Kerala declared as ‘open defecation free’ state on its foundation day

Drinking Water and Sanitation Secretary Parameswaran Iyer said over 1 lakh villages across the country have become ODF.

Kerala has become the third Open Defecation Free (ODF) state in the country.

Drinking Water and Sanitation Secretary Parameswaran Iyer said over 1 lakh villages across the country have become ODF. (Mujeeb Faruqui/HT photo)

The announcement was made on the state’s foundation day today. Earlier, Himachal Pradesh and Sikkim had declared themselves Open Defecation Free.

The Union Ministry’s Drinking Water and Sanitation Secretary Parameswaran Iyer said over 1 lakh villages across the country have become ODF.

“Kerala becomes first high density populated state in the country to achieve Open Defecation Free status today on its formation day,” Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan said in a tweet.

Meanwhile, a source said three more states -- Gujarat, Haryana and Uttarakhand -- will be announcing themselves as ODF soon.