BMC declares ODF ++ status for Temple City

Bhubaneswar: The Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation (BMC) today declared it as open defecation free (ODF) ++ city.

Announcing this, BMC Administrator and Director Municipal Administration (DMA) of the Odisha Government, Sangramjit Nayak said following today’s declaration, the ODF ++ status will be open for Third-Party verification.

Saying that it was never an ultimate destination to have the ODF ++ status in the kitty of the largest civic body of Odisha, the senior administrator also added that gradually BMC will proceed towards applying for the Garbage Free Cities (GFC) Star Rating as it is always setting a benchmark of its own in the State and has become a role model for others.

He also asked the Sanitation team of BMC to get ready for the battle of all-India ranking as the 2020 Swachha Survekshan Survey will comprise 6,000 marks.

It can be mentioned here that while the 2020 survey will involve 4830 urban local bodies this year, the GFC Star Rating will have a seven star rating programme for making Indian cities garbage free.

Mentioning the faecal sludge treatment plant (FSTP) at Basuaghai as one of the state-of-the art facilities of city, which has invited great appreciation from other cities and the Centre, he called upon all stakeholders of the city-hotel associations, petrol pump owners and others to come forward and contribute towards the city’s beautification drives and make it one of the most beautiful, clean and green cities of the country through public-private partnership (PPP) mode.

He called upon all stakeholders and officials of BMC and other city authorities to win people’s trust and work towards building world class facilities as the city is getting good name in the world of sports.

He also requested BMC to go for more and more urinals at major locations where people tend to go for urinating often and making the environment odd.

BMC Commissioner Prem Chandra Chaudhary said, “With the ODF ++ declaration, we are also going to request our citizens to become more and more responsible to make the Temple City clean, green and a good urban habitat. We have already launched a “Go Green Campaign” to sensitise out citizens not to create more non-biodegradable wastes and they have responded positively.’’

Gifting ‘seed card’ on this occasion to the attending delegates at the BMC Conference Hall here, the Municipal Commissioner also added that if we can start adopting small ideas like this in our daily life then we can create more greenery and beautify the city as well as fight climate change threats.

Seed cards are beautiful cards made from handmade paper which contains seeds inside. When a user throws away the cards in the open the seeds germinate and thus more trees are added to the existing plants in the environment automatically.

He also declared that BMC was already planning to develop urinals at 20 major city locations after carrying out a baseline study on the “urinating points’’ and they would be ready by March 31.

“Next six months after March there would be more additions to the plan,” he added.

Infrastructure created

The BMC has so far created nearly 1,700 functional toilet seats. While 226 toilets are under construction, the toilets are coming under public, community, e-toilets and toilets at petrol pumps across the city.

All these toilets are having child-friendly facilities and are suitable for use by senior citizens, men, women and transgender communities.

On the other hand, applications for 11,914 individual house hold latrines (IHHL) were received and out of which all were constructed and geo-tagged.

During the ODF ++ declaration senior officials of BMC, representatives from partnering NGOs, educational institutions, hotel associations, petrol pump owners and other stakeholders across the city participated.