Puducherry: The Puducherry government is planning to ensure that the entire Union Territory becomes open defecation free by October 2, 2017, said Lt Governor Kiran Bedi here on Tuesday.
Speaking at the fourth meeting of the Mission Swachh Puducherry held at the Pondicherry University, Ms Bedi pointed out that anguish was expressed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi as why union territories could not be declared Open Defecation Free while bigger states like Kerala can do so.
The outlying region Mahe will be declared as Open Defecation Free on November 11, Yanam by December 31, Karaikal by March 11 next year and Pondicherry by October 2, 2017 so that Puducherry would become the first Union Territory in the nation to be declared Open Defecation Free, she said.
Congratulating the people of the Union Territory for their enormous support for the ‘Swachh Puducherry’ mission the Lt Governor noted that more than 60,000 volunteers have come forward to participate in the mission of creating healthier, cleaner and prosperous Puducherry.
Giving a slogan of “My Puducherry — Swachh Puducherry”, Ms Bedi called upon each resident to be responsible not to litter public spaces and drainages and source segregate their household waste in to biodegradable and non-biodegradable.
A web portal has been developed exclusive for the youth to help willing students to enrol and become active participants in Swachh Puducherry mission, said P Jawahar, secretary of Local Administration Department (LAD) while addressing the gathering.
