PANJIM: The BJP-led State government has extended the deadline to make Goa Open Defecation Free (ODF) from October 2 to December 19, 2018. The Swachh Bharat Mission was launched in 2014 with the objective of making India ODF by October 2, 2018, and Goa is one of the few States that will not make it.
The delay on part of completion of the survey to identify the total toilet requirements, is what appears to have forced the government to extend its deadline. This was expected, and Herald was the first to report about the likely change in deadline in its edition dated July 19.
The Department of Urban Development has drafted a scheme for supply and installation of Bio-Digester Toilet in Goa. “The objective of this scheme is to achieve Open Defecation Free Goa by December 19, 2018, by providing Bio-Digester Toilets to the eligible persons,” Urban Development Secretary R Menaka said in a notification issued.
As a rough estimate, the government approximates the need of at least 70,000 bio-digester toilets.
“Though toilets for poor households had been constructed through the State Scheme of Twin Pit Pour Flush Toilet, there are still a substantial number of households in the rural areas which are without an individual household toilet,” Menaka said.
“If Goa is to achieve the goal of ODF by 2018, then it is essential that the construction of toilets is taken up on a mission mode by providing necessary financial assistance to the poor who are without an Individual Household Latrine (IHHL),” she added.
Under the scheme, any household not having an individual sanitary toilet will be eligible under the scheme on submission of documents like Aadhar card and an undertaking that he or she will pay the beneficiary share for the supply and installation of the bio-digester toilet in his household.
“No occupant of the household shall resort to open defecation and shall use toilet only for the purpose it is designed for. The occupant will have to pay the entire cost of supply and installation of bio-digester toilet to government in case of the toilet being not utilised or any occupants of the household resorting to open defecation,” Menaka said.
Urban Development Department has made it mandatory for a certificate from the Municipal Council/ /Corporation/Panchayat stating that the household does not have individual household latrine.
The departments of urban development and panchayat will finalise the list of eligible applicants under the scheme and communicate the same to the Implementing Agency, which is yet to be announced.
