Total of 154 villages declare themselves ODF, government yet to verify

JAIPUR: Sarpanchs are taking it as a mission to convert their villages into open defecation-free (ODF) villages in Jaipur rural area. A total of 154 gram panchayats have declared themselves ODF. But, verification by the government to declare them ODF will be done soon.
District collector Siddharth Mahajan said that a team of officials comprising Centre and state government officials will inspect the gram panchayats, which have declared themselves ODF.The team will verify if the gram panchayats are actually ODF. Only after certification by the team, will the gram panchayats get Rs 20 lakh each as incentive.
A meeting of sarpanchs of Jaipur with district administration officials was held at Nahargarh on Sunday. In the meeting, Mahajan said that by March, they have targeted to declare almost half of gram panchayats of the district ODF. Besides, Mahajan has set a target to declare Jaipur district ODF in first eight months of next financial year. For the purpose, sarpanchs, ward panchs, gram sevaks and pradhans will have to work hard to make Jaipur district ODF.
The collector felicitated 150 sarpanchs of Jaipur district for their exceptional work to make their gram panchayats ODF.
In the meeting, Jaipur district’s chief executive officer Alok Ranjan said that in the past six months, Jaipur’s sarpanchs have done well under Swachh Bharat Mission.
Sarpanchs also shared their experiences in the meeting, while talking about the challenges they faced during their efforts to make their gram panchayats ODF.
Sarpanch Sitaram of Charsa gram panchayat in Shahpura said that in his area, children played key role in making his gram panchayat ODF. “Children compelled their parents to construct toilets in houses. In my area, children told their parents that they would not go to school, if they do not construct toilets in houses,” Sitaram said.