Goa`s dubious distinction: No verified ODF village
(WorldNews India)

PANAJI: Chief minister Manohar Parrikar`s target to make Goa open defecation-free (ODF) before this year-end is a daunting one. That`s because since 2015-16, Goa hasn`t had a single village verified as ODF. Goa shares this dubious distinction with just one state and two Union territories-Tripura, Puducherry and Lakshadweep. ODF is defined as the termination of faecal-oral transmission, defined by no visible faeces found in the village and the use of safe methods by each household to treat the waste. The Union ministry of drinking water and sanitation`s Swachh Bharat Mission-Gramin data shows that since the mission was launched, not a single village in Goa has met ODF norms....