Kozhikode: Though the grama panchayats in the district were declared as open defecation-free (ODF), the areas where migrant labourers stay are not covered in the drive, which makes the declaration incomplete. Though the district collector had directed the panchayat secretaries to ensure proper facilities for migrants, many panchayats have not yet complied with the order.
The open defecation by migrant labourers had invited the ire of residents in many areas in the city as well as in nearby panchayats recently. “The labourers are housed in places with no proper facilities. The people who shelter them are ignoring their basic needs. As a result they defecate in the river posing a health hazard,” alleged Mambuzha protection committee president T.K. Azeez.
In the corporation area, where there are a large number of migrants, frequent issues erupt over defecation. At Mankavu, the locals had clashed with contractors over the faulty septic waste management recently. “At present, the corporation is focusing on constructing toilets in all houses. We will build toilets for migrant labourers in the next phase,” said corporation health standing committee chairman K.V. Baburaj.
In major migrant labour camps in the city, the Suchitwa Mission is conducting awareness classes. “At Koolimadu, which has huge camps of migrants, we had conducted awareness classes for both labourers and contractors. As a result better facilities were provided for the labourers by the firms,” said Mr K.P. Radhakrishnan, Kerala Suchitwa Mission district assistant coordinator.
