODF status of the city, said that AMC would be repairing around 30 existing public toilets and constructing 25 new ones.
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