The State Government would engage 6,234 Swachh Doots (ambassadors for cleanliness drive) along with block coordinators and cluster coordinators of the 314 blocks to promote sanitation campaign. It was informed by Water Sanitation and Support Organisation (WSSO) CEO Abhay Biswal while attending a State-level consultation on the Swachh Bharat Mission (SBM) here on Tuesday.
To make the mission successful in Odisha, Biswal said they have engaged self-employed mechanics (ACMs) along with 120 district coordinator, 314 Junior Engineer-II, 27 Assistant Engineers and 34 Executive Engineers in the State. Besides, the State have engaged Anganwadi workers, self help groups (SHGs) and civil society groups to carry out the programme.
According to the mission, he said, every household would have a toilet by 2019. Every school would have separate toilets for boys and girls by the month of December this year, he added.
Activists and representatives of different social organisations participating in the consultation expressed concern over the State Government tardy progress in different sanitation programmes. They cited examples of jaundice deaths occurred at Sambalpur, Balangir and other parts of the State due to impure water supply and poor sanitation.
“Only working on pen and paper cannot solve problems related to sanitation in the State, practical action is needed to execute several plan and programmes of both the State and Central Governments,” said an activist. Among others, Ambika Nanda from UNDP, Wateraid policy coordinator Bikash Kumar Pati, Bisakha Bhanja of Wateraid, participants from Ganjam, Puri, Bhadrak, Baleswar, Nuapada and Deogarh were present.