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This Silicon Valley is 'zero' when it comes to ban on open defecation

  • This year, Bengaluru was awarded 210th rank in the Clean City survey 
  • Wards that have been declared free of open defecation are only 68 out of 198 
  • BBMP blames on construction sites 
This Silicon Valley is zero when it comes to checking open defecation
Author
Bengaluru, First Published May 10, 2017, 2:23 PM IST

After falling to 210th place in the clean city rankings - awarded by the Union government, recently - the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) has decided to do everything that could earn its worth back. One of the issues that left the BBMP authorities embarrassed was that the city earned zero marks (out of 600) in checking the open defecation in its jurisdiction. 

Despite being hailed as the Silicon City of the country and the garden city, the fact that the BBMP's failure to check the open defecation calls for some serious retrospection. 
Under the Swachh Sarvekshan - 2017 (Clean City survey), the cities were assessed on their efforts to check open defecation in their jurisdiction for 600 marks. Shockingly, Bengaluru has been given just zero. Besides, the BBMP's failure to declare any ward as open defecation-free also did the damage, reports Prajavani. 

For, of the 198 wards, only 68 wards have submitted their representations as per the clean city guidelines. Rest of the wards have not bothered to revert to the Palike on their efforts to check open defecation. This had an adverse impact during the survey, feels the Palike. 
But how is it possible? BBMP now blames the construction works that are rampant in the city. At least 90 per cent of the construction works do not have basic amenities including toilet facilities for the migrant workers. With no option, many are defecating in open spaces and even Palike playgrounds. When the Metro construction was going in many places in the city, workers were found living in shabby conditions with absolutely no basic amenities. After the media reports pointed about it, the Metro authorities provided better facilities for them. 

The BBMP is now planning to penalise construction firms that fail to provide toilet facilities to the labourers. They must provide them with at least temporary toilets, or they will be penalised. In fact, not just construction sites but even the slum areas too need to be checked for the open defecation. 
Now, that the Palike has realised its blunder, it is now doing everything to bounce back in the Clean City rankings, next year. 

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