’Gandhigiri’ to the fore for a fresh cause

Mangalore Today News Network

Udupi, April 21,2016: It was “Gandhigiri” for a new cause, a novel  campaign by the personnel of Udupi City Municipal Council (CMC) garlanded people to encourage them to shun open defecation.

In a media information issued by the CMC here on Apr 20,  Wednesday, this initiative was taken up under the Swachh Bharat Mission to make Udupi an “open defecation free” city. The aim was to create community awareness among people against open defecation.

As per a previously chalked out plan, eight teams of CMC personnel visited eight colonies in the city from 5 a.m. to 8.30 a.m.They garlanded those persons who went out in the open to answer nature’s call.  They explained to them the importance of using either community toilets or individual toilets.   They also told them about the diseases which could spread due to open defecation.  They also gave a “demonstration” of how diseases caused and spread by open defecation.

They encouraged them to take advantage of the Swachch Bharat Mission and other schemes of government and build toilets.   They were told that the CMC was thinking of imposing fines on those found defecating openly and they should not allow this to happen.

The government was providing financial assistance for the construction of individual toilets. People not having toilets should contact the CMC office for getting this financial assistance. The CMC aimed at making Udupi an “open defecation free city” by October 2016. The intention was to see that people had access to toilets. The cooperation of all people was required to make Udupi, a clean and beautiful city, the release added.