Noida to be declared open defecation-free by Oct 2 this year

The Noida Authority claims it is on course to become an ODF city by next month.

The Noida authority has decided to declare the city open defecation-free (ODF) on October 2 this year, after the construction of 84 new toilets and 45 additional mobile toilets is complete.

A public toilet near Sector 122 in Noida. The Noida authority has already constructed 22 public toilets. (Virendra Singh Gosain/HT PHOTO)

The authority has already constructed 22 public toilets in the first phase on the build-operate-transfer (BOT) model and 84 others are being constructed. Of these 84, 22 have been constructed, 22 are under construction and 40 others will be built soon. According to officials, while most of the urban area is already open defecation free, some more attention is required in the slums.

The move is geared towards Noida’s participation in the Swachh Sarvekshan 2019 programme that was recently initiated by the government.

“We can safely say that 90% of the city is already ODF. Our challenge is only the 10% area that includes urban villages, slums, unauthorized areas and temporary colonies of construction workers,” Rajesh Kumar Singh, officer on special duty (OSD) from Noida authority, said.

He added that planned areas and urban villages are ODF since maps in these areas are approved only after toilet provisions are checked. Noida comprises 81 urban villages that the authority claims are ODF.

According to a report by a private consultant, an additional 45 locations have been identified as open defecation spots.

Prefabricated mobile toilets will be installed here, in association with an NGO, as permanent structures cannot be constructed in these areas, officials

said.

“The land use of all areas is already decided in Noida, due to which it may be difficult to construct toilets at some locations. At other places, either land is not available, or the spot is unauthorised or there are construction workers who may shift after their work is over,” Singh said.

The authority has also issued a helpline number for the purpose, and an ODF control room will be established at the Noida authority’s office in Sector 39 for this purpose.