Few Gurugram, Faridabad districts declared open defecation, kerosene free

The South Haryana districts of Gurugram and Faridabad, bordering Delhi, have been declared free from ‘open defecation’ and ‘kerosene’.

The announcement was made on the 50th anniversary celebrations of Haryana Day on Tuesday in presence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi who also awarded the Deputy Commissioners of these districts for the achievement. 

The deputy Commissioner of Gurgaon T L Satyapraksh was felicitated by the Prime Minister.

The districts that were declared free from ‘open defecation’ are Gurugram, Faridabad, Fatehbad, Panchkula, Sirsa, Yamuna Nagar and Panipat.

There are also 8 districts of Haryana that have been declared kerosene free in Haryana. 

The state government has set an ambitious target of March 2017 to make all the districts in Haryana kerosene free. 

According to officers, the achievements were due to strict implementation of two flagship projects of the Central government — PEHAL, which aims distribution of cooking gas cylinders to replace kerosene and construction of household toilets under Swachh Bharat Mission.

Citing the progress made by Haryana in the successful implementation of building toilets, Prime Minister Narender Modi said: “For a progressive state like Haryana, it was unthinkable that the women folk of the state have to relieve themselves at odd hours due to lack of toilets. 

Haryanvis, however, have realised the importance of toilets not only towards cleanliness but also as a matter of respect and is now making quick strides in becoming open defecation free.”

On Haryana aiming to become the first state to be kerosene-free, Modi said: “For a state where many citizens have gas connections as well as electricity, kerosene was used for wrongful means causing loss to the government exchequer. The initiative by Haryana will not only stop corruption but also aid in improvement of environment conditions.”

Citing progressive present yet a challenging future ahead, Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar quoted Hindi Poet Maithili Sharan Gupt for the state to continuously strive towards progress. Having witnessed the violent protest by the Jat community for reservation earlier in the year, the state government used the theme of Haryana ek Haryanvi ek.

Being clubbed with Telangana under ek bharat, shreshtha Bharat scheme, Khattar said: “ I will expect in the future Haryanvi biryani will be served in the restaurants of Hyderabad and Irani tea will be served in the hotels of Gurugram and Faridabad.”

Under the progressive schemes for Gurugram, the Central and Haryana Government will be expediting the construction project of Kundli- Manesar Palwal Expressway, make the Gurugram Development Authority functional and improve the public transportation system of the city.