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Open defecation-free campaign: 10,776 pits dug in Osmanabad

The scheme is part of the 'Marathwada Hagandari Mukt Sangram

Bs_logoArjun Ram Meghwal
Arjun Ram Meghwal
Press Trust of India Mumbai
Last Updated : Jul 18 2017 | 11:06 PM IST
Maharashtra's Osmanabad district has achieved a milestone with over 10,000 pits being dug on a single day as part of the campaign against open defecation.

"Villagers in the district dug 10,776 mark out pits for toilets in a span of 18 hours yesterday, braving rains," Osmanabad Zilla Parishad Chief Executive Officer Anand Rayate told PTI.

The earlier record for the maximum number of such pits dug in a district in a day was held by Telangana, the senior IAS officer said.

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"We have planned to make Osmanabad district open defecation free by October 2," Rayate said.

To popularise the concept, the district administration in March undertook a "Build a toilet, win a trip to Singapore" scheme, he said.

The Osmanabad Zilla Parishad hit upon a novel idea to achieve its target of making all 621 villages in the district open defecation free by October 2.

"We selected tehsil-level winners from the villagers who took early initiative in building toilet at home and sent them on an all-expenses-paid trip to Singapore," Rayate said.

Winners were chosen through a lottery.

The scheme is part of the 'Marathwada Hagandari Mukt Sangram' (Marathwada campaign for eradication of open defecation) launched on the occasion of Gudi Padwa, the Marathi new year, Rayate said.

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First Published: Jul 18 2017 | 10:48 PM IST

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