Daijiworld Media Network - Mangaluru (SP)

Mangaluru, Aug 17: Dakshina Kannada district has been declared as an Open Defecation Free (ODF Plus - 1) district. This was announced by the zilla panchayat deputy secretary and Swachh Bharat Mission's nodal officer K Anand Kumar, at a simple function held on Sunday at the zilla panchayat auditorium.

Kumar stated that the declaration was made on the basis of performance under rural drinking water and sanitation, Swachh Bharat Mission, construction of individual home toilets, and progress in handling solid waste. The villages, gram panchayats, taluks and districts have been declared similarly, he stated.

He said that toilets have been provided to all the families within gram panchayats. Likewise, toilets have been provided in schools and Anganwadi. Wherever necessary, community toilets have been built and maintained, he stated. He said that solid waste is collected and recycled by turning them as resources. Steps have also been taken to ban use of single use plastics completely, he added.

Chief planning officer Sandhya K S, project director H R Nayak, and district level officials under the zilla panchayat were present.