Entire coastal Karnataka to be declared open defecation-free on Oct 2

Mangaluru, Sept 24: As many as 10 districts of Karnataka including coastal districts of Dakshina kannada, Udupi and Uttara Kannada will be formally declared defecation-free on October 2.

The other seven districts are Bengaluru Urban, Bengaluru Rural, Chikkamagaluru, Gadag, Shivamogga, Kodagu and Mandya.

According to S G Nanjayyanamath, chairman of Karnataka State Rural Drinking Water and Sanitation Committee, these districts have achieved credit of being open defecation-free districts in the State. Work is on to declare the remaining districts too.

Speaking to media persons Mr. Nanjayyanamath claimed that 1,836 gram panchayats in the State have been declared open-defecation free, and on Gandhi Jayanti, 8,482 more would be added to the list. He said preparation was on to declare at least 2 or 3 more districts open defecation-free on November 1 (Karnataka Rajyotsava Day).

With regard to setting up potable water supplying units, he said 8,400 such units have been set up across the State. The process would be completed by calling tender for installing 2,500 more units. He said 1,000 additional such units would be granted to localities dominated by Scheduled Castes and Schedule Tribes communities. The works of these units was under way and would be completed soon, he said.

Mr. Nanjayyanamath said Rs. 54 crore had been spent from the Rural Development and Panchayat Raj Department for drinking water, development of roads in rural areas, and shed for cattle.