Panaji on way to becoming ODF, 300 toilets to be built

PANAJI: In a major step towards Panaji achieving open defacation free (ODF) status, the Corporation of the City of Panaji (CCP) has decided to build 300 toilets in the city.
The contract, which is worth Rs 1.5 crore, will be given to Sulabh international, the agency that has been empanelled for all municipalities in the state.
“The proposal has been sent to the cabinet for approval, which is expected next week,” said CCP commissioner Shashank Tripathi at a council hearing.
Each single-seat toilet will be built at the cost of Rs 35,000, and the project will be financed by funds from the 14th finance commission, he said.
“The municipal corporation should achieve ODF status by August,” said mayor Uday Madkaikar.
Goa is one of just four states in the country that has failed to achieve 100% household toilet coverage in rural areas. The state also has the lowest number of individual household toilets in the country, according to the latest Swachh Bharat mission-Gramin data.
Data released by the Union ministry of sanitation and drinking water shows that just 5.87% of Goa’s villages have been declared ODF, the lowest in the country.
After CCP declares Panaji city ODF, it will communicate this to the state Swachh Bharat mission directorate. Then, a third-party assessor selected by the Union ministry of housing and urban affairs (MoHUA) will mobilise assessors to verify the claim within 30 days. Based on this, the third-party assessor will recommend to the ministry to certify the city ODF.
The ministry for housing and urban affairs will then issue a certificate, and once issued, the city will need to be recertified every six months.
The process for recertification is the same. Upon receiving the request, the third party will assess the city within 30 days.