Four more districts declared open defecation-free
Written by : IANS | Sun, Sep 24, 2017, 06:10 PM
New Delhi, Sep 24: Four more districts were on Sunday declared open defecation free (ODF) after eight days of "Swacchata Hi Seva" campaign, taking the number of total ODF districts in the country to 201.
"In a major milestone, the rural sanitation coverage has increased with four districts being declared ODF today (Sunday) taking the total tally to 201," the Ministry of Drinking Water and Sanitation said in a release.
"The 'Swacchata Hi Seva' campaign has fostered collaborations across the country to fight against the evils of open defecation.
"After a week of the campaign, the movement received support from the film industry. Superstar Rajinikanth and filmmaker S.S. Rajamouli also extended support to the 'Swachhata Hi Seva' campaign," the release added.
Listing other events, the release said scientists and staff members of the Interim Test Range (ITR) in Chandipur picked up brooms and cleaned roads in Odisha's Balasore.
It added that Gujarat Tourism, Archaeological Survey of India (ASI), Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation (AMC), Institute of Hotel Management (IHM) in Gandhinagar, travel agents, tour operators, hoteliers and approved guides organised a cleanliness drive at the Shaking Minarets in Ahmedabad.
Several activities were also taken up across Assam under the programme.