Baripada: A 1,000-km long human chain formed by 10 lakh residents as well as a mini marathon marked the observation of World Toilet Day here in Mayurbhanj district Monday.
The district administration which is striving to make the district free of open defecation observed the day in a unique way by organising the mini marathon and later the human chain.
The mini marathon started at the Jagannath temple and culminated at Chhau ground. Later, a giant human chain, which stretched over 1,000-km comprising 10 lakh residents from Baripada, 26 blocks and 404 panchayats, was formed.
Collector Vineet Bhardwaj, ADM Aboli Narvane, Baripada Sub-Collector Dibyajyoti Parida, all district and block level officials, residents, self-help group members, club members and students participated in the event.
Moreover, one lakh students studying in various residential schools writing to their families for construction of toilets in their houses came as glimmer of hope for the district which is striving hard to make the district free of open defecation.
The students are using toilets in their schools but have to relieve themselves in open ground when they visit their homes during holidays. This has become a worrisome fact for the students who wrote to their families urging them to build toilets at home.
A recent survey has found out that over 5.11 lakh families in the district do not have toilets at home. Later, the district administration has launched a campaign and inspired them to build toilets at home for a clean and healthy Odisha under Swachh Bharat mission. As a result, over 2.50 lakh residents have so far built toilets at their homes.
The district administration is exploring ways to sensitise the residents and engage district officials to the panchayat level officials for the purpose. This has helped as over 1,000 toilets are being built in the district everyday.
The district administration has now raised the target to 2000 toilets per day and hopes to build over 3 lakh toilets by December 31 as it takes three days to build a toilet. As many as 65 out of 404 panchayats in the district have been declared free of open defecation.
PNN