Patiala gets ODF++ status, might get boost in Swachh ranking - Hindustan Times
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Patiala gets ODF++ status, might get boost in Swachh ranking

By, Patiala
Jan 28, 2020 10:08 PM IST

The Patiala municipal corporation (MC) has finally received a certification of being included in the list of open defecation free (ODF) ++ category of urban local bodies in India. In a third-party certification process carried out by the Union ministry of housing and urban affairs, the Patiala municipal corporation has been declared ODF++, which means that it has achieved safe sustainable sanitation for all.

The Patiala municipal corporation (MC) has finally received a certification of being included in the list of open defecation free (ODF) ++ category of urban local bodies in India.

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HT Image

In a third-party certification process carried out by the Union ministry of housing and urban affairs, the Patiala municipal corporation has been declared ODF++, which means that it has achieved safe sustainable sanitation for all.

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The Union ministry had carried out a three-day third-party inspection from December 12-14 in city, during which, its team had visited 20 random locations here and accessed the situation.

As per the certification, of total 20 community and public toilets visited by the team, 11 were found to be in excellent category, five in aspirational and four in clean category.

MC commissioner Poonamdeep Kaur said the public toilets located in Gurbax Colony, Tripuri, Choti Baradari market, Tegh Bagh Colony and Raghomajra Subzi Mandi were declared as best toilets as far as design and maintenance is concerned.

“We have received the certificate in this regard. The civic body has decided to come up with more public and community toilets. We have already identified locations where these community and public toilets will be constructed,” she said.

‘WILL BOOST CLEANLINESS RANKING’

The MC commissioner said that the ODF++ status is going to boost Patiala’s ranking in the annual cleanliness survey (Swachh Survekshan) done by the Union ministry of housing and urban affairs early this month.

“We are expecting to earn additional 1,500 points as the ODF++ status holds key points in the annual survey. We have already submitted the required documents related to ODF++ declaration and will now submit the final certificate with the Union ministry,” she said.

In results of the first two quarters of the Swachh Survekshan League 2020 — from April to September 2019 — as declared by the Union ministry of housing and urban affairs on Tuesday, the Patiala MC scored 1,439.37 points.

In the first quarter (April to June), Patiala was ranked 199 nationally with 613.12 points, and in the second quarter (July to September), it improved the ranking and bagged 153rd rank with 826.25 points.

However, the calculations for the third quarter (October to December) are still on and are to be completed following results of the annual survey.

In 2019, the city had ranked 72nd of total 4,237 urban local bodies surveyed across country. This ranking was a jump of 111 positions as Patiala was ranked 183rd in 2018. In 2017, Patiala was among the dirtiest cities in India as it had bagged 411th rank.

WHAT IS ODF++ STATUS?

The ODF++ status has been categorised in order to achieve safe sustainable sanitation for all. The Union ministry of housing and urban affairs carries out an independent verification and validation through a third-party agency.

The third-party certification will be valid for six months, after which, reassessment and recertification process will be carried out.

The ODF++ status states that at any point of the day, not a single person is found defecating or urinating in the open, all community and public toilets are functional and well maintained, and faecal sludge, septage and sewage is safely managed and treated with no discharging and dumping of untreated faecal sludge and sewage in drains, water bodies or open areas.

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  • ABOUT THE AUTHOR
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    Navrajdeep Singh is a senior staff correspondent. He covers agriculture, crime, local bodies, health and education in the Patiala district of Punjab.

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