PNS | DEHRADUN
Uttarakhand has secured the third position in the Clean Toilet Challenge 2023 competition, organised by the central government under Swachh Bharat Missionfor the maintenance and cleanliness of public toilets. The competition, initiated by the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs, emphasised the importance of maintaining public toilets in operational condition, improving accessibility and ensuring cleanliness and safety.
Following the competition, Uttarakhand was ranked third among states with over a hundred municipalities, with Gujarat and Odisha securing the first and second positions, respectively. The officials claimed that according to the survey, nearly 40 per cent of public toilets in Uttarakhand met the highest standards of cleanliness and safety.
The State currently has 2,553 public toilet seats, primarily located in urban bodies, along travel routes, pilgrimage sites and tourist destinations. In response to the recognition, chief minister Pushkar Singh Dhami praised the efforts of the Urban Development Directorate (UDD). The UDD secretary Nitesh Jha also stated that special instructions have been issued to all municipalities to maintain public toilets, and efforts are being made to increase the number of toilets across the state.
