Telangana has drawn up plans to make the entire State free of open defecation by October 2019 with three districts - Nizamabad, Medak and Karimanagar already achieving cent per cent success. This was stated at a day-long workshop held on the ‘Swachh Bharat Mission’ for district collectors, superintending engineers and others here on Tuesday. Special Chief Secretary S.P. Singh said that while setting up precise target dates for totally eradicating the practice of open defecation was a tough ask, it was not impossible provided the Government had a firm resolve and the officials concerned were determined to change the people’s mindsets and lifestyle.
The collectors of the three districts where the administration had managed to halt the practice of open defecation gave a power point presentation on how they went about the job with enthusiastic involvement of the citizens. Union Joint Secretary for Drinking Water Suppy Arun Boroka addressed the gathering where he underscored the need for the district magistrates to take up the work on a mission mode while assuring total assistance from the Centre. It was the first priority for the Union Government to make it a success, he reiterated. Unicef Hyderabad head Ruth Liyano offered support from her organisation.
