ONGC to construct 4,050 toilets in three TN districts

CHENNAI: Even as residents of Kathiramangalam village in Thanjavur continued their protests against ONGC's exploration work in the area on Friday, the oil and gas exploration agency has announced that they will construct 4,050 Individual Household Latrines (IHHL) in Ariyalur, Ramanathapuram, and Tiruvarur districts.
An ONGC release said as many 1,350 IHHL units had been planned in each district.ONGC would spend Rs 14.17 crore on this project.
The release added that an agreement was signed by S S C Parthiban, chief - CSR, ONGC Foundation, and R C Jha, secretary of Sulabh International Social Service Organization (SISSO), an NGO.
The initiative is part of its CSR activities under ONGC's ‘Swachhta Action Plan.’ The project would be completed in six months.
Sulabh International will conduct a survey in the identified villages and select beneficiaries in consultation with local government authorities.
The release said ONGC Cauvery Basin, Chennai would monitor the construction of 2,700 units in Ariyalur and Ramanathapuram. ONGC, Cauvery Asset, Karaikal, will monitor 1,350 units in Tiruvarur.
With the objective of making villages around ONGC operational areas Open Defecation Free, the ONGC Board recently approved construction of 16,000 IHHL units in Assam, Gujarat, Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Orissa, and Uttar Pradesh at a cost of Rs 55.99 crore through the ONGC Foundation.