PANJIM: In September 2018, Goa had topped the chart of having the lowest Open Defecation Free (ODF) coverage in the county. Eleven months down the line, the story has not changed.
Though the State has shown a slight progress on the front by reporting a rise in the total coverage from 5.87 per cent to 11.64 per cent under the mission, it still stands at the bottom of the table for the lowest coverage in the country.
As per the latest data available on the website of the Union Ministry of Drinking Water and Sanitation (Swacch Bharat Mission-Gramin), Goa is ranked number one in the category of lowest ODF coverage with 11.64 percent. In fact, it is the only State whose coverage is below 20 per cent. Goa is followed by States like Odisha (84.11%) and Bihar (98.74%) as lowest.
The data further reveals that North Goa has a higher ODF coverage than South Goa. There are 1,39,713 households with toilet.
Goa, which had aimed to achieve ODF status on August 31, by planning to construct 530-odd community toilets by that day, has hit a roadblock due to the incessant rains. The government has now planned to place mobile bio-digester toilets, wherever required.
The construction and installation of bio-toilets, both community and individual, will begin from September 1 onwards.
The government was initially planning to install 538 community toilets in different wards in panchayats as well as municipal areas, and another 17,000 individual toilets in rural and 4,000 in urban areas to make the Goa open defecation free by August 31.
Goa Solid Waste Management Corporation (GSWMC), the nodal implementing agency, has identified two Goan companies – Om Ventures and Cam Industrial services – along with three other companies – Kaya Frontier JV pvt ltd, LNA Infra Projects and Banka Bio Loo Ltd – for the supply of bio-digester toilets in panchayat areas, while in municipal areas, toilets would be constructed through the Sulabh International Social Service Organisation.
Speaking to Herald, Panchayat Director Gopal Parsekar said that due to climatic conditions and heavy rains, the work of installation of bio-digester community toilets was hampered. “We had started the process but due to incessant rain, the work could not go ahead in some places. Even now, it is rainning in isolated areas,” he said.
He said that, in order to cover the areas, the government has taken a decision to place mobile bio-digester toilets, wherever required and declare the State as open defecation free on August 31. “Once, the State is declared as open defecation free, from September 1 onwards, we will start construction and installation of bio-toilets, both community and individual,” he said.
Parsekar, in a memorandum issued on August 16, has directed all the village panchayat secretaries to keep a close check on the mobile toilets and make sure that all the installed toilets are placed in an area that has proper security and where it will remain safe till permanent toilets are erected. He also issued a warning in that memorandum. He stated that they will be held personally responsible if there is any damage to the mobile bio-digester toilet and that the damage in terms of the losses would be recovered from him or her.
These subsidised bio-toilets will be supplied at various rates. For the general category it will be Rs 4,000, for OBC it will be Rs 2,500, and for ST and SC, an amount of Rs 1000 would be charged.
The bio-digester toilets, perfected by the DRDO (Defence Research and Development Organization) will be provided in rural areas.
