4,327 urban local bodies declared open defecation-free under Swachh Bharat: HUA

Over 4,300 urban local bodies have so far been declared open defecation-free in the country under the Swachh Bharat Mission-Urban, the Union Housing and Urban Affairs Ministry said on Thursday. A total of 4,327 urban local bodies have been declared open defecation-free (ODF) so far," the ministry said in a statement.

Over 4,300 urban local bodies have so far been declared open defecation-free in the country under the Swachh Bharat Mission-Urban, the Union Housing and Urban Affairs Ministry said on Thursday. The ministry said it has been made possible through construction of more than 66 lakh individual household toilets and over 6 lakh community and public toilets, far exceeding the Mission's targets.

"Since its launch in 2014, Swachh Bharat Mission-Urban (SBM-U) has made significant progress in the area of both sanitation and solid waste management. A total of 4,327 urban local bodies have been declared open defecation-free (ODF) so far," the ministry said in a statement. In the statement, the ministry also said that it was celebrating the sixth anniversary of SBM-U by organising a webinar titled 'Swachhata Ke 6 Saal, Bemisaal' on Friday.

The day, which also marks the 151st birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi, will focus on celebrating the achievements of the past six years under the Mission along with experience sharing by states, cities and partner organisations, it stated. Union Housing and Urban Affairs Minister Hardeep Singh Puri will release a compendium and a dynamic GIS portal showcasing innovative practices for effective solid waste management (SWM) from across India.

"In the area of solid waste management, 97 per cent of wards have complete door-to door collection and 77 per cent of wards have source segregation of waste, while 67 per cent of the total waste generated is being processed - a jump of nearly four times over 2014 levels of 18 per cent processing," the statement added. PTI BUN SRY