Sikkim adjudged cleanest state

Gangtok, Sep 13: Sikkim has been adjudged the cleanest state in the country with all its four districts ranked among top 10 districts in terms of sanitation and cleanliness.

As per the 'Swachh Survekshan Gramin 2016' report, released by the Ministry of Drinking Water and Sanitation, Sikkim scored 98.2 per cent on a scale of 100 in the ranking given on the basis of percentage of households having sanitary toilets.

Sikkim scored 100 per cent marks on a scale of 100 in the ranking given on the basis of percentage of people using household/community toilet out of household having toilets, the Sikkim government said in statement.

Its all four districts were ranked among top 10 districts of the country in all sanitation parameters of the survey. 75 best performing districts in rural India were evaluated at different level of cleanliness, hygiene and sanitation under 'Swachh Survekshan 2016'.

Chief Minister Pawan Chamling in a statement said the state government has made mandatory for all "gram sabhas" to give "top priority" to sanitation in their agenda.

The Panchayati Raj Act has been amended, making it mandatory for the members of the Panchayati Raj institutions to construct toilets in their households, failing which, the nominations of the members for the Panchayat elections are rejected, Chamling said.

West Sikkim, East Sikkim, South Sikkim and North Sikkim districts scored 96.4, 93.7, 93.0 and 90.7, respectively, on the scale of 100 marks under 'Swachh Survekshan 2016' ranking among 53 best performing districts in plain states and 22 best performing districts in northeast and special category states in the country selected by the Ministry.

All 6,10,577 inhabitants in Sikkim have latrines with high sanitation and hygiene standards and 100 per cent people of Sikkim are using household/community toilets in the state while 98.2 per cent household are having sanitary toilets and again 98.2 per cent of household are having access to sanitary toilets and are also using them, the state government release said.

PTI