ODF++ status for Hyderabad city

Hyderabad has added a feather to its cap by becoming the only metro city to obtain ODF ++ (Open defecation free and setting up sewage treatment plants) status. The only two other cities with this status are Indore and Chandigarh. A visiting third-party agency from the Union ministry for housing and urban affairs made field inspections on January 19 and January 20 and declared Hyderabad ODF++.  The status is awarded to cities with smart toilets, no open drainage and adequate sewerage treatment plants (STPs). The city has already achieved ODF+ status by eliminating open defecation.

GHMC commissioner Mr M. Dana Kishore said open urination is an area of concern in every city. Not just provision of toilets, but its maintenance assumes primacy, as people are reluctant to use toilets unless those are neat and tidy. Mr Kishore said GHMC has built several categories of toilets across the city, like BOT (Built Operate Transfer), prefabricated, Sulabh, engineering and SHE toilets (e-toilets).

He said the civic body convinced around 259 fuel stations and 280 restaurants in the city to give the public access to their toilets for free. “This has been achieved by Hyderabad Metro Water Supply & Sewerage Board and GHMC in coordination with Administrative Staff College of India in the last two months,” Mr Kishore said. “Officials from the Centre made several random field inspections to various STPs and public toilets before declaring the city ODF++.” This will help the city obtain better ranking in the Swachh Survekshan.  However, there was still a need for more toilets.  “Even though the civic body asked petrol pumps and hotels to spare their toilets for citizens, it has not been implemented properly. The corporation will initiate stringent action against violators,” Mr Kishore said. TRS working president Mr K. Taraka Rama Rao and principal secretary Mr Arvind Kumar congratulated GHMC for its efforts to obtain ODF++ ranking.

The corporation has set up faecal sludge treatment plants (FSTPs). Hyderabad Metro Water Supply & Sewerage Board has established 18 faecal sludge and septage plants across the city. These will tackle the burden of untreated faecal waste.